Those Were The Candidates To Lead The Most Powerful Nation On Earth?
“This Is Not Soccer.”
Salute Our Veterans!
This Is My House…..
Chicken Livers On The Way To School.
Mike McDaniel Is A Different
Can We Just All Get Along?
I am still receiving emails about my thoughts on the 2024 Presidential election. Those thoughts will be kept to myself as I no longer comment or have an opinion with the world of politics and many self-serving politicians. Here is what I will say: Last Wednesday night, for a reason that I cannot explain, I turned on my television and the channel was showing the Republican presidential primary debate held in Miami, Florida. Republican, Democratic, or whatever party, that was twenty minutes I will never get back. No names mentioned of course, but the twenty minutes I watched was both embarrassing and slightly humiliating. Leadership candidates of the United States of America making a mockery of serious domestic and international issues. Okay, I have again said my peace.
From the world of sport: The ridiculous, outlandish, and time-wasting by soccer players complaining to the referee about every call needs to stop. Over and over again, players charging up to the referee after a foul or decision being made is maddening. There is no doubt that soccer leagues around the world need to put a dead stop to this practice – and learn from the world of rugby. Nigel Owens is a renowned rugby referee, known for his quick wit and one-liners, but more importantly his command and control of a sport played with reckless abandon. This video quickly shows who is in charge, and his quip regarding ‘this is not soccer’ is a classic. Yes, the center referee in world rugby is microphoned-up and wears a body camera.
Nigel Owens taking control.
Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. First observed on November 11, 1919, Veterans Day was first called Armistice Day in honor of the first anniversary of the end of World War I, which ended on the eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Please get your flag out, fly it proudly, and to all the veterans: praise, honor, admiration, and thank you.
Thank You, Veterans.
Speaking of honor and respect, this is a post-game press conference and it is obvious Mexican LigaMX manager Ricardo ‘Tuca’ Ferretti was not exactly in a good mood. He always starts his presser with women reporters asking their questions first, and when one moronic male reporter asked him why….well, you can watch what happened…..
There is no doubt that Tuca Ferretti is all about chivalry!
Chicken liver with your bus ride to school. Doggy daycare gone over the top? What an impressive and creative idea. Could daycare facilities and schools learn some best practices from the doggie bus? Wow.
Alaskan Doggie Day Care!!
Headline of the week:Plane bound for Orlando takes off with missing window panes as crew fails to spot damage. The plane reached an altitude of 14,000 feet before the crew realized ‘something was wrong.’ So much for the pilots’ pre-flight inspection protocols.
I have often reflected about my memories of the Miami Dolphins. Many of the famous Dolphins’ players are still top of mind for me, and their head coach of those days was the epitome of discipline, strategy, and most importantly exemplified his desire to win. I am referring to Don Shula, still the winningest coach in NFL history with 347 wins, including two Super Bowls and one NFL championship. Fast-forward to today’s Miami Dolphins’ head coach, Mike McDaniel. His path to a head coaching job in the NFL is mind-boggling, starting off as a 22-year-old intern with the Denver Broncos. McDaniel is no Don Shula, but he does bring a refreshing, quirky, and very honest personality to the ranks of NFL head coaches. McDaniel does not hide the funny, or not funny, like how he once consumed alcohol in excess and has battled hard to reach sobriety. From McDaniel: “I think people respond best to authenticity, to know that nothing that you say or do is fabricated,” McDaniel said. “So, I just try to stay true to my personality and I feel like that’s owed to people. You have to give yourself, if you’re in a leadership role where you’re serving other people. You have to give people yourself and so I just try to pride myself on that and hold nothing back because I feel like that’s what people deserve.” In many ways, but with a slightly different approach, Mike McDaniel does bring a level of leadership to the Dolphins they once enjoyed with Don Shula.
Mike McDaniel is no Don Shula.
South Park has a massive following. The creativity and writing on that show has been honored many times, winning both Peabody and Emmy awards. The series became infamous for its profanity and dark, surreal humor that satirizes a wide range of subjects and issues. We can always hope that this animated bit can become true very soon.
Van Halen’s 1978 classic Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!
An Explanation. Setting Standards. $7m For 30 Seconds. Baby Come Back.
It has been another six months and this morning we moved the clock back. Yes, every year at this time I moan about the lack of daylight in the early evenings. I do not understand why we continue to adhere to a strategy imposed in 1974 to help mitigate an ongoing natural gas crisis. Sure, we will have light earlier on in the morning, but the dread of darkness creeping into the afternoon is not fun. I never wish my life to move any faster than it already is, but for one I cannot wait until March 10, 2024.
Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson with his take on changing the clocks every six months.
In my last post, one take discussed artificial intelligence (AI) technology and my concerns about its potential use within technology sectors, healthcare, transportation, education, and the military. My issues with AI were not with the technology itself, but more about its exponential growth without standards and protocols.
Last week, the United States announced that it is leading the way with trying to wrap some level of regulation around AI, as the White House handed down an executive order, the most significant action with AI the administration has taken to date. The order provides standards for safety and security, protecting consumers privacy rights, advancing equity and civil rights, promoting workers, and spelling out how government should use AI. No, this is not the be all and end all of trying to control the use of AI, but at minimum it is start of trying to wrap some command and control with the exponential growth of AI.
There is no doubt that worldwide marketers are taking a hard look at their advertising spend, especially considering what many think will be a slow down with the economy. While over-the-air and cable television are still a bit of the norm, advertisers have been and will continue to use streaming and digital as alternative advertising platforms. With all that said, there is no doubt the NFL is still the preeminent televised sport in the United States. CBS/Paramount announced last week that their inventory for commercial spots for February’s Super Bowl has sold out…at $7 million for a 30-second spot. I assume that these advertisers are betting on two competitive opponents, a fantastic halftime show, and ad spots that the viewing audience glean over. The projected television audience for the February 11, 2024, Super Bowl is expected to reach 120 million.
