The Denver Broncos fired Mike Shanahan today. Mike Shanahan was the head coach and VP of Football Operations. Basically, he ran the whole show.
I was shocked that this happened. Yes, the team has been down as of late, but they are a very young team and had showed progress. However, a 3 game losing streak to end the season, blowing the division lead and missing out on the playoffs apparently pushed team owner Pat Bowlen over the edge.
Shanahan has been with the team for 21 years as an assistant coach and then head coach. The Broncos won their only 2 Super Bowls under Shanahan, in 1997 and 1998. But, since John Elway (a.k.a. the Greatest QB Ever) retired, the Broncos have won only 1 playoff game. Furthermore, Shanahan, in his capacity of VP of Football Operations, has made several questionable personnel decisions. I believe the decision to fire Shanahan was more about firing Shanahan the VP of Football Operations, not Shanahan the coach. I think Shanahan is still a great gameday coach, but he has continually hurt the team with bad personnel decisions.
This is a sad day for Broncos fans. As a fan, I'm not happy about this. I don't believe there are many coaches out there who are better than Mike Shanahan. He took a team with the worst defense in the league, and 7 different start running backs and managed to go 8-8 this year. There's maybe only 1 other coach in the league who can do that. With Shanahan, the Broncos were always competitve for the playoffs. They didn't always make it, but they were always competitive. Only a handful of teams can say that.
I wish Mike Shanahan the best in whatever he goes on to do. I think he'll get other opportunities to coach, and I think he'll do great if he takes one of these opportunities. I now anxiously await the decision on who will be the Broncos next coach. Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill. Hopefully whoever it is will be the coach for 10+ years to come.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Snuggie
Over the past several days, we have seen a commercial for "The Snuggie" several times. The Snuggie is a blanket with sleeves. They added sleeves because the traditional blanket makes it too difficult to answer the phone, handle the TV remote, and eat a snack while still staying warm. The Snuggie's sleeves allow the wearer to keep the blanket on, while eating, talking on the phone and handling the TV remote.
I'm sure that some people will buy a Snuggie. Heck, at only $19.99 plus shipping and handling for 2 Snuggies and 2 book lights, I was intrigued. Then I got to thinking...if your arms are cold, why can't you just wear a long sleeve shirt? I mean, is it so imperative to wear short sleeves and have a blanket on? It just makes no sense to me.
The worst part is, both my kids want one. I'm finding that my kids are very susceptible to TV advertising. In the last year, we've "had to have" a Snuggie, Oxyclean, Flomax (yes, Flomax) and the Pancake Puff maker. Fortunately, we haven't purchased any of these. Hopefully my wife and I can help them grow out of this as they get older...otherwise, they'll end up with all sorts of TV infomercial stuff.
What's the point of all this? There is no point really. It just popped in my head.
I'm sure that some people will buy a Snuggie. Heck, at only $19.99 plus shipping and handling for 2 Snuggies and 2 book lights, I was intrigued. Then I got to thinking...if your arms are cold, why can't you just wear a long sleeve shirt? I mean, is it so imperative to wear short sleeves and have a blanket on? It just makes no sense to me.
The worst part is, both my kids want one. I'm finding that my kids are very susceptible to TV advertising. In the last year, we've "had to have" a Snuggie, Oxyclean, Flomax (yes, Flomax) and the Pancake Puff maker. Fortunately, we haven't purchased any of these. Hopefully my wife and I can help them grow out of this as they get older...otherwise, they'll end up with all sorts of TV infomercial stuff.
What's the point of all this? There is no point really. It just popped in my head.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Merry Christmas...it's still the Christmas Season after all!
Merry Christmas!!!
I know, I'm a day late. Yesterday I had a self-imposed no computer day. I even left the TV off for most of the day, which my wife will tell you is a huge accomplishment. I just wanted to focus on God and family yesterday. After all, God and family are supposed to be the 2 most important parts of my life, so I should be able to put them ahead of the Lakers/Celtics match up on ABC.
Yesterday we went to Christmas morning mass, and the place was packed! In the past, the morning mass has been very lightly attended (most people go on Christmas Eve), but this year, our parish moved the time back 1 hour, and bammo, full house! While parking was stressful, it was heartwarming to see all my fellow Christians gathered together to celebrate Christ's birth.
Then, we had a family day yesterday. The kids spent a lot of it playing with new toys and reading new books. We had a very nice supper. Prior to eating, we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. This is a tradition my wife started a few years ago. Originally, I thought it was corny, but now I can't imagine Christmas without it.
At bed time, my son said that it was too bad Christmas is over. We reminded him that the Christmas season is not over until the Epiphany, so the season will continue until January 6th. We started the tradition of leaving our tree up until the Epiphany, just as a reminder of the entire holy season.
I hope everyone else had a Merry Christmas Day, and continues to have a wonderful Christmas season.
I know, I'm a day late. Yesterday I had a self-imposed no computer day. I even left the TV off for most of the day, which my wife will tell you is a huge accomplishment. I just wanted to focus on God and family yesterday. After all, God and family are supposed to be the 2 most important parts of my life, so I should be able to put them ahead of the Lakers/Celtics match up on ABC.
Yesterday we went to Christmas morning mass, and the place was packed! In the past, the morning mass has been very lightly attended (most people go on Christmas Eve), but this year, our parish moved the time back 1 hour, and bammo, full house! While parking was stressful, it was heartwarming to see all my fellow Christians gathered together to celebrate Christ's birth.
Then, we had a family day yesterday. The kids spent a lot of it playing with new toys and reading new books. We had a very nice supper. Prior to eating, we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. This is a tradition my wife started a few years ago. Originally, I thought it was corny, but now I can't imagine Christmas without it.
At bed time, my son said that it was too bad Christmas is over. We reminded him that the Christmas season is not over until the Epiphany, so the season will continue until January 6th. We started the tradition of leaving our tree up until the Epiphany, just as a reminder of the entire holy season.
I hope everyone else had a Merry Christmas Day, and continues to have a wonderful Christmas season.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Movie Review: Hellboy II
Yes, that's right. I'll watch just about anything. I watched "Hellboy II" last night, and enjoyed it. I was very disappointed by the first Hellboy movie. There was so much potential with the story and it got bogged down by too much other stuff, like the relationship between Hellboy and Liz Sherman.
With the relationship stuff sort of solved by the first Hellboy movie, the second installment had much more of what I expected from the first movie. The special effects were excellent. Nothing cartoonish in this movie. The action sequences were very well done. While the story was better than the last movie, it's still not great, but definitely an improvement.
Ron Perlman, who portrays Hellboy does a very good job in the role of the soft-hearted, slightly self-centered hero. Selma Blair and Jeffrey Tambor highlight the rest of the cast. Tambor was a nice edition to this film as the bumbling government agent assigned to keep an eye on Hellboy and his cast of misfits.
I would give this one 3.5 stars...since Netflix doesn't allow half stars, I gave it 4 on Netflix. If there's a 3rd movie in the series, I'll definitely watch it.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Compassionate Conservatism
I was listening to Rush Limbaugh today, and I often do, and he was discussing the charitable giving trends of Conservatives (Republicans) and Liberals (Democrats). One of the main sources of the discussion was the book “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth about Compassionate Conservatism" by Arthur Brooks. The conclusion of the book, is that while Liberals are widely viewed as more compassionate because of their view that the government should redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor, it is Conservatives who are far more charitable with their own money, giving an average of over 30% more to charitable organizations.
While I'm sure this is surprising to those who pay attention to the drive-by media's portrayal of Conservatives as mean-spirited misers, this doesn't come as a surprise to me. In fact, it's consistent with my image of a true Conservative.
As I see it, a Conservative believes that government, for the most part, doesn't work! If something doesn't work, why pay money into it? A Conservative believes that they can do more with their money than the government can. While Liberals rely on the government to solve the problems of society, the Conservative looks for ways they can help, rather than relying on someone else to get it done. This is where charitable giving comes in. Conservatives look for charities that most align with the causes they are passionate about and then they help those causes with their time and money.
Typically, these are charities in their own community, such as churches, museums, nature centers, youth programs, etc., etc., etc. While these types of organizations don't garner national attention, they are important to every community nationwide.
This is one of the toughest things about being a Conservative. It's very easy to see a problem and say "that's horrible, the government should really do something about that." It's much harder to see a problem and say "that's horrible, how can I help to fix this" because when you say that you're committing your time and your money. When you put it on the government you are committing someone else's time and money. I think this is why Conservatism is so much harder to sell than Liberalism.
Anyway, that's the long rambling way around debunking the notion that Conservatives are greedy misers who would put their own grandmother on the street if it helped them earn a buck. We really are a charitable people, as the study by Mr. Brooks clearly demonstrates. So, the next time you hear the media or a Liberal portraying a Conservative as a cold-hearted sack of garbage, remember it's all lies and propaganda.
While I'm sure this is surprising to those who pay attention to the drive-by media's portrayal of Conservatives as mean-spirited misers, this doesn't come as a surprise to me. In fact, it's consistent with my image of a true Conservative.
As I see it, a Conservative believes that government, for the most part, doesn't work! If something doesn't work, why pay money into it? A Conservative believes that they can do more with their money than the government can. While Liberals rely on the government to solve the problems of society, the Conservative looks for ways they can help, rather than relying on someone else to get it done. This is where charitable giving comes in. Conservatives look for charities that most align with the causes they are passionate about and then they help those causes with their time and money.
Typically, these are charities in their own community, such as churches, museums, nature centers, youth programs, etc., etc., etc. While these types of organizations don't garner national attention, they are important to every community nationwide.
This is one of the toughest things about being a Conservative. It's very easy to see a problem and say "that's horrible, the government should really do something about that." It's much harder to see a problem and say "that's horrible, how can I help to fix this" because when you say that you're committing your time and your money. When you put it on the government you are committing someone else's time and money. I think this is why Conservatism is so much harder to sell than Liberalism.
Anyway, that's the long rambling way around debunking the notion that Conservatives are greedy misers who would put their own grandmother on the street if it helped them earn a buck. We really are a charitable people, as the study by Mr. Brooks clearly demonstrates. So, the next time you hear the media or a Liberal portraying a Conservative as a cold-hearted sack of garbage, remember it's all lies and propaganda.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Nightmare Scenario
So, 2 weeks ago, my Denver Broncos were 8-5 and headed for the playoffs. The 2nd place team is the San Diego Chargers and they were 5-8 two weeks ago. Here we are 2 weeks later and the Broncos are 8-7 while the Chargers have climbed to 7-8. The Broncos just finished up losing a home game to a bad Buffalo Bills team, while the Chargers destroyed a really good Tampa Bay team on the road. Next week, the 2 teams play, with the winner getting the division title.
This was my nightmare scenario as a fan. The Chargers are the better team, but they've underachieved all year. As a fan, I know what the Broncos are. The Broncos are a 1 man show...basically, if QB Jay Cutler plays awesome, they win. If he plays anything less than awesome, they lose. I know that the Broncos defense is close to the worst in the NFL, and that their running game has bordered on pathetic all year. Basically, I'm saying that they really have no business going to the playoffs.
With that said, I was really hoping they would make it to the playoffs this year. The team is full of a bunch of young guys, and a playoff game, even a loss, would be great experience for future seasons. But, it appears that it's not to be. I don't believe the Broncos will beat the Chargers next week. Like I said, the Chargers are the better team, plus they should have won earlier this season in Denver, but they had a bad call go against them.
I hope I'm wrong about all this and next week I get to write a blog celebrating a victory. But, I fear that, like Chicago Cubs fans, I will be saying "wait 'til next year". Overall, I think I'm handling this very well. I'm disappointed, but not as mad as I thought I would be. I won't be watching any more football tonight because it will bum me out to see the scores go by, but I'll be tuned in next week hoping that the Broncos will upset the Chargers and make it to the playoffs.
This was my nightmare scenario as a fan. The Chargers are the better team, but they've underachieved all year. As a fan, I know what the Broncos are. The Broncos are a 1 man show...basically, if QB Jay Cutler plays awesome, they win. If he plays anything less than awesome, they lose. I know that the Broncos defense is close to the worst in the NFL, and that their running game has bordered on pathetic all year. Basically, I'm saying that they really have no business going to the playoffs.
With that said, I was really hoping they would make it to the playoffs this year. The team is full of a bunch of young guys, and a playoff game, even a loss, would be great experience for future seasons. But, it appears that it's not to be. I don't believe the Broncos will beat the Chargers next week. Like I said, the Chargers are the better team, plus they should have won earlier this season in Denver, but they had a bad call go against them.
