Instead of starting the Einstein series this week, DC happened! Ahhh!!, which recalled the Forrest Whittaker movie Ghost Dog. It led me to study the Samurai code. This post’s quote reminds me that we are quite a few generations beyond the world this country’s Founding Fathers knew. Times change. So should some guidelines.

In the 18^th century, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton knew social media as a hand-cranked press printing posters. Firearms were single-shot pistols and muskets. This country was thirteen states bordering the Atlantic. There are now four times more New Yorkers than people who lived in the whole United States in 1770.

After receiving an Email from my state legislator titled, “Pray for America,” I wrote:

Going forward, shouldn’t the Republican and Democratic parties consider a vetting process and guidelines that potential candidates should meet before seeking nomination? Perhaps people who want to run for high state and federal positions should have previously:

• Served in Public Office
• Volunteered 
• Published their tax returns
• Demonstrated statesmanship

Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying that, for a democracy to survive, an educated electorate is essential. In this era, a good way to judge candidates is to study their choices, decisions and affiliations. Watch what people do rather than listen to what they [and marketing campaigns] say. Well and truthfully informed, the peoples of the United States can continue to choose both our president and the leader of the free world. We can.

Ahh. Spring approaches. Time to plant seeds that will blossom with beauty and grace, health, peace and prosperity.

Comment on this post, below.

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In the 1996 book Speaking with The Devil, Dr. Carl Goldberg describes six stages in the development of malevolent, vicious, evil, wicked, destructive and cruel personalities.

• First, shame leads to
• Self Contempt that progresses to
• Rationalizing the humiliation of others, that then requires
• Justifying mean behavior, followed by
• An inability or unwillingness to recognize their malevolence which culminates in
• Delusions, a façade of superiority and the drama generated by an over-inflated ego.

Here’s more information on Anti-Social Personalities.

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Tom is a medical professional and director of the Pittsburgh Scrabble Club. This week, he wrote members about his Covid inoculation experience:

I want to let you know what to expect with the COVID vaccine. Most of the people in my medical office got the vaccine and side effects ranged from mild soreness in the arm to typical flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, body aches). The ones who had the more severe symptoms were the ones who had the COVID infection in the past. The peak of the side effects were about 2 days after the injection for almost everyone. I had arm soreness and swelling on days 1 and 2 and fatigue on day 2. By day 3, I was back to normal. I’ve heard that side effects will be worse with the 2nd dose, which I’m not looking forward to.

When asked why no one I saw getting jabbed winced, he answered:

No. I barely even felt the needle. It’s a really skinny needle and it doesn’t have to go in far. Most of our staff also felt that way too. But we certainly felt it on day 2.

Thanks, Tom!

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I tried to find Steve Hartman’s “On The Road” segment that aired yesterday evening on CBS Evening News. I guess the story of a critically-ill woman and her nurse was too new. The segment will air again on CBS Sunday Morning, tomorrow. Try to watch. It’s a proof of what we all believe of the United States. In the meantime, here’s another great example of our countrymen at our best.

Click picture to view. 02:49

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