ON PURELY CHASTE, PRISTINE, AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXIV

February 1, 2017

 

February 1, 2017

 

No one has recently requested my thoughts on life in general.  It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.  Notwithstanding this embarrassing dilemma, I am forging ahead with a host of points of potential interest to the Newsletter readers.  However before proceeding, I need to bring one interesting fact to those with interests in the U.S. economy.

 

Here is a list of the percentage of recent past president’s cabinets who had previously worked in the private sector:

 

FDR            50%         Eisenhower       57%

Truman        50%         Nixon               53%

Kennedy      30%         Ford                 42%

Johnson       47%         Reagan             56%

Carter          32%         G. H. Bush       51%

Clinton         39%         G. W. Bush      55%

Obama        8%           Trump              ??

 

The left column are/were Democrats.  Is the difference statistically significant?  You be the judge.  Obama never worked for a corporation, never really had a job, and his cabinet came primarily (92%) from academia, governmental “non-profit” groups, and community organizers.  Perhaps this explains our nation’s current economic state of affairs.

 

Back to the standard one-liners; here’s 2 dozen of them.

 

  1. Watching cable news has been pure entertainment since the election. The liberals are a comedy group but, I’ll say this – and this may sound like Michelle – I’ve never felt more proud of our country.
  2. The liberal media continues to berate and insult Trump. They can’t find anything right/good about him.  After all, he is going to reduce health care costs, eliminate sanctuary cities, address the anarchy dilemma, help solve infrastructure problems, etc.
  3. I hope this Administration will somehow pass an Amendment to the Constitution that will require that voters possess reasonable intelligence, be aware of current events, and speak, read, and understand English.
  4. Hopefully, disdain (and perhaps hatred) for the working class, military, and police will come to an end with Trump as president.
  5. Which three states have more people on welfare than they do employed? [If you guessed California, Illinois, and New York, you would be right. Surprise, surprise.]
  6. I shudder to think what would have happened to our country without Rupert Murdoch, Bill O’Reilly, Fox News, and even Roger Ailes.
  7. Megan Kelly turns me off – big time.
  8. Do I have this right? Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) is attempting to release those in jail who were planning to kill me.
  9. The inauguration was truly a sight to see. We are all so blessed to live in the USA.
  10. My parents worked hard for their money. I worked hard (well, sort of… remember, I’m a teacher) for my money.  No one gave us anything.  Why am I now being asked to provide health care and education for people who do not want to work and/or have no legal right to be here?
  11. I sell and bill myself as the foremost environmental authority in the world. (Modesty isn’t my middle name.) I can tell one and all that Al Gore’s preaching on global warming is a scam. His/the proposed carbon tax would bankrupt our nation.
  12. Forget about the fact that both the Hill and Bubba are involved in criminal enterprises. BOTH ARE TRAITORS!
  13. Seven years ago, I wrote: “Despite his shortcomings, rooting for Obama is appropriate because we are Americans.  Let’s not carry on like the Bush haters.”
  14. World Series play in freezing weather is both insane and a disgrace.
  15. Advertisements abound that make the white male look like a fool.
  16. I’m still trying to get Jack Powers into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.
  17. My latest undertaking is to write a book about optimization – a subject I know absolutely nothing about.
  18. Football, with its concussion dilemma, is a dying sport.
  19. Perhaps mankind’s greatest miracle occurred when Churchill chose (like the people of Greece) not to submit to the Nazi “hurricane.”
  20. I’m still on a diet that will be “featured” next month
  21. Hopefully, Trump will stop the lies, the deceit, the manipulations, etc., in government and will finally be replaced by the transparency BHO promised 8 years ago.
  22. Good riddance to Meg Kelly at Fox. She’s a flaming liberal masquerading as a moderate.
  23. Geraldo Rivera has joined my 20 $ club. I’m prepared to pay 20 $ to put my left shoe up his rear end.  He’s another flaming liberal masquerading as a moderate.  Even worse, he is a totally full of horse manure guy.  His conduct during the inauguration was disgusting.
  24. I’ve had multiple requests for a follow-up on my earlier article titled “On Great Eats.”

 

Is that it?  Not quite.  Earlier, I got to see BHO’s “Farewell” address in Chicago where he teary-eyed and blatantly lied non-stop about his (and Michelle’s and Biden’s) accomplishments over the past 8 years; he chose not to mention the carnage that occurs in his home city of Chicago and hundreds of thousands that died in the Middle East due to his deficient policies.  He took time to, once again, lecture us, and then frantically attempted to rewrite history before the historians set his legacy of numerous massive failures in stone.  Unfortunately, he won’t go away and will continue to attempt to undermine our new president.  His last actions involved releasing hundreds of drug dealers, traitors and societal misfits.  What a guy!

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:

 

MARCH 1:                  On the Ideal Diet—That Works

APRIL 1:                     Hofstra Basketball 2017 Revisited

MAY 1:                       On the EWSD Budget Vote

JUNE 1:                       On Great Eats II

 

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ON THE 2016-17 HOFSTRA BASKETBALL SEASON

January 1, 2017

 

 

January 1, 2017

 

Thanksgiving and Christmas is now a near distant memory.  What’s the significance?   It primarily means one thing for basketball buffs in the Nassau County area: the 2016-17 Hofstra basketball season is now in full swing.

 

Every year, at about this time, I introduce the readers to Hofstra’s men’s basketball team and start the prediction process for the season.  This year is no different – so here goes…

 

I begin with some comments about last year’s team.  There were concerns, hopes, and expectations: third year Coach Joe Mihalich was back with a team that featured Juan‘ya Green and Ameen Tanksley – the two Niagara University transfers and Brian Bernardi, plus power forward Princeton transferee Denton Koon and second year center Rokas Gustys.  So what happened?  They had a great season, winning the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association).  The CAA tournament was up for grabs and I felt they had a chance to win it and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.  We were at the CAA tournament during March 4 -7 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore when they ran out of gas (as I had predicted earlier) in the championship game.  Nonetheless, it was a pleasant vacation and an exciting four days.  This year’s tournament is scheduled in Charleston, S.C., and it is currently on our radar screen.

 

Three of last year’s super starting five are gone.  As a former educator, I’m always interested in the disposition of the players once they graduate.  It was tough getting straight answers this year but this is what I know at this point in time: Koon is playing somewhere in Europe, with Green and Tanksley playing (I hope) in the NBA Developmental League.

 

This year’s team?  Here is my analysis at the time of the posting of this article (December 25).  The loss of last year’s BIG three was indeed BIG – the two top scorers (including Player of the Year Green) and the power forward.  The team had a decent recruiting year.  (Note: Every team claims they had a great recruiting year, so I no longer believe these press releases.)  Notable additions include Deron Power (Hampton transfer), Eli Pemberton (freshman), Hunter Sabety (Tufts transfer), and Ty Greer (Daytona State transfer).  Notable returnees – in addition to Gustys and Bernardi – include Desure Buie (out for year), Justin Wright-Foreman, and Jamall Robinson.  Are there any concerns?  Should there be concerns?  The answer is YES.  The team is presently in a developmental stage and only time will tell to what degree they will develop and improve.  They have demonstrated an ability to score – sometime almost at will, 8but the defense is still somewhat porous.  For example, they were unable to adjust and negate St. Bonaventure’s two excellent guards during an earlier loss.  And, to compound this problem, the team continues to primarily play zone defense.  On the positive side is that Coach Mihalich is playing 8 players, so fatigue will not be a problem this season.
More on this year’s personnel.  All the noise is about freshman Eli Pemberton.  Mihalich claims he will have a super career at Hofstra.  An NBA scout told me that Pemberton’s number will be hanging from the rafters at the end of his collegiate career.  He is a great scorer but (contrary to Mihalich’s comments) is short on speed and defense–but I have been wrong many times in the past.  I believe that Hofstra’s hopes this year lie with two others.  Powers is the fastest guard I have seen in years–he is grease lightening.  What an absolute great addition to the backcourt.  Ty Greer is listed at 6’6” but I think is 6’8” tall (and growing?) with a long wingspan and tremendous leaping ability.  He’s the sleeper.  However, I have repeatedly claimed that it is great guards that get a team to a championship game, but it is great defensive guards that get you to the Promised Land; i.e., win a championship.  I’m not sure that Mihalich has someone to fill that role.  Bottom line: this may be Hofstra’s year.  Then again, it may turn out to be a rebuilding season for a host of reasons.