A top commercial from last year’s Super Bowl.
Six Things I Think I Think
New York City is back in a big way. The streets, the restaurants, the stores – all packed with people. A great response from the dark days of the pandemic.
Speaking of cities and a complete change of socioeconomics, the Miami River sector near the Dolphin Expressway in Miami, Florida should be a benchmark for redevelopment across the United States.
What a weekend in Orlando with the two-day Fall Fiesta at Lake Eola Park, and last night’s Jazz Fest in the College Park neighborhood.
Who would have predicted that flexible work entities would be in such bad financial shape, when just a few years ago that space was on fire? WeWork, Workbar, Impact Hub, and Regus are just a few of these businesses who have fallen on hard times.
Mortgage rates fell below 8% on Friday – the lowest level since September. Will this trend continue or will the Fed step in again to ‘curb inflation?’
Are we missing something here? The 2023 Cricket World Cup lasts six weeks with the final match at the end of November. Through the first eighteen matches, the worldwide television viewership was 365 million people. Say what?
I know I complain a bit too often about today’s music. While there are many artists who are fantastic, the music of the past will unfortunately never be replicated. I could start a long list, and many of you would agree with my assessment that the music of the 1970’s/80’s was incredible. Yacht rock, classic rock, disco, Motown, heavy metal, and folk music. “Baby Come Back” was released in 1977 by British-American rock band Player. The song is so well done it reached #1 on the Billboard 100. The music is fantastic and the vocals, by Peter Beckett, are bar none. Real vocals + real musicians = real talent.
The 1977 hit“Baby Come Back” by Player
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday.
Why AI Is Not Always The Right Path Forward. Do Not Mess With This Grandfather. “Ain’t Nobody”
I find it interesting, and sometimes puzzling, why the topic of healthcare seems to be an increasingly top-of-mind discussion point for too many people. I had a lengthy conversation about healthcare with two friends, one from Scottsdale, Arizona, and the other from Toronto, Canada. I found the conversation interesting with the topic covering everything from increasing costs to the quality of healthcare in the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian, for obvious reasons, boasted about her country’s publicly funded healthcare system, known as Medicare. The Canadian Medicare system is a set of ten provincial and three territorial healthcare systems, covering a wide range of services including childbirth, surgery, and prescription drugs. Based on this riveting 🙂 conversation about healthcare, I decided to post about the U.S. healthcare system.
The U.S. healthcare system is often criticized for various reasons, and some people describe it as corrupt or flawed due to several factors. It’s important to note that this description does not apply to all aspects of the healthcare system, and many healthcare professionals and institutions work diligently to provide high-quality care. However, some common criticisms and issues include:
High Costs: The United States spends more per capita on healthcare than any other developed country. The high costs can be attributed to various factors, including administrative expenses, the cost of prescription drugs, and the high salaries of healthcare professionals.
Lack of Universal Coverage: Unlike many other developed countries, the U.S. does not have a universal healthcare system. This means that millions of Americans are uninsured or underinsured, leading to disparities in access to care.
Insurance Industry Complexity: The involvement of private health insurance companies has led to a complex and fragmented system. This complexity can result in high administrative costs and difficulties for patients in understanding their coverage.
Pharmaceutical Industry: The cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. is often much higher than in other countries. The pharmaceutical industry’s pricing practices have faced scrutiny and criticism.
Profit-Driven Healthcare: Some argue that the profit motive in healthcare can lead to overuse or unnecessary procedures, tests, and treatments, as well as a focus on profit over patient well-being.
Inequality: Disparities in healthcare access and outcomes based on factors such as race, income, and location are significant concerns.
Lobbying and Political Influence: The healthcare industry, including pharmaceutical companies, insurance providers, and hospital groups, often wields significant influence in U.S. politics, which can shape healthcare policy and regulation.
Legal Issues and Fraud: There have been cases of fraud and abuse within the U.S. healthcare system, including insurance fraud, kickbacks, and overbilling.
It’s important to recognize that while there are systemic issues, the U.S. healthcare system also provides world-class care in many areas, and many healthcare professionals are dedicated to their patients’ well-being. Reform efforts continue to address some of the issues, but the complexity of the system and political considerations make significant changes challenging. Public discourse and policy debates about healthcare reform in the U.S. are ongoing.
Did you fall asleep reading that? Reality:
I had a conversation about healthcare with my friends from Scottsdale and Toronto.
I did write the opening paragraph.
I did NOT write the italicized content. All of that content was written in under five seconds using artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT – Open AI.
After reading a good bit about artificial intelligence, I am going on record that I am very concerned about its use, the impact on our society, and how it may affect general human behavior. Without trying to put you to sleep with my concerns with AI, here are three in no particular order:
AI’s ability to generate and use algorithms that prioritize engagement over truth – and how this may divide and polarize content…any content.
The ability for AI to create or alter social media platforms to generate attention, emotions, and beliefs, and create a distorted sense of reality.
How value and ethics come into play with the use of artificial intelligence, and depending on who is using AI, their ability to promote good, bad, and evil.
I used the comparison of the U.S. and Canada healthcare systems as an example of AI-generated content. Simple, straightforward, and no harm, no foul with that type of content. Where the use of AI goes sideways: it is an ungovernable technology and can be used by bad people to wrongly shape opinion, behavior, and values by generating content that is harmful and incorrect. The following are examples of AI going terribly wrong:
In 2016, Microsoft launched an AI chatbot named Tay on Twitter. The chatbot was designed to learn from the interactions it had with users and become more intelligent over time. However, within a day of its launch, Tay began spewing racist and sexist comments.
