Chuck Feeney died on October 9, 2023, at the age of 92. I wrote this in 2017

John Merrow Uncategorized

Billionaire Charles Feeney has finally completed what he set out to do: He has given away his fortune.  In all, he’s donated $8 billion, keeping only about $2 million for himself and his wife, Helga, who now live in San Francisco.  Jim Dwyer of the New York Times wrote a glorious profile of Mr. Feeney early this month, and I urge everyone to read it.  You will discover how he made his money and why he decided to give it away.  Unlike Donald Trump, he did not insist upon having his name on buildings (and his money has helped build more than 1,000 of them!).  He hasn’t wanted his name in lights, unlike a certain New Yorker.  Moreover, Mr. Feeney gave away money that he himself had earned, in sharp contrast to Mr. Trump, who solicited donations from others and then donated the money in his own name.

Most of Mr. Feeney’s gifts have gone to to higher education (especially Cornell, his alma mater), public health, human rights, and scientific research).

For most of his time as a philanthropist, Mr. Feeney insisted on anonymity (unlike another New Yorker we know). Recipients either did not know where the money was coming from, or, if they did, they were sworn to secrecy.

I’m one of the beneficiaries. His gift saved my career.

It was 1994, and I was basically broke, with two films nearing completion but no money to finish them.  I was employed by a small non-profit in South Carolina but working in New York City. That organization managed our grants, took care of payroll for the three of us, and filed final reports to foundations (although I wrote them).  For these small tasks, the organization took 20% of every grant, off the top.  I thought that was way too much, and I was able to persuade one foundation to write a 15% cap into its grant.  I used that as leverage to get the rate down for other grants, but only after a protracted and nasty battle.

Winning that battle was a mistake, because I soon lost the war, one that I hadn’t even known he had declared.  Early in 1994 the boss called me to announce (with glee) that he was shutting down my operation in New York City because we were out of money.  I explained that I had two sizable grants in the pipeline and that all we needed was an advance to cover a few months.  Sorry, he said, no advances.

I was panicked.  I lay awake most nights, in a cold sweat. We had spent three years filming in a Cincinnatti high school, watching a small band of reformers put Ted Sizer’s “Less is More” Essential Schools philosophy into operation. We had wonderful characters and a great story of the resistance to change from within a school. But we didn’t have the dollars necessary to finish editing, mixing, color-correcting, et cetera.   And we were well into filming another story.

In all, I calculated that we needed about $90,000 to finish both films and deliver them to PBS.  That number didn’t include salaries, which all three of us had decided to forgo just to get the work done.

I spent days on the phone, calling in whatever chits I imagined I might have.  Not many, as it turned out, but I did get promises of $10,000 from one foundation, $5,000 from another, and (perhaps) $7,500 from a third.  Then I called Sophie Sa of the Panasonic Foundation. She said her foundation couldn’t make grants, unfortunately. I was crestfallen and was about to sign off when she said, “Do you know about the anonymous foundation?”

No, I said, tell me.

“I can’t. It’s a secret.  No publicity.”

Gee thanks, I thought to myself.

“But if you will send me a letter explaining what you’re looking for, I will see they get it.”

The fax went out within the hour, and the next morning my phone rang.

“John, this is Angela. I work for an anonymous donor, and we’d like to meet with you.  Can you come by this afternoon?”

When I got there, I discovered that Angela’s last name was Covert, perfect for a top-secret organization. She and her colleague, Joel Fleishman, spoke highly of our work and said they’d like to help, under the condition of absolute secrecy.  After I agreed, they asked me how much I needed.

I think we can finish both films for about $75,000, I said, hoping that I wasn’t aiming too high.  “That’s a ridiculous amount,” Joel said, and I’m sure my face fell.  Then he added, “You will need at least twice that amount.”

He went on to talk about unexpected expenses, our salaries, some money for publicity, and a financial cushion to give me time to raise more money to keep the organization afloat.

And then one of them added, “And you ought to think about setting up your own non-profit so you don’t find yourself in this situation again. That means hiring a lawyer, which means more money.”

In the end, the anonymous foundation wrote a check for $200,000 or maybe $225,000, to be paid to a new non-profit organization.  That’s how Learning Matters came into being.

We finished the film, which earned high praise.  Judy Woodruff, then at CNN, called it “Riveting reporting….that powerfully demonstrates at once how hard reform will be and how absolutely necessary it is, if we are to save this and future generations of American youngsters.”

When the cover of anonymity was stripped away some years later, we learned that man who saved us from going broke was Charles Feeney, a public-spirited New Jersey native who served as a radio operator in the Air Force, attended Cornell on the GI Bill, and in 1960 co-founded Duty Free, the shops that cater to international air travelers.

Thanks to Charles Feeney’s generosity and the hands-on work of Angela Covert and Joel Fleishmann, Learning Matters had a good run of 20 years. We earned two Peabody Awards, produced hundreds of reports for the PBS NewsHour and three programs for Frontline, and served as a training ground for dozens of skilled producers who continue to focus on education and children’s issues.

(We did one other thing when Mr. Feeney went public: From that point on as far as we were concerned, Angela Covert was now Angela Overt!)

May Charles Feeney, now 85, and his wife enjoy many years of health and joy.  What a marvelous role model he has been, and is.

Thank you, sir….

