Matthew Arnold Stern's Blog, page 47
July 30, 2016
Evaluation: Hillary Clinton’s Acceptance Speech
As I did last week for Donald Trump, I’m evaluating Hillary Clinton’s acceptance speech solely on how well it communicated its positions to the audience. I’m not going to critique her political positions, so don’t be disappointed if my comments don’t line up with whatever your feelings are about Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party. Let’s start with the …
July 26, 2016
The speech of the conventions
Someone gave me a one-star rating on my post evaluating Donald Trump’s acceptance speech. I don’t know if it was a Trump opponent who didn’t think I was sufficiently critical or a Trump supporter who didn’t think I was sufficiently worshipful. It doesn’t matter because, for me, Trump’s was not the most impactful speech of …
July 21, 2016
Evaluation: Donald Trump’s Acceptance Speech
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.comAs I did in 2008 and 2012, I’m evaluating the acceptance speeches of the two major party candidates at their conventions. I’m evaluating them based solely on how well they communicated their positions to their audiences. I’m not going to critique their political positions. But with Donald Trump, it’s hard not to. …
July 15, 2016
Scrivener for iOS: Now you can write anywhere
Disclaimer: I was a beta tester for Scrivener for iOS. Yes, I actually reported a bug. If you use Scrivener for Mac or Windows, you know what a powerful writing tool it is. It keeps your writing projects organized, provides an easy way to move sections of your book, and offers a convenient place to gather notes and …
July 1, 2016
Fifty-five more things I learned in fifty-five years
When I turned 45, I wrote a list of 45 things that I learned at that point in my life. In the ten years that passed, I still agree with most of them, although my opinion has changed for a few. So, for my 55th birthday this month, here is a list of 55 more things …
June 24, 2016
A bad year
By any objective measurement, 2016 has already proven to be a bad year. Heartbreaking celebrity deaths, horrific acts of terrorism, an Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro plagued with a series of problems, a US presidential election that has already gone insane, and a UK election that causes them to leave the European Union. It has also been a bad year …
June 2, 2016
The Remainders Beta 2 (and why writing is critical)
My second beta of The Remainders is finished. Thanks to the feedback I got from the first beta, it is a true novel at 70,000 words and a much stronger story. Adding the first-person narration of Dylan’s father added depth to both characters. I drew parallels between both character’s lives and how they stumbled and …
May 30, 2016
Remembering Grandpa Max
My grandfather Max Bloom died 50 years ago today. I was too young to remember him, but my mom told me many stories about him. She adored her dad, and she used him as a model of what a man should be. This is why, for better and worse, he shaped me to be the …
May 14, 2016
Junior high school in the 1970s
This coming weekend, members of my class from Sequoia Junior High School in Reseda are having a 40th anniversary reunion. I won’t be able to make it, unfortunately. Instead, I’d like to share some memories of being a junior high school student in the 1970s. Actually, there was never a time in history when it was …
May 9, 2016
Does generosity have limits?
Generosity is an important and valuable trait. It’s how we show our love and gratitude, offer kindness to those who need it, and share our gifts to help others. Most major religions extol the virtues of giving and make it a core tenet. We know it is better to give than receive. With all the good things …