In 2018, Amazon had to scrap an AI recruiting tool because it was biased against women.
In 2020, a study used AI to predict criminality from faces. Researchers from Harrisburg University announced that they had developed facial recognition software that could predict whether someone would be a criminal. The software could allegedly predict from a single photo of a face with an 80% accuracy rate and no racial bias. In response to this announcement, 2,425 experts signed a letter urging the journal not to publish this study or similar research in the future because this type of technology can reproduce injustices and cause real harm to society.
In 2021, OpenAI’s GPT-3 language model was found to be generating racist and sexist content.
One theorist, Tristan Harris, argues that “AI is not just a tool, but a force that is shaping our perspective and reality in ways that we are not aware of or in control of. He also claims that AI is creating a “race to the bottom of the brain stem”, where tech companies compete to capture our attention and manipulate our emotions, often at the cost of truth, ethics, and human dignity.” Harris also believes that a level of AI legislation and regulation must be enacted very soon as “AI will end the world by amplifying our own human flaws and biases, and creating a feedback loop of polarization, misinformation, and extremism. He says that AI is already eroding our trust in each other and in institutions and undermining our democracy and social cohesion. He warns that AI could also trigger existential risks, such as nuclear war, bioweapons, or climate change, by destabilizing the geopolitical order or enabling malicious actors.”
I am not sure I agree with Harris’ extreme views on AI, but I do believe that entities better get a grip on the use of artificial intelligence very soon.
Only Sebastian Maniscalco Can Dumb Down The Use of A.I.
Last week’s post discussing the tragedy in the Middle East evoked a good bit of feedback and comments. The ongoing horrible saga continues with no end in sight. Last week’s comments on the tragic events will be my last, though I felt it was important to substantiate and depict the reality of terrorism, whether it be in the Middle East or here in the United States. Below is a snippet of a thirteen-minute segment of last Sunday’s 60 Minutes, which after fifty-five years, is still one of the best written ‘news magazine’ shows on television.
This thirteen-minute video documents the heroism of a former Israel Defense Force operative, who did not hesitate to go into battle again to rescue his son and family, as well as a couple fleeing the terrorists, and two wounded Israeli soldiers. Thirteen minutes that most of us cannot relate to. This thirteen minutes is worth your time: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/israeli-family-rescued-by-retired-idf-general-60-minutes-video-2023-10-15/
An Amazing Rescue.
I try to end every post with a bit of positivity and fun, and today will be no different.
Part of an inter-racial funk band, which started over fifty years ago, Chaka Khan, in my opinion, has been in a league of her own. Her powerful and amazing voice evokes emotion, happiness, and soulfulness. After fifty years accumulating numerous awards, including ten Grammy’s, Chaka Khan has finally been elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It really does not get any better than the 1983 classic “Ain’t Nobody.”
Chaka Khan, and Her Massive 1983 Hit “Ain’t Nobody”
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!
Edwin Starr’s POV. Pure Evil. We Don’t Have Any Damn Trout. Peace.
“We must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
There have been many songs about war, from the battle on Iwo Jima to the conflict in Vietnam. Edwin Starr never sang it better when he belts out “War, what is it good for?” in this early 70’s classic. Military theorists always look for an advantage with command and control, and Edwin Starr’s command of his voice, tone, and emotion never expressed his disdain of the Vietnam War better. Unfortunately, some fifty years later, the song ‘War’, by Edwin Starr, is still relevant.
Edwin Starr’s War
Last week’s post did not include any take on the tragic events in Israel and Gaza. I wanted more information and facts, and because I try to post on Sunday mornings, Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel last Saturday left many harrowing questions. I decided to wait until this week to look at what happened in Israel, allowing time for the facts to come forward.
To start off this post, many thoughts and prayers for the people around the world who are suffering and in dire straits. I was not going to post today, feeling like my avantgarde take on ‘things I think’ would be trivial and unwarranted right now, with people suffering and in harm’s way. I decided to provide a bit of reflection on the situation in the Middle East, and maybe some thoughts and music…anything to lighten the bleak situation in many parts of the world.
After two thousand years of territorial and religious conflict, last Saturday afternoon provided us with a glimpse of real life in the Middle East. On Saturday, October 7, we watched in horror at what unfolded, starting with rockets landing in Israel from Gaza, a narrow piece of land located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Israel to the east and north, and Egypt to the southwest. Gaza is ruled by Hamas, a.k.a. the Islamic Resistance Movement, an Islamist political and military organization currently governing the Gaza Strip of the Palestinian territories. Hamas have ruled Gaza since 2007, and they are deemed a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and other countries around the world. Hamas is forever aggressively resisting Israeli occupation of Gaza and seeks revenge for Israel’s 2021 raid on Islam’s third-holiest site, Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Hamas’s bloody massacre and Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes have so far killed more than 2,000 people. Israel has warned citizens who reside in northern Gaza, to leave as the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) readies to first destroy and then occupy Gaza to 1) try and rescue hundreds of hostages taken by Hamas, and 2) rid Gaza of the terrorists once and for all. This is a political and humanitarian crisis of a scale and complexity that is difficult to comprehend. As my friend S² has explained to me, Israel has no choice but to destroy Gaza and wipe out Hamas, as previous efforts by Israel have always come to to a stop, allowing Hamas to again regain a foothold and accrue military provisions. Note: S² was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, a country that shares its southern border with Israel, and for many years have had to live with their own terroristic organizations, including Hezbollah.
I have questions as I only have a basic understanding of the territorial and religious division found in the Middle East (and in regions of Africa, as well as other parts of the world). In no particular order:
Will Israel’s agony and retribution end in chaos or stability?
