Award winning, Best selling Author, and one of my Heroes

Meeting a Legend Before He Leaves Us:

Author David McCullough has written on Presidents and history for 45 years; winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. He received the Pulitzer Price twice and also the National Book Award. It was an honor this week to finally meet him and shake his hand. His wife of 60 years, Rosalee was delightful; she exhorted us to never stop reading out loud to our children.

His new book about the Wright Brothers comes out on May 5, 2015; a result of digging deeper into the story of these remarkable men and finding much that he did not expect: www.davidmccullough.com

In his book about Paris in the 1800s he chronicles the vast influence of the returning Americans who grew, learned, and flourished in Paris. It's unique to consider the massive early French influence on the initial formation of the USA.

He imports the cause/effect, action/reaction, give/take of human nature that is studied in the field of History. He believes Truman, John Adams, Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Theodore Roosevelt are the greatest presidents, but that all the "great" presidents were readers of history.

One of the best interviews I have ever watched was conducted on the Charlie Rose Show where David McCullough spent 52 min. recounting his great life in the study of history. McCullough told us in person, he loves Charlie Rose and was delighted at how well that interview turned out!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/249382

He stresses how important reading, writing, and the liberal arts are to education, which [at 42:20] he claims it is the basis of who we are as a nation [centering the discussion on Education at 43:30].

He states [at 12:34] the essential nature of the study of history to any position of leadership, and that a liberal arts education is the under-pinning of any further profession because of the depth it adds to the student in later years [11:48]. (Oh, how I agree!)

Mr. McCullough reminds listeners that the "Arab Spring" and other democratic uprisings show that the peoples of the world want what we take for granted here: the opportunity to live under a Bill of Rights, individual freedoms guaranteed by laws, and not men, and the ability to learn and develop our own strengths. "This is the country's great strength," he says. He adds that much of this civic development is provided by teachers, especially teachers of history (his son is a teacher).

 

He carried himself with dignity, grace, charm, and a sense of purpose. His work stands by itself but as a person, I found him sharp, engaging, and funny; although it doesn't appear this way in the picture above snapped of us at the meeting. In every way he was a humble human being who you'd love to have as a professor.

(Quote) "I think it's important to remember that these men are not perfect. If they were marble gods, what they did wouldn't be so admirable. The more we see the founders as humans the more we can understand them." by David McCullough

Blog post ©Mark H. Pillsbury

 

Leaving New York: True Love

Track Four #TrueLove

He loved Central Park. It gave him a feeling of liberation from confined space; oozing out of the pores of the freest city in the world--of possibilities outside its verdant borders. Staring out at the Park, the reality of his abrupt exit from FormCorp nearly suffocated him this evening on the way to the airport; slowly making his way north on Fifth Avenue, a sad soundtrack playing in the dark limousine.

The four years spent in Manhattan exceeded every dream he’d had of life in the City that Never Sleeps. It breathed life into him every morning as he walked the concrete canyons to work, even trudging through grey, slushy snow. As CEO of a wholly-owned subsidiary, he spent four years immersed in FormCorp and the culture of the financial district. Large corporations have diverse networks and traditions so ingrained they live like old families, oblivious to their dysfunction and set in their ways. With many of his ideas ignored or marginalized by the parent company and on the verge of a leadership shift; he’d decided to leave without much fanfare. It was time to go, but the city's twinkle faded before his eyes, refracted by tears. The city was moving on without him.

As an outsider from New York, coming into lead a major division was a difficult challenge; the ethos of this culture was an elitist brand of excellence, and every team was a team of type-A leaders. As hard as it was to gain the high ground in his group within the larger corporation, the years had flown by in “New York time,” making this evening’s final ride even more shocking. This was it. He was leaving her. The end of a short, torrid love affair, doomed from the beginning. How appropriate that the driver, Mike; like a friend by now, slipped Coldplay’s latest reflective album "Ghost Stories" into the stereo system; a musical representation of his crushed, defeated torpor. He lifelessly leaned against the door staring out at the city bustling by, seemingly like a lover fading down and away on a busy street, lost in the crowds.

