Category: Uncategorized

“No One Is Born Hating…” Thoughts On the Last Day of March. Tip On the Entire Amount? “From the Beginning.”

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• Quote of the Week: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Racism is a refuge for the ignorant.” – Nelson Mandela

I have had enough. I have again been reminded that yesteryear’s imperialism, capitalism, and slave trade remain instigators of worldwide racism. While we are aware of the current racial divide among our friends and foes, the past tells us that segregation of race was exemplified by apartheid in South Africa, genocides such as the Holocaust, and the racial atrocities we have witnessed in Rwanda, Armenia, and many other countries including the United States. Unfortunately, as years have gone by, sanctions leveled with racist entities have had little to no effect – even the United Nations chimed in with their 1978 Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, stating “All human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common stock. They are born equal in dignity and rights, and all form an integral part of humanity.”

I recognize and admire the efforts from leaders who have made a stance with racism. While people including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Thurgood Marshall, Abraham Heschel, and many more helped pave the way for a better level of racial equality, their efforts have been overridden by the vast amount of people instilled with pure hate. It is year 2024, and the level of worldwide racism continues to raise its ugly head, witnessed by incidents at festivals, sporting events, and other public gatherings. Recent racial incidents at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, with students in Bulgaria, and at various international soccer matches present modern-day examples of racial rage and anger – with no end in sight.

Vinicius Junior, at twenty-three years old, is regarded as one of the biggest talents in world football. The Brazilian striker, who plays for the massive Real Madrid club in Spain, as well as Brazil’s national team, has been a target of racial abuse from fans of rival clubs. This disgusting behavior towards Vinicius Junior and other black players has been happening for years, exemplified by chants of “monkey” and other awful racial abuse. The “NFL” of Spanish Football is La Liga, which from what I have read has done little to stop the systemic barrage of racial abuse directed towards players of color, especially Vinicius Junior. In the video below, he broke down in tears when asked about the repeated barrage of abuse directed at him. Again, it is 2024, and with all due respect to the efforts of the many to stop the flow of racism, this is another sad state of affairs not only in Spain, but worldwide. As the Mandela quote states, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin…” I was so sad and disgusted watching this video.

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• Things I Am Thinking on the Last Day of March:

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• The battle of gratuity. I have been going back and forth with this question with a friend for months. The scenario: there is a restaurant that both of us enjoy once a month or so. Great food and drink, and excellent service whether dining at a table or at the bar. The bill for the four of us, including wine, comes out to a round number of $600.00. Of the $600.00, the two bottles of wine total $200.00. I say you tip on the total of $600.00. My friend argues with me that restaurant owners have told him that you tip on the $400.00 food portion. There is some gray area with the scenario due to the restaurant wine being offered and poured by a sommelier, or your table’s server.

If you have a party of ten, and the total bill is $3,000.00, with $700.00 of that total being wine, do you tip on the $3000.00 (x 20 percent = $600.00) …or do you tip on the food portion of $2,300.00 (x 20 percent = $460.000)? Come on, chime in with your take on this sleep-depriving dilemma.

With all that said, if you are a moron acting like you know how to taste wine, you have no choice but to tip on the entire bill. Right?

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• As always, I try to provide my take on Pure Talent. While I realize I go ‘old school’ on many of my Pure Talent takes, it is not easy for me to benchmark the talent of today versus yesteryear. Sure, the take above with Beyonce demonstrates her vast talent, but it has occurred to me, after seeing both the Eagles and War in the last three weeks, that songwriting and the ability to perform are better reflected from the past. Remember, it is JUST MY TAKE, and as always, I welcome yours.

This band and this artist came to prominence after performing at the Isle of Wight Festival in the summer of 1970. The Isle of Wight is a small island of England, sitting off the coast in the English Channel. With a population in 1970 of less than 100,000 people, the festival, which included Jimi Hendrix, Chicago, Moody Blues, Miles Davis, Joan Boaz, Jethro Tull, Sly and the Family Stone, and Emerson Lake & Palmer, drew 700,000 people. Emerson, Lake, & Palmer’s album, “Brain Salad Surgery” launched their stardom, becoming one of the most commercially successful rock groups of the 1970’s.

Greg Lake was an English musician, singer, and songwriter who helped shape the progressive rock genre in the 1970s. He founded King Crimson and then formed Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. This solo of the song “From the Beginning” shows off Lake’s awesome voice and guitar skills. This timeless classic brings us a sense of nostalgia and relationships, with an opening line “There might have been things I missed, but don’t be unkind,” -I assume reflecting through past regrets and mistakes. This song, if released today, by an artist like Chris Stapleton, Sam Smith, The Weekend, Keith Urban, Adele, or Teddy Swims, would easily hit the top of the charts. Listen to the words – this is Pure Talent.

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Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and Have a Great Easter Sunday!

Judgement, Commitment, Sincerity. Bruh. Ask The Dog A Question! Top Of Mind. “Park The Car.” Heartwarming Inspiration.

• Quote of the Day: “It’s not the honors and prizes of life which ultimately nourish our souls. It’s the knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our very being is good stuff.” – Mister Rogers

Fred Rogers, a.k.a. Mr. Rogers, was a television host, author, producer, and minister best known for his long-running preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999, he received more than forty honorary degrees and several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. I did not watch his show, but I am sure it was entertaining for children of all ages.

With all due respect to Fred Rogers, I wonder what his basis and foundation was when quoted? Did he have foresight into the world of money grabbing, the name, image, and likeness (NIL) debacle turning college sports upside down or was Fred Rogers fraught with disgust with people who ‘live up to the Joneses.’ Or was he just fed up with people that he simply did not trust?

Everyone defines trust in different ways. Obviously different on the personal and professional level, trust can be a fluid word depending on the circumstance. I have always put ‘trust’ into three buckets of equal weight, though the weight can be altered based on the circumstance.

• Keeping the relationship sincere and positive.
• Having solid communication and judgement.
• Walking your talk/ Keeping commitments.

I doubt that Mr. Rogers tied these buckets to his quote, but one would think that he put a great deal of emphasis on positivity, judgement, and commitment. Simon Sinek is an author and inspirational speaker on leadership. This short video provides us with a different view and emphasis on trust. Do you agree?

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• Generation Z (Gen Z) is the name given to the group of people born between 1997 and 2012. This group gets a bad rap from some people -unwarranted criticism as every generational group is different. For the most part we are different from our parents, and our parents were way different than our grandparents. Gen Z, good, bad, or ugly, are the future and will lead us for years to come. ResumeBuilder.com authored this Gen Z survey and some of the findings will make you cringe…but remember, we did many things that our parents could not understand as well.

