Week of January 24th
My head hurts!
Unfortunate Politicization of LinkedIn – Issue 70
I keep poking away at this issue. I published a newsletter on February 25, 2021 about Fact, Fiction, and Opinion. Then on June 12, I wrote about Prejudice, Discrimination, and Hate. Was the unfortunate politicization of LinkedIn inevitable? Over the past two years, I have watched the unfortunate politicization of LinkedIn. Probably! Any forum that allows […]
Week of January 17th
What caught my attention the Week of January 17th? Covid Risk Calculator In its January 19 newsletter, the New York Times publicized this online tool. Scientists at Oxford University developed this calculator available to UK clinicians on the NHS web site. It helps determine patients that can be returned home safely. Sample calculations: If vaccinated […]
All Things Robbie Burns – Issue 69
Time to buy haggis, neeps, and tatties! Make the Cullen Skink and Clootie pudding! And don’t forget a good bottle of Scotch! On January 25th, the world celebrates all things Robbie Burns with a traditional Burns’ Night Dinner. The menu explained Cullen Skink is a rich and creamy soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes, butter […]
Week of January Tenth
What caught my attention the Week of January tenth? Appeasement Did you notice that this week, the US and NATO are taking the lead in Ukraine negotiations with Russia? If my memory of history serves me correctly, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain left Czechoslovakia on the sidelines while negotiating the Munich Agreement of 1938. As […]
Turn Chaos into Order – Issue 68
I have lamented global responses to COVID-19’s Omicron tidal wave. Criticism is easy, suggesting other strategies more difficult. However, I did commit to putting forward ideas to turn chaos into order. Crisis management is always political Short term crisis management generally works to the political advantage of the governing party. The crisis creates opportunity to […]
Week of January Third
What caught my attention the Week of January Third: The power of Amazon, Our World in Data’s Stringency Index, the selfishness of the unvaccinated, and the vacuous social-media influencer Amazon Courtesy of Scott Galloway – it takes Amazon 45 minutes to process an order. That includes the processing, locating, packing, scanning and putting it on […]
Chaos! Issue 67
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines chaos in five words – a complete lack of order. Well, a complete lack of order defines global Covid-19 responses. The scrambled reactions to the Omicron surge do not leave many world governments looking good. Confusion I don’t know what signals your governments sent you when the Omicron variant emerged. […]
Happy New Year, Issue 66
Happy New Year! or in Scots Gaelic, Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! Phonetically, Blee-a-nah Va Oor! The History of Hogmanay Until the late 1950’s most of Scotland worked through Christmas, even Christmas Day. Immediately following the Protestant Reformation in 1640, the Church of Scotland (the “Kirk”) declared the Christmas celebration a Catholic / Papist fabrication. The Kirk […]
Christmas Poem 2021
A poem for Omicron Christmas to the theme of We’ll be Home for Christmas” We’re dreaming tonight of a place we loveEven more than we usually doAnd although we know it’s a long road backWe promise you We’ll be home for ChristmasIf we pass the testTravel bans and omicronHave made us feel less blest Christmas […]
Holiday Season 2021, Issue 65
What did I write last year? About the slow march from March 13 to December 25. I was hopeful that we would have a sense of normalcy by Christmas 2021. Mid-way through November, I remained hopeful. It looked like we would get to England for a couple of weeks and come back for a family […]
I was born in Scotland, Issue 64
I was born in Scotland. However, my family left our home in Dundee for Canada when I turned three. So, I am more Canadian than Scots. The double “o” sound in spoon is the only remnant that I have of any kind of Scots accent. But, I do a better job than most in understanding […]