Author: Eric

INTJ personality. Jack of many trades, master of some. Former banker, consultant, technical writer, marketing manager, infopreneur and communications manager, now retired. Eclectic and sometimes eccentric. Cynical and often critical.

Dick Cavett Books and Review

Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks By Dick Cavett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I am going to combine this review with Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary and Off-Screen Secrets also written by Dick Cavett. I read these books at the same time. I admire Cavett’s wit, intelligence, humor, and storytelling. I enjoyed his talk show when it was on in the 1970s. Both books were series of short essays and articles that he wrote for the New York Times. Here are some of the people and topics that he covered, and with which I enjoyed: Groucho, Marx, George W. Bush, Johnny, Carson, Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, James Gandolfini, William F Buckley, Elizabeth Taylor, the Vidal – Mailer incident, Richard Nixon, David Letterman etc.

Cavett’s writing is crisp and humorous and as elegant and entertaining as the many interviews that he did on his ABC talkshow.

I doubt that very many readers under 60 years old may know of Cavett, but he was a bit of a cultural icon and hero in my day. His books represent a nostalgic trip for me into the celebrity world of the 1960s and 70s.

Good fun!

Evil vs. Dumb

This should have been an easy presidential election to figure out. There are three candidates. I guess there are people who take RFK Junior seriously. I can’t. The apple has fallen very far from the tree in his case. And like Donald Trump, he also has been involved in a sexual assault. he holds very many strange, political and scientific views. His vice presidential choice makes Sarah Palin look like John Quincy Adams.

The Republican party is just plain evil. They no longer are interested in a democracy or what average Americans want in their political leadership or direction. Plus their nominee is a convicted felon who has also been indicted for a variety of federal and state violations. I seriously doubt that he will spend one hour in a jail cell for all the crimes he has committed. More likely he will be taking the presidential oath of office next January in Washington DC. What a country!!

This leads me to the Democratic Party. Good intentions, absolutely stupid and timid leadership, and badly out maneuvered by the Republican party. Their political platform probably represents what most Americans are in agreement with but that only matters if we are talking about a working democracy. They made a bad mistake in following the dictum of Michelle Obama, who said, and I paraphrase “when they go low, we go high.” How is that worked out for the Democratic Party and for the nation as a whole?

So now there is angst about the candidacy of Joe Biden for re-election. Biden is holding out that he can remain Trump’s opponent based on the support of his family and inner political circle. Just as I saw with my own eyes on January 6, 2021 that Donald Trump initiated and fomented a hostile political takeover so I also see and hear that Joe Biden is regrettably not up to the job as he is just too old. Time is unbeaten and Joe is another one of its victims. Looks like Joe needs a push out the door…

Many Democrats supposedly are rallying around the President. They point out his achievements over the past 3 1/2 years which are commendable and considerable. I think he has brought honor back to the presidency. But what the Democratic Party needs today is a killer. A leader who will not take any prisoners and will win the presidential election in November. Two of the most important qualifications for any Democratic candidate is youth and energy. Then make that contrast with an old and feeble Donald Trump.

The Democrats had four years to either put Trump in jail, in exile or out of business. Timidly, they have not accomplished anything. The Democrats lack a “closer”, a visionary, a political heavyweight who can take on the Republican party.

I will be interested to see who in the Democratic Party stands up and demands the job. Whoever it is has only about 3 to 4 weeks to make his or her case.

No Debate about the Debate

Even before Joe Biden uttered a word before the CNN Presidential debate last night, I knew he lost. He shuffled out to his podium like a senior citizen going to wait in line for food donations. His demeanor was emotionless. There was no energy in his walk, his eyes and his demeanor. He epitomized the worst fears of his critics who said he was too old.

So what should the Democrats do?

First, they need Joe to step aside. I’m sure the polls after this debate will be devastating. Joe did have support from last night, but it was from pity.

Second, anyone who has been involved with having Joe run should be fired. Did they think this charade would work through November? I have serious concerns that he will finish his term.

Third, find the best opponent against Trump. Not Hilary Clinton but a young, energetic candidate that can be elected. And find them fast as there are state election regulations requiring that a candidate be named within 40 days.

Great Retirement Advice

Thought provoking New York Times article What Does Retirement Really Mean? Short in length but long on wisdom…

My takeaways from the article are shown below. The first observation is what is most relevant to me at my age.

“Growing old is a process of giving things up. The trick is to not dwell on what you have lost, but rather focus on what remains.”

CONRAD REYNOLDS, CHICAGO

“Old age is like the fourth quarter of a basketball game. Time for the stars to really shine.”

HAL REICHARDT, BEAVERTON, ORE.

“The best sentiment I have heard on retirement was expressed by Serena Williams: She was not retiring from tennis, she was evolving.”

CYNTHIA WAGNER WEICK, CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CALIF.

“If the joy of your work has left you, it is time.”

CHRISTINE ROBB, ISLESBORO, MAINE

“I had to learn to be comfortable in the uncertainty of my future.”

PAULA SANTA-DONATO, HARTSDALE, N.Y.

Don’t Hate the Playa, Hate the Game!

The Louisiana Senate recently passed a bill that requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

I admire men and women of religion and conviction. I am surrounded by family and friends of faith. I would not tried to dissuade them from their beliefs. Most of them live exemplary lives, and they walk the talk of their faith and convictions.

However, I don’t like religion. As a teenage boy, I saw no logical or rational sense in it. Religion, any faith, was filled with hypocrisy, myths, superstition and bizarre beliefs. Six decades later, my feelings about religion remain unchanged, perhaps even stronger.

In the last few decades, politics has corrupted religion and religion has corrupted politics. Has there been anything more galling than the country’s most notorious felon and sexual assault perpetrator pitching the sale of his bibles?

Hate, bigotry and venom are spit from the pulpits of many churches. Regrettably, these types of messages resonate favorably with many sitting in the pews. As I mentioned, I know of men and women who are inspired by their religion and perform good works. Unfortunately I see and hear too many others who wrap religion around their twisted politics and daily life.

As an agnostic, I don’t want religion to factor into political life. Stay away from issues related to personal freedom, abortion, same sex marriage, euthanasia, books and education!  Religion’s worst enemies are science, history and philosophy. I’d rather hear more of that than church pastors and evangelicals bilking their flock of money.

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Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz (Review)

The great ending of this book made it all the worthwhile to read through all 415 pages. This is the seventh or eighth Horowitz book that I have read and enjoyed. This is the second Horowitz/Hawthorne series book that I have read.

There were so many subplots and turns within this story that the author, skillfully connects and explains at the end. It was a murder mystery, where a cast of about a dozen could have been involved in murdering one of the residents in the community. Everyone had a great motive to see the demise of one of the obnoxious new neighbors in the close community. As I read the book, I could not figure out how the murder investigation would conclude.

An interesting angle of the book is the narration provided by Horowitz in his role as an author and storyteller of this crime. His uneasy relationship with detective Hawthorne is part of another mystery within the book.

The ending of the book is pure genius. So many swerves and plot turns! Just when everyone thinks that they have the answers (or the murderer) the questions change and the plot thickens.

This book would make an excellent beach read for those who enjoy mysteries. I’d love to see this book presented as a movie – – it was that entertaining!

Pickleball Isn’t Cheap

Just a guessestimate…Depending on how you play, what level, how committed, wear and tear and where you play, expenses can add up. I’m sure some players pay less than this and I’m very sure many “competitive” players pay more. This estimate doesn’t factor in any medical expenses that can occur.

There is an increased level of commercialization in the sport that is inevitable as it becomes more popular and mainstream.