Douglas L. Ross - My Personal Reflections

I would like to see the next President be a person who can "unite the country" is also a "competent manager" and can work not only "across party lines" but Internationally, in a non-partison and diplomatic way, to get things done. So what else is new, who wouldn't? Zobgy makes the argument that Bloomberg could be such a "leader" that his polls show 80% of Americans want. In some ways I wish it were true, I wouldn't mind voting for an independent and sending both parties a little message to clean up their act. But I doubt that it is true because the American people themselves are so sharply divided. And, the election process is not the place from which unity naturally flows because the whole process is focused on the negative...what's wrong with the other guy. Nothing I'm aware of from Bloomberg gives me the slightest comfort that he's thought about how he would "unite" or "lead" or even what his priorities ...

Google's Blogger has quite a ways to go yet before their so-called "easy to use" template tool is perfected. I spent a couple of hours this afternoon trying to get it to duplicate the template I had before I upgraded and it crashed half a dozen times. Not what I would call easy. (But, let's cut'em some slack, after all it is free!)

Being an employee of Cisco, I've had the opportunity to use Cisco's Telepresence system about half a dozen times now. It's a truly remarkable way to communicate with customers and business colleagues while saving travel time and cost. But, as usual, Josh Bernoff noticed something interesting about the experience that hadn't occured to me. In his blog post Josh describes the persuasive effect that a realistic visual experience like Telepresence can have... "look someone in the eye and if you're right, they can see it. Telepresence can be persuasive." And if you're wrong the same thing is probably true. It's a powerful tool, probably more powerful than we have even begun to realize yet. That time we're saving in not having to travel to a meeting is likely to get redirected at making what we say on a Telepresence call more meaningful and better able to pass the "look someone in the eye" test.

I think about Global Warming from the point of view of one who experienced and was deeply moved by both the ecstasy and later the agony associated with Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" in 1962 and The Club of Rome's dire predictions in their 1972 classic "Limits To Growth." Since those early days, I've also had many debates with both; (a) my friends who some call "radical" environmentalists, and (b) the hard core conservatives I also hang around with. I find myself in the middle. That's why Jenkins article in the WSJ today struck a nerve with me. Few of us have the time to do the hard science (even if we are capable of it) and so; 'Who are we to believe about Global Warming and the like?' I believed Rachel Carson back in the 1960's because I wanted to believe her. And, because I had personal experience with being doused with DDT as a child from government trucks that rolled through our neighborhood and smoke-bombed us. How co...

My uncle Kendal Ross passed away on Friday, February 2, 2007 at the age of eighty. He belonged to what’s been called the “greatest generation.” In my mind, Kendal Ross not only belonged to the “greatest” generation, his life was a perfect example of what that means. In all my life, I have never known anyone that was as honest, as loving, as caring, as hard working, as dependable and just plain fun to be with as this sweet, gentle man…Kendal Ross. He served his country with honor and self-sacrifice; he worked hard to provide for his family and was proud to see his children and grandchildren educated and successful, far beyond his own modest upbringing; he was a pillar of the community in my hometown of Centertown, Kentucky; a Deacon of the little Baptist Church there he attended all his life; a rock that everyone else could always count on and who asked for nothing in return; a loving husband and father and grandfather; a man’s man that commanded respect; and the best uncle that anyone...

It's probably not statistically significant but it's still really sad that Francis Collins' beautiful little book "The Language of God" is only ranked #181 on Amazon and Richard Dawkins' anti-God rant "The God Delusion" is ranked in the top ten at #9. The other statistic that's interesting is that Collins' book has been "reviewed" by about three times as many Amazon readers as Dawkins' book, and many of those reviewers are critics. Seems like the anti-God crowd either reads more [which I doubt] or is less tolerant than the people of God whom they accuse of being intolerant.

A little publicity for my club... Oct. 24, 2006 MATTESON’S GREAT PLAY ENHANCES GOLF CLUB OF GEORGIA REPUTATION Established 1990 ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- The Golf Club of Georgia is known for its two Arthur Hills-designed championship courses, impeccable conditioning and first-class service. These days, however, the Club is gathering attention for its quality of golf and the golfers who play there. Understandably, it’s a great source of pride for the members who call The Golf Club of Georgia their home. The latest evidence comes from PGA Tour rookie Troy Matteson, one of The Golf Club of Georgia’s Invitational Members and a former NCAA champion from Georgia Tech. Clearly, Matteson has been the hottest player on the PGA Tour over the past month, winning at Las Vegas in the Frys.com Open Oct. 15, then tying for second Sunday in the Funai Classic at Disney World to stand 42nd on the PGA Tour money list with $1,630,197. A month ago, before a swing session with long-time teacher Jeff Paton, The Go...