Thoughts for the Day, May 21, 2025: Rest in Peace Norm
A Transactional President
President Trump and his team treats everything like it is a business transaction. If they do not see value in the decision for them and their cause they do not do it. This may work when you are the CEO of a company, but it does not work when you are allegedly the leader of the free world. Doing the right thing for the good of the free world sometimes means doing what is best for your allies even when they are no direct benefits to your presidency. Here are a few of the transactional decisions that he has made that makes me shake my head in wonder.
· NATO is evaluated on whether they are providing their fair share of defense. If not, screw them.
· Ukraine has value only because of its mineral deposits which we need. Defending a democracy against authoritarian expansion is not important.
· Gaza is a potential Mediterranean resort, so it is OK if Netanyahu commits acts of genocide against the Palestinians and takes over the land.
· Greenland could be a strategic defense post so who cares what the Greenland people want.
· Canada is loaded with natural resources that we could use, so we should make them the 51st state. Who cares if they have been our most loyal ally for over 200 years?
· Some immigrants create problems so they must be deported Who cares if they are sent back to their homelands where they will face persecution and potential death? Who cares if immigrants provide much of the work in our agriculture, construction, and hospitality industries? What difference does it matter what country they are deported to as long as they are deported?
· Mike Pence didn’t do what Trump asked him to do, so he deserves to what the January 6 rioters want to do with him. Who cares that Pence was doing what the Constitution required of him.
· President Zelensky didn’t pursue claims against the Bidens when Trump asked him to, so Zelensky deserve our country’s support? Who cares that Ukraine’s democracy is under attack by Putin’s desire to expand Russia’s western front?
· The poor use more of the country’s tax dollars than they bring in, so we should reduce the amount of support we provide them. They must be budget neutral.
· Providing healthcare for our citizens is costly so we need to reduce the cost. It doesn’t matter that our country has some of the worst health outcomes of all the major western countries.
· For every country that has a trade deficit with us, we must increase tariffs to make sure that we break even. It doesn’t matter that the country provides the products we want because they are not made in the U.S.
I can go on and on about how decisions by this administration are made based how it benefits the president and his pursuit of power. The human factor and empathy are non-existent. Once President Trump sees no value in something or someone he walks away. Helping others because it is the right thing to do, is non-existent in a transaction-based administration.
Please call your members of Congress today. The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell the operator where you’re from and the operator will connect you to your representatives and senators. I tested this out today. It is very simple. They will ask for the congress member you want to contact. They will then switch you to that office.
**********************************************************************************************************
Think Poop when cleaning your house of clutter
Many of my subscribers love to share ideas with me, knowing they may end up in Thoughts for the Day. Here is one idea that I really like and it comes from my best friend George. It was published in the Washington Post.
Move over, Marie Kondo, there’s a new approach to decluttering that’s taking over social media. It’s a little juvenile, and more than a little gross, but it’s sparking joy for people who are overwhelmed by their stuff. This one-question framework for deciding whether to keep something, or to get rid of it, can simplify your space, your routines and, one hopes, your life.
It's called “the poop rule,” and it's pretty much what you might think.
Amanda Johnson, a content creator who focuses on cleaning and organizing, explains what this crudely named method entails. “The poop rule is simple: while decluttering, ask yourself, ‘If something was covered in poop, would I still keep it?’ It’s a fun, no-nonsense way to decide what really adds value to your life.”
After seeing it on Instagram, where people with ADHD, in particular, are hailing it as life-changing, Johnson tried the decluttering strategy in her own home. Using the poop rule as a guide, she says she got rid of “clothing I hadn’t worn in over six months, board games and puzzles we never played or that were missing pieces, and decorative items I was holding onto ‘just in case’ for a future party.”
Diane N. Quintana, a certified professional organizer who specializes in chronic disorganization and ADHD clients, also sees the merits of the funny rule. “I would recommend this method of decluttering with people who are very visual and need extra motivation to declutter.”
The Poop Rule gets my Orchid of the Day.
********************************************************************************************************
How about the Tigers?
The Tigers just finished a stretch where they played 16 of 22 games on the road. They went 15-7 and won three of the four road series. The Tiges won four one-run games against Toronto and St. Louis. The games were a great prep for their upcoming four game series with the Cleveland Indians, I mean Guardians. The Tigers enter the series against the Guardians with a record of 33-17, the best record in the MLB. The Tigers will need to keep their emotions in check and continue to do what they have done all season. They need to forget that the Guardians eliminated them in the playoffs last year when the Guardians won the last two games to eliminate the Tigers in the ALDS.
In the last 50 games of the 2024 season and the first 50 games of the 2025 season, the Tigers are 66-34.
******************************************************************************************************
Quotes of the Day: "That's big. We didn't talk about that. I didn't even know that. We've just been grinding day by day, staying ready, staying present, sticking to our plan and executing. I think the execution has been done at a really high level." Detroit Tiger first baseman Spencer Torkelson, after learning the Tigers finished 17-5 over their last 22 games.
Orchid of the Day: The “Poop” rule-see above
Onion of the Day: Tom Kerr: A former adviser to ex-Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as a high-ranking official for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, is accused of stealing a porcelain Vernor's sign from an antiques booth and showing remorse when the owner caught him.
But Troy resident Tom Kerr, 48, didn't totally come clean during his apology, according to the antiques dealer. After agreeing to let Kerr pay $400 for the sign without pressing charges, Darin Szilagy said he learned the next day that Kerr had allegedly stolen another more expensive item he didn't mention while making amends.
Now Kerr is charged with first-degree retail fraud following the alleged Jan. 30 incident at the Motor City Antiques Mall in Flat Rock involving a rare 1960s-era Carhartt clock valued at $2,000 and a 65-year-old porcelain Vernor's sign worth $400. Because the merchandise is valued at over $1,000, the alleged crime rises to a felony charge that carries a punishment of up to five years in prison.
Lyrics of the Day: So when you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills
You know the one, "Dr. Everything'll-be-alright"
Instead of asking him how much of your time is left Ask him how much of your mind, baby
'Cause in this life things are much harder than in the afterworld
In this life you're on your own
If you think you know the answer, send me your response in the comments section of the blog.
Answer to Lyrics of the Day for May 19, 2025: Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen
Question of the Day: Can the Tigers continue their torrid pace?
Video of the Day: To “Norm” may he rest in peace with a beer at the bar.