Signature Blog Posts

This page is an index of the blog posts that I think best reflect my writing and thinking on the themes and topics about which I feel most passionate.  I will update it regularly as new signature entries are posted.

Sustainability, Communities and Self-Reliant Living

• Moving from Passive to Active (February 11, 2011) - on trying to be more intentional and clear about who we are, what we want, what gifts we have to bring, where we're stuck, and how to move forward
• Is Personal Lifestyle Change Effective? (January 5, 2010) - Must we become the change we wish to see in the world?
• Our fears around sustainable living (February 26, 2009) - What keeps us from jumping on the "go green" bandwagon?
• On Doing It Myself (April 14, 2008) - the power and benefits of relying on ourselves more than we're taught to
• Why do we leave the communities that love us? (January 22, 2008) - how our culture is changing as we scatter farther and wider from home
• Using real names in online communities (October 14, 2007) - why it's not as scary as you think, and the important benefits that can come of it
• Vacation and vocation (July 20, 2007) - on the joy that comes in moving away from the dichotomy of work life vs. home life
• The joy of nuanced relationships (June 30, 2006) - how living in smaller communities can lead to rich interpersonal connections
• Gas prices and New Minds (May 8, 2006) - why we're the only ones who can really deal with the problem of high energy prices
• When people driving cars kill people riding bikes (July 1, 2006) - the tragedy of the clash between car culture and bike culture
• What do we know without the Internet? (February 6, 2005) - how the Internet age has impacted knowledge transfer and learning

Dialog, Communication and Framing

• Beyond one hour chunks of time (July 13, 2009) - On balancing a full schedule with a desire to have serendipitous experiences and interactions
• 5 ways to maximize Q&A time at public lectures (August 25, 2008) - engaging speakers at public lectures
• Mainstream media adopts the dehumanizing 'illegals' label (April 23, 2008) - on framing the immigration debate
• To challenge and be challenged in conversation (January 11, 2008) - how to have useful conversations when we disagree strongly
• It makes me want to kill myself (September 16, 2006) - on how we sometimes forget about the power of words
• The haters are writing in, what are you doing? (July 13, 2007) - on angry letters to the editor
• Why I Am Quiet (March 11, 2007) - on being an introvert
• The quality of public dialogue in Richmond (October 18, 2005) - on the places and spaces where one community conducts its public life
• The Pieing of William Kristol (March 29, 2005) - on throwing food at people you don't agree with

Politics and Governance

• Getting specific about local government transparency (June 6, 2012) - People are using word "transparency" in a lot of different ways these days when it comes to local political leadership - but are we all talking about the same thing?
• Hero Worship (September 14, 2010) - on how to honor the service provided by police officers, fire fighters and members of the military while balancing other needs and risks facing communities today
• Progress in Overcoming a Fear of Change (July 7, 2010) - on moving past oversimplified framing for city governance
• Darfur Genocide, On Our Watch (November 25, 2007) - how can individuals respond in the face of tragic global events?
• No End in Sight to the Assault on Reason (September 2, 2007) - the invasion of Iraq, the framing of political issues
• Curfews as further erosion of a healthy public life (July 24, 2007) - why arbitrary laws limiting personal freedom by age are harmful
• For national security reasons (March 11, 2007) - on using fear and artificial complexity to govern
• Justifying war, values training for war makers (June 3, 2006) - the complexities of trying to make it okay to kill people
• The War on Terror is Over (July 27, 2005) - redefining the way we talk about terrorism
• To alleviate the hazards of old age (March 18, 2005) - on the Social Security system

Media and Marketing

• For More Information, Visit Us On the Web (February 27, 2008) - on our increasing dependence on the Internet for basic survival
• What constitutes good local news coverage? (January 24, 2008) - what kind of media coverage is useful to local communities
• Dihydrogen Monoxide, available at a store near you (July 27, 2007) - on having a basic survival requirement packaged up and sold to us for a profit
• Pal-Item forgets that framing trumps truth? (January 29, 2006) - how news media use presentation to shape our understanding of the news

Customer Service and Consumer Rights

• Good PR via Twitter done right by Sonos (April 14, 2009) - On using Twitter for good customer service
• Is it possible for Sprint customer service to be this bad? (March 20, 2007) - an unbelievable experience with a wireless carrier, and many reader comments about the same
• Customer service done poorly by Ramada (August 27, 2006) - customer service lessons from a stay at a national chain hotel property
• The Customer Can Always Write (June 13, 2005) - on the power and importance of telling companies when they suck

Business and Economic Development

• 10 things about my approach to business management (May 18, 2009) - for better or worse, how I approach collaborating with my co-workers
• 5 Business Values I Learned via Earlham College (March 10, 2009) - You can do good and still do well.
• Oops, we ALL cut the trees down (October 8, 2005) - on the responsibility we all bear for the homogenization of our community landscapes
• Search for more jobs requires driving vision (September 11, 2005) - how to decide what jobs are good jobs to bring to a community
• Big box stores eating big box stores (November 7, 2004) - how big box stores are doing more harm than good across America
• Business incubation contributes to long-term health of community (March 14, 2004) - how communities can foster and support entrepreneurs