10 MOST WANTED LIST

BRYCE ON SOCIETY

- A list for improving America.

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The "Ten Most Wanted" list was a brainchild of former FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, as a means to solicit the public's assistance in capturing the hardened criminals of the day. Over the years, it has proven to be an effective means for assisting in the apprehension of such desperatos. I still check the list from time to time to see who is on it. I have also noticed many magazine articles today are developing a list of top tips, tricks, or celebrities doing this or that.

Recently, I started to consider another type of "10 Most Wanted" list, something also requiring the public's assistance, but a list of those items to make this country great again. Some items are aimed at our government, others at our culture. Here then is my...

"10 Most Wanted List for improving America"

10. Balance the Budget - the notion our country cannot operate within its own means is mind-boggling. A balanced budget would greatly facilitate cutting the deficit through spending reductions and make us less dependent on outsiders. Some believe our government is too big and complex to implement such a budget. If so, perhaps it is time to reduce our size and complexity.

9. Create a responsible press - it has been a long time since we have referred to the mainstream media as "fair and balanced." Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the purpose of the "fourth estate" was to track government, regardless of party, and protect the interests of the people, not those in charge.

8. Immigration - What we are currently witnessing is nothing less than an invasion by outsiders. The floodgates need to be closed at our borders, even if this means using the National Guard. It is simple math, regardless of our compassion, we cannot afford to take care of everyone. Heck, we have trouble taking care of our own people.

7. Energy Independence - foreign energy has cost America greatly, both in terms of lives and expenses. We have the resources and technology to become independent, but not the will. This item alone would put the country back to work and return us to a leadership role in the world.

6. Taxes - a fair and equitable form of income tax is long overdue. A reduction of our business taxes would also stimulate business and make us more competitive, not to mention returning jobs back home.

5. Improved economy - a smaller and less intrusive government would greatly improve our GDP, and reduce the welfare state by putting more people back to work.

4. The truth - some call it "transparency," I call it the truth. Yes, I would like to know what honestly happened at the IRS, the VA, at Benghazi, Fast & Furious, the Associated Press, etc. I would like to see this investigated quickly and properly, take corrective action, and move along. I am not one for wallowing in messes. Let's clean it up and restore the credibility and trust in our government.

3. Society - I would like to see a society where the individual is encouraged to develop an entrepreneurial attitude, take risks, and be amply rewarded for taking them. I would like to see less government barriers, and more breaks to help in this regards.

2. Peace - although my generation missed WW2, I have only known us to be at peace for a handful of years. It would be nice to know a world at peace, but there are too many forces at work who will not allow us to have it. If we are to remain the policeman of the world, I would like to see the world community pay their fair share.

1. Morality - some simple morality could go a long way to improving our quality of life, such as honesty, integrity, accountability, responsibility, courtesy, respect, citizenship and a little patriotism. A little pride in ourselves and our profession (e.g., craftsmanship), would certainly be a welcome change.

Obviously there are many other things I would like to see implemented, but these represent my "Top 10." Some people would say I am being naive about these items, that none of them are possible. Maybe so, but I would like to see us try. Even the FBI doesn't catch their Top 10 all of the time, but they never give up. Neither should we.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  60+ YEARS OF JAMES BOND (007) - The characters have evolved and adapted to the times, making it just as relevant today, as when it first debuted.

LAST TIME:  IS IT TIME FOR CENSORSHIP?

  - It's not the NRA; it's Hollywood.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

IS IT TIME FOR CENSORSHIP?

BRYCE ON SOCIETY

- It's not the NRA; it's Hollywood.

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Once again, it is time to go out on a limb. I recently listened to a radio interview with one of the young wackos accused of shooting up a school. Frankly, he sounded rather calm, cool and collected as he described how he planned his assault. In addition to guns, he had pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails prepared for backup. When asked how he learned to make such devices, he replied it was from the movies and television. His candid comments did not surprise me. We have long suspected the media has an adverse effect on our youth, and it does indeed appear that life imitates art, not the other way around. By glamorizing violence, not just guns, Hollywood has changed the social mores of our culture.

