Amateur Hour in America

I’m waiting patiently to see this generation’s Edward R. Murrow in media and the press.

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I have already seen this Administration’s Joe McCarthys.

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However there are a few “profiles in courage”…For example, Hagan Scotten told Justice Department officials that he would not be party to a political prosecution (below)….

But any assistant U.S. attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way. If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.

Hagan Scotten, Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of New York

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When Trump offered the severance package to federal employees, I did not realize that just about all of Congress decided to cash in and abandon their responsibilities too.

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When Associated Press was denied access to the White House press room I was disappointed other media members did not walk out to show their support.

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Just a thought, but a long moratorium on reporting news about this Administration and members would be mentally healthy for this country.

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Appropriate Aphorisms for Our Times

“A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.”

— Bertrand de Jouvenel

“Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.”

— Robert Orben

“A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

— George Bernard Shaw

U.S. is Not “Woke”; It’s in a Wake

…” too many assume soft despotism can’t happen here. That we are better than that. Well, American exceptionalists, it turns out, we’re just like everybody else: susceptible to conmen and tyrants and kleptocrats. It is happening here, right before your eyes, even if yours are shut tight.

“And yet, even with all this tumult, comes the news that Trump, while still the most unpopular president ever, or at least since 1953 when such measures started being taken, has attained his highest favorability rating. Leaving me with some existential questions like: Who am I? Who are half these people I call countrymen? What alternative universe do they reside in, and is there any chance we could make them stay there, then build a wall and make the aliens pay for it? They often remind me of those stories we’d read during the worst of COVID, when patients who had been propagandized to within an inch of their lives after being told by their conspiracy-slingers of choice that it was all some giant hoax, would be in the ICU on respirators, their lungs failing, arguing with their doctors on their deathbeds that surely they don’t have COVID, since it doesn’t even exist.”

When Your Country Hits the Skids Matt Labash

One of the things that I have experienced and come to grips with in my late stage of life is death. I have buried parents, a sister, relatives and friends so why should democracy be any different?

My expectation is that democracy would have at least survived me. Democracy did not die suddenly. I watched helplessy as a cancer of greed, corruption and stupidity weakened the patient. Many urged remediative care to ensure the patient survived and prospered. Instead the patient succumbed to a prescription based on misinformation, racism, sexism and superstition.

I am not indifferent to those who mourn or are suffering from democracy’s demise. Many are in shock; many are in denial. Power is now seized or bought. Caucuses, conventions and elections are not the bromides to resurrect or replace what we have experienced for so long. The guardrails of a Constitution, free press, independent judiciary and vigilant Congress no longer exist. I seriously question how accurate election results will be in the future. So much data and information is so easily manipulated, so can numbers.

The divide in this country is deeper than the hatred between North and South for so many years. I had hopes that a younger generation would change the tenor of our politics and culture as Baby Boomers need to step aside and allow our children and grandchildren to determine their future. Instead I sadly question whether they will be able to enjoy the opportunities and freedoms that once existed. Our school systems cannot educate students to read and write, how can we expect people to make right decisions and judgements?

I watch all of this numb and in sorrow. One expects to lose his family and friends. No one expects to lose his country.

Muses on Aging and Decline

Riches in youth measured by wealth; riches in maturity measured by health.

“Alarm clock: once for work, now for timely pickleball registration.”

Deterioration, diminishment, death and disability, Damocles’ swords for the older generation.

Lament of an older athlete: Often what the mind can conceive, the body can’t achieve.

Lost in cyberspace: the Sunday papers, complete with sports pages, TV section, crosswords and comic strips.”

77 million voters created 346 million “Anne Franks.”

Like humans, democracies can deteriorate—toward dementia or, politically, tyranny.

Start of the Rout?

If America is a stock, is it time to dump it and sell?

