Character. Diversity. Spinning Backfist. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

March Madness. Amazing Changes in Professional Sports Rosters. RIP Chuck Norris. Your Missing Skill. The World of Percussion.

  • Quote of the Week: “Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.” — John Wooden

That quote is from a coach who won ten NCAA basketball national championships in a 12-year period as head coach of the UCLA Bruins...including a record seven in a row. Yes, this was many years ago, but as March Madness is now underway, it is interesting to understand Coach John Wooden’s old-school philosophy with his team. He believed that “preparation decides success long before the moment arrives“…as he focused on daily fundamentals, not big moments. He also had three simple rules for his players (which in today’s athletic world would not go over well):

  • No tardiness.
  • No profanity.
  • No criticizing your teammates.

The world of college sports is unfortunately far removed from the days of John Wooden and his philosophy and rules. Too bad for all of us.

  • From an acting standpoint, he clearly was not John Wayne, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Denzel Washington. From an athletic standpoint, he was not recognized in the same realm as Bo Jackson, Derek Jeter, or Michael Jordan. He did carve out a distinct niche for himself, combining his martial arts skills and handsome looks to break into Hollywood, first as a martial arts instructor for celebrities. His long-time friend and iconic martial arts master, Bruce Lee, gave him his first minor role with a screen debut in the 1968 movie The Wrecking Crew.

Chuck Norris, at the urging of Steve McQueen, decided to take acting seriously, starring in films including A Force of One, and Missing in Action, and is well-known for his role in the long-time television series, Walker, Texas Ranger. His martial arts skills were amazing, utilizing technique from his black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. His athletic abilities and persona were bar none, becoming an American icon known around the world. Chuck Norris passed away Friday morning at the age of eighty-six after establishing himself as America’s badass. RIP Chuck Norris.

Here are some answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding your thoughts on the real objective of the United States war with Iran:

  • There doesn’t seem to be a clear objective. Destroy nuclear facilities-done. Not sure what else we can do for a country that has been in turmoil for so long. They do not know any different.
  • Total obliteration of a regime that spews hatred at home and abroad, that cannot be trusted as far as you can throw them, whose sole mission is to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, who has sponsored ungodly terrorism throughout the Middle East, who would not hesitate to nuke Israel and the US. This theocracy must cease and desist.
  • I was in Israel on a mission trip when the first war with Iran broke (June 2025). I met some well-informed Israeli’s during our trip whom I stay in touch with. I rely on their take when it comes to the goal of this war. Here’s what I’m told: Israel went back to war against Iran as a deterrent to stop them from re-arming and to send the clear message, we will NEVER allow them to re-arm again. Since the war last June, Khamenei was even more aggressive to rearm his proxies and acquire materials for doing so from China. Iran is committed to a holy war at all costs. Israel must continue to deplete any weaponry Iran aims at Israel and cannot afford the luxury of waiting while the Iranians re-build their armory and missile production. It would be helpful to Israel if the Iranian people would overthrow their Radical Shiite Dictator and return to the Persia of old but, that is not the goal of the war. A high % of Iranian’s want Islamic rule. So instead, Israel will continue to disarm any military threat from Iran. At some point, perhaps Iran’s leaders will start caring about the needs of their people and use their efforts to improve living conditions of the population and stop being focused on killing Jews/Israeli’s. As to the other Gulf States? Not an issue for Israel today. That is for the USA to resolve and Israel has agreed to stand with the USA.
  • I do not think there is a clear objective and there are many factors that were not considered coming into play and we have lost support from our long term allies. For me it’s time to move San Miquel de Allende.
  • No nukes. No military. No theocracy. Energy Strategy🛢️
  • I don’t have a clear answer to your question. In any case, bringing about regime change cannot be it. Never in recent history have external forces succeeded in bringing about regime change in a foreign country. Such a profound change can only come from within, driven by the country’s own forces – that is, the people themselves.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: “What is a skill or hobby you’ve always wanted to master but haven’t yet?”

  • It is too early in the year for me to care about baseball, but some of the matchups and rivalries caused me to pay attention to the annual World Baseball Classic. The final, between the United States and Venezuela, drew a record television audience with a sold out LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.

The final, won by Venezuela, was an exciting game but what was evident to me was the number of Venezuelan players who are stars of Major League Baseball (MLB). The baseball talent that Venezuela and other countries around the world produce is amazing. Along with Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Canada, and Puerto Rico have produced players who play prominent roles in the lineups of Major League teams. In fact, the Dominican Republic has one-hundred-forty-one players in MLB, followed by Venezuela with 91, Cuba with 34, and Puerto Rico with 24. There were a few before him, but Roberto Clemente, who made his MLB debut in 1955, is regarded as a Latin American who put the world on notice that great baseball players could come from anywhere worldwide.

The Pure Talent segment below mentions how music and sports can bring the world together. Along with Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams have included players from around the world for many years. In the mid-1940s, Hank Biasatti, who was born in Italy and raised in Canada, and Charlie Hoefer, Biasatti’s German teammate, were the first international players to play in the NBA. The first African player in the NBA was Hakeem Olajuwon. The Nigerian became the first international player drafted #1 overall in 1984 and was the first to win MVP in 1994. There are now one hundred thirty-five players from 43 countries on the NBA’s 30 teams. This represents 30% of the NBA roster total and there is no end in sight to Canada, France, Australia, Germany, and other countries producing tremendous basketball talent.

“Can’t we just all get along” has become a catch phrase. Maybe we should all use Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association as benchmarks of detente.

  • Pure Talent. If there was ever a time to try and bring the world together…it would be now. Music and sports can connect people from all parts of the world, from all races, and all religions. We can only hope that music can be the ‘weapon’ of the future. Obviously, all the percussionists in this video have great skills, but the people who created this video are Pure Talent.

Adios, pay if forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

War. Things I Think. The Strait. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

What is the Objective? Oil Blockade. Need Your Answer. The Chain.

Quote of the Week: “The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer.” — US Army Slogan

I cannot imagine that amount of planning that took place over the last few weeks in preparation of the United States and Israel partnering to bombard Iran. Thousands of bombs from both countries have hit targets in many regions of Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, missile factories, senior military officials, and nuclear scientists.

