February 2018

Pride and Pessimism – Welcome Back to Nixonian Times

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MIchael Flynn

I felt such excitement watching Olympic women, Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins, win the first ever cross-country gold medal for the USA.  To know there are men and women competing for the USA; men and women who understand the importance of teamwork who love representing America – is a welcome distraction from the chaos in Washington.

But after a night of excitement, I knew I could count on FOX “SPEWS” to bring me back to reality with a suggestion that  former US Army General Michael Flynn  withdraw his guilty plea on lying to the FBI. This was apparently based on a judge’s order for the Mueller Special Council to turn over any exculpatory evidence to attorneys representing General Flynn.

And just like that, my American Olympic bliss was met by Shepard Smith’s judgmental stare.

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Targeting Teachers; Should We Arm Educators?

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Guns in School

“I want to tell you about my idea for assault rifle vending machines,” said Fester Trim, one of the candidates for City Council in Pawnee, Indiana.  Fester’s solution to car theft is that we should all mount shotguns on our dashboards that kill anyone that tries to steal our car.  Fester also believes that the way to end schoolhouse slaughters is to arm our teachers.  Thank Goodness Fester is just a character in a sitcom; a caricature of an NRA Gun Nut, and that his over-stated suggestions would never be made by real politicians in real life.

What?  The last suggestion isn’t from Fester?  It’s from whom?  Are you sure?

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A New Way To Look At Passive Income

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A concept that is likely as old as civilization itself is income – which can be defined simply as one individual’s money earned for a service that has been provided to another individual or entity. But did you know that there are actually two forms of income one can earn?

The way most people understand income to be is known as active income. This is when an individual is trading their time, work or skill to earn a lump sum of money or paycheck. In contrast, passive income is when an individual provides their time and or skill for money only once to create multiple returns on the work/time they’ve used to create the stream – for example, using time or money to create a product, service or investment one time that will yield profits many times over, without any additional work.

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Election Interference – The Next Intelligence Failure

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DAYTON — Special investigator Robert Mueller secured indictments for three Russian companies and thirteen Russian citizens with “a widespread effort to interfere with the  2016 presidential election,” according to Saturday’s Wall Street Journal.  The Russians had a “strategic goal to sow discord into the U.S. political system.”

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, said that there is no allegation in the indictment that any U.S. citizen knowingly participated in the alleged crimes. That’s one of those statements that I would repeat, because a lot of readers will not believe it the first time they read it, and they will tune into or read some media that will falsely report that the Trump administration officials are next in line to be indicted.

Michael Flynn
Michael Flynn

Nowhere does it say the Trump administration  is still under investigation, although Michael Flynn, former national security advisor, has pleaded guilty, and “there was no indication Friday that Mr. Mueller wouldn’t seek more charges in the future.”

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Safety in Public Schools – NEA or NRA?

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Newspaper Headline - Victims

PORTLAND — If I were a kid or a teacher in America, as I have been in the past, I would not want to go to school tomorrow. If I found myself there anyway, I’m sure I would spend half the day looking over my shoulder to see if there was a kid with an assault rifle coming down the hallway.

It is beyond shameful that in this great country, loudly proclaiming “America First”, kids are last.  Our children are collateral damage along the path of payoffs, bribes, backroom deals and gentlemen’s agreements.  Of all the despicable things the current occupant of the White House is – and the list is long and varied – being a whore for the NRA is the worst.  Anyone with a shred of a human soul remaining and the power to affect change that is not in the pocket of the NRA would be compelled to do so.

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Dear ESPN: It’s Not You, It’s Me

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Dear ESPN,

America has always been a divided nation. We began life feuding between Loyalists and Colonists, fought bitterly about States’ entitlements vs. a strong Federal government, divided ourselves into either Confederate or Union, disagreed on our role in the world and even established a declaration of War on the young people asking for Peace and Love.

For the past thirty-or-so years no matter who was in the White House or what disaster was in the news or who was dating whom, a high percentage of half the population could always find something to talk about, or at least make pleasant conversation. All you had to say was, “Did you catch SportsCenter last night?”

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Better Business With Age; America’s Underrepresented Entrepreneurs

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Entrepreneurs

We live in a youth-oriented society, as evidenced by the media’s rare profile of older entrepreneurs; Mark Zuckerberg is far more interesting according to the media. Americans aged 35 or older enter the ranks of the entrepreneur far more frequently than the successful youth plastered across prime media outlets, despite the average age of the beginning entrepreneur hovering around the 39 year mark.

The trendy business incubators who attract the media’s stereotypical “entrepreneur” appear to miss the backbone of America’s entrepreneurship – the mid-career professional. The general inability to see the potential of the mid-career professional leaves companies with unrealized potential (translation lost innovation and profit) right in front of them.

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Israel and Sunni Arab States – The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

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Middle East Flags

WASHINGTON — Israel and the Sunni Arab states have formed a covert alliance due to shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Longtime enemies over the Palestinian issue, Israel and Sunni Arabs can no longer afford to remain rivals due to precarious common threats that demand their attention: Iran and the Islamic State.