Is there any chance of rescuing the hostages taken by Hamas?
How will the IDF fare with urban warfare in what is left of Gaza?
Where will the residents of Gaza flee to?
What is/was Hamas’ endgame with their terroristic rampage in Israel?
How in the hell did Israel’s intelligence failure happen?
Why has Hamas failed to rally the Middle East to its cause?
The savagery of Hamas has garnered a pro-Israel sentiment similar to the aftermath of the six-day war in 1967 and Yom Kippur war of 1973. Will the support for Israel continue?
While the focus in the last eight days is the sadness and agony found in Israel and Gaza, let us not forget that other parts of the world, where we unfortunately find humanitarian issues that most of us can never comprehend. It is day six hundred of the Russia-Ukraine war. The continued violence in Haiti where gangs control basic goods and fuel. The same for Burkina Faso, where groups of terrorists control 40% of the country. The devastating drought in Ethiopia and Somalia, where thousands of people have already lost their lives to hunger with both countries on the brink of famine. The list of countries with humanitarian issues are too many to name, and now the crisis in the Middle East seems to have added more misery and fuel to fire.
Was it shocking that Hamas ‘walked’ into Israel, known for their vast and invasive intelligence services? Yes, on all counts, as what happened last Saturday has put the world on alert. The ‘never again’ mantra after Pearl Harbor and 9/11 happened again, in a country that we all felt had their finger on the pulse of terrorists who always want to due harm to Israel. United States Army Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia’s speech is powerful – and is not a threat, but a promise to enemies of the United States.
“Someone Else Will Raise Your Sons and Daughters”
When drama unfolds around the world, we always look to the protagonist or champion of a particular cause or situation. The great military generals of the past, Godzilla, David versus Goliath, or in this situation, this server, who for obvious reasons, I would follow into a street fight or gang war. “That wasn’t a question” has never been stated so succinctly. Yes, everyone, I did mention Godzilla.
What Don’t You Want?
No one knows what the short and long-term future of Israel and Gaza looks like, and if any of the many hostages will be rescued or released. What we all do know is that around the world, there are situations that are putting millions of people in a desperate situation. Whether the cause and effect relate to war and territory, ruthless gangs, or famine, we can only wish for some level of sustainable peace. Unrealistic? Probably, but one can only hope. O.A.R.’s song Peace really does sum it up.
O.A.R. Wanting Peace
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!
There Was No One Like Butkus. Things I Think. Self-Checkout. The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. I Paid You!
I am a fan of the National Football League (NFL) for many reasons. Growing up in Miami, I had the Miami Dolphins, an expansion team that joined the NFL in 1970 following the merger of the NFL and the American Football League (AFL). In a matter of two years, led by coach Don Shula, the Dolphins went on to win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973. The Dolphins’ “No-Name” defense was led by Nick Buoniconti, small in stature for a linebacker, but a relentless tackler as well as a team-leader. Fond memories which led me to always watch the middle linebacker position on any team.
Middle linebackers of the AFL/NFL era were always my favorite. Along with Buoniconti, there were many great linebackers who were fierce, great hitters, and feared by quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers cutting over the middle of the field. To name a few, Ray Nitschke, Bill Romanowski, Mike Singletary, Willie Lanier, Ray Lewis, Jack Lambert, and Harry Carson. All of them exemplified the role and responsibility of the middle linebacker position.
Not to discount my list or any other notable middle linebacker, the most feared and intimidating linebacker ever to play, in my book, was Dick Butkus. Nicknamed The Animal, The Enforcer, The Maestro of Mayhem, and The Robot of Destruction, Butkus wreaked havoc game-in, and game-out, with his menacing demeanor, relentless intensity, speed, and strength. Butkus was fast and at 6’3″ and 245 lbs., he was big compared to other players of that era. His speed was astonishing for his size, tracking down running backs and dropping back to cover passes over the middle. Butkus intercepted twenty-two passes in his career, astonishing for a middle linebacker.
Teammates and opponents alike marveled at Butkus’ ferocity. He intimidated players like nobody else. “If I had a choice, I’d sooner go one-on-one with a grizzly bear,” former Green Bay Packers running back MacArthur Lane said. “I prayed that I could get up every time Butkus hit me.” In a video for NFL Films, John Facenda, in typically dramatic fashion, said Butkus played “with a religious fervor, with an unrelenting obsession not only to excel but to dominate and demoralize.” This video is well worth your time to understand the impact Dick Butkus made on football. Butkus passed away last Thursday at the age of 80. Note: NFL Films with John Facenda’s voice-over is still one of the best productions ever.
RIP Dick Butkus
Things I Think For October 8
Completely wireless TVs – inevitable and there should be many interesting applications of these TVs in the very near future.
The Pacific – a ten-part series that premiered a decade ago. Acclaimed by many to be a better watch than the Band of Brothers, this series is based on the accounts of Marines in the Pacific theatre in World War II. Producers included Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks so you know it is well done. After many weeks, I finished the series last Thursday night. Note: this series is extremely vivid and very gory.
Tech firms are racing to put artificial intelligence (AI) in small, wearable devices and gadgets. I am not sure how I feel about this.
I hope you are $1.4 billion richer after last night’s Powerball drawing.
Sam Bankman-Fried. Was he an inexperienced nerd who could not manage a fast-growing crypto company, or is he all about fraud similar to Bernie Madoff?
I enjoyed watching golf’s Ryder Cup, but I will say it is not the same without Tiger involved with the U.S. team at some level.
After all the time, consternation, and aggravation, retailers are finally rethinking their self-checkout strategies. “Some are finding that they still need employees to combat theft and assist with purchases.” Duh.