I hope I'm wrong about all this and next week I get to write a blog celebrating a victory. But, I fear that, like Chicago Cubs fans, I will be saying "wait 'til next year". Overall, I think I'm handling this very well. I'm disappointed, but not as mad as I thought I would be. I won't be watching any more football tonight because it will bum me out to see the scores go by, but I'll be tuned in next week hoping that the Broncos will upset the Chargers and make it to the playoffs.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Book Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
I'm not into heavy reading, as you'll quickly discover if you read "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", by J.K. Rowling. I believe this is Rowling's first book following the 7th and final Harry Potter book. If you've read the final book, you'll hopefully remember that "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" plays a small, but important role in the book.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" are a collection of Wizard Fairy Tales, from the same world as Harry Potter. They are fairly simple and designed for children. What makes this book fun is that Rowling added commentary from Professor Albus Dumbledore after each story. The commentary is witty and provides further insight into the world of our favorite teenage wizard.
If you've read and enjoyed all 7 of the Harry Potter books, pick this one up. I think you'll enjoy it. If you haven't read all 7 of the Harry Potter books...what's wrong with you? Just give in and read them, it's pointless to resist!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk
Shockingly, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Incredible Hulk". After the disaster that was the 2003 Hulk movie directed by Ang Lee, I had very low expectations for this one. Again, low expectations is a key to a good movie watching experience.
Edward Norton was significanly better as Bruce Banner than Eric Bana was in the 2003 movie. Norton portrays the plight of Banner very well. He struggles to learn self control while working find a cure for himself and remain hidden from the military.
The CGI in this movie was significantly better than the 2003 movie. This time, the Hulk didn't look like a cartoon stuck in a movie...he looked like another character in the movie.
What I also enjoyed about this movie was it payed homage to the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferigno TV Series. The theme from the TV series was a part of the movie, and Ferigno had a cameo appearance.
As expected, "The Incredible Hulk" was packed with great action sequences. From the brilliantly executed "shadowy" first appearance of the Hulk, to the final battle against the supercharged villian, the action doesn't disappoint an action film fanatic like me. Finally, watch out for the tie-in to Iron Man. Very cool, and bodes very well for future movies.
"The Incredible Hulk" is rated PG-13, for good reason. Liv Tyler, William Hurt and Tim Roth also star in the movie. All give good, but not great performances. I gave this film 4 stars on Netflix. (I know I give everything 4 stars...I haven't seen a bad movie lately).
New Abortion Rules
Today, the Bush administration issued a federal rule reinforcing protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions because of religious or moral objections.
Of course, the left is objecting saying that this new rule is too broad and may limit a patients ability to get accurate information or care when needed. What a load of crap! I guarantee there are still plenty of doctors in this country who will perform abortions on demand. People should not be forced by federal law to do anything that violates their religious or moral beliefs. This is exactly why the Founding Fathers gave us the 1st amendment to the Constitution.
(Note: The Constitution is a document that was written by some really smart guys 220ish years ago. It has worked great for this country for a long time...maybe we should keep it around! That's a subject for another blog...)
I find it extremely hypocritical that opponents of this rule are worried about patients not getting accurate information. These are the same people who pitch a fit when states attempt to pass laws saying that doctors and other health care professionals have to present all the options available to women before performing an adoption. This includes telling them that they have the option to give their baby up for adoption.
If these "pro-choice" people truly had the best interest of the woman in mind, then they would be for all types of information getting to a pregnant woman so she truly can make a choice. I don't know how anyone who claims to have a woman's best interest at heart can object to this rule and have even a shred of credibility left.
Of course, the left is objecting saying that this new rule is too broad and may limit a patients ability to get accurate information or care when needed. What a load of crap! I guarantee there are still plenty of doctors in this country who will perform abortions on demand. People should not be forced by federal law to do anything that violates their religious or moral beliefs. This is exactly why the Founding Fathers gave us the 1st amendment to the Constitution.
(Note: The Constitution is a document that was written by some really smart guys 220ish years ago. It has worked great for this country for a long time...maybe we should keep it around! That's a subject for another blog...)
I find it extremely hypocritical that opponents of this rule are worried about patients not getting accurate information. These are the same people who pitch a fit when states attempt to pass laws saying that doctors and other health care professionals have to present all the options available to women before performing an adoption. This includes telling them that they have the option to give their baby up for adoption.
If these "pro-choice" people truly had the best interest of the woman in mind, then they would be for all types of information getting to a pregnant woman so she truly can make a choice. I don't know how anyone who claims to have a woman's best interest at heart can object to this rule and have even a shred of credibility left.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Miscellaneous Items of Interest
It's been a few days since I've written a blog. I've been sick with a cold, followed by a sinus infection. Over that time, a few things have piled up.
Throwing Shoes - I realize it's a serious thing when someone throws anything at our President. And, I really think its a travesty the way the media is "laughing" about this more than anything. However, after the "shoe throwing" incident this weekend, all I could think about was the movie Austin Powers. After getting hit by the shoe throwing villain, Austin says:
"That really hurt! I'm gonna have a lump there, you idiot! Who throws a shoe? Honestly! You fight like a woman! "
Obama mulls a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package - Ok, I understand that Obama is trying to mimic what Roosevelt did after the Great Depression, but honestly, where are we going to get 1 trillion dollars? Just asking the question...
Tampa Bay Bucs DE change his name to Stylez G. White - Professional football player Gregory White Jr. has legally changed his name to Stylez G. White. The name change was inspired by the character Rupert "Stiles" Stilinski, from the 1980's movie "Teen Wolf." I'm baffled beyond the capacity to come up with anything witty.
The Jackrabbits are ranked!!! - The South Dakota State Jackrabbits Women's Basketball Team is ranked #22 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. This is the first time the team has been ranked since making the jump to Division 1. Go Jacks!
Throwing Shoes - I realize it's a serious thing when someone throws anything at our President. And, I really think its a travesty the way the media is "laughing" about this more than anything. However, after the "shoe throwing" incident this weekend, all I could think about was the movie Austin Powers. After getting hit by the shoe throwing villain, Austin says:
"That really hurt! I'm gonna have a lump there, you idiot! Who throws a shoe? Honestly! You fight like a woman! "
Obama mulls a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package - Ok, I understand that Obama is trying to mimic what Roosevelt did after the Great Depression, but honestly, where are we going to get 1 trillion dollars? Just asking the question...
Tampa Bay Bucs DE change his name to Stylez G. White - Professional football player Gregory White Jr. has legally changed his name to Stylez G. White. The name change was inspired by the character Rupert "Stiles" Stilinski, from the 1980's movie "Teen Wolf." I'm baffled beyond the capacity to come up with anything witty.
The Jackrabbits are ranked!!! - The South Dakota State Jackrabbits Women's Basketball Team is ranked #22 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. This is the first time the team has been ranked since making the jump to Division 1. Go Jacks!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Movie Review: Hancock
Ok, I'm probably going to get harassed for this one. I loved this movie and rated it 5 stars on Netflix.
Let me explain why. First off, I don't think Wil Smith is capable of making a bad movie. I think any Wil Smith movie automatically gets a minimum of 3 stars. I haven't decided if he's really that good, or if he's just really good at picking scripts. Smith is excellent as John Hancock, the Super Hero of the movie, who is more anti-hero than anything. After saving the life of a PR guy, played by Jason Bateman, they set about trying to change how Hancock is seen by the public by changing Hancock. Initially, Hancock is resistant to the change, but comes around to it and ends up becoming the hero...sort of. You'll have to watch to see more.
This is a unique Super Hero movie, in that it's much more about the man than the Super Hero. It focuses on Hancock the person first, and then the fact that he has super powers. The movie is funny at times, serious at others. And, at only 95 minutes, it's not a huge time commitment. While not everyone will like "Hancock" as much as I did, I think it will be difficult for someone not to enjoy it.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Entire World was Shopping
Today, I ventured out with my 2 boys to get Christmas gifts for their mother/my wife, and also pick up a few things we needed for around the house. As today is December 13th, I quickly discovered this was a GIANT mistake.
Our first stop was Barnes & Noble. There were approximately 4 million people at Barnes and Noble. Maybe I'm exaggerating by 1 or 2 million, but there was a lot of people there. Luckily, we were able to find our way through the crowds and get our gifts there in just under an hour. Had that been the end of it, life would have been good.
Next, we had to go to Target to get 1 or 2 more gifts, but mostly to get some household essentials. There were roughly 47 million people at Target...I'm only exaggerating a little there. We got our items within 20-30 minutes, but couldn't find an electric pencil sharpener. We needed one for our home school room. I waited for 5 minutes to ask an employee, and then he walked away from me without offering any help...my blood pressure was elevated at this point! The kids had been pretty good, so I agreed to let them look at toys...I'm a stupid, stupid man. Of the 47 million people at Target, 32 million were in the toy section, so it was extremely difficult to keep track of the kids, because of course, they had to look at different aisles. Each time they switched aisles, I would have to negotiate 75 carts to find them again. By now, my blood pressure was way up. We checked out, which luckily went really quickly and proceeded to Staples to get the electric pencil sharpener.
On the way to Staples, there was a stalled vehicle, which was backing traffic up on one of the main roads through town. So it took twice as long to get to Staples as it should have. Once we got there, I was relieved that there were only 10 people in the store...not exaggerating at all on that. We quickly found our pencil sharpener with the gracious help of a store employee and were done with our shopping. Phew...glad that's over.
I mostly wrote this to whine, but I suppose I should somehow wrap this up. Next year, I'm doing all my shopping online...or at Staples.
Our first stop was Barnes & Noble. There were approximately 4 million people at Barnes and Noble. Maybe I'm exaggerating by 1 or 2 million, but there was a lot of people there. Luckily, we were able to find our way through the crowds and get our gifts there in just under an hour. Had that been the end of it, life would have been good.
Next, we had to go to Target to get 1 or 2 more gifts, but mostly to get some household essentials. There were roughly 47 million people at Target...I'm only exaggerating a little there. We got our items within 20-30 minutes, but couldn't find an electric pencil sharpener. We needed one for our home school room. I waited for 5 minutes to ask an employee, and then he walked away from me without offering any help...my blood pressure was elevated at this point! The kids had been pretty good, so I agreed to let them look at toys...I'm a stupid, stupid man. Of the 47 million people at Target, 32 million were in the toy section, so it was extremely difficult to keep track of the kids, because of course, they had to look at different aisles. Each time they switched aisles, I would have to negotiate 75 carts to find them again. By now, my blood pressure was way up. We checked out, which luckily went really quickly and proceeded to Staples to get the electric pencil sharpener.
On the way to Staples, there was a stalled vehicle, which was backing traffic up on one of the main roads through town. So it took twice as long to get to Staples as it should have. Once we got there, I was relieved that there were only 10 people in the store...not exaggerating at all on that. We quickly found our pencil sharpener with the gracious help of a store employee and were done with our shopping. Phew...glad that's over.
I mostly wrote this to whine, but I suppose I should somehow wrap this up. Next year, I'm doing all my shopping online...or at Staples.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Teflon President-Elect
As I was reading about the scandal involving disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, I was less than shocked to see that President-Elect Barack Obama claims to know nothing of these events. It seems that Obama always knows very little when it comes to scandals involving those around him.
Let's look back, shall we? There was his America hating Reverend, Jeremiah Wright. Mr. Obama said that the Jeremiah Wright on those tapes was not the Jeremiah Wright he knew, and that he was never in church when Wright said horrible things about this country. And the media said, well, that's a good enough explanation for us.
Then there was his relationship with former terrorist Bill Ayers. Obama said Ayers was, "just a guy from the neighborhood." When it was discovered that Ayers and his wife hosted the launch of Obama's State Senate campaign, the media was forced to investigate a little. It was also discovered that Ayers and Obama served together on the board of the Woods Fund of Chicago. But, after that, the media concluded that Obama and Ayers "weren't close".
Then there was Tony Rezko. The Chicago area businessman who was indicted for using his connections to the state boards to demand kickbacks from businesses that wanted to do business with the state. It was discovered that Obama had purchased a house for $300,000 under the asking price. On the same day Rezko's wife purchased the adjacent property for the full asking price. While Obama acknowledged bringing the purchase to Rezko's attention, he denied a coordinated offer. Later, Obama purchased a 10 foot wide strip of Rezko's property for $104,500, around $60,000 above the assessed value. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Mark Brown, "Rezko definitely did Obama a favor by selling him the 10-foot strip of land, making his own parcel less attractive for development." Obama acknowledges that the exchange may have created the appearance of impropriety, and stated "I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it." Again, this was largely ignored by the media, or looked upon by some as a good real estate deal.
Now there's the controversy with Blagojevich. According to FoxNews, the timeline of the alleged events suggests that some in Obama's camp knew what was going on with the attempt to "sell" Obama's Senate seat. Blagojevich was looking for the promise of a job and cash to appoint the correct person.
Will this stick to Obama? I'm sure it won't. Either the media will ignore it, or someone in the Obama transition team will take the fall. Then, Obama will reiterate that the had no knowledge of this and that will be the end of it. The media has spent so much time spinning for Obama, that they can't let anything touch him now or they will look worse than they already do. The media will continue to do their part to ensure that Obama remains "The Teflon President-Elect" and eventually "The Teflon President."
