JUST MY TAKE

Why The Hell Did U.S. Strategic Advisors Recommend This Withdrawal Plan?

I am angry. I am disgusted and stuck in a realm of bewilderment. I will not make light of the situation in Kabul, Afghanistan out of respect for the thirteen U.S. service members who lost their lives last Thursday to an attack by ISIS-K. Yes, ISIS-K, a group of undisciplined savages who found their way past Taliban security (yes, I wrote Taliban security) and set off a bomb near a security gate at Kabul’s airport.

I am going to provide information and my take, but I will stick with my ethos of no religion/no politics. In short, I don’t care whether this 20-year debacle or current situation boiled down to George Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, or Joe Biden. This failure to gather the correct intelligence, provide strategic and decisive operational plans, and the lack of proactive execution regarding this 20-year mess does not fall into a category of political football.

• The failure of correct intelligence to execute a successful withdrawal from Afghanistan is surely among the greatest in the history of the United States.
• The intelligence reports stated that if the Taliban were to reach Kabul at all, it would not be until well after the 9/11 deadline for the U.S. departure. Then, U.S. intelligence spit up all over themselves, suddenly stating that the Taliban would reach Kabul in 90 days. Then, even more suddenly, it was 72 hours. Shameful to say the least.
• Then came reports that Taliban fighters were at the gates of the city, and then they were filming themselves in the presidential palace that had been vacated by its occupants barely 24 hours earlier. A disastrous intelligence failure that led to various strategic withdrawal plans provided by the State Department and military advisors.
• How the hell did U.S. intelligence officers, after being imbedded in Kabul and other Afghanistan provinces, not thoroughly know the enemy, figure out its capabilities, and correctly forecast how likely and quickly they would act? After 20 years, how could U.S. intelligence personnel not gauge the vulnerability of Afghan security forces?

Again, I will not make light of this situation but with my relatively warped mind, I will try to bring a bit of relevance (and levity) to this sad situation. The U.S. State Department and military advisors were charged with devising strategic and operational withdrawal plans BASED ON THE INTELLIGENCE THEY WERE GIVEN. These advisors were the ‘designers’ of the various plans that eventually were vetted and put into play by U.S. military and State Department leaders. As a point of ‘misguided’ relevance, American Motors Corporation (the infamous AMC), had a design team that were charged with coming up with automobile designs based on the market research (intelligence per se’) provided to them. The AMC design team, using this so-called market research, produced various auto designs that included the Gremlin and the Pacer. These designs were among many that someone at AMC, a product manager or leadership team, eventually approved. They approved two of the most god-awful looking cars ever, sending German and Japanese auto executives into a state of laughter heard around the world. My point: don’t point your finger at the ‘designers’ as they were doing their jobs based on the information given to them. Don’t blame the U.S. State Department and military leaders who, based on the intelligence provided, devised many plans (designs), one of which was approved by someone at a high level within the U.S. bureaucracy. Disgusting, sickening, and unfathomable. The phrase ‘heads should roll’ is never more appropriate.

To the families of the thirteen service members who lost their lives: Today and always, may loving memories bring you peace, comfort, and strength.

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Is This A Katrina Redo?

Today we pray for the Gulf Coast of the United States….especially the New Orleans area. It was sixteen years ago that Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the New Orleans (NOLA) area – when poorly designed levees failed to keep the storm surge from drowning areas of NOLA, causing the loss of life and despair.

I will never forget participating in a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans a year after Katrina. We were working on a home in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, which was completely under water when Katrina swept through the area. We were framing a deck of a new home and next to us was an empty concrete block home – with a water line on the home at approximately 18′ from the ground. It was a bit surreal trying to comprehend how much water poured into the 9th Ward.

Two years ago, NOAA estimated that if another Hurricane Katrina-like storm were to hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast today, it would likely cause up to $200 billion in damage to the region, even though the city today is much smaller, with only 80% of its 2005 population, and better protected, with dramatic improvements to its hurricane levee system. Let’s hope that NOAA’s estimates do not hold true, as later today Hurricane Ida targets the city of New Orleans and its surrounding areas. Godspeed to all along the Gulf Coast.

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

California’s Four Seasons: Fire, Flood, Mud, & Drought.