As a kid, I played a lot of "Cowboys and Indians" and "Cops and Robbers," and, Yes, toy guns were included in our playtime, even if it was nothing more than our thumb and index finger. I also had my share of cap guns. Somehow though, we understood the difference between toys and the real thing. The thought of mistaking a real gun for a cap gun was simply unimaginable. You knew better. Then again, we also played a lot of "hide and seek," baseball, tag, swimming, etc. In other words, the gun games did not consume our time.

The violence of today though is more pervasive, maybe because the entertainment industry is more pervasive. Instead of just three or four channels on television, now there are hundreds. The Internet allows us to look up just about anything regardless of its legality. And as of this writing, seven of the current top ten movies all have explicit violence. When I look at movie trailers, such as "Transformers: Age of Extinction," the computer generated graphics suggest anything is possible, not to mention a total indifference to human life. When you consider our youth are watching such movies regularly, not to mention playing similar computer games, and watching television programs promoting violence, is it any wonder that children are becoming indifferent to life?

We have always understood the power of the motion picture industry. From 1930 to 1968, the Hays Code was used to keep movie violence and sex in check. According to the Code, the following items were not to appear in the movies:

1. Pointed profanity – by either title or lip – this includes the words "God," "Lord," "Jesus," "Christ" (unless they be used reverently in connection with proper religious ceremonies), "hell," "damn," "Gawd," and every other profane and vulgar expression however it may be spelled;

2. Any licentious or suggestive nudity – in fact or in silhouette; and any lecherous or licentious notice thereof by other characters in the picture;

3. The illegal traffic in drugs;

4. Any inference of sex perversion;

5. White slavery;

6. Miscegenation (sex relationships between the white and black races);

7. Sex hygiene and venereal diseases;

8. Scenes of actual childbirth – in fact or in silhouette;

9. Children's sex organs;

10. Ridicule of the clergy;

11. Willful offense to any nation, race or creed;

These, of course, have all been violated and most are now commonplace on television. Also notice they were more concerned with sex than with violence back then. This all changed in late 1968 with the advent of the MPAA film rating system (G - X). Rating systems are fine, but they are useless if nobody enforces them. Next time you are at the theater, see how many young people are checked by the box office for their identity.

Is it time to tighten up censorship standards? If the people who commit random public shootings are any indication, quite possibly. We would all like to believe we are mature enough to watch whatever we want, but this is evidently not so and it is time to exercise some control over who sees what. For example, the Transformer movie has a PG-13 rating. From the violence I saw, it should carry an R rating at the very least. Then again, nobody will be checking identities.

Violent movies appear to create a fantasy land for some viewers who cannot distinguish fiction from reality. A program of stepped up censorship will inevitably affect motion pictures, television, computer games, and the Internet. It will undoubtedly be unpopular, and people will scream their first amendment rights are being violated. However, the harsh reality is we have to learn to live together in the real world, not in fantasy land.

Remember, the objective of censorship is to define what is morally right and wrong. If people were taught this properly, there would be no need for censorship.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  10 MOST WANTED LIST - A list for improving America.

LAST TIME:  THE WHITE LINE

  - What does this parable tell us about ourselves?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

THE WHITE LINE

BRYCE ON SOCIETY

- What does this parable tell us about ourselves?

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Herman owned a large swath of property out in the country, sitting on a few hundred acres of farmland. The property had been in the family for several years and Herman profited greatly from it. Now, as he was getting older, his sons had picked up the management of the farm and Herman could slow down a bit. Late in the afternoon, he would often find himself sitting on his front porch drinking an iced tea. It was quiet and peaceful, maybe more than he cared for. The farm was wedged between two rural towns and the road stretched around Herman's farm causing motorists to travel several miles out of the way.

This didn't seem right to Herman. The people of the county had always been good to him and he wanted to somehow devise a way to show his appreciation and help others. He then got it in his head to build a road through his property and let people drive through it, thereby cutting down the distance between towns from fifteen miles to five.

