Einstein -- the greatest! Professor Bartocci review (plus clarification) of book about Olinto De Pretto

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I am Michael Falotico, an attorney.  Years ago I wrote a review of an Italian book by Professor Umberto Bartocci about an early 20^th century Italian physicist, Olinto De Pretto.  In that book it was theorized that De Pretto was a true precursor of Albert Einstein.  The book purported to show that the famous equation “E=mc2” was published by De Pretto first.  The science is complicated and, indeed, over my head.  Yet, it seemed pretty clear that Professor Bartocci was on to something.  Since the first publication of his book, Professor Bartocci has issued a clarification  (in Italian) found here:

http://www.cartesio-episteme.net/st/DEPR-003.htm

In light of this clarification, it can only be safe to say that the precursor status of De Pretto is more murky than originally thought. 

I do believe, however, that considerable more research needs to be done on Albert Einstein and his Italian connections, which are deep.  In this way, light may possibly be shed on where his astonishing ideas originated.

May I also say that I am in no way responsible for the reposting of my review of Professor Bartocci’s book, which has appeared on some website which I disapprove. 

Finally, for the record, there can be no question that Einstein was a brilliant, brilliant man, perhaps the smartest person of all time.  He was also, I believe, the greatest person of the 20^th century and one of the greatest, wisest persons of all time.  I admire him deeply and I am in awe of his genius.  I wrote my review only to encourage further delving into where his fantastic ideas originated.  

 Could Einstein really have done so much? Where did his ideas come from? What did he read? What did his first wife do to help his work, if anything?

I pose the issue, “Is it really possible for one human being to have been this smart?” It seems so staggering that it is understandable one could have doubts.  But as evidence accumulates, these doubts dissipate.

Windsor vs. U.S. a great decision; Death Tax a travesty

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Windsor v. United States   was a great decision for many reasons.  Among those reasons, it brought justice to a lady who would otherwise have been unjustly forced to pay a tremendous sum in estate taxes she shouldn't have had to pay.   The reality is, the so-called "Estate Tax" is really a Death Tax that cheats small businesses and farmers out of their respective businesses and land so that rich, faceless, arrogant corporations can snap up the businesses and land at fire sale prices.  The little guy/gal ---who has worked his/her whole life to build a business and make it a success --- dies one day.  That day, his/her heirs find out they owe a fortune to the federal government in Estate Taxes.  The heirs have no money; the money is tied up in fixed assets, i.e., the farm land or the business itself.  In order to pay the huge estate tax, the heirs are forced to sell the business.  Who buys it?  

The large corporations, of course.   The corporations pay no Estate Tax or Death Tax because a corporation never dies.  Only human beings die.  And because the heirs are forced, at a moment's notice, to pay the tax, the heirs have no negotiating power.  The tax must be paid immediately and the heirs had not expected the family member to die when and how s/he did.  So the corporations snap up the family farm land at fire sale prices.  Or the corporations put out of business the small, family owned business thereby eliminating competition.  

The Estate Tax is designed to help corporations put small businesses out of business.  That is its only real purpose.  

The Estate Tax generates very little revenue and affect only a limited number of people.  But just because only a few people are treated unjustly by the Estate Tax does not mean it is a just tax.  Even if the Estate Tax only hurts a minority, that minority is being unjustly treated and unjustly hurt.  An injustice is an injustice regardless if it affects a minority of folks or if it affects everybody.  

The only purpose of the Death Tax is to help corporations takeover small businesses.

Check out this site:

http://www.policymic.com/articles/57775/gay-or-straight-we-re-all-getting-screwed-by-the-estate-tax

Estate Tax wipes out small businesses so rich corporations can buy them up at fire-sale prices

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The estate tax is unfair. It is designed to wipe out small business owners so that large corporations can buy their businesses or property at cheap prices. 

 1.) The so-called "rich" are really small business owners or long time, multi-generational property owners who have seen the overall value of their business or property go way up over the decades. They die and the heirs cannot pay the estate tax so the business or property must be sold immediately to pay the estate tax. Corporations know that they can then snap up the property at fire-sale prices. 