Many thanks to all of you who have contributed as a guest writer. This week, a friend and former business associate stepped up with his take on his home state of California. Peter has enjoyed a career as a CFO with many successful entities. This week he chimes in on the serious drought and fires devastating parts of California. While many of us around the world are dealing with our own set of climate and socio-economic issues, the dynamics affecting California are troublesome. Note: if a sovereign nation, California would be the world’s fifth largest economy, ahead of India and behind Germany (and yes, LM, there is a good bit of agriculture in California! 🙂 ).

As a resident of Southern California (CA) for over thirty years of my life, I have some insight into the fire season. Yes, CA has four seasons, just like the rest of the country. They are Fire, Flood, Mud and Drought. The fires in Northern California are natural. The vast majority are the result of lightning strikes and the burning of the undergrowth. This natural process replenishes the soil and thins coverage for new growth to survive. What is completely unnatural in the process is the massive consumption of water by California’s residents, agriculture, and industry.

A small digression: In the early days of America, explorers sailing up/down the West coast only needed to bring their boats near the shore to haul up fresh water. The aquafer under present-day California leeched so much fresh water, that it was still fresh 100 yards offshore. Today, the salt water has leeched several miles onshore into the soil and ground water due to California’s unquenchable thirst.

In the 1940’s and 50’s our natural lands and our parks needed to be maintained and cleared of fallen trees, dropped leaves, and pine needles, etc. Why? Because all of those things are fuel sources. Overtime, as budgets got tighter and priorities shifted, less infrastructure was dedicated to clearing fuel sources for large scale fire events. Subsequently, the more fuel on the ground, the larger the fires.

Going back to the discussion on water…CA, especially Southern California, holds most of the power when it comes to water in the region. When CA became a state, and as early as 1850, planners were involved in adopting the common law of riparian rights. In 1851, they recognized the appropriative right system as having the force of law. California has used a larger and larger straw, sucking up water from the Rockies and Northern California ever since. As the population grew, demand for water grew with it.

Over time, the water usage in Southern California, Las Vegas, Arizona, etc. has forever changed the water table and the balance. When there is a drought year, more water is released to Southern California – it’s their rights, it’s the law. This leaves Northern California, Colorado, etc. dryer and more vulnerable to a natural event, like a forest fire, being a major catastrophe. Add to that, the flight from the cities to the sprawling suburbs and mountain homes to “get away from it all” and we have, over the decades, created the perfect storm.

We moved into the woods.
We stopped taking care of the woods.
We made the woods dryer.

So, to the original reference from last week’s post: “The fires of California and Evia – are these man-made or due to changes with the global climate?” I would label it a natural event made worse by our own actions. I am not a huge proponent of Global Climate Change. I do though, absolutely believe that our actions in regions impact those regions profoundly and with long-term consequences.

On last point… It’s California, not Cali. Nobody who actually lives there would ever say “Cali”. SoCal or NorCal – perfectly acceptable. That is my take. What is yours?

California is a very interesting place to live, according to my friends who now or once lived there. I like a number of things in California, including the Carlsbad, La Jolla, Carmel, Central Coast and Bay Areas. I, for one, like Los Angeles, and so did Missing Persons as described in their 1982 hit Walking in L.A.

Adios, pay if forward, be safe and Have a Funday Sunday!

Some Things Just Don’t Go Away.

It has been a year since my post with many words to ponder. I listed people, news events, and other items of interest (or concern). Now, one year later, in the middle of the Dog Days of August, here is a new list that unfortunately contains some of the same words and topics from the summer of 2020:

• The fires of California and Evia – are these man-made or due to changes with the global climate?
• Mayhem over masks – sort of sad that we fight about wearing a mask.
• The CDC & WHO – there is still varying info coming from these two authorities.
• Sweltering heat – in all the obvious places but also in the Pacific Northwest?
• Atlanta Hawks – a good draft puts them in a good position for 2021-22.
• Vaccines – I would never tell anyone to get vaccinated, but please look at the science and data.
• Schools reopen – let’s do what is right for the CHILDREN.
• Covid-19 and Variants – now there is the Variant +.
• Caitlyn Jenner and Gavin Newsom – two reasons I avoid politics.
• Atlanta United resurgence – a new manager and new DP.
• Orlando Pride & Orlando City – in a word, strong.
• Restaurants needing employees – the issue of finding help continues.
• The minimum wage – will $15.00 an hour spur employment?
• Return to the office – not so fast.
• Terror in Ethiopia – where are the United Nations’ security forces?
• Jeopardy without Alex Trebek – very big shoes to fill.
• Airborne pathogens – the Variant’s path to contraction.
• Bezos & Branson – money talks.
• N95 – the mask of the month.
• Cryptocurrencies – funny money.
• Fans back in the stands – let us hope this continues.
• ICU capacity – at levels similar to a year ago.
• Cuomo & Cuomo – I have no words.
• The SEC – it is going to grow. Texas and Oklahoma.
• Spirit Airlines fail – no planning; no forecasting; no operational redundancy.
• College Football – two weeks and counting.
• Cruise lines in flux – on Friday, twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for COVID-19.
• Dr. Fauci – you are 80-years-old?
• The English Premier League – let’s go!
• Afghanistan – now we send back 3,000 troops?
• Tom Brady – meh.
• The Olympic Games – some surprises including the U.S. Women’s National Team.
• Asteroid Bennu – the possible impact with Earth is a long way off…we hope.
• Haiti – this country just cannot catch a break.

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

We Need A Bit More of Alfredo Rivera.

• In last week’s post I mentioned my surprise at the number of airport and in-air incidents as we return to air travel. I took a look at the FAA website and found data that is really concerning: Just in the last week there were over one hundred incidents on planes, which brings the overall year-to-date total to 3,509. While I thought that passengers would just be thankful that air travel is once again a transportation option, it seems that there are a few issues fueling the fire:

• Fewer frequent travelers on board – with business travel down, the level of inexperienced air travelers has increased leading to many misunderstandings, from TSA security checks to onboarding procedures, including the ‘norms’ of air travel rules and regulations.
• Inconsistent and changing mask rules – this is self-explanatory but reality tells me that if a private enterprise/business requires you to wear a mask on board, you wear a mask on board or choose to not fly.
• Pandemic fatigue – there is no doubt that all of us are completely over the issues, concerns, and endgame of the pandemic. Count me in as “fatigued” and with the onslaught of the Delta Variant there is no end in sight.
• Violence – incidents of violent behavior are increasing and airlines are part of society and part of this trend. Sad, but true.

Last week’s incident aboard a Frontier Airlines flight brought all of these issues to the forefront. Drunk and belligerent, a passenger’s behavior crossed the line in so many ways. Possible charges for this moron will hopefully include a short stint in prison. Alfredo Rivera’s performance in the video below is Academy award material, but the reasons he had to interfere and marginalize this jerk are very concerning.

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• Four Thoughts As We Head Into The Middle Of August.

1. Another reason for the number of onboard incidents is the quick increase in passenger counts over the last few months. With that said, that fact does not give Spirit Airlines a pass with their lack of planning and forecasting. I do not like the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ but in this case the cliché holds true.
2. There is new ownership controlling the National Women’s Soccer League’s Orlando Pride and Major League Soccer’s Orlando City. The Wilf family, who made their mark with commercial real estate, have a vested interest in professional sports having owned the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings for last seventeen years. Here is to the Wilf family leading the charge providing both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City the resources to be top-of-class in both leagues. The Pride has already taken a big step replacing their former head coach with Becky Burleigh, one of the most successful women’s soccer coaches of all time. During Burleigh’s 26-year career at the University of Florida, she won 14 SEC regular-season titles, had 12 SEC tournament wins, 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, one national title with a total of more than 500 victories. Hopefully, the Pride can hold onto Burleigh for a while as there is no doubt that Kate Markgraf and the U.S. Women’s National Team will be ringing Burleigh’s mobile phone soon.
3. There must be a way. A way forward with fire prevention, especially in the foothills of California. The ongoing “Dixie Fire,” named after the road where it started, has burned 438,339 acres, with only 21 percent containment. There has never been a better time for Smokey Bear to remind everyone that “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.”
4. Just when you think 91-year-old Clint Eastwood has finally completed an incredible career as an actor, director and producer, along comes his latest, which from the trailer, looks like a great film. Eastwood’s list of honors and awards are staggering: five Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award and five People’s Choice Awards. Will we ever forget his iconic lines “Make My Day” and “Get Off My Lawn?” At the end of this trailer, Eastwood again has come up with another gem. 🙂

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

A Quick Look At Some Top of Mind Topics.