• 40% have made a career decision based on advice from TikTok.
• 53% advocated for themselves in the workplace.
• 50% put in less time and effort at work.
• 23% quit their jobs in the last two years, based on advice from TikTok.
• 10% say they trust TikTok more than their parents for career advice.
• 33% have pursued a side hustle to help cover expenses.

We can eyeroll at Gen Zs all we want, but this group is growing up in a technology-based world, which helps them provide and cope with constant change. They have also grown up relatively pragmatic, have a strong sense of mental health, and most of them emphasize some level of sustainability, including environmental issues and climate change. There is also the lighter side of Gen Z.

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• Speaking of bad raps. Television broadcast talent sometimes gets a bad rap. Their jobs are challenging, especially with the advent of high-definition broadcasting and digital and streaming platforms. The ‘talent,’ are over-scrutinized by their producers and viewers alike. It is always great to see that broadcast talent, no matter the market they work in, are just plain people who sometimes just lose it live, on-air. The dog was the star of this segment, just awaiting the news anchor to ask another question.

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Things I Am Thinking

• The possible outcomes to the real estate commission ruling are numerous. My take: not every real estate transaction needs an ‘A+’ agent. With that said, an A+ real estate agent, for many transactions, are very much worth what they are paid in commissions. Will the flat fee commission scenario be the go-forward? I do not think so.
• I went to a small performance theatre the other night to take in the band, War. Another reminder that many bands of yesteryear consist of real musicians. Seven members playing a variety of percussion, strings, and keyboard. What a concept.
• Female entrepreneurs secured a record-high 27.8% of the total venture capital deal value in 2023. This is definitely a transformative period for female business founders and investors…and a welcomed one.
• Months ago, Los Angeles Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract. Last week, his interpreter and long-time friend Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers for illegally wiring Ohtani’s funds, in the amount of $4.5 million dollars, to an illegal bookmaking operation. Did Ohtani not have a stopgap in place where he or his CPA had to authorize wire transfers?
• McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain. Guess what chain is #2? (It is not Subway).
• I mention leadership in my first take above. I do enjoy strong leadership, especially leaders who in no uncertain terms, can look at their audience or into a camera and provide a clear and concise message. The movie is Any Given Sunday and this coach, played by Al Pacino, offers up passion and leadership to his team. Yes, only a movie but the message of trust and team delivered by a strong leader can be motivating in all walks of life. Warning: foul language in the video.

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• Most of us have been involved with this situation. I am not slamming women – I am just pointing out that there are different reactions between men and women when it comes to driving directions and parking. I have been barked at as I sometimes passed by an open parking spot looking for ‘rockstar parking’…or questioned why I drive a certain route to a destination, and more importantly, when I have made the wrong turn. Sinbad cuts to the chase explaining this dilemma. Ladies: is Sinbad wrong? 🙂

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• Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder, affecting people in many different ways. Some are non-speaking, some have difficulties with social interactions, and many others are hypersensitive or hyperactive. While many people and their families are dealing with the downside of autism, there are many stories of autistic people progressing through life at some level of normalcy. This is one story, from a few years back, that exemplifies the abilities of autistic people. A feel-good story, yes, and another example of achievement and what I call Pure Talent. Kudos to the coach for giving his team manager the opportunity to play in a game. You better have a tissue on hand.

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

St. Patrick’s Day. Go Away, Fake News. Gaylord Goes Off. Top of Mind Topics. Pure Talent.

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Quote of the Day:

Saint Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland
Here’s a drinkee to his health!
But not too many drinkees
Lest we lose ourselves and then…
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see them snakes again! -Unknown Author

Has there been a better excuse to celebrate than St. Patrick’s Day? No matter your race or religion or your politics, the celebration involves parades, festivals, music, green attire, and usually a bit of drinking. Officially, the day commemorates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and the day celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish people. Here are a few tidbits concerning St. Patrick’s Day:

• The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland but in America on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony now referred to as St. Augustine, Florida.
• New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the world’s largest parade with approximately 155,000 participants.
• Classic Irish dishes include corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, Shepard’s Pie, and creamy mashed potatoes called Colcannon.
• When toasting, the Irish do not say ‘cheers.’ They say ‘Slainte.’
• Savannah, Georgia, San Antonio, Texas, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois embrace St. Patty’s Day by dyeing their rivers green.

The Chicago River on Saturday afternoon, March 17, 2024

If you have not been to Ireland, go. While Dublin can be too jampacked with tourists, the coastal areas, the small towns, and their pubs are fantastic. While most of us enjoy March 17th every year, there are some with a difference of opinion: 🙂

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• We do not have time for rumors, gossip, or false news. Rumors have a broad reach, with viral talk that has no reliable source to back it up. While some rumors can relate to positive things (an award or promotion), they often lead to gossip when the rumors, which are unconfirmed pieces of information, are passed along to others, then becoming fake news. All of this usually riles up emotion which sometimes can be long-lasting. A St. Patrick’s Day toast for rumors, gossip, and fake news to disappear from our everyday lives.

“Never repeat a rumor before you have verified it. And if it is true, hold your tongue all the more.” – Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

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• There is a cliche: ‘You can’t have it both ways.’ Airlines are cracking down on carry-on bags as they continue to find ways to grow their top-line revenue, especially after the downturn in air travel due to Covid-19 and its variants. One of those revenue streams is derived from checked bag fees, with many airlines increasing those fees over the last year. Obviously, this leads to many passengers using carry-on bags to forego the cost of checking bags. As recently as two weeks ago, Delta Air Lines, following in the footsteps of their competitors, raised their fee for checked bags by 17%. Delta Air Lines takes in more than $1 billion annually in checked-bag fees, with only American and United taking in more. If airlines continue to raise their baggage fees, they will need to deal with more people carrying on their bags and other items. Note: Delta reported a 2023 profit of $4.6 billion. There must be a way to find a happy medium with customers.

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A few takeaways for Mid-March 2024:

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• We end this week with a ‘Pure Talent’ take. The King of Opera and the Godfather of Soul embracing one another in a masterful performance. Two legends combining soul and passion. Who would have thought?

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Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a fun St. Patrick’s Day!

Social Media and Kids. Terror and Devastation. Sunshine. Joe Walsh and Vince Gill Steal the Show.

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Quote of the Week: Direct and easy communications — freedom of speech in all forms and in its broadest sense — has become vital to the very survival of a civilized humanity. – Walt Disney

• The increase in overall phone screen time obviously surged due to the pandemic, with the challenges that families faced with school, childcare, and general social interaction. Today is no different, with people of all ages engaged with social media for several reasons, not always with the best intention and outcome.

