The old days

Today we were reminiscing about growing up with services that today seem odd: the home delivery of Charles Chips, milk, and I am sure there are a few others.

I remember the ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood in the evening of a hot summer night and we kids rushing to beg money from our parents before the truck drove out.

Seems like a much simpler time in our lives.

Sent from my iPod

The continuing use of "gate"

Watergate was a gut-wrenching experience for our country.  The event, the folks involved, and the aftermath has been well chronicled over the years.  Since Watergate, however, our media cannot seem to avoid attaching the word "gate" to anything that resembles a scandal, cover-up, etc.  We had Iran-Contragate in the 80's during the Reagan administration.  We had "Whitewater-gate" and "Monica-gate" in the 90's involving President Clinton.  Recently, we had Apple's Iphone4-gate which does not even rise to the level of anything historically having "gate" attached to it.  Apple CEO Steve Jobs chided the media for blowing this out of proportion.

I beseech our press to come up something a little more original than attaching "gate" the next inevitable scandal. 

Erosion of middle ground...

Somewhere along the way, the moderate politician has disappeared.  Like most things, this has happened gradually, not overnight.  Civility among political leaders is gone, too.

Too often today, issues are parsed between "the right" and "left".  Both sides stake out positions and dig in believing their side is right.  In reality, though, the 3rd option or middle ground which encompasses the best of both sides is likely best in most instances. 

As an example, our constitution is an embodiment of compromise such as the two houses of Congress which addressed the views of those who believed that representation should be based upon population while others believed that it should have been based upon equal representation.  Hence, we have the House and the Senate with its history of unintended consequences.

So, we sway from the left or the right during key elections as opposed to finding that middle ground that is so fertile with the best of both worlds.  My fear is that our political leaders today are more concerned about gaining power to further their agenda as opposed to what is needed and what is best for our country and its citizens.   

The fast pace of decline

Prior to 2007, having a GPS in one's car was considered a must have for those travel often or as part of their jobs.  Garmin was a major and successful GPS manufacturer.  It's time had arrived on the business scene.  Then with the launch of the iPhone, demand for GPS has declined and been displaced by Google maps and other map services available on Apple's highly anticipated product.  Garmin's time in the business limelight has been displaced with its volume will continue to erode as smartphones continue to increase in functionality.

Then, there was Amazon's e-reader called Kindle.  Its features and functionality were a reader's delight.  It was a hot product despite retailing for close to or over $300.  Now, Apple's iPad threatens to displace the Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and other e-readers.

The fast pace of technological change not only impacts us as consumers but businesses, too, as the landscape is shifting like quick sand.  A company's tenure on top of their industry's hill will continue to be short-lived if they rest on past accomplishments and ignore the external environment.