THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

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1. THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

"Might a briefing change his mind? Probably not. After meetings with Henry A. Kissinger and James A. Baker III, prominent Republican secretaries of state, Mr. Trump said he came away with 'a lot of knowledge.' But asked if those meetings had altered his views, Mr. Trump simply replied, 'No.' Yet such openness to conflicting views is critical for a president who must constantly assess a complicated and ever-changing world. Do what it takes to get 270 electoral votes, and you get the real secrets — worldview or carelessness or talkativeness be damned. It’s a wonderful commentary on the sovereignty of the people. And the need to vote wisely." From NYT - What Intelligence Briefings Can Tell Us About Candidates

+ "'He is unable or unwilling to separate truth from falsehood,' the letter states in a particularly pointed criticism of Trump’s personal traits. 'He does not encourage conflicting views. He lacks self-control and acts impetuously. He cannot tolerate personal criticism. He has alarmed our closest allies with his erratic behavior. All of these are dangerous qualities in an individual who aspires to be President and Commander-in-Chief, with command of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.'" From WaPo - Former GOP national security officials: Trump would be ‘most reckless’ American president in history

2. HOW WE LEARN

The way we learn is changing rapidly (but probably not rapidly enough), and it needs to. With new pathways for knowledge transfer, it's an important topic. Here's a couple ideas to ponder.

"The [Feacebook-backed] software gives students a full view of their academic responsibilities for the year in each class and breaks them down into customizable lesson modules they can tackle at their own pace. Rival tech giants like Google and Microsoft have already established big footprints in education." From NYT - Facebook Helps Develop Software That Puts Students in Charge of Their Lesson Plans

+ From The Verge - Facebook 2026

+ From Wired - Inside the Online School That Could Radically Change How Kids Learn Everywhere

3. PROJECTING POWER

Nothing changes the calculus of an international conflict like positioning an aircraft carrier nearby. The U.S. has 10 aircraft carriers. The only other country with a functioning aircraft carrier might surprise you. From NYT - Who’s Got a Carrier to Rival the U.S. Navy’s? (Hint: Not Russia.)

4. BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

Probably a job I would not like to have... "Mr. Smeltz is part of an unusual niche in the labor market: He is among a proliferating group of independent entrepreneurs capitalizing on the need to collect the dead from houses, hospitals, morgues and accident scenes. It is a little-known link in the chain of death-to-final-resting-place that is growing as places like funeral homes and hospices as well as governments cut their budgets and increasingly outsource the transport of the dead." From NYT - Transporting the Dead: A Booming but Lightly Regulated Industry

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