Driving Me Crazy. Bull Run. Trade Deficit. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

Don’t Hand Them The Keys. Pamplona. Why Does it Matter? The Airplane Ride.

Quote of the Week: “People can’t drive you crazy if you don’t give them the keys.” —Mike Bechtle

If your daughter or son is not ready to drive the car on their own, do you hand them the keys? If your peer is unprepared to present to an important client, do you allow them to make that presentation? If you have a friend or friends who drive you crazy, do you continue “to give them the keys” to the relationship? It seems like an easy proposition to prevent people from driving you crazy, but in many instances the word enablement comes into play.

How often have you told yourself that you were not going to let someone ‘get under your skin’ or drive you crazy with their incessant talking, complaining, or glass half-full attitude? What I have often found is instead of shutting down ‘the noise’ from someone, I have enabled someone to ‘drive me crazy.’ There is always that fine line between lending your ear and being patient with someone, but when is enough, enough? “Not giving them the keys” is easier said than done. Does anyone have any insight or recommendations? Here is a relevant take from Nate Smith:

  • Running with the bulls has become a must-see annual event. The festival is called the San Fermin Festival, and it kicked off last week in Pamplona, Spain. The tradition calls for thousands of people to run ahead of six fighting bulls and six steers every morning. Each of the morning runs are followed by a bullfight, which in itself is very strange (one man’s opinion). I am thinking that one or more JustMyTake readers have participated in this ‘fun’ run?

At least 16 people are believed to have died in the festivities over the past century. Here is a quick look at the run. What a great way to start the morning.

  • The U.S. trade deficit widened to $78 billion in May as imports rose 3.3% month over month to $395 billion, while exports fell 3.2% month over month to roughly $318 billion. The U.S. imported more products like pharmaceuticals, vehicles, and semiconductors for the artificial-intelligence boom, while American-made exports declined. The decline in exports was led by a large decline in sales of gold to overseas buyers.

Why does the trade deficit matter? According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, several macroeconomic forces influence the size of trade deficit:

1. More government spending, if it leads to a larger federal budget deficit, reduces the national savings rate, and raises the trade deficit.
2. A stronger dollar makes foreign products cheaper for American consumers, while making U.S. exports more expensive for foreign buyers, again tending to raise the trade deficit.
3. A growing U.S. economy also often leads to a larger deficit, since consumers have more income to buy more goods from abroad.

The reality is that the trade deficit is neither all good or all bad. The trade deficit is about trade-offs with the U.S. economy benefiting from foreign goods and investment. So, now that I have used one minute of your time you will never get back, here is a better explanation of the trade deficit.

This is one of many takes on the trade deficit. JustMyTake presents this video as information for your review. Whether this take is political is not my concern.

Question of the Week. There are interesting answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding a person you would like to sit next to on a three-hour flight, and what question you would ask that person:

  • JFK. Did he have a clue as to his enemies?
  • No doubt–gimme Jesus! I wouldn’t question him–I’d just listen and learn. Man, if you come to bat, you swing for the bleachers!
  • Snoop Dog. What made you go from the thug life to entrepreneur?
  • Jeff Bezos. What factors were key to creating and driving your success?
  • Roger Federer. Do you miss it as much as we miss you?

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: What food would you gladly eat every day if nutrition was not important?

  • With my infamous background with the sport of soccer, my phone lit up last Tuesday morning asking about the U.S. National Team’s (USMNT) poor performance against Belgium. There are too many answers to this question, but I asked my friends the comparative question which may or may not be an answer. My question back to them: How many Belgium players would start on the U.S. National Team, and how many U.S. players would start on Belgium’s national team? For clarity, not many, if any, U.S. players would start on Belgium’s national team. For that matter, I am not sure any of the U.S players would start for France, Spain, England, Norway, and Argentina.

The answer to the USMNT failure last Monday night is clear to me. It is our youth programs and their inability or refusal to develop players over getting results. Have you attended a youth soccer game recently? It is an embarrassment to listen to parents, with their child’s coach on the sideline, screaming at their kid with no respect for that coach or other children. A sickness of overbearing parents and youth clubs tolerating this behavior…which in the end provides the child or the club with no benefit.

Close friends of mine coached college soccer at the top level. I have heard people say that the college game has impaired the development of U.S. soccer players. This is wrong as top college programs bring in players who have come up through U.S. club programs (as well as internationals). The players coming through our U.S. club programs are already impaired due the nature of their Club’s management, organization, and financial objectives. I will ask again: how many of the starters from Monday night’s debacle with Belgium would start for Belgium, France, Spain, England, Norway, and Argentina? Do not tell me that college soccer impairs U.S.-based players. These players are already impaired before they reach the college level.

Landon Donovan played professionally and for the U.S. National Team. He has young children playing soccer and he has decided to try and make some changes with soccer and our youth programs. Well said, Landon Donovan.

  • Pure Talent. . With an Adele-like vibe, 20-year-old Sienna Spiro—like Olivia Dean—showcases an impressive vocal range. The English songwriter, producer, and performer has taken the world by storm with her hit songs. “Die on This Hill” is about staying fiercely loyal to someone who does not always reciprocate that affection. Sienna Spiro is truly Pure Talent.

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

Make It Count. Mauricio. 250 Years. Neil the Seal. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

One Day at a Time. Things I Think. Independence Day. Let Him Be. Who Would You Want to Sit Next To? Feels Like the First Time.

  • Quote of the Week: “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali

I think we have all counted down the days—whether it be until school ends, a big pitch is finished, or a baby arrives. There is nothing wrong with counting down, but I have sometimes let the countdown consume my focus. Instead of preparing and taking the steps needed for success, I have obsessed over the days remaining. Doing something each day to make it count creates a path for setting goals and objectives. That might mean improving your work life, strengthening relationships with family and friends, or planning meals to spend less time at the grocery store.

Muhammad Ali’s quote has a clever way of playing on the two different meanings of the word “count.” Making a day count means not to waste it or look past that day to the finish line. The second meaning is closely related to word ‘account,’ as in accounting for that particular day. Instead of passively waiting and focusing on the number of days left until something happens, you should actively fill each day with purpose and effort.

I am guilty of sometimes focusing on the finish line instead of making each day count. Muhammad Ali’s quote really did resonate with me.