Herman took it upon himself to build the road. He had an old bulldozer which was still in good shape, and he carved out a straight two-lane road and covered it with tar and gravel. He wanted to keep the road simple as he expected people would use good judgement, but for safety purposes, he painted a white line down the middle. Before opening the road he posted a simple sign on both ends saying, "Please practice courtesy on the road and drive safely - Your neighbor, Herman." He didn't post any signs to denote a speed limit, and there was no need for stop signs as it was simply an express lane through his property.

The local newspaper heralded the new road and praised Herman for his generosity. Local government officials were concerned though and wanted to take charge, but Herman steadfastly refused as he knew government had a tendency to complicate matters.

When the road opened, people began to drive on it almost immediately. Herman enjoyed the attention and would sit in a chair next to the side of the road and wave at the passing motorists. This became a daily ritual. It appeared Herman's plan was working fine. People were maintaining a reasonable speed and practiced a little courtesy on the road. Herman kept studying the traffic flow and was amazed how well people followed the white line.

Herman started to think about how a simple white line seemed to control driving patterns. He wondered what would happen if he moved the white line, just a little. He selected a section of road to be used as an experiment. There he repainted the white line by moving it to one side by twelve inches. This meant one side was slightly squeezed and the other wider. In another section he squiggled the line to give it a wavy appearance.

The next day, Herman sat in his chair and watched the drivers on the road. Interestingly, drivers who encountered the "thin" section of road slowed down and observed the line. Conversely, drivers on the "wide" side picked up speed. Remarkably, people would begin to swerve their car on the section marked by the wavy line. Herman thought this was particularly amusing as the road was straight.

Next, Herman removed a section of the white line and replaced it with a line of small circles, triangles and squares. He observed people slowed down when approaching this section, as they didn't quite understand the meaning of the symbols, but respected each side of the road nevertheless.

The next day, Herman removed all of the anomalies and put the white line down the middle of the road again.  This appeared to relieve the drivers and harmony returned to the highway.

From this exercise, Herman concluded people want uniformity and discipline in their lives. They are ready to accept simple rules for the purpose of cooperation. Although they could work around variances, they seemed to prefer some predictability through standardization. Such discipline meant people could think about other things as opposed to worrying about changes in the rules of the road.

Under this arrangement, Herman discovered most drivers operated their vehicles in a cooperative manner. There was no bumper-to-bumper slow downs, people would wave others to pass them at opportune moments, and there was no cursing or one finger salutes. It was just a nice comfortable ride which everyone enjoyed.

One day though, a young motorist discovered the road and drove pell-mell across it. Not only did he drive fast, but he dodged and weaved between cars, honk his horn and yell at drivers as he passed. After witnessing this, Herman became concerned and waved the motorist over to the side of the road. He discovered the young man's name was "Joe" and Herman judged him to be in his early twenties.

After Herman introduced himself, he asked the young man to slow down a bit and be a little more courteous on the road. He reminded him that this was his road and he allowed others to use it. Joe just laughed loudly in Herman's face, gunned the engine, and sped away, leaving tire tracks in the road.

Joe ignored Herman's request and continued to be a pest on the road. Whenever Herman tried to wave him over to the side of the road, Joe would just speed by him and laugh. Some of the motorists began to complain to Herman about Joe's antics and asked him to do something about it.

Despite Herman's numerous attempts to stop Joe, it was to no avail. He even considered adding speed bumps in the road, but that defeated Herman's objective of creating a comfortable ride. Nor was Herman interested in establishing a traffic cop to prevent Joe from using the road. He just wanted simple harmony on the road, but such was not to be. Finally, Herman couldn't tolerate Joe or the criticisms anymore. He realized his noble experiment had failed. Consequently, he closed the road to everyone.

The lesson here should be obvious, despite the simplest rules or laws, there is always someone who wants to violate them. They may think they are above the law, that it doesn't pertain to them, or they simply take pleasure in disrupting the lives of others and status quo. Bottom-line, Herman and the townspeople learned the hard way that it takes only a few to disrupt the lives of the many.