As I try to leave politics aside, there is a hard push to limit children under the age of sixteen to engage with social media. Many psychologists have pointed to many potential risks with children using social media. These include body image concerns, cyberbullying, biased information, privacy and safety concerns, sleep disruption, and distraction. I cannot argue with these potential risks, but in this fast-paced digital world, is it not important for kids to stay connected with their friends and family? Does social media not help kids learn about cultures and different perspectives? How do you draw the line with the many social media platforms, some of which help families with kids manage their schedules, homework, and extracurricular activities? Are TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram all harmful to children with no redeeming value? That is a question, not a statement.

This conversation between the good and evil with kids and social media now intertwines with the First Amendment, one amendment of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. As defined, the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Last Wednesday the Florida House passed a bill that Governor Ron DeSantis will sign, seeking to keep children off of social media. The bill would prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under fourteen could not open accounts. Florida’s House Speaker even went as far as to state that social media use harms children’s mental health and can lead to sexual predators communicating with minors. How a government official is qualified to make that statement is beyond me.

Are the tech industry and free speech groups raising hell? Of course they are, screaming that the bill is destined to face a First Amendment court challenge. Their outrage relates back to the kids prohibited from sharing and engaging in constitutionally protected free speech, challenging how the state of Florida can impose on Floridians’ constitutional rights. Ask me one more time why I run away from anything political? 🙂

For me, some of the systemic problems with children and social media link back to parents. I do understand that many kids do not have parental oversight and guidance, which leads to many kids spending way too much time looking down at their phones or tablets. I remember sitting in an Atlanta restaurant watching a family of four at their table. The parents were on their phones, and their kids were on their tablets, with not one word of conversation between them until their food was served. Does the overuse of social media by children have them missing out on normal verbal communication and social cues?

I definitely do not agree with all of what Ricky Gervais says in this video, but he certainly makes you think about the use of social media.

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• Why Haiti? Nestled on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, I have often wondered why the country of Haiti is always in some level of despair. Haiti now finds itself ensnared in a complex web of gang violence, a crisis that has escalated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. I went on a bit of a deep dive looking back at the turmoil and devastation this island has endured. Here is what I found:

• January 2010: A devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, claiming around 220,000 lives and plunging the nation into a severe humanitarian crisis.
• July 2021: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his home by foreign mercenaries, an event that captured global attention. This tragedy marked the beginning of a downward spiral into gang violence.
• January 2023: Haiti’s government failed to hold elections due to unprecedented gang violence, resulting in the removal of its last democratically elected officials. Critics argue that this exacerbated democratic decay, effectively turning the country into a de facto “dictatorship.”
• February 29, 2024: Haitian gangs orchestrated coordinated attacks across the capital, Port-au-Prince, resulting in the deaths of at least four police officers. The powerful gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, claimed responsibility for these attacks. Chérizier aimed to capture police and government officials and prevent the return of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was advocating for a United Nations-backed international police force to combat gangs in Haiti.
• March 1: Prime Minister Ariel Henry signed an agreement with Kenya to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti for combating gang violence. However, this deployment faced legal challenges due to constitutional concerns.
• March 2: Gangs stormed two of Haiti’s major prisons, freeing over 4,000 inmates, further straining security forces.
• March 3: Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency and implemented a nighttime curfew in an attempt to control the escalating violence.
• March 4: Heavily armed gangs attempted to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport, disrupting flights and fueling chaos. Prime Minister Ariel Henry remained out of the country following his trip to Kenya.
• March 5: Prime Minister Henry landed in Puerto Rico after gang leader Chérizier effectively declared war on him.

The situation remains dire, with over eighty percent of Port-au-Prince under gang control. A very sad and alarming situation with Haiti, who won independence from France in 1804, making it the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to free itself from colonial rule. The country sits only 700 miles southeast of Florida but is unfortunately worlds beyond what most of us have experienced. I would like to see leadership from around the world quickly form a joint task force of GIGN, Green Berets, Kenya SOF, Joint Task Force 2, SAS, EKO Cobra and GSG9. These are the special forces units of France, the United States, Kenya, Canada, United Kingdom, Austria, and Germany. It would not take long for a brigade of special forces (usually between 3,500 to 6,000) to eliminate the gangs controlling Haiti.

This Caribbean nation is on the brink and the gangs, and their terror, must be stopped once and for all. Yes, there are many other rudimentary problems with Haiti, including their banking and financial infrastructure but nothing will change with gangs running the country.

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I Have Questions

• Did the addition of Sweden to NATO send a clear message to Vladimir Putin?
• What happened with the Miami Seaquarium? At one time, a must-see attraction in Miami.
• With the craft beer market oversaturated, are smaller, local breweries in trouble? Nine breweries closed in Austin, Texas in the last half of 2023.
• Did you ever think that a hormone would be a catch phrase for weight loss? The GLP-1 or glucagon-like peptide is what I am referring to and we could only wish we were well-vested in the pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk.
• Steve Kerr, Ray Allen, Steph Curry, Mike Glenn, Larry Bird, Klay Thompson, Pete Maravich, Steve Nash. These are just some of the greatest shooters of the basketball. With all due respect to these players as well as the others, is Caitlin Clark the best pure shooter of the basketball ever?
• How many banks will fail due to their exposure to the commercial real estate sector?

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• It reduces the number of traffic accidents and crime by providing more light in the evening hours. It decreases electricity consumption by reducing the need for lights and lamps in the evening. It hopefully motivates people to get out of their house to enjoy outdoor recreation, including a cocktail while grilling out. Yes, I am referring to daylight saving time (no ‘s’ at the end of saving). One of my favorite days of the year!

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• Last Monday I was at KIA Center in Orlando to see Steely Dan and the Eagles. I went with reasonable expectations as these two bands have been around forever. Long story short, both bands were outstanding, with the Eagles two-hour performance absolutely fantastic. The Eagles, led by co-founder Don Henley, included Grammy Award winner Vince Gill, Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon, the incredible Timothy Schmitt on bass, and the one and only Joe Walsh. I think Joe Walsh carried the entire two-hour show, with his interesting voice and remarkable ability on the guitar. The video below does not do this show justice, but as I always say: pure talent.

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

“The Worst Thing You Can Do is Nothing.” Fly Me to the Moon. Angelina Jolie. Hit Him Again. Tyler Perry Has His Say. Into The Night.