Things I Think for July 5, 2026

  • I find the Taylor Swift wedding extravaganza disturbing. For many reasons.
  • The sadness in Venezuela continues as rescue and recovery teams continue to remove debris caused by two massive earthquakes. If you have not already, please contribute a few dollars to support healthcare teams who are helping these families in Venezuela: https://give.doctorswithoutborders.org/campaign/816105/donate?
  • In the mood for new Madonna? I listened to the sixteen tracks from her recently released record, ‘Confessions II.’ A mix of her old and new. A nice change from my usual playlists.
  • Reality does set in when you think about day 1,591 since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine…especially as the USA celebrates 250 years of independence.
  • Does anyone have a foldable phone? If so, your critique is appreciated.
  • American innovation is endless – from the lightbulb to the airplane, from all the medical breakthroughs to the internet age. Various historians point to one significant innovation that provided a path for all others: The United States patent process. All things considered the patent system was good for the individual innovator and ultimately for the United States.
  • It seems like Hollywood made another space rescue movie but in reality, NASA really has a mission in play to ‘rescue’ the Swift telescope that has fallen out of orbit. The rescue spacecraft, appropriately called the LINK, will use its three arms to somehow attach to the Swift telescope and haul it from 22o miles above Earth to its orbital range of 373 miles above the Earth. Mind-boggling to say the least.
  • Nielsen is forecasting that tomorrow night’s TV audience for the USA-Belgium game in Seattle could top forty million (combined audience for English and Spanish). Those numbers are staggering, especially considering a Monday night in the summer.
  • Speaking of the World Cup, the background story about U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and his parents is interesting. A farm boy from a small town in Argentina makes it to the big time. This story feels like Disney movie material to me.
  • Yesterday marked two hundred-fifty years since the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The thirteen colonies under British rule voted to break away on July 2, 1776, but it took two days for the delegates from those 13 colonies to revise the original draft of the Declaration.

In 1776, the original colonies had 2.5 million people. Today, the USA has 342 million people in fifty states, along with 14 territories and one district. Even with all the socio-politico- economics causing concern, Americans should be proud of everything the country has achieved in a relatively short time. Happy 250th, America.

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.” – John Adams, July 3, 1776

  • ‘Neil the Seal’ is back roaming the streets in Tasmania. It is obvious that Sky News Australia had a slow news day, but this seal is a favorite of the town’s people. In reaction to the government threating to euthanize Neil, one of town’s council members was quoted “If the government was to attempt to euthanize him it would be Civil War.”

Question of the Week. Thank you for your answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding a country you would move to if you had to move away from the country you now reside.

  • I would choose somewhere in the Nordic nations. Most likely either Sweden or Denmark. The reason why, the Nordic nations have studies that show when we look at our entire world, the people who live in the Nordic are the happiest.
  • I’d live in Italy. For the food/wine, people, culture and so many other things make it such an amazing country.
  • San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – tried it out for six months and loved it.
  • Aruba. No storms, Arizona with an Ocean…
  • I would move to Mallorca, Spain. Why ? Beautiful Mountains, great beaches, wonderful food and English is a major accepted Language. Easy to get to and wonderful access to the South of France and the Portofino/Sorrento area of Italy.
  • No brainer… Amalfi coast of Italy for the weather, food , culture, scenery and slow pace of life.
  • A town on the coast of Costa Rica.
  • I would move to Italy. I love everything about that country. Montepulciano in Tuscany.
  • Dragor, Denmark. On the coast of Denmark but very close to Copenhagen. Quiet and peaceful but a stone’s throw from the beautiful city of Copenhagen.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: Who is someone you would enjoy sitting next to on a three-hour flight, and what is the one question you would ask them?

  • Pure Talent. This band’s original lineup consisted of vocalist Lou Gramm, guitarist Mick Jones, and drummer Dennis Elliott. Foreigner was formed in 1976 and became one of the best-selling bands of all time, with worldwide sales exceeding 80 million records. This version of the hit ‘Feels Like the First Time‘ brings back so many great memories. Do you remember their other massive hits, including Juke Box Hero, Cold as Ice, Double Vision, Hot Blooded, Dirty White Boy, and Urgent? The band Foreigner was Pure Talent.

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

Believe. Customer Service. Things I Think. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

Personal Motivation. Service With a Smile. Summer Breeze. Where Would I Move? Oliva Dean!

  • Quote of the Week: “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does—that makes you a winner right there.” – Venus Williams

Venus Williams’ quote refers to a declaration of faith. Believing in yourself is the never-ending internal encouragement that leads to personal motivation and resilience. At forty-five, Venus Williams continues to maintain a busy schedule, and again will return to tennis, where she will pair with her sister, Serena, in the Wimbledon women’s doubles tournament.

Believing in yourself sometimes is interrupted by setbacks, like job loss, breakups, and health issues. These setbacks can lead to you focusing on failures, feeling “stuck in your life,” and self-doubt. According to John Tsilimparis, a Wondermind advisor, there are ways to maintain, or regain, believing in yourself:

  • Practice acceptance – come to terms with the situation and acknowledge the experience.
  • Lean on your support system – get a fresh perspective from someone you trust, whether that be a friend, therapist, or family member.
  • Change it up and do something fun – while it may feel impossible to enjoy yourself while dealing with a negative situation, getting out to dinner, working in your yard, or exercise may provide relief from feeling bogged down.
  • Seek out positivity – surround yourself with people who are positive and stay away from the “negative Nancy’s.”
  • Set aggressive but attainable goals – whether a goal to change jobs, partners, or your exercise routine, setting goals can build momentum, motivation, and confidence.

Richard Goodall is a school janitor who decided to step out of his lack of belief and shyness to finally audition for America’s Got Talent. Goodall told the judges that if he could do it, anyone could do it. The rest is history:

  • We have all dealt with the cause and effect of poor customer service. Companies sometimes prioritize cost-cutting over user experience, treating customer service as a financial drain rather than an asset. The deployment of A.I. and chatbots filter out human interaction, leaving customers stuck in non-responsive loops and unable to resolve their issue. Or, the high turnover faced by many companies becomes a revolving door of under-trained customer-facing employees.

This post comes from a guest writer who has decades of experience with customer service. His take:

Is the Art of Hospitality a Fading Craft?

The art of hospitality is not found in a transaction. It is found in the human connection that surrounds it. Hospitality is rarely about grand gestures. More often, it lives in the small moments: a greeting before an order, a smile before a request, a thank-you before a goodbye. These moments cost nothing, yet they can transform an ordinary exchange into a memorable experience. And because they seem so simple, I find myself wondering: is the art of hospitality becoming a fading craft?
Picture this…
You enter your favorite coffee house and walk toward the counter. The person standing between you and your favorite latte says nothing. No greeting. No smile. No eye contact that suggests they are glad, or even ready, to help. So, you break the silence.
“Hi, how are you today?”
“Fine.”
“I’d like to place an order.”
“Go ahead.”
“I would like a large latte. Oat milk with an extra shot, please.”
Silence follows, broken only by the sound of fingers pounding against the register.
And then…
There is no restating your order for accuracy, no warm acknowledgment, no moment of connection. Instead, the screen is turned toward you for payment, with the tip prompt waiting expectantly.
“Okay. We’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Oh wait, some acknowledgement.
Transaction complete.
Coffee served.

