Recent Respect Commentaries

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The Greatest of Virtues
An economy in crisis, rising unemployment, mounting foreclosures, once trusted financial institutions and respected individuals involved in fraud and malfeasance by elected officials. In such perilous and unprincipled times, it can be difficult to find gratitude much less express gratitude in our daily lives.  And yet, a recent e-mail from a colleague who works at the crossroads of media, business...
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December 26, 2008
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The Other Paul Newman
I met Paul Newman when he called one afternoon to congratulate me about the release of my book, The Lone Ranger’s Code of the West. He was quick to point out, though, that he did not make salad dressing nor had he worked with Robert Redford. “My name,” he stressed, “is Paul S. Newman.” Newman was a comic-book writer so prolific that he was listed...
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October 6, 2008
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Where Everybody Knows How to Behave
While in Boston this week, I went to see the Red Sox clinch a spot in the playoffs last night against the Cleveland Indians.  Protecting a one run lead in the eighth and ninth inning, Jonathan Papelbon, the Sox go-to closer, closed the door on the Indians with consecutive 96-mile-an-hour fastballs. I’ve been to Fenway on previous visits and have...
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September 24, 2008
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Rules
Will Rogers was America’s first, genuine, political humorist.  Bill Maher is Will Rogers on Red Bull. Maher’s HBO show “Real Time,” skewers all kinds of political, religious and pop culture absurdity.  One segment, entitled “New Rules,” demonstrates the need for all of us to stop taking ourselves so seriously and change some of our latest, ridiculous conventions.  Example – “New...
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September 10, 2008
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Mr. Manners Says…
In this e-mailing, BlackBerry, instant-messaging world, we seem to have forgotten something – the well-mannered tradition of a “Thank You” note. “We just want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts…”  “As always, thanks so much for your hospitality and friendship…”  “Thanks for having us over…” While the first two notes came from out-of-town friends, the last note...
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September 8, 2008
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Mr. Rove
“Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.”  — The Washington Post, July 10, 2008 When did we reach a point where the former deputy chief of staff to the president...
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July 11, 2008
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The Fairness Factor
“I know the world isn’t fair, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?” This insightful piece of absurdity comes courtesy of Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes” cartoon strip. I thought about this while reading the results of a recent study by a pair of psychologists entitled, “Early Predictors of Job Burnout and Engagement.” Christina Maslach, a social psychologist...
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June 21, 2008
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Genuine Experience and Integrity
It’s interesting to see the direction these commentaries take.  I never have a preconceived plan.  I go where the story and the ethical issue take me. In Monday’s post (June 10) I had strong feelings that “Vanity Fair” editor Todd Purdum’s use of anonymous sources to insinuate that former President Bill Clinton’s “…appearances of impropriety” on the road campaigning for...
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June 13, 2008
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All for One
Matt Sanchez left Santa Barbara only twice – once when he joined the Marines, the other, when he went to prison. In 1987, as the leader of the Eastside Hoods, Matt called the heads of the area’s other twelve gangs together. After several shootings, he wanted to put an end to the violence. The peace treaty lasted for five years....
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April 14, 2008