Penn State – two simple questions…
Trying to make sense of the Penn State child rape scandal.
What the monster did is horrific. Justice awaits.
But it’s those who knew and didn’t do anything - they are the ones who fill my heart with disgust and my mouth with bile.
Mike McQueary, the current Penn State receivers coach, is said to have witnessed another man raping a child in the shower back in 2002. McQueary was 28 at the time. The pedophile rapist was around 60. The victim: a 10 year old boy.
McQueary witnessed a child being raped. And then he turned, and walked away.
After reporting the rape to his boss (coaching legend, Joe Paterno), the higher ups at Penn State eventually came to the conclusion that it would be best to:
1. Take away the monster’s shower keys and prohibit him from bringing kids to campus; and,
2. Not notify authorities.
Here’s what I need to know:
How is it that a grown man in his prime can encounter an old man raping a defenseless child, and do nothing to stop it?
…and:
How is it that a man can witness and allow a child to be raped in a Penn State locker room, and still be employed as a coach by Penn State today?
Can anyone tell me?
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke
Steve Jobs – a few thoughts…
I’ll admit, I’m no Apple fanboy. I’m quite possibly the only kid on the block without an iSomething. And it’s not that I side with Microsoft or the PC. It’s just that I’m comfortable with my PCs. And my Android phone is stable, offering everything I need. Seriously – the user experience with non-Apple products isn’t that bad.
Maybe I just don’t get it, but Apple products have always seemed overhyped and overpriced. Do I really need to pay two, three grand for a MacBook when a thousand dollar Toshiba running Windows 7 meets or exceeds my needs? Apple has always seemed like an “emperor has no clothes” type of entity. So I’ve thus far resisted the temptation to jump on the bandwagon.
But I think what bothers me most is that I don’t like the way Apple tries to control everything. Why do I have to use iTunes to transfer music to an MP3 player? Call me old fashioned, but I want a smartphone that works with Flash, dammit. An article I read earlier today at Natural News sums it up nicely:
“By any honest account, Apple operates today with a mindset oftotal monopolistic domination, requiring apps to be sold through its iTunes, where Apple takes an unfair cut of every sale. In fact, Apple has come to very much resemble the Orwellian Big Brother image that once made it famous in its January 22, 1984 Superbowl ad, which positioned Apple’s Macintosh computer as freeing people from tyranny… What’s so striking about this commercial is that, in many ways, Apple has become the very thing it once claimed to oppose — domineering control, automaton conformity, and centralized command over the expression of musicians and programmers alike.”
I learned of his passing this morning in the car, shortly after dropping my son off at school. I was surprised by how much it struck me – like a thunderbolt – and how saddened I was by the news. Oddly enough, it was a 9/11 or JFK moment. I think I’ll always remember what I was doing when I found out. Despite my indifference towards Apple products, I feel fortunate to have had part of my lifetime overlap with that of Steve Jobs.
The accolades are flowing today. Revolutionary. Visionary. Leader. All true. But what I think I admired the most about Steve Jobs was his mastery of the creative process. It is an awe-inspiring thing of beauty to be able to watch any creative master at work. Michael Jordan in his prime on the basketball court. Yo Yo Ma on stage with his cello. Michelangelo, lying on his back, on the scaffolding of the Sistine Chapel. Steve Jobs, and his relentless drive to create the perfect user experience.
Thanks, Steve, for letting us all watch and enjoy the fruits of a master at work.
Steve Jobs commencement speech to the 2005 graduates of Stanford University:
A few of my favorite Steve Jobs quotes:
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
“Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?”
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen…
In mid-2009, Conan O’Brien had it all. Money, fame, prestige. After paying his dues for twenty-two years, Conan had finally risen to the top of both NBC and the comedy world. The Tonight Show was all his.
Until it wasn’t.
Because sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Your employer goes out of business; or, the house burns down; or, your wife leaves you for another woman; or, the guy you replaced in your big promotion changes his mind and wants his old job back. It happens.