 2.) The so-called "rich" have already paid income tax throughout their lifetimes. The estate tax is just another, extra tax levied on those who happened to have worked hard and been, yes, a little lucky. These folks want to pass the home or the business to their children but cannot because the estate tax must be paid. Hence, the home gets sold or the business must be given up. 

3.) I reject the whole crazy argument that "only a few people pay the estate tax" so therefore there is nothing wrong with it. That's like saying, hypothetically, there's a new rule that says someone will be randomly executed by the government but don't worry because very, very few people will actually be randomly executed. "What's the harm? Very few are affected." It's not very fair to the person who is randomly chosen to be executed, however. So, just because a few people are treated unjustly doesn't justify the tax. 

4.) the estate tax is a windfall to the insurance companies because to have the money on hand when you die to pay the tax you must buy expensive life insurance premiums so that your heirs will have the life insurance proceeds to pay the tax when you die. Insurance companies love the estate tax because they get these high premiums.

How to subtly insult people and get away with it [ UPDATED! February 2014 ]

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I have found that advertisers have finally picked up on some phrases that I discovered well over 30 years ago. These are ways to subtly insult someone, or denigrate them or disparage their achievements, and get away with it.                                                             


1.) In 1980 the famed actor and movie star Jimmy Cagney was asked what he thought of President Jimmy Carter. "He tries," said Cagney, "he tries." Now, aint that a wonderful way to put someone down? "He tries". The implication is that he tries but doesn't succeed. He tries and fails. Talk about damning someone with faint praise. Yet nobody could sue you for saying, "He tries." It's a true statement, after all. All successful people "try". Yet saying, "you tried" implies both that you didn't succeed and also that nobody really expects too much from you. You tried.                                   
   2.) I heard Clint Eastwood say this in his address to the Republican Party convention 2012: "They're not always hotdogging it." Now there's an expression you can use to denigrate anyone's accomplishments. "You're hotdogging it!" For example, a hypothetical: Somebody beats you in a foot race. This runner crosses the finish line first, well ahead of you. Instead of being polite and congratulating him/her for winning the race, you say, "s/he is always HOTDOGGING IT." Admittedly, that is an extreme example. It works better with more minor accomplishments, e.g., someone does the dishes you left in the sink. So you say, " I could have done the dishes myself; you're always HOTDOGGING IT." This is also a good excuse for your own failures. Why didn't you get good grades in school? Answer: "I wasn't hotdogging it."                                                                                                                                                                  
    3.) Use the word "even" to subtly insult people. I got this from the book "The MacIntosh Way" by the brilliant Guy Kawasaki. [NOTE: This is NOT plagiarism as I have attributed my source and cited the originator of this insight: Mr. Guy Kawasaki. I have quoted with attribution and given credit where it is due.] You can use the word "even" to make a trivial lapse sound like a grave offense. An example: "He didn't EVEN take out the garbage." "He didn't EVEN fill the gas tank." Again, these are minor offenses but by inserting the word "even" it makes them sound like major crimes.           
               a.)  A subset would be to use the word "yet" which is, in some ways, similar to "even." For example, "He has yet to master the basic grammar of Spanish."  This implies that there is something wrong with the student. He can't figure things out and is none too smart.  Using "yet" as a variant of "even" allows you to not over-use the word "even."                                                                             
    4.) Use the phrase "good sport." The phrase "good sport" implies that the subject is a loveable loser who everybody picks on but who stoically accepts it because it is just his lot in life. Example: "Well, Sean, it was nice having you in class and you've been a good sport." Calling someone a "good sport" implies that s/he is a LOSER because you don't call someone who just won the Super Bowl a "good sport."                                                                                   
    5.) Another way to get away with a put down is to use the word "opportunistic" or call someone "an opportunist." After all, everyone is looking for an opportunity; it is not false or defamatory to say someone is "an opportunist". Just ask them under oath, "Would you seek out a good opportunity? You would? Well then, you're an opportunist!" The word connotes undue ambition and a certain grasping, grabbing quality.                            
    6.) I've added another one: use the word "unironically." Note, I said, "UN-ironically" not "ironically". I got the word "unironically" from the novel "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace. Using "unironically" is a sly way to take back a compliment. For example, you could say, "That's a very good looking necktie you're wearing, and I mean that unironically." [The necktie wearer thinks to himself/herself, "Wait a minute. What's IRONIC about saying my neckite looks good?"]  Or another example, "You know, you're a very intelligent man, and I mean that UNironically." Again, what's ironic in the first place about calling someone intelligent? It slyly takes back the compliment. One can go on and on: "You're a good writer, and I mean that unironically"; "you're looking quite svelte, and I mean that unironically",  etc.
  7.)  Here's another:  When someone tells you where s/he lives, you respond with the question, "Oh, is that because of your work?"  The implication is that nobody would willfully live in such a lousy neighborhood unless s/he absolutely had to.  Hence, you are subtly insulting them (and getting away with it!) by implying they live in a lousy neighborhood. If one lives in a really nice neighborhood, like Beverly Hills or Malibu, you would never say s/he lived there only because they had no other choice.  But with some other place, asking, "Oh, do you live there because of your work?" implies that nobody would want to live there unless their work demanded it.