 

Attending Hofstra games for me still remains the best sports buy in the New York Metropolitan area; its’s even cheaper than going to the movies.  There is ample free parking, easy access in and out of the Mack Sports Complex, the concession stands are not a rip-off ($3.50 for a dog, $3.00 for a soda, etc.), and there isn’t a bad seat in the house.  Did I mention that its $6 for seniors and children, and the whole exciting atmosphere is conducive to family attendance?  I don’t think this is an exaggeration, but almost every home game last year turned out to be a thriller.  It was raw excitement.  Share it with someone you care about.

 

In the meantime, my Basketball Coaching 101 book is still out in the marketplace at either amazon.com or createspace.com for $17.95.  It makes an excellent New Year’s/post-Christmas gift.  Consider buying the book – I really do need the royalty money to help subsidize my gambling habits.

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:

 

FEBRUARY 1:          On Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXIV

MARCH 1:                 On the Ideal Diet—That Works

 

 

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ELECTION DAY 2016

October 31, 2016

 

November 1, 2016

 

JANUARY, 2009:  “…I promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States…”.  January, 2013:  “…I promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States…”.  So spoke Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) on those two occasions.  JANUARY 2017:  Who will utter these same words?  And, which of the two candidates, unlike Barack Hussein Obama, is more likely to honor that promise?  Interestingly, BHO also promised the electorate (twice) a transparent Administration, to abide by the rule of law, and to eliminate corruption.  How many readers feel BHO honored these promises?  And, which of the candidates is more likely to …

 

Election Day will arrive in a week.  There are two facts the voters in New York State should be aware of:  most individuals have already made up their mind as to who they will support, and (unfortunately?) their vote will not count since the liberal-leaning electorate will once again insure the Democratic candidate will win.  Despite this, I feel obligated to briefly discuss eleven points that should be of concern to the voters.

 

  1. Election Integrity. The present Administration has used the federal court system to block

and/or overturn those states attempting to strengthen and maintain election integrity.  I seem to remember problems in Philadelphia with the Black Panthers during Election Day 2008 that the Administration ignored.  I believe the election laws should be expanded to require only those demonstrating a reasonable knowledge of current affairs be allowed to vote.  I also believe Trump represents a significant danger to career politicians (and the mainstream media).  And what about the government’s bribes via all the welfare programs (phones, food, free education and healthcare, citizen eligibility, etc.).  Seems our elected officials only seem concerned with their party and the next election.  I just wish that, as recently reported, engineers and scientists have “perfected” lie detector systems.  Can you imagine the effect this would have on BHO, Hillary, Bubba, lawyers, and others of their ilk?

 

  1. Illegal Immigration. The current Administration seems more concerned about illegal immigrants and criminals than law-abiding citizens.  Letting illegal immigrants into the country hurts the economy, drives down wages for lower and middle class workers, increases homeland risks, and brings about change to our country.

 

  1. Global Warming. Scientific and engineering data/information is important.  Conclusions reached by those scientists and engineers whose career and livelihood depend on the need for a global warming to exist is just plain insane.  Approximately 80% of my colleagues in the environmental field with no axe to grind believe there is no certainty that this is a man-made problem.  In effect, it is a scam begin perpetrated by BHO, liberals, Democrats and fanatical environmentalists.  What I do believe is that good things will happen to jobs, our economy, etc., if we allow the country to move to energy independence if there is greater reliance on fossil fuels.

 

  1. I need to personalize this.  There is no need for the working class to pay the health insurance for those who refuse to work or are in the country illegally.  Our insurance rates have gone up dramatically and we are receiving less coverage.  Furthermore, talk to any small business owner and they will tell you that Obamacare is a detriment to business success.  This plan is a perfect example of what happens when governments get into the business of business-related activities.

 

  1. Safety and Security. Appease, appease, and appease, has created massive safety and security problems.  Black Lives Matter has significantly and senselessly worsened race relations.  So has BHO.  Implementing stronger gun control laws will only drive the evil-doers to bombs, chemicals, nuclear options, etc.   The Dallas Cop Massacre by a sniper resulted in BHO blaming the criminal justice system.  The confrontational conduct of blacks has created the so-called “police” problem.  And, the immigration problem and Obama’s senseless early release of hardened criminals has only exacerbated the issue.

 

  1. Government Overreach. Czars?  Executive fiat?  What’s happened to our government and constitution?  BHO has redefined the residency status of millions and negotiated arms control treaties.  It is fair to say that “the legislative authority necessarily predominates.  The other two branches of government should come to grips with this statement”.  Unfortunately, we can expect more of the same with either Trump or Hillary. I believe excessive executive action and executive fiat was simply not in the thoughts of our forefathers.  Bypassing Congress was also not in the cards.  And, ignoring the Consititution – “…the laws be forcefully executed…” – was also not in their thoughts.  Controversial executive actions have been the rule with the present Administration.  Unfortunately, there are those who are committed to changing America although it appears no change is needed.  The Constitution designed a system where conflicts could be resolved by debate(s), and where the decisions of the majority would prevail.  And, here’s something to ponder:  Why does our government have trouble finding documents, delays turning over files and information, and even refuses to turn over files?  Does the promise of transparency BHO promised come into play here?

 

  1. Economic Turnaround. It’s simple.  Unleash our fossil fuel reserves and the economy will indeed turn around.  This includes both coal and fracking.  We have it in our power to release our near unlimited fossil fuel reserves.  However, I really doubt Trump’s claims that jobs overseas will return.  One thing is for certain:   There is nothing that can beat democracy, capitalism, and free enterprise; I’m living proof of this statement since I was born and raised in the slums of New York City.   The liberal’s welfare program (starting with FDR) has successfully lured the vulnerable into a lifetime of dependency via entitlement programs, stranding them in a misery from which there is no escape.  These policies have allowed the liberals to accommodate the vulnerable at the expense of society while moving toward a government with near unlimited power.

 

  1. Foreign Policy. O’Reilly said it best: “Aggressive conduct, if allowed to grow unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war.”  HBO’s three words describe the foreign policy of BHO and Hillary: failure, failure, and yes, more failure.  Both are not aware of history and both can’t seem to do anything right.  They just appear to be wrong nearly every time and on nearly every issue.  Here’s my summary of their performance:  bumbling, mishandling, total incompetence, and blatent insanity.  We are the world’s last and only hope: evil exists in the world and only a benevolent superpower will be able to contain BHO’s JV team and their ilk.  These two appear willing to accept slaughter, mass graves, etc.  There will be disastrous consequences associated with American weakness.  War is hell but peace can be significantly worse.  Something for those like BHO with a Neville Chamberlain mentality to think about.

 

  1. Un-American Activities. I’m a Greek-American…and proud of it.  But I am an American first.  I love my country and am lucky to be an American.  But, many of my friends, colleagues, and relatives don’t feel as I do.  They simply do not fit into my standard of what I would describe as an American.  For me, Barack Hussein Obama is not an American.  Neither is Hillary.  Or Reid.  Or Pelosi.  Or…We do not need a change in government – what we desperately need is a change in the mentality of those elected to serve us.  We do not need Bubba and Hillary (two thoroughly rotten individuals) involved in government.  We do not need Comey – a BHO hack, running the FBI.  We do not need Lynch – another BHO hack, running the Justice Department (remember her ½ hour meeting with Bubba on a plane?).  I remember BHO describing Lynch as “tough, fair and independent” your author would describe her as “unfair, biased and another BHO stooge”.  It might help if some (if not all) of the above be required to periodically take lie detector tests.  We know for certain that BHO, Hillary and Bubba readings would be off the charts.

