Right now an eminent TV actor, (an up-and-coming Dustin Hoffman type) is busy researching his role as the lead in the next made-for-cable hit. No, not “Weekend at Bernie’s III.” It’s “a gripping docu-drama” about the man who out-Ponzied Ponzi entitled “The Man who Made off with Other People’s Money.”  (Of course it’s a dumb title, it’s cable.) A little putty...

When people allow themselves to be overwhelmed by fear things usually get crazy. Sadly, such is the case concerning Health Care reform. During a series of town hall meetings around the country last week, members of Congress have been jeered, shouted-down, and threatened with death.  Many of the protesters have been ginned up by talk show pundits and political organizations:...

Based on just the past 18 months of ethics-related scandals, it’s safe to say that trust is difficult to come by in corporate and political leaders, not to mention the media. With the passing of Walter Cronkite, “the most trusted man in America,” the Washington Post asked readers to submit their own nominees for trustworthiness.  Here are a few: Oprah Winfrey, “because...

Ever since I started searching the Internet I started collecting quotes.  I opened a file and every time I came across a quote that made a connection, I’d add it to the file.  It didn’t take long to discover a pattern – that true wisdom knows no period in history, religion, culture, race, age, gender or TV channel. Here are...

I was in the midst of writing a piece on President Obama’s initial remarks made last Wednesday concerning the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates by Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley when news came Friday of Mr. Obama making a new statement to “recalibrate” his language. More accurately, he was recalibrating his judgment. When I first heard the news that Mr....

It was announced that former Vice-President Dick Cheney has sold the rights to his memoir.  “Mr. Cheney’s memoir,” the New York Times reported, “will focus on the past 40 years of his life, mostly in Washington.” By way of unnamed sources, I was able to get a draft copy of the introduction to “Past Perfect: The Truth, as I Lived...

“You know that the liberal media elites and the Obama Democrats are hoping you will put this letter down right now and do nothing…” – Michael Steele Steele is the former lieutenant governor of Maryland and current chairman of the Republican National Committee. “‘Let’s play grown-up.’ When I was a child, that’s what we said when we ran out of things...

Manny Ramirez is gone, suspended for 50 regular season games, but should he be allowed to play in this year’s All-Star Game? Ramirez’s suspension ends July 3. The All-Star Game is played on July 14th. Legally, Ramirez is eligible to play. Ethically? New York Times ethicist, Randy Cohen writes “There are potent arguments against the use of these substances [steroids], invoking respect for the...

President Obama appears quite comfortable with religious language but clearly wants to defuse the strong, divisive rhetoric surrounding it. This was apparent in his inaugural address when he referred to the country as a “patchwork,” made up “of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.” More than just multi-religious diversity, the deeper, more contentious clashes between believers and non-believers...

In a press interview regarding the Iraq war, Vice-President Dick Cheney was once asked “Over 70 percent of Americans disagree with this war, what is your response?” “So.” It was a chilling moment of arrogance not easily forgotten by most Americans.  It was the same when events were disclosed surrounding the “legal” wrangling that took place at the Justice Department...