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Quote of the Week: “In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” —Theodore Roosevelt

• A few posts ago, I mentioned analysis paralysis. The act of not acting by hesitating to make a decision due to overthinking. I guess Theodore Roosevelt’s quote can be problematic, as we usually do not think that ‘the next best thing is the wrong thing’ as none of us want to make a decision that does not work out.

One of my pet peeves – people who do not act on a situation, thinking that if they wait and do not make a decision or act, the situation will just go away. As most of us have experienced, waiting and doing nothing usually makes the situation worse, putting your family, friends, and associates into a situation where they cannot act due to your indecisiveness and indecision.

Most of us remember Apollo 13, and the heroism of the crew and the decision-making of mission control. They acted quickly to save the crew, and most likely went through the same decision-making process we deal with in our everyday lives.

• Identify the issue or problem that must be acted on and solved.
• Quickly gather relevant information to weigh your options.
• Consider the pros and cons (the + and the -) of your options and the possible ramifications, outcomes, and results.
• Once you have determined the best option, MAKE your decision.
• Evaluate your decision, understand the outcome, and garner feedback from others.

Ed Harris played flight control commander Gene Kranz in the docudrama Apollo 13. In a matter of minutes, Kranz and his team identified the problem, gathered information, considered the pros and cons, and made a decision that ultimately delivered the Apollo 13 crew home alive. As Roosevelt said, “the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

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• I have discussed, ad nauseum, how the commercialization of space has made launches from Kennedy Space Center an almost everyday occurrence. The days are long gone when a launch was so unique and amazing, we all stopped working, classrooms stopped teaching, and all of us turned on the television to watch a launch, mostly from launch complex 39 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Last Thursday, a spacecraft attempted the first U.S. moon landing in over fifty years. Though the descent and landing on the moon’s surface was precarious, slightly delayed, and fraught with communication issues, the first commercial vehicle did land on the moon, with NASA confirming that it may now be on its side. The payload included about $120M in NASA materials meant in part to lay the groundwork for a human visit in 2026 as part of the Artemis program. After 50 years, another outstanding achievement for the space program, another part of a much broader project to eventually send humans back to the moon’s surface for the first time since the 1970s.

Many just shrug the shoulders and ask ‘so what’ to NASA and their commercial space partners’ efforts to explore space. Many consider NASA’s 2024 budget of $27.2 billion to be a waste of money. I feel exactly the opposite as space exploration and advancing U. S. leadership in technology innovation in aviation and space will be key with enabling multiple commercial partners to build a robust space economy. The budget and NASA’s efforts allow a further build out of the Earth System Observatory, “allowing open access to actionable data and information on climate change and natural hazards for scientists, decision-makers, and the public.“

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• A random take for the last Sunday of February 2024.

The badass. Often adored by people around the world, the badass persona has usually been aligned with the tough and rough characters portrayed, for the most part, by men. Think about movies including John Wick, Crank, Pulp Fiction, Scarface, Django Unchained, Taken, Kill Bill, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Most of these movies bring us adrenaline-pumping action, witty characters, inventive storytelling, and most importantly escape, reflection, insights, and revelations. For me, my vote goes to the first of the John Wick series, with Keanu Reeves seeking revenge after his beloved dog is killed by a group of thugs. Yes, it is incredibly violent, but it is two hours of complete unapologetic action cinema, with expertly choreographed fights and stunning cinematography. The plot? Who really cares about the plot? 🙂

Last week I needed to leave the sports-watching world and found the 2010 movie, Salt. Speaking of badass characters, Angelina Jolie was bar none in these two hours of fun. There are so many explosive scenes, a great cast, and a storyline we can all engage with as Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, who is accused of being a Russian sleeper agent and goes on the run to try to clear her name. You can talk Liam Neeson, Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, and Keanu Reeves, but for my money, my vote goes to Angelina Jolie in the movie Salt. You only understand who Evelyn Salt really is when the great actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, scrolls through Salt’s C.V. on his phone. A simple but eye-opening scene.

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• The countdown, and we are so close. Two weeks to daylight savings time!

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• Police – in the United States, a most difficult and complex job. Heightened awareness, the ‘woke’ movement, and cameras everywhere do not make the job easier, especially when it comes to dealing with family disputes. I am not going to bore any of you with my take on parents and their relationship with their children. What I am going to say it that our children are a product of their environment, and that starts with their parents. Do not misunderstand what I am saying, I am not downplaying the cause and effect of children in a broken home, or even worse, without parents. What I am saying is that the police work shown in this video is a great balance of decision-making by that officer. He listened, evaluated, and took action. Police officers have a very difficult job. Maybe this scene should be made into a public service announcement.

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• A number of readers responded to last week’s take on the effect of OpenAI’s new text-to-video model called Sora. I tried to explain that this new AI model may cause havoc with movie and television production houses, as the technology could possibly take the place of studio production staff. Last Thursday, Atlanta filmmaker Tyler Perry had his say with the possible effect of Sora:

Tyler Perry has put the kibosh on a planned $800 million expansion at his 330-acre studio in Atlanta over fears that rapid advances in video-related artificial intelligence could reduce demand for traditional filmmaking.
Last week, OpenAI unveiled its new text-to-video model Sora with sample AI-generated videos that impressed and alarmed many observers.
“Being told that it can do all of these things is one thing, but actually seeing the capabilities, it was mind blowing,” Perry said Thursday in an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He said filmmakers may not need to do location shoots or even build out certain sets if the technology keeps improving.
Perry’s apparent pullback is notable because the prolific filmmaker not only shoots his own projects at Tyler Perry Studios at the former Fort McPherson, one of the largest filming campuses in the country, but he also reaps substantial revenue renting soundstages and backlot operations to other major studios. Because as I was looking at it, I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this, including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors, and looking at this, I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry.”

Will AI and models like Sora change most aspects of creative thinking and development? You are damn straight it will.

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• I try to close my weekly post with what I call pure talent. I remember the song, Into the Night, circa 1980, but I never knew much about Benny Mardones. To all you young musicians…. this is a live performance in 1980, with 1/100th of the technical integration now used by live-performing bands. No auto-tune, no lip-sync, no ear-prompting. His band actually worked hard on the backing vocals. The song, Into the Night, is just pure talent.

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Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday.

Usher is Pure Talent. Text-To-Video Mid-February Already. Only 18 Weeks?

