Good Morning Folks:
Well its that time again. March Madness, a title applied to the NCAA Basketball Tournament .This Tournament always starts me to wondering what will happen to these players when they leave College.
Some of them, a very few, will go on to the "Professional" ranks, a term which is misleading because it only means that these players are getting paid to play. In that sense, every working man and woman in the United States is a "Professional".
So...in that sense, I prefer to not refer to these players as "Professionals", but rather as paid players.
I read an article in this Morning's Newspaper, written by a Man whose opinion I have respected in the past, for his thoughtful insights, and frequently amusing columns, and today's column is what made me start mulling over the subject for this post.
But today's column, I respectively submit, is Hogwash. I submit this criticism with the full knowledge that this Newspaper is published in Kentucky, and to say anything even remotely critical about Basketball, or its players or Coaches, is tatamount to, at the least heresy, and usually sedition, in the State of Kentucky, so I guess one cannot blame this Editor for not wanting to put his head on the chopping block.
Today's column as mentioned above, is about the U.S. Secretary of Education's Proposal that any College not graduating at least Forty Percent of its athletes should not be allowed to participate in the NCAA tournament to which I say, " RIGHT ON MR. SECRETARY.!!!!!!!!!!!!."
However, in the above-mentioned column, the writer (The Executive Editor of the Paper, or the Archbishop of Articles) takes issue with the Secretary of Education, saying that he (the Editor) thinks that time in College is beneficial for these "Athletes". Perhaps it is beneficial to the College, in that the College makes money off its sports programs (supposedly), but I fail to see how it has been shown to be beneficial to the so called Student Athletes, other than to enable a very few of them to become Millionaires via the Professional Circuit.The Editor goes on to state that the graduation rate at the University of Kentucky is Thirty-One percent. In my amateurish research I seem to have found a figure of Twenty-One point Three percent as an accurate figure for these student athletes at U.K. (pronounced 'Ewe Kayee")
I believe the overwhelming majority of College Athletes DO NOT go on to become Professional Athletes, or as I call them, felons. In the main, and this is based on personal experience and observation, what these players all too frequently contribute to the College is disruption in the Classrooms and often a lowering of Academic Standards, so that Joe Seven Foot can remain eligible, and by this making the average students (Those who PAY for their education) have to work even harder to glean an Education from a reluctant and dysfunctional college, which are, it seems, more and more tailoring their standards to the least common denominator,thus making "scraping by" an accepted norm and discouraging REAL Students from trying to excel, and gain a REAL education. Also, the Majority of these players either flunk out, drop out or get kicked out of College, thus making all the Instructor's time and efforts wasted on them, when it could be better spent on those Students who are really striving for an Education.
So, as a suggestion, let us also increase that percentage, suggested by the Secretary of Education. by one percent every year. It's only fair, and could serve as a precursor for these young people in their daily lives, and in making a living. After all don't most Businesses, large and small, tend to hire only the brightest of applicants, and retain only those who do the best work ? Seventy Four years of life have qualified me to answer that question with a resounding YES! Hell, even Bill Gates, the founder and Chief Muckety Muck of Microsoft, himself a drop out from Harvard, has instituted a policy for his Company of not even ACCEPTING a job application from a person unless the applicant has a College Degree. so, I think, that even Mr. Gates probably thinks that he could have done a little better (and yes, it's hard to see how) If he had graduated from college. However, as best as I recall Mr. Gates didn't attend Harvard on a Basketball Scholarship, so perhaps he learned enough in the time he WAS in school to help him become the wealthiest nerd in the World.
Folks, we can either face hard facts now or later, but sooner rather than later we will, as individuals and as a Nation, HAVE to face the facts.
If our High School and College graduates are becoming a smaller and smaller percentile of our population, and our graduates are slowly becoming less and less intelligent, doesn't it follow that our Nation will also slowly fall behind other Countries, where Education is given the highest Priority ?
And if our country falls behind, doesn't it follow that the quality of life for each and everyone of us will degrade? Of Course it does.
In checking Statistics, I see that Kentucky, the State wherein the Newspaper containing the article which prompted this post, ranks Forty-Fifth in the Nation in College Athletes who Graduate with at least a Bachelors Degree.
This may or not be because the University of Kentucky has long been known as a "basketball school", and perhaps then not chosen by parents deciding on the best University for their children to get the best Education, and thus, presumably, have a better and more successful life.
It doesn't have to be this way folks. The University of North Carolina, which usually has a pretty fair basketball team,has as their Graduation Rate Sixty-Four percent. Likewise Duke University with a Sixty percent graduation rate , illustrates the fact that a College or University can have both an abundance of first rate Scholars AND a highly proficient Sports Team, which is after all (or should be) only a addendum to SCHOLARSHIP programs, and not a raison d`etre for the Schools existence.
This, of course, doesn't hold true in all cases. There are thousands of people who have graduated from a "Sports College" who have gone on to accomplish much. But I think it is a fair argument that the more emphasis Schools place on Education, at the cost of sports, the better chance a kid has of getting good Education. The shame of all the above is that this Nation has gradually over the past four decades or so, slowly lowered out standards of excellence, and our status in the World.
But as the old query goes "What do you call the lowest ranking graduate from Medical School? A. Doctor"., so maybe now Businesses don't really care if you know anything or not, just as long as you have a college Degree, any Degree, Any College.
So, With deep respect Mr. Editor, You're Wrong.
Says Me
TOP
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
College "Sports".
Good Afternoon Folks:
Well brace yourself folks, once again I am in a mood to "Harp" on the subject of College Sports.
I take it as a sign of the denigration of our society , when so called "Sports" take the upper hand in our Educational Institutions.
Time was, a College or University was a place where young people went to gain an Education in order to make themselves more employable, a place of respect, where Scholars were esteemed, and when one graduated from their chosen Educational venue, one could take pride in their education, and society as a whole generally benefited from their efforts.
