Blockchain and NFT's

In the spirit of furthering Sina’s commitment to educating ourselves and our Community about the promise of up and coming technologies, here is a short overview of this trending topic and why we believe that Blockchain and NFT’s are here to stay and how these technologies provide some non-obvious but extraordinary power that we believe will improve our world in the years to come.

Let’s start by taking a look at something referred to as NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens); a great innovation, not because of its application in such areas as buying and trading virtual assets like digital artwork and baseball cards, but because of how this technology will likely be applied in the real world and used in many common transactions. One compelling example is in the area of ticket sales…

Dustin SimantobJanuary 14, 2022 Comment

Another Angle: Senator Sinema at the American Center

Recently a small group of colleagues and I had the opportunity to participate in a Zoom call with Senator Sinema (D-AZ) to discuss politics, infrastructure and taxation. I would like to posit that at this time in our history, no politician exemplifies The American Center better than Senator Sinema, who has a unique personality for a Senator, evidenced by her colorful dress and wigs, confident to walk a road less traveled by herself. Progressives who are frustrated with Sinema for opposing a bigger spending bill, and conservatives who are frustrated that she still supports massive new spending, both agree that Sinema has a mind of her own.

Senator Sinema is extremely knowledgeable, highly confident, and not the least bit rattled by recent attacks on her from the left of her own party. Although she did not disclose anything she had not already stated publicly, she did emphasize the fact she sees a way to get new social programs launched without damaging the economy. She has been consistently public in her opposition to tight price controls on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, but favors some federal help for access to off patent drugs. She believes in the entrepreneurial economy and what it does for Arizona and the US. Substantively she still wants to see progress on the same issues as the Progressive Democrats, but at a more incremental pace.

Dustin SimantobNovember 9, 2021Comment

Another Angle by Member Peter Fenichell

Old Man In A Hurry

Sina, I generally appreciate your weekly insightful essays. However your current one is like having a pebble in the shoe while hiking the Sanitas trail. This introduction is more akin to a Wall Street Journal editorial (I am a subscriber), or a posting in a Palm Beach, Florida Country Club (not a member) than from the well respected Highland City Club.

We desperately need the "old man' to be in a hurry. Few voted for a caretaker president. Biden supporters elected a man to undo 4 years of lies, bullying, environmental degradation, conspiracy theories, abuse to women, minorities, puppet to Putin, and threats to our democracy. Undoubtedly President Biden has his faults. However he inherited a country in turmoil, an economy in peril from his predecessor and if anything we need an Older Boulder Man:)

Sina SimantobOctober 15, 2021 Comment

Another Angle on Capitalism vs Socialism

Senator Machin recently commented he didn’t want America to turn into a nation of dependents. To some extent we are all dependents if we attend public school, public college, or even ride the highways; the question is one of degrees.

Are we better off as a Town, State, or Nation if we primarily depend on people at a certain age to take care of themselves, plan for the future, work hard, sacrifice, take prudent risks, and become better trained or educated? Or do we always blame circumstances (rather than choices)?!

The President has clearly come down on the side of arguing our system is somehow rigged. Ignoring the fact the top 25% of earners pay 71% of all federal income taxes, he argues the rich need to pay “their fair share.” Who could argue with that?

Sina SimantobOctober 8, 2021Comment

The Spiral Dynamics of American Exceptionalism

We got a lot of feedback and responses to last week’s intro, mostly positive. Here is one from our valued member, Parker Johnson, looking at the topic from a different angle:

After reading the first sentence of Sina’s intro in last week's newsletter, I thought (hoped?) he was joking/lampooning, and then to my horror and sadness, I realized he was serious. Is it possible that he is unaware that the very term and notion of “American Exceptionalism” is a global joke, branded on all of us by the behaviors and rhetoric of the worst of us? The term itself is pure hubris. An alchemy of self-inflation, self-aggrandizement, and privilege. Smug, pompous, and unified in delusion.

Sina SimantobSeptember 10, 2021Comment

Another Angle: Parker Johnson

When I first read the headline for this week's article for the newsletter, I cringed. Sina had sent it to a couple of members asking for our thoughts before posting it. My knee-jerk reaction was “pick your battles.” And what I meant by that was how do we - the privileged descendants and beneficiaries of a radically different historical experience - weigh-in and take a stand on something we can and will never fully comprehend? Where empathy and compassion are not enough; where judgements are loaded with privilege and ignorance; and where efforts and opinions run the spectrum from guilt and fragility to rage and victimization - taking a stand in this multi-dimensional, omni-verse of quantum complexity is fraught with, well... pick your battles.

Dustin SimantobNovember 27, 2020Comment

The Four Freedoms: Parker Johnson

There is a powerful and poignant exhibit currently at the Denver Art Museum chronicling the arc of Norman Rockwell’s career as an iconic American artist reflecting an idealized image of the 1940’s/50’s America back onto itself, to a more sober and wisened reflection expressing his alarm for the state of affairs by the 1960’s.

Sina SimantobSeptember 18, 2020 Comment

Why I am A Conservative: Craig Jones

I believe political philosophy should be rooted in personal values; in my case those values start with liberty, freedom, the ability to be rewarded for hard work, planning, self sacrifice and delayed gratification. No one should be a minority stakeholder in their own efforts. When I apply these ideas to public policy, I advocate low taxes, smaller government, and business friendly policies.

Sina SimantobSeptember 11, 2020 Comment

ANOTHER ANGLE: LEONARD MCCREARY

Referencing Sina’s question above, I see a man who is a great American capitalist. I see a man wrapped in our flag because he finds it advantageous.

An average citizen might pass this man on the street, barefoot sans flag with his tattered clothes, unkempt appearance, and dispirited demeanor, and think nothing of yet another vagrant with whom they cannot relate. Perhaps if the passerby feels anything, it's contempt.

Sina SimantobAugust 21, 2020Comment

Woke(ness): Parker Johnson

Lance Morrow’s recent article condemning today’s rising Left wing fringe as the “Dawn of the Woke,” comparing them to McCarthyism and the Zombie Apocalypse is terribly ironic, ignorant and tone-deaf. Firstly, to use McCarthy (the radical alt-right Fascist of his time) as his whipping boy of projection onto the fringe of the progressive Left underscores just how absurd the polarities of our divisions have become. Accusing your enemy/adversary of the worst of your own party’s shadow is a clever tactic to demonize them while conflating your worldview with your blindspots. Perhaps a more empathetic, wisened and curious Morrow might inquire what is behind this loud resurgence of social justice, equal rights/voice, and the emergence and empowerment of the disillusioned, disenfranchised and heretofore largely invisible. Perhaps he need look no further than the title of his very own 2001 National Magazine Award essay on the attacks of 9/11, entitled, “The Case for Rage and Retribution.” Let that sink in.

Dustin SimantobAugust 14, 2020 Comments

A MEMBERSHIP LEAD POSTING

ANOTHER ANGLE