The following was written for the University of San Francisco Business Journal in 1995. By John D. Breen – San Francisco, CA September 13, 1995 In Leadership and the New Science, Margaret Wheatley has forwarded concepts that are superficially radical. Resistance to her notion of “de-engineering” and progress through disorder is reminiscent (on a slightly diminished scale) of […]
Atlanta, GA April 18, 2020 With a frozen shoulder, my immobile right arm allows only a couple sleeping positions. Pain prohibits placing pressure on the right side. The left side is most promising, but that pose can’t be held all night. I must periodically shift to a sub-optimal posture. When I do, I am […]
George sending Masters memorabilia about Jerome reminded me that “Member Number 3” had a younger brother who had a birthday today. I admit the essay below is a re-run. But our honoree never minded re-telling tales, so why should I? Sometimes he put them to to song. The one at the end of this note, […]
Atlanta, GA April 12, 2020 Back in the Mesozoic Era…about six weeks ago…we entered Lent, and have since wandered in a hell of a wilderness. Satan seemed everywhere, but even he could offer little to tempt God’s children…or to compete with government largesse Bread? That’s fine. But what we really needed was toilet paper, fake […]
Marietta, GA April 9, 2020 A couple times this week, Alexander and I ignored the wardens, avoided the searchlights, and scaled the wall. We decided to leave the house, and take a drive. We did so to exercise not only his skills, but his car. And to change our scenery. Our elder son will soon […]
Atlanta, GA April 6, 2020 I must reluctantly confess that I used to teach Economics at Stanford. I may as well plead guilty. A mediocre prosecutor, or a first-year Law student, could secure a quick conviction. While pursuing my MBA at the University of San Francisco, I worked a couple semesters as a teaching assistant […]
Atlanta, GAMarch 32, 2020 March is supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb. In some sense, this one assuredly did. Roadways, sidewalks, and subways are certainly quieter than they were four weeks ago. And most of us feel as if we’d been sheared. I almost can’t remember what people were […]
Atlanta, GAMarch 28, 2020 This week Cobb County instructed its residents to “shelter in place.” The City of Atlanta was placed under lockdown a few days earlier. Our wise overlords have ordered us to stay home, excepting trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, or vet. If we had a pot dispensary nearby, that’d probably be […]
Atlanta, GA March 22, 2020 Randolph Bourne observed that war is the health of the state. So are war analogies. Particularly those with obscure enemies and no clear definition of victory. The War on Poverty. The War on Drugs. The War on Terror. All undefined, all un-winnable, all unending. And all profitable…at least to a […]
Atlanta, GA March 17, 2020 Do you have any homework? – Me It’s all homework. – Alexander On this St Patrick’s Day, the leprechauns are silent, the parades are stilled, and rivers in Chicago and Savannah remain blue (or brown). Only our envy is green. We crave the happy memories of simpler times…when we thought our […]