Quote of the Day
May 5, 2016
“Things are as they are because they were as they were.”–Thomas Gold
Month: May 2016
Words That Drive Us Nuts
May 4, 2016
A friend of mine recently questioned my use of the word “empowered.” He expressed surprise that it was in my vocabulary and wondered if I would next be using “incentivize.” After a judicious search in an etymological dictionary, I sent him a link with the information that “empower” had been used by John Milton and … More Words That Drive Us Nuts
Quote of the Day
May 4, 2016
“Primates often have trouble imagining a universe not run by an angry alpha male.” –Anon.
More Important Terms
May 3, 2016
Alberta Advantage: It’s often too cold to think. Average Voter: Someone who can be persuaded that his/her interests more or less coincide with those of people who have never had to take a bus in their lives. Common Sense Revolution: A grassroots movement of those who secretly believe that the sun does in fact revolve … More More Important Terms
Quote of the Day
May 3, 2016
“How people themselves perceive what they are doing is not a question that interests me. I mean, there are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, ‘That person I see is a savage monster’; instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do. If you ask the … More Quote of the Day
The Strategic Plan
May 2, 2016
For me, one of life’s great mysteries is the existence of workaholics. Let’s face it: With the exception of composing a great symphony, finding a cure for cancer, or selling used cars, the daily work most people are engaged in is just not all that engaging. Work as such is not the sort of thing … More The Strategic Plan
Quote of the Day
May 2, 2016
After enlightenment, the laundry.—Zen proverb
The Corporate University
May 2, 2016
Over the entrance to the library at the University of Colorado, where I was a student in the 1960s, is the inscription, “Who knows only his own generation remains always a child.” It seems a fitting motto for a library. The University of Alberta, where I worked as a librarian for forty years, also has … More The Corporate University
Quote of the Day
May 1, 2016
“The men and women on death row have some combination of bad genes, bad parents, bad environments, and bad ideas (and the innocent, of course, have supremely bad luck). Which of these quantities, exactly, were they responsible for? No human being is responsible for his genes or his upbringing, yet we have every reason to … More Quote of the Day
The View in the Mirror
May 1, 2016
A few years ago, when I was having dinner in a restaurant with my wife, I got up to go to the rest room, which was at the end of a long corridor. A slightly stooped, grey-haired old man was coming toward me, and I moved to one side to let him pass. He moved … More The View in the Mirror
No Harm Spilt 