Experiences like this disappoint me. I walk away frustrated, not because a latte needs to come with fanfare, but because the simplest pieces of hospitality were missing. I ask myself: Is this a hiring issue? A training issue? Does anyone care? Do people still expect service? Or is it just me?

I grew up in the service industry. Before I turned eighteen, I had mopped floors, washed dishes, prepped food, worked the line, seated guests, cleared tables, served meals, answered phones, and staffed the front desk. Whether I was back of house or front of house, the expectation was clear: smile, greet people respectfully, listen actively, work with purpose and pride, use the customer’s name when appropriate, and speak words like “hello,” “welcome,” “please,” “thank you,” and “have a great day.” It was instilled in me that customers matter. Without them, there is no job. I was taught that hospitality requires more than completing a task; it requires understanding what guests need to create a positive and memorable experience.

Maybe the future of hospitality isn’t determined by businesses at all, but by the choices each of us makes in our next interaction. A paradox that reminds me that there are people in the service universe who continue to create moments that make guests feel welcomed, seen, appreciated, and valued.

You know who they are. The server who remembers your usual order. The barista who asks how your vacation was. The host who greets you by name before you even reach the stand. These are the people who understand that hospitality begins before the product or service is delivered.

What is their secret? The right hire? Proper training? Something innate? Perhaps it is all the above.

What I know for certain is that they make people feel like they matter. They remember details. They smile with intention. They ask about the experience. They thank guests for coming and invite them to return. They understand that service completes the transaction, but hospitality creates the memory. In a world increasingly focused on efficiency, they still prioritize human connection.

The service trade is not for everyone. Choosing a career in hospitality comes with good days, bad days, long hours, wonderful guests, and customers who may never be satisfied no matter how hard someone tries. But when hospitality is practiced with purpose and pride, it creates warmth, connection, and fulfillment on both sides of the exchange. If you are in the field, be all in. Understand the impact you can have even during the briefest interaction. If you are a customer, you have a role too. Be kind. Be patient. Use your manners. Mirror the respect you hope to receive. Recognize that hospitality is hard work, and when it is done well, it deserves appreciation.

In the end, hospitality may not be a fading craft after all. Perhaps it is simply waiting for more of us to practice it with intention.

Things I Am Thinking for the last Sunday of June 2026

  • I have asked about large companies and their headcount. Oracle cut 21,000 employees from their workforce in the last few months. What were those 21,000 people doing that allowed Oracle to have this huge of a reduction in force? Did artificial intelligence (A.I.) provide the path for Oracle to lose 13% of their workforce?
  • Please Venmo me $16 million. I promise I can bring in a pool contractor to get the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool up, running, and beautiful by July 4th. My first call would be to the CEO of Latham Pool. https://www.lathampool.com/ $16 million is the amount of taxpayer dollars being spent to fix the reflecting pool.
  • I find it surprising that in year 2026, only 5% of CEOs at the world’s largest companies are women.
  • Has anyone lived or visited Lewes, Delaware? Just asking for a friend. 🙂
  • It is reported that the Strait of Hormuz reopening is flooding oil markets with supply. That can only be great news for all of us.
  • Not that I did not enjoy the World Cup’s group stage matches, but I am really looking forward to the round of 32, which starts the win or go home competition.
  • Must watch TV: The 5th and final season of The Bear is out. If you have not watched this series, you are in for a treat.
  • Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela.
  • The “Stephen Spielberg of Sitcoms” passed away last Friday. He directed more than 1,000 episodes of Cheers, Friends, and many other hit shows. James Burrows experience goes back to The Mary Tyler Moore show back in 1974, then The Bob Newhart Show, Taxi, and 90% of the Cheers episodes. RIP, James Burrows.

Question of the Week. Thank you for your answers to last week’s Question of the Week asking what you would do in all electricity and internet was shut down for a week? Here are some of your answers:

  • I would read a lot more, load up on projects.
  • Be outdoors, hopefully near or on the water!
  • One week in the south of Spain and then head over to Tangier.
  • I would have to say that without power and the Internet I would work out and do gardening.
  • Hanging out on the beach in Negril, Jamaica.
  • I would head to a small town on the coast of Portugal.

This week’s Question of the Week: For whatever reason, you must move to another country from where you live now. What country would you move to, and why?

  • Pure Talent. The voices of Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack, and Aretha Franklin are forever imbedded in my mind. When you listen to any of their songs, there is a particular ‘style of voice’ that you automatically recognize. The same goes for Grammy Award winner Olivia Dean, who at twenty-seven years old brings us that same ‘style of voice’ many of us enjoy. Olivia Dean is Pure Talent.

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

Over Analyze. Father’s Day. Whale Shark. Bringing Everyone Together. The Strait of Hormuz. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

Common Sense. Dr. House Calls It. Who Decided It is Not a Predator? THE Sporting Event. The Global Supply Chain. No Power, No Internet. “I Can’t Wait.”

Quote of the Week: “Common sense is seeing things as they are; and doing things as they ought to be.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

It seems easy to use common sense, especially considering it guides everyday decisions. Whether you make realistic choices, or have the ability to connect cause and effect, using your common sense is the ability to make reasonable decisions without needing specific knowledge or training.

I assume that 1800’s author Harriet Beecher Stowe was strongly suggesting that you should think before you act, and paying closer attention will help you make better decisions. The reality is that ‘using your common sense’ is highly subjective, depending on the situation, personal biases, and intuition. What may be common sense to you many not be the same for someone else. No matter your intelligence level, you may be conditioned to rely on too much analysis rather than simple and instinctive reactions.

“Paralyzation” from over over-analyzation is a real thing. How many times have you hesitated to make a decision even though you have gathered all the facts and sorted through the possible ramifications? How often have you waited for someone to make a decision as they over-analyze the situation to a point of ad nauseum?

As we have all experienced, common sense is not necessarily a common trait:

  • There is nothing like an Ed Sheeran song and video parody to celebrate today’s special day. Happy Father’s Day to all.
  • This video of a massive whale shark was recently shot off the coast of Florida near Fort Myers Beach. The video itself is a bit alarming until you read the caption: A whale shark feeds offshore Fort Myers Beach on June 9. The sharks are as big as a school bus but are no threat to humans, as they filter feed on small fish and plankton. Seriously, who decided, and how was it determined, that this predator is “no threat to humans?”
  • In last week’s post, I explained that the World Cup put a smile on my face due to visitors from around the world having fun and getting along. My comment is reinforced with this video from Pat McAfee:
  • Scotland’s Tartan Army marching to Fenway Park in Boston to attend a Red Sox game last weekend:

Lost in this big mess of war is how important the Strait of Hormuz is to world. While Americans are concerned over the price of gasoline, Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz impacted the daily lives of people across the world. While the United States is not dependent on oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, China, India, Japan, and South Korea receive substantial volumes of Gulf energy exports.