(In 2017 I called this post “The Anti-Trump,” and you can find the readers’ reactions here: https://themerrowreport.com/2017/01/12/the-anti-trump/?c=6928#comment-6928 )

(Joel Fleishman died in 2024 after a long life of service. He was 90 https://sanford.duke.edu/story/honoring-joel-fleishman/)

The Anti-Trump

OK WE’RE AGAINST KINGS. WHAT ARE WE FOR??

John Merrow Uncategorized , , , ,

More than five million demonstrators in about 2000 communities stepped forward to declare their opposition to Donald Trump, on June 14th. “No Kings Day” was also Trump’s 79th birthday, Flag Day, and the anniversary of the creation of the American army.

So now we know what many of us are against, but the central question remains unanswered: What do we stand FOR? What do we believe in?

Just as FDR called for Four Freedoms, the Democratic party needs to articulate its First Principles.  I suggest three: “The Public Good,” “Individual Rights,” and “Rebuilding America after Trump.” 

 THE PUBLIC GOOD: Democrats must take our nation’s motto, E pluribus unum, seriously, and they must vigorously support the common good.  That means supporting public libraries, public parks, public schools, public transportation, public health, public safety, public broadcasting, and public spaces–almost anything that has the word ‘public’ in it.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS: Because the fundamental rights that are guaranteed in our Constitution are often subject to interpretation, debate, and even violent disagreement, Democrats must be clear.  Free speech, freedom of worship, habeas corpus, and other fundamental rights are not up for debate, and nor is a woman’s right to control her own body.  

Health care is a right, and Democrats must make that a reality.  

Conflict is inevitable–think vaccination requirements–and Democrats should come down on the side of the public good.  

Because Americans have a right to safety, Democrats should endorse strong gun control measures that ban assault weapons that have only one purpose–mass killing. 

REBUILDING AMERICA AFTER TRUMP:  The Trump regime was and continues to be a disaster for a majority of Americans and for our standing across the world, but it’s not enough to condemn his greed and narcissism, even if he goes to prison.  Let’s first acknowledge that Trump tapped into serious resentment among millions of Americans, which further divided our already divided country.  

The challenge is to work to bring us together, to make ‘one out of many’ in the always elusive ‘more perfect union.’  The essential first step is to abandon the ‘identity politics’ that Democrats have practiced for too long.  Instead, Democrats must adopt policies that bring us together, beginning with mandatory National Service: 

National Service: Bring back the draft for young men and women to require two years of (paid) National Service, followed by two years of tuition or training credits at an accredited institution.  One may serve in the military, Americorps, the Peace Corps, or other helping organizations.  One may teach or work in distressed communities, or rebuild our national parks, or serve in other approved capacities.  JFK famously said “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”  Let’s ask BOTH questions.  

Additionally: 1) Urge states to beef up civic education in public schools, teaching real history, asking tough questions.  At the same time, federal education policies should encourage Community schools, because research proves that schools that welcome families are more successful across many measures.

2) Rebuild Our Aging Infrastructure: This is urgent, and it will also create jobs.

3) Adopt fiscal and monetary policies to address our burgeoning national debt. This should include higher taxes on the wealthy, emulating Dwight Eisenhower. 

4) Adopt sensible and realistic immigration policies that welcome newcomers who arrive legally but close our borders to illegal immigration.

5) Rebuilding America also means rebuilding our alliances around the world.  Democrats should support NATO and Ukraine, and rejoin efforts to combat climate change. 

In addition to adopting Three “First Principles,” Democrats must act NOW to ensure that the 2026 elections are free and fair. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, is concerned about this.  In an email he wrote: “For me, the essential question for my party is this: do you think this political moment is frenzied but still normal, and thus our job is to use our tried and true political tactics to make Trump as deservedly unpopular as possible so that we win back levers of power in 2026; or, do you think this moment is without precedent, and that Trump’s assault on democracy is so serious that all our work must be directed not toward winning the 2026 election, but making sure there is a free, fair election in 2026?”

Murphy is launching a fund to support citizen-led, grass roots, state and regional efforts to protect the vote.  American Mobilization will provide money and logistical support, Murphy promises. The first $400,000 is going to three organizations: the Committee to Protect Health Care, the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition for Action, and Project 26 Pennsylvania. He explains, “The Committee to Protect Health is organizing doctors and nurses to protect Medicaid in Michigan, Louisiana, and Utah, and Georgia Youth Justice and Project 26 are organizing young people, including college students, to join the fight.”

It’s worth supporting Senator Murphy because Trump presents a genuine and serious threat to our democratic republic. Democrats have to fight.

In a column in the New York Times, David Brooks argued that we are in a ‘world-shifting’ time, and that Democrats haven’t realized how they are being left behind.  In other words, sharpening their message won’t cut it.  He writes, “This is not about policies. Democrats have to do what Trump did: create a new party identity, come up with a clear answer to the question: What is the central problem of our time? Come up with a new grand narrative.”

The three non-negotiable requirements for Democratic success are 1) First Principles that articulate a clear set of core beliefs, 2) Effective messengers, and 3) Mastery of the medium(s) that conveys the message.  Call it the 3M concept: message, messenger, and medium.  Right now too many Democrats are spinning their wheels on #2 and #3, instead of figuring out what they stand for.  

