First Blog

  Many problems seem to persist, despite our best efforts to solve them. There are several reasons. Here are a few types. ·         We don’t have the tools (yet) to solve them, intellectual, theoretical, and/or instrumental. Example. Many a problem begins this way. ·         We don’t know what the real problem is. Example. Explaining matter - from antiquity. ·         We make a solution. It catches on. It becomes the solution until it fails. Then we begin again. New failure. Begin anew, and on and on. Example. Explaining planetary motion took several tries. Fads! ·         We assume what the solution should be and persist in using it even though it fails. ·         Special types of problems, called wicked, are so rich in variables and options, there is no unique solution in almost every sense. What are co...

Problem solving... Decades ago, my garbage disposal stopped working.  Turned the switch - got just a hummm.  Bummer.  I was distressed, because at the time I hadn't the cash to buy a replacement.  This is notwithstanding the simple fact I didn't know how to install one.    Nonetheless, I called my local appliance dealer to come and fix it.  He took one look.  He pulled from his kit a giant screw driver and plunged it down, deep into the disposal and nudged the blades just a bit.  It then worked fine for the time I lived in the home - on Berkeley Street.  But I remembered this trick.  In all the intervening years I had no problems with garbage disposals until today.  Dad-gum thing stopped working!  My solution:  I went to my garage, loaded with unused tools of all sorts, fetched up a giant screw driver, plunged it deep-down, and nudged the blades just a bit.  It now works again, just as it did before...