First Blog

A big term these days is “Uncertainty.” This means people are not sure of what’s happening. Another big word is “Manipulation.” This means some quantity is altered on command. Adding one and one, we have “Manipulated Uncertainty.” And this means some agency is manipulating the uncertainty.   It applies to trade, to stock prices, to war, to politics, to materialism, and even to climate. Massive gains are available, as are massive losses. Causes: Too much money, too much polarization, too much hate, too much emotion, too much greed, too much profit, too much power, and too darn easy. Think it new?  Nope. Ancient.

P-sports and E-sports?   There is little difference aside from broken bodies.   From the October 29, 2019 New York Times*, we see the headline, “But Mom, Video Games Are My Job.” Thus we have the current valuation of many millennials and those younger about their future prospects.   To make money by playing games.   Any why not?   Prize money for E-sports contests are in the millions.   Multiple millions of the younger set play these games, generating revenues for producers, often exceeding intake by movie theaters and professional sports. These days fully 170 colleges offer e-sports competition.   It is a mere blink of the sports-clock before full scholarships for e-sports combatants are offered.   Oops, that blink has blinked, and now multiple colleges are offering scholarships to play such games including Overwatch and   League of Legends .   This new cadre of e-sports semi-pros is paying real dollars to watch others play the game, naturally hoping to cash in themselves

Hate to sound pessimistic, but... Whenever anyone thinks they have a solution to the MIddle East, they are wrong. The biggest problem are a religion and leaders that seem willing to sacrifice its people en masse . It has leaders who simply wish arbitrary power with religious sanction. The USA and Europe are essentially unequipped to manage such conflicting desiderata. Europe has simply given up, but the USA continues to try. Expect little and you will not be disappointed. Trump is absolutely magnificent at commercial deals, but Middle East war is different. It is a place where power is everything, and religion is placed in its service. Or is it vise-versa? China, at least, views the world in terms of profit and power. This is not easy but easier. Human rights? Redistribution? Freedom of speech? Come on, already. Not there; never was; never will be. What the West does not realize is these modern Middle East leaders view themselves in historical terms.  At various