Rebuilding America also requires looking forward, because AGI, artificial general intelligence, is both an existential threat and a huge promise.  At a minimum, AGI will be a job-eliminator in ways we cannot even imagine, and that reality must be addressed.  If we cannot create enough new jobs, what will adults do with all that free time? 

And Ukraine’s drone attack deep into Russia must also be seen as another new reality.  We are now vulnerable in ways we never imagined, now that an ordinary freight truck can be converted into an aircraft carrier.

These are perilous times, the worst possible time to have a shallow narcissist in the White House, enabled by Fox News ‘personalities’ and other toadies in positions of power.

But that’s our reality until the 2026 elections, when we can begin to retake control of our destiny and begin to repair America and our standing in the world.  

Just SAYING “No” to kings won’t cut it.  Organize, register to vote, register others, contribute to the ACLU, and speak up and speak out.  

BIKING MY AGE (AND THEN SOME)

John Merrow Uncategorized , , , , ,

I completed my ABBA-sanctioned ride and have now ‘biked my age’ for 15 consecutive years.  My goal was 84 miles, but I ended up biking 101 miles, my first Century in a dozen or more years.

Those of you who were planning to donate to the Island Housing Trust, the American Civil Liberties Union, World Central Kitchen, PBS, or Senator Chris Murphy’s American Mobilization effort, please consider writing a bigger check.

I don’t know how many of you were able to watch the live-streaming on YouTube’s ‘Aging Amateur Athletes’ channel, but I gather there were some technical difficulties. For one thing, I biked in dense fog from 5:15 AM until about 7:30, which means I was invisible, despite the bright yellow Viagra biking jersey.  Also, drone coverage was suspended whenever I was within 1/4 mile of an airport, for reasons of national security.  We have two airports here, and I biked by them at least 8 times during the ride, leading YouTube to switch to a rerun of Oscar Levitan’s marathon one-arm Plank from 2023, when he set a world record of 8 hours and 36 minutes.  Still, the world-wide audience for my ride climbed into the high two figures and came within a whisper of an audience of 100.

I averaged 13 miles per hour, 52,345 revolutions, and a EE/RC ratio of .0001, which I believe is an ABBA record.  Perfection is a flat zero, meaning that one’s “Energy Expenditure” is perfectly matched with “Rider Comfort.” 

I am proud to say that I served my country during my 101-mile ride. At the request of NASA, two small ergometric chips were implanted in my two large toenails, to measure energy output. The conventional wisdom is that arm and leg energy output are similar, but the safety of our Astronauts depends on getting that right.  Apparently, the final ‘fail safe’ disaster system on Musk’s Space-X rockets, should all other systems fail, involves deploying high tech ‘space oars,’ which the Astronauts will then pedal to direct the rocket into position for re-entry.  It’s essential that the Astronauts pedal with the exact same energy, which is why NASA asked to implant the chips.  I hope we never find out if that system works, but if it does, I will have done my part.

ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENT

John Merrow Uncategorized , , , ,

(NOTE TO READER: THIS MISSIVE WAS GENERATED BY AI AND CONTAINS NUMEROUS HALLUCINATIONS AND FABRICATIONS. READER CAUTION IS ADVISED.)

Friends,

Some calm morning in the next few days I will once again attempt to “bike my age.”  ​And while I’ve been successful for the past 14 years, it will be tougher this time​, ​because the ride is longer– 84​ miles–and I am a year older and slower​. That’s the bad news, but I have THREE pieces of good news.

One, for the first time, I have sponsors to help defray the costs of the ride. That’s right, Viagra and Rogaine,  products whose utility I can vouch for, have signed on, and I will be wearing their jerseys at different times during the ride.   The bright yellow Viagra jersey with the upright arrow should be easy to spot. 

(I was approached for sponsorship by another product you may have heard about, Depends.  I told them, “Not this year, but check back!”)

And, two, my ride will be live-streamed on YouTube’s AAA Channel, the ‘aging amateur athlete’ showcase.  I believe it’s Channel 1273 on YouTube.  They will launch their drone when I begin my ride and track my progress throughout the day.  I know YouTube is hoping for viewership in the high two figures, so please try to tune in.

Three, my effort is once again sanctioned by ABBA, the Annual Birthday Bikers Association (based in Stockholm).  I will adhere to the rules: One 15-minute nap with no pillow; no Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs); and no sex during the ride.  One becomes eligible for an ABBA upon reaching the age of 70, which is when I began pursuing my dream.

If I am successful, this will mark FIFTEEN years in a row that I have ‘biked my age.’  That may sound impressive, but it’s actually an incredible TEN years shy of the ABBA record, which is held by the late Martin ‘Musclehead’ Marston of Minnesota.  That’s right, he biked his age when he was 94 years old, for the 25th time in a row, a record that will probably never be broken.

Sadly, Musclehead went to his grave claiming that he had also biked his age on his 95th birthday, but ABBA rejected his claim.  It’s an interesting if tragic story.  Confident to the point of arrogance, Musclehead set off to ride 95 miles on his 95th birthday wearing nothing but bike shoes and a jockstrap. After 30 miles he was pulled over by police and charged with indecent exposure.  Hauled off to jail, he persuaded the officers to let him use a stationary bike, on which he claimed to have biked an additional 65 miles.  Unfortunately for Musclehead, ABBA’s rules specifically prohibit using a stationary bike.