Let's look back, shall we? There was his America hating Reverend, Jeremiah Wright. Mr. Obama said that the Jeremiah Wright on those tapes was not the Jeremiah Wright he knew, and that he was never in church when Wright said horrible things about this country. And the media said, well, that's a good enough explanation for us.
Then there was his relationship with former terrorist Bill Ayers. Obama said Ayers was, "just a guy from the neighborhood." When it was discovered that Ayers and his wife hosted the launch of Obama's State Senate campaign, the media was forced to investigate a little. It was also discovered that Ayers and Obama served together on the board of the Woods Fund of Chicago. But, after that, the media concluded that Obama and Ayers "weren't close".
Then there was Tony Rezko. The Chicago area businessman who was indicted for using his connections to the state boards to demand kickbacks from businesses that wanted to do business with the state. It was discovered that Obama had purchased a house for $300,000 under the asking price. On the same day Rezko's wife purchased the adjacent property for the full asking price. While Obama acknowledged bringing the purchase to Rezko's attention, he denied a coordinated offer. Later, Obama purchased a 10 foot wide strip of Rezko's property for $104,500, around $60,000 above the assessed value. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Mark Brown, "Rezko definitely did Obama a favor by selling him the 10-foot strip of land, making his own parcel less attractive for development." Obama acknowledges that the exchange may have created the appearance of impropriety, and stated "I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it." Again, this was largely ignored by the media, or looked upon by some as a good real estate deal.
Now there's the controversy with Blagojevich. According to FoxNews, the timeline of the alleged events suggests that some in Obama's camp knew what was going on with the attempt to "sell" Obama's Senate seat. Blagojevich was looking for the promise of a job and cash to appoint the correct person.
Will this stick to Obama? I'm sure it won't. Either the media will ignore it, or someone in the Obama transition team will take the fall. Then, Obama will reiterate that the had no knowledge of this and that will be the end of it. The media has spent so much time spinning for Obama, that they can't let anything touch him now or they will look worse than they already do. The media will continue to do their part to ensure that Obama remains "The Teflon President-Elect" and eventually "The Teflon President."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda
Here's another one for the kids...though I like these types of movies too. "Kung Fu Panda" is better than your usual Dreamworks animation movie, in that it doesn't just rely on humor to carry a relatively crappy story. While it is funny, I found it also had a good message about following your dreams and learning to believe in yourself.
The story centers around Po, an overweight Panda working at his father's Noodle Soup Restaurant, who is chosen as the Dragon Warrior by the Kung Fu Master, much to the dismay of the Furious Five (Tiger, Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper). The remainder of the movie centers around Po being accepted by the furious five, and their grouchy master, as well as learning to believe in himself as the Dragon Warrior. In the end, he faces off against the villain, Ty Luong (not sure about that spelling), and he finally comes to understand what it means to be "The Dragon Warrior."
"Kung Fu Panda" features the voice talents of Jack Black, as the Po the Panda. Normally, I can't stand Jack Black, but he was excellent as the voice of Po. Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan and Ian McShane also provide voice talents for this star-studded cast.
I found this film heart-warming and funny with a good message. My kids loved it and will watch it as often as we'll let them over the next few days I'm sure. Overall, I'd give it 4 stars. Some of the fight scenes may be a little intense for smaller children, so I think the PG rating is warranted. I would say this one is ok for kids 5 and older.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Earning his card
On Monday evening, I was watching Monday Night Football, when I randomly decided to check what was on The Golf Channel. I flipped over and immediately saw Wil Collins hitting his tee shot into a par 3. Why is this interesting? Well, because I went to high school with Wil Collins. We played on the same golf team, though I was no where near his level as a player. Wil was our best player on a team that won 3 straight state titles (I was only around for the first 2, and didn't really contribute to either of them).
The event that Wil was playing in was the PGA Tour Qualifying School event. The top 25 finishers earn their tour card for the next season. Only the best of the best get to play the PGA Tour. Needless to say, it's extremely difficult to get a card. When I tuned in, Wil was -17, 2 shots off the magic number, which was -19. He made 2 birdies and sunk a 20 foot putt on his 18th hole to finish inside the top 25 and earn full playing privileges. It was his 7th try at Q School, and the first time he's made it through.
Though we weren't really close friends, it was really cool to see someone I've known for a long time reach the top of his profession. I called one of my high school buddies and we talked while we both watched the final few holes. I couldn't help but remember all the times I would see Wil grinding away on the driving range, hitting ball after ball, while my friends and I screwed around on the golf course. He always had a drive that few could match. Now, his drive, hard work and dedication has brought him to the highest level of his profession. Very cool indeed!
I don't know how he's going to do this coming golf season. I do know that I, and most of us who were on those golf teams will be tuned in and rooting for Wil to have a successful season and hopefully a long career.
The event that Wil was playing in was the PGA Tour Qualifying School event. The top 25 finishers earn their tour card for the next season. Only the best of the best get to play the PGA Tour. Needless to say, it's extremely difficult to get a card. When I tuned in, Wil was -17, 2 shots off the magic number, which was -19. He made 2 birdies and sunk a 20 foot putt on his 18th hole to finish inside the top 25 and earn full playing privileges. It was his 7th try at Q School, and the first time he's made it through.
Though we weren't really close friends, it was really cool to see someone I've known for a long time reach the top of his profession. I called one of my high school buddies and we talked while we both watched the final few holes. I couldn't help but remember all the times I would see Wil grinding away on the driving range, hitting ball after ball, while my friends and I screwed around on the golf course. He always had a drive that few could match. Now, his drive, hard work and dedication has brought him to the highest level of his profession. Very cool indeed!
I don't know how he's going to do this coming golf season. I do know that I, and most of us who were on those golf teams will be tuned in and rooting for Wil to have a successful season and hopefully a long career.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sports Musings
I know not everybody is a sports fan. I love golf and football. I actually play golf. I was too much of a wimp to ever play football. Anyway, lots of stuff has happened in sports I care about lately, so I'm going to get caught up a little bit.
Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos are now 8-5 and are on the verge of winning their division and advancing to the playoffs. I say "on the verge", because even with a 3 game advantage, they've proven that no lead is safe. They are one of the most confusing teams in the league. One week, they get whipped by the Oakland Raiders, who are awful. The next week, the beat the New York Jets, who are very good, in New York. I've decided that this team is just going to be inconsistent. They are very young, with about a dozen rookies getting playing time this season. Even though I ripped him 2 weeks ago, coach Mike Shanahan has done a terrific job getting this team ready to play. The rest of this season should be interesting...time to sit back and try to enjoy the ride.
Peyton Hillis: Who's Peyton Hillis? He's the 5th Denver Broncos Running Back to be lost for the season to injury. He'll be replaced by Tatum Bell, who 1 month ago was selling Cell Phones in Aurora, CO (I'm not making that up). Peyton Hillis was a 7th round draft pick who only got to play because the 4 guys in front of him went down. In his limited time, he proved he could play in the NFL at a top level. Hopefully he'll heal in the offseason and be ready to go next fall.
Michelle Wie: Michelle Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card this week at the 5 round LGPA Tour Qualifying School. Michelle hit the scene as a 13 year old and has had quite a few ups and downs. The ups are that she's nearly won several LPGA tournaments. The downs...she's never won an LPGA tournament. Over the past year or 2, it seems like Michelle as either withdrawn or been DQ'd from more tournaments than she's finished. Known for her length off the tee, she's even tried her game against the men 7 or 8 times, though she's never made the cut. Now 19, she seems to be growing up. I am rooting for her to recapture her game, win some LPGA events and be as great as we all thought she'd be when she was 13.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits: Yes, Jackrabbits...not angry Jackrabbits, not Fierce Jackrabbits, just the Jackrabbits. My alma mater has now completed it's 5 year transition to NCAA Division I athletics. The football team finished 7-5 in their first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, good for 3rd place. Not bad for a team picked to finish 6th. Now it's basketball season. The men's team continues to struggle against good Division I competition, with a 4-5 record. However, the women's team is now 8-1 and receiving consideration in the rankings. I'm anxiously following both teams, hoping the women continue to play well and make a run at the NCAA tournament and hoping the men's team is able to improve. The Jackrabbits will be on the Big 10 Network on Wednesday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. I'll be tuned in, anxious to see how they do.
Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos are now 8-5 and are on the verge of winning their division and advancing to the playoffs. I say "on the verge", because even with a 3 game advantage, they've proven that no lead is safe. They are one of the most confusing teams in the league. One week, they get whipped by the Oakland Raiders, who are awful. The next week, the beat the New York Jets, who are very good, in New York. I've decided that this team is just going to be inconsistent. They are very young, with about a dozen rookies getting playing time this season. Even though I ripped him 2 weeks ago, coach Mike Shanahan has done a terrific job getting this team ready to play. The rest of this season should be interesting...time to sit back and try to enjoy the ride.
Peyton Hillis: Who's Peyton Hillis? He's the 5th Denver Broncos Running Back to be lost for the season to injury. He'll be replaced by Tatum Bell, who 1 month ago was selling Cell Phones in Aurora, CO (I'm not making that up). Peyton Hillis was a 7th round draft pick who only got to play because the 4 guys in front of him went down. In his limited time, he proved he could play in the NFL at a top level. Hopefully he'll heal in the offseason and be ready to go next fall.
Michelle Wie: Michelle Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card this week at the 5 round LGPA Tour Qualifying School. Michelle hit the scene as a 13 year old and has had quite a few ups and downs. The ups are that she's nearly won several LPGA tournaments. The downs...she's never won an LPGA tournament. Over the past year or 2, it seems like Michelle as either withdrawn or been DQ'd from more tournaments than she's finished. Known for her length off the tee, she's even tried her game against the men 7 or 8 times, though she's never made the cut. Now 19, she seems to be growing up. I am rooting for her to recapture her game, win some LPGA events and be as great as we all thought she'd be when she was 13.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits: Yes, Jackrabbits...not angry Jackrabbits, not Fierce Jackrabbits, just the Jackrabbits. My alma mater has now completed it's 5 year transition to NCAA Division I athletics. The football team finished 7-5 in their first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, good for 3rd place. Not bad for a team picked to finish 6th. Now it's basketball season. The men's team continues to struggle against good Division I competition, with a 4-5 record. However, the women's team is now 8-1 and receiving consideration in the rankings. I'm anxiously following both teams, hoping the women continue to play well and make a run at the NCAA tournament and hoping the men's team is able to improve. The Jackrabbits will be on the Big 10 Network on Wednesday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. I'll be tuned in, anxious to see how they do.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Chili weekend
No, I didn't spell chilly wrong, though it is very chilly here. This weekend was all about Chili (and family).
For several weeks now I've been looking for an opportunity to make my famous chili. Ok, well, it's not famous, but it's one of the few things I can cook that I think is actually sorta good. I learned it from my mom when I was in high school, and have since adapted/modified it. Yesterday, I tried several new things with my chili, and I think it may have been the best batch ever.
It's a fairly simple recipe. I put 2 cans of diced tomatoes with spicy green chili's, with a couple of cans of chili beans, and 1 lb. of meat in. Then I add water, spices and cook all day in the crockpot. So, the new stuff I tried yesterday was I replaced ground beef with ground turkey. To spice up the blandness of the turkey a little bit, I added my wife's secret turkey seasoning and some garlic salt, then browned it. Then instead of normal chili beans, I included 1 can of black beans. I really like black beans. Finally, to spice it up a little bit, I added some Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Garlic Powder and chopped onions. I seasoned it all afternoon with black pepper and chili powder, and then served with some hard rolls. I think we all enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to leftovers this week.
Then tonight our church had a Christmas Sing-along followed by a hot dog and chili supper. The sing-along was a lot of fun because Nicholas went up front and sang with the other kids. Nicholas has asperger's syndrome (a high functioning form of autism), so he typically doesn't do that sort of thing. We were so proud of him! Then we ate our chili supper. The organizers of the event each made their own recipes, so I got to have 2 different types of chili. Both were really good, and we got to have some good conversation with our fellow parishioners.
Overall, this was a great, Chili weekend!!!
For several weeks now I've been looking for an opportunity to make my famous chili. Ok, well, it's not famous, but it's one of the few things I can cook that I think is actually sorta good. I learned it from my mom when I was in high school, and have since adapted/modified it. Yesterday, I tried several new things with my chili, and I think it may have been the best batch ever.