 

  1. The Police. For me, the only reason our great nation has not plunged into chaos and anarchy is, simply put, the police.  Unlike elected officials, democrats, and fanatical liberals, the police have stood rock solid in terms of their principles, and refused to buy in to this PC mania and liberal media insanity.  The police can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned.  I’m certain a cop will never shoot me because if stopped, I will not be confrontational.  And, another thing, I won’t be carrying a gun.  Bottom line:  stop being confrontational and do not carry a gun and the shootings of blacks by cops will end.  And so, who do you think will support our last defense against anarchy?

 

  1. The Media. There is an organized conspiracy to derail Trump.  And, it’s not just the media.  It’s Hollywood, TV, radio, the Democrats, the Republicans, the White House, plus Obama, Hillary and Bubba and their accomplices, labor, fanatical feminists, the U.N., fanatical environmentalists, Black activists, academia . . . the list goes on.  It is affectively, David against Goliath, or, even better, Trump against the world.  How is this possible when over 40% of the electorate support Trump?  If it’s not a conspiracy, then what is it?  You want proof?  Just check the headlines of The New York Times on a daily basis.  Folks, our government and our country has succumbed to corruption—there’s a cesspool in Washington, D.C. and “things” are rigged; the three keystones and backbone of oversight set up by our forefathers through the media, FBI, and attorney general have disappeared.

 

If there is to be a twelfth issue, it would be labeled remaining issues and would be concerned with qualities our next leader should possess.  Here’s my eight-point list.

 

  1. Understand how to run basic business and apply economic principles in order to efficiently run the government.
  2. Have a track record of pristine personal conduct.
  3. Have a track record of pristine financial conduct.
  4. Approach the immigration issue according to law with compassion without cheating the Latino community.
  5. Understand the role of America in foreign policy.
  6. Be prepared to essentially gut the present healthcare plan and replace it with a sound, intelligent program that is cost-effective to working Americans.
  7. Put an end to this nonsense about a “war on women”.
  8. Understand the need to stop the rampant lying of manipulation and cheating that has permeated both our government and society.

 

What’s the bottom line?  I would vote for Putin or one of the Ayatollahs before voting for Hillary…voting for Hillary is simply insane.  When the Republican primary started, I had Carson on top and Trump 17th.  If there were another primary today, I would have Trump on top.   He is the man – our only hope for a return to traditional American values.  This election is about those who really DO love our country and those who DON’T.  In the final analysis, WikiLeaks proved beyond a doubt that Trump’s claims about Hillary and Bubba were true . . . and, it appears that 50% of the electorate—some of whom have IQs to match their age—plan to base their vote on hearsay comments from Trump’s past rather than their (and their loved one’s) future.  And, it is just a matter of time before everyone will realize that corruption reigns at every level of government-including the once untouchables that include the aforementioned Attorney General and the FBI.

 

Visit the author on his Facebook page @ Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

DECEMBER 1:          On the 2016-17 Hofstra Basketball Season

JANUARY 1:             On Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXIV

FEBRUARY 1:          On the Ideal Diet—That Works.

 

 

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ON THE NESMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

September 1, 2016

September 1, 2016      

I always wanted to go to the basketball Hall of Fame (HOF) in Springfield, MA.  Well, it all came to be this winter on Wednesday (February 23) when we (along with another couple) drove up to Springfield on Tuesday in weather that could best be described as a snowy-wintry mix.  The 135 mile trip took 3 hours.  What follows are my edited transcribed notes on the trip.

 

  1. All basketball fans should visit the HOF.
  2. All non-basketball fans should visit the HOF at least once.
  3. If you plan to stay/sleep over, as opposed to a day trip, I suggest staying at the Hilton, which is immediately adjacent to the HOF.  Also, consider the package deal that includes admission and breakfast for 2.  It’s a beautiful hotel and worth the price.
  4. The HOF is 3-stories high.  The third floor contains photographs and writings of all the members of the HOF.  I was shocked at some who are members and some of whom are not members.
  5. One floor down is where you want to spend most of your time.  Here, you will find lots of goodies: early history, old-timers, stars of yesteryear, today’s heroes, the media, coaches, administrators, referees, the various conferences, etc.  There were guides there to keep the conservation flowing.  One guide – who never played basketball – had to be nearly 100 years old but lived in the area, was a riot.
  6. A basketball court is located on the bottom/first floor.  Your author’s 2-handed fowl shot of yesteryear went 10 for 25 despite shooting around 80% during earlier days.  My low times have changed.  Incidentally, your author was nicknamed “The Judge” during those earlier years because he spent so much time on the bench.
  7. The first floor also housed a very spacious and comfortable theatre.  My companions requested the movie on MJ although I would have preferred the one on Wilt.

 

Overall, it was a unique experience and would give it a grade of B.  Why not an A, you ask? A few things caught me wrong.  On reaching the third floor, I came face-to-face with the likes of Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun, John Calipari, John Thompson, Mike Kriyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Dean Smith, etc. – individuals who have, in some form or another, disgraced the game of basketball.  Here are a few other sticklers.

 

  1. There was a very small section in a corner devoted to the NIT.  Isn’t the NIT a major and integral part of the game’s history?  How could this be?  And not a mention of Jack Powers, who served as the Executive Director for 21 years.  (Note: I have formerly nominated Jack for the HOF for the 2017 year.)  I hear admission is very political; but Matt Zeysong (4132315523), the Hall’s curator and historian, has assured me that it is not.

 

Is Jack a worthy candidate?  You be the judge.  He was a 4-year starter and star at Manhattan College, a 2nd team All-American, a coach at Manhattan College, and Athletic Director at Manhattan.  But if he is to be inducted, it will be as an Administrator because of his involvement with the NIT.  At the time of visiting the Hall, the NIT had been around for 74 years.  There have been countless games, innumerable players and coaches, and (of course) millions of fans.  It has endured wars, scandals, and NCAA expansion to continue showcasing some of the finest teams, coaches, and players that college basketball has to offer.  It has, however, fallen on hard times as of late.  Today’s NIT is a men’s college basketball tournament that is now owned and operated by the NCAA.

 

The idea of crowning a national champion began to surface among the New York City sportswriters, initiated by the late Irving Marsh of the Herald Tribune and the late Everett Morris of the Times.  In 1938, the idea became a reality when 6 teams were brought into the old Garden at 49th Street and 8th Avenue to find out who was the best in the land and subsequently being crowned NIT champion.  Enter the NCAA the next year.  “Many thought that when the NCAA Tournament later expanded its field to 64 teams, the NIT would just go away.  But that did not happen.  The NIT presently provides a much needed opportunity to programs that are on the upswing, to clubs that were disappointed by the NCAA selection committee, and to teams that had successful regular seasons but were upset in conference tournament play,” explained Powers, who—as mentioned earlier–ran the NIT for 21 years.

 

No discussion of the NIT would be complete without a discussion of the NIT’s battle for survival between the original NIT and the NCAA.  In 2005, the NCAA ultimately purchased 10-year rights to the NIT from the MIBA for $56.5 million in order to settle an antitrust lawsuit spearheaded by Powers, which was in trial and being litigated until very shortly before the settlement was announced.  The NIT did not initially move from New York City.  However the NIT is presently located in Indianapolis, IN, home of the NCAA.  The selection committee was changed and Powers was unfortunately relegated to member status.  What do the fans in the reading audience think?  Give me a call at (516) 742-8939.  Your comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

  1. There was absolutely no mention of the point-shaving scandals in recent years and during the barnstorming days of the original Celtics.

 

  1. There was absolutely no mention of the corruption charges that have been leveled at the NCAA.  No doubt the reader is aware of the recent Boeheim, Pitino, Calipari, Dean Smith, Calhoun, etc.,   scandals.  Note that all of above are members of the HOF.*

 

  1. There was absolutely no mention of the student-athletic scam being perpetrated by the NCAA.*

 

  1. There was absolutely no mention of the adamant refusal of the NCAA to pay players a fair salary.*

 

*As documented in my recent “Basketball Coaching 101” book, I first brought this to the attention of the basketball community 12 years ago.

Bottom line:  It was a worthwhile experience despite the Camelot whitewashing.  I suggest you consider a visit this fall.