Now it seems that Colleges are simply a place for far to many people to go for no other reason than to play "Sports", and hopefully get a free ride to a lucrative Professional career.
I would find not as much fault in this loophole in our Educational System, if the players in these sports also studied for and received a measurable education, obeyed not just Criminal laws, but generally accepted moral guidelines, which decent people are expected to follow to become good citizens, and contributors to an improving society.
But today, thanks to those people who don't care what a young person does, or what variety of laws they break, just as long as they show up for practice, hungover or not, and be ready for game day.
I guess the fault lies with all of us, in not absolutely insisting that our children be able to attend such an institution with a realistic probability that they would get a good education, in a safe environment for learning, and learn valuable lessons, to be of value to not just themselves and their families, but to society as a whole and succeed in being a good and contributing part of our society.
What started me on this current "Rant", was an Associated Press article in our local paper about an incident in a Texas College.
It concerned an event at Division II Texas A&M-Commerce, when several members of the University's Football Team were arrested on drug charges.
The Schools Student Newspaper ran a front page article about the players arrest, and distributed some Two Thousand copies around the campus, presumably in free vending machines.
The article went on to say that football team players went around the Campus, removing every one of the copies of this edition, and, though the article doesn't say, presumably destroying the papers.
But to throw salt on an already grievous wound, the Football Coach was quoted as saying "I'm proud of my players for doing that". The article says that the Coach, one Guy Morriss, was disciplined for his words, but, typical for what passes for Associated Press Journalistic excellence, doesn't spell out what said discipline amounted to, saying only that someone or something called "Jolly" declined to discuss details. We are left to wonder whether "jolly" if a living person, is the President of the College, The Athletic Director or maybe the towel boy for the team.
We are also left to not only shake our heads at the apparent unbelief in Normal Ethical behavior in our Colleges and Universities, but at the sloppiness of the Associated Press.
Perhaps the A.P. writer graduated from A&M-Commerce?
This is a sad state of affairs in itself, but even sadder when we stop to think that this kind of behavior goes on all the time, and all we can do is shake our heads in disbelief , and wonder why so many decent honorable young people are no longer able to afford to attend one of these Institutions of Higher Learning.
Until and if, we as a society stand up on our hind legs and say "NO MORE" willl this sorry state of affairs end, and our Politicians and Academic Officials get their heads out of their asses, will the collective intelligence of this great Nation once again to embark on the path to our former place of pride in our Institutions and their Faculties.
What Say You?
Jeers
TOP
Well brace yourself folks, once again I am in a mood to "Harp" on the subject of College Sports.
I take it as a sign of the denigration of our society , when so called "Sports" take the upper hand in our Educational Institutions.
Time was, a College or University was a place where young people went to gain an Education in order to make themselves more employable, a place of respect, where Scholars were esteemed, and when one graduated from their chosen Educational venue, one could take pride in their education, and society as a whole generally benefited from their efforts.
Now it seems that Colleges are simply a place for far to many people to go for no other reason than to play "Sports", and hopefully get a free ride to a lucrative Professional career.
I would find not as much fault in this loophole in our Educational System, if the players in these sports also studied for and received a measurable education, obeyed not just Criminal laws, but generally accepted moral guidelines, which decent people are expected to follow to become good citizens, and contributors to an improving society.
But today, thanks to those people who don't care what a young person does, or what variety of laws they break, just as long as they show up for practice, hungover or not, and be ready for game day.
I guess the fault lies with all of us, in not absolutely insisting that our children be able to attend such an institution with a realistic probability that they would get a good education, in a safe environment for learning, and learn valuable lessons, to be of value to not just themselves and their families, but to society as a whole and succeed in being a good and contributing part of our society.
What started me on this current "Rant", was an Associated Press article in our local paper about an incident in a Texas College.
It concerned an event at Division II Texas A&M-Commerce, when several members of the University's Football Team were arrested on drug charges.
The Schools Student Newspaper ran a front page article about the players arrest, and distributed some Two Thousand copies around the campus, presumably in free vending machines.
The article went on to say that football team players went around the Campus, removing every one of the copies of this edition, and, though the article doesn't say, presumably destroying the papers.
But to throw salt on an already grievous wound, the Football Coach was quoted as saying "I'm proud of my players for doing that". The article says that the Coach, one Guy Morriss, was disciplined for his words, but, typical for what passes for Associated Press Journalistic excellence, doesn't spell out what said discipline amounted to, saying only that someone or something called "Jolly" declined to discuss details. We are left to wonder whether "jolly" if a living person, is the President of the College, The Athletic Director or maybe the towel boy for the team.
We are also left to not only shake our heads at the apparent unbelief in Normal Ethical behavior in our Colleges and Universities, but at the sloppiness of the Associated Press.
Perhaps the A.P. writer graduated from A&M-Commerce?
This is a sad state of affairs in itself, but even sadder when we stop to think that this kind of behavior goes on all the time, and all we can do is shake our heads in disbelief , and wonder why so many decent honorable young people are no longer able to afford to attend one of these Institutions of Higher Learning.
Until and if, we as a society stand up on our hind legs and say "NO MORE" willl this sorry state of affairs end, and our Politicians and Academic Officials get their heads out of their asses, will the collective intelligence of this great Nation once again to embark on the path to our former place of pride in our Institutions and their Faculties.
What Say You?
Jeers
TOP
Monday, March 8, 2010
A Life Examined...Part II
Good Afternoon Folks.
In part one of this self-examination of my character, I mentioned people who I have met, worked with or paid attention to over the course of my rather tattered excuse for a life, and my failure to keep in touch with many of these folks.
So I took my own advice, and called an old Colleague of mine from years past, and was thoroughly glad that I did so.
Hearing voices "from the past", I found, was an enriching experience. The fellow I called, I remembered, was a very nice person, and we had a lot of fun times while we worked together, as we both agreed, and this conversation just made my day.
