Recent Pursuit of Excellence Commentaries

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“Has Anyone Seen a Hasselblad Floating by?”
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary that two men landed on the surface of the moon. It’s impossible to overemphasize the extraordinary achievement that took place 50 years ago this week. Technical skills aside, the courage that three men took was beyond anything that had ever been attempted. And yet, the men, inside their Columbia space craft, found the time to...
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July 19, 2019
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July 16, 1969, 6:32 a.m.
In my mind, only a handful of moments in the last 50 years are iconic. The launch of Apollo 11 and subsequent landing of the first men on an extraterrestrial surface certainly remains one of the few for several reasons: excellence in planning, mathematics, physics, physical training, creativity, engineering and the courage it took for the three explorer-astronauts. On an...
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July 16, 2019
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Now for A Little Inspiration
While I am still decompressing from reading the Mueller report, I thought it was time to turn a corner — 180 degrees to be precise — and revisit some past commentaries that have, according to Google Analytics, received renewed interest. Heroes are hard to come by. When Lt. General Hal Moore (co-author, We Were Soldiers Once… and Young), passed in...
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May 6, 2019
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Three Stories That Show Who We Really Are
While news out of Washington continues to consume much of the news cycle, there are stories that remind us that compassion, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence are reminders of what’s really important. The Good Samaritan – “I was getting a car at this particular dealership,” Dan Laguardia said. “I was going to trade in my car and get the...
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April 1, 2019
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“…to make ourselves better”
“Individual faults and fragilities are no excuse to give in, and no exemption from the common obligation to give of ourselves. Today, more than ever before, I believe that each of us as individuals must not only struggle to make a better world, but to make ourselves better, too….” – Senator Edward M. Kennedy, speech at JFK School of Government,...
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December 28, 2018
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7 Lessons from the Life of George H.W. Bush
Looking back on his life and presidency, George H. W. Bush made decisions consistent with specific ethical values. Here are seven illustrations. 1: Nice Guys Don’t Finish Last (Respect, Compassion) – Bush was always respectful. Even in the political fray, he never ridiculed or berated opponents. He also understood how others felt and went above and beyond to support them....
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December 7, 2018
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American Leadership
Words of tribute for our 41st president, George H.W. Bush, continue to lead the news. Generous. Humble. Caring – a president who favored consensus over partisanship; “His kindness and civility cloaked a competitiveness,” son Jeb Bush and close friend James A. Baker III write in The Washington Post (Dec. 4). “The two of us never met a man as remarkable...
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December 5, 2018
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Touch Down!
“Wish you were here!” – tweet from InSight Mars lander, 12:03 PM – 26 Nov 2018 “@NASAInSight sent home its first photo after #MarsLanding: InSight’s view is a flat, smooth expanse called Elysium Planitia, but its workspace is below the surface, where it will study Mars’ deep interior,” the rest of the tweet reads. “The pursuit of excellence,”   » Read more...
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November 27, 2018
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Nobility
Sometimes, in spite of all the practice, persistence and patience we still miss an opportunity. And sometimes that loss comes when we least expect it and from circumstances beyond our control. This is the story of left-handed pitcher Brian Mazone who, after eight years in the minor leagues, finally got a call from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006. He was...
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September 28, 2018
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“Never, Never Give Up”
“I will never give up. I will keep fighting till the end.” – Jim Kelly, honoree of the Jimmy V Award at the annual ESPY Awards. Near the end of his career, Sir Winston Churchill – the most quoted individual along with Lincoln – was asked to address his old English boys school, Harrow. Churchill stands to receive unanimous acclamation...
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July 23, 2018

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