  • To conserve supplies, some Asian governments ordered employees to work from home, closed universities, and cut the working week.
  • In parts of Africa, governments restricted the use of electricity.
  • Disrupting global supply chains affects transportation costs, manufacturing expenses, and consumer prices.
  • Parts of Europe imposed fuel rationing.

Few places on planet have as much influence over the global economy as the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow body of is one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes. So forget bi-partisan politics and realize that whatever the Trump Administration’s agenda was (and is), keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is a key ingredient to healthier world economics.

Question of the Week: Thank you for your answers to last week’s Question of the Week regarding a job you would like to have for one week only.

  • CEO of Amazon
  • President of the United States of America
  • Lobster fisherman in New England
  • Head of the Federal Reserve at a monthly meeting where they look at the rate scenarios and what drives their decisions.
  • I would love to be an outdoor guide.
  • The lead chef for a Michelin Star restaurant.

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: How would you spend your time if all electricity and internet was cut of for one week?

  • Pure Talent. Valerie Day’s vocals (and smile), her husband, John Smith, and the incredible bass from Gary Fountaine were the stalwarts of the Portland, Oregon band, Nu Shooz. We go back forty years with their song I Can’t Wait that hit #3 on the Billboard 100. Their jam was a bit different. Nu Shooz and the song, I Can’t Wait: definitely Pure Talent.

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

Grandma. Sea Drones. Question of the Week. Sex and Fertility. Pure Talent.

Good Memories. Unmanned Rescue. Great Answers. Digital Solitude. Denzel Rules.

  • Quote of the Week: “As I learned from growing up, you don’t mess with your grandmother.” — Prince William

Prince William has a good point, especially considering his paternal grandmother was the late Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned over the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth from 1952 until her death in 2022. The late Queen was known as very tough and resilient, shaped by her military service during World War II – the first female of the royal family to serve on active duty. She also did not hesitate to step in and strip her son, Prince Andrew, of his military titles and patronages when his royal duties “were no longer tenable.“

I hope all of us have interesting stories about our grandmother(s). I only knew my grandmother on my father’s side, all 4’11” of her. Make no mistake, Ida, born and raised in Ukraine, was not someone you wanted to cross, lie to, or disrespect. With that said, she was very caring and most importantly to me, loved to bake. Her banana bread and chocolate chip cookies were neighborhood-renowned, some Sundays making hundreds of chocolate chip cookies, using our small glass kitchen table to create the dough…of course without measuring cups and spoons. To this day, I never understood how she could simply pour flour, eggs, vanilla, water, brown sugar, and chocolate chips onto the glass table and use her hands to create the best tasting batter and cookies ever.

Do you have a story about your grandmother you would like to share? Here is one grandmother not to be messed with…

  • Drones have become part of daily life, used by real estate agents, architects, broadcasters, police, the military, and companies like Amazon for a wide range of purposes. Now, sea drones are also playing a role in U.S. military operations. Last week, a 24-foot unmanned surface vessel—about the size of a fishing boat and capable of speeds up to 35 knots (40 mph)—helped rescue two soldiers from a downed U.S. Army helicopter off the coast of Oman.

This was the first known instance of an unmanned vessel used to conduct a rescue mission – due to Iran shooting down the U.S. helicopter. Typically used for detecting mines, the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59 manages the unmanned sea vessels, now used by Ukraine and other countries. It is reported that the U.S. Navy has between 50-60 sea drones at their disposal.

  • An observation: It was really nice to see all the World Cup watch parties on Friday night in support of the U.S. match against Paraguay. People gathered at these watch parties to support the U.S. team, mixing people young and old, from different backgrounds, and different political views. Everyone together enjoying the 4-1 win for the U.S.

Friday night’s watch parties put a smile on my face.

Question of the Week: Last week’s questions asked about a movie you watch repeatedly, and an actor you enjoy no matter the movie. Here are some of your answers:

  • Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid and Forrest Gump. Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks.
  • Gladiator, The Hunt, American Pie, Brave Heart, The Patriot, Silence of the Lambs. Jason Statham, Daniel Craig in all the 007 movies, Clint Eastwood anytime, Stanley Tucci.
  • My Cousin Vinny, Shawshank Redemption, Man on Fire, The Fugitive. Denzel Washington.
  • Forrest Gump. Robert De Niro.
  • Shawshank Redemption. Judy Dench.
  • Braveheart. No actor mentioned.
  • A Few Good Men. Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise.
  • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Love Actually, Forrest Gump, the Wizard of Oz. Tom Hanks.
  • The Hunt for Red October and Field of Dreams. Paul Newman; Sean Connery.

This week’s Question of the Week: If you could have any job in the world for exactly one week, regardless of your current skills, what would it be?

  • Hormonal pills (The pill), IUDs, condoms, and permanent sterilization. Birth control is a personal decision based on ease of use, effectiveness, and side effects. Unlikely as it seems, the National Bureau of Economist Research (NBER) has also chimed in on birth control and has introduced us to another birth control method, the iPhone. The NBER’s research found that in the first four years of the iPhone’s release, areas with access to this and other smartphones saw reduced birth rates from 4.5% to 8%.

There is a possible silver lining to the findings. Though there was a clear reduction in fertility with smart device use, the reduction in births was in the age range of fifteen to twenty-four. “What we show is that births are declining way faster in the places where you could get the iPhone than the places where you couldn’t,” Caitlin Myers, the study’s co-author and professor of economics at Middlebury College, told Fortune. 

For many reasons there is concern with the amount of time some teenagers and young adults spend on their smart phones. It will be interesting to see if this research supports how “digital solitude” will shrink the population.

  • Pure Talent. “It Ain’t That Big of Deal” was never stated better from the leading actor in movies including Malcolm X, Training Day, Glory, Man on Fire, Remember the Titans, and The Equalizer trilogy. Denzel Washington’s response to the question regarding the pressures of making a movie is both moving and relevant. Fellow star Julia Roberts praised Washington as “one of the greatest actors of all time.” There is no doubt that Denzel Washington is Pure Talent.

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

Changes. Aging Out. Paraguay. Meteors. Questions. Pure Talent.

How Do You Cope? Is J.D. Vance Next Up? How To Send Your Team Off. The Big One. It is Already June 7. She is Chaka!

  • Quote of the Week: “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” -Maya Angelou

I have agree that the cliche, “change is good” is valid. While some change may be disruptive and take us out of our comfort zone, nothing in our lives improves without doing things differently. This also applies to the business world, where technologies keep emerging, customer expectations keep rising, and the need for efficiency keeps growing. Making changes has never been more important.