It's a fairly simple recipe. I put 2 cans of diced tomatoes with spicy green chili's, with a couple of cans of chili beans, and 1 lb. of meat in. Then I add water, spices and cook all day in the crockpot. So, the new stuff I tried yesterday was I replaced ground beef with ground turkey. To spice up the blandness of the turkey a little bit, I added my wife's secret turkey seasoning and some garlic salt, then browned it. Then instead of normal chili beans, I included 1 can of black beans. I really like black beans. Finally, to spice it up a little bit, I added some Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Garlic Powder and chopped onions. I seasoned it all afternoon with black pepper and chili powder, and then served with some hard rolls. I think we all enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to leftovers this week.
Then tonight our church had a Christmas Sing-along followed by a hot dog and chili supper. The sing-along was a lot of fun because Nicholas went up front and sang with the other kids. Nicholas has asperger's syndrome (a high functioning form of autism), so he typically doesn't do that sort of thing. We were so proud of him! Then we ate our chili supper. The organizers of the event each made their own recipes, so I got to have 2 different types of chili. Both were really good, and we got to have some good conversation with our fellow parishioners.
Overall, this was a great, Chili weekend!!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Miscellaneous end of week thoughts
Just a few minor things to get out there today.
O.J. Simpson's going to jail. Did anybody not think this was coming? I was watching ESPN's Sportcenter tonight, and it was almost like they were shocked. Maybe it's just a slow news day.
Boxing - While watching the same ESPN Sportscenter, they showed a live weigh-in for a boxing match. I can honestly say that, other than all the Rocky movies, I've never watched a boxing match in my life. I just don't think any real movie can match up to Rocky, so I don't even try.
George W. Bush - This week I heard a lot on talk radio about W's legacy. I really don't think he cares that much, to be honest. I think he's looking forward to getting back to Texas and being an ex-President.
Here's what I'll remember about Bush 43. I'll remember that, domestically, he wasn't very good. For too long he let Congress have whatever they wanted. Spending ballooned and this country drifted farther left on the domestic front under George W. Bush. I'll remember that he dealt with more hate from the political left and the media of this country than any President should have to endure. I'll also remember that he was absolutely the correct man to lead our country in the days and months following 9/11. He's a good man, he loves his country, he was a bulldog on national defense, and he was a respected commander-in-chief. That's what I'll remember and that's what I'll teach my kids about our 43rd President.
O.J. Simpson's going to jail. Did anybody not think this was coming? I was watching ESPN's Sportcenter tonight, and it was almost like they were shocked. Maybe it's just a slow news day.
Boxing - While watching the same ESPN Sportscenter, they showed a live weigh-in for a boxing match. I can honestly say that, other than all the Rocky movies, I've never watched a boxing match in my life. I just don't think any real movie can match up to Rocky, so I don't even try.
George W. Bush - This week I heard a lot on talk radio about W's legacy. I really don't think he cares that much, to be honest. I think he's looking forward to getting back to Texas and being an ex-President.
Here's what I'll remember about Bush 43. I'll remember that, domestically, he wasn't very good. For too long he let Congress have whatever they wanted. Spending ballooned and this country drifted farther left on the domestic front under George W. Bush. I'll remember that he dealt with more hate from the political left and the media of this country than any President should have to endure. I'll also remember that he was absolutely the correct man to lead our country in the days and months following 9/11. He's a good man, he loves his country, he was a bulldog on national defense, and he was a respected commander-in-chief. That's what I'll remember and that's what I'll teach my kids about our 43rd President.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Our Difficult Day
I didn't start this blog to describe what goes on in my life on a daily basis, but yesterday was especially difficult for our family. Before I go much further, I admit I will probably lose "man points" for this one.
We have an almost 3 year old dog named Toby. Toby is a Schnoodle (poodle/schnauzer mix). He weighs about 15 lbs.
Yesterday morning, Toby managed to get into each boy's advent calendar and consume 42 pieces of milk chocolate. For those who don't know, chocolate is toxic to dogs in large amounts. Forty-two pieces is a lot of chocolate for a little dog. So, my wife rushed him to the vet and they began to take care of him.
When we went to pick him up at 5 pm, he had started running a fever and was having seizures. The vet was doing everything she could for him, and did manage to get his fever down. Since our vet doesn't have an overnight person, we had to transfer Toby to the emergency vet in town. We had to wait nearly a half hour for the vet to get him ready for transfer. During that time, David (7 year old) was crying quite regularly, while Nicholas (5 year old) drew a picture of Jesus taking Toby to heaven. I guess I should mention that, at this point, there seemed to be at least a 50% chance Toby wouldn't survive.
We got him loaded into our van and we drove him down there. I kept my hand on him the entire ride. He was having tremors the entire time. It was scary and nerve wracking. When we got to the emergency vet, we had to wait again while they looked at Toby and prepared more treatment. At the emergency vet, Nicholas started crying a lot, while David tried to ignore it. Again Nicholas was talking about Jesus, so we said a prayer and I told him that if Toby died, it would be because Jesus wanted a dog. I don't know if that's true, but it's what came into my head when talking to a 5 year old. Amazing how kids try to cope.
After a while, the vet told us they were going to keep him overnight, so we could go. We went and saw Toby, and then left...all of us a bit teary (yes, even me!). Again, still probably at least a 50% chance he would die.
Around 10 pm I called the vet and they said he was doing better. The tremors had stopped and he was hungry. I could hear him barking in the background, and that really lifted my heart. We went to bed feeling a little better. I called the vet again at 7 am and we were told he had a good night and that we could bring him home today.
Toby's home now! But, we're not out of the woods yet. There's still a chance for complications. He doesn't have his energy fully back yet, and we have to give him a special diet for a few days. Mom and the kids went and bought Toby a special toy, which Nicholas appears to like more than Toby. I got a wonderful greeting from Toby when I got home from work, and probably more "kisses" than he's ever given me. It's great to have him home.
I know he's "just a dog", but he's really more than that. Toby is an important member of our family. It's amazing how a small little dog can work his way into your heart. I know one day we'll lose Toby, and that day will be a hard one for all of us. I'm just so thankful that we have him back home, relatively safe and sound. I pray that Toby will be with us for a long time to come.
We have an almost 3 year old dog named Toby. Toby is a Schnoodle (poodle/schnauzer mix). He weighs about 15 lbs.
Yesterday morning, Toby managed to get into each boy's advent calendar and consume 42 pieces of milk chocolate. For those who don't know, chocolate is toxic to dogs in large amounts. Forty-two pieces is a lot of chocolate for a little dog. So, my wife rushed him to the vet and they began to take care of him.
When we went to pick him up at 5 pm, he had started running a fever and was having seizures. The vet was doing everything she could for him, and did manage to get his fever down. Since our vet doesn't have an overnight person, we had to transfer Toby to the emergency vet in town. We had to wait nearly a half hour for the vet to get him ready for transfer. During that time, David (7 year old) was crying quite regularly, while Nicholas (5 year old) drew a picture of Jesus taking Toby to heaven. I guess I should mention that, at this point, there seemed to be at least a 50% chance Toby wouldn't survive.
We got him loaded into our van and we drove him down there. I kept my hand on him the entire ride. He was having tremors the entire time. It was scary and nerve wracking. When we got to the emergency vet, we had to wait again while they looked at Toby and prepared more treatment. At the emergency vet, Nicholas started crying a lot, while David tried to ignore it. Again Nicholas was talking about Jesus, so we said a prayer and I told him that if Toby died, it would be because Jesus wanted a dog. I don't know if that's true, but it's what came into my head when talking to a 5 year old. Amazing how kids try to cope.
After a while, the vet told us they were going to keep him overnight, so we could go. We went and saw Toby, and then left...all of us a bit teary (yes, even me!). Again, still probably at least a 50% chance he would die.
Around 10 pm I called the vet and they said he was doing better. The tremors had stopped and he was hungry. I could hear him barking in the background, and that really lifted my heart. We went to bed feeling a little better. I called the vet again at 7 am and we were told he had a good night and that we could bring him home today.
Toby's home now! But, we're not out of the woods yet. There's still a chance for complications. He doesn't have his energy fully back yet, and we have to give him a special diet for a few days. Mom and the kids went and bought Toby a special toy, which Nicholas appears to like more than Toby. I got a wonderful greeting from Toby when I got home from work, and probably more "kisses" than he's ever given me. It's great to have him home.
I know he's "just a dog", but he's really more than that. Toby is an important member of our family. It's amazing how a small little dog can work his way into your heart. I know one day we'll lose Toby, and that day will be a hard one for all of us. I'm just so thankful that we have him back home, relatively safe and sound. I pray that Toby will be with us for a long time to come.
Movie Review: Night at the Museum
We watched this one as a family last night after a very difficult day. I think the entire family liked this movie a lot and it brought levity to our difficult day. I gave it 4 stars on Netflix. "Night at the Museum" is a terrific movie for kids. My guess is we'll end up owning it at some point, because the kids really loved it.
Loosely based off the children's book, "Night at the Museum" follows Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) as he takes a job at the New York City Natural History Museum. Larry is the night guard, and he quickly discovers that at this museum, all the exhibits come to life at night. This makes for many funny moments, lets Larry become a hero to his son, and forces all the exhibits to get along while coming together to stop a robbery at the museum.
"Night at the Museum" costars Robin Williams and Owen Wilson. Robin Williams is very good as Teddy Roosevelt, while Owen Wilson is hilarious as miniature cowboy Jedidiah. The movie also includes Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney, both of whom are great in their roles. "Night at the Museum" is rated PG. I think it's appropriate for almost any age child.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
It's called a Fedora!
I was talking with a friend today, and I used the term Fedora to describe a hat. When pressed, I said that a Fedora is the style of hat made famous by Indiana Jones. This friend then told me that he thought that style of hat was called an "Indiana Jones Hat". He also informed me that I lost "man points" for knowing the style of hat.
I was flummoxed by this. I assumed everyone in the world knew that a Fedora was the style of hat worn by Indiana Jones. However, I was proven wrong in this. In the interest of educating the public, I've borrowed a few lines from my favorite source, Wikipedia, to describe the Fedora.
"A fedora is a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. Similar hats with a C-crown (with an indentation for the head in the top of the crown) are occasionally called fedoras. The brim goes all the way around, and often there will be a hat band as well. "
"The term fedora was in use as early as 1891. Originally a woman's fashion into the 20th century, the fedora came into use in about 1920, as a men's upper-class clothing accessory. Its popularity soared, and eventually it eclipsed the similar-looking Homburg by the 1930s. Fedoras can be found in nearly any color imaginable, but black, grey, tan/brown, and red are the most popular."
The picture included is of the Fedora made famous by Indiana Jones. Additional movie characters who have made the Fedora famous include The Blues Brothers and Freddy Krueger.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Political Apathy
I haven't been doing many political blogs. I've done far fewer than I thought I would at this point in my blogging life. I've been wondering why that is, and I think it's because I'm politically apathetic at this point. In a little over a month, the Democrats will have near total power in the Federal Government. They already have near total power where I live. I just find myself not caring very much right now.
For instance, I really should have a strong opinion about Hillary Clinton as Secretary or State, but I just don't care. I actually find myself sort of glad Obama picked her...he could have done much worse. Hillary has become sort of a sympathetic figure to me. Don't misunderstand me, I would NEVER vote for her, but I do feel a bit sorry for her. All she ever wanted to do was be President, but the media and the Obama campaign ended that dream. So, this is a good consolation prize for her. Plus, it keeps Bill in check...at least it should.
I should also be thrilled Obama decided to keep Robert Gates on. After all, Gates has been a terrific Secretary of Defense, but again, I just don't care too much. Am I supposed to rejoice that Obama demonstrated a small amount of common sense?
I hope this political malaise will end soon, but at this point, I don't see an end in sight. Maybe there will be a "hot button" issue that snaps me out of this. But until then, I guess I'll have to stick to movie ratings and Denver Broncos rants.
For instance, I really should have a strong opinion about Hillary Clinton as Secretary or State, but I just don't care. I actually find myself sort of glad Obama picked her...he could have done much worse. Hillary has become sort of a sympathetic figure to me. Don't misunderstand me, I would NEVER vote for her, but I do feel a bit sorry for her. All she ever wanted to do was be President, but the media and the Obama campaign ended that dream. So, this is a good consolation prize for her. Plus, it keeps Bill in check...at least it should.
I should also be thrilled Obama decided to keep Robert Gates on. After all, Gates has been a terrific Secretary of Defense, but again, I just don't care too much. Am I supposed to rejoice that Obama demonstrated a small amount of common sense?
I hope this political malaise will end soon, but at this point, I don't see an end in sight. Maybe there will be a "hot button" issue that snaps me out of this. But until then, I guess I'll have to stick to movie ratings and Denver Broncos rants.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
No News is Good News
On Friday, my 2 boys and I set out to Sioux City, IA to meet up with my parents for a quick visit. It's kind of in the middle and we had access to an apartment there, which has no Internet and no cable (very difficult for me). We had a terrific time...the boys were great and had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa. Sioux City gets a bad reputation, it really is a pretty nice city.