But the point I am making is that if you know someone who somehow, by word or deed, has enriched your life's experiences, by all means take the trouble to stay in touch with them. You won't be sorry you did.
But I guess, all in all, that self examination can serve little purpose, than to try and admit the mistakes one has made, and try, earnestly, not to make them again.
I've met a few people who have staunchly maintained that if they had their life to live over, they wouldn't change a thing. This tells me a couple of things about this particular sort of person. Either they have led a perfect life, never made a mistake, and have been a roaring success, for which I truly envy them....or they are just lying to themselves and others, and determined, come Hell or High Water, not to admit their mistakes.
At any rate, we'll all be judged, sooner or later, and then will be forced to realize whether or not we've been honest with ourselves.
Just another point to ponder.
Stay Well
TOP
In part one of this self-examination of my character, I mentioned people who I have met, worked with or paid attention to over the course of my rather tattered excuse for a life, and my failure to keep in touch with many of these folks.
So I took my own advice, and called an old Colleague of mine from years past, and was thoroughly glad that I did so.
Hearing voices "from the past", I found, was an enriching experience. The fellow I called, I remembered, was a very nice person, and we had a lot of fun times while we worked together, as we both agreed, and this conversation just made my day.
But the point I am making is that if you know someone who somehow, by word or deed, has enriched your life's experiences, by all means take the trouble to stay in touch with them. You won't be sorry you did.
But I guess, all in all, that self examination can serve little purpose, than to try and admit the mistakes one has made, and try, earnestly, not to make them again.
I've met a few people who have staunchly maintained that if they had their life to live over, they wouldn't change a thing. This tells me a couple of things about this particular sort of person. Either they have led a perfect life, never made a mistake, and have been a roaring success, for which I truly envy them....or they are just lying to themselves and others, and determined, come Hell or High Water, not to admit their mistakes.
At any rate, we'll all be judged, sooner or later, and then will be forced to realize whether or not we've been honest with ourselves.
Just another point to ponder.
Stay Well
TOP
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A Life Examined
Good Evening folks.
As with many people in my age group, I seem to spend a lot of time in retrospective thought about my life, such as it has been , and I seem of late to be spending a lot of time in finding fault in the manner in which I have lived my life.
From Mark Twains Notebook: " It is not in the least likely that any life has ever been lived which was not a failure in the secret judgement of the person who lived it".
So....I guess I'm not alone in finding fault with many parts of my life, that, if given the possibility of living my life over, I would vow to do differently.
But, would I? Since there is no recorded instance of any man having the opportunity to live his life over (this probably applies to you, as well, girls!) There is no way to say whether or not I would make the same mistakes in life Redux, as I did in Opus one.
But, it pleases me to think that I would seize the opportunity to correct all those things I did wrong,and would try to eliminate the things in my 'First Life' that were detrimental to other people. I like to think I would somehow, in this "Second Chance" seize the too-late recognized opportunities that I failed to grasp in part one, and eliminate the errors which most of us commit in the exercise of growing up. I think I would somehow recognize the good people I have met over my lifetime more quickly, and not only learn from observing them, but to stay in touch with them, but I should quickly add that I honestly believe that I have learned everything that I know from either watching other people and noting their mistakes and successes, and listening more to what they said instead of trying to think about they really meant, their hidden meaning behind their words, as it were . I have said, pretty much all through my life, that one can learn something from almost anyone one meets in life, even if it is only to forswear something that this other person has done or is doing. And I know that I have said that I have learned something from virtually every book that I have read, either for Education, edification or enjoyment and escape, but, that said, I hastily admit that there is a whole lot more that I don't know than there is that I know for sure.
For instance, in this blog, I frequently criticise politicians, as they are such an easy target. I happen to live in Illinois, a State that is rich with Politicians who are so crooked that they have to screw their socks on, and in fact, are so crooked that it is becoming less and less fun to pick on them. I guess its not the old "familiarity breeds contempt" syndrome, and becomes more what I would call the "Familiarity breeds Assumption" syndrome. This would automatically lead one to assume that if a person is an Illinois Politician, they are simply a criminal not yet indicted.
Maybe we could save time, if, instead of swearing in a new Politician, we just forward their file to a Grand Jury and skip the preliminaries .
But, I digress, and in digression I exemplify what I have already admitted to myself and to the world,that there is just a whole lot that I don't know.
But maybe, by admitting this, I will sort of begin to recognize the person I see in the mirror, instead of mentally asking "who the heck IS this person?
If anyone has any answers I would welcome the opportunity to hear them.
Enough of the Introspective Thought, already, that way leads to madness.
Recently, I have been randomly checking other Blogs. There are quite a number that I like to keep up with, for I have learned from them, and enjoy them.
But, instead of just going to my favorites list, one day I just started checking "next blog" on the toolbar and running through quite a number of Blogs.
I have found through this exercise that it seems that a whole lot of Blogs are written by young people, and this is good, in that these folks are developing their talent for writing BY writing, which I guess is as good a way as any, and I applaud them for it. But, I worry, in a way, that more older people are not writing a blog, so that the young people out there, if they are smart enough, can read these amateur writings and perhaps learn a thing or two from them.
I have discovered also that more than a few Poets use their Blog as a way of "Publishing" their works. Personally I have, through my life, found very few poems that have lodged themselves in my memory, and have also noticed that too many poets are apparently sad creatures, as reflected in their poems, and are thus, at least to me, pretty depressing to read, and are best avoided.
There are, of course, poets whose works will live on, due to the quality of their works. Carl Sandburg comes to mind as A good example.
My wife and I visited Carl Sandburg's home a few years ago, and I was struck by the number of books in Mr. Sandburg's Library and how few of them were books of Poetry.
So I guess in the main, I notice poetic works more when their Author has written in other genres, such as Sandburg's excellent Biography of Abraham Lincoln.
