Engaging Life with Courage and Intelligence
When countries are controlled by criminal enterprises
Humans have been conning and tricking other humans for eons. Most cons are on a relatively small scale, perpetrated by devilishly clever people. We hear about these “little” con jobs regularly on the nightly news. Elderly people are told to put money into a Bitcoin ATM because a bank employee said they would lose their…
Abe Lincoln and Mark Twain have another conversation while visiting America in 2025.
It is possible to pursue truth and entertainment simultaneously, but they are usually mutually exclusive. The following video is about three men from the 19th century who time-traveled to a 21st-century coffee shop in an American small town to discuss truth and entertainment. Postscript: I converted Honest Abe into a cartoon character because the current…
America’s darker impulses seem to be rising after years of relative calm and stability. Today the drumbeat of aggressors and bullies is louder than the peacemakers. The following is a YouTube video that highlights the slow but apparent drift of America towards a more warlike posture towards not only foreign countries and foreign people, but…
Hiding can be a game or a trap…
Julie Masino and Donald Trump know how to excite people. Whenever they perceive a psychological problem amongst their captive audience or negative news about their respective brands, they stir up the pot. They realize their “customers” must remain loyal, so what better way to keep them loyal than to give them a strong jolt of…
It is impossible to imagine a US administration that makes so many blunders. It would be polite to say that they are rookie mistakes. However, after a decade of ruling over the Republican Party, they can no longer use that excuse. To summarize one of the biggest economic blunders in American history, please listen to…
Most of us thought conservatives wanted to keep or conserve the world more or less as it is. The dictionary definition is “Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values.” Until recently, conservatives had the reputation for being somewhat dull but reliable,…
Russia invaded Polish airspace the night of September 10, 2025. Russia attacked Poland with Iranian Shahed drones, and Poland promptly shot down most of them. President Trump’s tepid response to the incursion was, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!“ Less than a month ago, President Trump warmly embraced Russian dictator…
There is a strong tendency for Americans to ignore the realities of the past and the present. Many Americans ignore how and why our country was founded, slavery, periods when the scales of justice were tipped in favor of the ultra-wealthy, and unwise foreign policies. Americans typically revere the totems and symbols of past glory,…