Jim Taylor's Columns - 'Soft Edges' and 'Sharp Edges'

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29

Mar

2022

Two men, two statues, a taste of history

Author: Jim Taylor

Sunday March 13, 2022

 

I love coincidences. Today’s coincidence is the name Volodymyr. Or Vladimir, if you prefer the anglicized Russian spelling. As a person who intuitively roots for underdogs, I’ll use the Ukrainian spelling. But it’s the same thing, either way. 

            There are four Volodymyrs involved in this coincidence. 

            There’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the comedian with no political experience who came out of nowhere to become Ukraine’s president, and has since shown himself to have leadership qualities many other nations might envy.

            There’s Volodymyr Putin – yes, same name, but usually with a  different spelling – who sees the burgeoning democracy led by Zelenskyy as a threat and wants to take Ukraine back into Mother Russia.

 

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12

Mar

2022

Two men, two statues, a taste of history

Author: Jim Taylor

Sunday March 6, 2022

 

I love coincidences. Coincidences are like bits of information floating on an ocean of meaninglessness until they drift up onto a beach and a passer-by – me – fits them into some kind of pattern. 

            Today’s coincidence is the name Volodymyr. Or Vladimir, if you prefer the anglicized Russian spelling. As a person who intuitively roots for underdogs, I’ll use the Ukrainian spelling. But it’s the same thing, either way. 

            There are four Volodymyrs involved in this coincidence. 

            There’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the comedian with no political experience who came out of nowhere to become Ukraine’s president, and has since shown himself to have leadership qualities many other nations might envy.

            There’s Volodymyr Putin....


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6

Mar

2022

If shunning doesn’t work, why do we keep doing it?

Author: Jim Taylor

Sunday March 6, 2022

 

The last two weeks, I’ve tried to keep up with the changing scene in Ukraine, and our reactions to it. First, Russian forces were merely threatening to invade Ukraine. Then they invaded, but ostensibly to enable two eastern regions to breakaway from the rest of Ukraine. Then they clearly invaded all of Ukraine, from the north, east and south. 

            I’m shocked. Appalled. Disgusted with Vladimir Putin. 

            Let me be clear -- I am 100% opposed to the Russian invasion. 

            I’m less confident about the effectiveness of the western deterrents. 


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25

Mar

2018

What kind of animal would Donald Trump be?

Author: Jim Taylor

If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?

            Those who are unable to think metaphorically won’t even understand the question. But some of the organizations I worked with, years ago, used that question to help members understand a little better their relationships with the people they worked with.

            For example, I tend to think of myself as a donkey – a creature that carries whatever gets piled onto its back without complaint.  But a colleague described herself as a hedgehog – an indication that when things got rough, she would figuratively curl up into a tight little ball protected by prickly spines. (Another called herself Miss Piggy, giving me a warning that it might be all about her.) 

            Obviously, I can’t ask world leaders what kind of animal they think they would be. But I get some wry satisfaction from imagining them as animals.


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