At what point do we have the right to self-defense? This man’s bigotry, misogyny, and hate for “the other”, as well as his ignorance of science, has already caused (either directly or indirectly) the deaths of millions. We can’t afford another day, let alone 3 years, of this idiot’s “leadership”.
Forty years ago I was working for a litigation support firm in a high-rise in Century City. I heard about the Challenger exploding and rushed down to the bar & grill downstairs, where I knew they had a television.
Little did I know that a year later, almost to the day, I would begin working as a temp on the Space Shuttle Main Engine program, where I mostly did data input on the FMEA/CIL document (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis/Critical Items List) prior to the shuttle being certified to return to flight.
A year after that I was hired in as a regular employee. I accepted an early severance package and retired 23 years later. I’ve never lost track of the reality that such a tragedy turned into the best job I’ve had in my life. I still mourn the loss of those seven brave souls who were lost that day.
Rest in Peace:
Francis R. “Dick” Scobee (commander)
Michael J. Smith (pilot)
Ronald E. McNair
Ellison S. Onizuka
Judith A. Resnik
Gregory B. Jarvis
Sharon Christa McAuliffe.
Claiming that America today is equivalent to 1930s Germany is both historically shallow and strategically counterproductive. Nearly a century has passed since Adolf Hitler rose to power amid the wreckage of World War I, a global depression, and the collapse of the Weimar Republic. Germany in the 1930s was a humiliated, war-torn, economically devastated nation with no democratic tradition, no cultural resistance to totalitarianism, and no institutional muscle memory to prevent the consolidation of absolute power. The U.S., by contrast, has nearly 250 years of democratic infrastructure, a robust culture of dissent, a decentralized federal system, and a Constitution designed precisely to resist authoritarian overreach.
Moreover, the social, technological, and informational ecosystems are radically different. The 1930s lacked the internet, social media, whistleblower protections, or investigative journalism at scale. Today, every abuse of power can be documented, disseminated, and debated within minutes. We are not helpless—we are connected and aware in ways that were unimaginable in interwar Europe.
That said, dismissing authoritarian threats altogether would be just as naïve. We face unique 21st-century dangers: digital disinformation, polarization, and demagogues exploiting modern platforms. But invoking Hitler or the Nazi regime too loosely dilutes the specificity of that horror and numbs people to its actual warning. Let’s confront today’s threats on their own terms, with courage rooted in history, not hysteria.
There’s a strange sort of energy in the air these days. You can almost feel it—the wheels coming off the rickety jalopy that is Trumpism. The man himself, once a master of chaos and distraction, is looking more and more like a washed-up carnival barker whose tricks have lost their shine. The legal walls are closing in, the rallies are less electric, and the “movement” has become less about a future and more about clinging to a bitter, grievance-soaked past.
But let’s not kid ourselves: while Trump has been busy turning the federal government into a shell of its former self—gutting agencies, stacking departments with yes-men, and driving out career professionals—he’s also unwittingly created a rare opportunity. Nature, as they say, abhors a vacuum. And what we’ve got, right now, is a vacuum the size of Pennsylvania Avenue.
If you’ve ever read Dr. Russell Ackoff—and if you haven’t, now would be a good time—he talks about something called “idealized design.” The gist? When the system you’ve got is broken, don’t just patch the leaks and slap on another coat of paint. Instead, ask yourself: If the current system disappeared overnight, what would you create to take its place? Not what’s possible within the old constraints, but what’s ideal given what we now know.
Well, look around. Thanks to the Trump wrecking ball, a lot of the old constraints are gone—obliterated, really. Agencies like the EPA, Education, even the Post Office, have been hollowed out to the point of absurdity. The courts are in crisis, the CDC is a shell, and the State Department looks like a ghost town. There’s nothing left to “fix.” So, what if we stopped trying to resuscitate the corpse and started imagining a new body politic altogether?
Here’s the opportunity: We get to ask, “What do we want government to look like, now?” Ackoff would tell us to ignore the nostalgic call for a return to the “good old days.” Instead, let’s design forward. A government that’s transparent, accountable, and explicitly built to serve all its people, not just the one percent or the loudest megaphones. What would a Department of Justice look like if it truly prioritized justice? What about immigration—not as a problem to be “solved,” but as a vibrant source of national renewal?
