Redefining old age and leadership

The other morning, I was listening on NPR, James Clyburn, a South Carolina US congressman promoting his new book, "The First Eight: A Personal History of Pioneering Black Congressman Who Shaped a Nation". The work highlights the stories of the first eight Black congressmen from the state, who served during, and after the Reconstruction era. 

At some point, Clyburn who is 85, is asked if he plans to run for office and his response was something like, “Well, I’m going to meet with my family late December to discuss just that”, but definitely didn’t say that he would not run again. 

This in view of congresswoman Pelosi deciding not to run again or of Biden second mandate fiasco, highlight the unconsciousness of some leaders when it comes to self-assessing their old age, still believing they are irreplaceable and thinking their experience is everything. 

Let me share my rebuke to that way of thinking. At almost 78 and still showing some serious signs of physical and intellectual energy, I can say that, all things being equal, I still do a lot of things, but in much shorter spurs. 

For instance, I’m currently learning Spanish and can get totally wiped out when I take too many lessons in one sitting. In other words, I do well but can’t hold the long distance anymore, or better said, my effective time is now greatly reduced, just like a person my age sees a drastic decline in their VO2Max. This means that at a leadership and executive level, the experience of an individual – as impressive as it may be - can’t quite compensate for that loss in productivity. 

Therefore, a president or any governmental executive functions including those of senators and representatives can no longer be executed at an expected performance level of 100%, than by say by someone in their 40s or 60s. That’s where the fallacy of thinking that any old person can do any job breaks down. 

Any job, perhaps but not for very long and a safe guardrail would be to limit politicians to an age of 70 to 75 maximum for the year of expiration of any of their mandate.

The brightest and the dumbest?

My wife often reminds me that 77 millions Americans cast their vote for Trump — a choice that reflects how vulnerable our society has become to misinformation and shallow appeals. 

That huge number of ill-advised Trump supporters should not eclipse the existence of bright Americans, that predictably stand in much smallest numbers, but are still leading the way in the world. If the American K to 12 educational system is not the best globally, up until now, American universities have been leading the way throughout the world, thanks to their extensive investment in research provided by the governments we had until now. 

This divide between weak K‑12 and strong universities mirrors the divide in our electorate . Why Trump and his allies are vehemently attacking and trying to dismantle the only bright part of the American education system is obviously beyond me. It’s true that a mediocre secondary education system is fertile ground for forming gullible and acquiescing individuals who in turn fall prey to conspiracy theories that all have a destructive effect on an advanced society. 

This is why a large number of people act as if they were really dumber. A good, serious education is therefore key to a strong nation and particularly for those who only have a limited number of years in school. It would seem that the elitist approach favored by the billionaires now in charge of the Republican party is pushing against public schools, trying to weaken that institution, making it far less effective and with that, threatening the quality of education among the poorest among us. 

This shows, if we needed to see proof of it, how our political figures and a large portion of the US society have become deeply hypocritical and are cutting their nose to spite their face!

Local mayoral elections

On November 4, the Park City population elected two City Council members and a new Mayor. The newly elected Council members were known the same night, but it took until late November 24 to know who our new mayor would be as the two candidates, Ryan Dickey and Jack Rubin were literally head to head. 

Following a recount, the Park City leaders certified Ryan Dickey’s razor-thin win in the mayoral contest, finalizing the results nearly three weeks after Election Day. The results were that Dickey, a member of the City Council, won the mayor’s office by just seven votes. Dickey received 1,706 votes, or 50.1%, and Jack Rubin received 1,699 votes, or 49.9%. 

Rubin requested the recount last week after making a massive effort to get the job in spite of having no experience in the City’s affairs. 

The guy thought he could be elected by flooding the City with yard signs, being a smooth talker and just criticizing the current administration (Dickey was on the City Council) with the cover of having never done anything. 

From my standpoint I could see his maneuver and remembered that he tried to get elected as a Republican on the Utah State Senate, but failed. 

Being a Republican and a Trumpist was enough to disqualify him in my eyes as having poor judgment. In the end, it was very close and showed that the many people who voted for him were, before anything, highly impressionable!

Google, its products and its customers

Google isn’t just a giant in the data collection and advertising business, it dabbles also in selling some tangible products. Things like thermostats, smartphones, surveillance cameras among other gizmos. For a dozen years, we’ve been using Nest thermostats a few months before the company bought the brand in 2014. 

The three machines we have have worked perfectly during that time until late October I was told by some email I ignored that Google would no longer support the 1st and 2nd generation of that product. A few weeks ago as I was fine tuning my climate control ahead of winter weather, I realized that I couldn’t do it, as was the case in the past, from my smartphone or my computer. 

Then I realized that I would have to upgrade with the company 4th generation of product at a preferential cost just under $490 instead of $885! I tried to contact Google to know the details involved with the deal, but wasted my precious time in the maze of their web-based customer support service. I got stuck and couldn’t get anywhere. 

That’s how, through various forums and other inline information I gathered, I came to the conclusion that the Google management knows damned well that their customer support is worthless. Yet, the company has historically prioritized self‑service help centers and community forums over direct human support, which fuels my perception of “hopeless” service. 

Directing most users to its online Help Center allows Google to do without live agents and save big. With billions of users across Gmail, YouTube, Android, and more, Google leans on automation and documentation rather than staffing massive call centers. For the love of money, Google’s leadership has chosen to invest in scalable, automated support rather than traditional customer service models. 

This is a deliberate decision, not ignorance, in spite of the fact that complex problems (account recovery, billing disputes, device malfunctions) often leave users stranded. The net result is that most customers feel abandoned, especially when compared to competitors with stronger live support systems. Google’s leadership knows its support reputation is down the toilets, but it’s a calculated trade‑off. 

They’ve chosen scale and automation over human service, which leaves many customers frustrated but adds to their bottom line. So, what will I do? Never, ever buy a product from Google. The company is only good at selling ad space and sucking customer data, but is woefully unable to “play merchant”.

