Six Months

The last conversation I had with my late, brilliant friend Tom Ilmanen was six months ago today. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that was the last conversation we will ever have. Words are inadequate to describe how much I enjoyed our conversations and email dialogues and how much I will miss them.

I still can’t quite get my head around the fact that he is dead, dying on the Monday before Christmas, 2025 at the age of 64. Life is not fair, nor is it unfair; it just is. However, it is a real loss for the world that someone with his intellect and love of learning is no longer among the living.

The fact that I became “obsessed” with finding Tom right after my wonderful wife and I moved to Arizona in late 2020 and that he and I were able to establish a dialogue shortly thereafter seems like eerily coincidental timing. I suppose I should be grateful that we had the conversations and email exchanges.

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It is far more likely than not that I will be writing less often in the future. I am tired of repeating my views; people either agree (I suspect most readers of this feed do) or they don’t. I will summarize a few of the tenets in which I believe:

I am pro-Israel and fervently believe in its right to exist as a Jewish state.

I am extremely anti Iranian tyranny and terror.

History is very clear that one cannot negotiate with or appease evil; it MUST be fought even if the fight is indefinite.

The Chinese government is the most significant bad actor in the world.

The phrase/concept “democratic socialism” is an oxymoron.

All other things being equal, individual freedom > government control.

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OK, time for some car photos:

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The car pictured at the bottom is a 1957 Buick Special hardtop. As much of an emotional attachment as I have to 1956 Buicks, given a ‘56 Century was the first family car I really remember and the first car I ever drove, I must admit I think the ‘57 models look better and this Special hardtop REALLY looks good to me.

The ‘57 Special hardtop hammered for $46,000 or $50,600 all in. I would love to have the net worth to indulge my automotive wishes without constraint.

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When I indicate I will be writing less frequently it is not a “threat” in any way, shape or form that readership must increase or else. It is not a passive-aggressive ploy, either.

I have been regularly writing for public consumption for more than a decade. I have published more than 3,000 posts and close to two million words. I just don’t enjoy it as much as I used to.

Whether or not my level of satisfaction will increase in the future, I cannot say. I can say that I hear the clock ticking loudly and don’t want to allocate any more time than absolutely necessary to endeavors that don’t bring me joy.

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#SixMonths

#EvilMUSTBeFought