CURRENT EVENTS

25th Anniversary

Yahoo, today is the 25th Anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife, Carol.  I am very fortunate to have someone who can put up with me for 25 years.

Speaking of  Yahoo

Verizon (VZ) buying Yahoo, the Internet company for a fraction of what it once was worth. Yet, CEO Marissa Mayer did very well for herself during her run.

(Photo credit: Eric Risberg, AP)

The chief of the fallen Internet giant was paid $139.6 million over her four years of service at the Internet company. That doesn’t even include the estimated golden parachute payment of $54.9 million she would get if she steps down, something she says she doesn’t plan to do. Mayer’s total haul at the company was even higher – $162 million – when factoring in how much the stock options she was given are worth now, according to compensation firm Equilar. Equilar says her total windfall, including a current value of her severance if she leaves, is $218.9 million.

Seeing the size of Mayer’s payout could be painful for investors who saw the company’s revenue stagnate during her tenure. Yahoo went from making a profit of nearly $4 billion a year to losing $4.5 billion and paying billions for small companies that haven’t paid off or were largely written off.

Pain

“Pain to investors”, more like pain to everyone who lives in the real world and continuously see these pay for bad performance buyouts.  Greed is destroying the USA.

This Saturday, August 6, I will be in another power-lifting contest.  I have always competed in the 90 Kg. (198.2 lbs.) category, but I am hoping I have dropped enough of my weight to participate in the 82.5 Kg. (181.7 lbs.)  I have found it harder to drop a few pounds of my weight than it is to pick a bar loaded with weights.

PHYSICAL TRAITS 

Honor Thy Temple

Depending on who you ask, coffee is either good for you or bad.  If you think it is bad for you, then avoid it.  As for me, I feel it is beneficial to me, plus this:

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

I find the following painful, but true.

MISCELLANEOUS 

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Frankenstein

By Mary Shelley

Illustrated by Pete Katz

I just finished another one of these graphic novels and they are terrific.  You get the story in an easily digestible format.  I’ve listened to this book on tape, but I have never read the actual story, but thanks to this graphic novel–I may.

And I believe this is a good way to introduce literature to a child.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

 Wall Street

Gordon Gekko believes greed is good. Even if you think like Gordon, you have to admit that too much of a good thing can be bad.

Wall Street is a 1987 American drama film, directed and co-written by Oliver Stone, which stars Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah and Martin Sheen. The film tells the story of Bud Fox (Sheen), a young stockbroker who becomes involved with Gordon Gekko (Douglas), a wealthy, unscrupulous corporate raider.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – USA Presidential Voting

When it comes to the USA Presidential Election:

40% – would vote for Clinton

35% – would vote for Trump

5% – would vote for a third-party candidate

5% – will not vote

5% – aren’t eligible to vote, but would vote for Trump

5% – aren’t eligible to vote, but would vote for Clinton

5% – aren’t eligible to vote, but would vote for a third-party candidate

THIS WEEK POLL – Have You Ever

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

“99 Luftballons”

by Nina

ART OF THE WEEK

Paris Street, Rainy Day

by Gustave Caillebotte

Here I am at the Art Institute of Chicago, with one of my favorite painting – Rainy Day in Paris.  I’ve been in Paris on a rainy day and this picture really brings back the feelings I had at that moment.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

It has been said that George Washington could have become King, if he had wished to do so; but instead, he just wanted to go home.  He was convinced to stay for a second term, before heading home.  

This is even more amazing given that Napoleon came on the scene in France later and made himself Emperor of the French.

Washington is a tough act for anyone to follow.

George Washington

George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the first President of the United States (1789–97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the current United States Constitution and during his lifetime was called the “father of his country”

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

Thanks to Kathy for commenting on last week’s post. I urge you to let me know what you are thinking via a blog comment.

My thanks to Jen y Vrushali who started following my blog (Currently 75 followers) and Miriam. who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 67 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends.  Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Annette, Carol, Nancy, Ketta, Susan, Carol, Amber & Miriam for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

There are around 150 copies of my book floating around.  If you have read my book, please consider posting an evaluation of it on Amazon, so far only six of you have.  Thank you.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.  For those of you into reading books on a Kindle, the Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885