The world of USB connectors

Over the years, and particularly since I got my first computer in 1983, I’ve dealt the very best I could with the different types of connectors that came my way, changed in rapid succession and I did the best I could to understand them and adapt. 

Then came the USB connectors that stand for “Universal Serial Bus”. It’s not a brand name, but an industry standard developed in 1996 for connecting and transferring data and power between devices. The reason why I’m talking about this is the fact I just ran into an unknown USB connector, and we’ll discuss it at the end of this blog. 

At first I got exposed to the Type B 2.0 used to connect my video cameras and back up devices, then when we got our Apple iPads, we used the 8 Pin Lightning, and as I always was an Android smartphone user I was using the Micro B connector and then my GoPro as well as a host of electronic device used a Min B. Navigating that world was complicated, prone to errors and necessitated to carry a menagerie of different connectors when going on a trip. 

It’s only in 2014 when the Type C connector was introduced that things started to become more orderly. At the same time the transferring power of these connectors kept on growing before exploding exponentially these past years. 

So, what inspired my reflection on this topic was when I was rummaging through a box of connectors I had and finding one that looked like a “Type C” but wouldn’t get inside the female receptacle. On closer examination it couldn’t as it had two tiny “horns” on top. 

I did further research, submitted this picture to a few AI engine, and I was able to gather that it was part of the Mini-USB Type B family, even though it looked like a USB-C from afar, wasn’t reversible and was probably harking back to the mid-2000s and use for some digital camera, MP3 player, external hard drives, or some GPS unit. 

Bottom line, I shouldn’t never force it into a C plug, put it securely aside or throw it away! Now you know all you need about USB!

Is American friendship mostly transactional?

As far as I’m concerned, I count many more deep friends from Europe that I left 48 years ago, than I have managed to create in America, and I can’t help but think that it must be due to the fact that on the old continent, friendships develop and remain because of mutual and direct appreciation, than because of business or related interest that don’t stand the test of time and evolving personal relationships. 

In fact, many observers and studies seem to indicate that American friendships tend to be more compartmentalized and transactional than their European counterparts, often shaped by mobility, individualism, and professional networks. This perception (and reality as well) shows that Americans often distinguish between “work friends,” “gym friends,” “school friends,” and so forth, with each relationship tied to a specific context. 

This does limit the emotional depth and longevity of the friendship. Then, there’s the sheer size of the country that creates a high geographic mobility. People move for jobs, school, or lifestyle, disrupting long-term friendships and encouraging short-term, functional connections. 

Of course, there’s the individualism and self-reliance aspect of life, that American culture prizes so much and that goes again a lasting friendship that often feels uncomfortable and sometimes, burdensome. American professional and social spheres also encourage relationships built around mutual benefits, pushing friendships toward utility rather than emotional intimacy. 

On the other hand, most European cultures, and Latin societies in particular (like France) foster friendships rooted in shared history and locality. The fact that French are less geographically mobile means friendships often span decades, grounded in shared experiences and community. There’s also less pressure to “network” or maintain a social persona. 

Friendships are often built slowly, with fewer, but much deeper connections. In cultures like France and Italy, or even Germany, friendships often involve family, emotional support, and philosophical conversation instead of focusing solely on shared activities. This may change to and slip towards a form of Americanization. 

One could say that “In Europe, friendship is a slow-cooked stew that’s rich, layered, and holds into one stomach. In America, it’s often more like fast-food, satisfying, but fleeting.”

Rob Mucci, 1943-2025

Rob and I met when I joined Lange USA in June of 1982. He was the Lange rep for New England since the mid 70s, during the Garcia days, and was based in Boston. He was living in Marblehead and moved later on to Swampcot. 

In addition to Lange ski boots he was repping Barrecrafters products (ski car racks). When Lange merged with Dynastar, he also represented that ski line and sold both products until his retirement in 2004. 

In 2016 he and his wife Siggy moved to Naples, Florida where he played a lot of golf, organized tournaments, worked in the local tourism trade while Siggy did volunteer work. Both had been married for more than 4 decades. 

Over the years, I stayed regularly in contact with Rob. He loved life, he adored reminiscing about the good old times and we laughed a lot each time we got together on the phone. He knew how to make any trite story hugely entertaining! 

Early, this summer, I had attempted to call and email him to no avail. Mid-November, I tried again, but in vain. Fearing something was wrong with Rob, I just learned that he had passed in June. I will miss him an awful lot and I'm sure any one who ever came in contact with him will too.

The road WELL traveled

In his 1978 best-seller book, “The road less traveled” Scott Peck uses a title that was a metaphor for choosing an unconventional life path, exploring themes of love, relationships, and spiritual growth through discipline, responsibility, truth, and balancing. 

The phrase itself stood for an independent, less-traveled choice that showed individuality, and was inspired by Robert Frost’s poem "The Road Not Taken". I read the book, but aside from the above, I don’t retain any special distinct point from it, and all I say today is that “a road less traveled” has a tinge of exclusivity in it, is certainly not intended for the masses, but for a rare elite who can afford it, both in terms of time and resources. 

In other words I neither had the time nor the money to drive my Citroën 2cv from my Alpine hometown to Kabul and back! In fact I just did the opposite and I traveled “well”, meaning “more deeply”, the paths that came my way or were sparingly offered to me. This gives the term “well traveled” a meaning for fullness, presence, and gratitude. It also shows that it’s not reserved for those with privilege, but available to anyone who commits to making the most of what’s found at hand. In Robert Frost’s situation there were two divergent roads to chose from and therefore it was about choice. 

My “road well traveled” is about response. I didn’t choose the rare path; I simply honored the paths I was offered. A subtle difference that it was less about defiance but more about stewardship. I simply can say that I didn’t leave any stone unturned at any moment of my life. I was thinking about that a few mornings ago, as I woke up. 

