Paul’s Daily Ration: 07/14/21 – Radically Rational

Paul’s Daily Ration: 07/14/21

“Just stop counting the votes!” Right? If we had just stopped counting the votes at midnight on November 4, none of this would have happened! Can’t you see that? Unfair! Fraud! Fake news! Stolen election! Stop the Steal!

Insanity.

“Just keep saying we won!”

Insanity.

“Just a peaceful protest by American patriot/tourists.”

Alice in Wonderland. Through the Looking Glass.

“Irony” is a concept that is lost on Cultists. Kinda like “hygiene.” But I’ll never forget the first time I saw a certain banner flying from the back of an over-compensating 3500 pickup on the beach at Port Aransas. This would have been 2019, pre-pandemic. It read, “Trump in 2020—No more bullshit!” My reaction? “You’re gonna have to pick one of those two clauses.”

It was all bullshit. All of it. And 73 million Americans fell for it. One math note (another concept with which Cultists are unfamiliar). 81 million is “greater than” 73 million.

Think it’s hyperbole to state that our democracy is in peril? The rest of the world is obviously more than just concerned. That’s why our U.S. perfect credit rating is in jeopardy. Even Bubba ain’t gonna like that at some point.

Something else even Bubba ain’t gonna like. His kids getting the Delta Variant. Or the next and even more virulent variant, which is now inevitable. How do I know? Because I have at least rudimentary math skills and understand basic scientific concepts. That used to be popular in our educational system and society. Math don’t lie. That goes for climate change, too. Right on schedule. Actually, maybe a little ahead of schedule.

So we are going to have an “abortion bounty” in Texas?

And speaking of The Taliban…a return to unspeakable horror in Afghanistan. You were expecting a Rose Parade?

But Bubba can’t be bothered. Not when folks are screwing with his cola, his chicken nuggets and his faux-tuna sandwich. Priorities!

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Paul's Bio

I clearly have the attention span of your median fruit fly.Look! Airplane!

Sorry. I’m back.

It’s both a curse and a blessing. I’ve never bought this stuff about, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But I do think that a wide range of life experiences helps us grow as people, and helps us better relate to other people. I’ve been fortunate. And I am beyond grateful.

I show up on time. I go like hell. I’m a good listener. I hold myself accountable. I own my mistakes. And I have a natural and an insatiable curiosity. I’m never afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t. But then I try to find out.

The flip side is I’m a lousy ballroom dancer and my clothes sometimes fit me funny.

Stuff matters to me. I care. But while I take that stuff seriously, I try hard to never take myself seriously. As a result, I have sometimes been told, “Paul, it’s hard to tell when you’re serious and when you’re just having some fun. Which is it? Serious or fun?”

My answer is “yes.” But I think that is a legitimate criticism. I promise I’m going to work on that.

This has been the quickest and strangest half-century I’ve ever experienced. During that period, I’ve been afforded amazing opportunities in news and sports journalism across all platforms. I have taught wonderful students at the high school and collegiate level. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me. I’ve been a high school administrator. I spent ten seasons as a high school varsity football coach. I’ve been an advertising executive. I’ve hosted nationally syndicated television entertainment shows. In maybe the biggest honor I ever received, I was selected by NASA to be “Chet The Astronaut” for the “Land The Shuttle” simulator at Space Center Houston. (All I can say there, is “Do as I say, not as I do.” I put that thing in the Everglades more often than not.) Most recently, I just wrapped up a decade as a television news director, during which time our teams distinguished themselves in holding the powerful accountable, achieving both critical and ratings success.

What does all that mean? It means I am profoundly grateful. It also means I’m ready for “next.” So here we are. Radically Rational. It’s an idea I woke up with in 2017. I scribbled “Radically Rational” on a piece of notebook paper and used a magnet to stick it on our refrigerator. I saw it every day, and it just would not leave me alone.

I am second in charge at Radically Rational, LLC. My wife, Jo (also known as BB), is the president. Clearly, I have failed in my attempt to sleep my way to the top of this organization.

I hope you will learn that I’m loyal as a Labrador. But I will admit that this doggie can bite every now and then. My promise to you? I will show up on time. I will go like hell. I will listen to you earnestly and attentively. I will hold myself accountable. I will never be the least bit hesitant to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t.

But then I’ll try to find out. Let’s do it.