Rainbow 6, Sam Walton And Responsibility

    Hey, everyone. I've been playing video games today.  I downloaded the free version of a new game for I-Pad called Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Shadow Vanguard. It's a shooter game in which you command an elite team, like a seal team, as they take on dangerous missions all over the world. The full version has 11 missions and costs a healthy $6.99. I am not sold on the game just yet and will play it for a couple of days before I buy.
      In a very limited amount of playing time I have noticed several things. The makers of the game seem to be trying to instill in you a bit of responsibility. When you tell your team to move up and one of them gets killed, it's game over. It is like they expect you to care about your people and shoulder the responsibilities of command. Shirking responsibility and withdrawing from life is the main reason I play games. This is tongue in cheek so please, no poison e-mails.
    I read the novel by Mr. Clancy called Rainbow 6. The game is a pretty cool adaptation, I think. For instance, you can poke a tiny camera under a door before breaching it, seeing a terrorist. Then you can throw a flash-bang grenade inside to deafen and blind the bad guys prior to entry. The game is a bit more of a thinking man's game than a lot of shooters. Give it a try with the free version; it may save you some dinero, if it turns out to be a stinker. I haven't played it near enough to rate it.
     I ran across an interesting article on the web about Steve Jobs the other day. I wish I could remember where I saw it so I could give credit where credit is due. The thing that sticks in my mind about this article is the fact that Steve was fired by Apple when he was a younger man. Then he comes back as CEO. This is a classic tale of making lemonade out of the lemons you get from life. Mr. Jobs remarked that he felt like it had been a good thing to get fired, if I remember correctly. He seems to be a remarkable man and I have to wonder if Apple will go down hill when Steve Jobs departs. The other day I was in Wal-Mart and was strolling around, thinking to myself that Sam Walton would roll over in his grave if he could see some of the things that his stores are doing these days.
    I remember an old story about someone asking why a garden shop just didn't look the same anymore. He was told that the old guy who cared for the plants had died. It seems as though, in each business, or family, or church, there is usually that one character who defines it or prunes it or loves it. They are the glue or motivation that makes things green and growing and lovely. When they are gone it is rarely ever the same. Most organizations tend to reflect the character of the guy at the top. When that changes, unscrupulous or harsh policies can ruin things for everybody. What a massive responsibility it is to be 'The Man' or 'The Woman'. Like my referral to the game moments ago and sending your team into harm's way. It is a fearful and terrible thing to tell people what to do. People who do it well are worth their weight in gold. Perhaps the movie I reviewed Friday called Horrible Bosses is a good example of responsibility as well.
     From the author's green retreat, I'm CE Wills.