True, I used any strand of opportunity to make them bear fruits, never neglected a single one of them, but as a kid, having learned what scarcity was, I was determined to put every tiny little bit of help on my side. In the end, it has worked beautifully and continues to effectively act in my favor. Nothing too trivial or nothing too small. 

I just make sure to learn how to navigate the opportunities that were thrown to me as well as I could, before even thinking of embarking on the road less traveled. I could conclude by saying that the road well traveled is not about novelty, but about depth. It is the art of walking familiar paths with uncommon attention, of finding abundance in scarcity, and of proving that meaning lies not in the rarity of the road, but in the way we travel it.

If I were a ski coach…

With great interest, I’ve watched the first world cup races of the season and could only marvel at the incredible talent displayed by the participating athletes. Beside a form often defined by an athlete given morphology, is there a visible hint as to who skis better than the other?

I’d say perhaps in the way different athletes control their speed and how often they slow themselves down. This is visible through the spray of snow and ice their skies leave, particularly in steep and sharp-turning sections of the race course. 

From my observations, this is the only space where one can spot tangible differences. Then, I ask myself this question: “What best advice could I give these almost perfect skiers? I think I’d say something like: “Keep your skis as flat as you can and let them go as fast as possible, then as you’ll go very, very fast, your main job will be to go through all the gated, only focus on this and see that part as a the ultimate challenge!” 

Do you agree with this advice or do you think it’s overly simplistic?

Where’s the snow?

Last week we were expecting some snow, but it chose to ignore Park City and its mountains with a weather that remained stubbornly mild at that time of the year. This reminded me of two key factors: precipitations and temperatures. 

In order to get some natural snow we need both and in the absence of precipitation we need cold weather to produce man-made snow as a last resort. In the absence of cold, then we really are out of luck and this new reality might confirm that global warming is slowly ushering in. So what can we expect in our future? 

A continued average temperature rise and with it, an elevation of the snow line, which means much shorter ski seasons and a continued advantage for ski resorts located at higher elevations, along the line of what’s observed today in the southern hemisphere where the ski season is now pretty much limited to three months of the year. 

If and when this happens let’s hope for a gradual change spread over many, many years!

Plate binding fever at Look…

When I began working as a product manager at Look, in the fall of 1975, freestyle skiing was all the rage in North America. Champions skied with Besser, Gertsch, or Americana plate bindings, or variations like the Burt retractable plate, Spademan bindings that clamped the ski boot on the sides, or Moog bindings, a large box placed under the boot. 

Recently, following Robert Redford’s death, clips from "Downhill Racer," his famous ski film, were shown everywhere. He was seen with his new Head JCK skis equipped with… Gertsch bindings, ready to tackle the Lauberhorn descent, while the "standard" equipment were Look Nevada and Marker! What a clever product placement! 

Joe Jay Jalbert (a University of Washington racer) was the skiing double for Redford in the racing scenes. He also did the skiing action camera work. This film launched Jalbert's directing career, primarily focused on ski films. Then there was Bernard Monod, head of marketing at Look, a freestyle skiing enthusiast and passionate about plate bindings. He had relentlessly pushed the company's design office to develop a Look plate. 

We weren't the only ones to react impulsively: Salomon had developed its own version, produced in a limited series. I had the opportunity to ski on it in February 1976 thanks to my friend Michel Duret, who let me try this model, that was soon abandoned by the Annecy-based manufacturer. Look, on the other hand, persevered with its LK5 plate, which, despite a few unique ideas, was an aberration in terms of weight and functionality. It was nevertheless included in the 1976/77 line up. 

I remember my colleague Jean Barbier and I testing it in Val d'Isère in December 1975 with just fair results, and also mounting a pair on my skis for the four-week "National" ski instructor course in Chamonix, a sign of questionable judgment at the time, but where I still managed to get my pin! The LK5 only survived one season before being quickly abandoned, marking the end of the "plate fever" at Look.

How does cataract surgery work?

Like most patients, my wife was very apprehensive prior to her cataract surgery. works by replacing the cloudy natural lens with a clear, artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure, often using a technique called phacoemulsification, involves numbing the eye, making a small incision, using ultrasound to break up the cataract, and vacuuming out the pieces before inserting the new lens. 

At first, the eye is numbed with anesthetic eye drops and sometimes a gel or injection to ensure the procedure is painless. A very small incision is made in the side of the cornea to access the natural lens. There, an ultrasonic probe is used to break the cloudy lens into small pieces. Some surgeons may use a laser to help divide the cataract into segments that are then vacuumed out of the eye through the incision. 

A permanent artificial intraocular lens (IOL), made of plastic, is folded and inserted through the incision. Once inside the eye, it unfolds to replace the natural lens. The incision is often self-sealing due to its small size. The surgery is quick, often taking about 5-10 minutes, though the overall appointment time is longer but the patient can go home a few minutes later. 

Healing takes several weeks, and the patient needs hundreds of eye drops to prevent infection and inflammation. A plastic eye shield is also recommended for protection during the first two nights. Now that you know pretty much everything about the procedure, don't hesitate to have the surgery if the need arises. 

My wife had no problems, but my ophthalmologist told me that I needed to wait another 10 years. I protested, replying, "If I'm lucky enough to still be alive!" 

About cataract

Today I want to talk about cataract, I mean the medical condition of the eye, not the Cataracts of the Nile River, and it’s just because my wife recently underwent surgery for that condition early this month. If you are young and don’t care much about that condition, a cataract is the clouding of the eye's natural lens, which leads to blurred or cloudy vision. 

If left untreated, a cataract can progress to severe vision loss and, in the final stages, complete blindness. So the seriousness of the ailment explain why as early as the 6th century, Sushruta, an Indian surgeon was already credited with attempts to cataract surgery. 