Quote of the Week: “I think it’s important for us to believe in one another’s capabilities. If I didn’t have someone to believe in me, I wouldn’t be the individual I am today. Neither would I strive for new territory or new direction or to believe in myself.” – Usher

• Last Sunday’s Super Bowl inspired me. Yes, the second half and overtime were great to watch, but what I am referring to is the halftime show. The twenty-minute halftime featured an artist who has sold 150 million records worldwide and earned 8 Grammy Awards, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He has influenced contemporary R&B, pop, and hip-hop music as well as any other artist, and along with many business ventures, he founded a non-profit charity that aims to provide young people with a new look on life through education and real-world experiences.

I am referring to Usher, who at last Sunday’s halftime showed the world his wealth of talent including his profound mastery of soul, R&B, and hip-hop. Recognized by Billboard as number six on the “Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years,” Usher continues to exemplify what I always refer to as ‘pure talent.’

The father of hip hop was Clive Campbell, a.k.a. DJ Kool Herc. He was one of the first DJs to isolate the instrumental portion of a record, emphasizing the drumbeat, or the “break.” Using two turntables and two copies of the same record, DJ Kool Herc was able to elongate the break or what DJs back then called “breakbeat.” This breakbeat music, using funky drum solos, formed the basis of hip-hop music, and the rest his history. In November of last year, Clive Campbell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pure talent.

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• Video generators, using some semblance of artificial intelligence (AI), have been around for a few years. Two years ago, Meta released a video generator and just a month ago Google released a text-to-video (T2V) model that was very impressive. Now OpenAI, the so-called research organization who creates AI “to benefit all humanity,” has created a T2V generator that can create detailed and realistic videos from text prompts.

OpenAI’s model, called Sora, “is able to generate complex scenes with multiple characters, specific types of motion, and accurate details of the subject and background,” OpenAI said. “The model understands not only what the user has asked for in the prompt, but also how those things exist in the physical world.” Why are alarms going off with this type of AI technology? Sora cannot only create video from text prompts, it can create video from still images or existing video, to extend the content or fill in ‘missing’ frames. This means it can alter old/historical footage, create cheap content, and provide an uncomfortable level of propaganda and disinformation (false video = false news). Here is a quote from one technology scientist: “Technology like Sora holds the potential to not just disrupt industries like art and cinema, but completely obliterate them. No longer will production companies need to rely on actors, camera operators, gaffers, and the hundreds of other people who create the movies and TV shows we love. Instead, they can just type a few words into a prompt and get a full video.“

Yes, I know this scenario seems far-fetched, but if you are a producer or studio executive, are you not always looking for less expensive ways to make your movie? Displacing actors, camera operators, gaffers, and hundreds of other support people are eye-opening enough, but how will nation states, terrorist organizations, and political campaigns weaponize these types of AI models to create havoc, with the dangers and risks never-ending.

I do really enjoy new technology, but similar to previous posts, Congress and worldwide organizations better start wrapping some standards around all of AI’s far-reaching models. This video provides a great explanation and examples of what the Sora tool is capable of – alarming or not.

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Things I Think – February 18, 2024

• Prince Harry hinting that he is considering becoming a U.S. citizen. Oh, how the Royals must be eye-rolling.
• Consumer spending habits are forgoing discretionary purchases, some of them being expensive sneakers and athletic wear. Nike announced 2% of its workforce, or 1,700 employees, will get caught up in a reduction in force. I have the same question I have asked with other big corporate layoffs: What were those 1,700 employees doing where Nike can just lay them off?
• Annoyance alert. Resorts are trying to figure out the ongoing dilemma of their guests, early every morning, placing towels on pool and beach chairs so that sometime during the day a chair is available for them. Such despair for the other guests who come to the pool and beach only to find out there are no available chairs. Drama.
• In less than three seconds, what is Presidents’ Day officially called? Three seconds are up.
• The Taylor Swift effect. The NFL estimates that five million more female viewers watched last Sunday’s Super Bowl. It is all about the Taylor Swift Chiefs. On a serious note, TS donated $100,000 to a victim’s family from last week’s shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. Talented and a good human.
• Last Thursday, SpaceX launched twenty-two more of its Starlink internet satellites, their third mission in less than 24 hours. This type of launch activity, even three years ago, seemed implausible.
• Professional golf is definitely at the crossroads, for more reasons than just the PGA and LIV tours. Pay for play, team concepts, and more are coming fast.
• This is exactly how I feel about one of my least favorite topics:

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• Speaking of Prince Harry. It is not often that the National Football League (NFL) has the Duke of Sussex present an award. There is no doubt that Prince Harry took full advantage of his time on stage to take a dig at American football, especially as compared to rugby. At the forty second mark of this video, Prince Harry gets very funny.

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• My first take discusses Usher’s pure talent. Way before Usher came into prominence, we smiled at the incredible talent of the Bee Gees, and the high-octane voice of Barry Gibb. This 25-year-old, listening to the Bee Gees for the first time, obviously had no clue of their pure talent. Listen to her comments at the end of the video. 🙂 (Yes, I know I am a hair-band guy, but if you do not like the Bee Gees, you need to get checked).

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

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Friend and Foe. I’m Not Leaving.  Super Bowl LVIII.  An Orchestra’s Take on Club Music. 

Quote of the Week: “We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.” – Arthur Ashe

• With what is going on in today’s world, I am not sure there are many who would agree with that quote from Arthur Ashe.

Arthur Ashe was a true pioneer. Those who remember Arthur Ashe will recall his amazing tennis career, winning three Grand Slam singles titles and two in doubles. Ashe was the first black tennis player to be selected to the United States Davis Cup team, and the only black man ever to win titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. He was once ranked world No. 1 as well as winning the ATP Player of the Year award. Ashe also enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from college, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps. He went on to an assignment at the United States Military Academy and before leaving the Army was promoted as a 1st Lieutenant. 

As a teenager/college student working at Doral Country Club in Miami, Florida, I was assigned to work for Doral’s Guest Services Manager. My job, at seventeen years old, was to help guests with their requests, which spanned from making dinner reservations, scheduling golf and tennis lessons, running bingo, and doing what needed to be done so that the guests were appeased. The Guest Services Manager, breaking every child labor law known to mankind, would often call me to come to Doral early in the morning as guests needed to fill out their golf foursome or tennis match for doubles. It was a great job as I met so many people, some incredibly nice and generous, and unfortunately some guests who were in a word, rude.

At that time, Arthur Ashe was Doral Country Club’s touring pro, and he and his wife were often at Doral when I was working, which was during the summer and between Thanksgiving and Christmas. His wife, Jeanne, frequently stopped me to thank me for always helping her and Arthur with their questions and requests. Of course, I was awestruck by her ‘celebrity’ status but always remembered how nice she was to me. Jeanne’s husband, Arthur Ashe, was no different. He would often stop me to say hello, thank me for everything I did around Doral, and did something I still remember to this day.