Franco Zeffirelli --- a friend of both Magnani & Callas

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A salute to the immensely talented director Franco Zeffirelli. Any man who was friends with both the great Anna Magnani and Maria Callas is indeed a marvelous man. Ti saluto, Honorevole Zeffirelli!

Politicians, especially the U.S. President, should NOT play golf

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Yes, I know, Dwight Eisenhower played golf and he was a popular President. But Ike was tolerated because he was an old guy and had done heroic service in W.W.II . Still, even Ike had the whole "golf thing" hurt him; JFK came in and essentially called Eisenhower and old duffer. "The torch has been passed to a new generation, born in this century . . ." Get it? I'm young and virile, said JFK, not an old duffer like Ike. Golf is not a sport for any politician to be seen playing. Dan Quayle was photographed in his golf duds for a magazine and it made him look like the quintessential country-club elitist. George W. Bush didn't help his reputation playing golf. Presidents (really ALL politicians) should bowl, or play basketball. These are macho, "everyman" sports. Even horseback riding is OK. A man on horseback, ironically, doesn't look elitist in the USA. It looks like you're a "cowboy" and you got that whole "John Wayne" image going for you. Ronald Reagan routinely was seen riding horses and it made him look great. Also, don't jog. Jimmy Carter, as President, was photographed panting for breath and looking sick as a dog while jogging. Looks bad. Don't wind-surf. Candidate John Kerry did and he never lived it down. Bowl! Ride a horse like a cowboy! If the horse throws you, get right back on the horse and everyone cheers and says how brave you are to get back on the horse. Shoot hoops on the local playground. Another great sport is simply playing catch with a baseball and baseball gloves. Think Steve McQueen in the "Great Escape" with his baseball and glove. You play catch with your son or daughter and you look like a loving parent. But NO GOLF !!! Barack, I hope you're listening.

I saw Woody Allen in one of his last stand up engagements

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True story: Shortly after he made "Everything you wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask" Woody Allen performed in a theater of the round in the San Fernando Valley in L.A. County. The "opening act" was Jim Croce -- I put "opening act" in quotation marks because for some strange reason there was a delay that night and Croce actually went on second. Allen was terrific and took questions from the audience. But what I remember most was this bit he did with a little piece of lint on his jacket. You have to picture the scene: Woody Allen is alone on stage and it's a theater in the round. There is just a single spotlight on him; the rest of the theater is dark. Now, when there is just one spotlight it tends to light up the dust around the person and you can see stuff floating in the air. In the midst of his act, Woody plucks a small string -- a piece of lint -- from his jacket and flicks it in the air. The lint is floating in the air. Woody then tells a joke and the audience laughs. When the audience laughs, the air from the audience laughter causes the lint to jump up in the air ! After a couple of more jokes the audience notices this lint which is still hanging in the air. With each burst of laughter the lint dances higher and higher! Soon everyone is laughing twice: once for the Woody Allen punchline and then again when we all see the lint jump up higher in the air. After each burst of laughter, the lint jumps up! Then when we see the lint jump up, we laugh again and the lint jumps a second time ! It seemed that Woody kept this piece of lint dancing and jumping in the air for twenty minutes! True story.