But, back to blogs, and their Authors (if that is the correct term ) and my wondering why so few older people seem to maintain a blog. Perhaps it is because they have too many other things to occupy their time, and are thus to be envied.
I guess if there is one thing I have discovered in this Life of mine, that generally, people who stay busy just don't have time to be depressed, let alone write Poetry or fool around with a Blog, and if they aren't depressed maybe they won't be driven to express their depression in "Poetry" (if you can call it that), and thus depress anyone else who reads it.
As for me, my favorite poems are of the nonsensical sort, and generally amuse the folks who read them.
So, enough for now, and I pray the Good Lord will forgive my failures.
Best
TOP
As with many people in my age group, I seem to spend a lot of time in retrospective thought about my life, such as it has been , and I seem of late to be spending a lot of time in finding fault in the manner in which I have lived my life.
From Mark Twains Notebook: " It is not in the least likely that any life has ever been lived which was not a failure in the secret judgement of the person who lived it".
So....I guess I'm not alone in finding fault with many parts of my life, that, if given the possibility of living my life over, I would vow to do differently.
But, would I? Since there is no recorded instance of any man having the opportunity to live his life over (this probably applies to you, as well, girls!) There is no way to say whether or not I would make the same mistakes in life Redux, as I did in Opus one.
But, it pleases me to think that I would seize the opportunity to correct all those things I did wrong,and would try to eliminate the things in my 'First Life' that were detrimental to other people. I like to think I would somehow, in this "Second Chance" seize the too-late recognized opportunities that I failed to grasp in part one, and eliminate the errors which most of us commit in the exercise of growing up. I think I would somehow recognize the good people I have met over my lifetime more quickly, and not only learn from observing them, but to stay in touch with them, but I should quickly add that I honestly believe that I have learned everything that I know from either watching other people and noting their mistakes and successes, and listening more to what they said instead of trying to think about they really meant, their hidden meaning behind their words, as it were . I have said, pretty much all through my life, that one can learn something from almost anyone one meets in life, even if it is only to forswear something that this other person has done or is doing. And I know that I have said that I have learned something from virtually every book that I have read, either for Education, edification or enjoyment and escape, but, that said, I hastily admit that there is a whole lot more that I don't know than there is that I know for sure.
For instance, in this blog, I frequently criticise politicians, as they are such an easy target. I happen to live in Illinois, a State that is rich with Politicians who are so crooked that they have to screw their socks on, and in fact, are so crooked that it is becoming less and less fun to pick on them. I guess its not the old "familiarity breeds contempt" syndrome, and becomes more what I would call the "Familiarity breeds Assumption" syndrome. This would automatically lead one to assume that if a person is an Illinois Politician, they are simply a criminal not yet indicted.
Maybe we could save time, if, instead of swearing in a new Politician, we just forward their file to a Grand Jury and skip the preliminaries .
But, I digress, and in digression I exemplify what I have already admitted to myself and to the world,that there is just a whole lot that I don't know.
But maybe, by admitting this, I will sort of begin to recognize the person I see in the mirror, instead of mentally asking "who the heck IS this person?
If anyone has any answers I would welcome the opportunity to hear them.
Enough of the Introspective Thought, already, that way leads to madness.
Recently, I have been randomly checking other Blogs. There are quite a number that I like to keep up with, for I have learned from them, and enjoy them.
But, instead of just going to my favorites list, one day I just started checking "next blog" on the toolbar and running through quite a number of Blogs.
I have found through this exercise that it seems that a whole lot of Blogs are written by young people, and this is good, in that these folks are developing their talent for writing BY writing, which I guess is as good a way as any, and I applaud them for it. But, I worry, in a way, that more older people are not writing a blog, so that the young people out there, if they are smart enough, can read these amateur writings and perhaps learn a thing or two from them.
I have discovered also that more than a few Poets use their Blog as a way of "Publishing" their works. Personally I have, through my life, found very few poems that have lodged themselves in my memory, and have also noticed that too many poets are apparently sad creatures, as reflected in their poems, and are thus, at least to me, pretty depressing to read, and are best avoided.
There are, of course, poets whose works will live on, due to the quality of their works. Carl Sandburg comes to mind as A good example.
My wife and I visited Carl Sandburg's home a few years ago, and I was struck by the number of books in Mr. Sandburg's Library and how few of them were books of Poetry.
So I guess in the main, I notice poetic works more when their Author has written in other genres, such as Sandburg's excellent Biography of Abraham Lincoln.
But, back to blogs, and their Authors (if that is the correct term ) and my wondering why so few older people seem to maintain a blog. Perhaps it is because they have too many other things to occupy their time, and are thus to be envied.
I guess if there is one thing I have discovered in this Life of mine, that generally, people who stay busy just don't have time to be depressed, let alone write Poetry or fool around with a Blog, and if they aren't depressed maybe they won't be driven to express their depression in "Poetry" (if you can call it that), and thus depress anyone else who reads it.
As for me, my favorite poems are of the nonsensical sort, and generally amuse the folks who read them.
So, enough for now, and I pray the Good Lord will forgive my failures.
Best
TOP
Thursday, February 18, 2010
New NASCAR® Race
Good Afternoon race Fans.
In writing this post I am presupposing that there are some Nascar fans who happen across my efforts. If so, I think you might enjoy my idea for a new Nascar race, and one I'm sure would be a sellout for a race track somewhere.
What I propose is having a new race, restricted to only Blonde Girls. They must be "real" blondes (Certification to be made by the Grand Marshall of the Race, who must be a reputable person, such as Former President Bill Clinton.
All drivers must have at least one cell phone in the car with her during the entire race.
All cars entered in the race must be Convertibles,so that fingernail polish will dry more quickly, all must NOT have a rear view mirror (after all if one of the ladies were to look in the mirror, she might accidently see a car behind her)also the cars shall have no brakes, for as any blonde will tell you you can stop easily by running into the car ahead of you, or running out of gas. The Cars must have automatic transmissions, so the ladies won't have to bother with "Icky" shifting, as it requires that one put down one's cell phone in order to shift.
