Here are five things that caught my attention!
Positive Outlook: It only takes a minute on twitter or two minus on cable news to ruin what had been a really good state of mind. We have to confront what we face in the world, but this piece in the Times from Mark Zandi gives us some reason for hope. People are coming back to work, inflation could have peaked and omicron might not be as severe as many predicted (certainly more contagious, but possibly less severe). Let’s look for good news and take challenges in stride.
Progress: This week the Mayor and I stood together to jointly open a new facility and new service to help get folks with the most severe mental health and substance abuse off the streets. Our Community Hard Reduction Teams and Safe Haven Shelter is a real, tangible step to address the real problem of homelessness in San Diego. But we have to do more. And faster.
“Good initiative/bad judgment”: I first heard that phrase as a young Marine. Yes–it applied to something I had done:) A minor league hockey team in South Dakota learned it themselves when they had public school teachers on their knees picking up $1 bills to use for school supplies. Ugh. To their credit, they apologized for the degrading nature of the stunt. Maybe we should just fund public education adequately. And maybe minor league sports teams should stick to monkeys riding dogs!
Story you might have never heard: You are probably familiar with the story of the peanut farmer from Georgia that became President of the United States. But have you heard the story about how that same peanut farmer once took apart and replaced a nuclear reactor in full meltdown and saved Canada from nuclear disaster? Read this fascinating little-known story about the heroic exploits of the former President (and then a 28 year old Navy lieutenant).
Jim Finch: I grew up in a rural blue collar town in south Arkansas and tornadoes were a terrifying part of life. In the wake of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Kentucky and several other states this week, one man gained attention for all the right reasons. Jim Finch, knowing there was no electricity, no running water, and no restaurants serving those affected, loaded up his truck with a grill and a truckload of food and drove an hour to Mayfield, KY to serve hot meals. “It just needed to be done,” he said. If you are able to help those affected by this week’s tornadoes, please give what you can. Keep them in your prayers, and thank God people like Jim Finch still exist!