Revenge Delayed? … a dish best served cold. Being a bully must be its own reward, and intoxicating. But obsessive hatred of people from a foreign land doesn’t bode well when luck takes a turn. Even considering the options selfishly or as America First, where is the advantage denying help to refugees, reneging on humanitarian […]
Read MoreAuthor: Timothy Schell
51st State
It is time for Puerto Rico to become our 51st state. The People: With 3.337 million people (2017) Puerto Rico has a larger population than 21 states and a density higher than all 50. As a state it would fall approximately between Connecticut and Iowa. The largest city is San Juan, the island’s capital. It has […]
Read MoreNationalism or Globalism
Globalism: Goods, capital and people should be able to move freely across borders. Versus Nationalism : Asserting sovereign control over one’s country. Nationalism is at the core of Brexit and the US election of 2016. A troubling aspect of this nationalism is its penchant for xenophobia and for ethnic and religious exclusion. It panders to fear […]
Read MoreBig Enough?
How much is enough? Let’s face it as a species we misbehave. We require the police to maintain daily decorum and using history as a predictor, we need a military just in case. The DoD request for 2019 for $716 Billion says they need more: “To address the scope and pace of our competitors’ and […]
Read MoreHumble Power
Humility: noun a modest or low view of one’s own importance An under appreciated source of power? Humility promotes: Understanding and learning. Empathy Openness to different opinions and ideas Perspective Credibility A lack of humility leads to: Closed thinking Misjudging one’s importance Undervaluing others Missed oportunities Being less persuasive We should insist on humility in […]
Read MoreBlended Cultures
We are not replacing ourselves. But,we need more workers. Maybe immigrants could help? The National Center for Health Statistics has calculated the US birth rate for 2017 at 60.2 per 1000 women between 15 and 44 or 1.76 lifetime per woman (3% lower than 2016). This extends the 47 year US sub-replacement trend. This means that […]
Read MoreProblems, How About Solutions?
Our SAD political situation not withstanding we need ideas and ultimately solutions. The problems are obvious enough double talk and pandering to special interests. Let’s work on these issues! Reliance on carbon conversion for energy Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide sets the earth’s temperature higher as it rises The oceans absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide making […]
Read MoreProfiles in Courage
Where is Courage? Commander Chief of Staff Migrant Mother Afraid of: Others Reporters Competition Criticism Being ignored Medal festooned General afraid of: The Commander (See left) Afraid of: Violence at Home Abject Poverty Childish bragging, petty feuds, and incoherent strategies “Honor, this is the bedrock of our character” But has the courage […]
Read MoreWe Win You Lose
America First – good for the bully maybe not the citizens. Hello Congress!! America First (or we win you lose): NAFTA, Eurozone, TPP, G7, UN Human Rights Council: all multilateral groups. The commander doesn’t like them because It is easier to sqeeze one on one – otherwise they tend to gang up. USA, with less […]
Read MoreGame Over
The NFL is the largest spectator sporting league in the world but how much longer can this entertainment anachronism survive? 5 more years? Viewership has declined for the past two years. Follow the money. High school football participation is down according to National Federation of State High School Associations. As we learn more about CTE, a sport that […]
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