All drivers will be required to surrender their cell phones for one week prior to the race, to allow messages to accumulate.
All ladies will be given cell phones (hand held) with unlimited minutes and texting features, and phones must be turned on five minutes before the green flag drops. Drivers will be penalized if they fail to use their cell phone for one or more laps (Note: In a trial race of this kind, this penalty was never levied).
Cars must also be equipped with a kick-ass stereo, along with 100 C.D.'s of the drivers choosing and the C.D.s will be kept on the floor of the pasengers side.
A make up caddy will be in each car, with a selection of makeup currently on sale at the Dollar Store. Drivers will be required to start the race without makeup, and must successfully apply make up during the race. Drivers will have to go to the rear of the longest line if they drop their lipstick, cell phone or if their glasses (if worn) slip from the top of their head where they usually park them.
No car will be equipped with a speedometer, as they're never used anyway. Any driver who successfully finishes the race without looking at either side for traffic will be eligible to win if she remembers to always turn left, and not make more than two "ueys" (U Turn for the non-blonde readers).
The race will be 100 laps in duration, and must include at least two stops for gas, which the drivers will have to pump themselves. A broken nail suffered during refueling will result in a loss of two positions, or only one if she doesn't burst into tears.
All drivers will be required to wear "Stilleto Heels".
The winner will be awarded a Thousand Dollar Shopping Spree at the Nearest Mall.
Cars will not be equipped with seat belts, as they mess up one's tube top.
All cars will be equipped with a Video Camera, Mounted in the passengers seat and focused on the right side of the drivers head, in the odd moment when she might actually look out the windshield.
The end of the race will be indicated by the waving of the checkered Thong.
The winner will be the first car to cross the finish line, going in the correct direction whether driven by the original blonde or by being pushed by some gomer from the bleachers, overcome by racing fervor(lust), or if no cars can cross the finish line at the end of the race, the Driver with the best hairdo wins.
Lets go Racin Girls!
Best
TOP
In writing this post I am presupposing that there are some Nascar fans who happen across my efforts. If so, I think you might enjoy my idea for a new Nascar race, and one I'm sure would be a sellout for a race track somewhere.
What I propose is having a new race, restricted to only Blonde Girls. They must be "real" blondes (Certification to be made by the Grand Marshall of the Race, who must be a reputable person, such as Former President Bill Clinton.
All drivers must have at least one cell phone in the car with her during the entire race.
All cars entered in the race must be Convertibles,so that fingernail polish will dry more quickly, all must NOT have a rear view mirror (after all if one of the ladies were to look in the mirror, she might accidently see a car behind her)also the cars shall have no brakes, for as any blonde will tell you you can stop easily by running into the car ahead of you, or running out of gas. The Cars must have automatic transmissions, so the ladies won't have to bother with "Icky" shifting, as it requires that one put down one's cell phone in order to shift.
All drivers will be required to surrender their cell phones for one week prior to the race, to allow messages to accumulate.
All ladies will be given cell phones (hand held) with unlimited minutes and texting features, and phones must be turned on five minutes before the green flag drops. Drivers will be penalized if they fail to use their cell phone for one or more laps (Note: In a trial race of this kind, this penalty was never levied).
Cars must also be equipped with a kick-ass stereo, along with 100 C.D.'s of the drivers choosing and the C.D.s will be kept on the floor of the pasengers side.
A make up caddy will be in each car, with a selection of makeup currently on sale at the Dollar Store. Drivers will be required to start the race without makeup, and must successfully apply make up during the race. Drivers will have to go to the rear of the longest line if they drop their lipstick, cell phone or if their glasses (if worn) slip from the top of their head where they usually park them.
No car will be equipped with a speedometer, as they're never used anyway. Any driver who successfully finishes the race without looking at either side for traffic will be eligible to win if she remembers to always turn left, and not make more than two "ueys" (U Turn for the non-blonde readers).
The race will be 100 laps in duration, and must include at least two stops for gas, which the drivers will have to pump themselves. A broken nail suffered during refueling will result in a loss of two positions, or only one if she doesn't burst into tears.
All drivers will be required to wear "Stilleto Heels".
The winner will be awarded a Thousand Dollar Shopping Spree at the Nearest Mall.
Cars will not be equipped with seat belts, as they mess up one's tube top.
All cars will be equipped with a Video Camera, Mounted in the passengers seat and focused on the right side of the drivers head, in the odd moment when she might actually look out the windshield.
The end of the race will be indicated by the waving of the checkered Thong.
The winner will be the first car to cross the finish line, going in the correct direction whether driven by the original blonde or by being pushed by some gomer from the bleachers, overcome by racing fervor(lust), or if no cars can cross the finish line at the end of the race, the Driver with the best hairdo wins.
Lets go Racin Girls!
Best
TOP
Friday, February 12, 2010
Boredom
A Happy day to thee:
I'm bored. I suspect it is a function of retirement, and the very best cure for boredom is writing. Writing about nothing in particular, just slapping the keys and see what comes out.
Be forewarned I may use some intemperate language in this post, so I've asked my alter-ego to take over my wizened brain and write for me once again.
I find that the older I get the more impatient I get with Political Correctness.
I think its high time we called things what they are. For a time during the late feminist period (just after the jurassic) I was reluctant to write a business letter to a female who I did not know, as I didn't want to make the mistake of referring to some bulky babe as Mrs. or Miss, for fear that she wanted to be addressed as Ms.
and having the PC police kick down my door.
I am similarly tired of hearing the terms, Mexican-American, German-American, African-American and so on to the puking point. One is either an American (if born or Naturalized as such) or they're not, Period.
