Vernon Can Read...

 This is a book about one of the greatest humans I've ever known.

I probably chose to read it, because I've seen Vernon in the news throughout my life.

He never sought the limelight but he was a very capable man. Perhaps, I could relate to him.

He did amazing things for the oppressed.

His life in so many ways is best summarized by the many roles he performed:

• Chauffeur whose employer was surprised he could read
• Head of the United Negro College Fund
• Head of the NAACP
• Shot by a racist when he was seen with a white woman
• On the board of directors of many major corporations
• Advisor to President Clinton
• Partner at Lazard Freres, a large investment banking firm.

His mother, a very intelligent and very supportive woman, ran a catering business in Atlanta until she was 83. When he was younger, he frequently worked for her as a server.

More could certain be written about this wonderful book, but I wanted to capture my observations while the book was still fresh in my mind.

Vernon Can Read

Does Network News Really Explain the Full Story?

If you're like many people your knowledge is limited to the nightly news. 

While I enjoy watching NBC's Nightly News I've come to understand it's limits.

First, NBC is owned by Comcast, ABC is owned by Disney and CBS is owned by Paramount Global. The stockholders of these firms bought stock because they expect to profit from their investment. As a result, stories are created to attract and maintain your interest so you're still watching when the commercials come on. 

Second, Fear is a large part of many news stories. Author James Altucher, in his book, I Was Blind But Now I See, suggests that, the best thing you can do is avoid all news. Altucher has worked for over a dozen media companies, written for newspapers, TV shows and been a pundit on TV shows.

He told how he was backstage at a news show when the producer told him:

Don’t fool yourself – all of this is just filler in between advertisements.

Altucher shared this story,

Every week, a newsroom gets all of their best reporters and editors together on a Monday morning. Then the top guy says,“Ok, what have you got?” And the reporters have to respond with items that are designed to induce more and more terror. When the top guy thinks the terror is sufficient to beat out the competition, he says, “Ok, let’s go with it.”(I)

It's easy to see what Altucher is talking about when you read headlines like these:

How many jobs will AI replace?

Will your kids join the thousands who've died from fentanyl? 

Is your daughter joining ISIS?

Third, time is another issue. Since news shows are limited in the time they can devote to any story, we're frequently given sound bites that grab our attention but do little to explain what really happened. The Great Recession generated a lot of headlines, but it wasn't until I read former Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's book, Stress Test, that I fully understood what happened.

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Personal Note:  Da Vinci said, "The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding." I'm right there with him. I'm what you'd call a Current Events / History Nerd. I've always sought the full story. I've always sought to understand complex issues. This has helped me to understand what isn't being reported in the nightly news.

(I) Altucher, James. I Was Blind But Now I See. New York: CreateSpace. 2011. p. 35