In 1747, Jacques Daviel, surgeon-oculist the Kind of France, performed the first successful lens extraction in 1747. His pioneering technique, which involved making an incision to remove the clouded lens, laid the groundwork for modern cataract surgery. 

We then had to wait until 1949 for the English ophtalmologist Sir Harold Ridley to introduce the first artificial lens (IOL) for implantation after cataract extraction. In 1967, the American Charles Kelman: Introduced phacoemulsification, a technique still used today that uses ultrasonic waves to break up and remove the cataract. 

Finally, Thomas Mazzocco, another American, developed and implanted the first foldable IOL in 1985. Today, the best places for cataract surgery are widely recognized US hospitals, but Turkey, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and other Asian countries also offer top-tier options. 

Tomorrow, we’ll see how the procedure goes…

Now, there’s no problem I don’t like…

During our morning walk, we passed the noisy Park City road sweeper and my wife asked me if I would enjoy driving this big truck as my regular job. I thought for a moment and said “I’d be bored, I’d prefer solving problems instead; in fact, these days, there is not one problem I don’t like attempting to solve…” 

My answer made me think and I remembered that most of my active life I was overwhelmed by what appeared to be an unsolvable problem. 

Since I retired, that outlook has made a 180 degrees turn and today I love problem-solving and must humbly admit that I’m getting pretty good at it. My retirement gave me an opportunity to re-frame challenges not as burdens, but as puzzles worth engaging with. 

I must have shifted to an external reality that feels entirely different with the new lens I bring to it. I’ve moved from “problems as threats” to “problems as treasures.”

In taking a retrospective look at my life, I must admit that I have learned much more through all kinds of adversity, challenges and hurdles than through smooth execution of my plans. Failures have been more potent teachers to me than success. 

Problems are invaluable teachers that release plenty of experience, knowledge and ultimately a great deal of satisfaction. 

Something many call going to the “school of hard-knocks”. Had I had this view of the world half a century ago, my success would have been meteoric, but again, many could say exactly the same thing! It’s almost as if the timing of wisdom is part of its gift. 

I wouldn’t be savoring problem-solving now if I had not wrestled with them for decades before. So, now you understand why I now begin to see a hidden treasure in each ugly problem that comes my way...

Are Teslas for everyone?

After driving a Tesla for more than three and a half years, I’m as still as satisfied of the car as I have been all along, except of course, Elon Musk’s behavior. Now, outside of its steep price, is owning and driving a Tesla for everyone? Not so sure, I have to admit.

A few days ago, I was reading an article about Hertz rent a car, dumping some of its Tesla fleet. The company probably bought way more Teslas than they needed in reality. Renting an EV to someone who has never owned or spent any significant time with one, comes with an unavoidable and significant learning curve. 

Folks who use an ICE car and rent a Tesla for just a few days, either for business or while vacationing need to familiarize themselves with a screen interface that is omnipotent, yet requires to be learned and assimilated. Think back to your first experiences with a computer, tablet, or smartphone, if you're no longer a teenager. You probably remember the disorientation and awkwardness you felt at the beginning? 

Not only that, but you also have to download apps to operate the car, understand charging and range protocols, set up credit cards for payments, and the list goes on… It's much simpler if you're between 25 and 50 years old, and the difficulties of grasping these complex tasks increases considerably after these age ranges. The experience demands a strong desire to actively learn, get a feel for the control screen, understand the apps, set up payments, and think about driving more efficiently. 

In short, if you don't already own and drive a Tesla, aren't very comfortable with technology, and are over 70, prepare to be overwhelmed by the complexity and the significant learning curve that Tesla requires, even under its extremely minimalist appearance.

“Magic” credit cards (Part Two)

For a long time, I’ve wondered what mechanism was funding the “magic” of Frequent Flier miles or the 1, 2 or even 3% refunds so many credit cards offer Americans. I have always assumed this gift from heaven isn't being paid by "deadbeat" like me who pay their credit card in full each month, but by "suckers" who can't never pay their credit card balance in full (called revolving balance holders). 

This is absolutely correct if we also include interchange fees charged to merchants and sometimes annual fees. In clear, this means that people who carry debt and merchants indirectly subsidize the perks enjoyed by “deadbeats” who pay in full. True, credit card rewards, whether it’s cash back, points, or frequent flier miles aren’t magic. 

They’re financed through a few key revenue streams starting with credit revolvers, these cardholders who carry a balance month to month and pay interest, often between 15 to 25% interest, generating massive revenue for issuers. In 2025, approximately 45% of American credit card holders pay their balance in full each month, while 60% carry a balance and pay interest. Only 9% pay off “as much as they can” while 13% only make the minimum payment. 

This means that less than half of Americans use credit cards without paying interest, while the majority contribute to the revenue stream that funds rewards programs, bank profits, and cardholder perks. My Visa and American interest start respectively at 19 and 20% with a ceiling of 27 and 29%. As I always thought, these usury rates constitute the main revenues for banks. There’s of course the merchant a fee (1.5 to 3% for each transaction) to the card network (Visa, Mastercard, etc.). 

Premium cards like American Express with high rewards often charge annual fees that are in the $95 to $695 range or more. Late fees, foreign transaction fees, and cash advance charges also contribute. Finally, there are the Frequent Flyer Miles that constitute a special case, as Airlines sell miles to banks in bulk, generally at 1–2 cents per mile. In turn the credit card issuer offer these miles as rewards, and airlines profit upfront as redemption costs vary and airlines benefit from breakage (unused miles) and loyalty-driven spending. 

No need to say that these rewards programs benefit higher-income users disproportionately as they distort pricing and encourage debt among vulnerable consumers. In closing, my disciplined use of credit cards is rewarded, but the system is unfairly funded by those who pay interest and by merchants who pass costs onto all consumers. It’s a clever ecosystem, but not without its moral and economic quirks.