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• Vaccinated People With Breakthrough Infections Can Spread The Delta Variant, CDC Says. How much different information from the CDC, the WHO, and the NIAID can we absorb?

• At The ‘Quarantine Hotel,’ Olympians Deal With Isolation And Shattered Dreams. Stop bitching about Simone Biles not competing. She is the world’s GOAT – if she is not in the right frame of mind and does not want to compete, that is her choice and her choice alone. Leave her alone a remember what she has accomplished. She is the Greatest Of All Time.

• Vast majority of ICU patients with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, ABC News survey finds. This survey was done by ABC News and here is the detail: Of the 271 total COVID patients in the surveyed ICUs, 255 patients, or approximately 94%, were unvaccinated against COVID-19. Again, don’t shoot the messenger.

• Report: Hawks to acquire Delon Wright as part of three-team trade with Celtics, Kings. The Atlanta Hawks came very close to making the NBA Finals…and with the addition of Delon Wright, and draft picks Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper, look for some more great things starting in the Fall.

• Flight attendants receive defense training as incidents with violent passengers rise. Amazing as I thought that everyone would just be happy to be traveling by air again?

• Skirts. Bikini bottoms. Leotards. Ahead of Olympics, athletes call out sexist uniform practices. When, why and how do Olympic Committee authorities get to decide what women must wear in order to compete? This is the Olympic Games, not a runway in New York City’s fashion district.

That’s It For The First Sunday Of August. Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday.

My Top Of Mind For The Last Sunday in July.

Yesterday marked one month since the tragic collapse of a Miami condominium building. The collapse on June 24 claimed at least ninety-five lives…and we hardly hear or read any further details on how and why the building collapsed.

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While the news of the Miami tragedy diminishes, the media feels compelled to file stories on Brittany Spears, Alex Rodriquez, Ben and Jenny, and Angelina and Brad. Seriously?

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Kudos to the Japanese Olympic host committee, the athletes, the support staff, and volunteers to pull off a competition that maybe should not have happened. Don’t misunderstand my take…I enjoy the competition but the sequestering of athletes and zero fans at the venues is not what the Olympics are all about.

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Regarding the Olympics and the prohibited fan support, it is interesting to see how parts of the United States are in a complete 180° from Japan. Yesterday’s attendance of 67,507 at Mercedes Benz Stadium to take in the Atlanta United v Columbus Crew game is one example.

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I provided my viewpoint on “global warming” in the last week’s post. I have not spent a lot of time researching the facts and figures, but the fires in the western part of the United States and the flooding around the world seem systemic. Does anyone want to chime in on their thoughts? (Please do not tie your comments to politics – thanks). Here is one area of the world under extreme duress:

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It is none of my business whether people across the world decide to get the Covid-19 vaccine. That is a personal decision, but I will chime in with two bits of information that have nothing to do with political positioning or diatribes:

• Data from Johns Hopkins University shows: The average number of new Covid-19 cases each day the past week was 32,278. That’s a 66% jump from the average daily rate the previous week, and 145% higher than the rate from two weeks ago. More than 97% of people getting hospitalized with Covid-19 now are unvaccinated. 99.5% of deaths are among the unvaccinated, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Monday.
• A doctor in Alabama had a harrowing message for those still unwilling to get vaccinated. Sharing how she has “made a LOT of progress encouraging people to get vaccinated,” Brytney Cobia, a physician at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, detailed in a Facebook post how numerous “young healthy people” have been admitted to the hospital “with very serious COVID infections.” “One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late,” she wrote.

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I am ‘shocked’ that the “hard seltzer” boom seems to be over. Come on, what is wrong with seltzer water, spiked with alcohol, with a substitute fruit nectar? I have sampled a few brands – and I just don’t understand how these drinks became a real category in the first place. I know, I’m old.

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It is a cliché, but time does fly. The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was forty years ago. Yes, 40. Forty-five years ago, Bruce Jenner, a.k.a. Caitlyn Marie Jenner, won the 1976 Olympic decathlon. Where were you and what were you doing in July of 1976 and 1981?

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

My POV. What’s Yours?

