steinharterm

Sycophants

I hate sycophants. Boot lickers, suck ups, lackeys, toadies, whatever you want to call them. They certainly exist in the corporate world and I saw plenty of them. These are the people who think that sucking up to the boss will help them get ahead. In some of my roles managing people, I saw themContinue reading “Sycophants”

Reading to my kids

Well, I don’t actually have a photo of myself reading to my kids…kinda wish I did…so this will have to do, just to get the point across. I loved reading to my kids. I hope they loved it too, but honestly it would be the highlight of my day and I was distraught if IContinue reading “Reading to my kids”

Lying

When I grew up, my parents taught me never to lie. As I raised my children I told them the same. Lying can be hurtful, misleading, and also leads you to feel bad about yourself. The purposes of lying are not noble, though I grant you the odd exception of what is often called theContinue reading “Lying”

Netanyahu, Trump

I have a serious dislike of Netanyahu and what he’s doing. It does NOT mean I don’t have respect for Israel. It’s the same as disliking Trump but not disliking USA. I think Donald Trump is a global embarassment, a shyster and a mafia boss. As much as I cannot deny he was elected (byContinue reading “Netanyahu, Trump”

Ours Was the Shining Future

I just finished this fine book by David Leonhardt, a New York Times writer who has won the Pulitzer for his commentary in the past. It’s hard to imagine that a book about the history of America’s economy would be anything other than a text book type of read. He covers organized labor, immigration, theContinue reading “Ours Was the Shining Future”

Customer Service at its best

Every once in a while we encounter a business that provides outstanding customer service, and it’s marvel. First I must caveat that I myself have never done business with easyplant nolita, based on Spring Street in NYC. I’ve never been there and the odds are low that I will visit anytime soon…though I am nowContinue reading “Customer Service at its best”

America First is America Only

All this chatter about America First is of course isolationism. The people who believe in it just want America Only. The only priorities we should have – they seem to think – are priorities deemed important for America. Why should we be helping others around the world anyway? (Let’s leave out how we are treatingContinue reading “America First is America Only”

A speech for the ages?

This is the transcript below of an incredibly powerful and deadly accurate speech in the French Senate two days ago by Mr. Claude Malhuret. This may some day take its rightful place alongside the best of Sir Winston Churchill and President John F Kennedy.Brace yourself: “President, Mr. Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen Ministers, My dearContinue reading “A speech for the ages?”

What is a conservative, anyway?

Allow me to oversimplify the world for a minute…let’s divide the world into conservatives and progressives. Progressives tend to downplay the importance of traditions and existing (old school?) institutions, calling for change, claiming they know how to remake social structures for the better. Conservatives tend to be more cautious. They say that things are moreContinue reading “What is a conservative, anyway?”