Life 2.0

Chicago Cubs manager Leo Durocher once said, "Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand." Well, one guy who totally understands is best-selling author and media presence Rick Kaempfer. Rick's just cranked out the updated 7th edition of "Every Cub Ever" a book about every single player who ever played for the Chicago Cubs between the beginning of the 1871 season and the end of the 2024 season (their managers, broadcasters, and owners, too). There are 500 new profiles and some incredible pictures in Rick's latest effort. We take a deep dive into the rich and storied history of the Chicago Cubs, and the players that built the Wrigley Field legacy, from the famous to the infamous and every single one in-between.

The Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deep-water, semi-submersible drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by the BP oil company. On 20 April 2010, while drilling in the Gulf of Mexico at the a blowout caused an explosion on the rig that killed 11 crewmen and ignited a fireball visible from 40 miles away. The fire was inextinguishable, and two days later, on April 22, the Horizon collapsed, leaving the well gushing at the seabed and becoming the largest marine oil spill in history. 15 years later, the current administration wants to roll back security measures in an attempt to save oil companies money. Wait, what?

There is no question that we are once again living in uncertain times... the key words are "once again." There has never been a time when things are ...certain...and history gives us this lesson over and over again. So, let's take a deep dive back to 1968, when the world was on fire, assassinations were making headlines, the Vietnam war raged on, civil rights marchers filled the streets in protest, Chicago was on the news for the Democratic National Convention and my dad held a gun on a Black man who wanted to use our phone. You know, the good old days.

It's another zero dark thirty-type podcast, as I am up one more time before the crack o' dawn. In the turbulent times we live in, it's important to ensure you have anchors that will keep you steadfast and not swept away by the incessant headlines you can do nothing about except getting bent out of shape over. One of mine is hanging out later today and bending elbows with some guys I played football with back in the last century. Also, I couldn't let today pass without recognizing that it's Vietnam Veterans Day and wishing my friends Mark and Pat good and great luck as they turn the page in their book of life, and start a new chapter as they head toward the Rocky Mountains. 

Just a note of caution.

If you are someone who thinks that empathy is a flaw in human nature and that diversity, equity, and inclusion are the cause of all the misery in the world, don’t bother listening to this rant.

You won't get it.

DEI attempted to erase the "Enola Gay" (for obvious reasons) Maj. Gen. Charles C. Rogers MOH recipient (he was Black) now they are on to the Navajo Code Talkers (Native American) in some whitewashing attempt at reframing history.

But, what about herstory?

To gain some perspective, I reached out to someone I have the utmost respect for, someone I served with in the United States Coast Guard (she went on to become a Chief Petty Officer) and who's uniform hangs in a museum. 

She's got the DEI Double Whammy-a woman, and Black.

I learned a lot-what a concept.

Before Mike Robbins became one of the most sought-after speakers in the world (and the best-selling author of five books,) he was a highly regarded pitching prospect who played in the College World Series and eventually spent three seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization. Arm injuries cut short the fiery southpaw's baseball career but opened up a much larger arena for Mike—becoming a global spokesman for turning your life's work into a work of art. He shares some great insights from his fifth book, "We're All In This Together."

I lost a great friend this past week. John Keith was a titan of radio production for decades and we crossed paths back at Oprah Radio and became fast friends. It was all about baseball (and radio) and if it wasn't for JK, the Earth Matters with Bill Kurtis series would have never been heard around the world as it has. I found the first four episodes of EM that John produced, and while I am very sad that he is gone, I am so very glad he was here. Godspeed BRO!

I try my best to ignore that which evaporates my remaining brain cells. But, for the last two weeks, I've been subjected to the word "gay" from so many different angles, that I had to finally come out (so to speak) and speak out. As the DEI mandates begin to take effect and the references to "gay" and "trans" are scrubbed from various govt. websites, it was time to take a deep dive into the history of the word, how the meaning has changed since the 12th century.

But what about how the Flintstones have been subliminally grooming kids since the '60s? And that line from "Deck The Halls"  that insists you "don your gay apparel?"

And, what about attending the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas show or watching "The Gay Divorcee?"

With all the upheaval in Washington D.C. these days, and so much of it surrounding Elon Musk, I think we'd all be better off if TLC just gave him a reality show and instead of eliminating jobs at the VA, he could just jet around the world wielding his chainsaw. I mean he's a reality show producer's dream! Elon Musk has at least 14 children with multiple partners! But wait there's a spinoff in the works! His dad Errol "We are only on Earth to procreate" Musk just confirmed he's fathered his 2nd child with his stepdaughter who is 31 years younger!

Ratings gold! 

Also, a little background on the rise of "reality" TV and how easily humans confuse highly produced reality with real life and how that eventually helped to put a former real estate developer in the White House-twice.

 

Fifty years is a long time.

The number of people in my life from 1975 is small, maybe 10 or so. My sister, a few high school friends, and extended family members. My mom and dad are both long gone. So, when someone stepped back into my life AFTER one-half century it was cause for both celebration and a bit of sadness.

There was a time that I paid my bills pumping gas, checking oil and doing tune-ups and when the man who was my boss on half-century ago agreed to meet for breakfast, it was a serious full circle moment.