Something To Think About Archive

“(It was) something out of 1984” Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has finally admitted, referring to their Trump era censorship of content that was misguided and flat out wrong. He now says that “We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship.” And he adds, “The recent elections also feel like a tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech.” We assume that he means free speech and since when has that ever not been a cornerstone of American liberty? Other than in Silicon Valley.

It’s been said that “There are no problems that aren’t made at least slightly better by a long walk, and none that are made worse.”

It’s been said that ”With clear vision you may see where you are going, but without strong, well-articulated values, it may not be worth taking the trip.”

Columnist Burton Hillis wrote: “There’s a mighty big difference between good, sound reasons, and reasons that sound good.”

According to Joe Namath, “To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn’t know where he is going.”

FDR said: “To stand upon our ramparts and die for our principles is heroic. But to sally forth to battle and win for our principles is something more than heroic.”

The federal budget ballooned by almost 50% in 2020 due to Covid. Fair enough given that unemployment skyrocketed from 6 million to 23 million. But why is the budget still so bloated at $7.3 trillion as proposed by the outgoing Biden Administration for 2025? Why hasn’t it returned to a more reasonable inflation-adjusted $5.5 trillion which, coincidently, matches revenue projections for 2025. The federal debt, in just 6 short years, has exploded 650% from $5.5 trillion to $36 trillion. We hope that the Trump Administration brings with it some sanity and fiscal responsibility.

Writer L.M. Montogomery asks: “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”

If you’re going to play the game, any game, remember: It is just a game.

Mark Twain once noted that “The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”

Merle Haggard said: “I’m happier because I made up my mind to be that way.”

According to NFL Hall of Fame Coach George Allen: “People of mediocre ability achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.”

Of the many bills signed into law for 2025 by Gavin Newsome, AB 1955 is one of, if not the, worst. It prohibits school districts in the state from enacting policies that would force educators to notify parents if students identify as transgender or request to use a different name, a policy that now ignores every parent’s right to know what their child is doing when not under their supervision. Schools must not be allowed to supersede a parent’s right to parent their own child and we hope that AB 1955 is challenged in the courts.

“Don’t plan it all;” advised poet Juliet Alvarez. “Let life surprise you a little.”

According to Thomas Jefferson: “It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”

Mark Twain advised us to “Endeavor to live so that when you die, even the undertaker will be sorry.”

Gandhi believed that there were (or are) seven blunders of humanity: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Commerce without morality; Science without humanity; Religion without sacrifice; and Politics without principle.

Peggy Noonan, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, notes that “Big things are best said, are almost always said, in small words.”

If you have any questions on how the government got $35 trillion in debt, look no farther than the Biden Administration’s recent $6 billion “loan” to electric car manufacturer Rivian. This is a company that lost $100,000 on each and every one of the 37,000 vehicles it sold in 2024. Add to that the $2 billion in subsidies through federal tax credits for all the electric vehicles sold in 2024. Reminds us of the $535 million Obama wasted on solar cell-maker Solyndra who promptly went bust in 2009.

The Four Virtues, according to writer Ryan Holiday, are: Courage, Temperance, Justice and Wisdom.