 

 

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

OCTOBER 1:             On the OHI Day IV

NOVEMBER 1:         On “THE” Election

DECEMBER 1:          On the 2016-17 Hofstra Basketball Season

JANUARY 1:             One Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXIV

 

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ON INCOME INEQUALITY II: PROVIDING A CURE FOR INCOME INEQUITY (PART I: REVIEWING THE INEQUALITY PROBLEM APPEARED EARLIER ON JULY 1ST)

August 1, 2016

 

 

August 1, 2016

 

Most governments do not know how to spend capital wisely because they do not understand or consider basic economics.  They treat money as something in a budget to be spent.  There is no consideration whether the expenditure will generate a return of the capital spent.  Even if there were such consideration, there is no mechanism to measure performance or punish incompetence. There are benefits to society if government is small but a lot of downside if government just keeps growing larger and larger.

 

The primary reason for a government to exist is to provide law and order, defense of the country, regulations to insure public safety, regulations for suitable use of land and the environment, a stable currency, and an infrastructure for the common good.  If government limited itself to these responsibilities, then the tax burden on those who work would be quite low. However, most governments go way beyond this primary purpose.

 

Taxation eats away the capital able for job creation and eats away at the spending power of the population.  There are two other options available to governments to operate instead of more taxation.  One is to borrow money.  The second is to inflate the currency and eventually devaluate it.  This is the mode of operation for many governments of the world. But borrowing is very risky because an economic downturn jeopardizes the ability to pay money back and inflation can rapidly increase interest costs which also make it harder to pay money back. Bankruptcy is another solution when there is too much debt but this is terribly painful as many countries have found out.  The United States is a late joiner to this club but it is already seeing much of its capital wasted by uneconomic projects and concepts.

 

The fundamental problem of socialistic government is that there is no desire by those in control to be governed by basic economics.  Money is spent for causes, i.e., reduce poverty, provide welfare, provide pensions, provide medical care, provide jobs, etc. But monies spent for so-called “good causes” usually are not effective because the fundamental cause of the problem is not addressed or solved. The usual result is that problems get worse, not better. Much government money is spent to buy votes and to reward friends and vested groups.

 

There are two ways to reduce income inequality between those who are rich and those who are poor. One way is by wealth transfer. This means taking money from those who have money and giving it to those who have little. This may sound like a noble and wise thing to do on behalf of poorer people but it doesn’t work well. It doesn’t make the poor richer for very long. Instead, everyone becomes poorer except for the elite in government who control the wealth transfer.  The wise thing to do is to create a mechanism whereby everyone who can and wants to work can get a good job (i.e., one that is productive and contributes to capital generation) at a living wage. Almost all good jobs come from the private sector from businesses that make a profit. Of course, some jobs in government are essential for it to carry out its key responsibilities. But “make work” jobs and those created by unnecessary regulations destroy capital and lead to a failing economy; they are not a solution to reducing inequality.

 

If creating jobs in the private sector is the key to reducing inequality, then it behooves us to find ways to maximize the number of people employed in the private sector.  Here are some suggestions.

 

The first priority should be to help young people. If young people are to succeed and lead productive lives, they must have basic skills and have a positive attitude and behavior so they will be worth hiring.  But government must also decrease the costs they impose upon businesses and employees that make it too costly to hire young people and pay them a livable wage.  How can this be done? Suppose that up through age 28, young people would have no deductions from their pay stubs: no tax withholding, no deductions from pay for Social Security or medical insurance. They could take home all that they earn which would help them to get a place to live, pay off debts and to begin thinking about having a family one day. The government would not lose too much revenue because new hires have low salaries. The loss in revenue to government would be quickly made up once the young people are over 28. Then they will begin to pay taxes and have deductions but they will be paid more because they will have gained experience and be of more value to their employer.

 

The second priority must be for government to reduce the cost to businesses for hiring, training and maintaining a young person on the payroll. Remember that every business has to work hard to be profitable. So businesses are very concerned whether a new employee will add to profitability or take away from profitability. Every cost that government adds to a business for paper work, regulations, benefits, litigation, penalties, etc., adds to the cost of having an employee on their payroll and their ability to contribute to profitability. This is especially problematical for a new employee because they have the fewest skills and ability to contribute to profitability.  When government or other factors, such as unions, add too much to the cost to having an employee, businesses turn to automation so they can use machines rather than people. If they don’t, other countries with lower costs will take away the business.

 

The third priority is that government payments to individuals not working must be significantly less (not just less) than what one could earn by working. What is the incentive for a young person to learn a skill or be industrious or responsible if he or she knows they can scheme to get the government to give them more money than they could earn by working at a job?

 

The more people there are who are creating a useful product or service, the better off the society will be.  The more people not working or creating something useful, the poorer is the quality of life in a society. Why are some cities so decrepit and full of crime? Because there are not enough people there doing useful work and creating capital for investment. Instead, too many people in these decrepit cities are skilled at destroying what has been created by others.

 

There is an axiom that every person should understand. It explains where wealth comes from. The wealth and the creation of capital for investment by a society is generated from the sum of each individual’s creation of a useful product or service.  In other words, people who work and do something useful, create a society’s wealth. People who do not produce something useful, consume society’s wealth.

 

A forth priority is that taxes on business profits should be eliminated because this tax directly destroys capital, increases the cost of products that people buy and increases the cost of having workers on the payroll. What do taxes on profits of a business do? Do they make the business more responsible? Probably not. Do they reduce high salaries of the top executives?  Probably not. Do they increase the amount of money businesses spend on lobbying Congress.  Definitely yes. Does it increase the cost of products.  Definitely yes. Does it increase the pressure on a business to cut costs unmercifully to try to maintain profitability? Definitely yes. The ultimate payer of taxes on businesses is the consumer. They pay the tax in the form of higher prices. Politicians try to keep taxes hidden from those who really pay them because you, the consumer, really pay them in the form of higher costs. When I was a boy, a postage stamp cost 3 cents and a loaf of bread was 15 cents. Today costs are 15 to 20 times higher. A major part of this increase is due to business taxation, excess paper work and the extensive printing of new money (another form of taxation).

 

Consumers are led to believe that taxing businesses is a way to shift a tax burden from them to someone else. They are wrong. They are paying the tax anyway. On the other hand, when taxes on business profits are reduced or eliminated, then it becomes easier to pay higher wages to employees and keep product prices from rising. It is a way to reduce income inequality and raise the quality of life for the poorest.

 

Everyone knows that it is desirable in a society for people to find jobs that will provide them enough income so they can survive, raise a family and have a good quality of life.  We often heat politicians claim that they can create jobs. But this raises a key principle. “Creating a job is simple but creating a “good” job is difficult”. What is the distinction?  Once again, a “good” job is one that produces something of value and service or a useful product.  It must be something that someone is willing to pay for. But there is a caveat. If a wage for a job is more than the value it creates, then the cost for a business will rise. The business must then increase its prices or else it will be harmed. If we agree that it is desirable to create “good” jobs, then it means that the more wages that an employee can keep will help the employee and the more skills the employee; and, has makes him more valuable.

 

Bottom line:  A job that is created for the sake of a job but which creates nothing useful but waste and “red tape” hurts everyone but mostly the poor and the young.

 

Politicians use charisma and promises to get you to vote them into power. Some are ethical and honest but many use the communistic “Saul Alinsky” campaign strategy which is to lie like crazy and castigate your opponent unmercifully. These unethical candidates usually promise lower income voters all kinds of freebies and benefits. They may look like a good deal for these voters but the reality is that most of these freebies are so-called Ponzi schemes. This is a scheme where the initial recipients get something good but then the money runs out.

 

It is time to recognize that economics counts when it comes to reducing income inequality.  The poor are not going to be helped in the long term by government spending which wastes capital. The poor will be helped by understanding that capital must be spent wisely to create good jobs and by making it easier for businesses to make a profit and hire the young.

 

I close with a comment on income redistribution.  Unfortunately, income redistribution is an employed strategy for cultivating the favor of large blocks of voters.  In this manner, voters maintain loyalty to those who promise to take from Wall Street and the “evil rich” to support the government.  Since voters with lower incomes have the incentive to vote for higher taxes on the wealthy.  The end result is a smaller tax base that supports a financial burden that increases exponentially with time.