“You Do It”
The Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs are in full swing. Great teams and great players in an era dictating rule changes including a pitch clock and larger bases. Due to the physicality of today’s MLB players, it is difficult to compare today’s players to the players of the past. The photo below shows a ‘bobble-body” lineup of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. With all due respect to the great teams we have watched in the last twenty-five years, this is the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers lineup from left to right: 2B Jim Gilliam; SS Pee Wee Reese; CF Duke Snider; RF Carl Furillo; 1B Gil Hodges; 3B Jackie Robinson; LF Sandy Alomar; P Don Newcombe; Manager Walter Alston. I wonder what level of performance we would have with these players if they had grown up in this era of weight and speed training, contact lenses, nutrition, chartered jets for travel, and ballparks tailored for teams to score runs. Thoughts from the baseball people?
The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers With Manager Walter Alston
Jo Koy is very funny. This bit discusses his seventh grader and the issues “they both are having” with math. Note: Jo Koy does not hold back with language.
I hired you to teach son math – so funny!
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!
Narcissism At Its Finest. Is Delta Still Atlanta’s Favorite Airline? Age = Wisdom. Could Care Less. A Great Time Of Year. The Sphere.
I received many comments, mostly sent to my email address, from last week’s post. Please remember that it is my take and I am always looking for your opinion and comment. Thank you to allfor taking the time to respond.
“I, _____________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”
That is the first sentence of the U.S. military oath of service. This 60 Minutes interview with retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley literally turned my stomach. This take is not pointed at the former President, or any other politician, as all of you know how I feel about anything political. What makes me ill is that the statement made by the former President has again come to light as this military veteran of forty-three years gets set to retire. Mark Milley, before his appointment as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, served with the 82nd Airborne Division, 5th Special Forces Group, the commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division, and served as the commanding officer of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command. He earned degrees from Princeton, Columbia, and the Naval War College, and was awarded the Bronze Star four times. For anyone, nonetheless any politician, to infer that this military hero would do anything treasonous with China is disgusting.
In today’s post, I mention narcissism and cognitive abilities. It is ironic and sad that the two leading candidates for the 2024 presidency align with those descriptions.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley
Hello Ed, I clearly understand that successful companies must segregate their customers based on spend, as well as tenure and loyalty. As someone who has been a Delta customer since the early 1980’s, the changes made with both Medallion status and Sky Club access, while certainly differentiating your customer base based on spend, certainly does not reward customer tenure and loyalty. There are case studies outlining the missteps well-recognized brands and entities have taken with their lack of recognizing customer tenure and loyalty.
I am far from a “Bain’ consultant or analyst, but my leadership and P/L experience tell me that your staff could have developed a program that honored customer spend, as well as loyalty, and tenure.
That was an email I wrote to Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, the day after Delta announced changes to their Medallion program and Sky Club access. The changes Delta announced only rewarded customer spend to create ‘greater value’ and delineate their customer base, with no regard to customer loyalty and tenure. I am sure my email, which was responded to by one of Delta’s customer officers, was one of thousands that flooded Ed Bastian’s inbox, as well as the media posting negative vibes with Delta’s new rules. An update is that Ed Bastian has conceded that the program changes may have gone too far and it looks like Delta may “roll back” their decision that resulted in angry customers and very bad optics. I guess the lesson learned is that well-run companies, even with strong leadership, can still take missteps with how they treat their customers. Here is a take from Kyle Potter from Thrifty Traveler:
Did Delta Go Too Far?
Not one of our favorite topics, but America is getting older. The share of Americans sixty-five or older grew by more than a third from 2010 to 2020 and at the fastest rate of any decade in 130 years. The good news: As reported by Pew Research, among adults 65 and older, fully 60% say they feel younger than their age, compared with 32% who say they feel exactly their age and just 3% who say they feel older than their age. The bad news: About one-in-four adults 65 and older report experiencing memory loss. About one-in-five say they have a serious illness, are not sexually active, or often feel sad or depressed. One-in-seven cannot drive.
Now that I have your attention – it is obvious that we must try to maintain and improve our functional fitness, as well as our mental aptitude and cognitive skills. The old adage that “I don’t remember what I came into the kitchen for, but I do remember lyrics from ’80’s hair bands” – is mystifying. Speaking of aging and wisdom, this statement is so true in many, many ways.
Here Are Ten Random Topics That I Could Care Less About. What About You?
Taylor Swift attending NFL games to watch her new squeeze.
NPD – Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Any latest version of iPhone software
Chatbots
The sheer amount of commercials during NFL games.
Mortgage rates hitting a 23-year high.
Insincere people.
Eyeglasses that support ChatGPT. WTH?
Weak coffee.
Anything to do with politics.
I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but if you enjoy sports, you are definitely enjoying this time of year. College and pro football are in full swing, as well as the other football around the world. Major League Baseball playoffs start Tuesday, the National Basketball Association on October 24, and the National Hockey League on October 10. Major League Soccer playoffs start soon, and for me it will be interesting to see where Orlando City and Atlanta United end up in the eastern conference standings, and how Chattanooga F.C. fair in their playoff run. A fun time of year heading into the Fall.
Speaking of live sports, this could be one of the most creative in-game productions….and of course it was hockey fans in an arena who pulled this off. Excellent!!!
I am not a huge fan of Las Vegas, probably due to the number of times I have been there for business. Las Vegas, similar to other cities, can be tough to do business in due to variable labor, union regulations, and the sheer volume of people in the city. The city has come a very long way over the years, and the newest ‘attraction’ in Sin City is magnificent. Sphere, part of The Venetian Resort, is a state-of-the venue combining music, art, and fabulous technology. Sphere has 160,000 speakers and 260 million pixels, took five years to build, and costs exceeded $2.3 billion.
