And Even Fewer Regrets

When saving for old age, be sure you put away a few pleasant thoughts.
—     Anonymous
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On This Day In:
2021	Today Counts
	I Hope You’ll Understand
2020	Maybe #IncompetentDonald Really Is A Great Manager
2019	Your Only Choice
2018	A Good Definition
2017	Getting It Done
2016	Getting To Know Me
2015	Why I Pay Taxes
2014	Inequality Of Sacrifice
2013	I Never Saw A Moor
2012	Fill In The Blank
	Not For Naught
	Cliff Notes To Life?
2011	Conference Games Sunday

Enduring Success

Our criterion of “enduring” causes us to rule out companies in industries prone to rapid and continuous change.  Though capitalism’s “creative destruction” is highly beneficial for society, it precludes investment certainty.  A moat that must be continuously rebuilt will eventually be no moat at all.
Additionally, this criterion eliminates the business whose success depends on having a great manager.  Of course, a terrific CEO is a huge asset for any enterprise, and at Berkshire we have an abundance of these managers.  Their abilities have created billions of dollars of value that would never have materialized if typical CEOs had been running their businesses.
But if a business requires a superstar to produce great results, the business itself cannot be deemed great.  A medical partnership led by your area’s premier brain surgeon may enjoy outsized and growing earnings, but that tells little about its future.  The partnership’s moat will go when the surgeon goes.  You can count, though, on the moat of the Mayo Clinic to endure, even though you can’t name its CEO.
Long-term competitive advantage in a stable industry is what we seek in a business.  If that comes with rapid organic growth, great.  But even without organic growth, such a business is rewarding.  We will simply take the lush earnings of the business and use them to buy similar businesses elsewhere.  There’s no rule that you have to invest money where you’ve earned it.  Indeed, it’s often a mistake to do so:  Truly great businesses, earning huge returns on tangible assets, can’t for any extended period reinvest a large portion of their earnings internally at high rates of return.
—     Warren Buffett
[Reading the above, all I could think of was that the same seems (IMHO) to be true / valid for education, teachers, students and public schools.  We concentrate the most funding on the “best” schools, the “best” teachers and the “best” students, when we should be trying to spread excellence around to the greater benefit of all.  There is a role for “centers of excellence” in education, but they should not be the goal in and of themselves.   —    KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2021	Dealing With Trumpism, Racism and Fascism In America
	Just Wondering
2020	And So Must Good Government
2019	Are You Done Watching?
2018	Spineless Capitulation By The Democrats
	Woe Is Me…
2017	Sincerely Yours
2016	Only Good To Say
2015	A Series Of Temporary Conditions
2014	Gaps
2013	Duty
2012	Cost Not Price
	Superheroes
2011	The Simple Normalcy Of Everyday Life – “Squirrel!”

End The Filibuster

If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change certain things, do it with prudence and good advice.
—    St. Angela Merici
[It would be “nice” if politicians (both side) could just vote on issues.  The problem is:  if you vote, you can be held accountable by your constituents.  If you don’t / never vote, you can’t.  The Senate is “supposed” to be a deliberative body.  It is supposed to slow the blood-rush from the House.  It may even deny what the “people” want because it feels the House is acting from exuberance.  This was the initial purpose of the filibuster.  Then, when it started to be used to prevent all activity, it was modified to allow the “paper” (i.e., non-talking) filibuster.  This effectively killed a bill with no explanation, debate or vote – on cloture or on the actual bill.  Perfect non-accountability!  Reverting to the “must talk” prior rule, would be a good start, but the bottom line is we must end the filibuster completely.  It is not in the Constitution and is merely an agreed convention within the particular chamber (the Senate).  At the moment, we allow our political “leaders” to avoid debating the merits of a bill, voting to vote on a bill (cloture), and voting on the actual bill.  And then they say (claim):  “It wasn’t me!  It never came up for a vote!)    —    KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2021	Be Creative, Question Assumptions
	By No Means
2020	I’ll Eat To That (Gemütlichkeit)
	To The Front
2019	#ContinueToResist
	Except Willful Ignorance And Prideful Stupidity
2018	More Executive Time For #DumbDonald
2017	Watched The Inauguration
	Two Geniuses
2016	Come Dance And Laugh With Me
2015	Looks Good To Me
2014	Desire For The Sea
2013	The Fierce Urgency Of NOW
	Happy Inauguration Day!
2012	One Path
	Sorrow And Joy
	The Seven Year View
2011	Emergent Practicality

