Wednesday, Lafayette, Indiana

In an era of experts - and I qualify as an expert in some few areas- the danger is to presume that we have expertise beyond our reach. This is especially evident when it comes to politics. Most people have passionate opinions about their ideology, their candidates and their party. But in most cases their opinion is based on partial information, flawed conclusions and the blustering opinions of their small circle of similarly poorly informed friends and associates. In other words, we tend to vote using our gut more than our head. And the gut is an abysmal organ for judgement. The gut is what gets people to drink to excess, paint their faces at games and get into bar fights.

I have not really figured out what party I am most affiliated with - I like the compassion of the Democratic party as I understand it; I like the small government approach of the Republican party as I understand it. In the end I am most influenced by a combination of my gut feeling tempered with my intellectual judgement about the candidates I hear. And on this score I was a happy voter for Barack Obama, based on his intellect and pragmatic approach to decision making. This is also a strong reaction to the approach of George Bush who led almost exclusively using organs below his neck.

So I have a modicum of hope and optimism that the dire predictions about the economy in the coming year will be addressed assertively - and intelligently - by the new administration. I am praying fervently!

Lafayette, Indiana

Getting small is the new black!

The economic crisis may have started out with Wall Street and spread to the banks and then the auto industry, but it is now causing widespread angst all throughout the country. And of course the vast majority of us fall into the category of hapless, helpless victim. My speaking career is in a recession to be sure. Companies are obviously having fewer meetings outside the office and hiring fewer outside speakers. So I am doing what many others are doing to cope: hunkering down, staying close to home and focusing on other aspects of my career. And to my delight I am living smaller and spending less. Sally and I are delighted to be eating at home and hanging out with our neighbors. La Dolce Vita!

The question I have for myself and the rest of us has to do with the time when this recession is over and the economy starts rolling again (ah…I assume it will). Will I revert to my former, more grandiose habits of travel and spending? I plan to use this interim time of smaller living to practice it with joy and cultivate it as a lifelong habit. In the meantime, I hope you are able to survive the mess.

Wednesday, Lafayette, Indiana

A new study offers empirical evidence of what most of us have suspected for a long time. Watching television is bad for children. Well, duh!

With the average American now watching an average of over 32 hours of TV each week what do we expect but that we are circling the drain. The report shows that children that watch the most hours of TV engage in sexual activity at a younger age. And of course there is a well established connection between excessive television viewing and a propensity for violence.

What are parents to do in light of these findings? Well, obviously the answer is moderate the exposure to television of their kids. But for so many parents, overwhelmed and busy with work and other responsibilities, the television as an occupier of their children’s attention is too tempting to resist. But this research indicates that later you amy well pay the piper. The lesson is to remain strong and get kids involved in activities where they are with other, real live other people and engaged in healthy activities. Like so many other realities in life, early discipline yields fruit later.