It is interesting what we learn from painting a simple white line. It influences how we will act and socialize, thereby denoting our perception of others, such as respect, cooperation, and basic common courtesy. A white painted line tells us a lot about the type of people we are, not to mention life in general.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  IS IT TIME FOR CENSORSHIP? - It's not the NRA; it's Hollywood.

LAST TIME:  40TH ANNIVERSARY OF NIXON'S RESIGNATION

  - Did Watergate teach us anything?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF NIXON'S RESIGNATION

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- Did Watergate teach us anything?

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August 9th represents the 40th anniversary of the resignation of President Richard Nixon. It seems like yesterday. Nixon was under intense pressure to resign for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. For those of you too young to remember, 1972 was a presidential election year and members of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP) burglarized the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C. with the intent of searching through papers for intelligence and bugging the offices with listening devices. A security guard noticed something unusual and called the police who captured the burglars. Nixon's role was primarily concerned with the cover up of the break-in. The incident attracted international attention from the press and the country wallowed in outrage and despair for two years.

Former Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee, who just recently passed away, succinctly framed the issue at hand by asking, "What did the president know and when did he know it?" This brought up the subject of tape recordings of conversations in Nixon's White House. The president made the recordings for historical purposes, but now they became the center of attention for what they might contain. At first, the president invoked "executive privilege" over the tapes, but the US Supreme Court overruled and ordered him to turn the tapes over to government investigators. The tapes ultimately revealed the president's involvement in the cover-up. However, there was a gap in one of the tapes. Rose Mary Woods, Nixon's long-time secretary, claimed responsibility for inadvertently erasing up to five minutes in a key audio tape (June 20, 1972).

At the time, both chambers of Congress were controlled by the Democrats. As it became obvious the House was going to file articles of impeachment based on obstruction of justice, the president received a delegation of senior GOP Congressional leaders in the Oval Office on August 7th, including Senator Barry Goldwater. The group told the president his position was untenable and impeachment was likely. Instead of prolonging the problem, and putting the country through a messy impeachment trial, Nixon resigned, thereby elevating Gerald Ford to president.

Three things come to mind when I think back to this affair:

First, Richard Nixon resigned as opposed to burdening the country with more scandal. Bill Clinton did not. Clinton's scandal was just as messy and embarrassing, maybe more so. Nonetheless, he suffered the embarrassment of impeachment, but escaped prosecution in the Senate trial. American politics hasn't been quite the same since then.

Second, Rose Mary Wood was accused of deleting five minutes from Nixon's Watergate tapes which was considered alarming at the time and proof of Nixon's involvement in the cover-up. Recently, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen revealed two years worth of e-mails of former IRS Director Lois Lerner and six others were lost allegedly due to malfunctioning computer backup equipment. Lerner was key to the IRS scandal which targeted Tea Party groups for auditing by the IRS. The deletion of the e-mails was considered too "coincidental" for Congressional investigators. Suddenly, Wood's five minute gap seems miniscule when compared to the loss of thousands of e-mails.

Third, the press went after Nixon viciously in 1974. They had despised him since he was vice president under Eisenhower in the 1950's (see "Checkers speech"). Remarkably, the mainstream media of today shows little interest in the IRS scandal, just the antithesis of the Watergate investigation. One can only ask why? Is it possible the press favors one political party over another? Hmm...

Finally, when I traveled overseas on business years ago, I had several clients ask me about Nixon and Watergate. They thought Nixon was a good president and were stunned we had turned him out for something they considered trivial and insignificant. Whether I was in the UK, Norway, Spain, Brazil, Japan or wherever, they all thought Nixon should have taken the tapes and burned them on the White House lawn.

I wonder what their take would be today on such things as the IRS and VA scandals, Benghazi, Fast & Furious, etc. Knowing their unfavorable disposition about Mr. Obama, I believe I know what their answer would be.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  THE WHITE LINE - What does this parable tell us about ourselves?

LAST TIME:  SENATORS AND THE 17TH AMENDMENT

  - No Virginia, senators were not always elected "by the people."

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

SENATORS AND THE 17TH AMENDMENT

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- No Virginia, senators were not always elected "by the people."

