Kareem, you just have to wonder about the psyche of someone who inserts himself into everyone else’s accomplishments: the artwork of Mt. Rushmore, the hogging of championship belts and trophies, the acceptance and retainment of a Vet’s Purple Heart. He knows nothing of what he should, and jumps in where he shouldn’t. But this time, he may have gotten it right, with Kilgore, a war-mongering psychopath.
In all my life, I’ve never seen someone so desperate to be liked and someone that will try and force people to like him and tries to be the center of every conversation in practically every facet of life. The way he is now trying to control the networks to drown out the boos in sporting events and public events. He tries to hijack other people’s glory and on social media like you said he’s cosplaying to portray his self image to everyone else. He’s trying to control everything from politics, sports, arts and culture. One has to wonder where his parents failed him to make him this self centered? I’m sure, I’m not the only one just wants him to go away!
Chris, basically, you just identified where his parents failed him—not fulfilling his cry and need for attention. In lieu of them, they gave him “stuff.” I imagine, never a favorite child (Fred was chosen for the business), a favorite sibling (sis. wrote he “has no principles”), a respected businessman (we know that story), nor a favorite president (…and that story). Overall, an empty pail, no one will ever fill, so he grifts and drifts.
Certainly the man is suffereing from some sort of deranged syndrome. He is simply unable to see the stupidity of his actions. Who among us, would act in this way?
Thank you for your calm voice of reason and compassion. I quit Little League because my father would scream at me during and after games. He made it clear I was a huge disappointment to him. Later in life, I refereed ball games and swim meets (I went on to become a collegiate swimmer. My father never attended a single meet.) I was never touched by a father, but had them in my face more than once.
Sigh. I felt for the kids, because I saw myself in them.
Let kids be kids. They'll be grinding out a living soon enough.
As for medicine by AI. I'm a retired doctor. Medicine is an art based on science. Like a musician, you've got to maintain your skills, or they atrophy. I'm not surprised to learn that reliance on AI causes a clinician's skills to atrophy.
As for our political mess, I'm a student of history and once lived in Turkey, where I was surrounded by the ruins of the Greek and Roman civilizations. I fear I'm witnessing the end of our country's period as a world leader. The saddest thing? We're not losing our position; we're ceding it to those who want to win while we're coasting on what we thought would be a permanent victory lap. The GOP in Congress that abet our president's destruction of our democracy are worthy of our disdain. As a physician, I wonder how they can stand erect minus a spine. I pray the damage is not irreparable, but I see little reason to hope. Not everyone is as thoughtful as you are.
Almost too much to absorb these days, Kareem. I’m glad you are here to remind us of the important things. And thank you for your previous recommendation of “The Thursday Murder Club” which I am enjoying as a respite from the daily horrors.
Another superior column, Kareem. Reacting to it as a whole, my notion of winning will be if I am remembered, however briefly, for having been kind, compassionate, fair, reasonably modest. I am trying to instill that same sense in our grandson, who will have to face the grotesque tragedy of this world as he matures. My greatest regret is that I will not be there to help him, and my greatest sense of guilt is how much I look forward to the grave, as I will no longer have to confront the ugliness that is consuming us. I am not a coward at all. Just so very tired, and so disappointed in our species. We could be so much better. We choose not to be.
The two pieces on sports (Lombardi and winning, and encouraging a child's dream) both touch an important point: it's not the destination, it's the journey. A good shift in perspective would be talking to kids about what they want to do, rather than what they want to be. They are always going to be themselves, and all the things they do are aspects of that.
I heard a true vehemence in your words, Kareem, and I appreciated it. Not that you haven't been vehement in the past, but I, personally, needed to hear it today. The divisive language of the supposed president and his minions has created an open wound on our country. I f you doubt that, look at his poster from Apocalypse Now...as you said, Kareem--is the man so stupid that he doesn't understand that the figure he is embracing was a war hungry psychopath?! I bet he doesn't. Anyway...thanks, Kareem.