• Racism and bigotry make me sick. I am not going to lecture or go “Gandhi” with this take. I try not to pass judgement and do understand the freedom of speech. What I do not understand are the people who hide behind social media to racially abuse others. Racism is not confined to the United States – it is a worldwide problem and issue that is sad and alarming. I was particularly disgusted last week with the reported racial taunts directed at three young men that play for England’s national team. These three men, tremendous players who represented their country at the European Championships, unfortunately did not convert their penalty kicks in the final match against Italy. The racial barrage that followed the match, directed towards these three, were in a word shocking. I am not going to comment on what content social media platforms should allow or prohibit, but I will hope and pray that this type of racial abuse stops once and for all. I bought this shirt yesterday – how about you?

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• Al Gore has tried to educate the world about global warming. I have never paid any attention to his platform and the subject matter. Nothing to do with politics…the issues of global warming previously did not resonate with me. The reports coming out of Antarctica regarding the rapid loss of ice is alarming. Since 1990, Antarctica has lost roughly three trillion tons of ice. Today, the rate of loss is accelerating as warm ocean water melts and destabilizes the floating ice shelves that hold back West Antarctica’s glaciers, causing those glaciers to flow more quickly into the sea. Alarming to say the least. Then, last week, scientists blamed massive floods in western Germany and eastern Belgium on the slow progression of global warming. It is unfortunate that addressing this issue involves politics, but for the sake of generations to come, it seems like the issue needs to be addressed, and addressed now.

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• I find the three headlines below so ironic. Here we are, in July of 2021, seventeen months after the United States, and the world for that matter, basically shut down. Now, after all that time, we are trying to get back to normal with airline passenger traffic back to pre-pandemic levels. You would think that passengers would be grateful to be back flying to their destination of choice – maybe not so much.

– Investigations Into Unruly Airline Passengers Have Increased Since 2020
– American Airlines Passenger Duct-Taped to Chair After Trying to Open Door
– Passenger Opens Plane’s Emergency Exit Door To Get Fresh Air

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• At least Richard Sherman apologized and at least with the media, expressed remorse for his actions and behaviors. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive back was arrested last week and was charged with criminal trespass in the second degree with a domestic-violence element; reckless endangerment of roadway crews, driving under the influence, resisting arrest and malicious mischief with a domestic-violence element. It does not matter if Sherman is alcohol-dependent or not, his mental capacity and possible illness is alarming. Sherman is a free agent and after this incident the optics would look really bad for another NFL team to add him to their roster. Sherman, by the way, is a Vice President of the NFL Players Association. So very sad.

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• The Summer Olympic Games start this Friday. I always look forward to the Olympic Games, with names like Peggy Fleming, Mark Spitz, Bruce Jenner, and Jesse Owens forever embedded in my mind. Simone Biles, regarded as the greatest gymnast to ever roam the earth, will again represent the United States in Japan. She is a remarkable athlete and her performances are eye-opening. The two-minute video below is her floor exercise where she does the unreal at the beginning and end of her routine. Here is to Simone bringing home the GOLD!

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

Top Of Mind Things I Think.

Dateline: July 11, 2021: There are a number of things happening….some good and some not so good.

• Who would have thought that Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos would be competing in the business of space travel? The first milestone is to reach the height of 100KM (62,000 feet), known as the Von Karman Line, is more than just two billionaires’ bragging rights. Branson will take off tomorrow in his VSS Unity vehicle, a winged rocket plane, which is carried by a four-engine jet to an altitude of 50,000 feet and flies the rest of the way to space under rocket power, eventually returning to earth and landing like an airplane. Bezos’ New Shepard is more like a traditional rocket, eventually descending by parachute and hopefully landing upright. Whatever time, effort, and money Branson and Bezos put into space exploration will definitely pay dividends and pave the way for all of us to experience space travel.

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• When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, he named the land La Isla Española. Now known as Hispaniola, this island is divided between two countries that are diverse in many ways. The Dominican Republic enjoys the trade winds and other favorable climate, along with democratic governance. Many high-end resorts dot the coastline of the Dominican Republic, bringing all the advantages of tourist dollars and relative taxes. Across the border sits Haiti, with it’s arid climate making farming and cultivation very difficult, along with it’s violent past aligned with rulers like Jean-Claude Duvalier. Nicknamed “Baby Doc”, he was a tyrannical Haitian politician who was the President of Haiti from 1971 until he was overthrown by a popular uprising in February 1986. It is amazing how politics play a role in a country’s economy. “Baby Doc’s” rule succumbed his country into economic despair, and along with the ramifications of a devastating earthquake and consistent hurricane damage, Haiti, though it shares a border with the thriving Dominican Republic, is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Some people called Haiti’s new president a savor. Economic reforms, new policies, and an effort to attract foreign investment were the top of President Jovenel Moise’s platform to help this desperate country. Last week, 20 or so Colombian mercenaries, led by two Americans, swarmed Moise’s presidential compound and murdered him. Haiti is back to complete chaos – a sad situation for a country sitting in the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

