First Blog

 RECIPE Dad’s Easy Homemade Pizza Ingredients: • Slices of bread • Spaghetti sauce • Shredded cheese • Spices and herbs • Toppings Steps: 1. Spoon sauce (I used Prego) on the bread and spread it around. 2. Add your herbs and spices. (I use ground pepper, garlic, herbs, and Italian herbs) 3. Sprinkle on the cheese (I used mozzarella, but any kind will do.) 4. Add your toppings (I used meatballs and a little onion. Even sliced hot dogs – for boys) 5. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven for about 8-10 minutes at 400F.  Watch carefully until it's just right.  Sprinkle on some grated parmesan. It tastes as good as any pizza - maybe except your favorite.  Enjoy.

  Glory here can be as simple as just maintaining your self-identity, your spirit to live and love, or your strength to carry on. Glory can imply you have survived intact. Glory can mean you have sustained your faith, beliefs, or commitments. Glory is a wonderfully vague term that can imply so many different things, each meaningful to one but not the other.

Closer Together but More Divided Than Ever   I heard an interesting comment on TV this morning.   In brief, it asserted that with cell phones, computers, and rapid transportation networks, we should be closer together,   but in reality are more divided than ever.     (1) Political positions are vastly different, with well-separated elites, privileged, and underclasses clearly defined. Politicians of one party often don’t even talk to those of another. (2) Religions, at one time spiritually merging, are now again separated with one group openly calling for the extinction or death of the other. Some religions have taken on strictly secular positions. (3) In the market, there seem to be dominant mega-corporations and a vast number of lesser companies,   having none of the opportunities accorded the giants. (4) Kids live in completely separated worlds, often fantasy worlds moderated by social media and fueled by video games. They are even separated from one another more than ever.

  When looking for deception, don't look for lies, look for incongruities . They tell you there's a lie, but not exactly where. Lies can be hard to prove, but things that don't fit (incongruities), while weaker, tell you something is amiss.

Ok. You've made it. You have a job, a spouse, maybe kids, and plenty of bills. Maybe you're 20 or 45. This is your world. So, why did all this happen? You had parents, now in the distant background. They helped, probably more than you know. They gave you principles and backbone. So here is my advice: Send them a note with just two words, thank you .  You don't have to tell them what you mean. You may not really know yourself. Let them figure it out.   Few parents ever get such a message. After they're gone, no address will be available. 

  The Supreme Court of of the United States.  Mission Control, we have a problem.   The biggest event is now in play. Biden ignores SCOTUS about student debt. Texas ignores SCOTUS about the border. SCOTUS has a problem. A big problem. When the highest court is ignored, the law become bankrupt. 

  You must live in all time zones, past, present, and future. If you live only for today, there is no tomorrow. If you live in the future, there is no today. If you live in the past, time ceases.

  Davos – in a nutshell . The World Economic Forum, an association mostly of billionaires, meets annually in Davos, Switzerland to discuss all things economic. Lately, it's been mostly about climate change. Thousands of rich people attend. Yes, the conference is much about money.  Here is a brief description of the attendees.  1.       Billionaires wanting to cash in on climate change. 2.       Millionaire industrialists paying homage to billionaires, looking for crumbs. 3.       Governments sucking up to anyone. 4.       Movie stars hoping for relevancy beyond their fictional existence. 5.       News people hoping for a prize interview. 6.       Working girls working.

 I like stuffing at all the holiday settings.  I also like meatballs. Here's how to have both - anytime. Assumption: You know how to cook meatballs from mom's or other recipes. You know it contains meat, bread crumbs, and other ingredients such as onions, spices, maybe an egg, etc. Dad's shortcut: A. You need a pound of ground meat like hamburger or pork. Put in mixing bowl. B. Instead of breadcrumbs, add in a package of stuffing mix.  C. Add about two cups of milk ( I use 1%.) and other ingredients. Hold the spices back as they will impact the stuffing flavor. Mix thoroughly.  I add chopped onions, an egg, garlic powder, and shredded carrots to lighten the final texture.  D. Now form the mixture into meatballs and cook as usual. (I put the mixture into a mini-muffin pan and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.) E. Now do your spaghetti and pasta sauce. Add in your stuffing meatballs. Serve as usual. Kids love it. Notes: (1) Instead of stuffing meatballs (or meat mini-muffins

 

Introduction. Coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a black swan event refers to an extremely rare, unpredictable, and unexpected event that has significant and widespread consequences [1] . More details will unfold in the discussion below. Possibly, the unpredictable and unexpected components dominate the true nature of black swan events.   The Black Swan Paradox . If you're expecting a black swan event, can it happen? Possibly NO .  The reason is that black swan events are  not  expected and not predictable. Your antennae are up in your world. You expect anything and everything. For example, if you expect an asteroid to strike the earth next year, it’s terrible but not a black swan event. On the other hand, if your fiance dumps you at the altar, that would be quite the black swan event, though of the personal variety and not particularly widespread.   Examples. No theory of black swan events exists, or principles for that matter. Perhaps one will develop. In the meantime, it may

 In gift giving, the greater joy accrues to the giver.