There is no doubt that losing someone close to you, being fired, deciding to divorce, and healthcare issues often result in having to adapt to new situations, new environments, and new people. While everyone adapts differently, there are clear-cut benefits of change including personal growth and understanding perspective.

“…Refusing to be reduced by change” can be supported by your past experiences, your resilience, your faith, and family and friends. Advisors, consultants, and therapists concur that focusing on what you can control, keeping familiar daily routines, and staying connected with your support from family and friends can help with the stress of dealing with change. This list is from Psychology Today:

  • Evaluate what you can control – put your energy into the steps you can take.
  • Maintain anchors – stick to your daily routine to ground your brain and provide stability.
  • Feel Your Feelings – acknowledge frustration, allow yourself grace and avoid judgement.
  • Take action – avoid focusing on the big picture and focus on your response in specific steps.
  • Reach Out – seek an outside/unbiased perspective from friends and family.

Do any of you have good examples of how you dealt with change?

Question of the Week. Last week’s question asked about President Trump and if you felt like he would stay in his presidential role until his term is up, which is January of 2029. Note: as I stated in last week’s post, this question had nothing to do with politics. The question of the President’s health heading into his 80th year was the reason for the question. I will restate that I have no interest in politics.

Here are some interesting answers:

  • Trump has lacked the mental capacity to serve as President of this great country before ever holding office, but to answer your question his deteriorating mental condition is such that I can’t fathom him lasting through his second term. If he is allowed to do so I really do fear where we will wind up !!😔
  • Yes he will be in office full term! The guy runs circles around people half his age!!!
  • No freakin way, is my thought.
  • Yes, he is too stubborn to quit/retire. If he could he would run another term.
  • No, health reasons.
  • Of course he will make it to 2029! I wish he was a bit younger and was able to run again. 😳
  • No way in hell Trump doesn’t finish his term, ending it with grand flourish. This dude was born for this stage and be damned if he will relinquish it. That said, Iran has become a quagmire he said he would never get into–Iran is playing him like a damned fiddle. Whether his final days look like a grand finale or a totally failed outcome is yet to be seen.
  • Of course he will.

This week’s Question of the Week: Name a movie that you have watched repeatedly? Name a movie actor who you enjoy watching regardless of the movie?

  • Will the World Cup expanding to forty-eight countries diminish the group stages of the competition, or will the ‘minnows’ come through with some major upsets? We will find out starting this Thursday, June 11. Many countries have a tradition of their national teams playing a ‘send-off’ match before they depart for the World Cup. Countries honor and celebrate their national teams in different ways wishing them luck at the tournament. Paraguay played their send-off match on Friday night, and their supporters showed their team a bit of fiery gratitude:
  • “The Big One” typically refers to a massive earthquake, meteor, or asteroid hitting Earth. Fortunately, there are no extinction-level meteors on the horizon, according to astronomers and scientists who track and record such activity.

When all seems calm, we get reminded of the sheer velocity and power of a descending meteor. The latest episode happened last week in the New England area with a five-foot diameter meteor, traveling at 42,000 mph, thankfully broke apart at an altitude of thirty-one miles. You would automatically assume that something breaking apart 163,000 feet above the Earth’s surface would be a non-event, but the flaming rock released energy equivalent to 230 tons of TNT, shaking homes from Massachusetts to Rhode Island. Note: TNT is the acronym for the chemical explosive Trinitrotoluene.

For comparison, 230 tons of TNT is the same explosive power as a small tactical nuclear weapon. While it is highly unlikely that a large meteor will hit our planet, there is occasion that a larger object survives long enough to plunge deeper into the Earth’s atmosphere. As it tears through the air, it creates powerful shock waves, much like a supersonic jet. Those pressure waves can travel all the way to the ground as a sonic boom, sometimes heard dozens of miles from the meteor’s actual path.

Last week’s meteor surprise luckily was a non-event. Based on the video below, let us keep it that way.

I Have Questions for the First Sunday of June 2026

  • How can a tragedy like this happen in 2026? The BBC reports that at least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after the truck carrying them broke down, authorities said.
  • Do you have something special planned for America’s 250th anniversary?
  • The Middle East, led by Dubai and Saudi Arabia, are at in again with the planet’s loftiest high rise. The Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, when completed, will tower above the tallest existing building/structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. When completed the Jeddah Tower will have 157 floors and stand at a height of 3,281 feet. Will this end the competitive tower building era?
  • The U.S. paid a French energy company $1 billion of taxpayer funds as a reimbursement to the company for wind farm leases it had purchased under the Biden administration. In exchange, the French company will spend that reimbursed money on the development of a new liquified natural gas plant in Texas, helping export U.S. liquified natural gas overseas to Europe. I realize wind energy is not the end-all source of electricity, but this deal seems a bit strange to me. Am I missing something here?

Here is an interesting take on wind energy and the funniest encounter with a rattlesnake ever…

  • Pure Talent. This winner of eleven Grammy Awards was known as the “Queen of Funk.” In 1970, at the age of seventeen, she started her career as the lead singer of the funk band Rufus, where she became the band’s star attraction, showing off her powerful vocals, stage attire, and sex appeal. Chaka Khan will release another studio album in September of this year. The song Ain’t Nobody and Chaka Khan are Pure Talent.

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

Creativity. Backfill. Question of the Week. Predictions. Thoughts. Pure Talent.

There Are Many Ways to Create. Our Aging Workforce. Riders on the Storm. 30 Days of Bliss. It is the Last Day of May. “Gimmie Shelter”

  • Quote of the Week: “I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning … Every day I find something creative to do with my life.” – Miles Davis

I wonder how Miles Davis defined the word creative. The former trumpeter, bandleader, and composer went on to become one of the most innovative and influential figures in the music world. He helped define the jazz genre, successfully combining bebop, funk, and fusion – in most creative ways.

Creating goes way beyond music. Art and design yield paintings, writing, sculptures, and of course all types of music. The world of digital media produces content, including videos, podcasts, blogs, and social media for various online audiences. The business world creates innovation by launching a new business, new products, and new services. “I am always thinking about creating” is a powerful statement for the young and old to use their imagination and skills to unlock personal fulfillment and reach your goals and objectives.

There is no doubt that Miles Davis was all about creating. This video was from the 1991 Montreux Music Festival featuring Miles Davis and Quincy Jones.