He would miss the wild changes in seasons, fashionistas, the art, and the word-on-the street. Dining in Manhattan always presented challenges, but he enjoyed the “hunt” of finding just the right place to eat. Often you didn’t brag about some local discovery because you wanted to keep it to yourself, keep it from being overrun. Here, everything moved with such a velocity; from public opinion, to speeding cabs, the rise and fall of the markets, even the lithe Central Park “joggers” had a running pace he always envied. This was the City of the World; nothing like it.

["Most other American municipalities are segregated by class and culture, education and personal choice. But in New York everybody is jumbled up together and bounced around until you have African princes walking side by side with Appalachian Daughters of the American Revolution, and aspiring starlets making room for hopeful housewives past their prime. Even with real estate costs climbing above the reach of almost everyone, you can still find all the elements of humanity riding #1 train down under the West Side of Manhattan."

--Walter Mosley (The Long Fall 2009)]

His company spent a lot of time helping its leaders learn what to do, say, how write email, or drive production and profits; however, not enough time was spent helping those same leaders learn what to stop doing. His early mistake was not in governance of his team, but failing to ask the right questions about the company which owned FormCorp. Before he even took the job in New York, he could have delved deeply into its leadership structure and how its centralized nature diluted the power of the divisional CEOs. Like why did the Executive VP working closely with the President & Chairman have the right meddle in his operation? She wasn’t above him on the org chart, but he couldn’t get her out of his business: "that's just not how we do it at FormCorp," was the mantra; but he believed that without freedom and creativity, collaboration looks like conformity.

His ability to change or even accommodate the executive leadership team of FormCorp’s parent company was slight in the first year of his tenure; and yet business practices they couldn’t stop doing would be the harbinger of his end, even though three years later. This may seem as minutiae out of a MBA class; but power struggles are as old as time; and it came down to that.

Taking a risky leap exposes one to all sorts of danger and timing is everything.

He’d heard those bromides forever, but their truth hung on every word of the songs Chris Martin sang this lonely evening. His family had moved back to California already, giving him time to close up his tenure at FormCorp and exit the city. All the “what-ifs” had been tumbling around in his mind for weeks, as the end approached; he’d even considered taking some time off to consider resurgence--staying in the position but taking a different approach. Ultimately, it was the permanent finality of this trip out of town making him feel so broken, ancient, and sad--and gone.

 “It is often said that New York is a city for only the very rich and the very poor. It is less often said that New York is also, at least for those of us who came there from somewhere else, a city for only the very young.” ― Joan Didion, from Slouching Towards Bethlehem  

Stuck in traffic on Fifth Avenue, listening to Coldplay’s transparent, very personal CD, “Ghost Stories,” he recognized that his sorrow was different than Chris Martin; but they both carried bruised and tattered hearts. The melancholy of the fourth song, “True Love” played as a soundtrack to his grieving; lament reflecting back off the tall glass towers peering over the Park. Going to the airport on his last trip out of town lifted the burden of his corporate battle against dysfunction; even though physically, he slumped down, hidden in the dark leather seat like it was a cave. His sentiment was mournful, even weeping, like Jonny Buckland's ethereal guitar solo toward the end of the track. She couldn't look him in the eye as she left, that was the worst of it.

Darkness engulfed like none before. A long, successful run in this business made him to this point unaware of the pain of rejection or the agony of defeat. He saw his underlings and some friends endure disaster before, and subconsciously, he probably knew that renewed growth would come out of this day; yet on this drive none of that coalesced in his mind. For a while he was in control, but he lost it. He sobbed. Unbelieving, agonizing with regret. The song was about a pain too great to face:

"Tell me you love me, New York; if you don't, then lie. It can’t be over. Lie to me."