When he was taken before the magistrate that afternoon, she asked if he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure. Musclehead is said to have guffawed and blurted out, “Indecent?  Who are you kidding! Don’t these look pretty decent?”  And with that he began to strip.  The magistrate sentenced him to 30 days in solitary confinement.  And here the story takes a tragic turn, because the famously stubborn Musclehead refused to ask for medical treatment for the chapping and open blisters he got while biking in a jockstrap. These became infected, and Musclehead died while in solitary confinement. 

He is commemorated in the ABBA Hall of Fame, the only person to have biked their age for 25 consecutive years.  RIP, Musclehead, and don’t worry: I don’t expect to threaten your remarkable record. 

But, friends,  I would like your help in making it to 15 years in a row. I’m asking you to contribute $84, $840, $8400 or more, to either the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) or World Central Kitchen, two invaluable non-profit organizations. 

You can help the ACLU and WCK by supporting my ride.  And, while past performance is no guarantee of future results, I am feeling pretty good about my chances.  I hope I don’t jinx myself, but I am feeling so confident that, if I cannot complete the 84-mile ride, I will personally fulfill YOUR pledge.**

And, finally,  if you’d like to join me for part of the ride, or if you want to receive updates on ride day, please text me at 646.373.3034, and I will add you to the chain.

** Subject to Trump’s tariffs and the approval of my wife and our financial advisor

PROJECT 2029?

John Merrow Uncategorized , , , ,

Anybody else out there feeling depressed about what’s happening in our country? Frightened? Angry? All of the above? 

Well, join the crowd!

Although the fire hose of disturbing news can be overwhelming, panic and despair cannot be options, not on Memorial Day and not ever.  The smart people I’m listening to suggest at least three courses of action: 1) Support the ACLU and others who are fighting Trump in the courts; 

2) Focus on taking back the House, and perhaps even the Senate in 2026; and

3) Help figure out what Democrats stand for, rather than playing the parlor game of arguing about the strengths and weaknesses of Gretchen Whitmer, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, JB Pritzker, and others.  Parlor games and being against Trumpism aren’t enough; it wasn’t enough in 2016 or 2024, and it won’t be enough in 2026 and 2028 either.

#3, Figuring out what Democrats and the Democratic Party stand for could lead to ‘Project 2029,’ which should be the opposite of ‘Project 2025,’ the GOP’s blueprint for dismantling much of the federal government.  In sharp contrast, ‘Project 2029’ has to be forward-looking and positive, even as it seeks to undo the damage Trump has done and is doing.

So….what should be in Project 2029?  For openers, I would argue that Democrats should support almost anything that has the word ‘public’ in its name: public libraries, public parks, public schools, public transportation.

AND: Bring back the draft…for men and women….to require two years of universal National Service. This could be compensated service in a branch of the military, the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, a state’s Civilian Conservation Corps, or other similar organizations.  And this time National Service includes an additional reward: Two years of tuition or training credits, at an accredited institution.  JFK famously said “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”  Let’s ask BOTH questions.

ALSO:

A) Fiscal and monetary policies that help people buy their first home;

B) Higher taxes on the wealthy, a ban on trading by Congress, and other reforms of the tax code;

C) Community schools, not just stronger public schools.  These schools welcome parents and take full advantage of whatever the community has to offer. 

(And while we are at it, let’s make it harder to become a teacher but easier to be one. Higher entry standards and better training, and then more trust and better pay);

D) Rebuild our aging infrastructure;

E) Aggressively combat climate change;

F) Resist autocrats and support NATO and Ukraine;

G) Health care is a right. Make that a fact as well.

That’s my two cents. What would you add or subtract?

RANKING DONALD J. TRUMP

John Merrow Uncategorized , , , ,

“Readers love lists.  Whenever you can, build your column around a list.” 

Tina Brown, the brilliant editor of The Daily Beast and, before that, The New Yorker, gave me that advice while we were sitting in her Daily Beast office overlooking the Hudson River.  That was 20 years ago, and I was too immature–only 63!–to embrace the wisdom, but I realize now that she was correct.  

And so here’s a column with not one but THREE lists, and an opportunity for readers to rank the current occupant of The  White House on three aspects of his character and behavior: Greed, Narcissism, and Business Acumen.

(Scoring: Give Trump the points that correspond with your ranking.  IE, if you rank Trump the second-greediest person in history, he gets TWO points. Third most narcissistic, he gets THREE points. Worst businessman ever, ONE point.  Lowest total score wins!) 

Let’s start with greed or avarice.  Below are short descriptions (in alphabetical order) of 10 greedy people from human history. Where would you rank Donald Trump?