Thoughts for the last day of May, 2026

  • I understand that background checks do not always reveal everything about a candidate. With that said, how did a CIA senior official mislead his superiors with his military and educational background? Along with the deception, this ex-CIA officer stashed over three hundred bars of gold, $2 million in cash, and 35 luxury watches in his Virginia home. Huh?
  • It will be interesting to find out what caused the explosion of the Blue Origin rocket at Cape Canaveral last Thursday night.
  • Have you used the Michelin restaurant guide to select a restaurant? I never have.
  • Tomorrow is already June 1st. Five months of 2026 already gone.
  • According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chances of a widespread Ebola outbreak in the U.S. are extremely low…though isolated cases carried by travelers are possible. What?
  • A high school reunion touches many emotions. Just saying.
  • Last Thursday, a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania. To: NATO, the European Union, and Eurocorps, have you not had enough of Vladimir Putin and Russia? Seriously, enough is enough with this tyrant and rogue nation.
  • Have you wondered why golf balls have dimples? Here is one explanation:
  • Regarding wind and turbulence, there seems to be consensus by many authorities that the future of weather forecasting, specifically forecasting the strength and path of hurricanes, should have a higher level of efficacy in the near future. Meteorologists now can analyze massive amounts of information generated by artificial intelligence (AI) based on historical data. This historical data could recognize patterns with ocean temperatures, wind structures, and atmospheric pressure giving meteorologists a path to quickly recognize and predict storm movement and strength.

As a comparison, existing weather models rely on time-consuming physics-based models to simulate the atmosphere and predict storm movement. The power and speed of AI driven models with historical data should allow meteorologists the ability to accurately predict the path and strength of a storm up to ten days out. Let us hope so.

  • Would it concern you if half your workforce were age forty-five or older? That is the reality facing Florida’s $86 billion manufacturing sector. An aging workforce, combined with too few young people entering the skilled trades, is making it difficult for companies to transfer specialized knowledge to the next generation. Manufacturing is not alone in facing this challenge. In the utilities sector, the share of employment at firms where at least one-quarter of workers are age 55 or older rose from 35% in 2006 to 80% in 2022.

One way to solve these workforce issues is to provide younger workers with a positive path with discovering skilled trades. Forbes reports that “The highest-paid trade skills now offer a compelling alternative for professionals seeking a recession-proof pivot or alternative from a traditional career path: competitive six-figure salaries, faster entry into the workforce and robust demand. The modern landscape of skilled trades has also expanded significantly, encompassing sectors like renewable energy, aviation, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.“

Last year, “there were 650,000 open-skilled labor positions and only 150,000 workers entering the field,” reports Symone Graham of the Charlotte Business Journal. “For HVAC work alone, there’s a need for 400,000 technicians to be hired over the next decade.” That is a pace Carrier Global Corp. Chairman and CEO Dave Gitlin said exceeds anything the sector has seen.

The good news is that enrollment in trade schools and trade programs will increase six percent per year by 2030. Demand for skilled trades continues to rise with the desired outcome of a high income, high growth career both feasible and possible. A few skilled trades with their average salaries:

  • Ultrasonographer (operators of imaging equipment): $90,000 – $105,000
  • HVAC technician: $60,000 – $95,000
  • Elevator installer/technician: $85,000 – $130,000
  • Aircraft mechanic: $75,000 – $115,000
  • Electrician: $65,000 – $105,000
  • Plumber: $60,000 – $105,000

At some level, all of us have had this level of skilled labor show up at our homes:

Here are some answers to the last Question of the Week: If you took or were given a fully-paid, guilt-free sabbatical for an entire month starting tomorrow, how would you spend that time?

  • Beach house in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. It gave us an opportunity to discover what the next step in life is.
  • I would take 2 weeks in Italy and then the other two weeks visiting family and friends.
  • I would live in a Spanish speaking country learning to speak Spanish daily.
  • Hmmm. My current life is one big sabbatical! I strive to learn something new or re-learn something daily. Its amazing to re-use a skill or remember a favorite recipe and enjoy the discovery all over again! 😉
  • I’d split it between time with my family and travel.
  • Amelia Island or the Amalfi Coast.
  • La Dolce Vita all the way! Start in Sicily, primarily Palermo. Then up the Amalfi coast, basking in Positano, then hitting the enormous lemons in Sorrento. Definitely skip Naples and go to the eternal city which never gets old. From Rome up to the hilltop of Orvieto and their signature green ceramics. On to Tuscany to relish in its beauty and excellent wines, hitting Montalcino, Florence, Siena, Volterra, San Gemignani while sneaking in a side trip to Portofino. Then Perugia, the university town undisturbed by today’s world. Continue on to Bologna with an errand to run over in Parma. Hitting Verona, then the ever magnetic Venice.
  • I’d split it between time with my family and travel.
  • I can think of too many naughty things but since I just got back from California, I would spend a month visiting wineries and tasting California wines.

This week’s Question of the Week has no pretense regarding President Trump and politics. This question relates to his age and health: Will President Trump, who turns eighty-years-old next month, stay in office through his second term as President, which will end on January 20, 2029? If your answer is no, please give a reason.

Notes: 1. as part of my 2026 predictions, I did predict that President Trump would not stay in his role through his second term. 2. Half of US adults do not believe that Trump now possesses the mental acuity or physical health to be an effective president, according to a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll from last month.

  • Pure Talent. Shaped by the dynamics of the late 1960’s, with the reality of social unrest, violence, and war, The Rolling Stones’, on their 1969 Let It Bleed album, released the iconic song “Gimmie Shelter.” Mick Jagger was joined on vocals by Merry Clayton with Keith Richards delivering a guitar performance bar none. Richards’ guitar opening has been and is still used in films and television to this day. The Rolling Stones and the song “Gimmie Shelter” always give us Pure Talent.

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

Talent Defined. Fly Your Flag. Question of the Week. Pure Talent.

Natural and Learned. Memorial Day. One Month for You. Lou Gehrig.

  • Quote of the Week: “Everybody has talent and it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is. A talent is a combination of something you love a great deal and something you can lose yourself in.” – George Lucas

I’ve asked about hidden talents before and received many interesting answers. I also feature a Pure Talent segment in each post, highlighting people and their abilities in areas such as music, sports, and intellect. What I find especially interesting is that some people do not fully acknowledge their talents, and others keep them hidden altogether. For example, my friend K.C. has an incredible voice, and T.D., now in his late 60s, still plays golf at an eight handicap. Their talents are very different, but both are deeply committed to what they love—singing and golf.

Webster’s definition of talent as “any natural ability or power,” with the keyword being “natural” or how you are hard-wired. There are other ways to garner talent, through knowledge and skills, or in other words a learned behavior that eventually yields talent. As a reminder, here are some answers to a question I recently posed about a talent that you have that most people are not aware of:

  • I have the ability to decorate a home or a person –(almost always myself) –from treasures discovered at garage sales.
  • 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?
  • For a many reasons, tomorrow is an important holiday in the United States. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and was formerly known as Decoration Day. Memorial Day commemorates all who have died in military service for the United States. Tomorrow takes on additional significance with those around the world who have fallen in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. If you have a flag, please fly it this weekend. If you do not have one, please go buy one.