(end)

#Fiction ©Mark H. Pillsbury (2014)
©Coldplay 6th album "Ghost Stories" rel. by Atlantic Records in N Am. on 05/19/2014

Thunderstruck: Carrier Fiction (Part IV) Ripped from the Headlines

AC/DC - Thunderstruck - YouTube:

'via Blog this'
Part IV of the Code Yellow Series

Officer and a Gentleman

How can a warrior stretch his wings, bearing talons in flight, still behaving as a true gentleman at rest? Often pondering such thoughts, I watched my commanding officer aboard the USS John C. Stennis and in the rear seat of his FA-18 Hornet as his WSO (weapons service officer). Over years, missions, flatland, or ocean waves, I shadowed this man, observing his every move; reactionary for sure, I am paid to do what he does, drop what he wants dropped and land when he hits the deck.

My perspective as a Lt. Jr. grade, my subservient rank, even my support role in the aircraft; all put me in the background to his shining light, however, I am also the closest witness to the good days and the bad. We fly together, walk & talk together, drink together, play H-O-R-S-E basketball on off-hours; but my guess is that he doesn’t know me like I know him. Busy as an executive officer, wing commander, head coach, team morale leader, even big brother, Lt. Harrington cannot carefully watch me as I do him.

Nevertheless on a night like tonight when we had important work to do with the Code Yellow mission, warrior instincts took control of the program; he was steely-eyed and laser-focused. But when not under the pressure of battle, there’s a different story to tell: Lieutenant Harrington’s strength centered on how he conducted his affairs on the ship, but more than just effective Navy leadership.

Whether under pressure or just hanging around the flight room, he seemed always to be slightly lazy, calm, or “laid-back” as we often called the tall Texan. Even when Lt. Harrington was angry, one often received a bright smile with a twinkle in his eyes that belayed his frustration, only occasionally accompanied a tilt of the head. The combination of tilt, smile, wink, and calm only added a suggestion of “really?!”

He let you think about the situation long enough socratically, silently encouraging you to answer the malformed query yourself. It was the simple, hackneyed method of applying grace, patience, and virtue to a particular situation which worked so well for Lt. Harrington; it was not exaggerating to call him the “moral compass” of the ship’s pilot wing. He carried himself like John Elway, spoke like Matthew McConaughey, and worked like Nolan Ryan.

Often admonishing biblically that we must be content in times of plenty and want, Harrington led the air group by daily modeling this mindset, an enormous source of strength for the other pilots. He'd tell us about the apostle Paul writing Philippians from prison, yet able to reach into the inner resource of character, despite extreme pressure. Stress permeated this profession, the weather and mechanics of our equipment, ship and aircraft, failed us too frequently; further, the 6,500 crew members of the USS John C. Stennis were as mercurial as a tempest, adding the human element to the list of dangers bearing down upon us. As a result of one stable example, other leaders in the squadron emulated their lieutenant although almost sub-consciously, maybe because their egos were as big as any; nevertheless, since the lieutenant was consistent, fair, light-hearted, driven, friendly, ferocious, passionate, and dogged about excellence in aviation, they wanted to be that way too. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, especially in leadership.

The pilots' CEO, effectively, Lt. Harrington embraced the needs of others before his own, infusing grace and hope into the many opportunities he had to coach, cajole, encourage, and mentor younger pilots. It was not unusual to see him sitting next to a recent addition, talking and drinking coffee in the officer’s mess; they looked as if their relationship went back years, even to grade school. Lieutenant was as friendly, engaging, and cooperative with the newest member of our team as he was with me, his “back-seater,” the WSO partnered with him for almost four years.

It wasn't sentimental to use the word “generous” to describe our leader. That generosity was contagious. It is rare today in executive business leadership, where “exit strategies” and golden parachutes dominate attention in the higher ranks, to encounter a mentor and a true servant/leader like Lt. Harrington; one always thinking of his corpsmen, ready to sacrifice when necessary; even to his own detriment.