 

Visit the author on his Facebook page @ Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

SEPTEMBER 1:         On the Nesmith Basketball Hall of Fame

OCTOBER 1:             On the OHI Day IV

NOVEMBER 1:         On “THE” Election

DECEMBER 1:          On the 2016-17 Hofstra Basketball Season

JANUARY 1:             One Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXIV

 

1 Comment | Barack Obama, East Williston, Economics, Education, Politics, Uncategorized, Views from Others | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET VOTE

April 30, 2016

 

East Williston School District (EWSD) residents are annually requested to vote on a school budget and this year is no exception.  Each voting member of the community will have an opportunity to either vote for or against the budget.  Every parent, every senior, every taxpayer, and every youngster of voting age should consider voting NO on the budget.  Why?  Two reasons come to mind:  (A) Waste and (B) Senior Citizen Exploitation.

 

A comment for each of the above two concerns.

  1. Waste.  Here are the facts as best as I can ascertain.  (The District has a long-standing policy of ignoring FOIL requests.)  The annual per capita student cost is approaching $35,000.  The student teacher ratio is below 10:1.  There are over 21 secretaries!!  Teacher absenteeism remains a problem.  Add to this waste the failure of some students to attend the college/university of their choice, the lack of preparedness of some of the students for post-high school education, and the continued decline of the District’s national and local ranking.  Why has the waste situation worsened?  Once again, here are the facts.  When enrollment increased, the teachers and their union convinced their puppet Board and indifferent Superintendent that there was a need to hire more teachers and administrators (guidance counselors—they are still a joke, an assistant principal, etc.).  Now that enrollment has decreased, the add-on positions have either been retained or replaced . . . not eliminated.  No doubt some of you remember when Gordon argued for a 3rd secretary . . . and got one !*!?!
  2.  Senior Citizen Exploitation. Once again, here are the facts.  Senior citizens are required to pay for the education of students of other District members.  They are also required to pay for all additional accommodations provided these students.  In effect, they are paying for services they do not receive and have no say in the matter.  I believe this is borderline criminal.  Remember that despite the voting process seniors are in the minority and thus have no say in this matter.  Add to this is that the beneficiaries of this exploitation have refused to correct the injustice.

 

One could expand on both the above two issues but it would be a “waste” of time.  However, since I am often accused of complaining and not offering any remedies, I will now propose a solution to both problems.  So here goes.

 

  1. Waste.  Provide outside companies/individuals/consultants the opportunity to review the overall operation of the District from both an academic and financial perspective, and then provide recommendations on how to reduce/eliminate the waste.  The suggestions would be acted on only if approved by an omniscient individual/group (or the equivalent).  Half the savings of the first year would be provided to the reviewing entity.  Can you imagine the field day some of these efficiency experts would have?  Keep in mind that this was recommended earlier during the Kushner/Zatlin/Fiorello era (when the Board was really concerned about waste) and was naturally flatly rejected by the union.  Why?  They knew better than anyone about the rampant waste.  After all, eliminating waste is a win-win situation for parents, school children, and seniors.  Remember that the elimination of waste will improve the QUALITY OF EDUCATION and increase PROPERTY VALUES.
  2. Senior Citizen Exploitation: My recommendation here is not only relatively simple but also relatively harmless.  Reduce the school tax of all eligible senior citizens (≥65 years of age) by 10% the first year, 20% the second year, to 50% of the tax the fifth year.  Potential further reductions could be discussed following the 5th year of reductions.  I checked with the Village office and was informed that 15.5% of the taxpayers are senior citizens.  Thus, my proposed action on senior tax reduction would increase the school tax burden on “non-seniors” by approximately 1.5% each year.  Now, that doesn’t sound that unreasonable to me.  The problem is that it is sure to be unreasonable to “the exploiters.”

 

I also feel it necessary to provide the reader with an abbreviated review of the present state of the EWSD.

 

Elaine Kanas, Superintendent of Schools:  Successfully misrepresented herself during the interview process for the job of Superintendent.  Kamberg and his crew chose not to vet Kanas; however, four of us did their job.

 

Mark Kamberg, Board President:  I trust him as far as I could throw him.  Really.  This guy is not to be trusted.

 

Robert Fallarino, Board Vice President:  Betrayed some of his followers earlier when there was an attempt to correct the EWSD abuses/waste.

 

David Keefe, Board Trustee:  A career union hack who is there to only serve the union and his family.  Continues to represent the retired teachers and their union at the state level . . . an inexcusable conflict of interest that has been ignored.  According to my files on Keefe, I once confronted him about the duplicity . . . and he laughed at me.  Face it.  He is not concerned about the best interests of our community.

 

Barbara Stone, Board Trustee:  An absolute nonentity who knows about as much about education as my left toenail.

 

Leonard Hirsch, Board Trustee:  Where did he come from?  I’ve got nothing in my files on him.  Another Kamberg stooge?  Has he done anything to correct the abuses and reduce/eliminate the waste?

 

Sean Feeney, Wheatley Principal:  I believe he is one of the “principle” causes for the post-high school woes of some of our graduates and the District’s decline.

 

PTO:  An absolutely comical organization that has been successfully duped by the teachers and their union.  It continues to serve the best interests of the teachers’ union at the expense of both the school children and taxpayers.  I’m not aware of the PTO every questioning the waste and senior school tax exploitation . . . and I doubt they ever will.

 

 

What about the budget?  Here is my take on it.  I found myself aggravated and annoyed during a review of the budget.  They didn’t make it easy to find, there are numerous omissions, and it often didn’t make sense.  They would be run out of town if they were out in the business world.  In effect, I couldn’t figure out what they were doing and you can be certain that is the way they want it.  There was nothing on balances and reserve funds.  High school information (and for good reason) was particularly confusing.  Enrollment information was missing.  It appears 3 million dollars were not spent this year, leaving one to wonder why there is a tax increase.  There is a family and counseling science (!?I!) high school teacher being paid 91K; what the hell does this person do?  The aforementioned North Side Assistant Principal has been replaced by an Interim Assistant Principal.  There are now three (no longer one) psychologists—one at every school—costing 134K, 102K and 138K; one can only wonder what they do all day.  There is a substitute clerk (20K) for secretaries (I suppose); would you call for a substitute if your secretary was out?  If I could dig in more, there would certainly be more flagrant waste.

 

Is this not a sorry state of affairs?

 

No doubt many of the parents are aware that there is near universal agreement that the teachers’ unions are destroying education in our country.  Although it is worse elsewhere, Long Island school children have also suffered with the selfish abuses perpetrated by the unions.  Nowhere is that more true than in the EWSD where many of the school children have been deprived of the opportunity to achieve their true potential, primarily due to the programs at Wheatley.  The parents have Kanas, the Board, the union, the Wheatley principal, many of the teachers and (of course) the pitiful PTO to thank for this unfortunate state of affairs.

 

Here is a belated New Year’s resolution:  My hope is that responsible individuals in the education community will band together and start an organized campaign to awaken America to the abuses being perpetrated by the teachers’ unions and many of their members.  It would certainly help in the EWSD if parents/taxpayers wised up to the negative changes that have occurred in recent years; it was the Bergtraum/Israel era that started the EWSD’s decline.  And unfortunately, the present School Board/Administration/PTA troika are content to allow the exploitation of both the taxpayers and schoolchildren to continue; in effect, the EWSD is being run for the teachers, not anyone else.

 

Back to the above two recommendations:  Any chance either of the above two suggestions will be taken seriously and acted upon?  I guess you know the answer to this question.  That’s why it’s okay to vote NO on the budget on May 17th.  I would also issue a call to members of our District who are concerned about taxes, seniors, and (most importantly) schoolchildren to consider running for the Board in the future.  I hate to put it this way, but almost anybody would be better than what we have now.  And maybe—just maybe—the Board will stop ignoring complaints and listen to all members of our community; their confuse and/or ignore policies need to end.

 

P.S.      For Wheatley High School readers:  I attended a party this week for my student’s 25th anniversary of teaching at Manhattan College.  I kissed her on the cheek.  TWICE.  Now I’m waiting to see if any fines, penalties, or charges are going to be brought against me.

