Monthly Archives: October 2011

1. The Myitsone Dam Here’s a quick Trivial Pursuit question for you. How many dam construction projects do the Chinese currently have underway worldwide? Over 250, in 68 countries. Hmm. I underestimated. Did you? Actually, today that may be one … Continue reading →

The editorial in this morning’s Washington Post asked if we were ready for the next earthquake (or hurricane, or tornado, or terrorist incident). The question was rhetorical; the writers chided those in local government (DC, MD, VA) for their failure … Continue reading →

Ever take a management course? Chances are good that at some point an instructor told you “to act like you own the company.” That same advice is out there today. Google the phrase. No shortage of links to choose from. … Continue reading →

The October 1-7 issue of The Economist featured a look at the consequences of industrial policy…national efforts to influence the amount and makeup of the goods and services produced. Lots of material, but here’s a taste. The write-up referenced an … Continue reading →

Would he have a plan? What would it be? George C. Marshall (1880-1959), soldier and statesman, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. Yesterday’s post provided excerpts from his Nobel lecture. He is credited as the architect of the Allied … Continue reading →

Back on August 2nd this blog proposed a Marshall Plan for the 21st century. You can find the post here. Today we’re returning to that idea. Why? Well one reason is that my wife and I just returned from a … Continue reading →

We’re all coming off a three-day fall weekend; here’s a very brief post prompted by the season and the occasion, to help us with the transition to the (shortened) workweek. Large numbers of people see “baseball as a metaphor for … Continue reading →

We’re told that holometabolous insects experience a metamorphosis comprising four distinct stages: embryo, larva, pupa, and imago. Take Lepidoptera. Let’s get past the pointy-headed nomenclature and think of the caterpillar building a chrysalis (its pupal stage) and then emerging as … Continue reading →

Has somebody done you wrong? Join the crowd. Those readers of a certain age will recall the B.J. Thomas hit, Another somebody done somebody wrong song. Struck a responsive chord! It was a #1 single back in 1975. A lot … Continue reading →

When the length of the title threatens to be longer than the post itself, when the title expresses seemingly separate, disjoint thoughts, not just facets of a single, big idea – then you know you’re in trouble. Please forgive me! … Continue reading →