Biden Starts His Second Year

The high-minded man must care more for what is right than for what people think.
—    Aristotle
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On This Day In:
2021	DIY: Outdoor Gym Modifications (2)
	Inauguration Day 2021
	(Hopefully) Good-Bye To The Trump Dark Ages
2020	Posting As A Continual Exercise
2019	Border Security – Yes, Border Wall – No
2018	Supporting Survival Values
2017	Inauguration Day 2017 [Sometimes, I hate it when I’m right! — KMAB]
2016	Or A Pot Of Gold After The Storm
2015	One, Two, Three…
2014	Lend Your Hand
2013	Amnesty, n.
2012	Best Resolv’d
	The Clock Is Running
2011	Magic

Pass A Voting Rights Act For Democracy’s Sake

That a thing is true, is no reason that it should be said, but that it should be done.
—     Cardinal John Henry Newman
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On This Day In:
2021	Tomorrow President Biden Starts Wrestling
	Good-Bye #45
2020	The Burden Of Faith
	On To Superbowl LIV (54)!!
2019	Are Your Dogs Barking?
	Dangerous Waistcoats
2018	And 40+ Years Later?
2017	He Is Alone
2016	Compensation
2015	Charlie Redux
2014	The Crux
2013	Erosion And Rechannelling
	Alliance, n.
2012	How Many Thought… (One I Know Of)
	Choices And Decisions
2011	Speed Spoils
	Simply Intended
2010	A Second 4 Hour Jog

Do It

Let the beauty we love be what we do.
—     Rumi
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On This Day In:
2021	The Honor Is To Serve…
	I Don’t Know That I Will
	Only So Long
2020	Each Meaning
2019	The Deep End
	Is Anyone ELSE Out There Listening?
2018	Defining Characteristic
2017	Just Asking
2016	Still A Burden
	15 And Counting
2015	All A Game
2014	Two Thoughts
2013	RIP – Dear Abby
	Half-Life Problems
2012	To The Soul…
2011	Reverted!!

Yo-yo Management

We neither understand the adding of unneeded people or activities because profits are booming, nor the cutting of essential people or activities because profitability is shrinking.  That kind of yo-yo approach is neither business-like nor humane.
—     Warren Buffett
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On This Day In:
2021	DIY: Outdoor Gym Modifications
	First Hammock Hang Of 2021
	Slow Moving Trains And Squirrels
	Just Chillin’… Why?
2020	Still Crazy After All These Years…
2019	20 / 20 Foresight
	He Knew Damned Well…
2018	Be Someone’s Kindling
2017	When The Moment Comes
2016	Changed Clothes Lately?
2015	Like Stone
2014	Resistance Is Futile
2013	Subtle Humor
	To Look Behind Green Eyes
2012	The Path Is Endless
2011	Happy MLK, Jr Day!!!
	A Factor Of Ten
	Better Late Than Never?
	Whoops!
	Acceptable Beginnings
	Slow Progress
	Useful Confrontation
	When Phenomena Are Different
	Creative Avoidance
	Thinking
	Fast And Flexible
	Surrender Certainty
	Techniques
	Vive La Difference
	Destiny
	Completeness
	Art

What Do You See?

Nowadays people are born to find fault.  When they look at Achilles, they see only his heel.
—     Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
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On This Day In:
2021	Lite It Up
	Some Day
2020	No Answers Yet
	120 Day Health / Weight Update (Jan 2020)
2019	Stationary Target
2018	And Firmly
2017	Nearer My Goal To Thee
2016	Relatively Simple Actions
2015	And Yet, You Did
2014	Difficult Learning
2013	Four Things To do
2012	When I Was Young…
	Emergence

Living In The Big Lie With A Loser

The house of delusions is cheap to build, but draughty to live in.
––     A. E. Housman
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On This Day In:
2021	An Obligation To Condemn Is Not An Obligation To Ban
	Caught In The Rain
2020	Me Too
2019	#45: Whitewalkers Tremble, Treason Is Forever
2018	Light Or Darkness
2017	Doubtful Education
2016	Absolute
2015	Still The Best Teacher
2014	Inside The Soul
2013	A Toe In The River
2012	Believe It Or Not
2011	The Road To Recovery (And More Myths)

