Occam's Razor, Tim Russert, and that damn half full glass!

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. KISS - keep it simple stupid. Why are you making this so complicated? It's obvious to the most casual observer. Occam's Razor.

Tim Russert. NBC's Meet the Press moderator died Friday, he was 58.

If you don't think that life is short, consider this. The old saying goes, "The glass is not half empty, the glass is half full". If you're over 50, "The glass is not half empty, it's three quarters empty, or one quarter full". And that one quarter is what we in this age group have left to work and live with.

I have never been a raving fan of Tim Russert, Meet the Press, or politics in general. But this guy was one of most straight-forward, get-to-the-point journalists of our generation. Professionally, he was living his dream reporting on the political arena, especially this campaign in particular. Russert may have been one of those rare individuals who was self-actualized...doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing at a certain point in time...and loving it. He was the same age as I am when he died today, 58. Maybe that is why his passing has affected me more than usual celebrity obituary. They say it was a heart attack.
As an television journalist with a degree in law, he was one of few in this profession who probably subscribed to the principles of Occam's Razor...paraphrased, "All things being equal, the simplest solution is the best". He ask politicians the most basic questions in every interview, and that usually made them squirm in their seats. Tim Russert managed to slice through the usual political rhetoric when moderating Meet the Press, helping us make some sense of the smoke and mirrors that politicians excel at throwing into journalistic exchanges. I thank him for that. A sad day in the world of television journalism. And a sad and early end to someone who was helping all of us understand the confusing politics of this presidential campaign.

If you are over 50, your glass is still at least one quarter full. That's at least three fingers of fine Tequila! Break out the salt, a fresh lime, and make the best of that while you still can. It can all end too damn fast! And, by the way, Keep It Simple Stupid. For that, we can thank that 14th century Franciscan friar named William...of Ockham.