  1. Caligula, the Roman Emperor, is infamous for his tyrannical and extravagant reign, driven by greed and madness. His rule was marked by excessive spending and cruel demands.  Caligula’s desire for wealth led to heavy taxation and confiscation of property, causing public unrest. His erratic behavior and lavish projects drained the empire’s resources.
  2. Marcus Licinius Crassus was a Roman general and politician known for his immense wealth and insatiable greed. He became obsessed with wealth as a young man. He rented land and bought slaves to sell later on for profit. Rome’s failure to provide housing fueled his business. He organized teams of firefighters who would save the burning houses (fires were quite common) and then buy them cheap so he could rebuild them and rent them. He had a net worth of $2 Trillion in today’s money. 
  3. Hetty Green, known as the “Witch of Wall Street,” was one of the wealthiest women of her time. Her frugality and aggressive investment strategies earned her a reputation for greed and shrewdness. Green amassed a vast fortune through real estate and railroads, often lending money at high interest rates. Her financial decisions were marked by extreme thrift and an unyielding focus on profit.
  4. Leona Helmsley, dubbed the “Queen of Mean,” was an American businesswoman known for her opulent lifestyle and notorious greed. Her harsh management style and tax evasion convictions marked her career…Her downfall came with her conviction for tax evasion, exposing her lavish spending and disdain for the law. Helmsley’s story is a testament to the consequences of greed and the importance of integrity in business leadership.
  5. Leopold II of Belgium amassed a $500,000,000 fortune from his rubber plantations in Congo. In the process he killed some 8 million people and maimed uncountable men, women and children. He did not kill for pleasure or political/military gains. He did not kill with guns and swords. He killed for profit, and killed with overwork, hunger and punishment (his favourite was chopping off the hands of child-workers when they failed to meet inhuman work production requirements).
  6. Bernie Madoff was an American financier who orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in history, defrauding thousands of investors of billions of dollars. His greed and deception shattered lives and financial institutions.  Madoff’s reputation as a trusted financier concealed his fraudulent operations for decades. 
  7. Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines, became infamous for her extravagant lifestyle and accumulation of wealth. Her collection of shoes and lavish spending symbolized her greed. Marcos wielded significant influence during her husband’s regime, using her position to amass personal fortune and power. Her opulent lifestyle was funded by embezzled public funds and corruption.
  8. Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar ruled Madagascar with an iron fist from 1828 to 1861. Her greed for power and wealth was evident in her harsh policies and isolationist stance. Ranavalona’s regime was marked by forced labor and heavy taxation, which enriched her court but impoverished her subjects. Her ruthless approach to governance ensured her control over Madagascar, but at a significant cost to her people. Despite her reputation for cruelty, she maintained power for over three decades, leaving a legacy of greed and tyranny that still resonates in Madagascar’s history.
  9. Cecil Rhodes was a British imperialist known for his exploitation of African resources and people. His insatiable greed fueled colonial expansion in southern Africa, leading to the establishment of Rhodesia. Rhodes’ pursuit of wealth was driven by diamond mining, which he monopolized through De Beers.
  10. John D. Rockefeller, an American industrialist, became the richest man in modern history through the establishment of Standard Oil. His relentless pursuit of wealth led to monopolistic practices that crushed competitors and controlled the oil industry.

(Contemporary nominees include Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Charles Koch.)

Where would you put Trump on that list?  Here’s his own assessment: 

My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy. But now I want to be greedy for the United States. I want to grab all that money. I’m going to be greedy for the United States.

You have to admire how Trump takes a very negative quality and turns it to his political advantage. He always makes it about himself….which is a perfect segue to Narcissism, and another list: The World’s Worst Narcissists. First, a definition:  Narcissists, who have an inflated sense of self-importance, rarely think about others but instead prioritize their own needs and desires. 

Here’s a list of ten candidates (in alphabetical order) for “History’s Worst Narcissist.”

  1. Ted Bundy was an American serial killer and a psychopath who was convicted of killing more than thirty people, most of them young women. He was a manipulative, extremely self-centered, and charismatic man who loved attention and limelight.
  2. Cleopatra, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, is often characterized as a narcissist, particularly in her pursuit of power and dramatic life choices.
  3. Adolf Hitler, the Nazi politician who started World War II, slaughtered 6 million Jews and many other innocent people in his goal of establishing white Germans as the superior race.
  4. Jim Jones was an American cult leader and a preacher who persuaded more than nine hundred followers to accompany him to Guyana. There he forced his followers to drink poison in the name of spirituality. Those who declined to commit suicide were murdered.
  5. Kim Jong Un, the North Korean dictator, is known as a brutal and self-obsessed leader.  North Korean citizens are required to worship him as their leader, and do so out of terror and fright. 
  6. Kim Kardashian is a businesswoman, media personality, and model who relentlessly promotes herself, her wealth, and her pompousness publically. 
  7. Madonna, the American singer, actress, and songwriter, is known for her exploitative behavior towards her employees and staff members by making unreasonable and unfair demands. She is known for abusing her employees by making them work unreasonably long hours.
  8. King Louis XIV of France, known as The “Sun King,” was infamous for his extravagant lifestyle and his firm belief in his divine right to rule, emphasizing his grandeur and importance. “L’etat c’est moi,” he is said to have pronounced.
  9. Elon Musk: The CEO of X, Tesla and, SpaceX is often considered a modern-day narcissist due to his self-promoting behavior and controversial public statements.
  10. Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator, exhibited many traits associated with narcissism, including a cult of personality, paranoia, and a ruthless pursuit of power.

Is Donald Trump a textbook narcissist?  He is said to have almost all the traits that a narcissist might possess. He only cares about his personal needs, dismissing the needs of his family members; he is thin-skinned when it comes to criticism. He promotes himself above the needs of the nation, while sidetracking or ignoring his Constitutional responsibilities as President.