Like the ouroboros, I believe Big Tech is eating itself alive with its component companies throwing more and more cash at investments in one another that are most likely to generate less and less of a return. Monday’s correction shows that our financial markets — and possibly your retirement portfolio — may be starting to reflect an understanding of this dynamic. New York Times 1/28/25 I Study Financial Markets. The Nvidia Rout Is Only the Start. Mihir A. Desai is a professor at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School.

If Trump’s all-in-on-fossil-fuels, “drill, baby, drill” rallying cry — at the dawn of this era of artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, batteries and autonomous cars — really becomes our strategy, it will not make America great again. But it will definitely help make China great again. New York Times 1/28/25 Trump Is Going Woke Thomas Friedman

The bond market is telling us something about the dawn of the second Trump presidency, and it’s not pretty….Most of the policies proposed by President Trump, from tariffs to additional fiscal stimulus to deportations that tighten the labor market, are expected to add to inflation. And to the degree they are enacted, they will combine with an inflation rate that has declined rapidly, but which remains above the Federal Reserve’s target and is still higher than it was during most of the decade leading up to the pandemic. Rising long-term rates are bad for businesses and households that need to borrow, since the cost of loans such as mortgages and auto loans are directly linked to 10-year Treasury yields. New York Times 1/29/25 Trump’s Plans Are Already Making Your Life More Expensive Rebecca Patterson (is an economist and market strategist)

Send in the Clowns…

I am less agitated by the pardons of two men within the past few weeks than the pardons granted by 77.3 million voters last November.

I have no sympathy for Buyer’s remorse. I note the surprise and consternation as the curtain opened and the opening acts started. The fine print was clear: no returns, no exchanges, and no refunds on this runaway circus of calamity. You bought the ticket, and now you’re strapped in for the whole ghastly ride, derailments and all.

Upset that his hand wasn’t on the Bible during the oath of office? Why bother with a prop for principles he neither understands nor respects!

“We criticized the German people for allowing a Hitler to rise, but in the early 1930s, Germany was reeling from a global economic depression, compounded by severe unemployment and the crushing reparations imposed after World War I. Restricted in rebuilding its military and manufacturing, Germany was a demoralized and defeated nation. In contrast, the United States in 2024 elected Trump amidst economic prosperity, low unemployment, and a position of military and political strength, fully in control of its destiny.”

What would Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Douglas McArthur, Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite opine if they were at the Inauguration ceremonies last Monday?

Winter Journal by Paul Auster (Recommendation and Review)

I first read this book in 2012 when I was 60 years old. It had a profound effect on me then. My fears of getting older were starting. Reading this book at 72, I have a new appreciation for Auster’s messaging on aging, death and memories. The tale is sobering, not depressing. Auster had an interesting story to tell about his life’s experiences.

“Winter Journal” is a deeply personal memoir published in 2012, written when Auster was 64 years old. Auster begins by documenting his bodily sensations and physical experiences, starting with a detailed account of his mother’s death and moving through various moments of his life. He explores personal traumas, near-death experiences, and significant physical memories that have shaped his understanding of himself.

The memoir covers several key themes: mortality, aging, memory, and personal history.

List of my favorite excerpts below:

Your bare feet on the cold floor as you climb out of bed and walk to the window. You are 64 years old. Outside, the air is gray, almost white, with no sun visible. You ask yourself: How many mornings are left?

Nevertheless, there are things that you miss from the old days, even if you have no desire to see those days return. The ring of the old telephones, the clacking of typewriters, milk and bottles, baseball without designated hitters, vinyl records, galoshes, stockings, and garter belts, black and white movies, heavyweight champions,… basketball before the three-point shot, contempt for authority.

Your birthday has come and gone. 64 years old now, inching ever closer to senior citizenship, to the days of Medicare and Social Security benefits, to a time when more and more of your friends will have left you. So many of them are gone already – –but just wait for the deluge that is coming.

That is why you will never forget these words, which were the last words spoken to one of your friends by his dying father: “Just remember, Charlie, “he said “never pass up an opportunity to piss.” And so the wisdom of the ages is handed down from one generation to the next.

