For about 20 years, Ray Keating wrote a weekly column - a short time with the New York City Tribune, more than 11 years with Newsday, another seven years with Long Island Business News, plus another year-and-a-half with RealClearMarkets.com. As an economist, Keating also pens an assortment of analyses each week. With the Keating Files, he decided to expand his efforts with regular commentary touching on a broad range of issues, written by himself and an assortment of talented contributors and columnists. So, here goes...

Friday, May 28, 2021

“What’s Lost?” is the Latest Pastor Stephen Grant Thriller from Award-Winning Novelist Ray Keating

 Gripping Tale Told in Pastor Grant’s Own Words

 

What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is an edge of-your-seat page-turner by Ray Keating that is torn from the pages of Grant’s own journal.



Pastor Stephen Grant tells a riveting mystery involving deception, betrayal, sacrifice and friendship, along with plenty of action and questions about what we truly can know about others. Grant takes us on a personal journey across decades and around the world, from Long Island to Vietnam.

 

This is the second Pastor Stephen Grant thriller by Ray Keating told from Grant’s own viewpoint, unfolding each day in the pages of his journal.

 

In a 4-star review of What’s Lost?Self-Publishing Review said, “The Pastor Stephen Grant universe grows a bit wider and more fascinating with Ray Keating's latest short story release. This gripping tale of deception, retribution, and redemption is filled with espionage, action, and a good deal of enticing mystery. Keating's original twists and singular protagonist result in another solid ride.”

 

For good measure, Kirkus Reviews has called Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant “an engaging and multifaceted character” and “a consistently entertaining hero.” 

 

Ray Keating said, “Like Past LivesWhat’s Lost? is an adventure written from a first-person point of view. Grant tells the story through his journal entries. And while this is a ‘short story,’ it’s packed with action, mystery and revelations about relationships.” 

 

What’s Lost? comes after the recent publication of Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Storyand Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which have earned widespread praise. 

 

Paperbacks and the Kindle edition of What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story are at Amazon via https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094GQN6PG and signed books are at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/whatslost.

 

About Keating and his Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, Kirkus Reviews simply says “exhilarating.” Lutheran Book Review says, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.” The retired host of KFUO radio’s BookTalk declares, “Ray Keating is a great novelist.” David Keene of The Washington Times calls these novels “great reads.”  And another reviewer observes, “How I'd love to see Pastor Grant on Netflix!”

 

Keating’s previous Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries – Past Lives (2021), Vatican Shadows(2020), The Traitor (2019), Deep Rough (2019), Shifting Sands (2018), Heroes and Villains (2018), Reagan Country (2018), Lionhearts (2017), Wine Into Water (2016), Murderer’s Row (2015), The River (2014), An Advent For Religious Liberty (2012), Root of All Evil? (Second Edition 2020)andWarrior Monk (Second Edition 2019) – have received widespread praise from all kinds of readers. 

 

Review copies, and author interviews and appearances are available upon request. 

 

Contact: Ray Keating

E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PastorStephenGrantNovels

Twitter: @KeatingNovels

PastorStephenGrant.com

RayKeatingOnline.com

Monday, May 24, 2021

How Did Phil Mickelson Make Golf History at 50?

 by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – May 24, 2021

 

A love of golf was a gift instilled in me at a young age by my grandfather. I grew to not only appreciate golf being a heavily mental game that, of course, requires precise physical execution, but also to become a fan of the game, including its rich history.

 

There’s that word: history. The sports world witnessed history on Sunday, May 23, when Phil Mickelson became the oldest golfer to win one of golf’s four majors – the PGA Championship. For the first time since 1986, my heart wasn’t broken while watching one of the greats try to reclaim glory at a major.



Previously, the oldest to win a major tournament was Julius Boros, who took the PGA Championship in 1968 at the age of 48, beating out Arnold Palmer. Next in the age line came Old Tom Morris, winner of the British Open in 1867, and Jack Nicklaus taking the Masters in 1986 – each man was 46 years old. As for the U.S. Open, Hale Irwin won the 1990 U.S. Open at 45.