Later in this post I ask you for your take on the #1 objective of the U.S. and Israel bombing Iran. There are many answers but the one objective I have read is for a regime change in Iran. A regime change in any country can be precarious and unachievable, especially one run by a new Supreme Leader who is harder line than the previous one. What really does change in Iran as their people were and still are governed by an authoritarian regime who governs with laws and regulations based on Ja’fari Shia Islam.

I am confused. While the U.S. and Israel have delivered irreparable damage to Iran’s defense capabilities, I do not understand how this is enough to allow the people of Iran to overthrow the regime. “…Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.” This quote by U.S. President Trump is profound, but does it have substance, and in what realm of reality can this happen?

I have readers from the Middle East who read JustMyTake. I look forward to their comments and to your answer to the Question of the Week. Here is an interesting and telling perspective with Iran, though I do not understand her level of hope that “Iran will be free.” On Friday of last week, hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched in support of their President and the existing regime.

Things I Think for Mid-March 2026

  • We are already in the tenth week of 2026.
  • If the United States puts troops on the ground in Iran, I want the President and the Secretary of War to be in concert with a clear objective of doing so.
  • I do not like that Iran’s national soccer team, who busted their asses to qualify for the World Cup, probably not playing this summer’s tournament. Politics + Religion + History. Not good.
  • Farmers across the United States are sounding a loud alarm as the Strait of Hormuz, discussed in my take below, is closed off prohibiting one-third of the world’s fertilizer to reach its destinations. Food prices may soar.
  • I am looking forward to the fifth and final season of Mayor of Kingstown. This series is so well-casted and written, with a script involving a wide range of actors. The series is not for the faint of heart, as the level of violence is not often seen in five-year series.
  • Axios is reporting that Israel is planning on a massive ground operation in southern Lebanon. The Israelis do have a very clear objective in doing so: to wipe out Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, similar to action they performed in Gaza. I may not agree with the devastation the Israelis will do in Lebanon, but at a minimum, unlike the U.S. with Iran, at least Israel has a clear objective.
  • Headline of the Week: Wild boar roams into Berlin mall, prompting police response with blowguns and riot shields I wonder how well the blowgun and shields worked with this animal that weighs 500-600 pounds?
  • 3.1415926535 Yesterday was Pi Day, giving people who love math a day to calculate the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter of the same circle. After watching this video, I am very clear with Pi.
  • There are various issues that affect many people with the Middle East conflict. One of those is a great deal of concern: A small strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Called the Strait of Hormuz, this body of water is one hundred four miles long, with the width varying from sixty miles down to twenty-four miles. Ten days ago Iran announced that they would no longer allow ship passages through the Strait of Hormuz, wreaking havoc with oil tankers who deliver a significant amount of oil and natural gas.

If you have filled your car’s gas tank recently, you have noticed a significant increase with gas prices which stem from the immediate spike in global oil prices. Since the waterway has been effectively closed – significantly reducing crude oil exports from the Persian Gulf region – oil prices have increased by double-digit percentages, which has contributed to a 50-cent-plus spike in the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. Thirteen million barrels of oil normally move through the Strait of Hormuz on a daily basis, and Iran’s determination to block the passage of ships will create a crisis, short-term or not.

Solutions could be the United States Navy escorting ships through the Strait, and the United States convincing shipping companies and insurers that passage will be safe. Both do not seem plausible for various reasons…but the United States Navy may be putting a plan in place to be the official ‘escort’.

Here are a few of the answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding three people you would include on a car trip across the United States:

  • My family 🙂 Always enjoy anytime with them!
  • Not what I asked for but: Only way I do that 40 hour road trip is in bondage in the trunk. That’s why God created first class air….
  • Three people who love to drive the vehicle (because I don’t). 🙂
  • My wife and two sons. Great conversation.
  • Would take my wife son and daughter , good drivers and we enjoy long road trips together and would stay at Hotel del Coronado when we get there.

This week’s Question of the Week: What do you think is the #1 objective of the war with Iran? You can reference politics, religion, etc. (I stay away from those topics…but you can have at it).

  • Pure Talent. Vocals, guitar, and percussion work. This version of the Fleetwood Mac song The Chain was performed at Warner Bros. studio in 1997. I am not saying that I do not like some of today’s artists…but which of today’s artists can be compared to Christine McVie? Her voice and the guitar work at the 3:57 mark is massive Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Our Children. Question of the Week. Let the Sun Shine. A Dave Barry Classic. Pure Talent.

The Player Walkout. It is a Long Drive. Time to Change the Clocks. Aging Well? Nothing Else Matters Concerto.

  • Quote of the Week: “If we nurture the dreams of children, the world will be blessed. If we destroy them, the world is doomed.” — Wess Stafford

The dreams of children can be nurtured in many ways. One example: The player introduction and player ‘walk out’ are different depending on the sport. While football and basketball have player introductions with players doing their individual runout, soccer, for the last twenty-five years or so, has players from both teams escorting a child hand-in-hand onto the field. Often, club teams and national teams often partner with an organization like UNICEF or Make a Wish Foundation, reinforcing good sports values and supporting the welfare of children worldwide.

The children are selected in a variety of ways, from local clubs or schools, winners of a local contest, or the players of clubs who are champions of youth soccer tournaments. The smiles we see on the children as they walk out with a player is priceless.

An excerpt from the Polish League’s first division, in English called Ekstraklasa:

Player escort (also called match mascot) is a child who accompanies football player entering the pitch. In Polish we call it “Dziecięca Eskorta”. Player escorts hold hands with the footballer while they walk in and stay with the player during the playing of the national anthem. The children are usually between 6 and 10 years old. In addition to assisting players, they often have duties such as carrying flags, helping the sideline ball crew and playing matches with each other.

It would be great for the NBA and NFL to introduce this tradition to their player introduction/walkouts.

Question of the Week: Here are a few answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding your ‘hidden’ talent. As expected, some very interesting responses:

  • I have the ability to decorate a home or a person –(almost always myself) –from treasures discovered at garage sales. I often receive compliments on my attire — little do they know that the outfit was under $10. Despite now being able to afford the finer things in life, I take joy out of creating beautiful things on a budget.
  • My hidden talent: I can stick my fist in my mouth-literally and figuratively.
  • OK since you asked it is my uncanny ability to putt one handed and to hit tennis shots behind my back.
  • Private pilot and scuba divemaster…..Very senior special ops…here I come.
  • I do song parodies about family and close friends.
  • I was a trumpet prodigy in high school, awarded a music scholarship to a renowned music department in a prominent university. Turned it down–What do you do with a music degree?