The Trump era, for all its destruction, has left us with a blank page. The lesson is not to cower in fear or yearn for the status quo ante. It’s to seize the moment, roll up our sleeves, and start sketching out the kind of institutions we wish we’d always had. It’s the ultimate act of resistance: refusing to settle for less than the ideal, and demanding a government worthy of the people it serves.
Let’s not waste the vacuum. Let’s fill it—creatively, bravely, and with the best of what we can imagine.
Even though I was unfairly booted from all Meta products I was using (FB, Insta, and Threads), I’ve managed to create another persona and have re-connected with many of the people I was “friends” with previously. As a result, I received a lot of birthday wishes this past Wednesday (06/04). I did my best to individually recognize everyone who sent me a greeting (and yes, I’m aware that FB makes it exceedingly easy to do so, but it doesn’t force one to do it). I also wanted to post a general “thank you” and felt the need to explain why this birthday had so much meaning for me.
A bit less than two and a half years ago, I started having trouble walking from my bedroom to the kitchen. I was serially exhausted and couldn’t figure out what was happening. My doctor had me fitted with a Holter Monitor, which records your heart rate 24/7 for seven days.
The results were sobering. On one night my heart rate fell to 26 BPM; distressingly slow. I was referred to a cardiologist and, after some consultation and discussion about the alternatives, I decided to undergo pacemaker implant surgery. That was two years ago last March 8 (but who’s counting?).
Six months before that I was working in a warehouse, driving a forklift, lifting lots and lots of fairly heavy boxes, and climbing both ladders and storage racks (when I was in a hurry and only needed one box). While working there, I was playing twilight golf with a bunch of former colleagues from Rocketdyne. One of the guys I played with was a Manager of Manufacturing Engineering and he suggested I apply for a position, which I did.
I had an interview and was offered a position. Unfortunately, although I had passed the drug test five previous times, I had always been smoking and had only been using edibles for a while. I didn’t realize the cannabis from them stayed in your system longer than smoking does. I failed and the job was rescinded. I was heartbroken and humiliated. My younger daughter berated me mercilessly and I felt shame; not because I was using Cannabis, but because I wasn’t careful enough to pass the test.
I can’t say for sure that my bradycardia was caused by the weight of that loss (I would have been paid a lot of money for my efforts) and the humiliation I felt over having to tell the guys who I was going to be working with that I wouldn’t be there because I failed a drug test. Regardless, although the implant surgery was a success and I had more energy than I’d had for a while, over the next two years my health deteriorated to the point I honestly didn’t think I had much longer to live.
I was experiencing horrible, arthritic-like pain in nearly every joint in my body. I underwent a battery of tests for a couple of months. Eventually, my doctors (there were several by now) all suggested that the root cause of all this was the Hepatitis C virus I had been carrying asymptomatically for close to forty years. I was first offered treatment in early 2017, when I had just had to leave a two-year stint at Aerojet Rocketdyne. The co-pay was $30,000 and, since I was experiencing no symptoms, I didn’t bother.
This year I decided to take the 12-week regimen of Epclusa, and the co-pay was only $2,000. Still not cheap, but I was really suffering. There were times when I had to shuffle along rather than walk. I had fallen a couple of times and the joint pain was frequently excruciating.
I finished the regimen a couple of months ago. If I test negative for the virus six months after completion, I will be considered cured. I am, however, gaining strength, recovering my balance, and feeling much better. So much so that I’ve begun working for a lawyer and am seeking a few more clients. Turns out my law degree, knowledge of AI, and my KM experience are a unique combination, and I am presenting myself to attorneys as one who can help them keep track of their knowledge, use AI to enhance their practice, and help as a legal assistant when necessary.
I welcome the challenge and am excited for what the future holds, despite my many chronic conditions and fairly advanced age. Keeping busy doing things I love and am good at should keep me going for at least a few more years. Who knows? Maybe a decade. My pacemaker’s battery still has about twelve years of life remaining … and it can be replaced.
Back to my 78th birthday. I’m truly feeling energized by the recovery I’ve made and the road I’ve put myself on. Although it was a bit devastating to lose my Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts at the beginning of the year (according to Meta, it was because I broke the rules on an Instagram account that wasn’t me and trying to straighten it out was both impossible and infuriating) I’m thankful for those friends I’ve managed to re-connect with, as well as the new friends I’ve made recently. I’m thankful for all of them. Life would be less sweet without their presence.