And, finally, the worst business leaders of all time.  Here are 10 candidates, again in alphabetical order

  1. John Akers – IBM  Under John Akers’ leadership in the late 1980s and early 1990s, IBM encountered significant challenges adapting to the rapidly evolving technology landscape. Akers’ inability to foresee the shift from mainframe to personal computing led to a loss of market share and financial stability for IBM. By 1992, the company reported an unprecedented annual loss of $8 billion, marking a significant downturn from its previous market dominance. 
  2. Leo Apotheker – Hewlett-Packard (HP): Leo Apotheker’s brief tenure as CEO of HP in 2011 was characterized by a series of strategic missteps that significantly impacted the company’s market position and shareholder value. His decisions to discontinue HP’s smartphone and tablet lines and the announcement of plans to spin off its lucrative PC business potentially caused confusion and uncertainty among investors, customers, and employees alike. These moves, along with the costly acquisition of Autonomy for $11 billion—a decision later mired in controversy over allegations of financial misrepresentation—resulted in a sharp decline in HP’s stock price and a loss of confidence in the company’s strategic direction. 
  3. Steven Ballmer – Microsoft: Steven Ballmer’s tenure as CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014 was marked by financial success but also significant strategic oversights, particularly in mobile computing and internet services. Despite maintaining profitability and growing revenues, Microsoft, under Ballmer’s leadership, failed to capitalize on the early stages of the mobile revolution and the rise of search engines like Google, allowing competitors to dominate these critical market segments.
  4. Carly Fiorina – Hewlett-Packard (HP): Carly Fiorina’s leadership at HP was marked by bold decisions, most notably the contentious acquisition of Compaq in 2002 for $25 billion. This move was intended to solidify HP’s position in the personal computing market but instead led to significant internal and external turmoil. 
  5. Fred Goodwin – Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS): Fred Goodwin’s leadership of RBS is often cited as a prime example of the dangers of overexpansion and the risks associated with high-stakes acquisitions. His aggressive pursuit of growth led RBS to acquire ABN Amro in 2007 for approximately £49 billion, just before the global financial crisis. This acquisition stretched RBS’s financial resources thin and exposed the bank to significant risks, contributing to its near-collapse and the largest bailout in British history, costing taxpayers around £45 billion. 
  6. Elizabeth Holmes – Theranos: Elizabeth Holmes promised to revolutionize the healthcare industry with Theranos’ technology, which claimed to perform comprehensive blood tests with just a few drops of blood. However, investigative journalism and regulatory scrutiny revealed that the technology was fundamentally flawed and incapable of producing accurate results. Holmes’ ambition led to over $700 million in investor losses and a criminal conviction for her.
  7. Ron Johnson – J.C. Penney: Ron Johnson’s attempt to transform J.C. Penney’s retail strategy was bold and forward-thinking but ultimately disconnected from the reality of the company’s customer base and market position. By eliminating coupons and sales in favor of everyday low prices and rebranding stores with an upscale flair, Johnson alienated long-time customers without attracting a new clientele. This misalignment led to a 25% drop in sales in his first year alone, a loss from which the company never recovered.
  8. Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling – Enron: The Enron scandal, masterminded by CEO Kenneth Lay and COO turned CEO Jeffrey Skilling, represents one of the most dramatic collapses in corporate America. Their use of off-the-books special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to conceal debts and artificially inflate the company’s stock price not only misled investors but also compromised the integrity of the financial reporting system. The fallout from Enron’s bankruptcy in 2001 was profound, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs, the erasure of $74 billion for shareholders, and the dissolution of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm.
  9. Bob Nardelli – Home Depot: Bob Nardelli’s tenure at Home Depot is often criticized for prioritizing cost-cutting and operational efficiency at the expense of customer service and employee satisfaction. His focus on centralizing operations and reducing staff levels deteriorated the company’s core competency of knowledgeable and friendly customer service. This approach, coupled with his autocratic leadership style, decreased employee morale and customer loyalty. 
  10. Martin Winterkorn – Volkswagen: Under Martin Winterkorn’s leadership, Volkswagen became embroiled in one of the largest scandals in automotive history. The “Dieselgate” scandal, involving the manipulation of emissions tests through software installed in diesel engines, highlighted a failure in ethical leadership and a systemic issue within the company’s pursuit of market dominance. The scandal resulted in over $30 billion in fines and settlements and a significant tarnish on Volkswagen’s reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.

Where does Donald Trump, with five bankruptcies, a failed airline, a failed professional football team, a failed on-line university and so on, rank?  His less-than-admirable track record of 15 or more failures, include these four: 

  1. Trump Airlines — Trump borrowed $245 million to purchase Eastern Air Shuttle. He branded it Trump Airlines. He added gold bathroom fixtures. Two years later Trump could not cover the interest payment on his loan and defaulted. 
  2. Trump Beverages — Although Trump touted his water as “one of the purest natural spring waters bottled in the world,” it was simply bottled by a third party. Other beverages, including Trump Fire and Trump Power, seem not to have made it to market. And Trump’s American Pale Ale died with a trademark withdrawal. 
  3. Trump Game — Milton Bradley tried to sell it. As did Hasbro. After investment, the game died and went out of circulation. 
  4. Trump Casinos — Trump filed for bankruptcy three times on his casinos, namely the Trump Taj Mahal, the Trump Marina and the Trump Plaza in New Jersey and the Trump Casino in Indiana. Trump avoided debt obligations of $3 billion the first time. Then $1.8 billion the second time. And then after reorganizing, shuffling money and assets, and waiting four years, Trump again declared bankruptcy after missing ongoing interest payments on multi-million dollar bonds. He was finally forced to step down as chairman. .