I'm heartily sick of the current Political climate control the News, especially on Television. I get nauseous when I see a Broadcast or sitcom where they are extremely careful to have one each of white, black, chicano, asian etc, on the show in order to conform to what has now become the norm.
I'm sick of "Reality" shows. For instance, I notice that there will now be a show, called Trash Men, about garbage collectors. I know for sure that these people play a necessary part in our society, if we don't want to be buried in our own refuse , but who finds such dreck entertaining?
I also think the show "Dirty Jobs" serves little purpose, as I really don't think the role of television is to make us sick. It was bad enough when shows such as "Lost" had a bunch of half naked people running around on some island somewhere, and do everything except kill one another to win a cash prize. Whatever happened to shows that entertained. It seems the networks no longer have the talent available to make shows such as "The Andy Griffin Show, "The Honeymooners", "Barney Miller," "cheers" ," Sanford and son', etc. The only explanation that I can come up with is that a whole lot of People call themselves Writers for T.V. when they are nothing but drecksters, who write for the entertainment of Teenagers ONLY. The same is true of Movies. It seems that the only movies being made are adaptations of earlier movies with a different (and sometimes the same) name, or else something so extremely Science-fiction as to be of no interest other than to that Fat Guy who collects comic Books. And Yep, I know that one shouldn't use the term "Fat", in order to be P.C., but as usual I don't care. I know that Obese or "Weight-Challenged" is the proper term . I think the best quote I've ever heard, regarding a 400 pound individual, was " A person who didn't grow to the proper height for his or her weight"............"Doctor.... Mr (or Mrs) Jones, you need to grow to a height of 9 feet and then you'll be fine.' ' I suggest the Rack ". I think Arty Novels are a sublime waste of time. Unless one is a dedicated student or some variety thereof, I absolutely feel that a good book is Fiction, meant for nothing more than Escapism and entertainment. And in that same vein when a Writer writes some deep psychosis-inducing book with a meaning so elusive that the "Art" crowd falls all over themselves droning on about the hidden meaning is nothing more than a scammer who has no real literary talent, and for the most part I think the people who read these "Deep" books (or claim they have)do so to impress other people in Starbucks,(ala "Frazier") I've got news for those "Arty-Farty" people. The hidden meaning of such books is that the writer can't write a lick, but knows there is a steady market for such "Deep" books, when in reality they are about as deep as a wading pool for parakeets . Hell the old "Penny Dreadful' of the victorian Age were Masterpieces compared to many books nowadays (and I use the term "Book" loosely) . I think old Kramer of the Seinfeld show had the right idea about Coffee Table books, in that some books would be better used with legs affixed, to set your coffee cup on. I suspect some people buy Certain books using the criteria of how they'll look on their table or in their bookcase (if they have one). I think all Politicians ought to be shaved bald and have a number painted on their pate, and thenceforth referred to only by number. I also think that these same politicians should have to wear a jail jumpsuit, yellow in color, with a design of Hundred dollar Bills emblazoned on them, as a Political Camouflage.And, finally, I think that most people who write "Letters to the Editor shouldn't".
That's enough for now, I've successfully obviated my boredom.BUT, more to come,later, when my spleen becomes overful and needs Venting.
Stay Well and don't forget to Laugh a Little.
Cheers
TOP
I'm bored. I suspect it is a function of retirement, and the very best cure for boredom is writing. Writing about nothing in particular, just slapping the keys and see what comes out.
Be forewarned I may use some intemperate language in this post, so I've asked my alter-ego to take over my wizened brain and write for me once again.
I find that the older I get the more impatient I get with Political Correctness.
I think its high time we called things what they are. For a time during the late feminist period (just after the jurassic) I was reluctant to write a business letter to a female who I did not know, as I didn't want to make the mistake of referring to some bulky babe as Mrs. or Miss, for fear that she wanted to be addressed as Ms.
and having the PC police kick down my door.
I am similarly tired of hearing the terms, Mexican-American, German-American, African-American and so on to the puking point. One is either an American (if born or Naturalized as such) or they're not, Period.
I'm heartily sick of the current Political climate control the News, especially on Television. I get nauseous when I see a Broadcast or sitcom where they are extremely careful to have one each of white, black, chicano, asian etc, on the show in order to conform to what has now become the norm.
I'm sick of "Reality" shows. For instance, I notice that there will now be a show, called Trash Men, about garbage collectors. I know for sure that these people play a necessary part in our society, if we don't want to be buried in our own refuse , but who finds such dreck entertaining?
I also think the show "Dirty Jobs" serves little purpose, as I really don't think the role of television is to make us sick. It was bad enough when shows such as "Lost" had a bunch of half naked people running around on some island somewhere, and do everything except kill one another to win a cash prize. Whatever happened to shows that entertained. It seems the networks no longer have the talent available to make shows such as "The Andy Griffin Show, "The Honeymooners", "Barney Miller," "cheers" ," Sanford and son', etc. The only explanation that I can come up with is that a whole lot of People call themselves Writers for T.V. when they are nothing but drecksters, who write for the entertainment of Teenagers ONLY. The same is true of Movies. It seems that the only movies being made are adaptations of earlier movies with a different (and sometimes the same) name, or else something so extremely Science-fiction as to be of no interest other than to that Fat Guy who collects comic Books. And Yep, I know that one shouldn't use the term "Fat", in order to be P.C., but as usual I don't care. I know that Obese or "Weight-Challenged" is the proper term . I think the best quote I've ever heard, regarding a 400 pound individual, was " A person who didn't grow to the proper height for his or her weight"............"Doctor.... Mr (or Mrs) Jones, you need to grow to a height of 9 feet and then you'll be fine.' ' I suggest the Rack ". I think Arty Novels are a sublime waste of time. Unless one is a dedicated student or some variety thereof, I absolutely feel that a good book is Fiction, meant for nothing more than Escapism and entertainment. And in that same vein when a Writer writes some deep psychosis-inducing book with a meaning so elusive that the "Art" crowd falls all over themselves droning on about the hidden meaning is nothing more than a scammer who has no real literary talent, and for the most part I think the people who read these "Deep" books (or claim they have)do so to impress other people in Starbucks,(ala "Frazier") I've got news for those "Arty-Farty" people. The hidden meaning of such books is that the writer can't write a lick, but knows there is a steady market for such "Deep" books, when in reality they are about as deep as a wading pool for parakeets . Hell the old "Penny Dreadful' of the victorian Age were Masterpieces compared to many books nowadays (and I use the term "Book" loosely) . I think old Kramer of the Seinfeld show had the right idea about Coffee Table books, in that some books would be better used with legs affixed, to set your coffee cup on. I suspect some people buy Certain books using the criteria of how they'll look on their table or in their bookcase (if they have one). I think all Politicians ought to be shaved bald and have a number painted on their pate, and thenceforth referred to only by number. I also think that these same politicians should have to wear a jail jumpsuit, yellow in color, with a design of Hundred dollar Bills emblazoned on them, as a Political Camouflage.And, finally, I think that most people who write "Letters to the Editor shouldn't".