"The cliché that everyone who works hard and never gives up can achieve their dreams is just not true and it’s destructive to keep preaching this." Thank you for posting this.
Parents/counsellors love telling children various versions of this: "If you can dream it, you can be it." "You can achieve anything if you work hard enough at it." When I was a kid, I desperately wanted to be a jockey. I love horses and love riding fast. I put in lots of time at the track, rode for hours every day, did all the grunt work like mucking out, feeding, hot-walking, etc. Trainers loved having me around because I worked hard and never complained about the work load. Then I hit puberty and didn't stop growing until I was well over 6' tall. Didn't matter how hard I worked or how much I dreamed it, being a jockey was never going to happen.
"When will the GOP politicians in Congress, sworn to preserve America and the Constitution, finally put the country over their own career ambitions and protect the people who put them in office?" Short answer: NEVER. They didn't become politicians to "preserve America and the Constitution" but rather to force their views on others and enjoy the perks of being a politician.
I'm glad to know Lombardi's quote was not, "........., Winning is the ONLY thing."
To me, that meant that "anything was on the table" when it comes to winning....I thought it was the WRONG MESSAGE to send young athletes. My son was an Olympic hopeful in pole- vaulting. I was in awe of the effort he put into his dream. It was, by far, as much as if he would have won a gold medal. He did not. That work ethic enabled him to be a driven businessman and is very successful. Understanding that sometimes, the greatest lessons to be learned in failure can prepare one for future succeses!!!!!
If it weren't for this shaky economy, I would suggest that critical-thinking people in Florida should migrate out of the state and find a safe place to live. State officials are willing to opt for a deadly measles outbreak to show they are anti-liberal, no matter how insane their politics have become. Children are mere pawns in the deadly affair. But sometimes tough decisions have to be made to ensure survival. It's becoming clearer each day that red states are a misnomer; designating them suicidal states is more appropriate. And eventually it's all about money. The tax base the state will lose due to the migration, perhaps, will show the Floridians who are left that life is better than death for their children. They didn't ask to be born, but now that they are here, they don't need to be kicked around like a political football.
I share your disdain for those minorities—be they black, female, gay—who are so quick to bow down and kiss the feet (?) of their oppressors. It does not elevate them, it demeans them and they are too blind to see it.
Misty. Such a beautiful rendition of one of my favorites. Wonderful way to start the morning.
And the base jumper - SPLASH!! Such a wild thrilling sport. Those guys are fearless and totally crazy.
To Florida and Dr Lapdog. Because that's what he is to desanctimonious. For the life of me I cannot understand why these oracles of nonsense think protecting children is unnecessary. Maybe it's why they are being permitted to continue on with alligator alcatraz and provide not even bare necessities for those who have been illegally detained.
As to the "memory lapse" re the attempted incursion in N Korea, maybe if he is still around in a year, he will also forget about attacking the boat in Venezuela. Dementia? Definitely! Disingenuous? Definitely!
Dangerous? Also definitely.
And on and on. Declaring war on anyone, inside the US or outside, is what the whacko wants because he had bone spurs and couldn't hang in the jungle in Vietnam so now he is cosplaying a movie role because he sees himself as some kind of monster leader, be it Colonel or General. It's all pretense. Talk about self-loathing.
Thank you for all the news and music and I'm not sure about the snake removal, but so practical. Yeeeccchhh! I do not like snakes .
Have a wonderful weekend Kareem. Peace and Love! 🕊️ ❤️
Thank you for your substack, Kareem. I subscribe to several substacks, and the others fill my need to scream "WTF???!!!" and get the anger out of my system. But they stoke that anger, too. You present your opinions in a gentle, thoughtful, righteous, and still fact-supported way. And then you add on your goodies like kids dancing or dogs welcoming their humans back from a deployment, and it all acts like a pressure relief valve. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and your style.