U2 provided the entertainment for the Sphere’s opening on Friday of last week. Whether you like their music or not, this venue is just an amazing venue to see any performance.
U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday!
I Need YOUR Thoughts. The Misfortune Of Others. Benicio. Florida & Texas.
I am interested with YOUR Thoughts on the Following. This is no time to be shy…just put your thoughts in the Comments section of the blog…or if you prefer, email me your thoughts. Grazi’.
Today marks day 578 of Russia-Ukraine war.
I am a big supporter of teachers, first-responders, and anyone who provides services to children. This quote, from a former Atlanta area teacher with eight years of experience, is just so wrong. “I am earning what a teacher with 15 years of experience made at my last school district — and 50% more than what I made when I quit.” This teacher quit her school system to go to work at Costco. I know, there are always three sides to every story, but this is appalling.
Fall is officially here. It was under 70 degrees in central Florida this morning. Okay, you non-Florida people, stop laughing.
Are interest rates, specifically fixed-rate mortgage rates, at a level that will not change in the near future?
Will the CDC recommend we take a vaccine for every new strain of Covid-19?
Families and individuals in Atlanta and Orlando spending way too much money on tickets to see Lionel Messi, with Messi unavailable/injured for last week’s game in Atlanta and tonight’s game in Orlando.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike could result in 300,000 people without a paycheck – in Michigan alone.
The Miami suburb of West Kendall has never been known for being recognized as an area of culinary excellence, but one eatery there has made the NY Times Restaurant List 2023. My go-to Miami contact is my longtime compadre, PDR, who has forgotten more about the inner workings of Miami than I ever knew. PDR: have you and DDR been to Smoke and Dough?
They are not exactly the Shinkansen bullet trains of Japan, but Florida’s Brightline service finally provides high-speed rail service from Miami to Orlando. At a top speed of 130 m.p.h., the Brightline train service from Miami delivers you to Orlando in less than three hours. A great alternative for some trips, especially if you want to avoid the Florida Turnpike or the infamous I-95. There are other routes you can take on Brightline with a stops in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, and Aventura. In the very near future, Brightline will also service the Orlando to Tampa route. Nice job, Brightline.
This is not a loaded question…it is just a question: Are the leading U.S. presidential candidates too old to be the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces, as well as the President?
Who could argue this quote from Bruce Lee?
This neo-noir crime thriller stars one of my favorite actors, Benicio Del Toro. Overall, can you think of an actor that is on-par with Del Toro and his ability to morph into that intense gaze, and moody, haunted persona?
The Great Benicio Del Toro
My take on the quote below has nothing to do with who is quoted, though before her death three years ago, she was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. While I agree with the first part of the quote, we have all unfortunately witnessed that to “… do it in a way that will lead others to join you” may backfire.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”– Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Word of the Day: Schadenfreude. This word is a direct combination of the German words for “harm or misfortune” and “joy.” It describes the happiness one feels at the misfortune of others. An example of ‘schadenfreude’ used in a sentence: “I felt a twinge of schadenfreude when I heard that my former colleague who liked to cause trouble for others had been fired.” Now you know.
For the last Sunday in September, I will end this take with a bit of fun humor. I enjoy living in Florida, especially between October and April…but Chris Cope’s perspective on the states of Florida and Texas are very funny.
Chris Cope
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday!
Ransomware Is No Joke. Things I Am Thinking For Mid-September. The Greatest Antagonist. Cheesesteaks, Anyone? CSNY.
By definition, Ransomware is a malware (software developed for malicious intent) designed to deny a user or organization access to files on their computer. By encrypting these files and demanding a ransom payment for the decryption key, cyberattackers place organizations in a position where paying the ransom is the easiest and cheapest way to regain access to their files.
Most of us are aware of ransomware with relative thinking that these attacks are primarily a nuisance, with you or your organization’s files encrypted until you pay a small payment to have them “released”, or decrypted. Nuisance is definitely not the correct way to describe a ransomware attack, as there has been a dramatic increase in both the frequency and severity of attacks. Today’s cybercriminals are more sophisticated, finding new ways to evade detection and infect devices.
Last week, cybercriminals went after Caesars Entertainment, the conglomerate that has many hotels under their umbrella, including Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, and the Flamingo. Las Vegas’ MGM hotel endured a cyber-attack back in 2019 as well, with the personal information of 142 million guests stolen by hackers and posted to a dark web cybercrime marketplace. Note: it has been reported that Caesars paid the cybercriminals $15 million to have their data decrypted. Before payment was made, the malicious software used by the cybercriminals caused long lines at check-ins, no phone service, no room service, and payouts from the casino taking up to sixty minutes.
Certainly not a benchmark, but in 2021, Chicago’s CNA Financial ended up paying out $40 million to cyber criminals to regain control of their network. Preventing these types of attacks, even with cybersecurity protocols in place, can be very difficult. As a baseline, here are a few things you and your organization can do to help prevent malware from entering your computer, phone, tablet, or your organization’s network. Samir, please chime in with any other thoughts on how to prevent malware from ‘entering’ devices or a network:
Backing up important data is the single most effective way of recovering from a ransomware infection.
Keep your system up-to-date, and use a newer version of antivirus software, like Microsoft Defender.
Think twice, and then three times, before clicking links or downloading files.
Do not trust pop-up windows that ask you to download software.
Malware, everywhere.
Seven Random Thoughts For Mid-September
It is ALREADY Mid-September!
Delta Air Lines: I certainly understand that all organizations must segregate their customer and prospect bases by spend (or potential spend), but revising your loyalty programs without a component of tenure and loyalty is a misstep.