In today’s hyper-connected, information-overloaded world, companies spend billions on training programs, knowledge-sharing platforms, and professional development. The conventional wisdom is simple: the more you learn, the better you’ll perform. But what if the key to innovation isn’t about learning more, but rather about forgetting less?
It might sound counterintuitive, but this subtle shift in perspective can transform how you think about knowledge management and creativity in your organization.
The problem starts with how our brains work. Research by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus introduced the concept of the “forgetting curve.” Essentially, we forget up to 50% of newly learned information within an hour and as much as 90% within a week—unless we take deliberate action to reinforce it.
This isn’t just an individual issue. Consider the collective implications for organizations where employees undergo training, attend meetings, or share insights. If 90% of that knowledge is forgotten or left unutilized, what’s the point of investing in learning initiatives?
Forgetting is natural, but it’s also a huge leak in your company’s knowledge pipeline. And while many organizations focus on teaching employees new skills or introducing the latest tools, they often overlook the need to help employees retain and apply what they’ve already learned.
Innovation thrives at the intersection of knowledge and application. It’s not about the sheer volume of information you have but how effectively you can connect the dots between what you know and what you do.
When knowledge is forgotten, those dots disappear, making it harder to generate fresh ideas, solve problems, or build on past successes. Employees waste time reinventing the wheel, repeating mistakes, or duplicating effort because critical lessons learned have been buried in the sands of time.
The result? A company that feels stuck, constantly chasing the next big thing while failing to capitalize on the wealth of knowledge it already has.
So, how do you ensure your organization forgets less—and builds a culture of continuous innovation? Here are three actionable strategies:
Spaced repetition is a proven technique for combating the forgetting curve. Instead of a single training session, reinforce critical knowledge over time. For example, follow up on workshops with microlearning modules, quizzes, or discussion groups that revisit key concepts. This repetition strengthens memory retention and ensures that knowledge sticks.
Don’t let valuable insights evaporate into thin air after a meeting or brainstorming session. Use knowledge management tools to document and organize critical information. Platforms like Notion, Confluence, or SharePoint make it easy to store and retrieve knowledge so that your team can access it when they need it most.
Encourage employees to share their learnings and experiences with their peers. This could be through informal lunch-and-learns, internal blogs, or mentorship programs. When knowledge is shared, it’s reinforced—not just for the sharer but for the audience as well.
The companies that will thrive in the future aren’t the ones that simply learn the most but the ones that retain and apply their knowledge effectively. By focusing on forgetting less, you can unlock the full potential of your team’s creativity, reduce inefficiencies, and build a culture of innovation that lasts.
Remember, innovation isn’t about accumulating more—it’s about making the most of what you already have. What steps will you take today to help your organization forget less?
I prompted Poe’s chatbot, “Assistant”, with the following. Its response seems almost like it enjoyed doing this.
“Write a corporate pep talk of at least 300 words that sounds reasonable, but is nothing more than corporate gibberish.”
Team:
As we embark on the next fiscal quarter, it’s imperative that we synergize our verticals and double down on our core competencies to truly unlock cross-functional scalability. The paradigm shifts in our industry demand an agile mindset, and we are uniquely positioned to leverage our robust infrastructure to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Now is the time for us to think outside the box, lean into our KPIs, and disrupt the status quo with unprecedented velocity.
Our mission is clear: we must amplify our operational bandwidth while maintaining a laser-sharp focus on customer-centric deliverables. This is not just about meeting expectations—it’s about exceeding them at every touchpoint. By fostering an ecosystem of innovation and embedding a culture of excellence into our DNA, we can achieve a seamless alignment between our strategic objectives and ground-level execution.
Remember, success in today’s dynamic landscape is not a linear journey. It’s about embracing iterative growth, harnessing actionable insights, and pivoting proactively when faced with volatility. Let’s not forget the power of collaboration—our ability to break down silos, ideate collectively, and drive end-to-end solutions will define our trajectory as market leaders.
I urge each of you to take ownership of your deliverables and approach challenges with a growth mindset. Let’s circle back to our organizational north star and ensure that every touchpoint in our value chain is optimized for maximum impact. The low-hanging fruit is ours to harvest, but we must also keep an eye on the blue-sky opportunities that will future-proof our success.
In closing, I want to reiterate that our greatest asset is you—the people who make this organization thrive. Together, let’s move the needle, operationalize our vision, and deliver unparalleled value to our stakeholders. The sky is not the limit—it’s just the beginning. Let’s make it happen!
Systems Savvy 