That's enough for now, I've successfully obviated my boredom.BUT, more to come,later, when my spleen becomes overful and needs Venting.
Stay Well and don't forget to Laugh a Little.
Cheers
TOP
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Super Bowl Sunday
Good Morning Folks:
Today, as anyone in the civilized world knows, is Super Bowl Sunday. The one time of the year when a man can be a man and abuse fully the term "Couch Potato".
We men can, and are expected to, by our long suffering Spouses, do absolutely nothing but set our enormous butts on the sofa, watch T.V. and consume huge quantities of Junk Food and our beverages of choice. More than a few of this vast , overfed herd will undoubtedly partake too freely of an alcoholic beverage and then proceed to sleep during all or most of the Super Bowl. This will allow our long-suffering spouses the opportunity to vacuum the mounds of debris created by our snacking and apply windex to the T.V. and our eyeglasses to erase greasy fingerprints. Now we men are simply being considerate in dozing off to allow our spouses this luxury, which also includes giving her time to drag out a half dozen or so trash bags full of cast off food wrappers and bags, beverage cans or bottles, discarded paper towels and such and try the patience of landfill operators everywhere.
On the part of we noble men, we can only hope that we are not among the detritus thus discarded , and most of us are safe, as our spouses are smart enough to recognize that if a pile of trash emits a snore, its probably hubby or one of his cronies, and thus should not be discarded by a cheerful Christian Lady (or a few second-generation Muslim-American ladies).
So, bring on the provender, pigskin, pork rinds and Pepto-Bismol. We are ready.
I guess most guys will have a favorite in the game, but as for me, it's a difficult choice. As I've said more than a few times in the past, I have a warm spot in my Heart for New Orleans, having once, for about a Ten Year period, being a resident of the "Big Easy"...BUT, I must also confess to being a fan of the Indianapolis Colts, and more especially, of Peyton Manning, and indeed, of the whole Manning Clan.
I also imagine that Accomplished Quarterback Manning also has mixed feelings about the game, as he was raised in New Orleans, rooting for his Father Archie Manning, who was Quarterback of the Saints during their time of dubious distinction, being known as the "Aints", and having fans show up for the game with paper bags over their heads. I can well imagine that Manning Senior has a heart swelling with pride, in that two of his sons have followed in his footsteps, and even outreached them as both Peyton and his Brother Eli have won a Superbowl, and both have been chosen as the M.V.P. of their respective games. I imagine that Archie Manning feels just as I do, in that I feel the best a Man can hope for is that his offspring will exceed anything we may have accomplished in our lives.
So, it will, to me, be a very interesting game, whoever wins, and I would not dare to make any predictions other than more than a few men (and a few women) will wake up tomorrow with a hangover and a too-full stomach.
So, kick the ball and let us begin to enjoy our delicious misery already!
Burp!!!
TOP
Today, as anyone in the civilized world knows, is Super Bowl Sunday. The one time of the year when a man can be a man and abuse fully the term "Couch Potato".
We men can, and are expected to, by our long suffering Spouses, do absolutely nothing but set our enormous butts on the sofa, watch T.V. and consume huge quantities of Junk Food and our beverages of choice. More than a few of this vast , overfed herd will undoubtedly partake too freely of an alcoholic beverage and then proceed to sleep during all or most of the Super Bowl. This will allow our long-suffering spouses the opportunity to vacuum the mounds of debris created by our snacking and apply windex to the T.V. and our eyeglasses to erase greasy fingerprints. Now we men are simply being considerate in dozing off to allow our spouses this luxury, which also includes giving her time to drag out a half dozen or so trash bags full of cast off food wrappers and bags, beverage cans or bottles, discarded paper towels and such and try the patience of landfill operators everywhere.
On the part of we noble men, we can only hope that we are not among the detritus thus discarded , and most of us are safe, as our spouses are smart enough to recognize that if a pile of trash emits a snore, its probably hubby or one of his cronies, and thus should not be discarded by a cheerful Christian Lady (or a few second-generation Muslim-American ladies).
So, bring on the provender, pigskin, pork rinds and Pepto-Bismol. We are ready.
I guess most guys will have a favorite in the game, but as for me, it's a difficult choice. As I've said more than a few times in the past, I have a warm spot in my Heart for New Orleans, having once, for about a Ten Year period, being a resident of the "Big Easy"...BUT, I must also confess to being a fan of the Indianapolis Colts, and more especially, of Peyton Manning, and indeed, of the whole Manning Clan.