 

Visit the author on Facebook  at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

JUNE 1:                      On Barack Hussein Obama V

JULY 1:                      On Financial Inequity

Leave a Comment » | East Williston, Economics, Education, Politics, School Board, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON PURELY CHASTE, PRISTINE AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXIII

February 27, 2016

 

This a unique one.  Rather than to provide 25-30 one-liners, I’ve decided to do something different for this 23rd edition of the “random” series.  This one contains a short paragraph on topics of interest to me.  Here is a dozen.

 

  1. The Hill. I open with Hillary Clinton.  Here is my description of the Clintons:  They are two thoroughly rotten human beings: lying, manipulating, deceiving, exploiting, etc. have become a way of life for both of them.  Her laugh and cackling are totally artificial.  Polls seen to indicate that young women voters are rejecting her.

 

  1. Hofstra Men’s Basketball (2015-16). This may be Hofstra’s year.  Then again, it may turn out not to be for a host of reasons.  At the top of the list is a porous defense, followed by the lack of a backup center, the lack of a shot blocker, and the lack of a great defensive guard.  Furthermore, Coach Mihalich appears committed to a five-man rotation due to the loss of Malik Nichols, which could expand to six with the addition of Buie; this might spell disaster in a potential three-day/three-game tournament in March.  I maintain that 35+ minute players in a high powered offense will unquestionably cheat on defense – and this problem needs to be addressed.  Nonetheless, it’s been a great year and they have a solid, exciting club.

 

  1. Basketball Coaching 101. My Basketball Coaching 101 (436-page) book is still out in the marketplace at either Amazon.com or createspace.com for $17.95.

 

  1. Society needs to come to grips with the reality that environmentalists and their supporters are probably the greatest threat to society.  They are a frightening group that is fanatical.  This group will do anything – lie, manipulate, deceive, etc. – to achieve its misguided goals, including saving Mother Earth from itself.  Most of my colleagues in the field and I have separated ourselves from these sickos.

 

  1. Global Warming. Environmentalists justify their conduct by arguing that over 90% of the technical community supports their position on global warming.  But nearly all of the 90% they refer to have vested interests in their being this catastrophic problem facing society.  If there is no problem, most of these so-called experts will be out of a job.  At a minimum, there will be no tenure, no promotions, no articles, no consulting, no books, no government grants and contracts, etc.  And, the environmental organizations that also support this scam will have greater difficulty in generating funding, donations, and government support.  Finally, nearly all my colleagues in this field do not support the environmentalists’ claims.

 

  1. Killeen’s Tavern. It has been 60 years since the birth of the Killeen’s Tavern basketball team.  The relentless passage of time has taken its toll on the group.  However, here is how Ron Roel described the Boys of Killeen’s in a feature Newsday front-page article (May 12, 2005) titled “Pivotal Friendships”:  “They teamed up 50 years ago on a tavern basketball squad and their connections still have bounce.  When the boys of Killeen’s Tavern gather to remember the times they spent as a tough and talented street basketball team decades ago, the rules are quickly evident, even to newcomers:  you’d better duck… From the moment you enter their company, the wisecracks whiz by, sometimes from unexpected quarters, like a behind-the-back pass.  But, by most standards, this team has shown remarkable resilience and continuity, meeting once or twice a year, socializing in smaller groups, attending the weddings of each other’s children, occasionally vacationing together, and watching TV sporting events like ‘March Madness.’  A number of the men have died.   And while most of the remaining team members still live in the metropolitan area, a few come from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina to attend the reunions.”

 

  1. Eli Manning. The New York Giants are toast.  There is no hope for the next season and any other season if Manning is quarterback.  He is definitely the most overrated and luckiest quarterback of all time.  Their only hope is to draft a quarterback and start anew.

 

  1. The Factor. It’s primarily the main non-sports show that I watch.  I don’t read papers.  I definitely don’t read The New York Times; the same applies to Newsday.  I don’t read magazines.  I don’t watch any news programs on TV.  I have come to intensely dislike Megan Kelly (Fox) who I earlier immediately described as a phony.  Bill O’Reilly’s (BOR) Factor is all I need for news.  Our nation should be grateful to BOR for providing, unlike most news sources, fair and balanced news coverage.  Nonetheless, I’m still annoyed that BOR has failed to acknowledge my dedication to him in one of my recent books.

 

  1. Great Eats. There have been several requests for a follow-up on an earlier article entitled “Great Eats.  It would not be feasible to address all the various ethnic restaurants but will limit it to Italian for this short paragraph.  The best pizza remains Vincent’s (Albertson).  For dinner, I recommend Angelina’s (Williston Park), Vincent’s Clam bar (Carle Place), and Umberto’s (off Lakeville Road in New Hyde Park).

 

  1. As noted some time back, people are now finally coming to grips with the corruption within the NCAA.  The recent findings of the phantom programs, inflated grades, no-show courses at the University of North Carolina for the past 20 years are just the tip of the iceberg.  Violations are popping up at nearly all the schools with major basketball and football programs.   The reality is that nearly all the programs (if not all) are cheating in some manner or form.  The only difference is the degree of cheating.

 

  1. Man of the Century? I have Obama in the running for Idiot, Boob, and Traitor of the Century.  I have Hill and Bill as the two most rotten individuals of the Century.  But the Man of the Century? Or is it woman? That has yet to be decided.

 

  1. Barack Hussein Obama. The reincarnation of Neville Chamberlain.  Where does one start? Or is it end?  I believe that a fair, intelligent, and objective individual – after examining all of BHO’s actions, policies, background, appointments, and comments – would have to conclude that he has served as a major liability to our great nation.  I just can’t see it any other way.   Has he knowingly and deliberately attempted to hurt us?  Perhaps Dick Cheney said it best:  “If you had somebody as president who wanted to take America down, who wanted to fundamentally weaken our position in the world and reduce our capacity to influence events, turn our back on allies and encourage our adversaries, it would look exactly like what Barack Obama’s doing.”

 

I’ll return in 8-10 months to the usual format with a couple of dozen one-liners.  Hopefully, they will engage (or perhaps enrage) the reader.

 

Visit the author  on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

APRIL 1:                    On the Basketball Hall of Fame

MAY 1:                       On the 2016 East Williston School District Budget Vote

JUNE 1:                      On Barack Hussein Obama V

JULY 1:                      On Financial Inequity

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ON HOW TO WRITE A BOOK … AND PUBLISH IT!

January 31, 2016

To begin with, why would anyone want to write a book?  Well, it depends: is it a biography, autobiography, historical novel, technical work, workbook, how to get rich, a guide to starting a business (as several of my students are planning), a medical book, a basketball coaching book (as with my recent Basketball Coaching 101 work), etc….etc…?  The reason for writing and publishing a book will vary with the individual.  For most of us simple folk, it boils down to one or a combination of the following 10 factors:

 

  1. Ego
  2. Provide a written document for family
  3. Provide a written document for friends
  4. Make money
  5. Keep busy
  6. Attack the status quo
  7. Get retribution
  8. Waste time
  9. Waste money
  10. Express your opinion

Irrespective of the subject matter and your interests, the probability of getting a traditional house to publish your book is close to ZERO!!  Alas, there is hope.  Today, anyone can SELF PUBLISH…and at a cost as low as $150.  Yes, the number is correct.  Not $1,500.  Not $15,000.  But $150.

 

For me, the reasons for my 105 technical books were (1), (4) and (5).  For my BASKETBALL COACHING 101 book, it was (1), (2), (3), (5) and (10).

 

Back to the main theme of this article.  This is obviously a 2-part piece.  First, how does one write a book? And second, how does one publish the book?  Here is what I have to offer on each of these questions.