So, as I said before, there was no Internet and no cable, which also meant NO NEWS whatsoever. I wasn't able to hear any bad news about the economy. I didn't hear any speculation on who Obama's next cabinet appointee is. I didn't hear anything about football, basketball, or any other sport. And, I didn't miss it...in fact, it was very nice. I was in a good mood all weekend.
I'm not advocating becoming uninformed. I am not going to completely abandon watching the news...after all what would I blog about if I did that. A guy can only write so many "I didn't watch any news blogs". But I digress. I'm advocating taking an occasional break from the world. It definitely proved to be a stress reliever from the daily dose of bad news that you find in the news and sports media. I plan to have "news free" weekends more often going forward.
So, as I said before, there was no Internet and no cable, which also meant NO NEWS whatsoever. I wasn't able to hear any bad news about the economy. I didn't hear any speculation on who Obama's next cabinet appointee is. I didn't hear anything about football, basketball, or any other sport. And, I didn't miss it...in fact, it was very nice. I was in a good mood all weekend.
I'm not advocating becoming uninformed. I am not going to completely abandon watching the news...after all what would I blog about if I did that. A guy can only write so many "I didn't watch any news blogs". But I digress. I'm advocating taking an occasional break from the world. It definitely proved to be a stress reliever from the daily dose of bad news that you find in the news and sports media. I plan to have "news free" weekends more often going forward.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's a time for eating, family and giving thanks. It seems to me however, that giving thanks often takes a back seat to a great meal or family or football. This got me to wondering, why is that?
Well, here's what I believe. I believe we have been undereducated when it comes to what Thanksgiving is really about. When the Pilgrims came over, they had a difficult winter and many people died. But, the Native Americans were kind to them by teaching them to grow corn and hunt the native animals, among other things. Once they pilgrims had these abilities, they could survive, so they had a giant feast with the Native Americans to give thanks. But, Who were they thanking? The public school system would have us believe that the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, and that's it. No doubt, the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, but they were also thanking God. For they believed it was God who brought them to the new world. It was God working through the Native Americans teaching them how to survive. And now, they were thanking God for their blessings.
I believe this lack of education is why going to church on Thanksgiving is not a regular event like it is on Christmas and Easter. When I was growing up, we didn't go to church on Thanksgiving. I don't blame anyone for that, it's not expected. However, our family started the tradition of going to Mass on Thanksgiving 5 or 6 years ago. Now it feels wrong not to go. Going to Mass on Thanksgiving really puts me in a mindset to thank God for all the good, and sometimes bad, things that are in my life. It's a good thing, and I wish more people would make it practice to spend an hour with God on Thanksgiving, because it is from Him that all things come.
With that in mind, this Thanksgiving, I thank God for my wonderful wife, my 2 great kids, my parents, my in-laws and the rest of my family and friends. I'm thankful for my dog, my health, and that I have a warm place to live and food to eat. I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given to grow in my faith this year. I'm thankful that I get to play golf. I'm thankful that I live in the greatest country on earth. But most of all, I'm thankful that I am a child of God!
Well, here's what I believe. I believe we have been undereducated when it comes to what Thanksgiving is really about. When the Pilgrims came over, they had a difficult winter and many people died. But, the Native Americans were kind to them by teaching them to grow corn and hunt the native animals, among other things. Once they pilgrims had these abilities, they could survive, so they had a giant feast with the Native Americans to give thanks. But, Who were they thanking? The public school system would have us believe that the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, and that's it. No doubt, the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, but they were also thanking God. For they believed it was God who brought them to the new world. It was God working through the Native Americans teaching them how to survive. And now, they were thanking God for their blessings.
I believe this lack of education is why going to church on Thanksgiving is not a regular event like it is on Christmas and Easter. When I was growing up, we didn't go to church on Thanksgiving. I don't blame anyone for that, it's not expected. However, our family started the tradition of going to Mass on Thanksgiving 5 or 6 years ago. Now it feels wrong not to go. Going to Mass on Thanksgiving really puts me in a mindset to thank God for all the good, and sometimes bad, things that are in my life. It's a good thing, and I wish more people would make it practice to spend an hour with God on Thanksgiving, because it is from Him that all things come.
With that in mind, this Thanksgiving, I thank God for my wonderful wife, my 2 great kids, my parents, my in-laws and the rest of my family and friends. I'm thankful for my dog, my health, and that I have a warm place to live and food to eat. I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given to grow in my faith this year. I'm thankful that I get to play golf. I'm thankful that I live in the greatest country on earth. But most of all, I'm thankful that I am a child of God!
Movie Review: Batman: Gotham Knight
Confirming my nerd-dom, I got this from Netflix and watched it the same day. "Batman: Gotham Knight" is a set of 6 short animated films. Each animated film is done in a unique style, but all 6 form a continuous series.
If you are a Batman fan, this is a must see. If you are not a Batman fan, or prefer the old "campy" 1960's Batman, then stay away from this. The story bridges the gap between the movies "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight". It does an excellent job of delving into the psyche that makes Batman who he is. I found it dark at times, but in a good way.
Overall I give it 4 stars. Some of the animation style was hard to adjust to, but it was true to Batman in a way that I really enjoyed and appreciated.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Joy of Bowling
I've been bowling ever since I was a little kid. When I was in 6th grade, I joined a Saturday morning bowling league with 3 friends from school. From 6th grade through high school, Saturday morning became "bowling day". The best thing about bowling day was getting to spend 2 hours with friends, doing something I enjoyed, and something mildly competitive. Over time, I became a decent bowler, but it was still always about fun.
I went away to college and didn't bowl for a couple of years. Then, my junior year, I went to the bowling alley on a whim to see if I could sub in a league. Well, it just so happened there was a league with an opening for a full fledged team. I quickly called 2 friends and we made a team. That league is one of my favorite college memories.
Then my wife and I had kids, and my bowling was curtailed. When I finally did start again, it was in a 2 game a week league over lunch on Tuesdays. I've been bowling in this league now for 4 years, and while I enjoy myself, it's never been as fun as it was when I was younger. I figured I'd never recapture the joy I felt when I was younger. However, this made it easier for me to turn people down when asked to join other leagues.
That was until this Tuesday. Our league is a mixed league, and my teammate and I were paired against 2 women (one of whom is a very good bowler). They were nice people and we were having a pleasant time. None of us were bowling great, but the 1st game was close. In fact, we were tied in the 10th frame. I was up to bowl, and the super good bowler on the other team was up. She went first and got a strike. So, now I had to strike, and I did. She went again and got another strike! Then I went and got another strike. When I got back to the ball return, she was waiting for me with a high five...that was very unexpected. We each had 1 ball to throw. The other player went first and got a 3rd strike in the 10th frame. I greeted her with a high five. Now, I needed to strike just to tie the game. I managed to get the 3rd strike. Our teammates were thrilled, and everyone had a good time.
The 2nd game was eerily similar. We ended up winning by 5 pins. But when we left, my teammate and I were talking more about what a great time we had than the winning or losing, which has been rare in this league.
Those 2 games recaptured everything I loved about bowling as a kid. It was about fun, with a little competition sprinkled in. Hopefully we can continue that attitude for weeks to come. Of course ,that will make it much harder for me to say no next time someone asks me to join another league!
I went away to college and didn't bowl for a couple of years. Then, my junior year, I went to the bowling alley on a whim to see if I could sub in a league. Well, it just so happened there was a league with an opening for a full fledged team. I quickly called 2 friends and we made a team. That league is one of my favorite college memories.
Then my wife and I had kids, and my bowling was curtailed. When I finally did start again, it was in a 2 game a week league over lunch on Tuesdays. I've been bowling in this league now for 4 years, and while I enjoy myself, it's never been as fun as it was when I was younger. I figured I'd never recapture the joy I felt when I was younger. However, this made it easier for me to turn people down when asked to join other leagues.
That was until this Tuesday. Our league is a mixed league, and my teammate and I were paired against 2 women (one of whom is a very good bowler). They were nice people and we were having a pleasant time. None of us were bowling great, but the 1st game was close. In fact, we were tied in the 10th frame. I was up to bowl, and the super good bowler on the other team was up. She went first and got a strike. So, now I had to strike, and I did. She went again and got another strike! Then I went and got another strike. When I got back to the ball return, she was waiting for me with a high five...that was very unexpected. We each had 1 ball to throw. The other player went first and got a 3rd strike in the 10th frame. I greeted her with a high five. Now, I needed to strike just to tie the game. I managed to get the 3rd strike. Our teammates were thrilled, and everyone had a good time.
The 2nd game was eerily similar. We ended up winning by 5 pins. But when we left, my teammate and I were talking more about what a great time we had than the winning or losing, which has been rare in this league.
Those 2 games recaptured everything I loved about bowling as a kid. It was about fun, with a little competition sprinkled in. Hopefully we can continue that attitude for weeks to come. Of course ,that will make it much harder for me to say no next time someone asks me to join another league!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth
I watched "Journey to the Center of the Earth" last night. I had pretty low expectations because I'm not a big Brendan Fraser fan. I've discovered that low expectations is one key to a good movie watching experience. If you have high expectations it's so much easier to be disappointed.
I have to give this one 3 stars. It had good adventure scenes and some nice effects, but I felt like the story was weak and Brendan Fraser was pretty stiff. At only 92 minutes, it was just too short to develop a top notch story. It would have been cool to see it in 3D, though. I could tell that some scenes were shot specifically for the 3D effect in the theater.
"Journey to the Center of the Earth" is rated PG. I think it would be appropriate for a 9-10 year old kid. Some of it would be over the head of a younger kid, but there's no foul language or anything that would preclude someone younger from watching it.
Explanation of Movie/TV Ratings
I realized that I've never explained my movie rating method. I base this off of Netflix's 5 star method. Here's how I rate them:
5 Stars - Great Movie, I want to own it!
4 Stars - Really Good Movie, I would watch it again, but I don't need to own it.
3 Stars - Glad I saw it once, it's ok if I never watch it again.
2 Stars - Flat out awful!!! I should note it's really hard to get less than a 3 with me. I like most movies enough to give them a 3.
1 Star - I likely didn't even finish the movie, because it was that much of a waste of my time.
5 Stars - Great Movie, I want to own it!
4 Stars - Really Good Movie, I would watch it again, but I don't need to own it.
3 Stars - Glad I saw it once, it's ok if I never watch it again.
2 Stars - Flat out awful!!! I should note it's really hard to get less than a 3 with me. I like most movies enough to give them a 3.
1 Star - I likely didn't even finish the movie, because it was that much of a waste of my time.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A Denver Broncos Rant!!!
As I write this, my beloved Denver Broncos are in the process of losing to the hated Oakland Raiders. It's currently 31-10 with about 7 minutes left in the game, so I feel pretty safe that I won't have to go back and amend this rant because the Broncos pulled out a miracle win. I hope I have to go back and amend this, but I don't think I'll have to. I'm hoping this is therapeutic for me because I'm really torked off about this...please forgive me if this doesn't make any sense.
BTW - I know, it's pretty stupid to get upset about a football game, but I do...it's a process, and I'm working on taking this less seriously.
This loss will mean the Broncos are 6-5 on the season, and still in 1st place. So, what am I ranting about? Two of their losses have come to the 1-10 Kansas City Chiefs, and the soon to be 3-8 Oakland Raiders. They also have a loss to the 4-7 Jacksonville Jaguars. They seem to play down to the level of their competition!!! If you want to be a contender in the NFL, you can't lose games to bad teams.
What this really comes down to is coaching. When a team shows up completely unprepared against a bad team like the Raiders, that's coaching, plain and simple. These guys are all professionals, and if you don't prepare you are going to lose, even to a bad team.
Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan won 2 Super Bowls in the 90's with Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway. Since Elway retired, Shanahan has won 1 playoff game, and gone through 4 starting QB's. It's time for Shanahan to go! I didn't want to say that. I think he's one of the greatest coaches ever, but it seems like he's lost this team. Every year he manages to field a team that finishes somewhere between 7-9 to 10-6, so as a fan, you continually feel like your team is on the verge of breaking through. But, they never break through! Every year the defense stinks! Every year the special teams is far from special! Every year the offense gets worse! The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
I think the problem really boils down too one simple problem...players don't seem to develop under Shanahan. The Broncos have a good young core, with 3rd year QB Jay Cutler, 3rd year receiver Brandon Marshall and rookies Eddie Royal and Ryan Clady. However, Cutler and Marshall seemed to have plateaued or even regressed since the start of the season. They need someone now who can be tough with them, but pick them up at the same time and help them get better. I don't think Shanahan can do that.
We've seen 10 years of Shanahan trying to rebuild this team after Elway. He's brought in good players, but never found the chemistry to crack the upper echelon of teams again. As much as it pains me to say this, it's time to give someone else a shot in Denver.
BTW - I know, it's pretty stupid to get upset about a football game, but I do...it's a process, and I'm working on taking this less seriously.