The Force

Eight squadrons of airplanes launched off of the carrier USS John C. Stennis, aka “Johnny Reb” in the US Navy, because of its roots in Mississippi; one of the oldest and most distinguished aircraft carriers in the fleet. Almost 90 planes rose out of their big grey mother, up above the Persian Gulf because of the “all-in” exercise called by the commander. They were all up in the air together, but almost 6,300 seamen were working simultaneously to get them all back safely.

Code Yellow instructions came from the DOD in Washington DC. They were as hot as anything you can hold in your hands: make noise, use technology (like satellite images which can see through the night), and apply all the force that FA-18 Super Hornets can strategically apply to the situation. Tonight, it meant circling down from a high orbit around the Persian Gulf, locking in on two sites which might contain a full-fledged nuclear weapons program of The Islamic Republic of Iran. If the fighters from the Stennis happen to encounter the Iranian Air Force (IRIAF), concurrent instructions are to meet any force with equal firepower. That small folder Lt. Harrington paraded to his team earlier in the evening carried with it the assembled might of one of the most powerful war-making machines ever invented: a United States aircraft carrier. Thunder reigned from above.

Hornet Harrassment

The first images sent onshore to analysts confirmed activity much more than mining operations. Several trips over the site produced hi-res photographic evidence of a nuclear factory in the Fordo mountain range near the city of Qom. Iranian diplomatic engagement, previously futile, might ignite again after realizing the serious nature of US Navy capabilities in the Persian Gulf, and the President’s willingness to flex his Navy muscles.

This evening, American air power would be used for diplomatic bullying and geopolitical hand-holding with Israel. Risking a global misunderstanding of timing, in light of the Syrian crisis flaring in the Middle East; nevertheless, firing a few warning shots could save a full-scale air war instigated by our Jewish allies. Iran’s uranium enrichment capability would have to be extinguished someday, just not tonight.

Harrington’s squadron would take their surveillance very seriously until they selected a few strategic targets to eliminate. The Hornet’s diverse array of weapons was staggering; WSOs would meticulously apply just the right firepower to match ancillary targets such as a road, a bridge, tracks, trucks, or antennae. The objective was to slow down any function supporting the Fordo site; and get all aircraft safely back to the ship.

Part 4 in a series of fiction ripped from the headlines:

©Mark H. Pillsbury

Checking in with the Millennial Generation

What is up with the Millennial Generation?

50 million Millennials span the ages of 18-30 (they were born after 1982). They are more tech-savvy than any other group and they voted for Barak Obama at a 2-to-1 ratio of other generations. 


They are self-confident but unlike baby-boomers, not morally superior. They may be better educated because of the stiff headwinds they faced during the Great Recession. Many Millennial youngsters are still in school.

Millennials diminished sense of economic opportunity remains focused almost entirely on the job market. About two-thirds of Millennials are employed but only slightly half of those are working full-time. Almost two-thirds of Millennials without a job are looking for work.

For those in the workplace these responses* were given about:

When recruiting Millennial generation:

·  93% of Millennials want a job that works with their lifestyle.

·  93% of Millennials want a job where they can be themselves.

·  88% of Millennials want their coworkers to be their friends.

·  89% of Millennials want their workplace to be social and fun.

·  79% of Millennials think they should be allowed to wear jeans to work at least sometimes.

·  81% of Millennials think they should be allowed to make their own hours at work.

·  92% of Millennials think their company is lucky to have them as an employee.

·  Half of Millennials would rather have no job than have a job they hate

When managing Millennial generation:

·  The three most critical aspects of their work are work/life balance, loving what they do, and having good benefits. Having a good salary and vacation time are important, but not their key drivers.

·  76% of Millennials think their boss could learn a lot from them.

·  8 out of 10 Millennials want regular feedback from their boss.

·  8 out of 10 Millennials think they deserve to be recognized more for their work.

·  Over half of Millennials want feedback at least once a week or more.

·  Three-fourths of Millennials want to work for themselves one day.

·  Three-fourths of Millennials would like to have a mentor.

