First Blog

It’s all about feeling good. In years past, folks would go to church and sit patiently for one hour, contribute a few dollars, and come away feeling good.  This was their total commitment.  Today, in our nano-world, many of the wealthy football players have the same need – to feel good.  Their obligation is to kneel patiently in their preferred church, the playing field, for three minutes of the national anthem.  They feel good, and maybe the boo’s make them feel  a sacrifice has been made.  Our nano-world of sound bites, quick jabs, and instant commitment pervades within the Hollywood elite, students, many news wonks, and now sports. They commit a few minutes, perhaps an hour, coming away feeling good they have done something of value.  This nano-goodness is enough for them. In contrast… The first responders in recent hurricanes, the physicians traveling to disaster areas, and those few missionaries that commit days, weeks, and even lifetimes to helping others actually

Curiously, the lowest wage earners and the largest corporations have the same slogan:   "Fight for 15." But for the one its  dollars ; for the other its  tax rate .  They could share posters.  They could march together, the one group starting at McDonald's, the other at Cipriani's.  Three Bills (Clinton, Gates, and Deblasio) could march together arm-in-arm.  :)

Republicans vs. Democrats Losing. When a team plays only defense, its members can have differentiated principles, can have internal squabbles, and can ignore on-the-field achievement.  This team feels good, righteous, and smart.  When a team plays only defense, it will lose the game.  But when the team manager picks fights with its star players, the outcome will be even worse - an embarrassing loss. Are we discussing Team Republican?  Probably yes. Team Democrat enjoys the game with smaller numbers on the field, quaffing a beer or two, watching their opponents squander their advantage, and winning the game. -------------------------------- What do neo-nazies, communists, white supremacists, BLM, and ANTIFA have in common?  They all don’t use their own brains, but march to the drums of others, and given careful instructions on what to do, where to march, and how to think. People who sign on to fringe groups seldom have independent minds, have few achievements,

---------------- The only benefit of disaster. It brings people together, in work and in sympathy. We surely saw it in Hurricane Harvey – to the max.  Let us hope Florida, with Hurricane Irma experiences the same human congeniality, compassion and collective effort.  Deference to government for all help is at best a poor selection. ----------------   There is a great line from the movie  Tremors  that applies to Congress.  We see the hero (Kevin Bacon) tell the group, "We always have a plan.  That way we don't have to do anything right now." In particular, Mitch McConnell loves more than anything else to make a carefully worded speech.  The plan.   Loves it.  This means, he doesn't have to do anything now.  And he doesn't! Leadership is more than merely signing off on documents coming to your desk. ------------- Most people facing a law suit wear a cloth suit. Moral: don’t wear a suit, or even have soot in your chimney. ---------------------