“Magic” credit cards (Part One)

The credit cards that fill our modern wallet are another American invention from 1950. It was in fact developed by Frank McNamara, who came up with the “Diners Club” card, after forgetting his wallet at a restaurant. The original Diners Club card was a cardboard charge card for use at various restaurants, and the idea grew from there. American Express and Bank of America with Visa (both in 1958) introducing their own cards, followed by MasterCard in 1966 and Discover in 1986. 

In the US, many credit card operations are located in South Dakota because the state has no interest rate caps. This obviously prompted companies to move their credit card divisions in this state that can charge higher interest rates. The name CREDIT card often covers both credit and debit cards. In fact debit cards are the ones used in the majority of countries outside of America. 

For those who don’t have access to credit cards, they allow to pay what is purchased on installments but at huge interest costs. Today, about 72% of US. consumers and 75% of Canadian consumers use credit cards while they also have and debit cards, but use them much less. Globally, debit cards are more dominant, especially in regions like Asia, Europe and Africa, where credit card penetration is significantly lower. In Asia, credit card usage is low while debit and mobile payments dominate. 

In Africa and Latin America, debit cards and mobile wallets are more prevalent due to limited access to credit. Europe sees a mixed usage; debit cards are more common in countries like Germany and the Netherlands. Increasingly, credit cards offer installment options, similar to the US “revolving credit”. In France, credit cards often include “revolving credit” features, allowing users to pay in monthly installments. However, interest rates are capped by law, the current usury rate for consumer credit tops around 21.5%. 

In Germany, credit cards typically require full monthly repayment, but some banks offer installment plans separately. Interest rates are regulated by market competition, and consumer protection laws require transparency. In Spain and Italy, installment payment options are common, especially for large purchases. Many banks offer flexible repayment plans with fixed monthly amounts. Interest rates vary but are subject to consumer credit laws. 

However in the Netherlands credit cards are less common, and installment payments are rare. Dutch consumers prefer debit cards and direct bank transfers, avoiding credit-based purchases altogether. Switzerland is an interesting case, while around 76% of Swiss adults own a credit card, they still prefer to use debit cards and cash due to their strong cultural preference for, and widespread acceptance of cash. 

Still, Europeans are more debt-averse than Americans, especially in Germany and the Netherlands where installment plans are often tied to specific purchases, not general revolving balances. Google Wallet (today’s Google Pay) was released in 2011 and Apple Pay in October 2014, both based on credit cards and allowing users to pay with their Smartphones. More recently, “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) services like Klarna are increasingly popular and offer structured, interest-free installments — a modern alternative to traditional credit cards. 

Not based on credit cards but pulling from one’s bank account, Venmo started in 2009 as a peer-to-peer payment service. In many parts of the world, debit cards and mobile payments are still preferred due to cultural attitudes toward debt, banking infrastructure, and financial inclusion efforts. Tomorrow, we’ll see how interest rates fund our “Refund” programs and get us Frequent Flier miles...

Time feels much longer under Trump!

It’s my impression, and that of many people my age, that as we grow older, time moves much, much faster except that in recent years, when Trump is in power, times come to a crawl. It must be that I fail to enjoy his style of government, and like a bored teenager waiting impatiently to be totally free and on his own, I long for more normalcy in the ways our government works and for a less exhausting atmosphere. 

What makes us feel that the time isn’t moving or on the contrary is moving far too fast? It’s a fact that time feels slower during stressful or emotionally charged periods because our brains process more information and are overrun with quantities of emotional memories, while routine or familiar experiences makes time feel faster. 

Political turbulence, like what we’re experiencing under Trump, does heighten emotional awareness and disrupt our usual sense of flow. It’s obvious that when we’re much younger, our perception of time isn’t fixed, but shaped by emotion, novelty, attention, and memory formation. 

As we age, we get fewer new experiences. Our daily life becomes more predictable and our brain compresses repetitive memories, making months or years feel like they flew by. 

In contrast, childhood and early adulthood are packed with “firsts”. Like our first day at school, first love, first job, first travel, which create dense pockets of memory Later life has fewer of these, so time feels thinner in retrospect. It’s also true that when events are intense or unsettling (like political upheaval), we pay closer attention and this slows our internal clock because the brain is processing more stimuli. We could say that familiarity speeds time while disruption slows it down. 

If political events feel chaotic or exhausting, they interrupt our rhythm just like we wait for a storm to pass. Like I just mentioned above, we’re like a teenager longing for freedom and becoming emotionally “stuck,” as we watch the clock and yearn for change. This mental state stretches our concept of time. On the contrary, when we’re immersed in something meaningful or enjoyable, we lose track of time. This is why going skiing, taking a vacation, doing creative work, or engaging in deep conversations seem to vanish in a blink. 

Positive engagement compresses time; fear, boredom or anxiety stretches it. Studies also show that dopamine levels, that influence motivation and pleasure, also affect time perception. Lower dopamine (often linked to stress or dissatisfaction) can make time feel slower. Political climates that feel oppressive or chaotic may subtly alter our neurochemical balance — not just our mood, but our sense of time itself. I’d rather have a world where time does fly. 

Without Trump, of course!

What the Louvre’s heist reminds of

With the investigation into the Louvre heist still ongoing, just three of the four suspects arrested and none of the stolen jewels recovered, a few things jump at me: Chief among them are the sheer simplicity and obviousness of the theft. 

This shows to the world at large, and far beyond crime, but also into the wide world of creativity how there is always a simpler and much more obvious way to accomplish things, which should be a huge encouragement to would be inventors. It’s not just a lesson about audacity motivated by greed, but a broader parable about creativity itself. 

Time and again, we’re reminded that the most elegant solutions are often hiding in plain sight. This should be a powerful encouragement to would-be inventors and problem-solvers: the path forward may not be the most complex, but the most direct. 

