Challenger: 27 Years Later

Today, 27 years ago, Gen X-ers remember this day as the day America lost the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Passing of an American Legend: Neil Armstrong (1930-2012)

With yesterday's passing of Neil Armstrong, America lost a legend, hero and pioneer.

TSA, Nudity and an Act of Protest

With the recent trip I took, I had another TSA experience and I'm happy to report that overall, things went fine. Happy to give credit where credit is due, as I have done in the past.

Test Track "Plussing" to Take Place

It's the weekend, and with summer temperatures, the gut punch this country had during the week and the new reality future Republican presidents must stomach, I'm taking a bit of a break from politics and what else am I going to talk about, but Disney.

California Adventure Re-Imagineering Complete

Some call it an escape, some call it crazy, but me; I just love it. That's right, friends, here comes another post on Disney, since we need a break from politics every now and then. Big things are happening out west as the Re-Imagineering of Disney California Adventure is complete.

Somebody's Eyes are Watching

There has been a lot in the news this weekend that has to worry the civil libertarians in the US.

Windy City Woes

With the articles we've been reading, one must ask: what the heck is going on in Chicago?!?

New Video of the Challenger Explosion

Just a little more than 26 years, a new video of the Challenger explosion was discovered

Obama National Security Lunacy

In this Election Year, President Obama continues to work to shore up his left flank. Today, news comes out that the president wishes to cut the nuclear arsenal of the United States by up to 80 percent, which if completed, will bring the American nuclear arsenal to being smaller than China's! There is only one thing to call this: lunacy!

Eric Bolling Exposes the Volt

As you may remember, last month, I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Bolling of Fox News's The Five. Last week on The Five, he told about his experiences with the Chevrolet Volt, the hybrid car that is being pushed hard by a Federal Government backed General Motors, yet did not sell well in 2011.

Loss

After a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer, Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs has passed away. While some have criticized Jobs, the fact of the matter is that, as Rush said the other day, he is the epitome of American Exceptionalism. His ingenuity, intelligence and drive not only made money for himself and his company, but it revolutionized the way Americans received technology and media, while also helping to increase the productivity in America, as well as incentivizing competition so that the technology could be further enhanced. Every American, in their everyday habits of communications can look up to Steve Jobs and say "thank you!" The above picture is a makeshift shrine/memorial to Steve Jobs on the steps of the Apple Store in New York City, on 5th and 59th Street, in GM Plaza.

And speaking of loss, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis passed away. His contribution to football is wide-reaching and his media knowledge helped to benefit the Raiders in the early years of the AFL-NFL merger. Davis was a unique and driven businessman, who despite his rough spots, will be remembered for his many positive contributions the NFL, well into 2011. With the Raiders on an upswing this season, look for them to remember his words: "Just win, baby!"

America Surrenders its Space Superiority

With the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis, America ends its presence in space. (Hopefully, only for the time being)

Beginning in 1981, two years into my lifetime, the Space Shuttle program allowed for America to continue its superiority in space that was cemented in the 1960s. The technology used in the shuttle was highly advanced, was perfected from researched started in the 1960s and these crafts were the first designed for reuse. Putting the science and technology aside, the Space Shuttle was just darn cool and awe inspiring, especially for fellow Gen-Xers, who were growing up during its heyday. I remember watching takeoffs on television from a young age, and still enjoy them to this day. I've been in Florida on takeoff days and while I haven't seen the actual takeoff from Cape Canaveral, or while flying into/out of MCO, the Space Shuttle can be seen in flight 50 miles west, from Disney and the Orlando Metro Area. The program has suffered two major tragedies in Challenger and Columbia, but we have learned from them and turned that tragedy into triumph. The Space Shuttle program has achieved the following positive results: continued and consistent human presence in space along with work done on the International Space Station, the Hubble Space telescope, and the maintenance and placement of various satellites so we can learn more about planet Earth and the universe around us.

A good leader should know his or her successes and proudly showcases them. The Space Shuttle Program has been an American success story. To give up on this program and let Russia, China and others pick up the slack is like throwing a race one is winning and definitely brings into question, the president's leadership skills and abilities. With the cancellation of the Constellation Program, and President Obama's redirection of NASA's mission causes the United States to lose major footing and take a back seat to space exploration. The retirement of the Space Shuttle Program will also hurt the states of Texas and Florida, as unemployment will rise, with Central Florida already hit particularly hard by the economic problems in the United States.

For now, we will longingly remember the Space Shuttle Program in video, museums and books. Florida MUST remember this in 2012, and I believe they will. Hopefully, America will have a president who will pick up where the Space Shuttle Program left off, allowing the United States to, once again, reach for the stars.

Combating the Personal Attack...AND WINNING

Throughout history, politicians have been dealing with attacks, both policy and personal, but political campaigns would soon enter a new world with the television. Many historians credit Lyndon Johnson's campaign with the first television advertisement attack in the Daisy Ad. Since then attack ads have been more widely used and have moved into the personal realm. The past two campaigns were particularly harsh. After seeing this, I started to pontificate as to why personal attacks take place, not just in the political world, but in other professions:

1. Jealousy: The attacker looks at his/her opponent and either feels inferior, and feels the need to take that person down a few notches so the attacker may end up feeling superior.
2. They view the opponent as a threat: In examining their opponent, they see a coherent message that is receiving a positive response, they see an articulate speaker and they see someone who can revolutionize the political world (the same can be said for other professions). The success of the opponent may do eventual harm to the attacker...and this was the primary justification the media and Democrats went after Sarah Palin with the ferocity they did in the 2008 Campaign.
3. It's in their nature: The attacker may be so competitive and so driven that he/she wants to win and be superior at all costs. As a result, that person will use the "Don't Stand on the Tracks when the Train's Coming Through" theory to any opponents who stand in the way of superiority.

