10/18/22 “Please join me in hating those motherf&^*#!rs. Let us pray. Amen.”

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Nothing reflects our national cultural, societal, political and intellectual rot more than election campaign candidates’ attack ads.

Nothing. It is tragic—and beyond depressing—that we have come to accept them, or even tolerate them.

Pardon my bluntness. But here is the theme and premise of all of them.

“I demand that you hate that motherf^%*%r as much as I do. And if you don’t, everybody’s gonna hate you, too.”

Not one of these “ads” promotes the candidates that produced and purchased them. Not one word about the candidates’ qualifications or stances on key issues. No effort whatsoever to unite, and even an open disdain for unity. Pure, blind, mindless tribalism.

“I demand that you hate that motherf&^%$r as much as I do.”

Truth and facts do not in any way constrain these “ads.” They lie, openly, shamelessly and even proudly.

We have de-stigmatized lying. We have endorsed, and often even demanded, lying. There is no longer any price to be paid for lying, and in fact lying is routinely rewarded.

And these ads are fear-based. Because for all of our bluster, we are a fear-based society. We are panophobic. We are afraid of everything.

With the possible exception of “The Bachelor,” nothing reflects our national cultural, societal, political and intellectual vacuous and dishonest rot more than election campaign candidates’ attack ads.

We now have exactly what we deserve.

Wednesday, November 9 just can’t come soon enough.        

OMT. Rest in peace, American hero Jim McDivitt.

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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.