Remembering 9/11/2001….The REAL Joan Rivers….20 things for 20 something’s….The Hazards of Autopilot (In the air and elsewhere)….Econ Recon: It Keeps Going Up…but why?

“I enjoy life when things are happening. I don’t care if it’s good things or bad things. That means you’re alive. Things are happening.”

 Joan Rivers

1933-2014

 Remembering 9/11/2001

Even though the anniversary of 9/11 last week was not one that people consider one of the “important” anniversaries (one that ends in a 5 or a 0), once again the nation paused to remember and reflect on how that terrorist attack changed everyone’s world forever. Hardly anyone older than 20 doesn’t know exactly where they were when they first saw the plane hit the second tower, or the towers fall. Although I am not an alumnus of the Naval Academy, it is one of my favorite institutions, and here is a tribute to 9/11 from the Naval Academy , made on the 10^th anniversary in 2011, that really moved me when I saw it for the first time last week. I am hopeful it is meaningful to you, also. [Note: all of the singers in this video are now commissioned officers in the United States Navy, deployed forward to defend our country from those who hate us and our way of life more than they love their own life. Next time you see a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, or Airman in uniform, please thank him or her for their voluntary service in the defense of our country.]

 The REAL Joan Rivers

The unexpected death of iconic comedian Joan Rivers brought the usual torrent of information from celebrity sources that either did not know her, wish they did, wished they didn’t …or wished she knew them! One of the more thoughtful tributes to Rivers came from someone who actually knew her well. The WSJ’s Peggy Noonan (former Reagan Whitehouse speechwriter) devoted a recent Saturday Column recalling her friendship with Rivers over the years.It  portrays a woman who made it on her own with enormous perseverance and could display significant courage; in one case trying to save the life of another during a visit to the White House.

Check out Noonan’s column Joan Rivers: The Entertainer  for a different take on River’s life, including her counter-intuitive thoughts on Las Vegas, the Mafia, and some surprising political leanings.

20 Things for 20 Something’s

It can be hard to give the young people in your life advice because of the age difference. So here’s some advice from a younger person for his peers that I wish someone had given mewhen I was 20. Pass on 20 things I Should have known at 20 to someone with more years ahead than behind!

The Hazards of Autopilot (In the air and elsewhere)

The aviation industry has always been cutting edge when it comes to developing and using new technology; most notably the autopilot function in aircraft. But there are no unmixed blessings in life and technology is no exception. The Hazards of Going on Autopilot.” from the New Yorker begins by looking at the use of autopilot technology, and the unforeseen hazards that have arisen by our reliance on it when we fly…. and then examines how this reliance may imperil us in other areas of life and business where computer technology has come between us and the outcomes we expect.

Econ Recon: It keeps going up….but why?

Bad news everywhere…stock market goes up….more bad news….stock market pulls back…more bad news…..market back over 17,000. Why? Economist Brian Wesbury looks at the substance of the economy and the world versus what people (i.e. the media) say about it.  Take a minute to review his answers to the question “Why Do Stocks Keep Rising?”