Cable television providers are quickly retooling their go-to-market strategies by becoming resellers of streaming services. There is no doubt that traditional cable television service is on its way out – and with the National Football League and Major League Soccer offering league games via Amazon, YouTube, and Apple, streaming services have shown us that once the massive television rights contracts are up, sports and news programming will morph over to streaming service platforms.
The UAW is on strike, demanding a 36% wage increase over four years, a defined benefit pension, and a thirty-two-hour work week. This does not bode well for America’s ‘Big Three’ automakers, Ford, GM, and Stellantis, who produce cars for Chrysler. Dovetail these demands with a very tight labor market and who really does know how this will get resolved? As many as 150,000 workers could be affected by this labor strike.
Whether you like watching golf on TV or not, this week’s Ryder Cup, played at Marcone Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy, is usually must-see TV. The biennial men’s competition is between teams from Europe and the U.S. Depending on the results of the first two days (Friday and Saturday), the singles matches on Sunday are always fun to watch.
College and Pro football are up and running. So are international football leagues including England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Major League Baseball is heading into their playoffs as well as Major League Soccer. Fun, and more fun.
Supply chain issues have bubbled up once more, this time due to the drought condition of the Panama Canal. This man-made canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. Yes, I am going to ask: How can a canal that flows from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean be in a drought condition? Can someone just open the faucet at one end of the canal and let in some water?
Open the faucet!
Headline of the Week: New Godzilla Minus One Images Reveal Closer Look At Godzilla’s Destructive Rampage
Godzilla: The Greatest Antagonist to Ever Roam Earth?
Is the sky falling? Absolutely not, but what is the world (specifically Philadelphia) coming to when you read this: Philadelphia cheesesteak shop hires armed agents to protect customers outside.
I get it. Neil Young, along with David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash are not for everyone. Their folk-rock music set the stage for early 1990’s grunge, but I think CSNY are one of the most underrated acts of all time. Again, not for everyone, but this rendition of Cinnamon Girl, performed at 2017 Live Aid, makes you wonder if similar music will ever return.
The Great Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday.
Don’t Be A Topper. Questioning Human Intelligence. Thoughts For The Last Sunday In August. Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner. “We All Know You Are Out There.”
“Years ago, I tried to top everybody, but I don’t anymore. I realized it was killing conversation. When you’re always trying for a topper you aren’t really listening.” – Groucho Marx
We all know ‘toppers’ – they just can’t help themselves by 1) not listening to what you are saying; and 2) interjecting and ‘one-upping’ what you are saying. Groucho Marx is correct – ‘toppers’ are conversation killers and often are either really insecure or child-like, or both. Actively listening to someone prevents you from being a ‘topper’ and a ‘one-upper’ as you take the time to listen and absorb what someone else is saying. Here are five benefits of actually listening by not interjecting or being a ‘topper’:
Listening builds trust with your family, friends, and associates.
Listening helps to resolve conflict.
Listening prevents you from missing important information.
Listening enables you to identify or anticipate problems.
Most importantly, listening stops you from being so self-absorbed.
Let’s all start listening a bit better so we can all know What’s Going On. 🙂
This is very easy to listen to.
Human intelligence has many limitations, including the inability to process large amounts of information simultaneously, limited memory and self-control, and the tendency to make mistakes when processing complex tasks. Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, in this short video, provides an example of intelligence above and beyond most human intellect. I am definitely not a Magpie.
Top of Mind World of the Weird:
A former President of the United States and a former mayor of New York City booked into the Fulton County, Georgia prison last week.
A few United States Women’s National Team players, with their early exit from the World Cup, now coming out that the team was not prepared properly. Say what? How can a national team from the United States not be fully prepared for the once every four-year World Cup? Mind-boggling.
Electric vehicles (EV) are getting a good bit of pushback from consumers around the world. Meanwhile, gasoline in South Florida has climbed to almost $7 a gallon.
A plane crashes with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the infamous Wagner mercenary group aboard. Prigozhin led a failed mutiny against the Russian armed forces in June. Does anyone want to pony up a conspiracy theory?
Inflation headed off by the Fed has led United States mortgage rates to reach 8% with home buying activity slumping to its lowest level since 1995. Okay, economist friends….please chime in with your take on the strategic initiatives enacted by the Fed. Thank you.
I have not been to a McDonald’s lately. With that said, has anyone enjoyed Burger King in the last few years? Talking about a brand that has fallen off the deep end. I barely remember what I did last week, but I do remember this Burger King jingle from yesteryear:
The bigger the burger, the better the burger, the burgers are bigger at Burger King.
I will get to the gist of this take, but just for a little background: When you hear or read the term ‘the speed of sound’ it is also referred to as Mach 1. Mach 1 converts to 761 mph, Mach 2 is 1,522 mph, and each additional Mach number is another 761 mph. As a baseline, the average cruising speed of a commercial airliner is 760 mph. As another reference point, for aircraft speeds which are much greater than the speed of sound, the aircraft is deemed hypersonic. By definition, hypersonic speed is greater than 3,000 mph and a Mach number greater than 5, or Mach 5. Have I lost you yet?
Now that we are all specialists with the speed of sound and what Mach numbers equate to, here is the scenario that soon will be possible for air travelers. Note: the word ‘soon‘ may be ten to fifteen years.
Hermeus is an Atlanta-based startup developing aircraft for both defense and commercial use, with their Halcyon passenger aircraft capable of traveling at Mach 5. Based on the first paragraph above, Mach 5 equates to somewhere around 3,800 mph. That is five times faster than today’s commercial passenger plane and will set up some very interesting itineraries in the near future. For example, a New York city resident will be able to have an early morning breakfast in their favorite NYC deli, board the Halcyon, and be in Paris ninety- minutes later for a late lunch (Paris is six hours ahead of NYC). They could then board the Halcyon at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, and with the time change, be back in their NYC office by 1:30pm of the same day.
