No one likes paying taxes, least of all billionaires.  They’d rather buy yachts.  Obliged to keep up appearances, they give to charity, some less than others, Elon Musk being the stingiest.  Nonetheless, they are lavish in their political contributions to politicians who favor th

The bank paid off one of my certificates of deposit (CD) early to refinance at a lower rate. My broker suggested one of two things: 1) buy a 3-month Treasury that paid 5% interest, or 2)  a one-year Note that paid 4.5%.  I chose the longer Treasury despite the lower rate.  If the F

I’m always stunned when people confess they don’t plan to vote in the upcoming 2024 election because neither presidential candidate inspires them–as if the event was a beauty contest and the fate of the nation wasn’t at stake. Joe Biden’s poor debate performance recently

It’s old news that a New York jury found former president Donald Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records before the 2016 presidential election.  He protested that the trial was rigged, naturally.  What else can a guilty man running for the White House a s

Being super rich may give a person a platform, but money doesn’t provide wisdom.  Elon Musk has many opinions which the media laps up but sometimes, his assertions leave him looking foolish.  His latest attack on Dr. Anthony Faucci is an example. Having no medical knowledge, Musk

Even in a time of war, there can be moments of laughter. Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert had a field day with a report about a Ukrainian grandmother who knocked down a Russian drone from her apartment balcony with a jar of tomatoes.  Equally low tech but less funny was a re

Being someone who meditates for enlightenment, I decided to bend my thoughts to the state of our democracy. My reason for doing so was this statement: the public has more confidence in the military than any other national institution. (“Crisis of Command,” by Risa Brooks et al, Fo

“Ready on the right.  Ready on the left. Ready on the firing line.  Commence firing.” In my early teens, as an entrant to long-range shooting competitions, I heard these words many times while I stared down the barrel of my Remington 22, the sites adjusted for wind, gravity, and

Those of us who see challenges through a filter of optimism can feel vindicated for that optimism because, despite warnings to the contrary, the 2020 Presidential election was fair.  Never mind that more than 50 court filings were intended to upend the results. Or, that  126 members

A former student of mine, now in his early 60s, visited me for coffee, recently.  We tried to avoid discussing politics, but it was the elephant in the room. Eventually,  my “young” friend admitted he found the antics in Washington, D. C. depressing.  Knowing he was a liberal D