George Washington: It’s Been Too Long
For the past couple days, the top headline on major news websites has centered on the recent credit card information theft at Target. It’s a frightening, unnerving situation. How did it happen so easily, discreetly and to tens of millions of people? There is a lot of concern (as there should be) about how and what people who may fall into this category should do from this point forward.
There are essentially two recommendations: checking credit card transactions acutely with a magnifying glass for the next few to several months or ordering a new credit and/or debit card altogether. Frustrating either way. The most difficult part of using a credit or debit card should be whether or not there is enough money in the account and not if someone will steal the information one Saturday afternoon after buying a CD (and yes, this is still fun to do!) or toothpaste.
What to do now?
Beyond the recommendations listed above, the most secure option going forward may to become better friends with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton and Andrew Jackson. And if you have the means to become BFFs with Benjamin Franklin, then kudos!
That’s right: cash.
Let the stories of nostalgia and yearned after innocence begin: “Back when I was your age…”
While fully aware this would constitute a major lifestyle change for a surreal number of people, it’s pretty much impossible for an identity to be stolen from public tender. In this scenario, the transition (slow and steady) back to the pre-Credit Card days would surely shake society with a seismic shift of sorts. Yes, no doubt. But this adjustment does not need to happen in an absolute sense for every expenditure, but maybe for the purchases at everyday stores like Target that are proving to be susceptible to mass theft. Major chain stores would fit the bill.
Maybe this would work? Maybe not? But it seems like a logical progression for consideration after the most recent news about Target.
Upon further reflection, the same should go for the U.S. federal government. As everybody knows, their use of our nation’s credit card has caused an identity theft of sorts for this country…
All We Need is a Chance
So, about that Mega Millions jackpot…
I got nothing.
Despite the astronomical odds that make Lloyd Christmas’s chances with Mary Swanson a virtual certainty, it’s almost tougher not to play the lottery. And that is precisely how the game is designed.
It’s a thrill. It’s a chance. It’s a gamble.
But, what if…what if on that one chilly morning, the day after purchasing a few tickets at the local grocery store, a row of numbers line up in a surreal sequence? What if the numbers in just one row perfectly match the Mega Millions fortune that is a dollar amount that’s difficult to even comprehend?
A win like that makes spending $1, $5 or $20 seem like a genius investment.
Even if you don’t win, it’s still worth the excitement of being a part of something truly grand. The same goes for taking a chance in America, which does not guarantee anything but a chance. The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and Who Wants to be a Millionaire (to name a few) are classic American institutions based on the chance of winning something big. There is an equal opportunity of being selected or of winning. This rush of adrenaline can produce any number of outcomes, some of which can be nothing…but one random decision one day just may turn out to be absolutely brilliant and life-altering.
You never know and that’s the point. And it is extremely tough to resist those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities when they present themselves.
Because what if Mary Swanson/the lottery says yes…?
The Infinite Possibilities of the Unknown
Two things:
First, Matthew McConaughey has officially transitioned from a charming romantic comedy staple to a character actor that explores deep, complex and sometimes morally conflicting terrain and alleyways. To clarify, his transition is not necessarily permanent and is somewhat representative of a Game Show portfolio. He can pick Door #1 (serious), Door #2 (comedy) or Door #3 (sports/drama).
It’s not a bad hallway to walk through each day as an actor. However, it’s not yet clear which door he’s built or walked into with his most recent adventure with a relatively unknown, independent British filmmaker…
Some of his roles recently (Mud, Dallas Buyer’s Club, The Wolf of Wall Street) surely have taken McConaughey into new levels of the unknown. The same likely goes for some of his longtime fans. Will these more serious character portrayals shine a new light on a before darkened corner in the actor’s study to reveal a gold envelope containing a decorated card stock with his name written on it?
Time will tell…
Speaking of time, the second note today involves the recent release of a trailer for director Christopher Nolan’s latest mind-bender: Interstellar. From Memento (psychological) to Inception (dreaming) to The Dark Knight trilogy (pain, fear, chaos, belief), Nolan and Co. (& Syncopy of course) has now entered the world of science fiction with Interstellar.
Here is the first glimpse:
The question isn’t whether or not Matthew McConaughey can successfully propel himself into a new horizon in the stars that leads him to an Oscar, but rather if Christopher Nolan will have a good reason to invite him on another crazy road trip in the future, as the director tends to do with a select group of actors and actresses.
The better question today is will you take the ultimate journey to explore the unknown with McConaughey one year from now?
Jimmy's Daily Planet 