Well, I just got back from New York. I was up in the Big Apple for the NFTE business plan awards. (That’s National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship….many of you know about my involvement with this great organization, as I sit on their local board.)

There’s a city-by-city run off. The Western Pennsylvania representative, Mackenzie Barrett from Carrick High School, did a nice job. Unfortunately, “Mac” didn’t win, though. I’ve known Mac and his father for some time now, ever since I met Mac at the local competition.

He has a very unique business idea. It’s a tutoring service. It’s a clever concept, and I’m trying to talk him into using it with TalkShoe.

Anyway, we flew up on Wednesday night, after my Duquesne Entrepreneurship class. We judged all day on Thursday, and on Thursday night, the winner was announced. It was a girl from Baltimore, and her idea involved a nail polish applicator. It’s kind of like a syringe, where you push the applicator, making the polish come out quickly, so that you can get a set of ten nails done in 52 seconds, as opposed to five minutes the traditional way. And, there’s no spill. She did a GREAT job of selling it. I was very impressed.

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THOU SHALT NOT REELECT
by Joe Sobran

[Breaker quote: A simple way to reform]

This year, 2006, is widely described as an "election year." I think it would be more accurate to call it a "reelection year." This time the future of our nation will be at stake, as they say.

The voters are really angry. They are angry at both parties, at the president, and at Congress. They are sick and tired of the status quo -- war, high taxes, corruption, runaway spending, soaring gasoline prices, and poisoned spinach. They're mad as hell and they're not going to stand for it anymore. They are demanding change in Washington. And in a democracy like our own, the voters are sovereign.

So, this November, the voters, in their awful fury, are going to rise up and send the incumbents back to Washington. That's what they always do. This is how a vibrant democracy works.

Is there any cure for it? Yes. That's why I'm writing. When the voters have made such a hash of democracy, the only hope lies with the nonvoters.

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What a day was October 19.

For one thing, it was a Thursday…..Just one day after the birth date of my lovely wife, Karen (and I’m NOT saying “which one”.)

And, it was also the date that I was fired from one of my own start-ups. Talk about hitting some sort of “bottom”. Some day, I’ll HAVE to tell you guys this story.

And, it was also the same date that I filed for bankruptcy. Ugh! Another “bottom”.

Of course, October 19, 1987 was the date that the market crashed. Most of you probably don’t remember that. (I was in bankruptcy, so I didn’t really care much.)

AND, it was the day that I met, and in a private interview, my all-time hero, Alvin Toffler. Yep, thanks to Jonathan Kersting at the Pittsburgh Technology Council, I actually had fifteen minutes with the man who probably changed my life.

I remember thinking, and after Jonathan had told me that he set this meeting up, “Now, I can die happy.”

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So I’m in the shower the other morning, and I hear some politician on some talk show and he’s breathlessly going on about some ethics violation.

“We’re gonna form a sub-committee and that sub-committee will report up to the main committee and then we’ll conduct our own investigation and blah-blah-blah.”

And all I can think is….”I’m paying for all of this foolishness.”

The NEXT thought that comes into my head is a quote from the Bible. (Now, I ain’t no Bible guy, but I do remember great quotes when I hear ‘em….)

“The idle mind is the Devil’s workshop.” This, I remember.

Here’s what goes on in government, so far as I can see.

Someone gets elected. Like all “newbies” (remember your first day at high school? Or college? Or work?), he doesn’t really know much more than where the restroom is located.

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