Inventing, at its core, is about solving a problem. But the brilliance lies not just in solving it, it lies in how. From Velcro to the toilet paper roll, from Post-it Notes to suitcases on wheels, some of the most transformative inventions are those that seem almost embarrassingly obvious — in hindsight. What’s in short supply isn’t complexity, but imagination. 

The courage to see the simple thing that no one else has noticed. The difference between a clever solution and a revolutionary one often comes down to simplicity. So whether you're designing a product, writing a story, or plotting a heist (metaphorically, of course), always look for the straighter line between points A and B.

Comparing determination, obstinacy and obsession

In my previous blog, I alluded to my natural obstination that sometimes pushes me to go over and beyond “the call of duty” and I was wondering how an unbridled obstinacy differentiate itself from determination and obsession and in the long run is a desirable trait to keep? It seems to me that the natural obstinacy I was born with, especially when tempered by reflection and rest, could be a source of creative breakthroughs and meaningful goals. 

But it’s probably fair to ask when it serves me and when might it need some tempering or refining? I would agree that if obstinacy remains unbridled it can turn into a refusal to adapt, but when paired with insight and plenty of time to reflect as I’ve described previously, it can become a kind of creative defiance. 

It can turn into the force that says, “I’ll find a way, even if no one else sees it yet.” In my opinion, some obstinacy helps when it protects your values from dilution or compromise, when it fuels innovation by resisting my giving up prematurely and it also helps me when I must persist through ambiguity or resistance. 

Sure, it can turn into a huge negative when it blocks collaboration with others or blinds me to new suggestions and ideas, also when it becomes self-reinforcing without external feedback and of course when it leads me to emotional exhaustion or when it messes up my relations with colleagues, friends and family. 

I’ve heard that obstinacy is like a wild vine that climbs, twists, and reaches where others won’t. But without pruning, it can choke the very structure it clings to. 

Determination is the trellis that’s always structured, goal-oriented and designed to guide the vine upward. Obsession is when the vine wraps so tightly it forgets the sky. 

The bottom line is to tame our obstinacy to be creative, reflective and purposeful. It cannot be blind and must be interspersed with breaks, reflection, and a sense of purpose. That makes it not just desirable, but essential to our creative process. 

It’s the engine behind our craftsmanship, our philosophical questions, and our tool to turn persistence into insight.

Relapsing into obstinacy…

Giving up doesn’t sit well with me and my car wiring attempts were supposed to be canceled and totally forgotten, but that wasn’t to be. 

They came back with a vengeance and a few days ago I had the hatch and portion of the roof of my daughter’s car taken apart to route a pesky camera wire, connect it to the car circuit and after a series of stop-and-go operation, including the impressive help from AI, I made it work or the all circuitry was kind enough to make me believe I had succeeded. 

The second I pulled the lever into reverse, the screen showed the picture of what was behind me. This, of course, was the result of my obstinacy interspersed with regular breaks, each one of them germinating the seeds of my goal. This evokes a disciplined yet humane rhythm, a form of persistence tempered by rest and perhaps fueled by my regular moments of mediation. 

The creative solutions that I get that way suggest fruitful outcomes from that rhythm in which each idea is not just solving a problem, but nurturing a deeper aspiration. Another way to explain this might be to say, “From the rhythm of my obstinacy, softened by regular pauses, creative solutions emerge, each quietly germinating the seed of a goal yet to bloom.” I like that. 

Soul searching (Part Two)

Now that we’ve go a better idea where the center of our body hides, and if we stay on the subject, it’s only fair to ask where does our soul hides? Here’s a question that bridges biology, philosophy, and spirituality. The idea of a “location” for the soul depends entirely on the lens through which we view it. 

Obviously, modern science does not recognize the soul as a physical entity, so it has no anatomical location. However we all agree that consciousness, that’s often conflated with the soul, is linked to brain activity—particularly the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, and neural networks—but we can’t say it’s the a soul in metaphysical terms. In fact that’s a question that all religions have addressed in their own manner. 

Christianity seems to see the soul as immaterial, residing in the whole person or “heart.” This explains why some mystics place it near the chest. In Islam, the soul is breathed into the body by God; its location is undefined but central to life. For the Hindus, the soul is eternal and resides within the body, often associated with the heart chakra, or Anahata, (the fourth of the seven main chakras) and it represents love, compassion, and balance. 

It’s found in the center of the chest and serves as a bridge between the lower, earthly chakras and the upper, spiritual chakras. Buddhism rejects the whole idea of a permanent soul, focusing instead on consciousness and karmic continuity and Taoism believes that the soul is part of the Qi flow, a diffuse, dynamic element not confined to one place. From a philosophical viewpoint “The soul is not in the body; the body is in the soul.” 

This poetic inversion suggests that the soul is a field of awareness or essence that envelops and animates the body, rather than being housed within it. Personally I feel strongly that my consciousness is fully part of my body, especially when I feel pain in my chest when I grieve, in my gut when I fear, or in my fingertips when I create something. 

This to me means that my spiritual component is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It’s a presence, it’s totally attached to me rather than floating in a precise place and won’t ever leave me.

Wondering where your true center is? (Part One)

When I meditate, I’m always surprised to discover that the center point of my body is definitively not around my brain. Scientifically, it’s called our perceptual center. The heart often falls also in that category. There are people who feel their “center” is in their head (where thoughts originate) or their heart (where emotions are felt). 

Both locations are just metaphorical centers tied to identity and experience. To me, the head feels more like the computer that centralizes and manages information, but doesn’t participate much in what I feel. That comes from the less obvious region towards the center of my body. 

Sure, every doctor will tell me that the anatomical center is found in a pelvic region, the center of mass in a standing adult and that it’s typically located just in front of the second sacral vertebra (S2), which is in the middle of the pelvis. Science also tells us that it’s the point around which our body balances and rotates most naturally. 