As I was breaking all child labor laws due to the Guest Services Manager’s request that I basically work two shifts, six days a week, she would allow me, at Doral’s expense, to have a meal in their casual, diner-type restaurant. I always waited until most guests departed the restaurant and would sit at the counter for my late lunch or very early dinner. One day, no different than the next, I was having my daily meal and of all people, Arthur Ashe, with many open seats at the counter, sat down next to me. He asked me many questions and we went on to have a great conversation talking about tennis, golf, and sports in general. When we were done chatting, he thanked ME for spending time, shook my hand, and told me that if he could help me in anyway, to give him a call. Dumbstruck, I went on to my workday floating on cloud nine. At seventeen years old, it was an hour I will never forget.

Arthur Ashe’s storied life included graduating from college, a stint with the U.S. Army, many tennis titles, a civil and human rights advocate, and a family man. His heart condition ended his tennis career, and a surgery-related blood transfusion resulted in Ashe contracting HIV. He died in 1993 from AIDS-related pneumonia at the young age of 49.

After everything Arthur Ashe accomplished and subsequently endured, his quote regarding friend and foe does not seem farfetched. 

         My Fond Memories of Jeanne and Arthur Ashe.

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• Hurricanes suck. I am not referring to the University of Miami Hurricanes, but to the storm systems that for the most part find their way to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the East Coast of the United States. The storm surge and sustained wind from category 2 hurricanes and higher wreak havoc, cause immense damage, and usually displace a proportion of the population. I have no doubt that the National Hurricane Center, FEMA, and local and state officials try their best to convince people in threatened areas to evacuate. Many evacuate, but there are always some who refuse to leave and stay in or around their homes. Here is one take on the so-called brave people who think they can ‘ride-out’ a hurricane.

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Here is what I am thinking for a mid-February Sunday:

• Economic forecasters, many of them predicting a recession in Q1 of 2024, must be shaking their heads and tweaking their algorithms. On Friday, the benchmark S&P 500 index closed above 5,000 for the first time. Is there a correction on the horizon? 
• Later today, Super Bowl LVIII (Richie, that Roman numeral is 58) kicks off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year, we should have a good game between the Taylor Swift Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The worldwide television audience is expected to be in the 110 million range, with millions more watching on their laptops and other devices. Not to minimize the expected Super Bowl audience, but to provide perspective, the World Cup Final in 2022 attracted a worldwide television audience of 1.5 billion. 
• Speaking of the World Cup Final: “People across the globe traveling to New Jersey for biggest sporting event in the world.” ”European fans getting off the plane in Newark and looking around like…?” ”Rio, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Buenos Aires…. and East Rutherford, New Jersey.” These are the many comments from naysayers after FIFA announced the 2026 World Cup final would be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This take from Joe Pesci about sums it up. WARNING: FOUL LANGUAGE. 

     Joe Pesci’s Take on the 2026 World Cup Final Venue. 

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• This afternoon’s Super Bowl will hopefully include creative, funny, and interesting commercials. Ad spots for today’s game cost $7 million for 30 seconds, and we certainly hope some of those commercials have the creativity displayed by ETRADE’s baby commercials. So funny. 

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• Pure talent. This song, by Finnish DJ and record producer Darude, gained worldwide recognition back in the early 2000s. An instrumental that is still played in clubs and at sporting events and has gained popularity with the internet meme culture. Darude created Sandstorm using hardware and software too numerous to list, which makes the rendition in this video even more special. Sandstorm eventually reached sales of two million worldwide, but it has never been performed better than this rendition by this talented orchestra.

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• Last, but not least, THE countdown is on. Four weeks to daylight savings time!!

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Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday. 

Analysis Paralysis. The Enola Gay. Opera Canine.  

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• Quote of the Week: 

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” — Bruce Lee

Analysis paralysis (or paralysis by analysis) describes an individual or group process where overanalyzing or overthinking a situation can cause forward motion or decision-making to become “paralyzed”, meaning that no solution or course of action is decided upon within a natural timeframe.

We have all been there. What we thought was a simple question or issue inevitably provokes a long, drawn-out dilemma. We are sometimes mystified by the apprehension exhibited by others to answer or act, as the ‘over-thinking complex’ evokes frustration for all. “I was up all-night thinking about it.” “I just cannot make up my mind.” “That is really causing me to be anxious.” We have all heard these responses in what we felt was a reasonable timeframe to act or answer a question. 

I am not making light of ‘analysis paralysis.’ We know that this syndrome can negatively affect business and other professional entities, as well as personal relationships. Indecisiveness or the inability to sort through facts and information to make a decision is a big problem. I am not sure that there is a clear-cut answer to avoid ‘analysis paralysis’ but I do have suggestions:

• At a minimum, understand when you have hit the wall, overthinking to a point of frustration.
• Set a drop-dead date to make a decision or act on a dilemma. Figure out how long you can make your friend, partner, spouse, or business associates wait on your decision to avoid the obvious.
• Get a sanity check. If appropriate, build diversity of thought, seek counsel, and get the best possible advice so that your decision has a better chance of being the best outcome.
• Shun the details. Refrain from continuously seeking everything you would like to know and keep to what you need to know. Once you have the information or data for what you need to know, it is definitely time to move forward and act, or make your decision. 
• Be realistic with the situation or dilemma. Just because you arrive at one conclusion or decision does not mean you can never adapt to a new one.

Remember: It doesn’t matter in which direction you choose to move when under a mortar attack, just so long as you MOVE.

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• In regard to making a decision: I am stuck at a zoo. Humans laugh, yell, and bang on the glass all day. I would stop the humans from being moronic, but the glass is too thick. I need to ‘voice’ my opinion with these stupid humans and have made a decision to do so. I did not over-think my decision, nor did I need to consult with my family or peers. I made a choice to act. I made a decision. 

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• I do not want to be misleading, biased, or in any way persuasive with the following comments. Due to the justmytake ethos of no religion, and no politics, I will give you my take as I see it. Straight up, leaning on a direct but different comparison. What I am presenting deals with collateral damage, a military term relating to the number of ‘innocents’ or civilians killed in war or a specific military insurgence.

I have had enough of the uneducated opinions, the bias of the media, and protests that have no spine. You, of course, can pass judgement on my remarks, or better yet, provide your own take. Do not roll your eyes or shake your head. Read the following and respond to me with your take. It is not difficult to click on the Comments tab and provide your reply to me – good, bad, or ugly.