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Most Americans today are unaware U.S. Senators were not always elected by the people. According to the articles of the Constitution, senators were elected by state legislators, not the people or governor. This all changed with the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913, just over one hundred years ago. Why the change? Believe it or not, corruption in our electoral process. Sound familiar?

Let's begin by understanding the purpose of the Senate. Our bicameral Congress consists of two chambers, the House of Representatives is intended to represent the people. Their term limit is just two years. The Senate though was modeled after the Senate of Ancient Rome, whereby the elders and affluent citizens would take a more global view of the problems at hand. This is similar to Parliament in the United Kingdom where there is a House of Commons (for the people) and a House of Lords (representing affluence). Senators are elected to six year terms as opposed to two years.

In addition to reviewing and approving the laws as passed by the House, the Senate also reviews and approves treaties, and confirms appointments of the cabinet, ambassadors, judges, and various other federal officials, all as part of the "checks and balances" of our government. They also conduct trials of impeached federal officials, such as the president, with the last being in 1999 with the impeachment of President Clinton.

On paper, the concept of Senators being elected by state legislatures is a good one. As the legislatures changed in political makeup, from Democrat to Republican for example, the senators will inevitably change. In the early days there were a few senators who served multiple terms, but not like today's senators who serve upwards to fifty years (e.g., Byrd and Kennedy). In other words, term limits were not necessary. Further, it was believed senators would be more inclined to serve the best interests of their states as they were elected by their own state assemblies. At least, that was the theory.

Throughout most of the 19th century though, corruption crept into the senate electoral process. Some people tried to buy the office by giving gifts and favors to members of the state legislatures. This included some of the big monopolies of the day who wanted to have "their man" elected, who would be expected to return favors. The 17th Amendment though changed all of this by turning the vote over to the people. By doing so, state legislators were cut out of the money bonanza. It should be noted, the amendment was also used to fill senate vacancies, which is now done by temporary appointment of the governor.

So, what has changed in the last 100 years? Whereas the state legislators were the target for bribery, now it can be argued it is just the senators who are the object of desire by lobbyists, not just at the state level either, but by national and multinational corporations. In other words, not much has really changed with the passing of the 17th Amendment other than a redirection of payola.

Somehow, I still prefer the concept of having the state legislatures electing the Senators, if for no other reason than to assure they will change over time as the state assemblies change, thereby thwarting the concept of professional politicians. As to the corruption issue, this will remain a constant problem until such time as the American people get serious about electoral reform, which will probably be never. At least the payola can be spread around the state as opposed to just one person.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  40TH ANNIVERSARY OF NIXON'S RESIGNATION - Did Watergate teach us anything?

LAST TIME:  PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY'S EFFECT ON AIR TRAVEL

  - What I discovered on my flight from Asheville.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY'S EFFECT ON AIR TRAVEL

BRYCE ON TECHNOLOGY

- What I discovered on my flight from Asheville.

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I recently took a short trip to North Carolina to do a little fly-fishing with an old friend. It was a brief trip and we only had modest success, but it was a wonderful getaway. The mountains were beautiful, the air smelled delicious, and the streams were cold and clear. It was just the tonic I needed.

I came home on a Sunday morning via the Asheville airport. After checking in I proceeded to go through TSA security. It was still relatively early and there weren't too many people in line. I think I caught the TSA agent off-guard by saying, "Good Morning," to her. I observed what a nice day it was, and she responded by asking me how my trip had been. I explained I went fishing and had a great time in the mountains. She then asked me about my fishing pole, which I was carrying, and we chatted a few scant minutes about rainbow trout. She seemed to be pleased that someone had taken the time to talk to her. Maybe it's because people generally do not think of TSA agents as human beings. I suppose they do not put on their pants one leg at a time.

After clearing security, I approached my gate where I found it eerily quiet. As I looked around, the passengers awaiting the flight were all busy either on their smart phones or Kindles. Some were playing games, others were listening to music, reading, or texting. All I saw were people gently tapping or swiping their fingers over the screen. In the corner of the room was a television set featuring a Sunday morning political talk show. The volume was turned down low, but I could hear it clear as a bell from the other side of the room. After all, tapping and swiping doesn't exactly make a lot of racket.

