Resources For You

See the latest from the desk of Mr. Hartley.

For My Captains At The Helm

Driving over the Berkeley Bridge last Thursday, I spotted a large cruise ship in port. My mind flashed a thought about the length of time and care it must take to maneuver that ship into port. If you have ever attempted to back up a truck and trailer the same skill...

To Be A Virginian

To Be A Virginian

I took last week off from writing this blog for two reasons. First, I thought it might give everyone a break from my ranting. Second, I needed a week off from my own voice, so I played tennis and tried not to talk. My late wife would give me a hard time about my...

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

I purposely ignore the politics of our age in this newsletter for multiple personal reasons. Mostly, this format is not the vehicle to use to engage in that arena. But what I did feel compelled to share this week is the importance of our 250 year celebration...

Trillionaire

Trillionaire. I am not even sure how to spell that, but Elon Musk has achieved that moniker (I envision him in a velvet track suit with diamonds spelling out Trillionaire on the back). I guess that was a goal of his or something. Not sure if he gets a special stamp in...

“to thine own self be true.”

My youngest turned 28 years old today. This is where you become shocked that I could have a 28-year-old child not to mention a 30-year-old child. Her birthday made me nostalgic, so I was thinking about my anxiety during my early years as a parent. Her mother and I...

Saying No

Saying No

Is there anything more difficult than saying no to someone? No seems so final and edgy. Yes, seems so much more positive. I think about the times I have said no to someone or something as positive. Historically yes has carried with it the need to meet expectations not...

Points of Departure

History is full of points of departure that mark a never going back moment. A point of departure is not simply a crossroads. This describes a completely new road with a totally different destination never before considered until the event occurred. For example, the...

To Fix It You Must Break It

Thursday around 6:45am I was reading when the phrase - “to fix it you must break it” popped up in a book I was starting. This got me to thinking about the point where some situation or scenario is presented for action and the assessment must be made, “do we break it...

The Gutenberg Printing Press and AI

The Gutenberg Printing Press and AI

I was thinking this week about the printing press. Stop scoffing and read on. Can you imagine the fear created by a machine that could reprint handwritten or transcribed original works into a portable volume that any class of person could own? Gutenberg may never have...

Join our Newsletter

Stay “in the know” by subscribing to our newsletter, and receive firm updates, relevant legal news, and other content – all to support you in all of life’s legal (and sometimes philosophical) matters.