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• I mentioned my concern last week and I am going to mention it once again. Whether the viruses are correlated to the new ‘Delta Variant’ or not, something across the world is not right. While many of us are finally enjoying socializing at all levels, cities in Japan and Seoul, South Korea, with a population close to 10 million, are once again shutting down. No matter the reasons or circumstances, this Asian spread cannot turn into another worldwide pandemic. I was out last night, in a very crowded restaurant, taking in the final of Copa America. No one in that restaurant was giving airborne pathogens one bit of thought – which is both great and concerning at the same time.

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• Vamoose. Gelometer. Garrulity. Ambystoma. Shedu. Saxicolous. Thooid. These are just some of the words contestants of last week’s National Spelling Bee had to deal with to get through to the final round. I am reasonably educated, which obviously has no correlation with my intelligence level, but come on, who the heck can spell these words? The answer: many children, ages 12-14, who competed last week. It is just headshaking.

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Regarding children, take a look at this three year-old playing with a symphony orchestra. He even drops a stick but continues on as if nothing happened – and at the 3:00 minute mark of the video, watch his drum solo. I have no words.

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

245 Years Ago. Alone In His City. Halfway Through 2021. Along Came A Spyder. She Is Magic!

• A very happy 4th of July weekend to you and yours.  I hope that no one takes our Independence with a grain of salt, especially in light of some of the chaos and terrorism happening at home and abroad.  I was surprised that Independence Day was only declared a federal holiday in 1941, considering the United States is celebrating our 245th birthday.  On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence and two days later, on July 4, delegates from the thirteen colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted by the one and only Thomas Jefferson.  If you have a flag, fly it.  If you do not have one, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace Hardware have flag kits for under $15.00.  Buy a flag and fly it proudly.  To our Canadian friends: you celebrated Canada Day this past Thursday….and my experience with Canadians tells me most of you are still celebrating four days later.

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• Only ten years ago, on March 11, 2011, a deadly earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck northeastern Japan causing the meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear facility, killing thousands, displacing hundreds of thousands, and unleashing widespread contamination. While we all acknowledged this tragedy, it is difficult for many of us to understand the impact and subsequent realities of a nuclear facility meltdown. On the ten-year anniversary of the tragic meltdown, Mayu Nakamura’s new documentary “Alone Again in Fukushima” was released and as Nakamura stated “this documentary was produced to ensure that all people around the world never forget the consequences of this tragedy.”

I watched this documentary last week. Reminders of what the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki faced seventy-six years ago transcended this documentary, focusing on one man who chose to remain in the nuclear zone to care for abandoned animals after everyone else was evacuated. An amazing, well-told story that reminds us of the vulnerability of our infrastructure. If you have a chance, take a hour to take in “Alone Again in Fukushima.“

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• Mid-Year Headlines To Ponder – we are already halfway through 2021 so it is time to take a look at some headlines of concern. I do not know if the CDC and the WHO use Australia as a benchmark when weighing Covid-19 and the new variant viruses. What I do know is that I do not like what I am reading as we literally cannot afford another lockdown.

• Britain’s COVID-19 Cases up 72% in the past week.
• In Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation, cases are surging.
• COVID-19 cases see increase, Orange County/Orlando leaders urge caution heading into 4th of July holiday.
• White House to deploy response teams focused on combating Delta variant of Covid-19.
• Australia’s NSW state says Delta outbreak grows despite lockdown.
• Four of Australia’s eight capital cities are now under Covid-19 lockdown.
• Covid Cases, Death Rates Jump In Los Angeles Ahead Of 4th Of July Gatherings; Top Health Official Warns, “Another Wave Could Become A Very Real Possibility”

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• I have never been big on needing or wanting ‘toys.’ I have had a couple of boats and sometimes have driven a decent looking car, but for the most part I have kept an even keel with my extracurricular wants and needs. With that said, a few years ago, for whatever the reason, I fell in love with the machine seen below. I don’t know why, as I am definitely not a fan of motorcycles, but the Can Am Spyder RT is a toy that I think I would enjoy. It just may be the forward-thinking design or my memory of my mean-machine tricycle.