Interestingly, I saw a boy and a girl sitting next to each other in the waiting area, both were teenagers who didn't appear to know each other. Both were attractive, but neither acknowledged the presence of the other. From what I saw, they didn't even exchange glances, they just played with their smart phones instead. What a pity.

When we finally boarded the aircraft, I sat next to a lady just a few years older than myself and an Asheville native. Everyone else continued with their tapping and swiping. As I sat down, I introduced myself to the woman, and we struck up a conversation which ranged over several subjects. She gave me some background information on Asheville, how she had recently attended a High School reunion, what books she was reading, and we even talked a little about moonshine up in the mountains. I described my fishing trip, life in Tampa Bay, the books I was reading, and a few other things.

It was a short flight, but my co-passenger made it interesting and lively. It started when she noticed I was carrying a regular hard covered book, as was she, as opposed to an electronic reader. Although we spoke quietly to maintain our privacy, every now and then another passenger would stop tapping and swiping only to give us a dirty look as if we were loud and boisterous and disturbing the harmony of the flight. At this time I noticed none of the other passengers were talking as they were all transfixed on their electronic devices.

In a way, my conversation with my co-passenger reminded me of air travel of yesteryear where passengers socialized and made new contacts. However, it occurred to me that we were now the oddballs, we were now the ones not using the latest technology, and we were the ones who had to communicate face-to-face. Frankly, we had a great time and became good friends.

The Asheville flight went to Atlanta where I made a connecting flight to Tampa. On this leg, I sat next to a gentleman I judged to be in his 40's. Although I said hello and tried to introduce myself, the man pulled out his Kindle and immersed himself in reading. I pulled out my clunky book and began reading a few pages. After awhile, I looked up to see a woman across the aisle working on a jigsaw puzzle on her tablet computer, two other gentlemen were playing games on their smart phones, and another listened to music on his headphones. Nobody talked and you could hear a pin drop in the cabin.

After the flight, everyone rushed to the luggage carrousel in a spirit of competition, not cooperation or courtesy. Frankly, it was rather ugly. It then occurred to me technology was one of the reasons I no longer enjoy flying, and I suspect others might feel likewise. Bottom-line, it re-enforced my Bryce's Law, "As the use of technology increases, social skills decreases."

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2014 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  SENATORS AND THE 17TH AMENDMENT - No Virginia, senators were not always elected "by the people."

LAST TIME:  THE OBAMA JUKEBOX

  - The president's rhetoric has become rather predictable.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern), and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington

"The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

THE OBAMA JUKEBOX

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- The president's rhetoric has become rather predictable.

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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

President Obama's speeches have become rather routine and predictable. They remind me of a jukebox, a device from a bygone era, whereby you put in a quarter, press a numbered button, and hear your selected tune. Smart phones, MP3 players and iPods have since replaced the jukebox, but you get the idea.

I do not believe I have heard anything original from the president in a long time, basically recycled talking points written to illicit Pavlovian responses from his audiences. However, I do not believe people are drooling anymore, at least not according to his recent popularity polls.

To prove my point, I have gone back through many of the president's speeches and noted his more popular talking points. I am sure you have heard them all before, but what do they mean or how does he use them?

1. OBAMA - "The American people's hopes and dreams are what matters, not ours. Our obligations are to them. Our regard for them compels us all, Democrats and Republicans, to cooperate, and compromise, and act in the best interests of our nation –- one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
TRANSLATION - "Once I've hooked them, I can have my way with them."

2. OBAMA - "We can't wait for Congress to do its job. So where they won't act, I will. We're going to look every single day to figure out what we can do without Congress."
TRANSLATION - "I refuse to talk to those idiots in the Congress."

3. OBAMA - "I'm happy to get good ideas from across the political spectrum, from Democrats and Republicans. What I won't do is return to the failed theories of the last eight years that got us into this fix in the first place, because those theories have been tested, and they have failed."
TRANSLATION - "It's Bush's fault."