It has been eight-three years since the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had two goals: to wipe out the Pacific Fleet and crush the will of the American people. The surprise attack did immense damage to the ships docked at Pearl Harbor, but more importantly and tragically, the Japanese attack resulted in 2,403 Americans killed. Half of them, approximately 1,200, were on one ship, the USS Arizona. The dead included U.S. sailors, soldiers, and civilians.

It has been a little over four months since a terrorist organization breached the fences separating Israel and Gaza. This strategically planned attack was the first invasion of Israel since the 1948 Arab Israeli War. The October 7, 2023, attack on Israel resulted in 1,20o deaths on Israeli soil, including Israeli civilians (thirty-six of them children), seventy-one foreign nationals, and 373 members of Israeli security forces. The terrorists also kidnapped 250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including thirty children, with most of the hostages still held captive today. 

Worldwide, people voiced their opinions on the terrorists and the October 7 massacre of Israeli security forces and civilians, who are without regard called collateral damage. Many are demanding that Israel stand down from their military response with Gaza, where the Hamas terrorist organization is based. Many feel that Israel’s response in Gaza has been too severe and caused too much strife with the civilians of Gaza. 

Let me provide a clear and concise level set: The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor resulting in 2,403 American deaths. Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 and took 250 hostages, 36 of them children.

The American response with Japan: the two bombs dropped on Japan resulted in 140,000 dead in Hiroshima, and 74,000 in Nagasaki. Those two bombs wiped out an area equivalent to five square miles in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with the fallout of nuclear radiation resulting in thousands more Japanese dying from radiation sickness in the weeks, months, and years to follow.

The Israeli response with Gaza: Death and destruction with many areas of Gaza destroyed as the Israelis try to eradicate the Gaza-based terrorist organization, as well as search for the hundreds of hostages. Again, thousands dead and displaced.

I am very unhappy with ANY collateral damage, especially when it comes to children. I am not a proponent of indiscriminate military tactics that result in the death of anyone. I do not like to watch people suffer. With all that said, I am not qualified or intelligent enough to comment on Israel’s military response with Gaza. What I am qualified to say is that I am sick and tired of listening to people, especially self-serving politicians, comment on Israel’s response with Gaza and Hamas. Eighty-three years ago, the United States made the decision to respond to the attack on Pearl Harbor – with atomic bombs. Enough said.

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• Pure talent. We have listened to Luciano Pavarotti, with his booming operatic voice. He had many famous performances, including renditions of “Nessun Dorma,” one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. “Nessun Dorma” achieved pop status after Pavarotti’s 1972 recording of it was used as the theme song of BBC television’s coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.

Pavarotti, in this short video, is accompanied by another amazing voice, and one could only imagine the connection between these two amazing performers. :)

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

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Anything Wrong With a 48″ TV In Your Car? Yes, An Oscar Nomination. Comments/Questions? The Council on Foreign Relations. Billy Powell is Pure Talent. 

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• Quote of the Week: It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. – Albert Einstein

Let’s see…. because drivers on America’s highways and interstates are not distracted enough? Ford’s designers and engineers, at a minimum, are tasked with delivering discernible differences with the design and performance of their line of vehicles. Competitive pressure dictates that Ford reinvent how drivers get information and their new Lincoln Nautilus will be Ford’s first offering of the Lincoln Digital Experience. The platform: a 48-inch-wide screen that runs the full width of the windshield, and of course the screen has 4K resolution to match today’s high-end TV screens. Ford touts the ability of the driver to read weather, trip computer, and entertainment information from behind the wheel of a 4,500 lb. automobile/SUV. Do not get me wrong, I really like new technology, especially anything to do with audio and video, but has Ford carried in-vehicle technology a bit too far? 

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• Friends of mine frown upon my admiration for Godzilla. Totally unprovoked, they question my sanity with what I consider one of the best examples of a dynamic character. Godzilla is a force of nature, a villain, a hero, and at the same time an antihero. I have written about Godzilla and have explained to naysayers, amongst other comparisons, there is no comparison between Godzilla and King Kong. I will not bore you with the details, but there is no comparison.

So, to my dear friends, keep giving me grief about Godzilla as what goes around, comes around. Godzilla, the legendary ‘monster,’ has landed his historic first Oscar nomination. A well-deserved one at that. Who would not want to see the epic, Godzilla Minus One? :)

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The first month of 2024 is already done. Here are some thoughts and questions as we head into February.

• I caught some flack over last week’s post, specifically my statement about Nikki Haley’s quote. One reader suggested (called me) a racist. It is possible the context of what I wrote read wrong or maybe some people took the statement the wrong way. To all: I write this blog to get comments, feedback, and questions…but if you refer to me as a racist, check yourself. 110% wrong.
• She was a mom, a businessperson, a gatherer, tough, loving, and empathetic all at the same time. Carol, rest in peace. 
• Later today is my favorite day of the NFL season. To me, the NFC and AFC championship games are so great to watch. Not that I am not looking forward to Super Bowl LVIII but starting today at 3pm EST is usually seven hours of great fun.
• How long does the U.S. and Great Britain abstain from a ground war in Yemen to eradicate the Houthi rebels? The Houthis attacked another commercial ship on Friday and slowly but surely, supply chain issues are starting to bubble up. Enough said.
• Anyone familiar with ‘loud budgeting?’ As much as I can tell, it is a Gen Z mantra complaining about their financial circumstances and how expensive things are. I have an answer, but I am not sure many Gen Zers want to hear it.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol is seriously wrong. Arrested and charged with DUI in the state of Florida usually results in a big fine, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and sometimes being jailed. Above and beyond those consequences, your father being Hulk Hogan cannot be good. Good luck, ‘Bubba.’ 

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• As described on their website: The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

I have heard about the CFR in the past but never really dug into what they do. As a think tank the CFR provides a massive amount of unbiased information about foreign relations and to dumb it down, what is actually going on with countries around the world. One bit of information they provide is called the Global Conflict Tracker, an interactive guide to ongoing conflicts around the world, and how those conflicts concern the United States. The Global Conflict Tracker map displays close to thirty conflicts with background information and resources on each conflict.