Kareem, you just have to wonder about the psyche of someone who inserts himself into everyone else’s accomplishments: the artwork of Mt. Rushmore, the hogging of championship belts and trophies, the acceptance and retainment of a Vet’s Purple Heart. He knows nothing of what he should, and jumps in where he shouldn’t. But this time, he may have gotten it right, with Kilgore, a war-mongering psychopath.
In all my life, I’ve never seen someone so desperate to be liked and someone that will try and force people to like him and tries to be the center of every conversation in practically every facet of life. The way he is now trying to control the networks to drown out the boos in sporting events and public events. He tries to hijack other people’s glory and on social media like you said he’s cosplaying to portray his self image to everyone else. He’s trying to control everything from politics, sports, arts and culture. One has to wonder where his parents failed him to make him this self centered? I’m sure, I’m not the only one just wants him to go away!
Chris, basically, you just identified where his parents failed him—not fulfilling his cry and need for attention. In lieu of them, they gave him “stuff.” I imagine, never a favorite child (Fred was chosen for the business), a favorite sibling (sis. wrote he “has no principles”), a respected businessman (we know that story), nor a favorite president (…and that story). Overall, an empty pail, no one will ever fill, so he grifts and drifts.
Certainly the man is suffereing from some sort of deranged syndrome. He is simply unable to see the stupidity of his actions. Who among us, would act in this way?
Kareem,
Thank you for your calm voice of reason and compassion. I quit Little League because my father would scream at me during and after games. He made it clear I was a huge disappointment to him. Later in life, I refereed ball games and swim meets (I went on to become a collegiate swimmer. My father never attended a single meet.) I was never touched by a father, but had them in my face more than once.
Sigh. I felt for the kids, because I saw myself in them.
Let kids be kids. They'll be grinding out a living soon enough.
As for medicine by AI. I'm a retired doctor. Medicine is an art based on science. Like a musician, you've got to maintain your skills, or they atrophy. I'm not surprised to learn that reliance on AI causes a clinician's skills to atrophy.
As for our political mess, I'm a student of history and once lived in Turkey, where I was surrounded by the ruins of the Greek and Roman civilizations. I fear I'm witnessing the end of our country's period as a world leader. The saddest thing? We're not losing our position; we're ceding it to those who want to win while we're coasting on what we thought would be a permanent victory lap. The GOP in Congress that abet our president's destruction of our democracy are worthy of our disdain. As a physician, I wonder how they can stand erect minus a spine. I pray the damage is not irreparable, but I see little reason to hope. Not everyone is as thoughtful as you are.
Almost too much to absorb these days, Kareem. I’m glad you are here to remind us of the important things. And thank you for your previous recommendation of “The Thursday Murder Club” which I am enjoying as a respite from the daily horrors.
Another superior column, Kareem. Reacting to it as a whole, my notion of winning will be if I am remembered, however briefly, for having been kind, compassionate, fair, reasonably modest. I am trying to instill that same sense in our grandson, who will have to face the grotesque tragedy of this world as he matures. My greatest regret is that I will not be there to help him, and my greatest sense of guilt is how much I look forward to the grave, as I will no longer have to confront the ugliness that is consuming us. I am not a coward at all. Just so very tired, and so disappointed in our species. We could be so much better. We choose not to be.
The two pieces on sports (Lombardi and winning, and encouraging a child's dream) both touch an important point: it's not the destination, it's the journey. A good shift in perspective would be talking to kids about what they want to do, rather than what they want to be. They are always going to be themselves, and all the things they do are aspects of that.
Republican Project 2026: How much wool can we pull over people's eyes? answer: a few billion dollars worth.
I heard a true vehemence in your words, Kareem, and I appreciated it. Not that you haven't been vehement in the past, but I, personally, needed to hear it today. The divisive language of the supposed president and his minions has created an open wound on our country. I f you doubt that, look at his poster from Apocalypse Now...as you said, Kareem--is the man so stupid that he doesn't understand that the figure he is embracing was a war hungry psychopath?! I bet he doesn't. Anyway...thanks, Kareem.
"The cliché that everyone who works hard and never gives up can achieve their dreams is just not true and it’s destructive to keep preaching this." Thank you for posting this.