So where does Donald Trump rank among the worst business leaders of all time?  Please  tally up your results, and, if you want to share, post your scores here.

“IF YOU’VE EVER WONDERED…….

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“If you’ve wondered what you would have done if you’d lived in Nazi Germany during Hitler’s rise to power, it’s what you are doing right now.”

That’s not the exact quote, but I heard something like that the other day, and it struck home.  It’s actually  not a new thought: On Twitter I found this version from 2017, substituting “Slavery” or “the Civil Rights Movement” for “Nazi Germany,” but the point remains: What am I doing in this moment of crisis? What are you doing? What else can we do?

Well, here’s something that you can do immediately: Write the presidents of every academic institution you have a connection to and urge them to stand tall in the face of despotism.

Something like: 

Dear President XXXX,

As a proud (College or University) graduate, I urge you to join Harvard and stand firmly against the Trump Administration’s all out assault on the fundamental pillars of American society, including academic freedom. I hope that (college name) and other elite institutions will lead the effort to rebuild our democratic republic.  

I am approaching my XXth birthday and never have I been so afraid for my country.  As someone wisely observed, “If you ever wondered what you would have done if you had lived in Nazi Germany in the late 1930’s, it’s what you are doing right now.”  I believe that is correct. 

Thank you for your leadership, 

The New York Times columnist David Brooks, a lifelong conservative, has other suggestions, and I urge you to read his thoughtful piece.  He makes it clear that it’s not enough to be against Trump and Trumpism; we must also stand with equal fervor and purpose for a just society that provides fair opportunities for all.  And he makes clear that this is not a Democrat, Independent, or Republican issue. This is what all Americans must do to save our country from a power-hungry despot and his enablers.

Should We Be Rooting FOR Catastrophe?

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More than 100 years ago H.G. Wells observed that “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Wells was stacking the deck in that binary choice, because no one in their right mind would choose ‘catastrophe‘ over education. That would be unthinkable, particularly just after the end of World War I. 

Wells wrote more than 50 novels, including “The War of the Worlds,” as well as short stories, history and other nonfiction, an autobiography, and social commentary.  Little read today, Wells is best known for that one line, which supporters of public education cite time and again. 

How the tables have turned!  In 2025, education is not one of the binary choices.  Instead, we seem to be in a race between the burgeoning fascism of the Trump Presidency and catastrophe.  And, given that binary choice, it appears that ‘catastrophe’ is now the good guy in the equation, the potential savior of our Democratic Republic.  In other words, we should be rooting for catastrophes–note the plural, because just one castatrophe won’t do it.  We need a critical mass of awful stuff, sufficient to serve as a wake-up call for Americans, so that we are motivated to take action.

That’s how quickly Trump has upended American politics and governance.  The entire Republican party has abdicated its responsibilities, and a surprisingly large percentage of American adults now seem to be pleased that Trump and Elon Musk are ‘draining the swamp’ and ‘driving out the deep state.’   They’re happy now, but how long will that last?

Because Trump-caused catastrophes loom….and some have already arrived. Here’s a partial list: Delayed or missing social security checks, diminished veterans’ medical care, rising prices of food and consumer goods as the impact of tariffs becomes real, actual food shortages, a tanking stock market that bites into retirement security, rising interest rates, cuts in services for children with disabilities, the closing down of museums and libraries, increased financial pressure on farmers, a growing measles epidemic and perhaps bird flu as well, no FEMA help when natural disasters strike, diminished American prestige abroad (with China and others filling the vacuum), weaker relationships with close allies, including our neighbors Canada and Mexico, collapse in consumer confidence, and rising unemployment. 

H.G. Wells’ next two sentences are worth your attention: “Let us learn the truth and spread it as far and wide as our circumstances allow. For the truth is the greatest weapon we have.”

I hope you are making plans to participate at a Hands Off! Protest on Saturday, April 5th!

My TED Talks

John Merrow Uncategorized

Although I was raised not to brag, today I cannot help myself. I’m jumping for joy because I’ve just learned that I have been awarded a highly coveted TED fellowship, which means that later this year I will be presenting FOUR TED talks, a so-called “Quar-TED” of my very own.

The competition for this honor is intense. Applicants were judged on the originality and creativity of their topics and the videotapes of two public presentations.

The names of other recipients haven’t been released, but a source inside the TED organization leaked the names of the household words who have been rejected in recent years.  It’s impressive: Khloe and Kim Kardashian, Eric Trump, Alan Dershowitz, Sylvester Stallone, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jeffrey Epstein, Roseanne Barr, Pete Hegsleth, KellyAnne Conway, Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammar, and George Santos.

My four TED talks will be on the TED YouTube channel, but, if you’d like to attend in person, come to Rough Draft, a cozy bookstore-bar in Kingston, NY, that can seat somewhere between 30 and 31 people. 

Because I submitted seven topics, I now have to eliminate three. Perhaps you will help me by telling me which three of the seven do not interest you in the least. I kind of hope you won’t eliminate #7, because that’s a passion of mine.

1. THE HISTORY OF DENTAL FLOSS

No doubt you floss regularly, but have you ever wondered who flossed first? It’s a fascinating story of innovation and corporate courage, which I will tell in this session. Although some evidence suggests that primitive people may have used twigs to clean between their teeth, credit for the invention of dental floss as we know it goes to a New Orleans dentist, who in 1815 began advising his patients to use a thin silk thread to clean between their teeth.