Then, beyond that location is the so-called energetic or philosophical center, also called core or solar plexus. In yoga, martial arts, and many Eastern philosophies, the body's center is often located a few inches below the navel. It’s seen as the source of physical and spiritual energy and it’s also associated with grounding, stability, and inner strength. 

Okay, now I know what to make out of my question, even if some of you aren’t yet convinced. That seems to take care of my physical body, so my next question is where in hell is our soul located? We’ll explore this provocative question in our next blog, so please, don’t miss it!

Who was W. R. Borg?

In my previous blog, I mentioned a certain W. R. Borg who I thought was a “fictional” author. In doing some more research, I discovered that W. R. Borg wasn’t a person, but rather a pseudonym used for promoting a self-help book sold by the publisher Aubanel starting in 1957. 

At that time, and well into the late 60s, the Avignon-based publisher advertised a small, 24-page booklet titled Les Lois éternelles du succès ("The Eternal Laws of Success"). 

The expensive tiny book was a bit of a scam, if not a real one. In a 1978 article, the author E. Dorlier referenced a text describing a "Borg" who offered the pamphlet for free to anyone who wanted to improve their memory. 

The address provided was the publisher's. Dorlier notes that the address given for "Borg" was "chez Aubanel, 6, place Saint-Pierre, à Avignon" (at Aubanel's, 6, Saint-Pierre Square, in Avignon), confirming that the publisher was the source. 

The name is a likely play on words. "Borg" sounds similar to “borgne” or "one-eyed" in French. It may be a wordplay suggesting that the book's methods would open the reader's "eye" to success, or it could simply be a catchy, pseudonymous name. 

In summary, the name W. R. Borg is a fictional name associated with a marketing effort for a self-help booklet published by Editions Aubanel.

The new face of shyness (Part Three)

When I grew up in the 1960s and 70s, shyness was a hot topic in France. Aubanel, a very persuasive publisher, sold a tiny blue book by a (fictitious?) W.R. Borg called “Les lois éternelles du succès” (The Eternal Laws of Success,) primarily aimed at overcoming shyness. This personality trait, in fact, contributed to many missed opportunities and I wonder why the subject of shyness seems to have been swept under the rug today? 

Of course, shyness as a personality trait hasn't disappeared, but the vocabulary has changed from "Shyness" to "Social Anxiety". In the 1960s and 1970s, shyness was a general term for awkwardness, difficulty interacting, and fear of judgment. Today, extreme manifestations of shyness are often medicalized or psychologized under the term "Social Anxiety Disorder" (or Social Phobia). 

The problem is now treated in a clinical setting rather than in general self-help books. At the same time, our society has redefined introversion. In popular psychology, silence, reflection, and a preference for solitude are no longer automatically labeled as weaknesses to be overcome, but as valid character traits that have their own strengths. Our pervasive technology has created spaces where shy people can express themselves more easily, making direct confrontation less necessary. 

It’s true that much of our social and professional communication now takes place in writing (emails, messaging, social media). These tools allow shy or anxious people to take the time to formulate their thoughts without the pressure of an immediate face-to-face response. Then there are social media and online communities where folks can find places to express themselves freely hidden behind a screen, allowing them to develop a self-confidence that would not have been possible in the physical social interactions of W.R. Borg's time. 

Today the emphasis is less on the ability to speak in meetings than on the ability to "sell oneself" and "showcase oneself” particularly on social media. The failure of "missed opportunities" is no longer attributed to simple shyness, but to a lack of boldness, assertiveness, or visibility. In the 1960s and 70s, professional success was associated with the image of the assertive executive, dominating the conversation. Today, it is linked to the image of the charismatic leader who can master TED Talk style presentations. 

The fear of public speaking, although linked to shyness, has become a much more popular and lucrative topic in the industry personal development. In conclusion, "shyness" as a major social scourge has been replaced in discourse by social anxiety or a lack of assertiveness. Modern society hasn’t eradicated it; it has simply shifted the locus of discomfort from the living room to the screen, and from interaction to personal branding.

The high cost of being shy (Part Two)

It’s when we begin observing our relationships and our social life that we see how the influence of shyness is most profound, often leading to "missed lives," like isolation and loneliness where shyness is causing social withdrawal or avoidance. This can lead to severe social isolation and deep feelings of loneliness, despite often having a strong desire to connect with others. 

One crucial element is that shy people take longer to form friendships and romantic attachments. Once in a relationship, shyness is often negatively associated with intimacy and overall relationship satisfaction. Shyness can make it difficult to communicate personal matters, assert needs, or engage in conflict resolution. 

It’s also pretty obvious that shy individuals are less likely to date, or if they don’t get married at all might do it much later, may settle for relationships that are far from what they wished, and are generally less secure in their romantic attachments due to fears of dependence or vulnerability. Then there is the deterioration of psychological well-being caused by shyness that creates internal turmoil that in turn can severely impact mental health. 

Shyness is characterized by anxiety, self-consciousness, and constant negative self-preoccupation where repeated avoidance of opportunities and the belief that others are constantly judging them poorly lead to even lower self-esteem and cratering self-confidence. 

Finally, while shyness is distinct from Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), severe and untreated shyness is a recognized risk factor for developing more serious mental health issues, including social anxiety, depression, and other forms of generalized anxiety. Look at shyness acting like a vicious circle where the fear of negative judgment leads to avoidance, which prevents skill development, which confirms the negative self-image, reinforcing the shyness, and limiting opportunities across all major life domains. 

Tomorrow, I’ll conclude this series by seeing how the place and the nature of shyness seem to have evolved in recent years. 

The high cost of being shy (Part One)

As a kid, I was very shy, probably because my parents didn’t understand the importance of inculcating self-esteem into their offspring, as this unfortunately was the rule for my generation. As I look back, I’d say that my shyness had a huge influence on my life and has robbed me of many things. 