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: You must drive from Portland, Maine to San Diego, California…over forty hours by car. You must bring three people. Who are they and why?

  • To the disappointment of many, daylight savings time started at 2am this morning. Yes, I always receive comments concerning my posts that cheer on the advent of more daylight in the early evenings. Everyone has their opinion with daylight savings time – from too dark in the early mornings to too warm at night. I suppose the argument can go both ways, but to me, having daylight until 8:30PM is great in many ways.

Analysts and special advisors have advocated for the U.S. to legislate permanent daylight savings time for many reasons. Some of the reasons include the ability for children to be outdoors more often (and not staring at their phones or tablets), to reduce seasonal depression, and to cut down on the number of car accidents that occur due to time changes. Critics of permanent daylight savings time note that children would be going to school in the dark and some would have issues with alertness due to the morning darkness. For many reasons I am a proponent of daylight savings time. It is time to stop adjusting our clocks twice a year.

I like this song, reinforcing to all of us that the sun rises, providing daylight, no matter what we do.

  • Dave Barry was one of two journalists who gave me inspiration to start JustMyTake over nine years ago (Peter King was the other). Barry’s uncanny ability to tell a story with wit and sarcasm always put a smile on my face. His subject matter varied, with humor as the leading edge of all his columns. I found his latest post on Substack, titled Are You Aging Well? Try These Simple Tests to Find Out. Enjoy this quick read from the one and only Dave Barry:

I am 78 and a half years old. At this stage of my life, my definition of “aging well” is “still not dead.” Nevertheless I was curious to see what trajectory I’m on, so I clicked on the article, which lists four physical tests you’re supposed to take. The first one is called the “Sitting-Rising Test.” Here’s how the Times describes it:

The goal with this assessment is to go from standing to sitting on the floor, and back up again, using the least amount of support as possible. The test is scored on a 10-point scale — five points for sitting down and five points for standing up — and you lose a point for every hand, knee or other body part you use to help yourself. Subtract a half point if you’re unsteady or lose your balance.

The Times quotes the doctor who designed this test (we’ll get to him in a moment) as saying that people in their 30s or 40s should “aim for a perfect 10” on this test, and that a person over 60 who gets an 8 is in “very good shape.”

So my goal was to get an 8, although I would have settled for a 7, or even, given my advanced age, a 6. I took the test in the privacy of my bedroom, going from standing to sitting on the floor, then back to standing again, using as few body parts as possible to help myself. I don’t mean to brag, but on my very first try, with no practice and without warming up, I scored somewhere around minus 137. There was no way I could keep track of the exact number of body parts I used to help myself get down and back up, but it was definitely most of them, including at one point, I believe, my spleen. Also if you count a bedpost as a body part, my actual score was closer to minus 138. So based on this test, my trajectory was not looking great.

  • Pure Talent. Written in 1990 by band leader James Hetfield, the rock ballad (yes, Cody, a rock ballad) Nothing Else Matters from Metallica centers on contradictions of feelings, trusting and loving someone. Hetfield wrote the song about missing his girlfriend at the time.

You can find the song Nothing Else Matters on every music app. It is recognized as one of Metallica’s best known and most popular songs. I found this version of Nothing Else Matters from Russian classical pianist and opera singer Margarita Sipatova. I have never heard a Metallica song covered any better. Margarita Sipatova is Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Do Not Drown. NASA Woes. Question of the Week. Iran. Pure Talent.

Make it Happen. The Artemis Program – Go Private. You Have Talent. Waited for the Olympics to End. New Order and Blue Monday.

  • Quote of the Week: “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Edwin Louis Cole

By no means can you stay submerged. There is no reason for you to stay ‘submerged’ or paralyzed just because you treat a “miss” like a tattoo – something permanent that defines who you are. A negative situation in your life is not a stop sign; it is a milestone that tells you to pivot and make changes.

Setbacks, failures, and mistakes (and we have ALL made mistakes) are inevitable, but they only become permanent when we refuse to move past them. Key takeaways to the week’s Quote of the Week:

  • Having a misfortune like falling into the water is not fatal, but staying there is.
  • Strength and resiliency help you shake off failure and helps you move forward.
  • Complacency sometimes prevents you from seeking a better situation or result.
  • If you are unhappy with your situation, take steps to change it as waiting for things to improve on their own may not ever happen.

I no longer follow Tony Robbins, but I do remember a quote that has always stuck with me: “Pain is part of life; suffering is optional.” If you try, you either succeed or learn. If you do not try, you will always wonder ‘what if.’

  • It has been nine and one-half years. The spend to date has been $93 billion (yes, billion). Cost overruns total $7 billion. I am not describing General Motors and their haggard path with developing electric automobiles. I am also not referring to Nvidia’s A.I. supercomputing development costs.

I am describing NASA’s program to eventually return humans to the moon, a program that started in 2017 consisting of four missions under the name Artemis. In 9.5 years, NASA managed to deploy only one of the four missions, with Artemis I launching back in 2022. Artemis II, the crewed lunar flyby mission, originally planned for 2025, has been delayed and now will not launch before April 2026. Weeks ago, during the Artemis II simulated launch countdown, a problem developed with helium not flowing to the upper stage of the rocket. The lack of helium would prevent the delivery of pressurized liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks. I do not know what this actually means, but I am thinking the lack of liquid oxygen propellent is a really bad proposition.

Thankfully, NASA has contracted with SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide the all-important Human Landing System (HLS), the vehicle that will ferry the astronauts to the Moon’s surface. After 9.5 years and $93 billion, plus an estimated $7 billion in cost overruns, one has to wonder why NASA did not engage SpaceX and Blue Origin to help develop Artemis from the start.

The good news is that new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has announced a major overhaul to the Artemis program. Maybe it is time for NASA to summon Katherine Goble? (You better remember her from the movie Hidden Figures).

