We're not investing in ever greater things based upon an inheritance, managing somebody else's invention, or outsourcing products to China. I create art, print it, sign it, and sell it. It's that simple, and that's pretty amazing to me. Anyone who is familiar with where I was thirty years ago, I'm frankly just happy to still be alive. In light of all of that, it's been a very good year . . .
I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, who can be comfortable with a regime that puts religious minorities and political opponents in reeducation camps? No American ought to support a nation that arms Russia in its fight against Ukraine. Certainly not me. On the other hand, the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) represent the two most powerful nations on the planet. Thus, when I was invited to participate as a speaker at a diplomatic conference between the United States and the People's Republic, I had to think about it long and hard . . .
On April 18, 1943, for example, it was very likely Zero fighters from Taroa (and quite possibly 3148) that stumbled upon a lone B-24D and shot it so full of holes that it never flew again, though it miraculously made it back to its base. Unknown to the Japanese they'd shot up the aircraft of USAAF Lt. Louis Zamperini, an American Olympian who would go on to be the subject of a best selling book, 'Unbroken', and in 2014 a Hollywood film of the same name.
Contrary to Western misconceptions during the 1930s and 1940s, the Japanese were ahead of many other nations within certain fields of innovation and technology . . .
