Category Archives: Writing & Social Commentary
The Story of Dorothy, NSA / NC, 1989
In 1989, the Northern California chapter of the National Speakers Association hosted the winter workshop. [...]
Jan
The Big Short, Assault on Wall Street, and Class Warfare
The world is run by the fat cats at the top. Always has been. Under [...]
1 Comments
Jan
What Have I Learned?
In retirement I experience a richness that is palpable. My health is good enough. Everything [...]
3 Comments
Dec
A Treasure
One of the best treasures I found digging through the geological history of my work [...]
Dec
Are You a Greek or a Roman?
One of my fondest memories as Northern California National Speakers Association chapter president was being [...]
3 Comments
Dec
Mary McGlynn and PowerSpeaking, Inc. Hit the Big Time!
(Note founder’s name, “Robert Gilbert”)
1 Comments
Dec
The Decline of Religion
From Galileo forward, religion has been in a duel to the death with science. Breaking [...]
2 Comments
Dec
Reactions to “Kill Obamacare”
Readers comments: JAN ROBERTSON Nov 13.15 Right on Rick! You summed it up very well. [...]
Dec
My Favorite Speech of All Time
In my 50-year career as a speaker and trainer, my all-time favorite speech was called [...]
1 Comments
Nov
Gloria Steinem Interview
Last week Mary met Susan Blake, a Bay Area TV personality. Susan later checked out [...]
1 Comments
Nov
Kill Obamacare !!!
Yet another article in the WSJ today about how the Republicans want to blow up [...]
7 Comments
Nov
Revenge of the Diners
You are sitting with three other people at a nice restaurant engaged in deep conversation [...]
1 Comments
Nov
Ask your doctor…
Ask your doctor… if your heart is healthy enough for Let ‘er Rip. It could be [...]
5 Comments
Nov
Repaving Harrison Avenue
All the cars were off the street under threat of “being towed at owner’s expense.” [...]
2 Comments
Nov
My Fight With a Green Beret
Bob was handcuffed to the gurney when the two San Francisco cops wheeled him into [...]
Nov
Gun Control: California’s Attorney General Agrees with Let ‘er Rip!
In my last blog post, I suggested a way to end this interminable debate over [...]
2 Comments
Oct
Grateful To Be In the 1% (Medically Speaking)
The two major killers in our country are heart disease and cancer. We all know [...]
Oct
Blue Angels: It Gets Personal
On Saturday, October 10, the Blue Angels streaked across the skies above San Francisco Bay. [...]
Oct
Word Chaos
Word Chaos Our verbal communication swims in a sea of metaphors and memes. (Like that [...]
7 Comments
Oct
Take Your iPhone Video – You Might Get in the Show !
A Cappella group Hook Slide played Saturday night at the Pacific Performances in Pacifica. At [...]
1 Comments
Oct
Photography Corner: Portraits
In exchange for speech coaching, I recently had a photo session with photographer Mark Tuschman. [...]
Oct
Immediate Cure for Gun Violence
Many chickenshit politicians are terrified of the NRA. “Oh my god, if I get a [...]
4 Comments
Oct
“Hey Gilbert – Are You A Virgin?”
…yelled the swagger stick wielding wannabe Marine drill sergeant, on the fourth day of “Hell [...]
1 Comments
Oct