This is a well-done summary of the Artemis II issues and delay:

Question of the Week: Thanks to everyone who provided their answer to last week’s Question of the Week regarding who you would like to join you for dinner:

  • I think Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson- He is fascinating, incredible intelligent and seems to have a wicked sense of humor.
  • Of course! That’s easy…you! (amazing what a $20 bill will do…)
  • Da Vinci and Thomas Jefferson
  • My closest friends. 🙂
  • Jack Nicklaus; winner in golf and business.
  • Derek Jeter.
  • Paul McCartney – I would like to hear about what was it like being a star early on.
  • OK, being the gregarious one, I would make a reservation for six, to wit: 1. Bishop Tom Wright, retired Anglican Bishop of one of the poorest areas of England and the most brilliant Biblical theologian I have ever encountered; 2. Victor Davis Hanson, a brilliant historian and author of phenomenally insightful commentary; 3. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. She’s a politician, head of a major country, and EVERYBODY loves her–How does she pull this hat trick off? Try naming another major head of state loved by all; 4. JD Vance, the epitome of what America is all about. If you never read his book, you are missing a very special story of pulling oneself out of pure desolation; and 5. How could you not wanna spend time with Donald J Trump? This man who could spend the remaining days of his life living large, yet he chose all the BS associated with being the President of the US of A. The man who can make good strategic decisions, is totally opposed to war anywhere, and who can become unhinged in a skinny minute, leaving one to question his intellect and stability. What an interesting conversation that would be!

Here is this week’s Question of the Week. I cannot wait to read these answers: What’s a talent you have that not many people know about?

  • I am not a ‘told you so’ type of person. I usually make fact-based decisions and as I expected my take on the U.S. and Iran came to fruition. Here is a paragraph of one of my takes from last week’s JustMyTake:

..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.

Early yesterday morning, the United States started their assault, targeting key strategic sites across Iran. Does anyone care to predict the outcome of this major combat operation in Iran?

Pure Talent. This song by New Order is immortal. I still hear it played on Sirius/XM and I still feel the song Blue Monday represents the era of the 1980s in the best of ways. The new wave/punk rock genre was not for everyone but if you like interesting sound, tone, and technology, have a look and listen to this 2018 performance at London’s Alexandra Place. For you Atlanta folks, think the early 80’s Limelight and Confetti on Roswell Road. New Order are Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Consequences. Posturing? Iconic. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

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.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Dress Code Gone Wrong. Guthrie. Question of the Week. Valentine’s and President’s Day. Pure Talent.

The Airport. No Playbook but this One is Strange. Favorite Food. Andrea Bocelli!

Quote of the Week: “I love airports because the rules of society don’t apply. Eat a pizza and have a glass of wine at 7 a.m. while in track pants. Nobody cares.” — Anonymous

Is dressing down a rebellion? Are people who wear pajamas, sweatpants, and yoga pants two sizes too small protesting against the airlines, or against other humans? While prioritizing some level of comfort over formal attire has accelerated post-pandemic, what is going on with the attire many adults decide to wear when they travel by air?

Do not get me wrong. People wearing loungewear or ‘athleisurewear’ can look really put together, but in most situations that is not the case. Comfortable clothing is the norm on the airplane, in tandem with the tanking of the flying experience’s dignity, with the past decade shifting to the point where pajama bottoms, flip flops, and ragged t-shirts are more common than slacks, shirts, and blouses.

I dress comfortably when I travel by air. While my clothes are casual, I would not define my attire as sloppy or eye-opening at any level. I know that many of you are calling me old school, but I never need to see a grown-ass man on a plane wearing unkept clothes and flip flops.

I assume there is no ‘playbook’ for criminal behavior, especially with kidnapping. All of us are hoping that Nancy Guthrie is returned to her family but after fifteen days I have questions:

  • Why have the ‘Ring’ cameras from Guthrie’s neighbors not picked up any activity with cars or people seemingly out of place in the neighborhood?
  • How did the perpetrator(s) get into Guthrie’s home? Did Guthrie answer and open her front door? Where was the vehicle parked that transported Guthrie and the kidnappers?
  • Why did the kidnappers wait a week to demand money/bitcoin?
  • Does the lack of forensic evidence support theories that she was not kidnapped?
  • Why are the kidnappers using social media and sending notes to media outlets like TMZ? Most kidnappers want to keep things quiet and do not want publicity as they do not want law enforcement involved.

A sad and alarming situation for the Guthrie family. We can only hope and pray that this situation is resolved with a positive outcome.

Question of the Week: I asked who you picked to win last Sunday’s Super Bowl, and why. Only one of the 11 picks was New England.

  • Seattle, a complete team.
  • Seattle Seahawks- for selfish reasons (best friend played for Seattle)
  • I find it hard to pull for the Patriots because their QB is a UNC “graduate”. Yes, the rivalry is that strong.
  • 24 to 21. I like Seattle.
  • Seattle. More weapons including #9 !!
  • Not picking anything! lol.
  • No reason. Seattle.
  • Not sure who will win or why – You know that I am not good at it. That said I want NE to win.
  • Seattle. Defense.
  • I have to think that the Seattle defense will win the day.
  • Seattle by 6.
  • Seahawks-very good defense with a few more weapons on offense.

This week’s Question of the Week: What was your favorite meal served at your home, and why?

  • Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love and togetherness. The day is filled with beautiful flowers, chocolates, and fine dining to impress your loved one.

Ok, I will stop before you throw up in your mouth, but Valentine’s Day really can be special. I have had a few memorable ones including a bouquet of black spray-painted roses delivered to my door and a counseling session with a young man who was heartbroken. Those were not the type of Valentines moments I was planning on but those two were memorable.

The Indonesians have Valentine’s Day totally mixed up. They forbid the celebration of Valentine’s Day in some areas of Indonesia as the governing parties feel that celebrating Valentine’s Day may lead young people to have casual sex. Oh, Indonesia.

I hope all of you had a great Valentine’s Day!!