Republican Ambling

Science is … a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility.  If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tell us that something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority, then we’re up for grabs for the next charlatan, political or religious, who comes ambling along.
—    Carl Sagan
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On This Day In:
2021	I’d Argue Wealth, Then Income
	Knock Him Off His Feet
2020	Steppin’…
2019	Every Vote Counts
2018	Or A President
2017	Pleasures
2016	Why Not?
2015	Je Suis Charlie
2014	To The Nines
2013	Higher And Truer
2012	Life’s Last Question
2011	A Single Heartbeat
	A Little Male Humor – WHY MEN SHOULDN’T RETIRE

Choose Possible

Once you choose hope, anything is possible.
—    Christopher Reeve
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On This Day In:
2021	Thousands
	Where Did All The Blue Skies Go?
2020	A Profound Source
2019	Sad Words
2018	Self-Sorted
2017	Right
2016	At Least One Step
2015	Month To Month Rental
2014	Professional Beliefs
2013	Books Are…
2012	True Distinguishing Marks
2010	Sub-300

No Ulterior Motive

The person who is free does not do what they do because of the desire to be looked at a certain way by other people, or even themselves.  Because their self image is not dependent on something outside themselves, they are truly free to act with no ulterior motive.
They are not trying to “get something” out of being a guitarist other than the plain fact of being a guitarist.  They do not come to music and the guitar and say “make me feel good about myself”.  Such a person never says “I should be able to do that, but I can’t, so there must be something wrong with me.”
They say  “Hmm, I have trouble with this, there must be a reason why, I think I’ll investigate (pay more attention).”
—     Jamie Andreas
www.guitarpinciples.com
From her book:  “The Principles of Correct Practice For Guitar“
From chapter:  “The Deeper I Go, The Deeper It Gets“
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On This Day In:
2021	A Soul Passing
	I Hear You Singing In The Wire
	Thank You, Georgia!
2020	Implications
2019	Just To…
2018	Still Going…
2017	Great Risk
2016	Robbery
2015	Humanity Plus
2014	Dinner For Two?
2013	Exercise For Those Over 50
2012	Tearful Joy!!
	Except When He’s Left

You Ought To Be Having Fun

If you’re not having fun, you’re doing something wrong.
―     Groucho Marx
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On This Day In:
2021	Democrats Talking To Republicans
	Talkin’ To Myself And Feelin’ Old
2020	You Are Not Late (Yet)
2019	Too Difficult To Try
2018	Hold Fast
2017	The Only Real Security
2016	Time Said
2015	If Only Common Sense Were More Common
2014	PTI
2013	What Now, Then?
2012	Big C, Little B
	Duty, Honor, Country

Limited Knowledge And No Control

Thus we may have knowledge of the past but cannot control it;  we may control the future but have no knowledge of it.
—     Claude Elwood Shannon
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On This Day In:
2021	Gifts
	Look Inside Your Heart
2020	A Strength Of Science
2019	A Higher Standard
	Make Two Calls
2018	Irreplaceable Sparks
2017	Saving For April 15th
2016	First Wish
2015	Tracing Shadows
2014	One Thing
2013	More Is Less
2012	The Screw-Up Gene

Looking For Treasure Troves

The key to discoveries is to look at those places where there is still a paradox.  It’s like the tip of an iceberg.  If there is a point of dissatisfaction, take a closer look at it.  You are likely to find a treasure trove underneath.
—    Erdal Arikan
Quoted by:  Steven Levy
From the article:  “The Man Who Conquered Noise“
Appearing in:  Wired Magazine
Dtd:  Dec. 2020
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On This Day In:
2021	True Originality
	There Must Be Peace And Understanding
2020	#45: Lies And Hate-Speech Are Not Moral Leadership
2019	Be Brave
2018	What Else Matters?
2017	Slow Go
2016	A Tiny Ripple Of Hope
2015	Liberating Books
2014	Discover God
2013	Without Witness
2012	Nutritarian