Question of the Week: The last Question of the Week asked about aligning a song with your past. Here are a few of your answers:

  • Hold Your Head Up by Argent
  • A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet
  • Crazy Train by Ozzie Osbourne
  • Into the Night by Benny Mardones
  • Lucky Man by Emerson, Lake, & Palmer
  • Right Now by Van Halen
  • Unstoppable by Sia!
  • Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits
  • Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise by the Avett Brothers

Here is this week’s Question of the Week: If you took or were given a fully-paid, guilt-free sabbatical for an entire month starting tomorrow, how would you spend that time?

I Have a Few of My Own Questions

  • Did you ever drink Schlitz, and remember their tag line? “When you’re out of Schlitz, you’re out of beer.” It is the end of an era as the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, after one-hundred seventy-seven years, has produced their last batch of the beer.
  • Are you surprised that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a series of appeals from many drugmakers requiring the ‘big pharms’ to negotiate with Medicare on prices for their most popular drugs? The first round of negotiations is expected to lead to $6 billion in savings for the federal government and a $1.5 billion reduction in out-of-pocket costs for seniors. I am thinking about the 1st and 5th Amendment parameters with the government dictating to private companies how and what they charge for their products. Just sayin’.
  • Do you trust ChatGPT or any A.I. tool with your financial planning?
  • At forty-one years old, he was a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series. Is it concerning that his family and team could not convince Kyle Busch to get to a hospital early on to deal with a severe case of pneumonia that resulted in sepsis? RIP, Kyle Busch.
  • Tomorrow I am taking a hard look at my subscription services. Do you know what your monthly spend is for streaming services? I know some of you mooch off your friends and family – maybe that will be my go-forward? 🙂
  • An unexpected surprise last weekend attending my high school reunion. Held in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the surrounding beach area has completely been redeveloped with hotels, restaurants, and bars. Well done, Deerfield Beach.
  • Have you used an ‘air taxi’ yet? The New York City metropolitan area is using these eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) to move people back and forth from New York City to their three large airports (Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK). Last week, the Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando regional transportation authorities announced eVTOL’s will be used to move people to and from these three airports. “Meet George Jetson, and Jayne, his wife” comes to mind.
  • Have you listened to Bad Company‘s greatest hits lately? The playlist is fantastic.
  • Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” aired for the final time last week. I have not watched late night talk shows for a very long time. Have you?
  • May 29, 2026, and June 12, 2026. I am hoping that Anthony Maras’ film Pressure gives us a more intense look into the lead up to the D-Day invasion. I am also expecting big things from Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated sci-fi thriller “Disclosure Day.” I am not one for sci-fi in general, but the subject matter of this movie has my attention.
  • Pure Talent. Diagnosed with ALS later in life, “The Iron Horse” left a profound mark on both baseball and society. Despite serious health challenges, Lou Gehrig became one of the game’s greatest players, winning an American League MVP and the Triple Crown. In 1927, the left-hander hit .373 with forty-seven home runs and 173 RBIs. Joe DiMaggio, another all-time great, once said of Gehrig, “I not only admired Lou but I was amazed by him…To see his broad back and muscular arms as he spread himself at the plate was to give the impression of power as no other ball player I ever saw gave it.”

Lou Gehrig had a career batting average of .361, and a .731 slugging percentage. Lou Gehrig was Pure Talent.

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

Imagination. Mother’s Day. RIP Ted Turner. Thinking. Pure Talent.

Mental Pictures. Larry David is So Wrong. “The Mouth of the South” Random Thoughts. Do You Drink Beer?

  • Quote of the Week: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world.” – Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein’s quote reinforces that your imagination is important. Einstein’s perspective that innovation and knowledge do not come from information alone – it comes from using your imagination to connect ideas in a variety of ways. While knowledge sometimes connects the dots from point A to B, using your imagination can take you everywhere.

Our imagination is the most important asset we possess. It is our power to create mental pictures of things that don’t exist yet and that we want to bring into being. Imagination is the magic wand we use to shape our future. How often do you use your imagination?

Hall & Oates, from their massive hit album ‘Private Eyes’ with their underrated song, Your Imagination. Well said.

  • Today is Mother’s Day. Reach out, see her, call her, or do something in memory of your mom. Larry David is the last person we want to watch provide his take on his mom…but, to all moms: Happy Mother’s Day!!
  • He came home from his father’s outdoor advertising (billboard) company too late to watch the evening news. That was one of the issues that generated an idea to buy a local Atlanta television station and use satellites to beam sports and entertainment content nationwide. The success of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) provided momentum for Ted Turner to launch CNN, the first network to provide nonstop news coverage. The live coverage of the Persian Gulf War helped CNN gain worldwide credibility and the rest is history. Ted Turner passed away last week at the age of eighty-seven. He revolutionized television and went on to provide the world with levels of philanthropy, including a $1 billion pledge to the United Nations. RIP Ted Turner.

James Earl Jones with his signature station identification for CNN:

  • Question of the Week: If you life had a theme song, what would it be?

Things I Think on May 10, 2026

  • A study should be completed on the strategy and tactics deployed by the jockey who rode the Kentucky Derby winner. The word amazing comes to mind.
  • Is this too invasive or am I being too sensitive? Meta will begin using AI to analyze users’ bone structure and height as part of what it says is a broader push to help remove users under age 13 from its platforms.
  • I am not sure I understand the uproar with Delta no longer serving snacks and beverages on their flights shorter than 350 miles (usually an hour’s fight). Can passengers not wait an hour to drink and have a snack? Then again, I do not understand passengers who need to use the bathroom after boarding….and BEFORE the flight backs away from the gate.
  • Along with Ted Turner, Atlanta and the baseball world lost another icon yesterday. RIP Bobby Cox.
  • Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron, the upcoming movie The Odyssey looks interesting.
  • Take the time to learn about Psilocybin. This psychedelic extract from magic mushrooms could go a long way with leveling human emotions, especially with people suffering from anxiety and depression. This is interesting and confusing all at the same time, especially reading this report from Medical News Today: Psilocybin, the active compound in “magic mushrooms,” produces various physical and psychological side effects that typically begin within 20 to 45 minutes and last up to six hours. While often sought for spiritual or euphoric experiences, it can also cause significant distress, especially at higher doses or in unsupportive environments.
  • Las Vegas was a necessary business trip for me due to an industry conference. My words for Las Vegas: dirty, overpriced, poor service levels, and wrong in many ways.
  • Hilton Head was a necessary trip to rendezvous with three of my college friends and former teammates. My words for Hilton Head: clean, beautiful, full of bike riders, golfers, and tennis players, and a beach bar called the Tiki Hut. So right in many ways (though the summer months are a bit too busy with tourists).
  • Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2024 and again in August 2025. Their recent demise will only elevate already ridiculous airfares. No, I was not advocating that the U.S. Government bailout Spirit, but 4,000 jobs in the state of Florida alone were lost with the shutdown.
  • Another cruise ship debacle. Whatever that ‘hantavirus’ really is, someone better quickly figure it out before people start canceling their cruise vacations. Hantavirus can cause severe respiratory illness and is fatal in about 35% of cases. The Andes strain found in South America can spread between people, though rarely, and carries a mortality rate of 40%. No known treatment exists for the Andes strain.
  • Shakira and Copacabana Beach match up very well, to the tune of two million fans attending her concert on this famous Brazilian beach.
  • Pure Talent. This interview, conducted by the financial planner Rastamonkey, gives us a lesson with saving money. Kudos to both Rastmonkeys for their wit and directness. Where is your f’in plane? Rastamonkeys are Pure Talent.