Now that we see why they may take place, there has to be a way to answer them. While I'm thinking of politics in writing this blog, strategies can be applied elsewhere

1. The person being attack MUST respond and cannot ignore them. This is what I refer to as the "S*** on a Wall Theory." You can constantly fling it against the wall and if you do nothing to protect it, some of it may fall off, but some of it may stick. This was a major weakness of the media operation of the Bush Administration. Because his team did not appropriately answer or respond to his critics, they were able to define him and even though he did win re-election, they so strongly defined him that his second term was much less effective than his first.
2. In responding, one must have an offensive and defensive response. They cannot simply go out and defend themselves, they have to put their opponent under the microscope. In today's political campaigns, resources such as Twitter and Facebook and personal websites are the most appropriate forums to defensively respond to attacks via status updates, tweets and press releases. The offensive response comes from bringing up questions about the opponent. Since the first attack was drawn by the opponent, the person now has free reign to appropriately retaliate. In politics, it can usually be done through paid ads, free media and defense by friends/allies.
3. Ask your friends/colleagues to defend you. Many times they will be happy to do so. In campaigns we see the use of third party ads who not only defend, but they go on the offensive. And in talk radio, Mark Levin, to his credit, is the most ardent defender of his allies and friends like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and speaks loudly in their defense when they are attacked. But remember this, if you enlist your friends in your effort of defense, you will be indebted to them...that's not a bad thing, but as per my beliefs of loyalty, it is required.
4. Know everything about your enemy and don't be afraid to release some of that information. In a campaign, you pay good money for good opposition researchers, but in today's world where you can have information in the snap of a finger, one must be proficient in the use of the Internet. And with that proficiency there must be the ability to find information in an expedient manner. Take that information, store it and use the element of surprise to release it (or have a 3rd party release it) if an opponent attacks. It will change the subject and it will challenge the validity of the attacker, and in the end, you win!

Without giving too much away, readers will see much of my personal attack analysis played out in the events that take place in The Calling to Lead.

Again, this does not just apply to politics but to other professions and areas of life. In life, you will have people that do not want you to succeed and they will try to take you down a peg or two. I am reminded of something Rush Limbaugh said on his show last year: "The best way to overcome fear is to face it head-on." It is imperative not to run in a corner and cower when being attacked as this denotes fear and a lack of confidence. Instead, face the attackers head on and begin to resolve the problem on your schedule and in your time frame. If you truly believe in yourself and are confident in yourself, this is a no-brainer.

In the end, appropriately responding to personal attacks will build character as the person is standing up for what they believe, shouting their pride in themselves and their stance, not being afraid to do so. It will make a person stronger as they are able to face their attackers head on, garner support for their position and defeat their attackers' methods. Furthermore, it gives the opportunity for a person to better articulate themselves to the world, especially since this articulation is occurring under pressure.

Personal attacks have long been a part of humans' everyday lives, but one must have a coherent strategy they must practice in combating them. In the end the attacked will win not only the battle, but the war.

Is the President a Luddite? I think not...

Last weekend, President Obama commented on technology in his Commencement Speech at Hampton University.



I have a lot of problems with the statement he made and they are as follows:

1. An iPod/iPad CAN be used as a tool of empowerment. True, you can listen to your favorite songs or watch your favorite show, but the iPod has educational value. Podcasting can be done as a project or as a part of a project and a book can be uploaded to an iPod. While I think certain features were left out of the iPad, it is an incredible tool that has the potential of giving the netbook a run for its money. The iPad also has educational value. As an educator, I am a proponent of infusing technology within as the students will not only have a relevant mean of comprehending information, but they will learn how to use this technology, which will make them more marketable when they enter the professional world. Educators further benefit from learning this technology as they can easier relate to their students. In the past, we’ve heard about video games ‘rotting the brains of children,’ yet studies have shown certain video games can improve problems solving and multitasking skills. Therefore, various forms of technology the President mentioned CAN emancipate and educate.
2. I recall President Obama stating on the campaign trail that he not only owns an iPod, but what music is on it. Did somebody put it on for him? And if so, how did his campaign have the temerity to attack McCain for not using email (yet leaving out the reason)?
3. Obama uses a BlackBerry and publically fought with the Secret Service to keep it. Is the BlackBerry a distraction?
4. “Information becomes a distraction,” as stated in his speech…maybe he means the information that conflicts with his agenda.

Because of our economy, our capitalist system and the First Amendment, technology can continually improve, information can travel at the snap of a finger and analysis is not only limited to those in the traditional media. Even though I am more of a PC person, I greatly admire Steve Jobs as he is an incredible leader and a business genius who continually ups the ante in the tech wars, benefitting all Americans. Just another reason why the United States is the greatest country!