Things I Think on February 15, 2026

  • I have never and still do not like the scheduling of the semifinals and finals at tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments. Case in point: at the Australian Open, the two men’s semifinals were played in the evening. The semifinal that included thirty-eight-year-old Novak Djokovic was five sets and ended after 1:30am. How does anyone expect to have a great final when one of the contestants has minimal recovery time? Unjust and not a fair deal.
  • Olympic athletes competing in Milan, Italy. One word: amazing!
  • Cocktails in a can are now a permanent fixture in bars and restaurants around the country. I like to mix my own cocktails, but when I consider that one cocktail I enjoy requires honey-ginger syrup, candied ginger, and two types of scotch, the plausibility of a canned cocktail comes into play. The canned cocktail sector has doubled its market share in the last four years, with many now realizing that a canned cocktail can be very good. For one, try the canned cocktail Penicillin over ice in a cocktail glass. You may be pleasantly surprised.
  • A safety alert, especially this time of year with furnaces on to keep your home warm. If you do not have a carbon monoxide detector in your home and office – go buy one. Another tragedy last week in the Orlando area as a family of four passed away due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Remember that carbon monoxide (chemical symbol CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless poisonous gas that can be generated by car exhaust, generators, furnaces, and water heaters. Better safe than sorry to say the least.
  • The countdown continues: three weeks to daylight savings time!
  • Before, during, and after last Sunday’s Super Bowl, brands paid an average of $8 million for a 30-second spot. The ROI and ROO metrics are buzzing. Super Bowl ad factoid: Automakers accounted for 40% of Super Bowl ad minutes in 2012, but dropped all the way to 7% by 2025, according to ad data company iSpot.

I did not see all of the Super Bowl ads but one that I did catch was very good:

  • Always observed on the third Monday of February, Washington’s birthday is now a federal holiday renamed Presidents’ Day. The holiday honors the founding of the country and George Washington’s contributions to American governance and values, like the peaceful transfer of power. The holiday was established in 1879 and moved to the third Monday of February in 1971. No banking and no mail tomorrow.

Pure Talent. I am not going to waste time writing about the incredible Andrea Bocelli, though I do have one request: hire Bocelli to perform at next year’s Super Bowl halftime. Singing in Italian at a Super Bowl halftime is no longer strange after last week’s Super Bowl.

If Andrea Bocelli is not Pure Talent, then no one is Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Being Remembered. Florida Cold. Auto Loans. Forty Years Ago. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

It is Your Choice How. What a Difference a Week Makes. The Alarming State of Consumer Debt. The Challenger Disaster. Your Super Bowl Winning Team? Silent Morning.

Quote of the Week: “It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.” – Kobe Bryant

How will people remember you? From the strength of your presence? From what is inside you, your traits, and attributes? From your appeal (or lack of), clarity, composure, confidence, and credibility? To me, it is the combination of what you put out into the world and how those around you receive it.

Here are some top-of-mind elements that make you memorable:

Your Speak. There is no doubt that what you say, and how you say it develops a bond of trust, credibility, and professional or personal friendship. From a personal standpoint, I have been told that what I communicate is clear and direct, how I say things can be standoffish. I have learned that less is more.

How People See You. Putting your personality on display has a significant impact on how people see you. Creating a positive impression through your appearance, including your clothing, creates a feeling and defines your reputation.

How You Make People Feel. Do you look people in the eye when you speak with them? Do you take the time (and sometimes the energy) to really listen to what a peer, friend, or family member is telling you?

Honesty and Integrity. Do people know that you are someone that they can trust? Do they feel that you have been honest, with open communication? Everyone can say that they are honest and have a great deal of integrity but do their actions measure up to their words?

How do you want to be remembered? That is a personal goal that varies for a multitude of reasons. Mostly in good ways, but sometimes the hard way, I have learned that “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou).

  • Egg on my face to say the least. In the last post I gloated about last Sunday’s 85-degree temperature in Orlando, Florida. While much of the United States was under freeze warnings, people in Central Florida were basking in the warm sun. What goes around usually comes around so my gloating is over. This morning’s temperature in Orlando is 25-degrees. 🙁
  • Consumer Factoid of the Week: According to Edmunds, “more than 20% of Americans pay more than $1,000 a month on car loans.” The blame goes around but is fueled by record prices of automobiles and higher interest rates. The tough truth: “Car loans falling sixty days or more delinquent hit 1.45% in the third quarter,” according to TransUnion. That may not sound like much, but it is 40% higher than just three years ago.

Total household debt was at a record $18.59 trillion at year-end 2025. This includes record highs with credit card balances, above-mentioned auto loans, and student loans. How and where does this crisis end?

  • I have written about my interest in the United States Space Program. My interest accelerated eight years ago when I moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Orlando, Florida, then and now living in a high rise with my condo facing both east and south. My eastern view offers a direct sight line to the Florida coast and Kennedy Space Center, forty-nine miles away. I have watched many launches with the privatization of space exploration providing multiple launches per month.

It seems like yesterday, but forty years ago last Wednesday, the Challenger space shuttle exploded minutes after launching from pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center. The disaster claimed seven, including the first teacher chosen to have a spot on the flight. Christa McAuliffe was selected out of ten thousand applicants, and the rest is unfortunate history. A side note: I mentioned this morning’s unusual cold weather in Orlando in my take above. The Challenger disaster was blamed on an O-ring failure caused by the cold weather on January 27th and 28th, 1986 with ice covering parts of the launch tower. Forty years later and we all hope that nothing like that tragedy ever happens again. Most of you were not around to witness this launch and the first seventy-three seconds:

Four factoids for the first Sunday of February 2026:

  • Five weeks to daylight savings time.
  • I am not being political with this take: Why are local police not controlling protestors? The First Amendment protects your right to assemble and express your views through protest. However, police and other government officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the exercise of speech rights. If protestors are over-exuberant and out of line, should local police step in just like they would do with any protest? Why is ICE engaging with protestors and not focused on the mission to target criminal aliens? I guess that is a question for the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Kristi.Noem@dhs.gov
  • An Orlando-based national law firm is handling over four hundred clients in lawsuits against Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk. The lawsuits argue that manufacturers prioritized profits over safety by not warning users of the severity of potential side effects including intestinal blockage and vision loss. One in 8 American adults used, or have used a GLP-1 drug. Not good.
  • My last visit to Mexico City included a few Uber rides. I was again pleasantly surprised by the number of Chinese electric cars on the streets, which make up nearly 20% of total car sales. I rode in a BYD and Geely electric vehicle, both with updated technology features and both with roomy interiors. On Thursday of last week I read that Elon Musk is ending Tesla’s Models X and X production and having those factory lines make Optimus robots. Now we know why.