 

On to one of the main theses of this article:  how does one write a book?  You have to have a strategy (or plan) as you move forward towards publication…and this will vary for each of us.  Here is what I have drawn from my notes:

 

  1. Decide on a title.
  2. Prepare a Table of Contents.
  3. Write the Preface.
  4. Write the Introduction (optional).
  5. With reference to (2), set aside a folder for each chapter.
  6. Research material (where applicable) for each chapter and fill the folder with notes, references, written material, etc.
  7. For each chapter, decide on Section headings, e.g., Introduction, Early History, Recent History, . . . , References.
  8. Gather material for each Section.
  9. Write the first Section of the chapter.
  10. Following the procedure in (8), write the remaining Sections of the chapter.
  11. Following the procedure in (5) – (10), write the remaining chapters.
  12. Carefully edit the manuscript.
  13. Carefully proof the manuscript prior to submitting it for publication.

Confusing?  Contact me at www.theodorenewsletter.com and I’ll make every effort to get back to you.

 

I leave you with this very important piece of information.  Any government publication is in the public domain.  This means that you own it and may use it in any manner you deem fit.  You do not even have to reference it although the professional and ethical thing is to do so.  Naturally, anything you have written in the past also belongs to you.  You might also consider submitting your manuscript to the Copyright Office ($40), but I haven’t recently.  If you need help writing, proofing, editing, publishing, etc., your manuscript, I suggest contacting my editorial consultant,  Rita D’Aguino at:

 

RDAQ Publishing Consultants

(646) 418-6678 ©

rdaquino515@gmail.com

 

She has proven invaluable to me for several publications.

 

So, now you have written your book.  What’s left is to publish it.  As noted above, forget about a traditional publisher and instead self-publish which involves the Print on Demand (POD) approach.  That’s what I did with my Basketball Coaching 101 book and it was a terrific experience.  I would tell you about that experience but there is something better available.

 

I recently became reconnected – after nearly 60 years – with Neal Gillen, an old basketball nemesis from my coaching days.  Shockingly, Neal graduated from robbing cars at age 16 – to an immensely successful career in politics and business.  Although I can detail my experience in POD, here is what I recommend for prospective authors.  Neal very recently published a book on Amazon titled How to Publish Now.  His book (back cover) does the following:

 

DEMONSTRATES how to publish efficiently at minimal cost.

 

DEMONSTRATES how to properly prepare your manuscript for publication.

 

REVIEWS over 25 Print on Demand (POD) publishers that specialize in self-published books.

 

REVIEWS the services offered by these POD publishers.

 

COMPARES the costs and benefits of those services.

 

ALERTS you about the services to avoid.

 

SUGGESTS appropriate publishers for your book.

 

SHOWS how to utilize social media and the Internet to market your book beyond your personal universe.

 

Furthermore, here is his Table of Contents:

 

Chapter 1:       Introduction

 

Chapter 2:       The New Publishing Landscape

 

Chapter 3:       The Journey to Publication – Getting it Done

 

Chapter 4:       The Self-Publisher is a Publisher

 

Chapter 5:       Your Business Plan

 

Chapter 6:       Overseeing the Process – Preparing for Publication

 

Chapter 7:       From Manuscript to Book

 

Chapter 8:       Selecting a Publisher

 

Chapter 9:       The POD Publisher

 

Chapter 10:     What Do They Offer You?

 

Chapter 11:     Comparing the POD

Publishing Packages

 

Chapter 12:     Caveat Emptor on Marketing Services

 

Chapter 13:     The Factors That Will Determine Your Choice

 

Chapter 14:     Analyzing the Critical Cost Factors

 

Chapter 15:     Analysis of Potential Profit or Loss on Publishing, Purchasing and Selling

Of 100 Books From Selected Publishers

 

Chapter 16:     Decision Time

 

Chapter 17:     Marketing Your Book

 

I close with this.  If you are considering writing/publishing, Neal’s book is an absolute must…an absolutely terrific bargain at $10.95.  And believe me, you too can write and publish–trust me; it’s not that difficult.  If you need help here, I do suggest you contact Rita.

 

So there you have it.

 

Visit the author on Facebook at Basketball Coaching 101.

 

 

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative):

 

MARCH 1:       On Random Thoughts XXIII

APRIL 1:          On Financial Inequity

MAY 1:             On the 2016 East Williston School District Budget Vote

1 Comment | East Williston, Economics, Education, Politics, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON HOFSTRA MEN’S BASKETBALL 2015-16 SEASON: HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

November 29, 2015

December 1, 2015

Thanksgiving is now a near distant memory.  It is now December.  Christmas and the New Year are around the corner.  What’s the significance?  It primarily means one thing for basketball buffs in the Nassau County area:  the 2015-16 Hofstra basketball season has arrived.

Every year, at about this time (December 1), I introduce the reader to Hofstra’s Men’s Basketball Team and start the prediction process for the coming season.  This year is no different – so here goes…

I begin with some comments about last year’s team.  There were concerns, hopes, and expectations; second year Coach Joe Mihalich (he has my vote for second-best coach in the NCAA) had inherited a team in disarray the previous season, but the 2014-15 season team featured Juan ‘ya Green and Ameen Tanksley – the two Niagara University transfers and Brian Bernardi, plus returnees Jamail Robinson/Malik Nichols and two first-year centers.  So what happened?  They had a good season finishing 5th in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) with a decent record of 20-14, 10-8.  The group started off strong, went into a tailspin after Tanksley scored 30+ points at the Barkley Center, and came back strong at the end of the season.  The CAA tournament was up for grabs and I felt they had a chance to win it and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.

It would be appropriate to also mention last year’s Hofstra/William & Mary (H/W&M) CAA Tournament semi-final game.  This may sound like sour grapes but Hofstra was the best team in the tournament and the best team lost because of poor officiating (a CAA official effectively said the same thing to me).  The H/W&M foul ratio was an unbelievable 2/1.  The refs called “touch” or “phantom” fouls near the end of the game that put W&M in a position to win.  As a former basketball ref, and the reader can check this with any other ref, you simply don’t make this class of call at the end of a game.  These three officials shouldn’t get another playoff game in the future.  If you think I’m nuts, check the near perfect quality of the officiating the next night in the finals. (P.S. I mailed these thoughts to my friend, CAA Commissioner Tom Yaeger.)

Here’s what I’ve got on this year’s team.  Hofstra has extended Coach Mihalick’s contract.  Most of the players are returning; key losses include center Kone and off-guard Nesmith.  There’s a few additions, the most noteworthy of which is 6-8 Denton Koon, a Princeton graduate student transfer with one year of eligibility and freshman guards Justin Wrights-Foreman and Desure Buie.

Here’s my analysis:  The team looks pretty solid.  Are there any concerns?  Of course.  The loss of Kone may be problematic if the two centers – Gustys and Walker – do not improve.  The departure of Nesmith is a bigger concern since the club’s roster seems to be light on one (point) guards with experience.  I have repeatedly claimed that it is great guards that get a team to a championship games, but it is great defensive guards that get you to the Promised Land; i.e., win a championship.  Nesmith filled that role and I’m not sure that Mihalick has a satisfactory replacement.  Green is a solid scorer and a great passer but he has yet to convince me that he is a great defensive player, which he will have to demonstrate in order to move on to the next level.

This may be Hofstra’s year.  Then again, it may turn out not to be for a host of reasons.  At the top of the list is a porous defense, followed by the lack of a backup center, the lack of a shot blocker, and the lack of a great defensive guard.  Furthermore, Coach Mihalich appears committed to six-man rotation which could expand to seven with the addition of Buie; this might spell disaster in a potential four-day/four-game tournament in March.  I maintain that 35+ minutes players in a high powered offense will unquestionably cheat on defense—and this problem needs to be addressed if the club is to go all the way.

A note on the aforementioned Freshman guard Desure Buie.  He may turn out to be the heir to a long list of great guards who have performed at Mack Arena.  I think this baby-faced under six foot 120 pounder (he can’t be six feet tall and weigh 150 pounds as reported) will bring fame and fortune to the program after Green and Tanksley leave at the end of the season.  He’s the real deal in my estimation.

The team’s record at the time of the posting of this article was 3-2.  Three home games remain in December, including their league opener against Delaware at 1:00 PM on the day of New Year’s Eve.  There are also 9 home league games during January and February.  The CAA Tournament is scheduled for March 4 – 7 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.

As noted on numerous times in the past, attending Hofstra games still remains the best sports buy in the New York Metropolitan area.  There is ample free parking, the concession stands are not a rip-off, there isn’t a bad seat in the house and its $6 for seniors and children.

