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Previous Posts
Dancing... or drinking through life
I am not even sure that I know how to do a link anymore. I'm giving it a shot though so, three readers, please forgive me if I mess this up.
So Rod Dreher's sister is battling cancer. It is nasty. Their faith is extraordinary. Here's his latest post (I think)
There are 8 comments on it.
As I scrolle
posted 3:05:22pm Mar. 02, 2010 |
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Back...
I'm back here at JWalking after a bit of time because I just want someplace to record thoughts from time to time. I doubt that many of the thoughts will be political - there are plenty upon plenty of people offering their opinions on everything political and I doubt that I have much to add that will
posted 10:44:56pm Mar. 01, 2010 |
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Learning to tell a story
For the last ten months or so I've been engaged in a completely different world - the world of screenwriting. It began as a writing project - probably the 21st Century version of a yen to write the great American novel - a shot at a screenplay. I knew that I knew nothing about the art but was inspir
posted 8:01:41pm Feb. 28, 2010 |
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And just one more
I have, I think, just one more round of chemo left.
When I go through my pill popping regimen tomorrow morning it will be the last time for this particular round of drugs. Twenty-three rounds, it seems, is enough.
What comes next? We'll go back to what we did after the surgery. We'll watch and measu
posted 11:38:45pm Nov. 18, 2008 |
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A Newfie for Obama
NPR asked me to do a short memo to the president-elect. I chose to do it on the dog he should choose... and why. Check it out.
posted 12:25:10am Nov. 15, 2008 |
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posted September 6, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I totally agree. For whatever reason, it’s apparently taken for granted in politics that artificiality is “the way to go.” Whatever you do, don’t admit mistakes, weaknesses, vulnerabilities…except in the vaguest of terms.
Possibly, the impulse to put on a front of invincibility stems from a political reality: that violations of cultural norms (the kinds of things sometimes requiring apologies) are considered a bigger deal for politicians because they REPRESENT their constituents. In a limited sense, the public “owns them.”
Unfortunately, we haven’t been very good at remembering the important difference between “public life” and “private life” and giving even our elected officials room to be imperfect human beings.
The Buddha Diaries
posted September 6, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Because politics doesn’t attract humble people. You have to be some kind of egotist to think you deserve that much power and are entitled to keep it once you have it.
Some degree of humility is the difference between a politico and a statesman or stateswoman.
posted September 6, 2007 at 8:07 pm
There are notable examples of apologies – David Vitter, the Louisiana senator apologized and didn’t run away from the DC madam charges. Others like Bill Clinton have eventually apologized and George W. Bush has sort of apologized for the Iraq failings. But these have been apologies of last resort. What is impressive about Jobs is that the apology was so quick and that it was followed up with a penance of sorts – the $100 Apple gift credit.
posted September 6, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Um, doesn’t most technology drop in price once its been on the market?
posted September 7, 2007 at 1:01 am
Gene Robinson isn’t nearly as sanguine …
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602272.html
posted September 7, 2007 at 4:30 pm
The difference is simple: Steve Jobs is afraid that he’s lose you as a customer, and therefore Apple’s slim share of the cell phone market. Politicians know that thanks to party loyalty, party money, and gerrymandering, they don’t have to worry about holding on to their jobs. People will vote for them again and again because the incumbent is well known, and the only other option is a member of the “scary” opposition party.
I don’t see Apple offering credits to iPod owners who recently bought 80GB iPods for $349 now that the new 80GB iPod Classic is only $249. That’s because the iPod has the market sewn up. What are angry customers going to do, go buy a ZUNE?!?
But Apple has a slim portion of the cell phone market and they are desperate to keep customers and attract more. It’s easier to be humble when you don’t have all the power.