Category Archives: Idle Ruminations

I’m going through a senior rite of passage: downsizing to a smaller house. This has required a lot of thought and soul-searching because I’ve always been a big-house guy. I grew up in a tiny apartment while my parents saved … Continue reading →

When my phone rings I rarely answer it. That’s a big cultural change for me, because I spent much of my career working for a telephone company where answering the phone (within three rings in a tone of unflagging courtesy) … Continue reading →

My war room experience was with the telephone company. The principle of a war room is to bring all the decisionmakers together in once place to bypass bureaucracy and act quickly. This concept makes sense for utility companies that must … Continue reading →

When I walked out to the driveway, my morning newspaper was missing. Again. No problem: The Albuquerque Journal has an electronic edition and I read it on my iPad, as I do when I’m out of town. Then it occurred to … Continue reading →

The recent announcement of General Motors plant closings brought back memories of my career with Illinois Bell. During my 22 years at the company, sweeping changes in technology and the court-ordered breakup of AT&T resulted in serial downsizing. During my … Continue reading →

I need a new suit. Usually a blazer or sports coat is as formal as I get for dress-up social occasions or the opera, but I have one good suit for weddings and funerals. I had not worn the suit … Continue reading →

There’s a lot of skepticism about President Trump’s negotiations with North Korea, and how difficult it will be to persuade the hermit kingdom to give up its nuclear weapons. But it may be possible if – IF – we offer … Continue reading →

The place was legendary. Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works was the world’s largest telephone equipment factory: Five million square feet of floor space on 200 acres in the Chicago suburb of Cicero and 40,000 employees in its heyday. Western Electric was … Continue reading →