This loss will mean the Broncos are 6-5 on the season, and still in 1st place. So, what am I ranting about? Two of their losses have come to the 1-10 Kansas City Chiefs, and the soon to be 3-8 Oakland Raiders. They also have a loss to the 4-7 Jacksonville Jaguars. They seem to play down to the level of their competition!!! If you want to be a contender in the NFL, you can't lose games to bad teams.
What this really comes down to is coaching. When a team shows up completely unprepared against a bad team like the Raiders, that's coaching, plain and simple. These guys are all professionals, and if you don't prepare you are going to lose, even to a bad team.
Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan won 2 Super Bowls in the 90's with Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway. Since Elway retired, Shanahan has won 1 playoff game, and gone through 4 starting QB's. It's time for Shanahan to go! I didn't want to say that. I think he's one of the greatest coaches ever, but it seems like he's lost this team. Every year he manages to field a team that finishes somewhere between 7-9 to 10-6, so as a fan, you continually feel like your team is on the verge of breaking through. But, they never break through! Every year the defense stinks! Every year the special teams is far from special! Every year the offense gets worse! The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
I think the problem really boils down too one simple problem...players don't seem to develop under Shanahan. The Broncos have a good young core, with 3rd year QB Jay Cutler, 3rd year receiver Brandon Marshall and rookies Eddie Royal and Ryan Clady. However, Cutler and Marshall seemed to have plateaued or even regressed since the start of the season. They need someone now who can be tough with them, but pick them up at the same time and help them get better. I don't think Shanahan can do that.
We've seen 10 years of Shanahan trying to rebuild this team after Elway. He's brought in good players, but never found the chemistry to crack the upper echelon of teams again. As much as it pains me to say this, it's time to give someone else a shot in Denver.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Bye Bye Ms. 59
Annika Sorenstam, possibly the greatest female golfer of all time, retired yesterday. She shot a 75 in her final competitve round to miss the cut by 2 shots. A very unceremonious ending to a great career.
Nicknamed Ms. 59, because she is the only woman ever to shoot 59 in competition, Annika ends her career with 72 LPGA Victories and 10 major championships. She won 17 other worldwide events in a career that started with a US Women's Open title in 1995. Her best years were from 2001 to 2005, when she won a remarkable 43 tournaments out of 104 she entered. That kind of win percentage is unheard of in golf...even for Tiger Woods. People have said that Annika was the Tiger of the LPGA Tour. It may be more appropriate to say Tiger is the Annika of the PGA Tour.
Beyond all her accolades in golf, I credit her for increasing interest in the LPGA Tour. Like Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, Annika forced a whole generation of players to get better to compete with her. She made the LPGA Tour relevant in a way that it hadn't been since Nancy Lopez was a rising star. Heck, before Annika went on her tear, I couldn't tell you, from week to week who was winning the LPGA Tour events. Now, I follow the LPGA Tour every week, right along with the PGA Tour.
At 38 years old, she could still make a comeback. Right now, she is going to focus on starting a family and expanding her off the course businesses, like her golf academy, her golf course design and her charities. She will be missed, but her legacy will be felt for years to come.
Nicknamed Ms. 59, because she is the only woman ever to shoot 59 in competition, Annika ends her career with 72 LPGA Victories and 10 major championships. She won 17 other worldwide events in a career that started with a US Women's Open title in 1995. Her best years were from 2001 to 2005, when she won a remarkable 43 tournaments out of 104 she entered. That kind of win percentage is unheard of in golf...even for Tiger Woods. People have said that Annika was the Tiger of the LPGA Tour. It may be more appropriate to say Tiger is the Annika of the PGA Tour.
Beyond all her accolades in golf, I credit her for increasing interest in the LPGA Tour. Like Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, Annika forced a whole generation of players to get better to compete with her. She made the LPGA Tour relevant in a way that it hadn't been since Nancy Lopez was a rising star. Heck, before Annika went on her tear, I couldn't tell you, from week to week who was winning the LPGA Tour events. Now, I follow the LPGA Tour every week, right along with the PGA Tour.
At 38 years old, she could still make a comeback. Right now, she is going to focus on starting a family and expanding her off the course businesses, like her golf academy, her golf course design and her charities. She will be missed, but her legacy will be felt for years to come.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Miscellaneous
There have been a number of other ideas floating around in my head that I didn't have time to blog about. So, I'm going to summarize them here.
J.P. Hayes - This week, professional golfer J.P. Hayes disqualified himself from the PGA Tour's Qualifying School because he played an unapproved golf ball for 2 shots. No one ever would have known had he not called the penalty on himself. But, he did the right thing, and cost himself a shot at a Tour Card. However, his honesty should be rewarded with some good sponsor's exemptions into 10-15 tournaments. Good work J.P.!
The Auto Bailout - I was happy to see that the auto bailout didn't go through...yet anyway. Let's see what happens in a few months when George W. Bush isn't standing there with a veto pen.
NBA Basketball - The NBA season started...did anybody notice?
9-Pin No Tap Bowling - This week my bowling league did a 9-Pin No Tap event. In No Tap, 9 pins count as a strike. I affectionately refer to this as "Liberal Bowling", because it's hard to get all 10...let's just give strikes if people get 9. It's close enough! Everybody feels good about themselves, no one works as hard...it's perfect liberalism.
J.P. Hayes - This week, professional golfer J.P. Hayes disqualified himself from the PGA Tour's Qualifying School because he played an unapproved golf ball for 2 shots. No one ever would have known had he not called the penalty on himself. But, he did the right thing, and cost himself a shot at a Tour Card. However, his honesty should be rewarded with some good sponsor's exemptions into 10-15 tournaments. Good work J.P.!
The Auto Bailout - I was happy to see that the auto bailout didn't go through...yet anyway. Let's see what happens in a few months when George W. Bush isn't standing there with a veto pen.
NBA Basketball - The NBA season started...did anybody notice?
9-Pin No Tap Bowling - This week my bowling league did a 9-Pin No Tap event. In No Tap, 9 pins count as a strike. I affectionately refer to this as "Liberal Bowling", because it's hard to get all 10...let's just give strikes if people get 9. It's close enough! Everybody feels good about themselves, no one works as hard...it's perfect liberalism.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
TV Series Review: Chuck, Season 1
As a Netflix subscriber, I end up watching most of my TV shows a year late on DVD. It's just easier than trying to keep up with a weekly show. Maybe some day I'll finally get a DVR, but until that day, Netflix is my refuge.
I just finished Season 1 of the NBC series, "Chuck". "Chuck" centers around the main character, Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi), who works for the "Nerd Herd" at the Buy More (similar to the Geek Squad at Best Buy). In the series opener, Chuck receives an e-mail from his former college roommate, turned Super Spy. When he opens the e-mail, all the nation's top spy information is "downloaded" into Chuck's brain. Chuck becomes, what they call, "The Intersect".
The rest of the series centers on Chuck juggling his private life (family, friends, job) with his new life as a government spy. Chuck is protected by his CIA handler, and love interest Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and his NSA handler John Casey (Adam Baldwin).
I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix. Chuck is one of the most likable characters in recent memory. There's almost nothing not to like about him. Sadly, that is one of the hardest parts of the show. While it's a comedy, you end up feeling bad for Chuck in almost every episode. I believe I said "Poor Chuck" at some point during every episode. The relationship between Chuck and Sarah is complex and adds some seriousness to the show.
The rest of the cast is great, and brings levity to the show. Adam Baldwin is terrific. He has made his niche playing this type of character (a gun-loving, pull no punches guy). If you like a light, funny, occasionally serious TV series, "Chuck" is for you. If you like a darker TV series, stay away from this series. I look forward to watching Season 2.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
An Open Letter to the President-Elect
Dear President Elect Obama,
Please read the follow opinion from the New York Times before proceeding:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html?_r=3
So, you're probably wondering why I asked you to read an opinion editorial written by a former Massachusetts Governor and a one time Republican Presidential candidate. Because this is your chance! This is your chance to prove me and all my conservative friends wrong. This is your chance to be the "Great Uniter" that you said you would be. This is your chance to appoint Mitt Romney to the role of Treasury Secretary.
Don't stop reading now! Look, Henry Paulson is failing miserably. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but he's not getting it done. Mitt Romney is a successful business man who obviously gets it. Look at the intelligence and common sense approach he wants to take with the auto industry. He understands what needs to be done to get things going again. He understands that, if the government must provide bail out money, lets spend it on development of new technologies, not just give blank checks to bad business people.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still against the government bailout, but the money's out there now. Tax payers are on the hook for billions. So, I figure we might as well put someone competent in charge of it. Here's your chance Mr. Obama...prove me wrong, do what's best for the country and make Mitt Romney your Treasury Secretary, and put him in charge of the economic bailout.
Sincerely,
One concerned American
Please read the follow opinion from the New York Times before proceeding:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html?_r=3
So, you're probably wondering why I asked you to read an opinion editorial written by a former Massachusetts Governor and a one time Republican Presidential candidate. Because this is your chance! This is your chance to prove me and all my conservative friends wrong. This is your chance to be the "Great Uniter" that you said you would be. This is your chance to appoint Mitt Romney to the role of Treasury Secretary.
Don't stop reading now! Look, Henry Paulson is failing miserably. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but he's not getting it done. Mitt Romney is a successful business man who obviously gets it. Look at the intelligence and common sense approach he wants to take with the auto industry. He understands what needs to be done to get things going again. He understands that, if the government must provide bail out money, lets spend it on development of new technologies, not just give blank checks to bad business people.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still against the government bailout, but the money's out there now. Tax payers are on the hook for billions. So, I figure we might as well put someone competent in charge of it. Here's your chance Mr. Obama...prove me wrong, do what's best for the country and make Mitt Romney your Treasury Secretary, and put him in charge of the economic bailout.
Sincerely,
One concerned American
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The retirement of John Lynch
Who's John Lynch you might be asking? You aren't asking that if you follow football at all, but if you don't, I'll tell you who John Lynch is. John Lynch is a 9 time Pro-Bowl Safety who played 15 seasons in the NFL, the last 4 with my beloved Denver Broncos. He has 1,277 career tackles, 26 Interceptions, 13 sacks, and numerous bone crushing hits. While he only played the twilight of his career in Denver, he will go down as one of the Broncos' greatest defensive players.
But he was more than a football player. He was the consummate team player, and from all indications he is a family man. John Lynch is the type of athlete that can be a role model to kids. Every time I watched him play, he had a smile on his face and he was always there with a pat on the back to both teammates and opponents alike.
While we knew this was coming, it's still see it sad and he will be missed. Lynch's retirement, along with the retirement of Broncos' Wide Receiver Rod Smith means the NFL lost 2 of it's stand up guys this season. Here's hoping the example set by John Lynch rubbed off on the next generation of athletes in the NFL.
But he was more than a football player. He was the consummate team player, and from all indications he is a family man. John Lynch is the type of athlete that can be a role model to kids. Every time I watched him play, he had a smile on his face and he was always there with a pat on the back to both teammates and opponents alike.
While we knew this was coming, it's still see it sad and he will be missed. Lynch's retirement, along with the retirement of Broncos' Wide Receiver Rod Smith means the NFL lost 2 of it's stand up guys this season. Here's hoping the example set by John Lynch rubbed off on the next generation of athletes in the NFL.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Fun Sunday Night Viewing
Thanks to my father-in-law, and some random TV channel surfing, I've discovered 2 shows that make Sunday and enjoyable evening of TV viewing.
First off is "Iron Chef, America" on the Food Network. I can't cook, but I like to eat and I like to watch sports. This is like a cooking sports show. There are 5 iron chefs. Each show pits a challenger chef from a high class restaurant against 1 Iron Chef of the challenger's choosing. The chefs have 1 hour to prepare a 5 course meal for 3 judges, who then rate the chefs on Taste, Originality and Presentation. Complicating matters is the secret ingredient that they have to incorporate into their dishes. This has ranged from coffee beans to beer to cheese. One of the strangest episodes was where the secret ingredient was random animal parts (brains, hearts, etc.). Making it even more fun is Alton Brown as the host. He is, by far, Food Network's most gifted personality. He is funny, quick and really understands cooking.
The 2nd show is "Storm Chasers" on Discovery. It's a "reality" show that follows 2 crews of storm chasers during tornado season. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I watch this one, as it appeals to the lowest common denominator a little bit. But, I'm a bitter clinger, so what am I supposed to watch? There is very little education going on, and more focus on the rivalry between the 2 teams. It's good mindless TV to get you ready for Monday morning.
Obviously, if the Sunday Night Football game is a good one, this viewing gets preempted.