Halcyon Flight Itinerary NY-Paris-NY
Leave NY -JFK airport at 7am, arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport 8:30am, which is 2:30pm Paris time. Spend three hours or so in Paris.
Leave Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 6pm, arrive JFK airport at 7:30pm, which is 1:30pm NYC time.
No eye-rolling, as you know this advancement in passenger aircraft is inevitable. Are there many barriers for the Halcyon to carry passengers at five times the speed of sound (Mach 5)? Yes, there many factors that Atlanta-based Hermeus will need to overcome, but I am quite sure they will get there or their competition will.
A Passenger Plane That Travels Faster Than Mach 5.
For whatever the reasons, the number of shark sightings and incidents on the east coast of the United States have risen sharply over the last year. Scientists and oceanographers have no solid answers but this one diver has come up with the solution when involved with a shark incursion. This is amazing and looks so simple and easy to accomplish.
Such a simple way to redirect a shark.
I really like these reaction videos. This one has a young man named Polo listening to Red Rider’s Lunatic Fringe for the first time. Tom Cochrane & Red Rider were highly successful in Canada, but the band never had a song in the Top 40 in the United States….including this awesome Lunatic Fringe track. A forty-something year-old song with lyrics that are still relevant today.
Lunatic Fringe – One of my favorite songs of all time from the Canadian band, Red Rider.
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday!!
A Very Interesting State. The Best All-Around Player of All Time. Winning Is Necessary. Be Curious, Not Judgmental. A Great Version of A Great Song.
It is amazing how time just passes us by. I have been in the state of Florida for six years and as most of you have witnessed, this state has a lot going on. Unfortunately, much of what is going on, especially lately, revolves around politics, education, insurance entities, and the battle between Florida’s governor and Disney.
All of the babble and conflict is unfortunate as the state of Florida has many wonderful things to offer. Voted a top state to start a business, attractions galore, multicultural, and diverse, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and no state income tax, people from all over the U.S. are flocking to Florida for various reasons. Similar to many states, Florida offers various vibes and opportunities based on the area you live or visit. Certainly, the panhandle of Florida is quite different than the bustling corridor between Palm Beach and Miami, and central Florida presents different dynamics than the area from Clearwater south to Naples. A completely different experience in the state are the Florida Keys, from Key Largo to Key West. Florida is certainly not for everyone, but the state does offer a wide span of socio-economic diversity.
This young man has a bit different take on the state of Florida. To each their own. 🙂
What is Florida Really Like? It is just his take…...
The Premier League and other football leagues in Europe are underway, college and pro football are right around the corner, Major League Soccer is closing out its regular season, Major League Baseball’s pennant races are in full play, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) is bubbling up for its seventy-seventh year. My love for basketball stems from the days of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the Miami Floridians, who made Dinner Key Auditorium their home arena. The Floridians, like many other ABA franchises, were underfunded which led to a team of various levels of skill. Those four years of ‘professional’ basketball were awesome as the roster included some great players, including Mack Calvin, Donnie Freeman, and Les Hunter. The team also included Al Cueto, who was promoted by the Floridians’ public relations staff as the world’s tallest Cuban. Cueto, born in Cuba, attended Coral Gables High School and was all of 6’7″.
I am looking forward to this year’s NBA season for many reasons. An Atlanta Hawks fan since the mid-70’s, they are primed to have a strong season. One of their games in November have the Hawks and the Orlando Magic playing in Mexico City at the Arena CDMX on November 9. The Magic should also be much improved with the addition of some impact players. I have that game on my calendar as that is a great excuse to take a long weekend in the massive and vibrant town of twenty-two million. Yes, Mexico City is home to 22 million people.
The ongoing saga of basketball’s greatest player is a continuous and exhausting debate. Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and others always come up in conversations regarding the greatest. Larry Bird is not the greatest of all time (GOAT), but to me he was one of the most entertaining and competitive players I have ever seen in any sport. When I watch NBA games now, I often wish players of today, who are fantastic athletes and players, had more of the attributes of Larry Bird. Along with Oscar Robertson, I deem Larry Bird as the best all-around player ever. His fitness, shooting and passing ability, defense, and rebounding were eye-opening. Many ex-NBA players have strong opinions about Larry Bird, including the praise offered up in this short video.
The NBA is Entering its 77th season.
Quote of the week: “The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It is doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile.” – Julia Child
I disagree with this Quote of the Week. While winning is not always the ultimate objective, a great measure of achievement is to do something that you appreciate and you believe is worthwhile, AND sometimes be recognized accordingly. I do also believe that there is great satisfaction in doing things for others without those you are benefiting from ever knowing that you helped or supported them.
The series ‘Ted Lasso” provided us with great writing and perfect casting. Wrapped up in all the fun and chaos of an American football coach managing his way through a London-based football team, the writers framed up Coach Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) to deliver some very strong messages in most of the episodes. This one stuck with me for various reasons, a message that I hope all of us can absorb and follow. As a level set, here is a clear and concise definition: Judgmental behavior typically involves appraising something like a situation, person, or action with a critical attitude. A person often does this in a condemning and fault-finding way using their subjective (likely moralistic) point of view and set of values.
Be Curious, Not Judgmental
The famous song ‘Side by Side’ talks about two people who are deeply in love and committed to each other, willing to stand by each other’s side through good and bad. I have heard many renditions to the song, and I want to thank J.P. for forwarding this interesting version, written by Harry M. Woods in 1927:
A very interesting rendition of a great song.
Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Sunday Funday.