Thanks to everyone for your answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding the strangest food you have tried, and if you liked it. Here are some of your interesting responses:

  • Monkey brains…from a live monkey (RIP), served in China…one monkey, one hammer, was “dinner.” No!
  • I stay away from weird foods. Always been a meat and potatoes gal.
  • Fried crickets! It was at a tequila bar drinking mezcal. I can’t remember how it tasted, but nobody cared anyway.
  • Last year, while traveling in Asia, I ate silkworms and crickets! I so regret not trying the fried tarantula! Was told that the crickets are served in bars like we use to serve (pre covid) peanuts.
  • Rooster comb. It is that thing on the top of the rooster’s head. French delicacy. Did not like it!
  • The setting is a Vietnamese restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. The table that is set for twenty people is beautifully decorated with flowers. In the middle of the table is a four foot eel. It was disturbing to say the least and NO, I did not like it.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: next Sunday’s Super Bowl LX is set, with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Factoid: the Patriots will seek their NFL-record seventh Super Bowl victory. Who wins the Super Bowl, and why?

  • Pure Talent. I know you are over me talking about the music of the 1980s. Just deal with it and watch the musical talent Noel perform Silent Morning, a techno/dance/punk piece that EVERYONE danced to…no matter if you could dance or not. Lighting that cigarette to start the performance and freestyle dancing. Noel was Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be a better human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Simplify. Question of the Week. Greenland. Thoughts. Pure Talent.

Remove the Distractions. Unusual Food. Strategic. Your Team Must Align. Austin City Limits.

  • Quote of the Week: “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary, so that the necessary may speak.” – Edward Tufte

I really like this quote, especially considering that the quote came from the author of books titled “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information,” and “Envisioning Information.” He is best known for his ideas on data-to-ink ratio, making it clear that when creating visualization you must maximize the amount of physical or digital ‘ink’ used to represent data, but “minimize the amount used to represent everything else not important to understanding.”

My takeaway from Edward Tufte’s quote is similar to what I wrote about two months ago, Keep It Simple, Stupid, or KISS. He enforces the belief that it is not about removing all detail, but by removing distractions to make things more accessible and understandable. We all talk a big game about eliminating the unnecessary and keeping our lives simple and basic – the year 2026 may be the year to do just that.

Click on the video below for a fantastic explanation of KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid. 🙂

Last week’s Question of the Week asked who you picked to win last Monday’s College Football national championship game. Interesting that the majority picked the Hurricanes.

  • Indiana…having the most complete team in every phase of the game!
  • The “U”…speed, home field, desire…”Go Canes”…
  • Hurricanes for the win! Time to bring the dynasty back!
  • Miami. Because I have bet against Indiana every other time and if I now bet they win, they’ll lose.  Make sense?
  • Miami is my pick!
  • The ‘Canes put too much pressure on Mendoza and win on a 4th quarter pick six.
  • Pulling for IU as my dad went there, but the Miami defense is very strong-depends on Mendoza as he will need another great game for IU to win. My money is on Miami, my heart on IU.
  • Pulling for IU all the way now. Friggin Miami is poaching our QB (Duke).
  • Miami. Strong, big, and fast.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: What’s the most unusual food you’ve ever tried, and did you like it?

Why Greenland? Five Reasons:

  • Greenland is a maritime hub connecting Asia, Europe, and North America.
  • The location of Greenland sits between North America and the Artic, a strategic location for early warning systems tracking missiles and vessels in the region.
  • To expand the command and control of U.S. military personnel stationed at Pituffik Space Base, formerly named Thule Air Base.
  • Greenland, other than 80% of the territory covered in ice, has massive natural resources including rare earth materials, uranium, iron, oil and gas reserves.
  • To ensure that countries including China cannot establish a military presence on Greenland.

After some strange posturing by the United States, it looks like the a deal has been negotiated for the United States to enjoy a greater military presence in Greenland. This video provides good information about Greenland:

Things I Think on the 25th of January.

  • The countdown has begun: six weeks to daylight savings time.
  • I hope today’s AFC and NFC championship games are great.
  • I still do not understand why the U.S. federal, state, and city governments cannot get along. Being serious.
  • I feel bad that most of the U.S. is freezing and today’s temperature in Orlando may hit 85°. Being serious, again.
  • One of my 2026 predictions I posted in JustMyTake did not sit well with a number of readers. I believe that President Trump will have to step down before year-end. I wish no harm to the President. I just do not feel like he is physically and mentally ready for the next eleven months. Remember, it is just my take and just a prediction. What is your take?
  • How does everyone feel about 41-year-old Lindsay Vonn making a comeback to compete in her fifth Winter Olympics? For one, I hope that she medals after retiring in 2019 and now two years into her comeback.
  • “The Rip“, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon is an interesting movie. I recommend it UNLESS you are a Miami native. The depiction of Hialeah in the movie seems baseless. If you want the real dynamics of Miami’s drug trade, start by watching Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami. In 1980’s Miami, areas of the city became the drug, murder, and money center of the United States. A much better take on the real Miami, Florida.
  • A friend of mine shared a text from ‘Health Connect’ confirming pregnancy and with a click on a link, a reveal into the fetal gender. Really wonderful news until you know that my friend is a 55-year-old male. Spam, junk, and A.I. generated crap on social media. Social media + A.I. = sucks.
  • Regarding keeping it simple, Nick Saban, one of the most successful football coaches of all time, discusses why everyone needs to buy into the same high level of performance. “Get the right people on the bus, and get the wrong people off the bus.” Everyone thinks Saban was a tightly wound control freak. Maybe he was at many levels, but his record speaks for itself. I really enjoy listening to Saban, especially the video below.

Note: Along with many other coaches, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti worked for Nick Saban for four seasons, from 2007 to 2010. Serving as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator on Saban’s first Alabama staff, he was part of the 2009 national championship team before leaving to become a head coach at the Division II level.

