First Blog

Post-modern Sports. In the beginning, like when I was a kid, sports was completely devoted to sports. I read about who’s doing well, whose not.  I read about trades and how they might affect the team.  I read about the draft and the talents of the draftees.  Rarely did I read about money, except for the superstars.  But now, we see less of this as sports has evolved.  The evolution?  Here's a sketch. Sports teams, talent, prospects, achievements, hopes, potentials, front-runners. Sports money, who’s making the most, minimal salary scales, how much this player can demand, owner’s net worth, league’s rulings on player behavior. Sports personal issues such as domestic abuses, arrests, dress style, diverse opinions, executing contract options. Sports and politics, athlete’s opinions, athlete’s political expressions, athlete’s standing on personal principles, league rulings on politically oriented dress. Only tangential these days is a discussion of the issues

Dear Kids,  Experts recommend you save 10% of your income each year for retirement. Do you? This is just the beginning.  Make sure you put the money into a 401K plan, the only way you can build a substantial nest egg.  For me, I would need $500,000 in savings just to pay my property tax with the 1% interest, if I invested in a bank savings account.   Put your money where you can't get at it .  Not banks. "Banks shaft you in two ways, high interest when you borrow and minuscule interest when you save." Only 39% of Americans can meet a $1000 emergency.  Can you?  If you cannot, you are in dire straits.  About 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.   Is you, then ditto.  Have a two month minimum, hopefully eight month financial cushion. Actually, much more if you're in your forties. About 38% of Millennials believe $200,000 is enough for retirement.  Do you?  Of course, this is ridiculous.  You need at least $1,000,000 just to begin thinking about ret

To friends of course, and to foes where ever.... I have given to political parties in the past.  The downside of so doing is that the parties then have your contact points and contact they do, over and over and over again.  Also, these become part of the public record, accessible to all.   This last point is my issue today.  The party is irrelevant. Let me list a few observations. I get frequent follow-up emails, sometimes a dozen per day from various named or unnamed senders.   This morning one identified himself as Bob.   That’s it. I get several phone calls every week asking for contributions. I often get multiple mailings from congressional candidates looking for contributions. This goes on and on, day in and day out, weekly, monthly, and so on.  OK, these folks want money.  That is my value to them.  But where is the scam? Finally, my point.  Two days ago I got a phone call from a friendly fellow supporting the governor, and asking for money.  Just a hundre

Not supporting but...  Oprah has business experience, is practical, is possibly not an ideologue, lives in this world not an alternate, theoretical world, understands meeting expenses/payroll, knows media incantations.  Compare her with Elizabeth Warren who is a few pages of talking points and little depth.  Compare her with Bernie Sanders, who is a pure ideologue believing only in giving away free stuff.  Compare her with Andrew Cuomo, who micromanages everything, including the color of toilet paper in the men's room. Compare her with any of the players in the Dem field!   This is partly a consequence of Hillary and company for not allowing any others at the top.  We might call this an aspect of the  tyranny of the old age . Oprah just may be  seduced into running by her financially and morally bankrupt party.  There we would have it.  Two billionaires competing on platforms of helping the poor and middle class.  Neither professional politicians, neither lawyers, neit

Listen all.  NOKO has no industry, no research, no university system, and no technology.  Yet, they are world class in ICBCM and nuclear weapons technology?  SOMEBODY  is helping them.  Their only problem is rolling it out slow enough so everyone thinks they are doing the research. Why does everyone talk about giving or not giving them more time in process?   They do have, however, world class hackers.  A lot cheaper.

James Comey - former FBI director turned author.  His editor must be tearing his hair these days with new testimony and discovery requiring new chapter versions.  Likely his staff is sub-titling the future book, “Revelations then Rewrite.”  Cheer up, Jim! The truth is there; you may find it yet. For the Dems, it has been a love-hate-love-hate, and now love affair with hate just around the corner.  For the Reps, it’s been mostly hate all the way.  ----------------- On the Trump foreign policy: We may ask if President Trump is taking us to the edge of the volcano to see what’s there, or if he has some plans for quenching the fires down below. In a way, it is good news he has top generals guiding his moves.  These guys understand the horror of war, and do not celebrate “glorious death.”  They also understand that weakness invites reckless adventures by bold despots who themselves are guided by the simplistic policy to “hang on and they’ll cave.” A game difficult