Parents/counsellors love telling children various versions of this: "If you can dream it, you can be it." "You can achieve anything if you work hard enough at it." When I was a kid, I desperately wanted to be a jockey. I love horses and love riding fast. I put in lots of time at the track, rode for hours every day, did all the grunt work like mucking out, feeding, hot-walking, etc. Trainers loved having me around because I worked hard and never complained about the work load. Then I hit puberty and didn't stop growing until I was well over 6' tall. Didn't matter how hard I worked or how much I dreamed it, being a jockey was never going to happen.
"When will the GOP politicians in Congress, sworn to preserve America and the Constitution, finally put the country over their own career ambitions and protect the people who put them in office?" Short answer: NEVER. They didn't become politicians to "preserve America and the Constitution" but rather to force their views on others and enjoy the perks of being a politician.
I'm glad to know Lombardi's quote was not, "........., Winning is the ONLY thing."
To me, that meant that "anything was on the table" when it comes to winning....I thought it was the WRONG MESSAGE to send young athletes. My son was an Olympic hopeful in pole- vaulting. I was in awe of the effort he put into his dream. It was, by far, as much as if he would have won a gold medal. He did not. That work ethic enabled him to be a driven businessman and is very successful. Understanding that sometimes, the greatest lessons to be learned in failure can prepare one for future succeses!!!!!
A lot of food for thought! Thank you, Kareem
If it weren't for this shaky economy, I would suggest that critical-thinking people in Florida should migrate out of the state and find a safe place to live. State officials are willing to opt for a deadly measles outbreak to show they are anti-liberal, no matter how insane their politics have become. Children are mere pawns in the deadly affair. But sometimes tough decisions have to be made to ensure survival. It's becoming clearer each day that red states are a misnomer; designating them suicidal states is more appropriate. And eventually it's all about money. The tax base the state will lose due to the migration, perhaps, will show the Floridians who are left that life is better than death for their children. They didn't ask to be born, but now that they are here, they don't need to be kicked around like a political football.
I share your disdain for those minorities—be they black, female, gay—who are so quick to bow down and kiss the feet (?) of their oppressors. It does not elevate them, it demeans them and they are too blind to see it.
Misty. Such a beautiful rendition of one of my favorites. Wonderful way to start the morning.
And the base jumper - SPLASH!! Such a wild thrilling sport. Those guys are fearless and totally crazy.
To Florida and Dr Lapdog. Because that's what he is to desanctimonious. For the life of me I cannot understand why these oracles of nonsense think protecting children is unnecessary. Maybe it's why they are being permitted to continue on with alligator alcatraz and provide not even bare necessities for those who have been illegally detained.
As to the "memory lapse" re the attempted incursion in N Korea, maybe if he is still around in a year, he will also forget about attacking the boat in Venezuela. Dementia? Definitely! Disingenuous? Definitely!
Dangerous? Also definitely.
And on and on. Declaring war on anyone, inside the US or outside, is what the whacko wants because he had bone spurs and couldn't hang in the jungle in Vietnam so now he is cosplaying a movie role because he sees himself as some kind of monster leader, be it Colonel or General. It's all pretense. Talk about self-loathing.
Thank you for all the news and music and I'm not sure about the snake removal, but so practical. Yeeeccchhh! I do not like snakes .
Have a wonderful weekend Kareem. Peace and Love! 🕊️ ❤️
Regarding what trump knows about the raid into North Korea, I ran across this:
When trump says, “I know nothing about it,” he knows everything about it.
When trump says, “I know everything about it,” he knows nothing about it.
Thank you for your substack, Kareem. I subscribe to several substacks, and the others fill my need to scream "WTF???!!!" and get the anger out of my system. But they stoke that anger, too. You present your opinions in a gentle, thoughtful, righteous, and still fact-supported way. And then you add on your goodies like kids dancing or dogs welcoming their humans back from a deployment, and it all acts like a pressure relief valve. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and your style.