Saturday, April 20, 2024
Sam Houston
FROM MY FRONT PORCH
Sam Houston is the publisher of the Hood County News. He is also an actor, author, playwright, performer and entertainment producer/promoter.
My wife and I usually record the national news, and once I have gotten home from work and things have settled down a bit, we will play the show and get some idea of what happened in the world that day. Recently, one reported death caused a variety of feelings in me from anger to pity.
The death was that of billionaire swindler and scam artist Bernie Madoff. I am sure that name rings a bell with most of you as his story seemed to blanket the news for several years.
He was the mastermind of the biggest financial fraud in the history of the United States, creating a Ponzi scheme that cheated investors out of billions of dollars. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison and striped of his homes, planes and wealth. His misdeeds also resulted in the suicide of one son, and a 10-year prison sentence for another.
Madoff managed the funds of huge charities and the investments of names like Steven Spielberg, Hall of Fame baseball player Sandy Koufax, and actor Kevin Bacon as well as thousands of ordinary citizens.
Middle income retirees, as well as the richest of the rich, all came to find out the tremendous returns Madoff had “made” them were nothing more than illusion. Think of how many lives this man ruined including those in his own family!
Somehow, I find it intriguing that one man who was beloved by so many, could for years manage to deceive and damage his faithful. How cold must his heart have been! A man who had it all, and then for some unknown reason, had to have more.
Just impossible to understand and truly comprehend the vastness of his crimes. So much pain and suffering he inflicted on others and somehow, I am thinking with his death, his misery may only be beginning.
I think we sometimes think of monsters as being the Hitlers of the world, but monsters come in many forms, and sometimes in the form of someone who pretends to be our close ally. I am sure the aftereffects of his crimes will be felt for generations in some families and innocent investors.
ROTARY BASS
FISHING TOURNAMENT
On a much, much brighter note I hope you fishermen and fisherwomen out there have heard about the terrific Bass Tournament the Rotary Club is having on May 22 on beautiful Lake Granbury! It offers $5,000 for first place and 100% payout!
This will be a guaranteed good time for all, and the best part is the money raised goes to help the Rotary Club fulfill its philanthropic projects that serve all of us here in Hood County.
Grab your pole, grab your pal, get the boat in the water and come have some fun! You do not want to miss this inaugural event; it is going to be epic! I bet the winner even gets their picture in the Hood County News!
Thought for the day: The worst day fishing is better than the best day working!
Until next time…