 

I’m in no way dismissing Irwin’s great achievement, but for me and countless others, that Nicklaus unexpected win at the Masters by the greatest golfer of all time was incredible and unforgettable. But thirty-five years since Nicklaus’ last victory at the Masters is a long time to wait for another truly great achievement of beating the field and Father Time at a major by a special player. 

 

Indeed, there have been some disappointments along the way. It’s not unusual to see a great player past his prime, perhaps in his late forties or early fifties, to pop up early on the leaderboard of a major, only to inevitably fade. 

 

But there have been some serious runs, too. People might forget that Nicklaus, at the age of 58, was in contention in the final round at the 1998 Masters and finished sixth. And perhaps the most tragic example was Tom Watson at the age of 59 falling short at the very end of the 2009 British Open at Turnberry in his attempt to win a ninth major.

 

But there was no disappointment at the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island. After a rough start during the first six holes in the first round on Thursday, Mickelson became the best player on the course for the remainder of the tournament. 

 

Mickelson’s victory at 50 years and 11 months old – to win his sixth major – was a remarkable accomplishment. And it seemed like the entire golf world and beyond was rooting him on to victory, as illustrated by the gallery engulfing Mickelson, as well as his playing partner Brooks Koepka, in the 18th fairway of the final round.

 

Golf is one of those sports that one would assume older players, if they stayed in good shape including by taking advantage of latest thinking and tools on fitness, could remain competitive into their late forties and into their fifties. I’ve often thought that. And it is true – to an extent. After all, younger players can take advantage of the same fitness advantages. So, while the 50 year old can be a more fit and better golfer than 50 years ago, the same goes for the 25 year old. Therefore, it’s unclear how much the improvements in fitness for those in their late forties and fifties have meant in terms of gaining competitive ground on younger players. Given that Boros’ win came 53 years ago, Nicklaus’ 35 years past, Irwin’s 31 years ago, and Morris’, well, 154 year earlier, one had to wonder.

 

Then along comes Phil Mickelson in May 2021. Mickelson in recent years made big changes in his fitness, and at the PGA, here was Phil at nearly 51 often hitting longer drives than men a quarter century younger. But there’s more at play here than the physical. 

 

As I said earlier, golf is a heavily mental game. And with age and experience come, hopefully, greater insight and wisdom. One could see that with Mickelson throughout the tournament. This was not the full swashbuckling Phil, who both won and lost majors due to his derring-do, and would, at his worst moments, take unnecessarily risky shots. The 2021 PGA Championship Mickelson was the smartest guy in the field. He brought all he had learned during his great career with him to the course each of the four days. And it was clear that he stayed mentally focused, including using that famed Mickelson imagination.



In the past, when a great older player would falter or fade in a tournament, I often got the feeling that it was perhaps even more about a loss of mental focus than the physical challenges. That always struck me as odd, again, given the benefits gained from experience. But as most of us can attest to no matter our age, the physical and mental are not separate spheres, but instead are intimately intertwined. If you’re weary or tired, you’re simply not going to be as mentally sharp as you otherwise would be.

 

Mickelson’s achievement at the PGA Championship turns out to be a lesson for his fellow golfers, as well as the rest of us in our own endeavors. It’s not one or the other – the mental or the physical – but instead it’s about both. 

 

Phil Mickelson improved his physical well-being, and worked to enhance his mental focus. Combine those actions with his experience, creativity and talent, and you get the man who is now the oldest player in golf history to win a major. For older golfers still looking to win a major, for example, it’s about work being done on both the physical and mental fronts, and how those work together.

 

Dare I ask: Could Phil Mickelson still win the one major that has eluded him, having come in second a record six times at the U.S. Open? That’s a huge ask, even considering all we have considered here, but as opposed to just a few days ago, it’s now something that lies within the realm of possibilities. 

 

But let’s not reduce in any way this monumental achievement. Phil Mickelson ended the disappointment for fans like me, winning his sixth major at 50 years old. That’s history, Phil. Thanks!

 

_________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.comAnd pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.




Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Liz Cheney and the Decline of the Republican Party

 by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – May 12, 2021

 

After several years of experiencing sad political days, this conservative was hit hard once more today – May 12, 2021 – when Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to oust U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) from her leadership position. It wasn’t a surprise, but it was nonetheless depressing.



This inexcusable action served as glaring evidence that the party of Reagan has been lost to the party of Trump. And this despite the fact that Donald Trump lost the White House, the Senate and the House while in office (oh yes, and was impeached … twice). Indeed, you have to go back to Herbert Hoover for the last time a Republican president managed such incompetence at the ballot box.

 

While Trump is all about an incoherent, victim-based, enemies-are-everywhere, ends-justify-the-means populism, Liz Cheney ranks as a solid, principled conservative with integrity in the Reagan tradition. As a result, she naturally spoke out against President Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and against his role in stoking the violence of January 6 when his supporters invaded the Capitol. Cheney spoke the truth at the time, and has continued to do so.

 

But that apparently was too much for House Republicans – many of whom actually took Trump to task for his role on January 6, but now want to forget about that, and pander to Trump and his supporters in their party.

 

So, Liz Cheney had to go. 

 

But at the same time, conspiracy kook Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, seems to suffer in no way with her Republican colleagues. As a reminder, Rep. Greene, as The Washington Post summed up, “Greene has made comments on social media suggesting that some mass shootings were staged by supporters of gun control, that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were orchestrated by government entities and that a Jewish cabal had sparked a deadly California wildfire with a laser beam directed from space. As recently as late last year, she was an adherent of the false claims of the QAnon ideology. She has renounced some of her most outlandish claims.” But that’s all okay, apparently, because Greene is a big Trump supporter.

 

Meanwhile, consider points from Cheney’s speech in the House last night (May 11):

 

     “Three men – an immigrant who escaped Castro’s totalitarian regime; a young man who grew up behind the iron curtain and became his country’s minister of defense; and a dissident who spent years in the Soviet gulag have all told me it was the miracle of America captured in the words of President Ronald Reagan that inspired them to seek freedom.

     “I have seen the power of faith and freedom. I listened to Pope John Paul II speak to thousands in Nairobi in 1985, and 19 years later I watched that same pope take my father’s hand, look in his eyes, and say, ‘God Bless America.’

     “God has blessed America, but our freedom only survives if we protect it, if we honor our oath, taken before God in this chamber, to support and defend the Constitution, if we recognize threats to freedom when they arise. 

     “Today we face a threat America has never seen before. A former president, who provoked a violent attack on this Capitol in an effort to steal the election, has resumed his aggressive effort to convince Americans that the election was stolen from him. He risks inciting further violence. 

     “Millions of Americans have been misled by the former President. They have heard only his words, but not the truth, as he continues to undermine our democratic process, sowing seeds of doubt about whether democracy really works at all…

     “As the party of Reagan, Republicans championed democracy, won the Cold War, and defeated the Soviet Communists. As we speak, America is on the cusp of another Cold War – this time with communist China. Attacks against our democratic process and the rule of law empower our adversaries and feed Communist propaganda that American democracy is a failure. We must speak the truth. Our election was not stolen, and America has not failed.”

 

After being ousted from her leadership position, Cheney told reporters, “The nation needs a strong Republican Party. The nation needs a party that is based on fundamental principles of conservatism. And I am committed and dedicated to ensuring that that’s how this party goes forward. And I plan to lead the fight to do that.”

 

And during the GOP House conference, according to Politico, Cheney declared, “If you want leaders who will enable and spread his destructive lies, I’m not your person, you have plenty of others to choose from. That will be their legacy. But I promise you this, after today, I will be leading the fight to restore our party and our nation to conservative principles, to defeating socialism, to defending our republic, to making the GOP worthy again of being the party of Lincoln.”

 

I agree wholeheartedly with Liz Cheney, and I hope and pray for the sake of the nation that she plays a key role in successfully winning the Republican Party back to sanity and true conservatism. It’s clear that this will be no easy task – indeed, far from it.

 

_________

 

Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.comAnd pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club.  Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.