My Two Cents Worth....2025... A Not So Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year? Perhaps not. 2025 is off to a rough start to say the least.

 

_1 The New Orleans terrorist attack was tragic but should come as no surprise. This is the world we live in. Wherever two or more are gathered we must elevate security measures well beyond those currently being taken in most places. We know that suicidal evildoers will drive cars and trucks into crowds; or strap explosives on to their bodies and blow up themselves and everyone nearby; or being armed with guns or knives start killing as many as possible until they are stopped.  There is no end to the violence fanatics will resort to if they are willing to die for a cause.

 

_2 A couple of major winter storms have already disrupted work and travel for millions of us. Thankfully we’ve not had a repeat of the 2021 power failure here in Texas, but winter is just getting started.  We’ve already received the most snowfall in over a decade.

 

_3 In a matter of days, a convicted felon will be sworn in as the 47^th President of the United States.  Say what you will about their misguided “lawfare” attacks, Democrats were able to salvage the “convicted felon” nugget for their efforts.  Even if Trump’s conviction is over-turned on appeal, Democrats will forever attach the “convicted felon” label to his Presidency.

 

_4 Wind and Fire combined with California’s progressive political leadership has resulted in what will be the most expensive “natural” disaster in the history of this country. That Southern California will have wildfires is inevitable. Wildfires were there before “Global Warming” and will be there when the next Ice Age rolls around. That California’s leadership has failed to take the necessary steps to mitigate the risk is unforgivable. That California voters will double-down on radical environmentalism and progressive ideologies is, unfortunately, more than likely.

 

_5 With “The YMCA” echoing in the background “CYA-ism” is in full swing.  Mark Zuckerberg's journey of confession before Congress and with podcasters such as Joe Rogan rings a bit hollow to those who have known for years that his social media empire has been aiding and abetting Democrats’ efforts to promote their agendas and silence their critics. I expect Mr. Zuckerberg’s awakening and conversion will last at least until the next Democrat is elected President.

 

“What has been will be again. What has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9

Three Points of Contact

Safety experts tell us that when climbing a ladder always maintain three points of contact: two hands and one foot on the ladder or one hand and two feet.  If one has less than three points of contact with the ladder they are very likely to fall. 

 The “Three Points of Contact” rule applies to more than just climbing a ladder.  Whether one is baking a pie, building a house or attempting to reduce government spending; it requires information, understanding and action.  More specifically it requires accurate and timely information, proper understanding and the correct action.  Get any one of these three wrong and your pie taste awful, or your house is unlivable or your economy goes in the tank.  While no person, group or country gets it right every time; those who get it right more often than not end up doing much better than those who mostly get it wrong. 

 And even those who get it right most of the time can lose it all with one really bad decision; the Titanic comes to mind in that regard.  In fact, the Titanic is a classic example of a disaster when those in charge get it wrong.  They had information, mostly timely and accurate except for one major piece of misinformation.  The Titanic was not unsinkable. From that point on they lacked a proper understanding of the risks and their action was to continue on course.  In the aftermath, other miscommunications and operational failures have been judged as factors in the great ship going down.  How one chooses to sort it all out, it remains that misinformation, misunderstanding and incorrect actions sunk the Titanic.  The iceberg was just being an iceberg and got in the way.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have all had those Titanic moments, some in our personal lives and some in our in our professional endeavors.  The ones we most regret are those where we actually had the correct information and understood what was at stake, but chose the incorrect action. We thought we knew better or perhaps we just wanted that "rush"...hold my beer, watch this...as I fall off the ladder.