There are a wide variety of viewpoints on the Spyder RT, and as a gut check, after a very interesting visit to a biker/dive bar near Osteen, Florida, I asked one of the bikers, dressed head-to-toe in black leather on a 93 degree day, what he thought about the the Spyder RT. His brief and terse reply cannot be printed in this blog. 🙂

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• Finally, a bit of levity on this 4th of July weekend as we go to a show I have only seen bits and pieces of over the years….and yes, there are some incredibly talented people that appear on America’s Got Talent. Thankfully, my compadres Joe and Samir are going to breakdown and explain how this young lady made this happen:

Adios, Fly Your Flag, Pay It Forward, Be Safe and Enjoy The 4th of July!

A Game Changer. “I Quit.” Our Tax Dollars At Work. What Our Parents Told Us. Thoughts And Prayers.

• Just when you think former President Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars program was “pie in the sky” – here comes the next advent of airborne defense systems. It seems like the Israelis have developed a weaponized laser system that they have initially tested on drones. The Israeli Air Force brass is calling this massive breakthrough “an effective apparatus that will intercept long-range threats at high altitudes regardless of weather conditions. ” There is no doubt that the United States will follow suit with this type of weapon – one that may quickly change the face of air defense systems.

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• Maybe time is the answer? After months pass by, or maybe a year, the playing field will hopefully level out. I am referring to people, by the thousands, deciding to quit their jobs while employers, especially in the hospitality industry, are practically begging people to come and work. Bloomberg reported that four million people quit their jobs in April – for reasons that included their preference not to go back to their offices (and their commute to and from), to feeling uncomfortable working in the hospitality industry and dealing with unruly customers. After taking a look at different opinions on the subject, I feel like this comment best sums up the situation: “We have changed. Work has changed. The way we think about time and space has changed,” says Tsedal Neeley, a professor at Harvard Business School and author of the book Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding From Anywhere. Workers now crave the flexibility given to them in the pandemic — which had previously been unattainable.” Will this mindset become the status quo, or will time heal all?

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• What really is ‘due process?” I believe strongly in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but I am having a very difficult time with the ‘due process’ that will be afforded to Othal Wallace. Wallace is not a first-time offender of the law. Wallace belongs to a militia-hate group. Last week, after being pulled over by a Daytona Beach police officer, Wallace shot the officer in the head, tore off his body camera, got back in his car and fled the scene. After a massive manhunt from hundreds of law enforcement officers, Wallace was found hiding outside of Atlanta – with an armory of guns, ammunition, and body armor. When arrested, Wallace stated “You guys know who I am. You know what I am capable of. It could’ve been a lot worse.” It could have been worse? Worse than you shooting a police officer in the head and leaving him to suffer on the street?

I am having a very difficult time reconciling the ‘due process’ that will be afforded to this low life of a human. It is more than just our tax dollars that will be used to try and convict Wallace. It is more about the reality, the process, and the disgust I feel towards this coward of a man. It is how I feel about that police officer, fighting for his life, with his family by his hospital bedside. Some of my close friends would say “fry him”…but to me that process just takes too damn long.

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• A friend reminded me of the directives (myths) our parents, teachers and coaches gave us at one time or another.

• Waiting to swim for at least thirty minutes after eating – no, no, and not necessary. This myth probably started a hundred years ago but healthcare specialists stated that swimming after eating is not dangerous.
• If you go outside with wet hair on a cold day, you will catch a cold – that is not going to happen as colds are caused by viruses. You might shimmy and shake, but catching a cold is a myth.
• Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis – debunked. After years of study, hand doctors found no correlation. Thankfully.

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• It is interesting how your mind works. After last week’s devastating collapse of the north Miami condominium building, my mind flooded with thoughts and images of what everyone affected is going through. What crossed my mind? Sadness and heartbreak. I am a Miami native. The building I live in, near Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, was one of the first high rises built in this area. There are active and ongoing structural repairs taking place on my building in the lower-level garage under the pool deck. Yes, the mind sometimes goes into the scramble mode.

My thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the building collapse.

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