Joubert: The end of life is bitter. Less than a year after writing those words, at the age of 61, which must’ve seemed considerably older in 1815 then it does today, he jotted down a different and far more challenging formulation about the end of life: One must die, lovable (if one can.)

Pickleball Challenge before You Get on a Court

My pickleball friends will understand this graphic. In many pickleball meet-ups, a player needs to sign in at a dedicated website (e.g. meetup.com)and at an appointed reservation time, press “Attend” to reserve their spot. Many times, if you don’t sign up in the first 10-15 seconds, you may find yourself on a waitlist with dozens of other players. Such is the popularity of pickleball and the need for more places to play.

Capitol Follies 2025

Washington DC, that dismal swamp of mediocrity and mendacity, approaches the hiring of its high officials with a flair unmatched in any sane business enterprise. In the sober halls of a corporation, the applicant who arrives reeking of drink, armed with a résumé bereft of accomplishment, and crowned with the dubious laurels of personal absurdity would be unceremoniously ejected. Yet in our Capitol, such a man or woman, smirking contemptuously, as they avoid answering questions or explaining past comments is not merely tolerated but fêted as a paragon of public service. A carnival of absurdity, and the joke, as always, is on us.

On January 20 at noon, the curtain rises, the stage lights dim and the horror show begins.

Behold the mighty pageant of our age: politicians, pundits, and captains of industry prostrate not before the divine, but grovel in servility before our self proclaimed Caesar, trading their spines for a pat on the head and scraps from his table.

Line Calls

When I don’t play pickleball, I write about it…

I Saw the Light
Still playing “lights out”—literally—at St. Matt’s pickleball. No word yet on when the new lights will be installed. Despite the dim conditions, meetups remain popular, with players showing up under less-than-ideal circumstances.

It’s Not You, It’s Me
Like speed dating, partner switching in professional pickleball has become the norm. Even Ben and Colin Johns, dominant champions for years, are splitting up in 2025 to pursue new partnerships. Many pros are following suit, aiming for gold medals and bigger paydays. Pair splitting also happens at the recreational level, but with much less drama.

Offers I Could Refuse
PickleballTV, the online media service, now offers subscriptions: $5.99/month or $59.99/year. While I enjoy watching pickleball online, PickleballTV doesn’t yet match the production quality of Tennis Channel. From a business perspective, it feels premature to charge for a service that’s still refining its offerings.

Meanwhile, MeetUp has introduced MeetUp+ with subscription features that were previously free. Since being acquired by Bending Spoons last year, the platform feels outdated and in need of a refresh—not exactly a premium experience worth the added cost.

What Goes Up, Must Come Down
Pickleball’s growth is impressive, but industry players should tread carefully. If I were a paddle manufacturer, coach, or facility owner, I’d focus on competitive pricing, branding and quality. Just like the stock market, a “correction” could be on the horizon, forcing adjustments in strategy.

Crystal Ball Outlook
An analysis of DUPR scores shows the median player rating at 3.29, meaning half of players score higher and half lower. I predict the median will rise to around 3.50 in the next five years as younger players pick up the sport in schools and colleges.

To Lob or Not to Lob—No Longer the Question
Lobbing in pickleball can be as polarizing as playing with the sun in your eyes or battling high winds. Offensive lobs are often seen as unfair and even risky in social games, where players can injure themselves chasing down balls. I’ve decided to reserve lobs for defensive purposes in casual matches, but in a competitive game, all bets are off!

Takin’ Care of Business
The business side of pickleball risks overshadowing the sport itself. Pro pickleball is a mess, with issues like financial instability, disputes over illegal paddles, ever-changing rules, and player misconduct. Thankfully, the recreational game has largely been insulated from these woes—for now.

Three Best Pickleball Podcasts

King of the Court with Tyler Loong and Jimmy Miller
PicklePod with Zane Navratil and Thomas Shields
Tennis Sucks with Travis Rettenmaier and Graham D’Amico

Friendship and Acquaintance (The Difference)