Coming Up!

The Premier League football season in England begins in two weeks.  It seems like they just finished last season a few weeks ago.  Why?  Because they just finished last season a few weeks ago.

The rest of the election season is already here.  Usually there is a break between the conventions and Labor Day.  Not this time.  The dirt will continue to fly nonstop from now until Nov. 8.

No end in sight for the carnage that kills and maims innocent people around the world every day.  Looking for a safe place to hide?  Sorry, folks, no place is safe.  So there is no point in changing your vacation plans.  Just go ahead and live your life.

The Zika virus continues to expand its reach.  Not a surprise.  Globalization isn’t limited to economics.

More summer movies are on their way.  Any “don’t misses” among them?  I’m the wrong person to ask.  Last time I got out of my chair and went to a theater was to see “Avatar.”  I’m happy to wait for the “don’t misses” to come to a TV set near me.

Trump's Speech!

For those of us who despise Donald J. Trump, we think his acceptance speech was terrific.  He did nothing to widen his appeal and reinforced the many negatives that swirl around him.

He spent well over an hour huffing and puffing in a bombastic harangue that served up red meat hot button issues for the converted and was nothing more than a tired litany of talking points for others:

Immigration – Law and Order – Bad Hillary – Trade – More Law and Order – More Bad Hillary – America First – We are Losing – More Immigration – Kill the Bad Guys – More Bad Hillary – More Law and Order, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Fortunately, his egomaniacal self couldn’t bring itself to express even a modicum of humility.  Go Donald!

Fortunately, his slogans weren’t backed up with substantive solutions.  Go Donald!

Fortunately, his fear mongering and dystopian view of today’s America weren’t leavened with a positive vision for the future.  Go Donald!

Fortunately, he did nothing to improve his likeability numbers  Go Donald!

A missed opportunity.  We can only hope there will be many more in the coming months.  Go Donald   

Resigned!

Given the state of this country and the world it’s hard to know how to be.  Possibilities include:

Cynical:  As I grow older I find this is an easy default position.  “Things are going to hell in a hand basket,” (how old is that saying?) or “Forget it, nothing is going to change,” or “It’ll probably get worse before it gets better,” etc.

Pessimistic:  This is the glass is half empty position.  “I’d like to have a positive outlook, but, really, can’t you see that the water is going in the wrong direction?”

Hopeful:  “I know things don’t look good, but it has been worse than this and we came through OK.”

Not interested:  “I’m not paying attention anymore.  The media can’t be trusted.  The politicians can’t be trusted.  Businessmen can’t be trusted.  Why bother to try and sort out the lies?”

A Pollyanna:  “Don’t worry.  If you have a positive outlook things will get better.”

I confess that I often bounce around between cynical and pessimistic.  In recent times, however, I find myself just plain resigned.

Resigned:  It will all turn out the way it’s going to turn out.  I can’t change it.  What’s the worst that can happen?  Trump is elected?  The world won’t come to an end.  The terrorists blow up more and more people?  The world won’t come to an end.  Government dysfunction continues?  The world won’t come to an end.  We do nothing about climate change?  Oops!  In that case the world may indeed come to an end – or at least the part that’s alive. 

A Waste of Time!

It’s a waste of time to use statistics to prove that blacks are more likely to suffer violence at the hands of the police than others.  A no brainer.

It’s a waste of time to wait for the Wall Street Journal to provide evenhanded political coverage.  Or, on the other side, Salon.

It’s a waste of time to expect Bill O’Reilly to be other than an egotistical blowhard.

It’s a waste of time to expect that getting your license renewed at the DMV will be a pleasant experience.

It’s a waste of time to think your airline miles will get you a free business class seat to Europe.

It’s a waste of time to expect a Giants fan to give the Dodgers a break.  And vice versa.  Same for Red Sox/Yankees fans.  Go Giants!

It’s a waste of time to try and curtail the flow of drugs into the U.S. so long as we are the world’s #1 marketplace.

It’s a waste of time to predict we can control the machines we’ve created that can outthink us.  Artificial intelligence rules.

Likewise, it’s a waste of time to think that gene manipulation can be controlled.  Natural evolution will continue, but at a slower pace than its rivals.

Have a nice day!