This is the latest book by Walter Isaacson, who is best known for his wonderful biographies and other terrific books. This book is quite different from his usual fare. It is tiny. Small format at 5.25 x 7.25 inches, only 69 pages including several appendices, and only 41 pages for the story without the appendices. […]
Alaska Airlines, Most of the Rest of the Story
In my October 28th blog post I complained about Alaska Airlines cancelling the flight home from Honolulu. I had to make alternate flight arrangements for my wife and me. This is the story of trying to get a refund for the cancelled flight. The flight was scheduled for October 12, and I received the cancellation […]
Book Review: Apple in China
Apple in China The subtitle of this book by Patrick McGee is The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company. This is an important book and one you should really consider reading. The book tells the untold story of how Apple used China as a manufacturing base and inadvertently made themselves completely dependent on an authoritarian […]
Alaska Airlines and Stockholm Syndrome
I just hate flying. It isn’t a fear of flying. It is a dislike of being abused. The airlines are the worst of all the businesses I can think of. Buying a car is a pleasure compared to buying an airline ticket. Fortunately, I don’t fly much. In October my wife and I went to […]
Book Review: After
I’ve reviewed, I think, three books on Near Death Experiences (NDE) and related topics. In response to the last review, a couple of people suggested the book After by Dr. Bruce Greyson, noting it was better and more recent. They were right on both counts. This is the best book on the topic that I’ve […]
Sales Taxes on Services
During May 2025, the Washington State Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5814 which added certain services to the definition of retail sales for purposes of the Washington State sales tax. Historically, Washington State Sales Taxes have applied only to goods, and there were exceptions to that, such as exempting groceries, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. […]
Economic Update 2025
Are we going into a recession? Are we already in one? What will be the impact of Trump’s tariffs? Here are some observations. Recently, I’ve noticed more companies that I deal with are struggling. Some a little and some a lot. I see this typically in the monthly financial reviews that are the cornerstone of […]
Book Review: The Art of Dying
The Art of Dying is another book by Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick. A couple of weeks ago I reviewed their book, The Truth in the Light, which was about 300 investigations of near-death experiences. The Art of Dying takes the process to its obvious conclusion, death. Or, as the book’s subtitle puts it, A Journey […]
Book Review: The Truth in the Light
This book is written by Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick. Peter, a neuropsychologist, was the President of the British branch of the International Association for Near-Death Studies. Published in 1995, the book’s subtitle is An Investigation of over 300 Near-Death Experiences. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of books about Near-Death Experiences (NDE) and Out of Body […]
My Personal Purpose Statement
I have to admit that I haven’t been a big proponent of Mission and Vision Statements for companies. Sometimes they seem helpful but just as often they seem like the product of a management team stuck at a company retreat and led by a facilitator to come up with something. Under duress they do, and […]