  • Pure Talent. My brother, who forgot more about music than I ever knew, turned me on to Austin City Limits long ago. The PBS program is the longest-running music television show in history. Usually broadcast late on Saturday nights, the program and venue invite musicians of all genres, giving us an hour of entertainment other than Saturday Night Live (SNL). I no longer watch all of SNL, but of course I make sure I watch the Weekend Update segment.

Last night Austin City Limits featured the Marcus King Band. Along with his ensemble of sixteen musicians and singers, they played the always interesting combination of country/rock with a bit of funk mixed in. Austin City Limits and the Marcus King Band were Pure Talent last night.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Perfection. Question of the Week. Think. Pure Talent.

“We Are Just Fine.” Resolutions. Random Thoughts. Baroque.

My travel schedule changed again so I am posting this take from Mexico City. Yes, Mexico and this city sometimes get a bad rap. Most of us know the coastal cities of Mexico but Mexico City offers up great people, a massive arts culture, and fantastic restaurants. There are many areas at the top of the list to experience…start with Roma, Condesa, and Polanco.

  • Quote of the Week: “One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist … Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.” – Stephen Hawking

We are reminded of imperfection daily. Famine and natural disasters, as well as racial, political, religious and territorial unrest are unfortunately far from perfect. There will always be differing opinions on the definition of perfection.

Stephen Hawking’s quote is interesting, and while I do not understand the quote, it does make sense at a level way above my pay grade. I assume Hawking felt like living in an imperfect world gives us motivation to think outside the box, to create, to learn, and to strive to be a better human. Hawking passed away back in 2018, with his warning about humanity striving for perfection. Eight years ago Hawking warned us about artificial intelligence (A.I.). He warned about the effects A.I. would have on education, on our workforce, and most importantly he called for a ban on the development of A.I. agents for military use. Just before Hawking died, he was quoted in WIRED: “I feel like the genie is out of the bottle. I fear that A.I. may replace humans altogether.”

While Hawking’s concern about striving for perfection is eyebrow raising, we can always have a contrarian view. Nate Bargatze provides his assessment of how we really are doing:

Thank you to all of you who responded to the last Question of the Week regarding your New Year resolutions. Here are a few of the responses:

  • My NYR is to recover well from this knee replacement and get the other knee done and recover well from that one too! Lol
  • Cut back on ultra-processed foods🍔😊
  • My word last year: self-love. Yes I did follow through.
  • For the month of January: no meat, no alcohol, no bread, no rice, no chocolate. Year number 16, with alcohol and meat from the start, bread and chocolate added four years ago, and rice this year.
  • I’ve been setting New Year’s Goals (which I now call “Intentions”), since 1987! I have saved all of them, having become a firm believer in mapping out emotional, physical, spiritual, recreational, and mental ways to improve and grow. I’d estimate that I achieve about 65-80% of them each year. It’s fun to look back over the years to note how some goals morph and some have stayed the same. This past year, I had written six pages of intentions, advancing in many of the categories. I review them every quarter to modify as needed. One that I am most proud of is the significant progress — though still far to go– in being more direct, honest, and clear in my communication, setting boundaries, and expressing challenging emotions.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: Who wins tomorrow night’s college football national championship? Indiana or Miami, and why?

Things I Am Thinking For Mid-January 2026:

  • Is the uprising in Iran enough to topple the Iranian regime?
  • Can the United States purchase Greenland? Or more importantly can the Chinese buy Greenland?
  • I am looking forward to the Winter Olympics with the opening ceremony being held at Milan’s San Siro stadium. February 6 is only three weeks away. Two nights later is the Super Bowl with halftime entertainment by Bad Bunny, which will be an opportunity to go get food and drink away from the TV. 🙂
  • 1,424 days. The Russia – Ukraine war continues with no end in sight. So damn sad.
  • Does the United States really need Venezuela’s oil or is the command and control of Venezuela’s oil a strategy to keep China away from the reserves?
  • Headline of the Week: Core Ultra X9 388H “Panther Lake” iGPU Doubles AMD “Strix Point” Performance in Cyberpunk 2077 Does anyone want to chime in on what that headline is referring to?
  • Does the Trump Administration’s proposal for a 10% cap on credit card rates push consumer debt to record levels?
  • My last few days in Mexico City included some discussion surrounding the United States military and Mexico’s drug cartels. The overall feedback I received is that while Mexicans would support the demolition of the cartel network, U.S. ground forces in Mexico would be frowned upon. Here is one opinion on the effectiveness of Tier 1 forces (Seal Team 6, Delta Force, etc.) dealing with the cartels:
  • Pure Talent. My interest in music is widespread, obviously leaning toward the grunge of the 1990s, classic rock of the 1980s, and the soul funk sounds of the 1970s. I know very little about orchestras and how they train as an ensemble to create and play incredible music. Boston Baroque is the oldest period instrument orchestra in North America. Established in 1973, they present concerts of the Baroque and Classical repertoire on period instruments. Whoever they are and whatever they play equals Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!

Quotes to Ponder. Predictions. My Rules, Not Yours. Delta Force. 41.9 Million People. Question of the Week. Tariffs. Pure Talent.

Be the Best Human. 2026 Predictions. Religion and Politics. U.S. Bad Ass Mission. Asia and China Populations. Bourbon Woes. Bad Company!

Happy New Year. Five Quotes to Start off 2026:

“You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it.” -Denzel Washington

“Life’s too short to hang out with people who aren’t resourceful.” – Jeff Bezos

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” – Dolly Parton

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Shed indifference in face of suffering.” – Pope Leo XIV

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney

I picked these quotes as thought starters and inspiration for 2026. Six quotes from six vastly different people, conveying different messages. Jeff Bezos’ quote can be taken as arrogant. What he is trying to convey is that we should surround ourselves with people who take initiative, do creative things, and find solutions instead of excuses. He feels that resourceful people quickly grab opportunities to adapt and make the best use of whatever “comes to their doorsteps.“

My father always told me that “we are a product of our own environment.” Bezos feels the same stating that “Spending time with unresourceful people can take a toll on your mental health and can be draining and unproductive.” Denzel Washington, Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Pope Leo XIV, and Walt Disney, at some level, are delivering the same type of message. I hope 2026 brings you good health, peace, and prosperity.