4. OBAMA - "We can't change the way Washington works unless we first change how Congress works."
TRANSLATION - "It's not me, it's them, right?"

5. OBAMA - "Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work. There is the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper."
TRANSLATION - "I'm going to make government so big, it will take years and a truckload of elephant guns to bring it back down."

6. OBAMA - "What our friends on the other side of the aisle do not accept is the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change."
TRANSLATION - "I am the all-knowing Meteorologist-in-Chief, and don't you forget it."

7. OBAMA - "We live in a culture that discourages empathy. A culture that too often tells us our principle goal in life is to be rich, thin, young, famous, safe, and entertained."
TRANSLATION - "Only I understand the American people, not the evil Republicans."

8. OBAMA - "Let's remember that our leadership is defined not just by our defense against threats, but by the enormous opportunities to do good and promote understanding around the globe."
TRANSLATION - "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

9. OBAMA - "I have studied the Constitution as a student; I have taught it as a teacher; I have been bound by it as a lawyer and legislator. America must demonstrate that our values and institutions are more resilient than a hateful ideology."
TRANSLATION - "And I could really screw up the country more if I didn't have this hanging around my neck."

10. OBAMA - "It's not just enough to change the players. We've gotta change the game."
TRANSLATION - "Constitution be damned."

11. OBAMA - "We will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists – because living our values doesn’t make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger."
TRANSLATION - "Whenever it is politically expedient for me to do so."

12. OBAMA - "I think the American people have a generous instinct. They understand that we're a nation of immigrants. But if those folks are going to live in this country, they have to be put on a pathway to citizenship that involves them paying a fine, making sure that they are at the back of the line and not cutting in front of people who applied legally to come into the country."
TRANSLATION - "Actually, we're just going to open the floodgates and make them all Democratic voters."

13. OBAMA - "I'll be a President who finally brings Democrats and Republicans together to make health care affordable for every single American."
TRANSLATION - "The check is in the mail."

14. OBAMA - "As President, I'll invest in renewable energies like wind power, solar power, and the next generation of homegrown bio fuels."
TRANSLATION - "And neglect our natural resources thereby making us more dependent on external energy resources than ever before."

15. OBAMA - "Any strategy to reduce intergenerational poverty has to be centered on work, not welfare--not only because work provides independence and income but also because work provides order, structure, dignity, and opportunities for growth in people's lives."
TRANSLATION - "I'm going to quadruple the welfare state and let you pay for it."

16. OBAMA - "The answers to our problems don’t lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities; in our fields and our factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth."
TRANSLATION - "I want to tax you to death."

17. OBAMA - "In a world that's more and more interconnected, we all have responsibilities to work together to solve common challenges."
TRANSLATION - "I'm going to let the terrorists have Iraq."

18. OBAMA - "Opponents of health reform warn that this is all some big plot for socialized medicine or government-run health care with long lines and rationed care. That’s not true either. I don’t believe that government can or should run health care."
TRANSLATION - "Thank you, thank you; you're a great audience. Now, did you hear the one about..."

19. OBAMA - "We cannot build the 21st-century military we need, and maintain the fiscal responsibility that America demands, unless we fundamentally reform the way our defense establishment does business."
TRANSLATION - "I love it when they salute me and I don't return it."

20. OBAMA - "It's just plain wrong that millions of middle-class Americans pay a higher share of their income in taxes than some millionaires and billionaires."
TRANSLATION - "There, I've said it; I'm a Socialist."

In addition to being predictable, the president's speeches seem to be saying, "The Congress is a bunch of unreasonable idiots. I am the only one who knows what he is doing. Trust me and I'll take care of all of your problems, you cattle." This says a lot about his powers of negotiation.

The president probably doesn't believe half of what he says, but these are sound bites which have been polished and are easy to remember. The fact they are predictable though, reflects his disregard for the American people. They are also useful as a means to distract people. The only problem is we will likely hear these reruns until the end of his presidency. That's still two years away.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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