Michael T. Starks

Category: Storytelling

  • The Benefits of Software

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    The benefits of software are often one or more steps removed from the software developers who actually do the work. Here are a few examples from my career as a software developer. Why does this matter? Software developers feel good about their work when it is well designed. This is an intrinsic motivator. That being…

  • Better?

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    There are people who do better than me in every area of life. Ramit Sethi is wealthier than me. Lee Smolin, Carlo Rovelli, and others are much better physicists than me. Robert Reich, Richard Feynman, and others are better teachers than me. Linus Torvalds, Donald Knuth, Bjarne Stroustrup, and others are much better computer programmers…

  • Positive Changes

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    We live in a time of change. I suppose that all people who have ever lived would agree. Which is to say that humans have always faced times of change. The question is whether we’re moving our world in a positive or negative direction. In many ways, the world is better off now than when…

  • Improving How Society Works for ALL People

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    If you’re among the 1% of people who make LOTS of money in the USA, you might think everything here is working fine. That’s NOT the case! When 99% of people are not seeing productivity gains reflected in their paychecks, the system is NOT working for our society. While other issues matter, income inequality is…

  • Convenience

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    Modern progress is characterized by a movement toward convenience. Using a telephone is more convenient than sending a telegraph. In some ways, streaming content can be more convenient than watching DVD’s. When dishes and laundry had to be hand-washed, this activity took much more time than when dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers could be used.…

  • The Age of Things

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    Things matter. What things impact our lives at this time? Phones, airplanes, cars, social media, computers, cameras, the printing press, agriculture, fire, and more are worthwhile candidates. Let’s consider the age of things with regard to how they impact our lives. As a kid, I checked out lots of books from the local library. (The…

  • Underwhelmed

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    I’m feeling underwhelmed. On July 4, 2025, people in the USA are celebrating Independence Day. I’m thrilled for the people who are enjoying the revelry. I hear the firecrackers from China, and I think of the tariffs that may make them scarce next year. Mostly, I’m upset about the Big Beautiful Bill that is going…

  • Maybe This Time

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    Here’s my attempt to sing and play this classic song from the musical Cabaret. I stumbled upon the music while searching for an Elton John song. And I had to get it. Enjoy!

  • Optimism

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    When I was a kid, I thought the future was only going to get better. While I admit to being a bit naive, I never imagined that the United States of America would have a President like Trump. I’m an optimistic person. I really do believe that we can figure shit out together and that…

  • The Struggle for Existence

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    Today, author Geoff Jones has released the second book in his trilogy, The Preservation of Species! In case you missed the first book, you can get The Rule of Extinction here. And The Struggle for Existence can be found here. I had the pleasure of interviewing Geoff Jones earlier this year. Here’s the full interview.…