·  61% of Millennials say they need specific directions from their boss to do their best work.
(research released by Nick Shore, Sr. Vice president, strategic insights and research at MTV network)

How to appreciate a Millennial:

Leaders, listen up. Instead of giving your team members the usual kudos for their good work, try something more personal and meaningful:  walk them into their office, close the door, and tell them how important their contribution is to the organization. Hand-written notes are back. Get out your pen and start writing!

How this new trend in the workforce is a back to basics, humane approach:

The results seem to show a smoothing out of the workforce into a comfortable environment and a perpetual feedback loop. Dress can be casual, and management hierarchy is flatter. Despite the grim economic environment Millennials are still confident about their future and actually want to be treated as individuals, not cogs in a machine. They have the self-respect to be bold enough to ask for humane treatment; Millennials are realistic about their situation and their future.

These are often 30-something emerging managers who will be the talent and bedrock of many corporate teams. Will they care about ethics and reasonableness enough to not lie, cheat, and steal from shareholders and the stock markets? Are they cocky and petulant, or principled and wise? Only time will tell.

Millennial employees want to be treated as we always should have treated co-workers, with respect, with the desire to have their input and foster their creativity. They will inevitably bring to our workplaces a more progressive and civil authority now, and as they grow into the next generation of leaders. They have seen the turn of a millennium (thus the generation's name), 9/11 attacks, the worst economic downturn in decades, and a long overseas war for which many volunteered.

This is a force to be reckoned with. The other generations should pay attention. ##


(*information based on a survey of Millennials by MTV, otherwise, opinions are solely my own)

Code Yellow

Coldplay Yellow Live Glastonbury 2002 - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

Code: Yellow

The evening hours passed quietly aboard the USS John C. Stennis, sort of like a middle-school slumber party, but not really. Instead of nail-polish and text-messages, men wrote hand-written letters on thick-cotton stationery and studied the Naval intelligence maps of Iranian air bases and nuclear facilities. The young pilots were part of a powerful, strike-force flotilla cruising the claustrophobic waters of the Strait of Hormuz, on the southern coast of Iran, the world’s busiest oil-shipping lane. The boys of the Persian Gulf: fighter jocks taking it easy in a rec room on a lazy Friday night in April.

Squadron commander, Lieutenant Harrington was almost oversized for the cockpit. The big Texan carried himself casually, even sauntering when there was room above deck. His sad eyes and perfectly cropped Naval hair gleamed against the perpetually tan face and neck of a professional pilot. His correspondence home always on bone-colored, embossed Crane stationery, a habit leftover from his traditional southern mother in Dallas. The lieutenant’s natural leadership centered upon a social intelligence based on close relationships not only with his WSOs but all the flying teams in his unit. He treated every pilot like his brother; frequently he could be found holed-up next to a colleague discussing business in the close quarters of a aircraft carrier, but with the tenderness and quiet of a counselor. Knowing every teammate intimately, including talents and weaknesses in flying ability and personality allowed him the kind of access and respect few commanders garnered in today’s Navy.

I am merely a NFO, Lt. Junior Grade. The NFO is the back-seat partner to the pilot, formerly known as the Naval Flight Officer. The modern Navy NFO position has naturally become more complicated. Back seat of a fully equipped and upgraded F-18 Super Hornet, the NFO is now called the WSO (“weapons system operator”) because of the stunning array of assault options it carries. More than a navigator, I am the lieutenant’s little brother who brings all the booze to the party. He gets me to the target and I equip him with more firepower than the most of the small armies of the world combined. As we internalize through years of training, nothing I do is unimportant or routine. Without a talented WSO, the pilot is a gifted aviator flying on gilded wings, but with no talons. Weapons after all, are what we do. The Hornet has half a dozen Raytheon® missile systems which allow precision strike capability in enough configurations to make your mind numb. Each plane is an air-to-ground and air-to-air aggressor; like a flying army of guns and bombs.