The idea slowly caught on, and in 1882 a Massachusetts company, Codman and Shurtleft, began marketing an unwaxed silk dental floss. This was followed in 1896 by the first dental floss from Johnson & Johnson, which patented it in 1898.  Nylon replaced silk in the 1940’s, but today floss can be spongy or soft, flavored or unflavored, and may even be made of Gore-tex.

And this brief summary just scratches the surface (the enamel, so to speak). I promise to open wide, explore the crannies, and dig out all the tiny details for you.

2. UNDERSTANDING BITCOIN

The fast-changing world of bitcoin is baffling. At least 21 different varieties are available, beyond the power of any mnemonic to organize.  There is, however, an easy way to grasp the complexity: Their three different power systems.  

  1. Exerium, XRP, Solana, Litecoin, and Dogecoin are driven by Grexiana voltage, which is easily computed by squaring the cube root of their value, divided by the population of their sponsoring country or territory.   
  2. Stellar, AVAX, Altcoins, Aave, and Memecoins, in sharp contrast, are powered by Androcentia, which can be computed by taking the cube root of their value, multiplied by 13.5, and then divided by the market value of Google and Meta (but not Apple).  
  3. Most of the remaining forms of bitcoin, like TRON, Polkadot, Tether, Cardano, and Dai, are powered and valued by a more complex formula that entails factoring in the combined payrolls for civic employees of the four largest cities in the sponsoring state or territory, and determining the square root of the power generation required to create the entity, plus the average annual rainfall of the region.  

Using charts and graphs, I promise to bring this to life.

3. GRAINS OF SAND

Everyone has heard the unprovable assertion that no two snowflakes are identical; perhaps you have heard the same claim about grains of sand.  However, the latter assertion can be tested, because grains of sand neither melt nor disappear.  The earth contains trillions and trillions of grains of sand, and I have spent years searching for identical grains on beaches and deserts in the US, France, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Great Britain, Ireland, Morocco, Madagascar, Ethiopia Thailand, China, Turkey, Greece, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, and a dozen or more Caribbean islands.   

In a 1-hour slide presentation of closeup views of grains of sand from hundreds of beaches, I will show everyone just how tantalizingly close I have come to finding perfectly matching grains of sand. Those attending the live presentation will receive a small jar of sand from my collection, so that they may examine grains themselves. 

4. LADDERS, LADDERS, LADDERS

When you hear the word ‘ladder,’ you probably visualize something made of wood or galvanized metal, but when those materials weren’t available, ingenious humans adapted, making serviceable ladders from pasta and, in the 12th century in what is now Denmark, from cheese.  Whatever the material, ladders have long symbolized our ambition to reach higher. Without ladders, Costco wouldn’t exist, fire trucks would serve no purpose, and the Napoleonic wars would never have happened. In this session, everyone will enjoy a virtual visit to the Läedder Museum in Oslo, play a competitive (virtual) round of Andean Ladderball in a virtual three-story gym, and virtually sample some giraffe yogurt from Pretoria.  And ladders make all this possible!

5. THE WORLD OF SOD FARMING

“Why are sod farmers bored?”

“Because all they do is sit around watching the grass grow.”

That’s just one of hundreds of side-splitting jokes about the serious business of growing grass that I will entertain you with, as I introduce you to the complex world of the man-made lawn. For example, are you aware that new sod must be cut at precisely the right depth? Cut too short, and the grass root ends will be damaged; cut too deep, and the grass roots will not emerge to grow into their new location.  

In both instances, domestic tragedy ensues: the new grass dies, and the bereft homeowner and family are left with a yellowing lawn–and a sizable bill.

6. THE MYSTERIES OF GLUE

Perhaps you have wondered how Adam and Eve got their fig leaves to stick onto their private parts. Well, they must have used resin. In other words, age-wise, glue has been around as long as sin itself!  Fast forward 50,000 years, and archaeologists have found evidence that early man made glue by heating up birch bark tar. 

Fascinating, right?  I believe I know as much as there is to know about glue, whether it’s the density of SuperGlue or the dangers of eating Elmer’s Glue. Glue can be plant-based, animal-based, or some combination.  You will come away fully informed about starch glues (such as potato starch glue, rice glue, and wheat paste), dextrin glues, polysaccharide glues, tree gums (Gum Arabic and acacia gum), and resins.  

Before the session is over, you too will understand glue….and will no doubt be the hit of future cocktail parties.

7. CHOOSING TEXTBOOKS

Every year our nation’s 14,000 school districts purchase hundreds of millions of dollars worth of textbooks and other instructional materials.  There are three distinct approaches.  

  1. About one-third of school districts require a 30-day viewing period in which interested adults may review the material, a 2-day public comment period, and a 65% majority for approval;  
  2. Another third of school districts require a 60-day viewing period, a 3-day public comment time, and a 60% majority
  3. The remaining third require a 45-day viewing period, a 1-day public comment time, and a 66.7% majority.   

Think about those combinations: 30, 60, and 45.  2, 3, and 1.  65%, 60%, and 66.7%.  The possibilities are endlessly intriguing.

This particular subject is in my sweet spot, because I spent 41 years covering public education.  Be prepared for lots of long and highly detailed stories about textbook adoption in communities across the country.