First off is "Iron Chef, America" on the Food Network. I can't cook, but I like to eat and I like to watch sports. This is like a cooking sports show. There are 5 iron chefs. Each show pits a challenger chef from a high class restaurant against 1 Iron Chef of the challenger's choosing. The chefs have 1 hour to prepare a 5 course meal for 3 judges, who then rate the chefs on Taste, Originality and Presentation. Complicating matters is the secret ingredient that they have to incorporate into their dishes. This has ranged from coffee beans to beer to cheese. One of the strangest episodes was where the secret ingredient was random animal parts (brains, hearts, etc.). Making it even more fun is Alton Brown as the host. He is, by far, Food Network's most gifted personality. He is funny, quick and really understands cooking.
The 2nd show is "Storm Chasers" on Discovery. It's a "reality" show that follows 2 crews of storm chasers during tornado season. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I watch this one, as it appeals to the lowest common denominator a little bit. But, I'm a bitter clinger, so what am I supposed to watch? There is very little education going on, and more focus on the rivalry between the 2 teams. It's good mindless TV to get you ready for Monday morning.
Obviously, if the Sunday Night Football game is a good one, this viewing gets preempted.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Movie Review: Get Smart
I also watched "Get Smart" yesterday. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this movie, but I had modest hopes, because I've enjoyed most every Steve Carell film I've watched. "Get Smart" did not disappoint.
This was one of the funniest movies I've seen in quite a while. From Bill Murray's cameo appearance to the very final scene, I laughed the entire way. This was not "Austin Powers", it actually sort of took itself seriously, but in a good way. Steve Carell is great as the affable Maxwell Smart. Smart is a bit of a klutz, but he's not incompetent, which I liked. Carell is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. He was great in "Evan Almighty", and really good in "Dan in Real Life" which was a more serious role. I highly recommend both of those movies as well.
Joining Carell were Anne Hathaway, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp and Duane "The Rock" Johnson. The casting was brilliant! Alan Arkin, as the Chief, was funny and a little over the top, but in a good way. Terrence Stamp always makes a good villain. Hathaway was good, as she always seems to be, and Duane "The Rock" Johnson continues to branch out from former wrestler turned action movie hero.
Overall, I rated it 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix. It is rated PG-13 for a good reason. There is some crude humor that I wouldn't want my kids to see. If you are a Steve Carell fan, I think you'll like this movie a lot. If his style annoys you, you'll probably hate it.
Superman
For all of you who have suspected that I'm a nerd, this blog will confirm that. For those of you who had no idea that I am a nerd...well, it's true, I'm a nerd. But hey, I've embraced that.
My wife and kids are out of town visiting her family. I had to stay behind and work. So yesterday, after doing all my errands and other tasks, I still had most of a day to kill. To occupy myself, I embarked on a mini Superman marathon. I started with the extended edition of the 1978 classic "Superman, The Movie", and followed that with the 2006 movie "Superman Returns". "Superman Returns" gets better every time I see it, and "Superman, The Movie" took me back to happy days from my childhood. It was a good time.
Whenever I watch anything with Superman though, I always have the following question: "When is he ever going to figure out that the over confident Lex Luthor probably has Kryptonite?" Far be it from me to question the creators of Superman...the 14 disc box set I borrowed from a friend is a testament to this character's popularity. Heck, in spite of this nagging thought, I'm a big fan. However, you would think he'd learn after making the same mistake over and over again!
This is the main reason I've always maintained that if Superman ever went off the deep end and decided to try to take over the DC comics universe, Batman (my favorite super hero) would be the one to stop him. There's one simple reason for this. Batman would bring Kryptonite to the fight! And Batman would never let Superman go once he had him. Simple as that.
There...it's confirmed. I'm a nerd (and proud of it)!
My wife and kids are out of town visiting her family. I had to stay behind and work. So yesterday, after doing all my errands and other tasks, I still had most of a day to kill. To occupy myself, I embarked on a mini Superman marathon. I started with the extended edition of the 1978 classic "Superman, The Movie", and followed that with the 2006 movie "Superman Returns". "Superman Returns" gets better every time I see it, and "Superman, The Movie" took me back to happy days from my childhood. It was a good time.
Whenever I watch anything with Superman though, I always have the following question: "When is he ever going to figure out that the over confident Lex Luthor probably has Kryptonite?" Far be it from me to question the creators of Superman...the 14 disc box set I borrowed from a friend is a testament to this character's popularity. Heck, in spite of this nagging thought, I'm a big fan. However, you would think he'd learn after making the same mistake over and over again!
This is the main reason I've always maintained that if Superman ever went off the deep end and decided to try to take over the DC comics universe, Batman (my favorite super hero) would be the one to stop him. There's one simple reason for this. Batman would bring Kryptonite to the fight! And Batman would never let Superman go once he had him. Simple as that.
There...it's confirmed. I'm a nerd (and proud of it)!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Movie Review: Speed Racer
I went into "Speed Racer" with very low expectations. Frankly, I thought it was going to be cheesy, and difficult to watch. I was very wrong!
While there are multiple "cheesy" moments, the unbelievable over the top nature of this movie made it really fun. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The entire movie is a mix of CGI and real actors. The majority of the scenes appear to have been shot in front of a green screen. There is comedy for kids, action for people like me, and enough cheesiness for lovers of sappy movies. "Speed Racer" is rated PG, and I think it's appropriate for kids 7 years and older.
One recommendation...if you can, watch it on Blu Ray on a BIG SCREEN! The colors are amazing. I was fortunate enough to watch it on my friend's home theater. He has a 110" screen, 7.1 surround sound, and of course, a 1080p projector with Blu Ray. It was most outstanding!
Um...I don't get it!
I was reading the news today and saw that the US Senate is going to push for a $50 billion dollar bailout for the auto industry. Am I the only one who doesn't get this? Well, obviously not, because the Republicans are opposing it, for now anyway.
Here's what I seem to be missing. GM has posted big losses (billions) for the last 5 quarters, however, the 'economic crisis' only hit last quarter. Ford and Chrysler have been having similar problems for the past few years. So, how is it that their problems are the result of the current economic crisis and require a bailout?
Here's something I know. Foreign automakers have set up shop in several US cities, and seem to be doing ok. What's the difference you ask? The foreign automakers set up outside of Detroit, and away from the United Autoworkers Union. Free of the UAW, foreign automakers are doing ok...not great, but ok.
I'm going to quote Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Committee: "The financial straits that the Big Three find themselves is not the product of our current economic downturn, but instead is the legacy of the uncompetitive structure of its manufacturing and labor force." In simple terms, they've allowed the unions to run wild, and now it's coming back to haunt them. Why should the taxpayers have to pay for bad business practices of 3 companies? If this bailout goes through, where will it end? No one knows.
Even though this may seem cold, I say let the big three automakers to go into bankruptcy. We let airlines go into bankruptcy, and they reorganize and come out better for it. The same needs to happen here. It's in the best long term interest of the taxpayer and the companies. So, here's hoping the Republicans keep up their opposition to this bailout.
Here's what I seem to be missing. GM has posted big losses (billions) for the last 5 quarters, however, the 'economic crisis' only hit last quarter. Ford and Chrysler have been having similar problems for the past few years. So, how is it that their problems are the result of the current economic crisis and require a bailout?
Here's something I know. Foreign automakers have set up shop in several US cities, and seem to be doing ok. What's the difference you ask? The foreign automakers set up outside of Detroit, and away from the United Autoworkers Union. Free of the UAW, foreign automakers are doing ok...not great, but ok.
I'm going to quote Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Committee: "The financial straits that the Big Three find themselves is not the product of our current economic downturn, but instead is the legacy of the uncompetitive structure of its manufacturing and labor force." In simple terms, they've allowed the unions to run wild, and now it's coming back to haunt them. Why should the taxpayers have to pay for bad business practices of 3 companies? If this bailout goes through, where will it end? No one knows.
Even though this may seem cold, I say let the big three automakers to go into bankruptcy. We let airlines go into bankruptcy, and they reorganize and come out better for it. The same needs to happen here. It's in the best long term interest of the taxpayer and the companies. So, here's hoping the Republicans keep up their opposition to this bailout.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Music Tames the Savage Engineer?
Today was an awful day! I got virtually no work done, while being busy all day. I had several frustrating encounters. Today was an awful day...until music intervened.
About 3 pm, I was walking through my office when a fellow employee stopped me. He had recognized me from church. As many of you know, I'm a piano accompanist at church. I don't play piano at church to receive recognition, I play because God gave me a small gift which I can use to enhance mass for my fellow parishioners. Anyway, this guy stops me and says that he just wanted to tell me how good I sound on the piano at church and that he appreciated my contribution to the music ministry! He may never know it, but he (and I suspect God through him) totally redirected my day.
When I got back to my desk, I turned off the Sean Hannity Show (which is very depressing lately), and started to listen several different John Williams' movie theme songs, including Superman, Star Wars, The Patriot and Indiana Jones. It was the best hour of work I've had in a long time.
So, what's the takeaway? Sometimes it's nice to be recognized, even when you're not looking for it. Nothing is ever so bad that a little music can't cure it. And of course...John Williams is a genius!!!
About 3 pm, I was walking through my office when a fellow employee stopped me. He had recognized me from church. As many of you know, I'm a piano accompanist at church. I don't play piano at church to receive recognition, I play because God gave me a small gift which I can use to enhance mass for my fellow parishioners. Anyway, this guy stops me and says that he just wanted to tell me how good I sound on the piano at church and that he appreciated my contribution to the music ministry! He may never know it, but he (and I suspect God through him) totally redirected my day.
When I got back to my desk, I turned off the Sean Hannity Show (which is very depressing lately), and started to listen several different John Williams' movie theme songs, including Superman, Star Wars, The Patriot and Indiana Jones. It was the best hour of work I've had in a long time.
So, what's the takeaway? Sometimes it's nice to be recognized, even when you're not looking for it. Nothing is ever so bad that a little music can't cure it. And of course...John Williams is a genius!!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Book Review - Ranger's Apprentice
I previewed this a few posts ago. Here's my review, without giving away any of the story. John Flanagan, the author, has not lost anything in Book 5 of the Ranger's Apprentice Series. The story is set several years later, and Will is now a full fledged Ranger. The premise of the book is Will going on his first solo mission for the Kingdom of Araluen.
This book is fast paced, grabs and your attention right away, but it still provides good breaks where you can put it down. If you've read the first 4 books and liked them, then you'll like this one as well. I can't wait for the 6th book to come out in March, 2009.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Destined for Management
I just had an interesting exchange with my 5 year old, Nicholas. To set the stage, he was really upset because he couldn't find his mini-car King from Disney Pixar's film "Cars." He was ready to stop playing with them all together because he couldn't find The King. So, in swoops Dad to help. After about 2 minutes, I found The King. So, Nicholas runs out to the living room to tell David, his big brother that The King was found. Here's what was said:
Nicholas: "David, I don't have to stop playing with my mini-cars!"
David: "Why?"
Nicholas: "Because I found the King"
Dad: "Who found the king Nicholas?"
Nicholas: (with a huge grin on his face) "We both found him Dad."
I guess the boy is destined to be a manager some day. He's already mastering the art of taking credit for the accomplishments of others. : - )
Nicholas: "David, I don't have to stop playing with my mini-cars!"
David: "Why?"
Nicholas: "Because I found the King"
Dad: "Who found the king Nicholas?"
Nicholas: (with a huge grin on his face) "We both found him Dad."
I guess the boy is destined to be a manager some day. He's already mastering the art of taking credit for the accomplishments of others. : - )
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Defending Sarah Palin
Well, more political stuff from me. Hopefully this will be the last political stuff for a while...at least until after the inauguration. I'm not sure how this is going to come across, or how rambling this is going to get. So, here goes.
I'm sick and tired of those in the McCain campaign and the media who are trying to blame Sarah Palin for the election loss. Let's look at the statistics. In a recent Rasmussen study, 69% of Republican voters said that Sarah Palin helped the ticket. Additionally 91% of Republicans view Governor Palin favorably, and 65% view her very favorably. A further 64% list Palin as one of the top contenders for the nomination in 2012.
She did what she was supposed to do...she solidified the base. In fact, the most fired up I got was after her speech at the convention. When I asked my mom who she was voting for, she told me she was voting for Sarah Palin.
Is Governor Palin rough around the edges? Yes! Did she look bad in the Katie Couric interview? Yes! (But, as Glenn Beck said this week, that was a 2 hour interview, and Couric cut it down to those 6 minutes, so a little media bias there). Was she ready to be President on day one? No! But in my opinion neither is Obama. Both Obama and Palin have similar experience levels, however, no major media outlet would dare question the anointed one's experience. At least Palin has executive experience as the Governor of Alaska. Oh wait, I forgot, Obama ran his campaign, and that qualifies him to be President.
But I digress...John McCain is to blame for this loss. If he and his inner circle didn't like Sarah Palin, why did they pick her? That's McCain's fault, not Gov. Palin's. So, to the McCain campaign...stop trying to blame Governor Palin for this. Look at yourselves...look at the candidate. It's the top of the ticket that matters, and in the end, McCain didn't do enough to differentiate himself from Obama.