A calm Friday evening of “watch-duty” with quiet activity, soft music, and standard recreation in the briefing room, turned in just ten minutes into a beehive of preparation, determination, and steely readiness for battle? The simple phrases of a love-letter and a song transform into the rote instructions of a wing commander quickly organizing his squadron for deadly serious work.

The squadron commander made an unusual decision during what were called publicly “training exercises,” a move they called, “All-in.” Every fighter jet on the carrier would be up and active tonight, prowling the skies. At least once during a long cruise, protocol required that this exercise take place because someday during a real shootout, the battle group might just have to use all assets to win. This was the most dangerous night of their deployment, but it was also the most realistic.

All assets on the ship were scrambled; every crew activated and every pilot manned a stick. The launch process was grueling and dangerous in any scenario, but a night launch was always a little more stressful. Tonight’s “All-in” gambit assured the ship that until all the planes were safely back on deck, every crew member would sweat out the once placid evening. The lieutenant was no Jimmy Doolittle, but this was a major-league decision given the circumstances in the Persian Gulf, even the fuel tankers would circle the landing pattern until all fighter jets returned. Tankers too would have to “call the ball” of the landing system used on the USS John C. Stennis.

The squadron’s enemies were not so much Iran’s aging fleet of F-14 Tomcats based out of Isfahan, but the lack of fuel and light which hampered the performance of these aviators more than the paltry resistance of the Iranian military. Most naval aviators learned the carrier game on high-end Tomcats, or their instructors taught them about Tomcats early in their career. Not like the movie Top Gun anymore; an improved Super-Hornet skins a Tomcat every time, but a cloudy approach was the wickedest fight of all.

With a diplomatic meeting during the coming weekend in Istanbul, the United States and Iran are supposedly going to peacefully negotiate over Iran’s fledgling nuclear program; however, at the same time U.S. Naval presence in the Gulf reinforces the physical strength our diplomats wish to portray while they talk. Unfortunately, such “ancillary” transactional communications usually don’t create much traction, because they are impersonal and shallow; they may not drive someone away, but they don’t draw the other party closer either.

Military personnel worry about Iran’s capability to wage “asymmetrical warfare” by mining the narrow passageway called the Strait of Hormuz or by swarming U.S. vessels with small boats armed with a single missile. This type of guerrilla fighting accentuates the standard threats of Iran’s three Kilo-class submarines, or the mini-subs they bought from North Korea. Iran can launch short-range and long-range missiles, both from the ground, and from an aging fleet of aircraft. The only thing certain in the Persian Gulf is that the Iranian military threat is unusual and unpredictable.

“Saddle-up, Mark,” the commander squawked as he grabbed his parachute pack and Velcroed® his flight log book to his thigh. Tonight, I was Lt. Harrington’s WSO, which meant I was the lucky sap who would play night watchman for the entire staff during this squirmy “All-in” game that the Lt. had just called out.

“Everyone up tonight, boys,” he said gleefully as he strode up to the front of the briefing room, the back entrance of the conference area already crowded with the entire squadron. “C’mon, let’s get quiet,” he added, “I want the last plane up by twenty-two hundred, so listen up, I only have five minutes to talk to you guys.” 

Lt. Harrington smiled out with wattage that outstripped the dull fluorescent bulbs in the meeting room, beaming with the dangerous look of "we are all in on this one together!"

“I realize this is just an exercise, you guys know that we have to do one ‘all-in’ per cruise; but tonight a little birdie told me that the big bad Eye-Rainian air-force may be up there ‘practicing’ as well.”

You guys ready fo dat? He held in his hand a small, letter-sized Manila file folder with a bright yellow tab clearly visible even from the back of the room. They all knew what Code Yellow meant.

Fiction ©Mark H. Pillsbury

In Canada, Royal Couple Comfort Cancer Patient with Only Weeks to Live - Urban Christian News

In Canada, Royal Couple Comfort Cancer Patient with Only Weeks to Live - Urban Christian News:

'via Blog this'

While the royal couple, William and Kate visited Canada in July 2011, they took the time to speak to an Ottawa man with terminal cancer, 47 year old Terry Joyce.

