It is a coincidence or the work of the spirit that I made a comment in a recent blog that the trouble with Trump’s negotiations is that he appears to have one approach to his Art of the Deal. Keep in mind that Trump didn’t write that book as it was written by a friend of one of my friends with Trump communicating his ideas verbally. But in an editorial in the Inquirer one of my heroes, Trudy Rubin, wrote that Trump has one tool in his arsenal of deal making. It is a hammer as

One of the sayings that I became part of our culture in the 90s was “Be Like Mike”. This was a reference to Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players of all time. But it wasn’t basketball that was the only reason for the song or statement. It became the Gatorade commercial in 1991. It was created by Ernie Pitzel, an advertising executive, who also attached the image of Mike to the aspirations of young kids playing basketball. He was a hero. Being hard working and pra

Yale’s recent report on the lack of trust in higher education in the Ivy League and beyond has shaken up colleges’ perception in the marketplace. Just this morning there was a report on how small colleges are closing faster than ever or merging and places like Drexel and Temple are struggling to get their number of qualified people to reach their admission goals. At the same time the “Duke Alumni Magazine” arrived with the title on the front cover, “Young and Rising: How Nex-

It is difficult to deal with the smug nature of J D Vance. It took him awhile to come to the defense of Trump, but in a recent address, he stepped forward to indicate that the President was right about Trump’s theology as was he as well. Their logic was that if we went to war in the Second World War, then Pope Leo had to be wrong about the morality of the war of choice in which we are now embedded in Iran. Evidently Vance never heard of the Just War Clause that is based in Na

It is difficult to deal with the smug nature of J D Vance. It took him awhile to come to the defense of Trump, but in a recent address, he stepped forward to indicate that the President was right about Trump’s theology as was he as well. Their logic was that if we went to war in the Second World War, then Pope Leo had to be wrong about the morality of the war of choice in which we are now embedded in Iran. Evidently Vance never heard of the Just War Clause that is based in Na

Photo by Ajayjoseph Fdo When I am at breakfast, I normally go to the news on my computer just to keep up with the chaos. We have all said it or felt it. Could Trump go any lower in his actions and words? Yes, he did it again. He posted a pic of himself as Jesus. He said that the Pope should stay out of politics and is not against crime. Earlier the Pope indicated that Trump and Hegseth’s War in Iran was not morally right. Trump has a lot of “firsts,” but this was the first ti

There have been too many things that have been repulsive about the Trump Administration. Recently we have heard from Hegseth as well in terms of how the Iran War should be conducted. He emphasized lethality over legality in conducting Trump’s War. Trump joined him in his rhetoric when indicating that he would bomb Iran back to the stone age. That gesture would put him in the position of being a war criminal and Hegseth would be next in line for that dubious distinction. What

There are a lot of people who look at our lives and say, “Boy, does that guy or girl have it made.” I wish I could be them.”  This blog is centered on the question, “What is the price that you and I are paying? Is it preparing us to be people with a greater sense of what love and justice mean? Love and justice are the two pillars of ethics. I was struck by a statement that Oprah made: “As I follow the principles of a great thought leader, Authur Brooks, I am becoming happier.

I have spent a lifetime of people and events that are significant in our country’s history. Robert Meuller died yesterday at the age of 81. He came into office right after the terrorist attack on 9/11. He changed the FBI from an agency concerned with crime within our nation to someone who was focused on terrorism. He is perhaps best known for his thorough investigation of Donald Trumps relationship with Putin and Russia. When Trump learned that he was dead, he said, “Good I a

There were a few big upsets during the first day of the March Madness basketball contests. One of those brought back great memories and a reminder that the “good guys can finish first” as a team and as a university. Phil Martelli, the 71-years old former St. Joseph’s University Basketball team coach, watched his son, Phil Jr., coach of VCU’s Basketball Team win over the Carolina Tarheels. Carolina is one of the powerful sport legacies over the years. Michael Jordan played for

Mathhew 25:37-40 “When did we see you, Lord? When you did it to the least of these…” There is a key lesson that Trump has not learned that is a lesson for the rest of us. It relates to our connection to God, self, and others. Trump doesn’t have friends. He has transactions. There is a powerful lesson to be learned from his primary style of relating which is to bully others to get what he wants. I always taught my ethics students that there is an important way to conduct their

I must admit that both Governor Neuman and Governor Shapiro have turned me off in their quest for the Presidency. In the recent Oscar Awards a particular actor who expected to win the best actor award failed to do so because of his “campaign for the award” that turned members of the Academy off to bypass him in favor of Michael Jordan. I feel the same way about these two governors. It is obvious that they are on a campaign for the presidency. Why not consider people such as G