21st Century Thoughts

Judge hit 61 last night, has a few games to maybe hit 62. As someone born in 1997, I missed the HR race between McGwire and Sosa, but remember being a kid who loved baseball and was devastated at age 8 to find out how many players had cheated. It was a dark cloud for baseball and still is. Last night, a player turned back the clock. No celebrations, head down, well-liked with no controversy, team celebrating, away fans tipping their hats, in front of the Maris family... just perfect. Judge is everything that baseball is about. No complaining, hustle, work hard, do things the right way. I know that I am a minority and "old-school", but that's how the game should be played and enjoyed. Stop trying to change it and instead focus on the basics of what makes baseball great: the actual game. All the changes being proposed aren't bringing in new fans. Baseball has no identity yet has Judge, Ohtani, Trout, Betts, Rodriguez, Alonso... the list goes on for exciting players who ...

Nostalgia is powerful. It is a drug, and our brain is affected and stimulated as if it was a physical pill or drink. As time goes on, there are those who want more of it without ever being able to satisfy that thirst and there are those immune to it. So why does that matter? Some people miss the past, others don't. But we aren't talking about that, no not at all. I'm referring to nostalgia for times where one did not live. For example, I look at the 1980's as a time of prosperity in America. I enjoy the cultural interests in music, sports, and religion. Politics were united and society was by and large improving. Society had specific clothing styles and haircuts that influenced the world. Can I miss this? Am I entitled too? Is this a feeling I can even produce? Do others agree? If yes, how? I did not live during that time, I don't know the feeling except through videos, internet, and my parent's memories. How can I miss something I didn't live through or exp...

Mark Zuckerberg has "lost" $71 billion dollars of net worth this year. I understand that this value is figurative but that drop is incredible. This is not a situation where META was insider trading or facing any lawsuits outside of the normal magnitude for a Fortune 500 firm, this is a straight free-fall based on changing user habits seemingly overnight. In 2015, 70% of teens used Facebook (META). Now? Less than 33%. Aging userbase with more competition for young adults means you need to adapt, and META is not exactly killing it with Instagram either (they acquired Instagram and turned it into Facebook with pictures...). Again, teens and young adults spend WAY too much time on  I love the Social Network. I am fascinated by the change that Facebook brought the world, good and bad. Yet maybe you have to wonder if he got lucky. Right idea, right time, right resources, right connections. This is not downplaying his impact, nor his intelligence. Just goes to show how much has to g...

I will be buying an iPad and/or an Apple Watch for my birthday gift (in a few months) but had some thoughts: 1. iOS 16 is out. Continuing to generate hype and improvements year after year through software. 2. Ecosystems matter. 3. There is not better company than Apple. Just wait until cars and VR mix into their product lines...  In other news, Bears win and football is back. Lazy days are nice every now and then to recover and socialize.  Let's make it a week.