Adios, pay it forward, be the best human, and have a great Mother’s Day.

Character. Things I Think. Artemis. Pure Talent.

Not Just About Wealth. Mid-April Takes. To Mars We Go. Mexican Radio.

  • Quote of the Week: When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost. – The Reverend Billy Graham

Over the last fifteen years, the amount of information and emphasis on wealth-building has increased ten-fold. Investment firm advertising has hit an all-time high, private equity is in the news numerous times a day, and banking has become so fluid you rarely need to go into a branch. Reverend Billy Graham’s quote is spot on. Has the yearn for wealth overshadowed a focus on health? Has it also helped denigrate one’s character – deciding that wealth supersedes all?

I do not have to give examples of The Reverend’s concern. If you consume any level of news, there are daily stories that provide clear examples of people of less character who placed wealth over their well-being. You can have all the money in the world, but if you do not have your health or high character, what do you REALLY have?

Things I Think for mid-April 2026

  • I am not saying I am not looking forward to this summer’s World Cup. What I am saying is playing matches in three countries, forty-eight teams (12 groups of four teams), and 104 matches may be too much. I am not discounting the efforts of all one-hundred-four teams’ effort to qualify for the World Cup tournament, but in reality, I have no interest in watching countries like Jordan, Uzbekistan, Curacao, and Iraq. One team I will keep my eye on is Morocco, who have proven that their physicality and tactics can put their opponents on their heels. Morocco is grouped with Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland and with the top two teams in each of the twelve groups moving on to the knockout stages, we should see Morocco advance. The USA has a decent shot at advancing to the knockout stages as well, being grouped with Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye.
  • Today is day forty-four of the U.S. – Iran war. Is there an end in sight?
  • The world of broadcast radio continues to spiral. Not surprisingly, Edison Research reports that “Podcasts have officially overtaken AM/FM talk radio as the more popular medium for spoken-word audio in the United States.“
  • Even if you have little interest in golf, today’s final round of The Masters is much-watch TV.
  • With streaming services now being ubiquitous, I find it interesting that the U.S. Justice Department has launched a probe into the National Football League (NFL) engaging in anticompetitive practices, specifically the league’s increasing shift to airing more games on subscription television services. Last season, NFL games aired on ten different services, including Prime Video, YouTube, Peacock, and Netflix.
  • After various people suggested I watch Peaky Blinders, I cannot stop watching this six-season show on Netflix. Warning: crude, rude, and violent but the storyline and acting is bar none. Cillian Murphy’s performance in this British historical crime drama is fantastic. Factoid about Cillian Murphy’s performance: he does not smoke, but his character called for him to consistently light one up. He went through 3,000 herbal cigarettes per season, for six seasons.
  • Has anyone been to Anegada? It is the second-largest island in the British Virgin Islands and has fewer than five-hundred permanent residents. It is near Tortola (if that helps).
  • Regarding travel, many people who visit Orlando ask me what area to stay in. Even if you are attending a conference at the convention center or a hotel near the convention center, do not stay in that area. That is NOT the real Orlando. Orlando is made up of small towns that over the years have grown together to form a large metro area. Try staying in the Lake Eola/downtown area, Winter Park, College Park, or anywhere not near the convention center area. Here is your restaurant list: Reel Fish, Christner’s, Maxine’s on Shine, Kress, The Castle, Linda’s la Cantina, Santiago’s Bodega, The Pinery, The Whiskey, Eddie V’s, Totoya Sushi Lounge, Tori Tori, and any of the Vietnamese restaurants in the Mills 50 area. Orlando’s entrepreneurial spirit with restaurants is noteworthy.
  • Friday night’s Artemis II splash down culminated the second of four Artemis missions. The Artemis program will eventually return humans to the Moon for long-term exploration by delivering modules for the Gateway lunar station. There have been many questions about the overall program, and maybe some confusion with the four Artemis missions. To clear that up, here is a brief explanation:
  • Artemis I – this 2022 mission was uncrewed with objectives of evaluating the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule ‘s safety and performance.
  • Artemis II – this mission, after delays, was a ten-day lunar flyby carrying four astronauts to test life-support systems, navigation, and radiation shielding. The Orion capsule splashed down Friday night, April 10, off the coast near San Diego, California.
  • Artemis III – targeted for 2027, the third of four missions will be manned and focus on testing docking capabilities that involve the Orion capsule spacecraft and commercial lunar landers preparing for future landings including Artemis IV.
  • Artemis IV – this will be a crewed lunar landing mission and deliver the first major module of the Gateway lunar station into lunar orbit. The four astronauts will land near the Moon’s South Pole.

The Artemis program has three major objectives and goals. 1) to establish a permanent human presence on and around the Moon; 2) to land in areas previously unexplored by Apollo to search for water and other resources; 3) to develop technologies including life support, navigation, and habitation modules to prepare for future human missions spending time on Mars.

Here is a short video if you did not see Friday night’s splashdown:

Question of the Week. Thank you for your responses regarding a job or career you had planned on pursuing and if it came to fruition.

  • No set idea on a career path however my career path found me and my love for management in the containership logistics area was formed.
  • Airline pilot, obviously NO.
  • My love for animals has always existed and dreamed of being an animal trainer or zookeeper.
  • A sports broadcaster…specifically play-by-play. I did get to do two years of live television sports broadcasting…but as my brother always told me: ‘I had a face for radio.’
  • Astronaut. The Artemis II mission reminded me of how much I wanted to be an astronaut. Somehow, I became a financial advisor.

Pure Talent. This band fit into the genre of ‘New Wave’ but also offered up a bit of strange and cinematic edge to the music scene. The year is 1982 and the band Wall of Voodoo broke through the top ten charts with their hit song, “Mexican Radio.” This song stood apart from anything else on the radio at the time. At many levels, Wall of Voodoo was Pure Talent.

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