I got to thinking, the other day–I know that will come as a revelation to some of you–what if I could sit down with a notable historical figure from the past? Whom would I choose? Given this week’s column focuses on the role of government, I concluded, whom better than the Father of our Country: George Washington. Given Mr. Washington... READ MORE >
Who hasn’t heard Julie Andrews belt out Rodgers and Hammerstein’s, “My Favorite Things,” in the 1965 film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, one of the most endearing show tunes from a musical that contains more hit songs than any other on which the innovative theater writing team would collaborate. But this column isn’t a treatise on... READ MORE >
I grew up on the heels of the generation that saw many of the nation’s fathers head off to World War II; the deadliest military conflict in history in terms of total casualties. As Tom Brokaw so aptly depicts in his book, The Greatest Generation: “At a time in their lives when their days and nights should have been filled... READ MORE >
Some might say the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel comes off as one of the more colorful—even bizarre—personalities in the Bible. Consider the unconventional prognosticator’s memorable vision of dry bones coming to life in the valley. It was Ezekiel that “ connected dem dry bones,” if we are to believe the Delta Rhythm Boys who parlayed the freakish event into a... READ MORE >
Thomas Jefferson, writing to his close friend John Taylor in a 1798 letter, bemoaned the fact that “the principle of the present majority is excessive expense [sic]; money enough to fill all their maws” (to be understood as the gullets of a greedy bunch). Jefferson grudgingly conceded, “Nothing then but excessive taxation can get us along.” He suggested to Taylor—whom... READ MORE >
The last time Easter Sunday fell on April 1st was in 1956, the same year 60 million Americans watched either spellbound or shocked as a hip-swiveling Elvis Presley made his electrifying debut on the country’s most popular television program, the Ed Sullivan Show. But this week’s column isn’t about the day that rock ‘n’ roll established itself as the preeminent... READ MORE >
Half a lifetime ago, I purchased and read a book, first published in 1989, titled Leadership Is An Art, written by Max DePree, the successful former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc. In what some consider to be a bible for the business world, there was one particular chapter that stood out to me: The chapter Max titled, “Why We Should... READ MORE >
For those of you who are old enough to remember the days when schools and colleges were about educating our children and preparing them for life as responsible adults, it comes as quite an eyeopener to scrutinize the current curricula of today’s places of “learning.” While I certainly don’t want to paint with a broad brush here, it is evident... READ MORE >
Ever wonder how Cook County, as an employer, measures up to other comparable counties in the state when it comes to compensating its employees? This was something that was debated among commissioners when I first came on board in 2013. It became a key focus when hiring our first county administrator in October of that same year. Due to the... READ MORE >
Some years ago, when I was in the Cities during the late fall season, I remember heading north on the freeway on my way out of town. The day had been overcast and chilly, and an increasingly bitter north wind greeted me every time I exited the car. The sun, which hadn’t been visible all day anyway, decided this was... READ MORE >
By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy.AcceptPrivacy policy