Islamic State Flag

During the 1950s and 1960s, at the height of Arab nationalism, support for Palestine and antipathy for Israel, largely united the Arab world. More recently, Sunni Arab states have refused to work with Israel without a proposed solution to the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which defines Israel as a perpetual enemy.

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I Don’t (k)NO(w)

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Confused Lady

What do you have to do to get a straight answer these days? Oh, the politicians are bad enough, but when was the last time you needed help from a retail clerk? 

Just for fun, go into a big box hardware store and ask one of the employees, “Do you carry elephants?” The employee will surely look at you with curious eyes, and repeat, “Elephants?” Nod affirmatively, and the employee will begin to answer with the correct response, which is no, and then remember that they are prohibited from saying no to a customer!

Smoke may begin to wisp from their ears as a response is formulated, and eventually something along the lines of, “You may want to check with the zoo” may be mumbled out. If it wasn’t sad it would be funny.

Sign "NO"

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Skating on Thin Ice – American Diplomacy in Pyeongchang

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Olympic Games Emblem

BOSTON —  The opening ceremonies of the 23rd Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea begin Thursday night.  In theory, the Games serve as a refuge from the geopolitical environment of the times. Nations put aside their conflicts and disagreements for what is supposed to be a peaceful and civil celebration of sport and competition.

The reality is that this is rarely true. From Jesse Owens defying Hitler at the 1929 Games in Berlin to American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos defiantly raising their fists in protest at the Mexico City Games of 1968 to the deadly Israeli hostage crisis at the 1972 Games in Munich, the Games have always been tinged with politics.

Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens

This year’s Olympic Games will be no different. The issue most obviously underpinning the whole Games is the escalating tensions between North Korea and South Korea (and their allies), which is only further exacerbated by the Games being held on the Korean peninsula. In the weeks and months leading up to the Games, it has often felt like a ‘two steps forward, one step back’ kind of situation between the two conflicted nations.

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NFL Protest Hypocrisy – A Foolish Irony

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NEW YORK — Professional athletes have every right to protest law enforcement during the singing of our national anthem at sporting events. We can picture the conversations between players and coaches where a guy like Colin Kaepernick would insist that he’d feel like a fake, like a complete phony, if he were to put his hand over his heart to honor a country that he feels continues to treat people of African descent unfairly, or minority groups in general.  

Understood. And on some level Mr. Kaepernick should be commended for staying true to his beliefs. It is also easy to see why coaches, team managers and owners have not seen it fit to scorn anyone who refuses to do that which they feel uncomfortable; that which they see as going along with empty and hollow symbolism for a country they do not deem as worth honoring, or worth respecting in moments such as these.

No, they should not be forced to stand at attention, hand over heart, for the singing of an anthem they simply don’t believe in, and no one, anywhere, should be demanding that they do.  

The problem is not in these players taking a knee in protest of American law enforcement or America at large. The problem goes much deeper than such things, and is multifold.  

Colin Kaepernick
Photo Credit: Washington Times

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Pizza & Politics: Papa John – Metaphor for America

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Making Pizza

BOSTON — John Schnatter, (now former) CEO of pizza chain Papa Johns, blamed declining sales on NFL anthem protests during the company’s quarterly earnings report. Papa John’s ($PZZA) trading fell by as much as 12%, losing about $70 million in value.

In a thinly veiled shot at commissioner Roger Goodell, Schnatter argued that the issue “should have been nipped in the bud” a year and a half ago, when Colin Kaeperinck first started to protest during the national anthem.

He went on to say that “once the issue is resolved” that he is “optimistic the NFL’s best years are ahead.” Papa John’s also announced they would be removing the NFL logo from all advertising campaigns in an attempt to distance themselves from the league and the protests, which he stated is “polarizing the customer, polarizing the country”.

Schnatter, an outspoken supporter of President Trump, is no stranger to mixing pizza and politics.

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A Father’s Journey – Part 1

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Father and Daughter

From the Editor:

You’re about to embark on the journey and true story of Stephen Pecevich, a single dad of three in the Boston area. Stephen, a former financial services professional, had his life take a complete detour which he and his family never imagined, when his youngest child was diagnosed with a brain tumor before she she was even 60 days old.

Follow the story of how this devoted father found faith and strength on what Stephen calls “a life detour”, as we publish regular excerpts from Stephen’s own memoir, which will be available in its entirety in the near future.

Here is how it all began:

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Fortune Favors the Bold

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Rock Climbing

The late, great, Ray Charles said “Live everyday as if it’s your last, because one day you’re going to be right.” That can be a scary thought, but it can also be a very invigorating one that pushes us into the space of doing. None of us want to near the end of our lives, looking back on lost opportunity with regret.