[From Canadian news reports:  It was a touching moment that reduced Mr. Joyce, who lives in the Bruyere Hospice, to tears. He said: “This has given me a tremendous lift. It goes to show that we have a wonderful monarchy and we really need people like this. I was told a week ago I would be meeting them and I have been looking forward to it ever since. It has been one of the best days of my life.”]

As we watched the report of this tonight on NBC, we were able to share with our children what happened to Princess Diana; but more importantly we told them that she was compassionate with people with AIDS and victims of land mine explosions, recovering in hospitals. We told them that even though she was dead, she would have been proud of her son's behavior in Canada, last July.

William took the time during an amazingly busy schedule in Canada to speak over 5 minutes personally with Terry Joyce, who later said it was "the best day of his life." Observing the video of how William asked Kate to come over to speak, and the gentle way they comforted Mr. Joyce as he sat in a wheelchair was the most remarkable part of the trip in my opinion. As much as Brits criticize their royals, it was a heartwarming show of love for a common (dying) Canadian. It was the perfect example of public relations, humility, and love of people. William and Kate seem like they were born for their duties.

We explained that everyone wants to be around royal couples, but the genuine love that comes when one human recognizes the terminal condition of someone else, and treats them with dignity and respect; transcends celebrity or fame. Whether royal or common, we explained, people love to associate with others who take notice of their plight, communicate honestly, and show a true regard for our shared lives as fellow humans.

I think Princess Diana took her sons with her to all the corners of the earth, often in dirty, uncomfortable situations, to inculcate them with a regard for all human beings whatever their circumstances. Compassionate leadership comes from an internal force of character, not a position in a royal family. Love for one's fellow man, or even "subjects," as in Canada, comes from identification of one's struggles, whether cancer, or losing a dear mother at a young age. This trip was a great start for the new royal couple, and they now have a fan in Texas. I can't wait to meet them someday!

Postscript: Terry Joyce passed away from Cancer in Ottawa, 52 days after being warmly greeted by the royal couple.

©Mark H. Pillsbury

Tebow top ten list

Sunday 12.11.2011:

I saw another Tebow miracle tonight, and at our house we can’t stop talking about this remarkable young man. But what makes him different than any other professional athlete interviewed at the end of the game?

What about his "persona" seems to lift the Broncos to a higher level of performance, if not at least in the fourth quarter?

What he lacks in pure skills he more than makes up with team leadership, confidence under pressure, humility in success, fierce competitiveness, and an other-worldly ability to rally the troops to not quit.

Watching Tebow interviewed after the victory (7th in a row, 5th coming from behind) over Chicago made me think that his interviews in postgame are very different than one normally sees. (My top ten list how, below)

10.  He seems shocked that he won again. Tebow claims the other guys on the offensive side of the ball make him look better than he really is. Really?!

9.  His smile starts the interview off with a disarming glow.

8.  He acknowledges the Lord Jesus Christ first, before he answers the initial question.

7.  Tebow’s overall attitude is one of sincere thankfulness, not "expectation."  He is evidence that God can make even weak men successful if that is God's will. (other examples: David, Joseph, Moses, Peter). But does God have anything at all to do with the NFL?

6.  After the first question, about 80% of viewers are uncomfortable, but is it because this sort of attitude is so unusual?!

5.  The other players are given credit, not his performance, even though the other players are not asked the questions.

4.  Tebow assumes that teamwork is the higher calling resulting in the success of the last 8 weeks, not his own role as the most important position on the field.

3.  He uses jargon like “belief” “faith” “special” “god bless you” “encouragement” “team” (these are words that most professional athletes do not use!)

