Editor’s comment: In celebration of graduation season, here are nine graduation addresses collected and published by Vonnegut friend, Dan Wakefield. Reader be reminded that Vonnegut was an outrageous figure, a satirist even in speaking who can wrench your gut. But I marveled at this short read remembering that the great writers and teachers most of all make us think. At least once during each speech I laughed out loud and other times I set down the book to consider what he had just said.
Editor’s Note: Good memories flooded back to me when I saw that Cat Stevens, now Yusuf Islam, had been named to this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class. Many of the songs from his seminal album “Tea for the Tillerman” (Wild World, Father and Son and Moon Shadow) are still known to me by heart and played often. But considering KaBOOM’s work in child health and exercise, it seems appropriate to choose this song from his “Teaser and the Firecat” album.
Editor's Note: Bill Shore has been a hero to me for over 25 years. Since its start, Share Our Strength has invested $376 million to food banks and emergency food assistance programs around the US. KaBOOM is a bit younger (1995) and does similar transformational work promoting health and exercise for the 16 million poor children in the USA. Together in this article from SSIR they give some great tips about how to build cause. It upsets me to now realize that our 16 million children living in poverty was less than 12 million only 13 years ago and yet during the same period the number of billionaires in the US went from 500 (worth about $1.8 trillion) in 2000 to 1,400 billionaires today who hold $5.4 trillion of our nation’s wealth. No wonder the movement to address the disparity of wealth is growing. A deep bow to the writers for leading those who fight for the voiceless in what appears sometimes to be a losing battle, but because of their work and others will always remain a noble cause.
Editor’s note: Lewis has made our library again. Wall Street misbehavior, specifically in this instance high frequency trading is his topic and as with his best books Mr. Lewis is able to make a complicated real life story both interesting and simpler. (Warning to my fellow creatives: The numerical detail necessary to establish the scam’s techniques were at times a workout for my non-numerical brain.) Like Billy Beane in “Moneyball,” Lewis builds a hero to tell this tale, this time Brad Katsuyama. Like Beane, Katsuyama fights the system by creating new rules. Our hero creates a chance to end to a real life scam being perpetrated in recent years in our financial markets. Shortly after the book’s publication, our government began looking into changes needed in the system. Will new scams come up? Of course, but thankfully there will always be a guy like Lewis with the brains, balls and creativity to bring them to light.
“Life is difficult.” This was the first sentence of Scott Peck’s seminal book, “The Road Less Travelled.” Dr. Peck had not come up with a great revelation.
Editor’s note: Time for another funny (to me) song. This one is Bruno Mars’ satirical take on the endless number of songs about unrequited love. He claims he’d take a grenade, put his hand on a blade and do anything for this woman but in the end (note: this is favorite lyric):
Editor’s note: This note is from my friend and teacher, Michael Levin’s blog. It’s not topical, as most are but I found it irresistible since its message is incredibly compelling to me. Like most people, I spend most of my day judging and thinking, if not having angry conversations. What a nice reminder from Michael to fight the feeling. And since a down syndrome man is among his teachers, as my little sister was for me it hits home with me all the more.
Editor’s note: Like “Fast Food Nation,” I found this work to be like any other that looks for a sole source of a complex problem. That is, blaming sub-prime lending on the pawnshop and fringe lending industry is rather like blaming obesity on McDonald’s. Way over the top for me. But like “Fast Food Nation,” we need to be reminded of societal problems in an interesting way. Rivlin most certainly accomplishes that with this very readable book. Our foundation has invested heavily in eradicating payday lending in Ohio by providing an alternative via www.employeeloansolutions.com so we believe in Rivlin’s point. Our current investment is helping pilot an employer-based alternative to store-front lenders (which Ohio voters thought we had outlawed by state-wide referendum a few years ago) by offering safe, affordable and responsible loans to this same audience that comprises (by Rivlin’s estimates) a $100 billion industry in the USA.
The malapropism used in the headline is courtesy of my brother, Terry, who uses hundreds of such phrases to keep himself entertained and throw his siblings and friends off their boring centers. Thanks, Terry.