When you listen to people complain about the United States, have them look at this map and the list below. At whatever level, we should be thankful. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/

Americas
Criminal Violence in Mexico
Instability in Haiti
Venezuela Crisis
Asia
Instability in Afghanistan
Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea
North Korea Crisis
Instability in Pakistan
Conflict Between India and Pakistan
Confrontation Over Taiwan
Civil War in Myanmar
Europe and Eurasia
War in Ukraine
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Middle East and North Africa
Conflict in Syria
Instability in Iraq
Instability in Lebanon
Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Civil Conflict in Libya
War in Yemen
Violent Extremism in the Sahel
Confrontation With Iran
Sub-Saharan Africa
Conflict in the Central African Republic
Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Instability in South Sudan
Conflict With Al-Shabaab in Somalia
Conflict in Ethiopia

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• BEST IRISH TEXT MESSAGE OF ALL TIME: “Mary, I am just having one more pint with the lads. If I am not home in twenty minutes, read this message again.”

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• I often discuss what I refer to as ‘pure talent.’ The discussion can relate to different types of artists, scientists, and athletes, but for me it always comes back to music. I am all good with many people not being fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, a Jacksonville, Florida-based band, named after one of their high school teachers. Southern rock and blues are not always fan favorites, but if you spent any time in the southeastern United States in 70s, 80s, and 90s, you listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band, like many of that era, had many eye-opening stories, but one that still sticks with me to this day is about one of their band members, Billy Powell.  

As Gary Rossington explains in the first video below, it was only a heavy rainstorm that allowed the band to discover Billy Powell’s amazing keyboard skills. The second video, an ancient one at that, gives us a brief glance at Billy Powell’s opening to the song Freebird. Do not even tell me that you did not like the song Freebird…do not.

Yes, I am envious of really talented people. Billy Powell was pure talent. 

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

No Risk, No Reward.  MACH 1.5.  Knock It Down. Do You Have Answers? ”You Know That Detroit Has a Dome?” Jimi Hendrix. More Pure Talent. 

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I truly believe in this Quote of the Week – “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”– Muhammad Ali

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• Regarding risk: NASA is halfway through the testing of its experimental supersonic aircraft named the X-59. This is NASA’s venture into supersonic flight, which was banned back in 1973 due to the sonic booms evoked by the plane’s speed and velocity. There was nothing like the dishes in your kitchen’s pantry shaking and clattering when a supersonic aircraft flew over your house followed by a sonic boom.

Due to the design of the X-59, NASA is hoping that the aircraft, flying faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1, which is 761 miles per hour), will fly much more quietly than previous supersonic jets and not generating a loud sonic boom. ‘Lucky’ communities across the U.S. will be selected for the X-59 to do flyovers with the purpose of collecting data for regulators to consider rules that currently ban commercial supersonic flight over land because of noise concerns. It is all about the shape and design of the aircraft, especially the long nose of the plane that helps mitigate the boom sound with flying faster than speed of sound. 

If the testing goes well and the X-59 morphs into a commercial passenger aircraft, we are looking at jets flying at Mach 1.5, or approximately 1,100 miles per hour. How does New York to London in three hours ‘sound’?

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• Speaking of things flying above the earth. Maybe it was Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars technology, or was it the Star Wars trilogy? Whatever the inspiration was, we now have witnessed GROUND-BASED laser technology and systems that Japan is testing to clean up space ‘junk’. Since the dawn of the space age in the 1950s, humankind has launched almost 50,000 tons of material into space, about 10,000 tons of which remains in orbit, according to the ESA, which cited data from the U.S Space Surveillance Network. And of the 15,880 satellites launched into space since 1957, 10,590 of them – the majority of which remain operational – continue to whiz around in space at high speeds as of September, the space agency says.

Amazing, and a bit scary, one can only think of the damage a deranged person could do with this type of technology. Osaka-based EX-Fusion is vying to become the first to use lasers from the ground to eliminate the debris from Earth’s orbit, and hopefully that is all they plan to eliminate. Here is a very interesting and alarming video of how Israel is deploying laser weaponry.  

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I Have Questions and I would Appreciate Your Answers: 

• Did the Justice Department, above and beyond antitrust, block the JetBlue acquisition of Spirit Airlines for undisclosed reasons? Have you ever flown Spirit Airlines?
• Of course, I stay away from politics, but I will ask the question this way: Did the former Governor of South Carolina state that the United States was not/is not a racist country? That is a question, not a statement.
• With U.S. airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen not being effective, what next steps does the U.S. take with stopping their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden?
• What are the key milestones required for consumer demand to grow with electric vehicles? Ford’s production planning geared up their F-150 Lightning pickup for 150,000 vehicles. Recent forecasts level sets sales for 2024 at 30,000 trucks. ”Just missed.”
• What are the drivers of U.S. oil production which are now at record levels? What does this level of production mean for fuel prices at your local gas pump? Is this increase in response to shipping lane disruptions in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden?
• Can someone who lives and breathes the financial world shed some light on the economic downturn, the ‘soft landing’, and recessionary pressure? The S&P 500 and Dow Jones hit all-time highs on Friday with the Nasdaq at a two-year best. Someone please explain where we are heading – it is already the third week of the new year. 
• Why did sixteen college football players make more money this season than standout San Francisco 49er quarterback Brock Purdy? Oh, I KNOW the answer…I am just venting. 

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• I have the utmost respect for broadcast journalists, reporters, and all the production personnel who are behind everything we see and hear. With that said, it is imperative that journalists do their research and homework before asking questions, especially to an NFL head coach preparing his team for a road game at Detroit. To Todd Bowles: kudos to you for handling this so well. 

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• This past week, another conflict with a good friend of mine. Heated, passionate, and absurd, we argued the point of the greatest guitarist of all time. I know there is no clear-cut answer, but for me, and always, it will be Jimi Hendrix. To me, Hendrix was the most innovative guitarist, unafraid to proliferate the use of different melodies, squeals, shredding, acoustics, and effects with his left-handed playing style. Do not get me wrong, amazing guitarists including Jeff Beck, Prince, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Lou Reed, and Duane Allman always brought a smile to my face, but Hendrix to me stands above the others – pure talent. What I also liked about Hendrix was his humility. You only need to watch the first thirty seconds of this video to realize that he was true to himself. Are there many better songs that resonate with guitar skill than the classic “All Along the Watchtower?” I do not think so.

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• Speaking of pure talent, Faheem Rashad Najm is known for his rap, R&B, and hip-hop skills, but for many years many have considered him one of the best acoustic performers of all time. His stage name is T-Pain, and what he does with the song Tennessee Whiskey, made relevant by country artist Chris Stapleton, is amazing. Early on in his career, T-Pain was ridiculed for using ‘auto-tune’ (think of auto-tune as Photoshop for music). Obviously, there is no auto-tune engaged in this live performance…just an amazing voice and performance. Bret: thank you for the reminder of T-Pain. Maybe someone should ask Chris Stapleton to perform T-Pain’s “I Am in Love with A Stripper?” 🙂

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