Category: government

Ben Franklin by Walter Isaacson

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, government, philosophyLeave a comment

Isaacson is a bit of a genius himself.

Recently he’s written biographies. I enjoyed his biography of Leonardo da Vinci (2017). And loved his biography of Steve Jobs (2011).

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life is good too. But not as good.

Ben’s life story was simply not as controversial as either Jobs or Leonardo da Vinci. As a result I found Isaacson repetitive regarding his few faults.

Ben Franklin regarded himself as a working class man. A printer. Yet became one of the most glamorous and famous people of his time. (1706-1790)

I admire him as an American polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. 

He founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company, Philadelphia‘s first fire department and the University of Pennsylvania.

Like Gandhi, his real goal was to make life better for as many as possible.

Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism  …

He’d be horrified by the GOP and their toddler President in 2018.

Re-emergence of American Anti-Semitism

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, ethics, governmentLeave a comment

One of my favourite podcasts is The Daily.

This is one of their best. Listen here:

Re-emergence of American Anti-Semitism

American Anti-Semitism is a much more complicated issue than I thought.

The racist President clearly encourages anti-Semites. Recall how Trump defended these A-holes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Yet he consistently defends Israel. Why is that?

I finally learned that white extremists want Israel to survive so American Jews will flee there.

BEST ways to reduce misinformation online

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, government, internetLeave a comment

There has always been misinformation. Older, less-educated men have always been grumpy as their privileged lives eroded. #curmudgeons

The internet gives voice to their wrongheadedness. Businesses like FOX News found a way to make money off them. The Republican Party and others around the world found ways to motivate them to vote.

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei offers 4 ways to reduce #FakeNews:

  1. Politicians … Stop using the term “fake news.”
  2. Media … Ban your reporters from doing anything on social media — especially Twitter — beyond sharing stories. Snark, jokes and blatant opinion makes people skeptical of your factual stories.
  3. Social Media companies … Radically self-regulate, or allow government regulation to stanch, the flow of disinformation …
  4. One thing is for sure: The current self-policing isn’t cutting it.
  5. YOU … Quit sharing stories without even reading them. Quit tweeting your every outrage. Quit clicking on garbage. Spend a few minutes to verify the trustworthiness of what you read.

Charge of the Light Brigade

On By Rick McIn Art and beauty, governmentLeave a comment

Tennyson wrote this patriotic poem under a pseudonym, based on news reports he’d read about great casualties in the Battle of Balaclava (1854) in the Crimean War.

Lord Raglan, overall commander of the British forces, had his commands mis-communicated. He had not wanted a suicidal frontal attack.

War is Hell. Don’t go to war.

Opposing Russian forces slaughtered the attackers with Lord Cardigan out in front. He somehow survived the battle.

… All in the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.
   … Theirs not to reason why,
   Theirs but to do and die.
   Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.

Charge of the Light Brigade by ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Homeland season 7

On By Rick McIn government, TVLeave a comment

Though I loved the first few seasons, I had to psych up to download season 7 of the world’s worst bipolar Mom.

Authorities should have taken that kid away for good long ago.

However …

… it is still must watch TV. The issues are the real issues of today. Russian disruption of the American politic.

Season 7 was the weakest so far, but still worth watching.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

World Sustainable Development Goals

On By Rick McIn economics, education, ethics, government, happiness, health & fitness, human rights, product endorsements, things getting betterLeave a comment

Thinking BIG PICTURE.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were the eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

All 191 United Nations member states at that time, and at least 22 international organizations, committed …

As of 2013, progress towards the goals was uneven. …

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replaced the MDGs in 2016.

related – Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general, dies

new Bill Clinton / James Patterson book

On By Rick McIn books, government, TV1 Comment

I’d never read Patterson. But was intrigued to hear of the collaboration with a former President.

The disappearance of the U.S. President, Jonathan Lincoln Duncan, a former Army Ranger and a Gulf War veteran, comes as a cybercrime attack jeopardizing Secret Service protection.

The book begins with the president rehearsing his appearance before Congress over impending impeachment proceedings. …

The President Is Missing (2018)

Like many who’ve read it I was skeptical. The plot itself starts quite unbelievably.

But as it progressed I increasingly grew to enjoy the story. Having Clinton as a consultant certainly helped. He knows exactly how things work. Hillary proof read the book, as well.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys farfetched thrillers.

2.7 million Americans have served in Iraq, Afghanistan

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, government, IslamLeave a comment

Have American tax payers got their money’s worth?

In early October the Afghan war will be 17 years old. What’s been gained by the West intervening?

Would Afghanistan be better off now if they’d been left alone to solve their own problems?

The Pentagon’s failed campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan left a generation of soldiers with little to fight for but one another.

War Without End

Pfc. Richard Dewater was killed in an ambush.

why are old people so gullible?

On By Rick McIn education, governmentLeave a comment

Lunch at the Shouldice Hernia hospital. Six old white men who never met one another before. All educated. All affluent.

Two of the six believe in all kinds of 9/11 conspiracy theories. They trust some documentary they’ve seen and not the facts.

One of the six contested everything they said. Smart man. I admired him in a way.

I kept quiet. There’s no use arguing with old idiots.

I left as they began blaming Clinton/Obama for the deliberate domestic terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers. It was revealing to see the motivation of that documentary. Needless to say, I didn’t remind them that 9/11 was on the G.W. Bush watch.

At the next table was an old educated white guy from California. His research brought him to this hospital believing it was best in the world. Yep, that guy is 100% Trump. He believes everything Trump says. Believes anything contradicting Trump is #FakeNews.

Likely I’m the same. An old white man who’s not going to change my opinion on much for the rest of my years.