2. “Christianity is like smoking," said Larry Taunton, "You can do it, but only in the designated areas. Don't bring it into the public arena.” (see #6 above)

But the number one reason the Tebow effect is so interesting:

1. People are praying for this young man. The power of prayer is subversive, anti-worldly, and mysteriously engaging. Thinking prayer is worthwhile takes faith, and watching the secular world blanch at Tebow is almost as much fun as watching his comebacks!

©Mark H. Pillsbury

Charlie Rose - An hour with David McCullough

Charlie Rose - An hour with David McCullough

Author David McCullough spent a career writing on Presidents and history for 45 years, winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom (see image above), the nation's highest civilian honor.

In his new book about Paris in the 1830-1900 he chronicles the vast influence of the returning Americans who grew, learned, and flourished in Paris. The unique, massive, early French influence on the young USA, such as support during our revolutionary war, cities, monuments (SOL), land (LA purchase), nomenclature, as well as society, arts, sciences, writing, etc. all have great French influence, he notes.

McCullough and CR discuss the cause/effect, action/reaction, give/take of human nature that is studied in the field of History. He stated Truman, John Adams, Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Theodore Roosevelt are the greatest presidents, but that all the "great" presidents were readers of history.

He states at 12:34 the essential nature of the study of history to any position of leadership, and that a liberal arts education is the under-pinning of any further profession because of the depth it adds to the student in later years (11:48)

Later in the program he again stresses how important reading, writing, and the liberal arts are to education, which at 42:20 he claims is the basis of who we are as a nation (centering the discussion on Education at 43:30). This is an inspiration for any educator!

Mr. McCullough reminds listeners that the "Arab Spring" and other democratic uprisings in recent months show that the peoples of the world want what we take for granted here: the opportunity to live under a Bill of Rights, individual freedoms guaranteed by laws, and not men, and the ability to learn and develop our own strengths. This is the country's great exceptional trait. He adds that much of this is provided by Teachers' noble work (his son is a teacher 49:28).

Remarkable is the story of one of his life's inspirations: John Hubbard, a California history teacher who taught David to remember what happened, to whom and why, not so much dates and facts as was taught traditionally in high school. This was a breath of educational fresh air to McCullough's young mind. (see 48:17)

One of the best interviews I have ever watched; conducted by Charlie Rose Show on June 9, 2011. David McCullough spent 52 min. recounting his great life in the study of history, he is a dear jewel of our country worthy of great respect.

tiny url for interview:
http://tiny.cc/oqeyw

Stimulus Package a/k/a TARP and "shovel-ready" jobs

I heard President Obama joke: "Shovel-ready was not as . . . uh . . . shovel-ready as we expected..." The problem with that is . . . uh . . . he wasn't very funny!

Why does the POTUS just get a pass on this type of behavior? When the previous president would have been eviscerated for such an insensitive joke/comment.

No sir, the whole "shovel-ready" scam did not even occur; not even sure that GAO could measure what it turned out to be, but jobs did not spontaneously arise out of the vaunted stimulus package.

Was it a way to appeal to the old FDR notion of the WPA work creation on public works and infrastructure projects that admittedly need some work? Even construction jobs are much too sophisticated to just hand some out-of-work-dude a shovel and solve the economy's problems. It was immature and naive to think "shovel-ready" was a viable alternative to the economic woes of the country at that time.

What we need now is not the absence of uncertainty, which is so often written about in the newspapars. The economy needs a rolling-back of much of the Obama legislation and the freeing up of small business to start hiring again. Small business is not "afraid" of uncertainty, in fact, on the contrary, they are afraid of what the anti-business administration has accomplished since 2009.

http://tiny.cc/78ae5 (article link)
By CLIFFORD S. ASNESS (Wall Street Journal)
Suggests that drag on the economy in such legislation as Dodd-Frank and ObamaCare, is what actually slowed down hiring, which is still our most pressing problem, and something that POTUS still is not acknowledging. The economic engine will not run smoothly without full employment. Could the POTUS acknowledge that Keynesian solutions have not worked in the market and work with Congress to throw off the fetters on small business? Either he will, or the voters will force the point.