We’ll do almost anything to try and maintain control over our environment. But really, isn’t it just the illusion of control? In the end, all we can ever hope to control is how we respond or react to people and events. You can’t control what others do or say. But you can control your next move. Sink or swim. Get back on that horse, or just lay there and get trampled.
Conan gave the commencement address at Dartmouth the other day. While most of it was just, in typical Conan fashion, pure silliness – he did open up about his experiences, saving the best for last. A few morsels of Coco wisdom…
Though you should not feel failure, you should do your very best to avoid it. Nietzsche famously said, “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” What he failed to stress is that it almost kills you.
There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized.
It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention.
Whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment, you can gain clarity – and with clarity, come conviction and true originality.
Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.
After all he’s been through, Conan is back. Of course, I wonder if anyone’s actually watching him because he’s on TBS, a channel better known for Seinfield re-runs and Atlanta Braves ball games. But that’s not the point. Conan took his licks and then walked with his pride, a nation of loyal fans and supporters behind him (and a big fat severance pay-out in his pocket).
And he’s better than ever…
Leonard Stern
Your ______ (noun) was ______ (adj.) because of something _____ (adj.) created by Leonard Stern.
Game manufacturers weren’t interested in his idea. Neither were publishers.
So after five years of rejection, Leonard and his partners decided to try the self-publishing route to see if they could make something happen on their own. Today, almost sixty years after deciding to do it themselves, Mad Libs has sold more than 100 million copies and is still going strong. (I just picked-up a “best of” collection for my boys the other day.)
Leonard Stern passed away a few days ago at the age of 88. Thanks, Leonard, for taking a chance. And for helping kids (and parents) survive never-ending family car trips and rainy summer days after all these years…
Thank you, Doug
Today is the first anniversary of the sudden passing of my good friend, Doug Zimmerman. While out for his daily 5-mile lunchtime run, he collapsed, and never regained consciousness. Doug was 52 years old.
Doug was a geologist, experienced mountain and ice climber, and lifelong public servant at the CT DEP. He could fix anything, never spoke ill of anyone, and was always the life of the party (as long as there was beer, preferably the cheap kind). The more he drank, the nicer, funnier and more lovable he became. Not a mean bone in his body. I’ve never known anyone else like him.
A year later, I now realize just how deeply Doug’s life and unexpected passing have affected me. And, inspired me: To live more fully; to be kinder, more patient, and more giving; and, most importantly, to not take people or the gifts of time and good health for granted.
I started my first blog at RequiredReading.com back in 2001. A few months later, the towers came tumbling down and I lost all desire to write. One day, I thought, I’ll start again. But what happened was that I blinked, and a whole decade slipped through my fingers. Ironically, Doug’s unexpected passing has been my much-needed, albeit unscheduled, “what the fuck are you still doing in bed at this ungodly hour?” wake-up call.
So… No more screwing around. I’ve got work to do. New businesses to start. Adventures to take. And yes, new blog posts to write. But this time it’s different. Now I hear the clock ticking.
But where do you begin when staring at a blank slate? It’s simple – right where you are. For me, it starts with a short tribute I wrote and read aloud earlier today at a neighborhood ceremony in Doug’s honor:
This is how I will remember you, Doug…
A real man
Filled with vigor,
a zest for living,
and a never-ending sense of adventure
Fearless, sometimes to a faultYou worked hard,
but you played harder
Always in search of a new adventure
But always happy to come homeThank you, Doug, for always giving
We knew we could count on you to share good things:
A helping hand or some special problem-solving wisdom
A tasty beverage at the end of the day
Your smile, jokes and laughter
A story made funnier simply because you were telling itThe way you lived life was an inspiration to all of us
Filled with joy and passion
Dedicated to your work
But devoted to family and friends
Especially your one true loveGone too soon
But never forgotten
I consider myself lucky to have called you a friend
Thank you, Doug, for your friendship and inspiration.
And for helping to light the fire again.
PS – You can learn more about Doug at CragMan.com, a tribute site set up by his wife, my dear friend, Bet Zimmerman. This is where you will discover everything you need to know about how to cope with a sudden and devastating loss – and that it’s always possible to create a new life worth living. Graceful grieving, one day at a time…