Here's hoping that in 2012 we get a Republican candidate that can draw a true distinction between himself (or herself...Palin) and Obama. A candidate that gets back the fundamentals of small government and personal responsibility. If that doesn't happen, the Republicans are doomed to defeat again in 2012.
I'll amend that a little...the Republicans have a shot in 2012 if Obama really botches this as badly as I expect him to. I truly hope I'm wrong about all my inner predictions of doom and gloom though, as our country doesn't need to live through 4 down years.
I'm sick and tired of those in the McCain campaign and the media who are trying to blame Sarah Palin for the election loss. Let's look at the statistics. In a recent Rasmussen study, 69% of Republican voters said that Sarah Palin helped the ticket. Additionally 91% of Republicans view Governor Palin favorably, and 65% view her very favorably. A further 64% list Palin as one of the top contenders for the nomination in 2012.
She did what she was supposed to do...she solidified the base. In fact, the most fired up I got was after her speech at the convention. When I asked my mom who she was voting for, she told me she was voting for Sarah Palin.
Is Governor Palin rough around the edges? Yes! Did she look bad in the Katie Couric interview? Yes! (But, as Glenn Beck said this week, that was a 2 hour interview, and Couric cut it down to those 6 minutes, so a little media bias there). Was she ready to be President on day one? No! But in my opinion neither is Obama. Both Obama and Palin have similar experience levels, however, no major media outlet would dare question the anointed one's experience. At least Palin has executive experience as the Governor of Alaska. Oh wait, I forgot, Obama ran his campaign, and that qualifies him to be President.
But I digress...John McCain is to blame for this loss. If he and his inner circle didn't like Sarah Palin, why did they pick her? That's McCain's fault, not Gov. Palin's. So, to the McCain campaign...stop trying to blame Governor Palin for this. Look at yourselves...look at the candidate. It's the top of the ticket that matters, and in the end, McCain didn't do enough to differentiate himself from Obama.
Here's hoping that in 2012 we get a Republican candidate that can draw a true distinction between himself (or herself...Palin) and Obama. A candidate that gets back the fundamentals of small government and personal responsibility. If that doesn't happen, the Republicans are doomed to defeat again in 2012.
I'll amend that a little...the Republicans have a shot in 2012 if Obama really botches this as badly as I expect him to. I truly hope I'm wrong about all my inner predictions of doom and gloom though, as our country doesn't need to live through 4 down years.
Friday, November 7, 2008
It's just a game
While basking in the glow of last night's 34-30 win by my beloved Denver Broncos over the Cleveland Browns, I happened upon this column by Rick Reilly.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3682223
I am not a Rick Reilly fan. Most of the time I find him obnoxious or annoying or both. However, this one really struck a chord with me. As a Denver Broncos fan, I've followed the career of Jay Cutler, the starting Quarterback, with great interest. Ever since John Elway (a.k.a. the Greatest QB ever!!!) retired, the Broncos have had a steady stream of pretenders filling the QB role. With Jay Cutler, I think the Broncos finally have a really good one.
In the off season, Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and had to start a daily insulin regimen that he has to follow for the rest of his life. Cutler was diagnosed after losing 35 lbs. last season, and being so tired that he was sleeping 10-13 hours a day.
This Rick Reilly column explains how Cutler, by playing a game, is inspiring kids with diabetes all over the country. This season has been a very up and down one for Jay Cutler. The Broncos aren't a very good team, and he has struggled at times, although he's probably been good more often than he's been bad. Lately, the media and fans like me have been hard on Cutler, as the Broncos had lost 3 in a row. This column really hit me and reminded me it's just a game.
Because I sometimes take Denver Broncos football too seriously, I'll probably forget all this the next time Cutler throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown, so hopefully columnists like Rick Reilly will occasionally remind us fans that this is just a game.
And, by the way, in last night's win, Jay Cutler carried the Broncos, throwing for a career high 447 yards and 3 Touchdowns. Woohoo!!!
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3682223
I am not a Rick Reilly fan. Most of the time I find him obnoxious or annoying or both. However, this one really struck a chord with me. As a Denver Broncos fan, I've followed the career of Jay Cutler, the starting Quarterback, with great interest. Ever since John Elway (a.k.a. the Greatest QB ever!!!) retired, the Broncos have had a steady stream of pretenders filling the QB role. With Jay Cutler, I think the Broncos finally have a really good one.
In the off season, Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and had to start a daily insulin regimen that he has to follow for the rest of his life. Cutler was diagnosed after losing 35 lbs. last season, and being so tired that he was sleeping 10-13 hours a day.
This Rick Reilly column explains how Cutler, by playing a game, is inspiring kids with diabetes all over the country. This season has been a very up and down one for Jay Cutler. The Broncos aren't a very good team, and he has struggled at times, although he's probably been good more often than he's been bad. Lately, the media and fans like me have been hard on Cutler, as the Broncos had lost 3 in a row. This column really hit me and reminded me it's just a game.
Because I sometimes take Denver Broncos football too seriously, I'll probably forget all this the next time Cutler throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown, so hopefully columnists like Rick Reilly will occasionally remind us fans that this is just a game.
And, by the way, in last night's win, Jay Cutler carried the Broncos, throwing for a career high 447 yards and 3 Touchdowns. Woohoo!!!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Golf for Fun???
I just wanted to do a random golf post, because based on the weather forecast, this may be all I get to do for quite a while.
Last Friday, along with 3 friends from work, I went golfing at a local course. I always feel fortunate when I get to golf in October or November, so I was just glad to be out there. The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees with no wind. We chose to play a relatively easy course because it has fewer trees, so less leaves laying on the ground to obscure golf balls.
I had a really good, relaxing time, probably because I was just glad to be out there and had no expectations on my score. This may surprise some of you, but occasionally, I take golf too seriously. ; - )
Anyway, to make a long story short, I finished with a 72 (even par). Now, I've shot better scores than that before, especially on that course, but what amazed me, was how easy it seemed. I didn't even feel like I was playing all that well...but I was relaxed, laughing, and I just kept making pars.
You know, there might be something to this relaxing and having fun on the golf course. Hopefully I can take that attitude into next golf season. I know I'll enjoy myself more, and who knows, maybe I'll even play better golf!
Last Friday, along with 3 friends from work, I went golfing at a local course. I always feel fortunate when I get to golf in October or November, so I was just glad to be out there. The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees with no wind. We chose to play a relatively easy course because it has fewer trees, so less leaves laying on the ground to obscure golf balls.
I had a really good, relaxing time, probably because I was just glad to be out there and had no expectations on my score. This may surprise some of you, but occasionally, I take golf too seriously. ; - )
Anyway, to make a long story short, I finished with a 72 (even par). Now, I've shot better scores than that before, especially on that course, but what amazed me, was how easy it seemed. I didn't even feel like I was playing all that well...but I was relaxed, laughing, and I just kept making pars.
You know, there might be something to this relaxing and having fun on the golf course. Hopefully I can take that attitude into next golf season. I know I'll enjoy myself more, and who knows, maybe I'll even play better golf!
Ranger's Apprentice - Book 5
Ok, so I'm addicted to "escape" reading. If you've looked at my profile at all, you'll see that my favorite books are Harry Potter, Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and the Ranger's Apprentice series. These may not be my most favorite of all time, but they're fresh in my head, so they make the list right now. As you'll note from the list, I'm not really into "heavy reading." In fact, I'm sort of into "nerd" books...I mean that in a good way.
I'm extremely excited because I just bought Book 5 in the Ranger's Apprentice Series. For those of you who don't know, Ranger's Apprentice is written by Australian writer John Flanagan who started the books to get his son interested in reading. It follows the story of a 15 year old boy name Will who is taken on as a Ranger's Apprentice in the mythical kingdom of Araluen. Here's a link to the Ranger's Apprentice website:
http://www.rangersapprentice.com/
Yes, I know, it says it's a series for young readers, but I guarantee adults will like it too. I had stayed away from the books for a long time because it was for "kids." Earlier in October, I had to go on a business trip. I always take a book to read on the plane. My wife gave me the first 2 books in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I was hooked 20 pages into book 1, and quickly read books 1 - 4.
These books are fast paced, easy to read and filled with great characters. The lead character, Will, is extremely likable, and you root for him right away. His mentor, Halt, takes some getting used to, but you quickly discover that he's a terrific character as well. In fact, I've liked all the characters I met as I went through books 1-4, and I can't wait to see what's in book 5.
I'm extremely excited because I just bought Book 5 in the Ranger's Apprentice Series. For those of you who don't know, Ranger's Apprentice is written by Australian writer John Flanagan who started the books to get his son interested in reading. It follows the story of a 15 year old boy name Will who is taken on as a Ranger's Apprentice in the mythical kingdom of Araluen. Here's a link to the Ranger's Apprentice website:
http://www.rangersapprentice.com/
Yes, I know, it says it's a series for young readers, but I guarantee adults will like it too. I had stayed away from the books for a long time because it was for "kids." Earlier in October, I had to go on a business trip. I always take a book to read on the plane. My wife gave me the first 2 books in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I was hooked 20 pages into book 1, and quickly read books 1 - 4.
These books are fast paced, easy to read and filled with great characters. The lead character, Will, is extremely likable, and you root for him right away. His mentor, Halt, takes some getting used to, but you quickly discover that he's a terrific character as well. In fact, I've liked all the characters I met as I went through books 1-4, and I can't wait to see what's in book 5.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Night
Alright, so one of the reasons I started this blog is I wanted to write some political commentary. This will not be the entire focus of this blog, I promise.
So, here we are on election night. Based on the polls, our country is about to elect Barack Obama President of the United States. As I'm sure you all know, my political leanings are way to the right of Mr. Obama, so I'm pretty disappointed that this is the case. I hope I am wrong and I hope the polls are wrong. I hope I wake up tomorrow and John McCain is the next President.
I could write paragraphs on what I think is wrong with Obama, but it won't do any good at this point, so I'll just say that he didn't get my vote, and I pray he won't do too much damage to this country should he win.
I'd like to address the media's coverage of this election. I believe the media has been criminal in their reporting of this election. The media has a duty to report the news to the people and inform the people. This election year, we know more about Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin's brother-in-law than we do about Barack Obama. There's always been a liberal bias in the media, at least as long as I've been paying attention, but this year it has been taken to a whole new level. Most of the media, especially MSNBC, has been an advertisement for Obama. They've ignored or buried stories about Obama, while digging like crazy to find whatever they could about John McCain and Sarah Palin.
I firmly believe many of the problems in this country can be traced to the 24 hours news media and their unwillingness, with a few exceptions, to report the whole truth to the people and let them make their own decisions on what to think.
There, that's the end of my first political post. I will ramble some more later about other topics. Now, I'm off to choir practice.
So, here we are on election night. Based on the polls, our country is about to elect Barack Obama President of the United States. As I'm sure you all know, my political leanings are way to the right of Mr. Obama, so I'm pretty disappointed that this is the case. I hope I am wrong and I hope the polls are wrong. I hope I wake up tomorrow and John McCain is the next President.
I could write paragraphs on what I think is wrong with Obama, but it won't do any good at this point, so I'll just say that he didn't get my vote, and I pray he won't do too much damage to this country should he win.
I'd like to address the media's coverage of this election. I believe the media has been criminal in their reporting of this election. The media has a duty to report the news to the people and inform the people. This election year, we know more about Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin's brother-in-law than we do about Barack Obama. There's always been a liberal bias in the media, at least as long as I've been paying attention, but this year it has been taken to a whole new level. Most of the media, especially MSNBC, has been an advertisement for Obama. They've ignored or buried stories about Obama, while digging like crazy to find whatever they could about John McCain and Sarah Palin.
I firmly believe many of the problems in this country can be traced to the 24 hours news media and their unwillingness, with a few exceptions, to report the whole truth to the people and let them make their own decisions on what to think.
There, that's the end of my first political post. I will ramble some more later about other topics. Now, I'm off to choir practice.
Welcome to my Blog!
Hello all, welcome to my new blog. I started this blog for theraputic reasons. There are so many things that happen to me every day that I have an opinion on that I just decided I should start writing them down.
Topics will range from serious political and religious discussion to funny anecdotes to analysis of the latest Denver Broncos football game. During golf season, I'll probably have a lot of stuff to say about golf.
So, if you read this and enjoy it great. If you read this and hate it, well, it's for my therapy, so I guess that's too bad for you. I hope you will feel free to comment on anything you read here.
Topics will range from serious political and religious discussion to funny anecdotes to analysis of the latest Denver Broncos football game. During golf season, I'll probably have a lot of stuff to say about golf.
So, if you read this and enjoy it great. If you read this and hate it, well, it's for my therapy, so I guess that's too bad for you. I hope you will feel free to comment on anything you read here.
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