Tag archives: Rinaldo Brutoco
Bible teaching on citizenship begins with five words that historians will write on the head stone of the United States when it dies. Cain asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The downfall of decency and democracy in our time is the failure of institutions and ordinary people to answer that question in the affirmative. Let’s […]
Here at the Montecito Journal, we have long believed in offering a variety of views, letting each side have its space to speak. In light of the upcoming election, two of our longtime contributors have written in on what they think you should consider when heading to the ballot box this November 8. With Rinaldo […]
To get a clear picture of what the World Business Academy does, it’s a good idea to zoom out far above the Santa Barbara nonprofit’s home base – maybe to around 30,000 feet, suggests founder and president Rinaldo Brutoco. “With the exception of Direct Relief International, which is a massive charity that’s based here, we […]
This will be the last Perspectives column you’ll be reading for the time being. Personnel changes at the World Business Academy, and the incredible demands on my time as the Founder and CEO of H2 Clipper, Inc., has made it clear that I need to let go of this weekly column for now. I do […]
Shays’ Rebellion, which doesn’t get much attention in History class, was the first test of the young nation of the United States of America. And yet, understanding the uprising and its immediate after effects is extremely important today. On August 29, 1786, just three years after the formally securing independence through the 1783 Paris Peace […]
Bravo (yet again) to Rinaldo Brutoco’s August 11 column. He always comes up with the best adjectives when clashing up against “Big Power” greed: “Preposterous shibboleth” … Makes me laugh every time I look at it! In throwing big shade last week at the PG&E & Edison monopolies, he calls back to his group’s white […]
I saw a letter by Jeffrey Harding about CVR and removing the parklets. He just wants it to go back to the way it was – this is a mistake in my opinion. I am from Germany originally and know of the commercial value of pedestrian-only areas. Check out some images of this small city […]
Does it upset you when you hear traditional media refer to the current Supreme Court as dominated by “Conservatives”? If not, it should. The truth is, there is nothing conservative about the current six-person majority of the Supreme Court. They are radical, pure and simple. Referring to these Justices as “conservative” implies that their judicial […]
Fareed Zakaria is a man deserving of considerable respect. He is not only a great columnist, television host, interviewer, and pundit, but he is also an opinion maker. The general public listens to him. So do kings, potentates, politicians, and major corporate executives all over the globe. Hence there’s no joy when we are compelled […]
No doubt many of you know of Fareed Zakaria, the very intelligent columnist for the Washington Post and popular host of Fareed Zakaria GPS (where GPS stands for “Global Public Square”). Fareed is more than a popular pundit; he is a significant opinion maker himself. For years his prestigious interviews of global elites in government […]
With the 4th of July Holiday just past, it is more important than ever to reflect on the Nation’s founding “energy,” what the Germans would call our Zeitgeist. Famously observed, America is not a nation that arose due to geographic isolation of a singular genealogical population, as the British Isles or Japan. Nor did it […]
One of the most disturbing aspects of the Dobbs opinion by the majority of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices is the certainty that further assaults on our basic freedoms are coming. Not only on women’s reproductive rights, protected since 1973 under Roe v. Wade, but privileges and liberties Americans have long enjoyed, and encompassed in […]
Whether we like it or not, we are all witnessing something particularly horrific, an incredible tragedy, being televised for all the world to see as the January 6th Committee Hearings. The world’s democracies are getting scared — as should all of us be. In Germany this week, President Biden was confronted by our closest allies […]
1972 was a very bad year for everyone in the USA. Richard Nixon defeated the unshakably honest son of a preacher, Senator George McGovern. McGovern ran, and lost, on a platform of peace, determined to end the Vietnam War. Nixon promised to stay the course. Upon winning, Nixon nevertheless signed the Paris Peace Accords just […]
Electric cars are gushing onto our streets from Tesla, and from Nissan, GM, Ford, Volkswagen, and a half dozen other car manufacturers (450 different models globally!). Elon Musk succeeded beyond Detroit’s wildest dreams in convincing first the American public, and then the global marketplace, that driving an electric car was “cool.” Everyone wanted one, and […]
Just what is a “Windfall” or “Excess Profits Tax”? The words “windfall profits” is your first clue. Wikipedia defines an excess profits tax as “a tax on any profit above a certain amount.” The definition clarifies that this fiscal instrument is typically used in a wartime setting, and is designed to capture the upside profits […]
What ever happened to the League of Nations? You know, the global organization founded on January 10, 1920, by the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War? It was created in order to get all willing nations to band together in an attempt to prevent all future wars. The U.S. never joined, and […]
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis introduced the phrase “Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant,” in the early 20th century. He also penned the term in his book, “Other People’s Money.” The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and government ethics. Form 700 – Statement of Economic Interest, is one […]
Elon Musk is the world’s richest person and one of the most brilliant individuals in business. He is the P.T. Barnum of our age — only more effective by far. And yet no one has ever accused him of: 1) having an ego that is under control; 2) a desire to benefit his fellow citizens; […]
A macroeconomic argument circulating during World War II stated that the nation couldn’t afford both “guns and butter,” pitting the costs of waging war against luxuries like silk stockings and abundant food choices like creamy milkfat. In fact, this saying originated decades earlier, with the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916 as the […]