Regret

How much different might our lives have been, had we just taken a few more of those risks that we avoided skeptically?  The dissatisfaction would eat away at our already dwindling souls and would expedite our demise.

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The Woodshed – A Reckoning for Fake News

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FNN: Fake News Network

NEW YORK — President George Walker Bush comported himself in the exact opposite manner as the current American President, Donald John Trump, did on the campaign trail of 2016 and does as president.  President Bush’s countenance and demeanor, from day one until he left office, always placed him up high on the high road, never a cross word, always respectful and decent in his approach to the office of the presidency, and to the media.  He treated the fourth estate with dignity, even reverence, presumably out of a healthy respect for the 1st amendment, tempered with a non-confrontational style.  

He was a class act, regardless of how anyone judged his policies – right or wrong, we know that he did not speak brashly and churlishly, ever, or anything resembling disdain.  And what did that get him?  The media painted him the fool at every turn.  President George W Bush was so viciously attacked so regularly that it brought his father to tears, his father, a man who’d seen it all, welled up with tears at the treatment of the 43rd American President who happened to be his son.

 

George W Bush
President George W Bush

 The venomous and vitriolic ways in which leading Democrats and the media treated that Republican President should stand as a lesson for us all, now, with the most recent sitting Republican US President since his tenure ended.   

The mean-spirited, dishonest and intellectually bankrupt way in which President Trump is being treated by media elites has very little to do with Mr. Trump himself, but has to do with the fact that he has an R after his name.

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Believing Women – An Unfortunate Culture of Questioning Assault

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Woman's Sitting on Ledge

One of the howls that has emerged from the #MeToo stories and the ongoing breaking news about accusations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, abuse, and rape in multiple industries is the objection to those who say we should believe women when they come forward.

“But what about the women who falsely accuse men?” is the inevitable reaction, regardless of how many statistics from multiple countries on the low rate of false reports are cited. I am pretty sure this will always be a knee-jerk reaction to the notion of believing women.

Would the howls stop if we said instead that when a woman comes forward with an accusation that she is taken seriously? Can we please at least get to that point?

This is not about denigrating the vital legal principle of innocence until proven guilty. However, it is about treating women with respect when they come forward to report something that is incredibly serious.

Because there is no other crime where the accuser, the alleged victim, is not taken seriously. 

Police Car

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Super Bowl LII, Anticipating Protest and Selective Outrage

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Patriots Players Kneel in Protest

BOSTON — Ahead of the Super Bowl, millions of people may see NFL players silently protest by taking a knee during the national anthem. President Trump has made his feelings on this topic clear, initiating a feud with athletes who choose to kneel.

Weeks ago, at a rally for now failed Alabama senatorial candidate (and possible super-villain) Luther Strange, Trump encouraged NFL owners to fire those ‘sons of bitches’ who decided to kneel during the national anthem. He unleashed a barrage of tweets further admonishing those players, 17 tweets in all, despite the White House’s insistence that Trump is focused on more pressing issues like the hurricane in Puerto Rico or the North Korea crisis.

NFL Logo

Nearly every NFL team responded with messages of unity and support for their players right to protest. The number of players protesting during the anthem rose from about a dozen in the second week to over 100 by the third. Three teams decided to skip the anthem all together. 

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A Republican Rant with Ryan Girdusky – Video

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Ryan Girdusky

NEW YORK — Republican strategist and political commentator Ryan Girdusky joins Slanted Media for a lively video discussion about the State of the Union, #MeToo, and Hillary Clinton, that is sure to raise eyebrows and  cause a few laughs.

  • On #MeToo “Can you imagine giving oral sex to Aziz Ansari with Jerry Seinfeld’s voice in the background? Wouldn’t you kill yourself?“
  • On Hillary Clinton “…. She’s not the right candidate for anything… ever again…”
  • On Leftist Ideology “…. A lot of these organizations that are really created in a very left-wing ideology pursue to destroy something rather than rebuild something…..”

 

YouTube player

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Not #MeToo

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MeToo Protest

WASHINGTON — In the months following the inauguration of the 45th US President, Donald J. Trump, women across the country have taken to social media and began the #MeToo movement. On the campaign trail, a leaked audio clip of then Apprentice star Trump, revealed the vulgar side of a man vying for the highest office in the land. “Grab her by the pussy,” he said. This was the catalyst for several women to come forward and accuse the candidate of inappropriate sexual behavior.

President Trump

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Don’t Putin a President

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Putin & Trump Shake

MIAMI — Why are we twisting the meaning of an independent counsel?

Robert Mueller, a registered Republican, has the reputation of having unwavering morality and being experienced, fair, responsible, tight-lipped, and dutiful. There won’t be trumped up charges or fabricated evidence if there is nothing there. The innocent will go free. Let the investigation run its course without any hullabaloo or character assassinations. Anyone that believes external forces have backed off bots or intelligence gathering against America’s democracy, doesn’t live in truth.  

Robert Mueller
Special Counsel Robert Mueller

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