  • I will not comment on the ‘legalities’ of U.S. forces capturing the sitting President of Venezuela yesterday morning. What I will comment on is the mission itself. U.S. Delta Force, under Joint Special Operations Command, used their never-ending covert and extraction training to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Delta Force is well known for executing missions with operational details remaining classified for many years. Delta Force selects its members from elite Army units, including The Ranger Regiment and Army Special Forces.

Two other comments on the mission:

1. We are assured that the U.S. President, Donald Trump, will as usual, give us his “play-by-play” of the mission. 🙂

2. The European Union has chimed in that there should be restraint and diplomacy in regard to Venezuela. The European Union, at most levels a farce of a governing body, can kiss my a–.

I wonder how well Gustavo Petro is sleeping these days? Petro is the president of Colombia.

Here are a few 2026 predictions. I will review these at year-end.

  • Vladimir Putin, under extreme economic duress, decides to stop attacking Ukraine in return for a land grab/de-militarized zone.
  • Hamas again re-establishes itself as a terror organization within Gaza.
  • The Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl LX.
  • The U.S. national debt will surpass $50 trillion, the highest in history.
  • The United States, Great Britain, and Israel bomb Iran due to their continued threats of nuclear proliferation.
  • Due to health issues, President Trump is forced to step down from his presidential role.
  • A new C-level position will become prominent. Something named or similar to the title Chief of Preparedness to manage and mitigate A.I.
  • Like they did in 1998 and 2018, France wins the 2026 World Cup.
  • The United States Postal Service, like NASA, becomes the management oversight company of a few private mail delivery firms.
  • The Japanese walking method of exercise, where you walk at different intervals, becomes “the flavor of the month” with all fitness experts and pundits.
  • After nine years of writing JustMyTake, I still receive questions from readers asking why I stay away from politics and religion. My reasons vary, but specifically I do not enjoy the banter and division, sometimes misleading or harsh, when people engage in conversations regarding politics and religion.

Last month, one of the Questions of the Week asked what you would like to change for 2026. Here was one response of many I received:

Just one thing is a very difficult request, given the turmoil around the world, especially Russia/Ukraine, that most senseless killing. But one thing, it would have to get the US of A to refocus on all those principles the Founding Fathers enumerated 250 years ago. The Judeo-Christian guiding lights to them have evolved into forgotten memories today, totally obliterating foundational beliefs, tolerance, moral guidelines. That and send the Progressives and socialists to Europe where they belong–I think that would delight Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Monroe, Franklin et al.

Here is one of a few responses I received in the last two weeks:

And whoever wrote that first one is a mis-informed….so and so. The founding fathers did NOT have Judeo-Christian guiding lights (I’m sure he/she put in Judeo for your benefit. They are a radical Christian extremist all the way). They were deists who had a general concept and belief in God, but that’s about it. What they DID want as a guiding light was to escape tyranny of any kind which included freedom of religion. Not freedom for Christianity. They were never exclusively Christian….just like Jesus was never Christian. Instead of worrying about the socialists and progressives, perhaps he/she should move to Texas and that whole state be removed from the United States. It would really help our national budget!

I sincerely appreciate and enjoy both views, and these takes are part of why I write this weekly blog. It is also why I stay away from religion and politics.

  • I have visited Mexico City (CDMX) a few times in the last few months. I always assumed that CDMX ranked as a top populated city worldwide. Sixteen million people inhabit the city, full of history, culture, the arts, and from my experience, nice people. Upon further review, while sixteen million is a big number, CDMX does not rank in the top ten most populated cities worldwide.

Population growth, migration, and economic opportunity continue to pull millions into the major metropolitan areas of Asia, with Jakarta, Dhaka, and Tokyo leading the world in population. For comparison with the list below, New York City is the most populous city in the United States at 8.5 million.

As recorded by the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects 2025 Report, here are the world’s ten largest cities by population:
1 Jakarta, Indonesia 41.9M
2 Dhaka, Bangladesh 36.6M
3 Tokyo, Japan 33.4M
4 New Delhi, India 30.2M
5 Shanghai, China 29.6M
6 Guangzhou. China 27.6M
7 Cairo, Egypt 25.6M
8 Manila, Philippines 24.7M
9 Kolkata, India 22.6M
10 Seoul, South Korea 22.5M

Thank you to everyone who answered the last Question of the Week: Do you have a non-business trip planned for 2026, and if so, where are you going? JustMyTake readers have planned some fantastic vacations:

  • The Florida Keys, Dominican Republic, and France.
  • River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. Pre-trip stop in Iceland, post-trip stay in Switzerland.
  • The beach, always.
  • We are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to London with the family.
  • End of January a week in Scotland with a buddy scotch drinking…our annual week in Park City early March…late March back to France to take possession of our new vacation home in Monflanquin…then to Paris for the month of May…then back to our house in SW France for a few weeks each in July and September, maybe longer or more often, time will tell.
  • Africa.
  • Traveling to Korea, Lebanon and Macon, GA.

This week’s Question of the Week: Have you ever followed through on a New Year’s resolution? If so, what was that resolution?

  • In the spring of last year, I wrote about ramifications to import taxes, a.k.a. the Trump Administration’s tariff plan, one being the bourbon industry. Nine months after the tariffs were enacted, the bourbon industry, especially distilleries in Kentucky, are in dire straits. One example is the popular Jim Beam bourbon, where inventories are at such a high level the company has halted production at its main site for all of 2026. Pricing has driven down consumer demand blended with the turmoil between U.S. and Canada trade.

Over 1,000 workers could temporarily lose their jobs – not the greatest way to start off 2026. Last October, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association stated that “the amount of bourbon in warehouses across the state was at a record high of more than 16 million barrels…with that stagnant inventory costing distillers a crushing $75m.” Let us hope that both the Administration’s tariff policies and Canada’s ‘boycott’ of U.S.-produced bourbon subside a bit.

  • Pure Talent. I wanted to start 2026 emphasizing that our older rock and roll legends are just as good, if not better, than anybody today. I am not discounting the talent and skill of some of today’s artists – I am simply saying that it does not get much better than Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers and the great song Burnin’ Sky. I might challenge people who feel that Paul Rodgers is the greatest rock singer of all time. Whether he is the best or not, Rodgers is Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a Sunday Funday!