I’m not the only one to think that way, as decades of psychological research have shown, shyness can have an enormous, often detrimental, influence on individual lives, especially when it is severe or chronic. Sure, mild shyness is a common, normal emotion, but persistent and intense shyness can act as a significant barrier that will mess up personal growth and limit life opportunities. 

The main result being the avoidance of social situations driven by fear of negative evaluation or judgment. From a career and professional standpoint, shyness can directly impede career advancement and job satisfaction. In my case, it has on multiple occasions until it became clear that I had to overcome that hurdle. 

People that can’t get over their shyness are less likely to pursue roles that require high visibility, public speaking, or intense networking. Also, by constantly avoiding interactions (speaking in public or daring to disagree), shy people miss opportunities to practice and refine their "soft skills" or their ability to evolve comfortably in social situations, so crucial for success. 

Further, the constant fear of being evaluated in the workplace can lead to stress and "burnout". In that same vein, we’ve all heard about the “Impostor Syndrome”, where many shy folks attribute their successes to luck rather than their own abilities, further inhibiting them from seeking the recognition or promotion they deserve. 

As you can see all this isn’t good news and I’ve only scratched the surface, tomorrow we explore how shyness can also screw up one’s personal life and mental well being, so please, stay tuned!

Retrofitting an old car…

For a full week I worked on my daughter’s car and installed what’s called a CarPlay device that she can use with her i-Phone. That part was easy. What wasn’t was to try to use an Auxiliary port that wasn’t available in that vehicle manufactured in 2003. 

So I attempted to buy an adapter for that, but after receiving it, when I opened up the baseboard of the auto, I realized that there was no connector, so I had to use an FM station, so the car radio to communicate with the auto’s audio system to do the job. Count about 2-3 days of research and repeated work for that. Then the next stage was to install a reverse camera, always a nice safety feature to have in a car.

That’s where the big job came up as the car was a station wagon and the camera eye had to be part of the opening rear hatch of the car. That involved circulating the cable from the dashboard over the front and rear door (that part was very easy) but became complicated as I had to start removing some roof panels and entirely strip open up the hatch door from its own panels. 

Most of these panels are snapped into the body, but there are screws in places I didn’t know. Further, our garage is extremely cold now, so I was expecting that the plastic components, almost a quarter of a century old, combined with my garage freezing temperatures might break some of the retaining snaps or break right into pieces. 

Then I had to channel the pesky small, but big enough camera through holes that couldn’t allow it through (I would have to cut into the steel for that), so after four more days of struggle, repeated operation and more soul-searching, I simply gave up (for the moment), especially since that wasn’t my own auto and I didn’t want to make a mess of it. 

Sometimes, you need to know when to quit and this time was particularly hard because I had developed a strong liking for the project and invested so much of my precious time into it!

Cruel ski business

 

Dodge ski boots, was established in Vermont with a goal to manufacture carbon fiber alpine ski boots. The idea was that ski racers needed super stiff boots to ski on very hard snow and ice without losing any power during transfers. Yet, it wasn't successful and its principals closed shop in May of 2025 and retired. 

Why did it fail? Dodge Ski Boots was founded around 2009. I had known and worked with Dave Dodge, a former engineer at Rossignol in Williston, Vermont, while I was still working with Lange ski boots. Dave, who had a deep understanding of skiing, ski racing and the industry at large, partnered up with Bill Doble and set out to revolutionize alpine skiing with carbon fiber ski boots, a bold departure from the traditional thermoplastic models that had dominated the market for decades. 

Despite its innovation and a loyal niche following, the company wasn’t able to carry on and ultimately closed its doors early this year. Here's what I think happened. First, they attempted to introduce some drastic change into a very conservative market. True, ski boot retailers and users have been notoriously resistant to change. 

Most of them prefer small iterations and are skeptical of trying new concepts. Carbon fiber boots, while lighter and stiffer, felt very different from traditional plastic boots, which may have alienated some users. The boot was incredibly stiff and transferred probably too much of what came from the terrain to the foot making it uncomfortable. 

Linked to that inherent stiffness were fit and comfort issues, as carbon fiber didn’t show the kind of accommodations even stiff polyurethane boots offered, making fitting it easily and comfortably more complex. Sure, Dodge did offer custom fitting services, but it burdened the buying process and made it harder to scale. Only one ski racer, Warner Nickerson from Concord, NH, was on the boot and competed on FIS and Noram races until 2016. 

Of course the high cost of the boots was another important hurdle as they were significantly more expensive than mainstream options, often retailing for over $1,000, the high production cost impeding in fact the project viability. A narrow appeal to just elite racers or gearheads, not the broader ski market, added to the difficulty, not to mention a limited distribution and marketing that forced the company to rely almost solely on direct-to-consumer sales and word-of-mouth. 

Without major retail partnerships or aggressive marketing, Dodge boots struggled to reach a wider audience and were force to announce their retirement and the closure of the company last spring to customers via email. The founders, Dave and Bill, indicated that while they were open to finding a buyer to continue the business, they did not have one lined up at the time of the announcement. In their farewell message, they said “We hope someone may still come along and want to take over, but we don't have anyone ready right now…” 

This suggests that the closure wasn’t purely financial but was also about leadership transition and the founders’ decision to retire. This was confirmed to me by Dave in a recent contact who just a few days ago was still looking for someone to carry on his dream... https://go-11.blogspot.com/2010/04/dodge-ski-boot.html 

Annual Halloween stats

 

In spite of our best marketing efforts (front door decoration, freshly supplied candy and a special word addressing each and every visiting group) we failed to break records. 

For a while we began self-flagellation and promised to do much better next year, like me (the door opener and distributor) dressing with cool clothes, donning a hair-piece with long dreadlocks, wearing a short-sleeve shirt showing a full tattooed arm, you name it… 

That’s when I suddenly realized that the reason for this dreadful showing was the total absence of Latina families with their small kids, all held hostage by the fear of Trump’s ICE and his goons. 

Well, another three “dry” years ahead!