No Risk, No Reward. Does the U.S. Strike Iran? Reverend Jesse Jackson. Guess Who is Coming to Dinner? Duvall.
Quote of the Week: “I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. Why? Because when you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.” – Michael Jordan
Risk and consequences. Two different words with different meanings but aligned in many ways. Michael Jordan’s attitude was to forge on, be bold, be aggressive, and he always wanted to take the last shot. Though he knew the consequences of missing that last shot, he never let that consequence affect his mentality. The man many call the greatest of all time MISSED 12,345 shots in his fifteen-year career.
Michael Jordan always understood the consequence of taking the risk but never let a potential negative outcome dictate his desire to be a leader, support his teammates, and take that last shot. Significant achievements, growth, and success require stepping outside comfort zones and understanding the possibility of failure (‘the consequence’). Simply stated: “No risk, no reward.” Sara Blakely, the person behind the brand, Spanx, has that same Michael Jordan mentality.
- The USS Abraham Lincoln with F35s, F18 Super Hornets. Thirteen destroyers. Four combat ships. The USS George Bush and its Carrier Strike Group. F-22 Raptors and F-35 stealth fighters. F-15 and F-16 Strike Aircraft. Two-hundred-fifty total aircraft with four E-3 Sentry AWACS Airborne Communication Nodes and RC-135 Recon planes. Sixty-four Globemaster, C-5 Transport planes, and KC-135 tankers to support logistics and refueling.
Is this massive buildup of military assets in the Gulf Region a ruse and posturing by the United States? Is this show of force to accelerate moving Iran to the negotiating table? Does the Trump administration feel that this show of force will help topple Iran’s extreme regime?
Many feel that the U.S. and Iran will solve the issues of nuclear proliferation and human rights at the negotiating table. I do not. The closing ceremonies of the Milan Olympics are just hours away, and while there is no direct correlation between the Olympics and an assault on Iran, I believe that the U.S. is showing some level of worldwide respect by waiting for the Milan Olympics to end. I believe that in the coming days, the U.S. will show the world a level of assault not seen since the Iraq war, with Iranian targets including nuclear sites, air defense systems, ballistic missile depots, and drone manufacturing plants.
The Trump Administration, with continuing threats to Iran regarding nuclear and human rights issues, has put American credibility on the line. Do the Iranians come to the negotiating table in earnest, or does that country endure devastation inflicted by the U.S. military? In my opinion, the latter.
A Few Things I Think on February 22, 2026
- This Tuesday marks four years since Russia invaded Ukraine. Four years of death and destruction for a land grab.
- Japan again has leaned forward with eye-opening technology. Called the Tokyo Toilet project, public restrooms are being fabricated with walls that are transparent when empty, so users can see whether they are clean and safe. Yes, when locked, the walls turn opaque for privacy. 🙂
- NASA’s Artemis II mission is again having serious issues, this time some issue with helium not reaching the rocket’s upper stage. No helium is a no go as helium purges the engines and help pressurize the fuel tanks. Serious stuff and now the launch can happen no earlier than April. Side note: the NASA Apollo program flew twenty-four astronauts to the moon from 1968 to 1972.
- Side hustles are obviously mainstream with the ability to make money many ways including watching YouTube videos and Instagram reels. How about this side hustle: Florida’s Attorney General, while collecting $140,000 annually from taxpayers, has a side-hustle teaching one course per semester…at a pay rate of $100,000 annually. The top lawyer in the State of Florida is also a law professor…and his reason is so he “can keep food on the table” for his family.
- On a brighter note (no pun intended), the countdown to daylight savings time is two weeks. Let the sun shine.
- There are many reasons why Jesse Jackson was important. He paved the way for millions of poor, working-class, and minority Americans by leading causes, promoting his economic agendas, and having a powerful voice as a civil rights leader. He negotiated the release of prisoners and hostages, including the release of a U.S. pilot held hostage in Syria. He ran for President in 1984 and 1988, with the 1988 campaign registering millions of new voters.
Was Jesse Jackson controversial? He was, from his famous anti-Semitic slur to his association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, as well as his scandalous extramarital affair. Despite his issues, Jackson became a pivotal figure in America, paving the way for future Black leaders including Barack Obama. Jesse Jackson will be missed, as his sixty-year commitment to justice, voting rights, and the poor will be forever difficult to match. RIP, Rev. Jesse Jackson. Here is one of his many fiery speeches – powerful to say the least:
Question of the Week: the last question asked about your favorite meal with your family. There is similarity with your answers:
- Chicken parm and tuna fish salad on egg roll with tomato from grandma Shirley.
- Spaghetti my grandma would make. Boxed noodles. Canned sauce. And a big glass of milk.
- My mom’s spaghetti and garlic bread.
- Little frozen pizzas. Pop tarts ran a close second.
- My mother was an amazing cook and her lasagna was my favorite!!!
- Sunday Gravy (any pasta and mothers sauce recipe) – still my favorite.
- Meat loaf.
Six answers regarding Italian food and then the man from the Ohio Valley goes with meat loaf. 🙂 That answer takes me back to 2016 with the movie Hell or High Water. It was not meat loaf but it sure as hell was a T-bone steak.
Here is this week’s Question of the Week: If you could meet any living person for dinner, who would you pick and why?
- Pure Talent. The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Tender Mercies, The Great Santini, Lonesome Dove, The Apostle, Open Range, Days of Thunder, and many more. Robert Duvall won an Academy Award for best actor in the 1983 movie Tender Mercies, as well as four Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Award. His remarkable career spanned seven decades, passing away last week at the age of ninety-five. RIP, Robert Duvall, a Pure Talent.