Break Murphy's Law!

Gary North

Dec. 11, 2011

Today is a big day for me. I am going up against Murphy.

My daughter got me the best Christmas present I've ever had. I got it early. Nothing to unwrap.

She lined up an interview for me. I used to do this for a living, starting almost 30 years ago in Tyler, Texas. I had a monthly tape service: FireStorm Chats.

This interview is like nothing I have ever had. I will be interviewing the grandson of a President of the United States. But not just any President -- our first unelected President.

I will ask him to try to persuade his brother to let me interview him early next year.

I don't want anything to go wrong. But something will. So, I am taking two audio recorders, in case one dies. I am taking two camcorders: Canon HV 20 units. They use tape, not digital cards. There is less likelihood of a foul-up with tape. I will take my Kodak Zi8 pocket unit. It's tripod time!

My son-in-law will go with me. He will man the cameras. I want to make sure they are working while they are taping.

For important events, you need redundancy. If you only get one shot at something, be sure you have back-up: equipment and people.

Murphy's law is out there, waiting for you. Be prepared. That's the Boy Scouts' marching song. Mine, too.

* * * * * * * * * *

I broke Murphy's law. The recording equipment worked. The man's name is Lyon Tyler. Maybe you figured out who his grandfather was: the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler, the candidate whose name lives on in the first national political slogan: "Tippiecanoe and Tyler, too." William Harrison, an old family friend of Tyler's, died after 30 days. Tyler became President. It was in his office's final days, 1845, that he signed the bill that made Texas a state. He had been born in 1790, the first full year of George Washington's Administration.

Now, I must persuade the brother to let me do an interview. He still lives on the Tyler family estate.

Why the Tylers? Because in just three generations, they experienced this:

For 300+ more tips, go here:

//www.garynorth.com/public/department54.cfm