Category — Commentary

Really enjoyed Lemonade. Whether you’ve been laid off or not, this is a great 30 minute reality check.

Available in full on Hulu for those in the US:

This simply has to make you wonder about what else is out there.

Which is the worse scenario?

1) Retail spending is down for the holiday season because consumers are spending within their means.

OR

2) Retail sales are up slightly while consumers over spend on their credit cards and further bury themselves in debt.

Despite what I see on the news most nights, I propose that the answer cannot be both.

The New York Times had an excellent feature story a few days ago:
How Obama Came to Plan for ‘Surge’ in Afghanistan

The three-month review that led to the escalate-then-exit strategy is a case study in decision making in the Obama White House — intense, methodical, rigorous, earnest and at times deeply frustrating for nearly all involved. It was a virtual seminar in Afghanistan and Pakistan, led by a president described by one participant as something “between a college professor and a gentle cross-examiner.”

Mr. Obama peppered advisers with questions and showed an insatiable demand for information, taxing analysts who prepared three dozen intelligence reports for him and Pentagon staff members who churned out thousands of pages of documents.

The story features a carefully constructed recount of the deliberations that went into the final decision and strategy to surge in Afghanistan. Regardless of where you stand on the final decision, it’s a fascinating look into the intense debate that went on behind the scenes to make the most of a shitty situation.

Happy 3 year anniversary my love.

All photos are by the amazing Mindy Sonshine Photography.