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In the meantime, my Basketball Coaching 101 (436-page) book is still out in the marketplace at either amazon.com or createspace.com for $17.95.  I gave it my best shot and know the book will win no prizes.  Despite rave reviews, sales are sluggish; it is not available in stores and there has been no signings in bookshops.  The explanation provided to me is that it is now a word-of-mouth book, i.e., via personal recommendation of one reader to another, the media, press, many authorities, etc., have essentially overlooked the book.

I thank those of you who have read it cover-to-cover and have had nothing but positive things to say about it.  It’s been great for my ego.  So … the readers’ help is required if meaningful sales are to materialize.  Nonetheless, thanks to those who are pushing the book.  I ask others to consider contacting their circle of friends and inform them of the book, and further recommend they contact their circle of friends, etc.  Details on the book are available on my Facebook page: Basketball Coaching 101.

Consider buying the book – I really do need the royalty money to help subsidize my gambling habits.

NEXT POSTINGS  (tentative):

 

JANUARY 1:             On Climate Change II

FEBRUARY 1:          On How to Write a Book

MARCH 1:                 On Random Thoughts XXIII

APRIL 1:                    On Financial Inequity

MAY 1:                       On the 2016 East Williston School District Budget Vote

Leave a Comment » | Basketball, East Williston, Education, Politics, School Board, Sports, Uncategorized | Permalink
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ON PAYING STUDENT-ATHLETES (S-A) IV

October 31, 2015

 This is the fourth article dealing with the need to pay college basketball student-athletes.  It is important for the reader to understand, as noted in earlier articles, that college basketball is no longer a sport in the traditional Hellenic sense.  It is, pure and simple, a big business that is in the business of providing entertainment in order to make money.  A small group of individuals provide the entertainment and, contrary to American democratic principles and capitalism, are essentially deprived of fair compensation.  Most of these entertainers in basketball get little to nothing in terms of monetary salaries.  A handful are later provided significant financial rewards; it is almost strictly a matter if the entertainers make the NBA.  First round draft choices are guaranteed a million dollars a year for three years.  Second round draft choices get nothing unless they make the team.

The S-A problem is still alive and doing well – at least for now.  It could have been avoided.  But the NCAA, some conferences, some schools, and many school presidents/athletic directors/coaches all got greedy.  The NCAA’s attempts in the future to stop the process to pay S-As will fall flat on its face.  Instead, I predict that the NCAA will make some token overtures in the near future to correct their abuses of the past, but unfortunately for the NCAA, it will be too late to close the barn door; in effect, the train will have already left the station.  The NCAA “concept” that the college players are students, or student-athletes, will have outlived its time.

The position of the NCAA and their so-called institutions of higher learning seems illegal, unprofessional, unethical, etc.  On top of that, it seems to be un-American; it violates the true spirit of free enterprise.  After all, why can the author sell his talents (did the author mention he was a salaried chemical engineering professor for 50 years?) and these kids can’t?  In the meantime, the NCAA, along with most college and university presidents, continue to deny student-athletes contracts, potential endorsements, a percentage of gate and TV receipts, or part of the lucrative NCAA pot.  They argue that concessions of this nature will corrupt the S-A and destroy the status of amateur athletics.

The NCAA has argued in the past that, in effect, their rules are in the interest of collegiate sports, maintaining core values in amateurism, and in providing an integrated experience of academics and athletics.  Does anybody in the reading audience believe the NCAA horse manure?  The NCAA has never mentioned the collaborative/cooperative actions of its member schools which has deprived individuals of their rights in a democratic capitalistic system.  It seems to the author that the NCAA has been involved in a price fixing scandal.

What can presently be said regarding the corruption of major collegiate sports, i.e., basketball and football?  Multi-billion dollar TV deals attest to the economic incentive to provide the very best in entertainment.  But what about the athletes, or the more inappropriately referred-to student-athletes (in most cases)?  What’s their compensation?  Essentially, it is peanuts, and the powers to be want to keep it that way.

One can only wonder if S-As give thought to what they have given to society.  One can only wonder if the NCAA has ever given thought to the S-As’ role in society.  The author believes the suits at the NCAA rarely give thought to the aspirations and the future of the unsuccessful S-s, who would more appropriately be referred to as USAs.

Even after high school, the main problem with many of the S-As is that no one has taught them how to be a star in college.  There is television, radio, crowds, press conferences, interviews, etc.  Some of these activities are often embarrassing.  The main problem with the successful basketball S-As (in this case, that means reaching the NBA) is that no one, once again, has taught them how to be a star.   But what about those S-As who are not successful, i.e., the aforementioned unsuccessful S-As (or USAs).  Once the (senior) season is over; the artificial stage of their college life has ended, and the USA’s glamorous world is gone.  Kaput!  It’s an irreversible happening that will never return.

What happens then?  The USA returns to the real world … his home, his city, and in some cases, his country.  He is effectively alone within a day.  Some do return to their institution and keep in touch with their teammates, and occasionally their coaches, but the contact is inevitably limited.   The ending comes quickly, as earlier social and professional contacts decrease at an exponential rate.

The former intimacy with both teammates and coaches also dissolves as the USA retreats into another world and is, once again, simply part of the masses.  No longer is everything taken care of by other people – the servants who prepare his meals, outfit him, and provide travel arrangements are now history.  And even worse, no one has forewarned him, and no one has taught him to adjust to a new lifestyle.

Is there a solution?  Neal Gillen has offered his thoughts in my recent book “Basketball Coaching 101 (amazon.com or createspace.com, 450 pages, $17.95)”.  Here is an outline of Gillen’s solution.  “The issue must be addressed on three separate fronts: (A) An enforceable contract between the school and the student-athlete, (B) changing NCAA eligibility rules, and (C) professional leagues agreeing not to sign collegiate players until they or their class have graduated.  I have also included provisions for player travel expenses and a monthly stipend to be determined.  I did not include a provision for a student-athlete to participate in the proceeds of the sale of jerseys, T-shirts, or other memorabilia, but were I to do so, any such payments would not be forthcoming until the athlete or his or her class has graduated.   There could be antitrust issues, but should the changes I propose be made and upheld, the game would change once more for the better.”  Details on (A), (B) and (C) are available in my book.

Unfortunately, the S-A problem is still alive and well.

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Was my book “Basketball Coaching 101” mentioned above?  One chapter of the book was entitled “Crunch Time Management”; it was primarily concerned with the development of a procedure that would already be in place for time clock management at or near the end of a game.  As a Giant fan, I had contacted John Mara and Steve Tisch along with Jerry Reese in 2013 regarding applying my simple procedure to football.  The letter was ignored.

So what happened this football season?  The Giants lost their first two games because of poor crunch time decisions.  The first game was an absolute embarrassment that demonstrated the incompetence of Coughlin and his staff.  This could have been avoided had they applied my recommendations.

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I would be remiss not to mention that this past Wednesday, October 28th,  marked the 75th Anniversary of  OHI Day.  OHI is the Greek word for NO!   This day commemorates when then Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas’ courageously refused the Fascist and Nazi demand to occupy Greece during World War II. Against far superior military powers and all odds, the Greek nation, with their faith in God, resisted the Axis Powers, delaying their advance and ultimately changing the tide of the War.

The Washington OHI Day Foundation video is a powerful and inspirational tribute, both commemorating the day and inspiring all society to be courageous and virtuous during a time of crisis.. Here’s the link”

http://www.oxidayfoundation.org/video-world-leaders-praise-greek-courage/

Enjoy this great moment in history.  Additional details are available in earlier postings in The Theodore Newsletter.

NEXT POSTINGS:  (tentative)

 

DECEMBER 1:          On Hofstra Men’s Basketball: 2015-16 Season

JANUARY 1:             On How to Write a Book

FEBRUARY 1:          On Climate Change II

MARCH 1:                 On Random Thoughts XXIII

APRIL 1:                    On Financial Inequity

MAY 1:                       On the 2016 East Williston School District Budget Vote

Leave a Comment » | Basketball, East Williston, Education, Politics, Sports | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

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