Zen and the Art of /.*/

As published in the June 24th edition of the Osseo / Maple Grove Press:

Driving an automobile is an inherently dangerous activity. Any number of things can go wrong to cause a devastating accident. Yet every day, millions of people take their chances and travel by automobile. Despite people taking precautions and following the rules of the road, there is still a relatively constant occurrence of accidents on a daily basis.

And so it is with business. There are countless risks involved, but every day we go out and conduct our business. While much of the time we are successful, some endeavors are bound to fail as part of a normal, functioning economy.

As submitted to the Osseo-Maple Grove Press for publication in the June 3rd, 2009 edition, but rejected on account of length:

Driving an automobile is an inherently dangerous activity. Any number of things can go wrong: mechanical failure, distractions, adverse weather conditions, dangerous road conditions, and the actions of other drivers can all contribute to causing a devastating accident.

Still every day, millions of people take their chances and travel by automobile. Despite most people taking precautions and following all the rules of the road, there is still a more or less constant occurrence of accidents on a daily basis.

And so it is with business. There are many risks involved in business–whether you are an investor, a CEO, a small business owner, a manager, a salaried professional, a wage-earner, or even a consumer–investments don’t pan out, demand dries up, productivity slips, costs rise, competitors outperform, jobs are cut, prices rise, and products fail.

Published in the May 6th edition of the Osseo / Maple Grove Press:

There may have been a few turned heads and raised eyebrows on First Ave NE this past week. Where once I had frequently flown the Stars and Stripes, I have instead been flying a bright yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake and the words “DONT TREAD ON ME” [sic].

Here is the previous post, as updated and submitted to the Osseo / Maple Grove Press for publication:

In my water bill from the City of Osseo, I found an insert containing the following text, accompanied by the city’s logo:

In my water bill from the City of Osseo, I found an insert containing the following text, accompanied by the city’s logo:

Thinking Home Improvement?

Siding - Windows - Roof - Kitchen - Baths - Garage - Driveway - and more!

4% or 5% Loans up to $25,000

I just returned from a meeting among some like-minded folk discussing victories and defeats in the past election and plans to help rebuild the party so that we can win some elections in 2010 with some real liberty-minded candidates. I was reminded of this letter-to-the-editor I wrote prior to the February 2008 caucuses and which was printed in the January 30th edition of the Osseo Press. It is interesting to re-read now, over a year later. Here it is, for what it’s worth.