New York Andrew Governor Cuomo has suggested an exit tax for all residents emigrating from New York.  He proposes all New Yorkers with a net worth of $500,000 or more are to be taxed a flat rate of 20% of net worth to exit residence from the State.  Said Cuomo, "They may move, but we'll get one last shot at their money." He added, "at least until I'm President." de Blasio and Sanders echoed support. salivating at the thought of a new form of tax revenue.  NOKO strong man Kim Jong Un concurs indicating mere taxation is not enough, muttering something about consequences to their whole family. Just kidding… ------------------- BTW, Cuomo just pardoned 61 convicted felons. What a humane fellow.  I do suggest someone would tally up the costs of arrest and prosecution of these “now good citizens.”  Perhaps the good governor should intercede for every conviction deciding those just and those unjust – saving taxpayers yet another cost – incarceratio

Why will North Korea’s strong man dictator Kim Jong Un will never permit any sort of coorperation with South Korea or inspection of his country by outsiders? It's all about the consequences of exposure.  Many of his sins are hidden because of total news blackouts.  His master state, China, may be aware of many of his sins, but for them it becomes a conviction by proxy should the sins become known. Thus Kim is indirectly protected.  Both China and Russia (thought to be Kim’s supplier of rocket engines) are aware and dread the day Kim is exposed.  Such is Kim’s buffer. Kim’s sins and secrets: Nuclear weapons – the open sin Offensive ICBM and other missiles – the delivery vehicles of choice Weapons export – to Iran and elsewhere Radiological contamination – almost a certain consequence of nuclear testing* Biological testing – e.g. possible Anthrax experimentation* Slavery – export of his own to forced labor in China and other countries Torture – of prisoners, e.g. W

Many politicians not fulfilling their election promises end up promising again to do what they haven’t done.  Or excusing what they haven’t done to evil-doers from the other party. Or stating they really have done what they haven't done.  --------------- Stove-top diplomacy.  It seems on diplomatic side of the street, President Trump has appointed two rather different personalities, Nikki  Haley (UN Ambassador) and Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State). The difference between them is simple: Haley likes to turn up the burners giving more and more heat.  Tillerson tries hard to keep the lids on all the pots.  Hmm. What’s for dinner? ------------ Nancy Pelosi, who you might admit is getting a bit long in the tooth, has called the Rep tax bill Armageddon on one day and then Frankenstein on another. Her next claim may that by supporting it you will have eaten a poison apple that will make you fall asleep forever. She also missed calling it equivalent to the black plague.  Nancy

Many of America’s news reporters have been relegated to the stable, where their sole duty is to shovel manure, hoping their viewers eat it. Well, a job is a job, and the boss decides what to do.  What is a little appalling is that quite a few of them seem to enjoy the work. 

There oughta be a law  that Congressmen should pass an exam on the exact contents of any legislative measure or  bill to be qualified to vote on it.  It can be basic, say just ten questions. It can be multiple choice.  Many would simply flunk it.  Talking point answers are not offered as options.  Just maybe some of our congressional representatives would actually study what they vote on.  (In fact, many studied more in college for a simple grade than on legislation that may cost millions or impact millions more.) Of course, a modified rule on majority (>50% if those passing) is needed.  Still dreaming on am I.   Also, there should be a waiting period before a scheduled vote on any measure.  I suggest a wait of one day for every twenty pages of legislation.  For example, a bill of 1000 pages would have a wait time of 50 days. (These rush it through super-sized bills often have super-sized flaws discovered only later.) 

Influential political philosophies created out political environment. Not just from the political "left" and "right," there's socialism, conservatism, populism, progressivism, liberalism, federalism, scientism, communism, totalitarianism, nationalism, fascism, and more. Another -ism is taking bows these days.  It is the -ism of superocracy, a globalist ideology.  Call it superism. It's scope is so grand, that individuals and most countries are powerless to oppose it.  A small-time version of this already exists in the form of the EU. In this system, individual countries and their interests are lost in the loud flush of pronouncements from Brussels.  It seems Britain may escape, but its gravitational pull is strong.  The new superocrasy will replace religion, beliefs, ideals, and progress with administrative directives.  There will be no armies but fearsome police forces.  There will be apparent redistribution of almost everything except for the elit