john maddente | midwestern clarity

J ustice Samuel A. Alito gave a virtual address to a lawyers convention on Nov. 25th.   A little over 30 minutes; I'd recommend the YouTube video below, to anyone trying to understand why some Americans feel strongly that basic rights enumerated in the Constitution like Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Assembly are being tested.    This is not, IMO, a dry legal lecture for lawyers.  Rather it's a clear overview of recent actions by the courts, legislators and special interests and how those actions may collectively dilute protections sought by the Framers .   Example: the uproar over Nevada's COVID restrictions ( overturned on appeal ) that prohibited religious gatherings of more than 50 people (regardless of precautions that could be taken), while permitting a percentage of capacity as the governing measure of people able to patronize a casino; even if that percentage equates to more than 50 people. In any event; the video ...

  I ’m guilty. Whether at the office or via conference calls, I’ve used clichés repeated so many times by so many business people, that the phrases lack impact and often convey unintended impressions, or at least, a serious lack of imagination. Nothing here is dangerous; usage is not fatal, but for your consideration, I’ve listed my top five abused business phrases.... 1.      “ Let’s get the low hanging fruit ” – This relic is normally meant to convey the speaker’s opinion on prioritization. Pursuing whatever he/she advocates; will presumably result in a higher success rate because of fewer barriers. Be wary when you hear it. Often you’re closer to the orchard and your gut may tell you that more fruit hangs high, has already been picked, or already rotted, than the speaker knows (or cares to admit). 2.       “ It is….what it is ” – Of course. What else could it be? If you wish to say w...

G rowing up, we ate pasta frequently in the Maddente home.  I still enjoy it; but all I'd ever learned about this staple is that it's a mortal sin to over cook it.  I never could discern any significant taste difference among the many different dried pastas on the market.   Recently; I've learned something new.  Extrusion methods matter. Food photo created by timolina - www.freepik.com Here's a parallel.  Ever heard of " Steel Cut Oats "?  I used to think that's an either slightly pompous or at least a haute description used to sell oatmeal.   I'm going to rethink that assumption and try steel cut oats.  That's because I've stumbled upon a dried pasta called "Bronze Cut" which is a reference to the metallurgy involved with the device that extrudes and cuts the pasta.   For those interested in the science and engineering behind this alloy for pasta making purposes; here's  an article .  For the rest of us, suffice it t...

.   L ast Saturday, a CEO named Peter Rex published an opinion piece in the WSJ that attracted a fair amount of attention on LinkedIn.  The article is entitled, " I'm Leaving Seattle for Texas So My Employees Can Be Free "  (You'll probably hit the pay wall if you don't have a WSJ subscription.)   I believe you'll find the views expressed  in this piece  reasonable and factual -- but unfortunately -- not widely promulgated by traditional media.  Read more about Mr. Rex here .  

C olumnist Jeff Sommer published a piece called , " Dealing With the Dark Side of Low Interest Rates " in the May 17 edition of the New York Times . Mr. Sommer’s take is refreshing.  Monetary Doves and Pols on both sides of the aisle typically ignore the ill effects of low interest rates on conservative investors and senior citizens who receive abysmally low returns from their fixed income investments.   Mr. Sommer  points out that i n an ultra low rate world,  retirees and those approaching retirement, are left with three poor choices...  “Live on less, dip deeply into savings or take on more risk…”.   A steady trough of cheap money and easy credit induces bad decisions that impact all of us .     As mentioned in this space over five years ago , a perennial ultra-low rate environment coupled with lax credit standards, was one of the factors that enabled the masses to over leverage and buy homes they couldn't afford befor...

A few winners at the Golden Globe Awards on January 5th  decided to espouse their personal political views to the public, even after host Ricky Gervais  had previously admonished them not to do so. Freepik image  The majority of us don't tune in to the Golden Globes to watch Stars advocate for a  cause celebre .  It's not a free speech issue; it's a  public courtesy  issue.  Want to speak out about Abortion?  How about Gun Rights or Gun Control?  OK; but please choose an appropriate forum.  Yes, actor Charlton Heston spoke out in 2012 but he  made his Gun Rights remarks at an NRA convention , not the Golden Globe Awards.  Big difference. There's no shortage of outlets to express one's political opinions on one's own time.  Golden Globe Award viewers deserve to hear from invited artists about their art, not polarizing crusaders. Mr.  Gervais  is an intellectually honest Progressive wh...