I also imagine that Accomplished Quarterback Manning also has mixed feelings about the game, as he was raised in New Orleans, rooting for his Father Archie Manning, who was Quarterback of the Saints during their time of dubious distinction, being known as the "Aints", and having fans show up for the game with paper bags over their heads. I can well imagine that Manning Senior has a heart swelling with pride, in that two of his sons have followed in his footsteps, and even outreached them as both Peyton and his Brother Eli have won a Superbowl, and both have been chosen as the M.V.P. of their respective games. I imagine that Archie Manning feels just as I do, in that I feel the best a Man can hope for is that his offspring will exceed anything we may have accomplished in our lives.
So, it will, to me, be a very interesting game, whoever wins, and I would not dare to make any predictions other than more than a few men (and a few women) will wake up tomorrow with a hangover and a too-full stomach.
So, kick the ball and let us begin to enjoy our delicious misery already!
Burp!!!
TOP
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wally World.
Good Morning Folks:
I recently had occasion to visit Wal Mart, and it started me thinking more about this Corporation.
Now, I have known for a long time that when Wal Mart comes into a community, smaller stores soon begin to fail, and in short order small towns such as the one in which My Family and I reside, are soon filled with empty stores, where there once were thriving small businesses.
I suspect this happens to a greater degree in small towns vs. large cities, but have no doubt that a considerable number of smaller businesses in large cities also close their door when "Wally World" enters.
I don't think, and I have nothing to base this on except my judgement, that Sam Walton meant for this diaspora of small businesses to occur, but as we all know, it has happened, just the same.
Whether this is now the Business Plan for Wal-Mart or not, this is exactly what happens:
Wal-Mart opens. New patrons will at first be thrilled with the wide selection offered, and in a lot of cases, much lower prices will be found. But over a long or smaller length of time has elapsed, small towns around the new Giant store have lost many, if not all, of their small businesses and a patron of Wal-Mart who pays attention will, I think, begin to notice the following:
1. Prices at WM will start to creep up, to the point where the patron is soon paying more to shop at Wal Mart than they ever did shopping in the small businesses in their Town, Village or Hamlet . But.....what is one to do? All the small concerns have shuttered their stores and....Voila! Wal-Mart is left as the only option.
2. Wal-Mart will gradually omit more and more American Made items, as they can buy Foreign made good much cheaper, and thus make a greater profit. I have noticed, as a rule, when W-M first started stocking Foreign made goods, they were a LOT cheaper than domestic items on the next rack, but over time, the foreign made goods will slowly increase in price, coincident with fewer and fewer American Made products being displayed or available.
This folks, is called "Conditioning", sort of a sort of adaptation of Pavlov's "Response Theory", wherein dog's are slowly trained to start salivating when a bell is rung.
Whether you want to call it Conditioning or a Criminal Enterprise, this is exactly what is happening in Cities across the United States, and has been for a long time.
There was a time when such devious conduct was known as an illegal monopoly , and was against the law, but no longer.
This is perhaps because the U.S. is selling U.S. Securities at a greater and greater pace to China (the largest case) and other countries. In fact, it seems to me that what we, the Citizens of the U.S. have allowed to occur, is a Government falling over on its back, and saying to China among others, "sock it to me Baby".
Unpleasant, but true, in my humble opinion.
Remember when Wal Mart first opened in your town? Everywhere you looked their were "associates", employees of WM who were helpful and courteous....no more.
Wal Mart is slowly, but surely "paring down" its payroll and you now have to look long and hard to find someone to help you. You will also note, as I have, in the Wal Mart "Super Stores" the replacement of check out isles with 'Self Check" aisles, ostensibly for your (the customer's) convenience. this is not for our convenience folks, this is for one purpose only and that is......you guessed it,to allow Wal Mart to eliminate yet another employee. You will also, I think, notice, as I have, that fewer and fewer check out aisles will be open, forcing us, the customers, to wait for a longer and longer period of time. WM is counting on us saying to ourselves," well, I've already got a cart full of stuff that I need, so I'll just have to wait my turn", and Wal Mart will have once more succeeded in reducing their costs, to the detriment of us, the buying public.
If you want a suggestion, which might or might now make the Mighty Corporation sit up and take notice, when you get to one of the few check outs open, only find a long line, just wheel your cart to one side, abandon it, and leave the store. If enough people do this, maybe, just maybe, Wally will get the message, or maybe not, but at least we will have registered our displeasure, and perhaps one employee of Wal Mart will keep his or her job, in order to re shelve such abandoned items.
Also, if, say, a certain shirt, or other item, catches your eye, look to see where its made, and if it's not American Made, don't buy it, unless you just HAVE to have it. Perhaps, and it's an "iffy" perhaps, if enough people start doing this, the American Garment Industry will start to make a come back. Its worth a try!
So, I'm very much afraid what we will see, will be come to be known as the "Wal Mart Effect", whereas we will see increasingly, fewer and fewer small businesses and their attendant jobs, More and more giant Businesses, higher and higher prices, a continual growth of unemployment, higher taxes, until, like the Kilkenny Cats, all that is left of the United States of America will be our nails and the tip of our tails.
Another example of this syndrome are Lowes and Home Depot. The rise and success of these giant"Home Improvement Warehouse" concerns have closed down the small town Lumber Yard, for the most part. I sometimes wonder if these mega-corporations employ a person to go around to towns with and/or near such a Mega-Corp., and more or less conduct a census to determine how many small businesses are left? Don't laugh, it is entirely within the realm of possibility. What better incentive for, say, Lowes, as an example, to raise their prices, than the determination that there is, in fact, no competition for them except for Home-Depot. I confess I am as guilty as the next person of patronizing Home Depot, as an example. A few days ago, our Home water heater went toes up, and I purchased a replacement at Home-Depot. I tried to make amends by hiring a local Man and a small Businessman to install the water heater, and paid him almost the exact same price for the installation as the Water Heater cost at Home-Depot, so maybe, in a small way, I tried to balance out the necessary with the desired. In other words, it was necessary to purchase the Appliance at Home Depot, but I was desirous of keeping as much of my money in my own Community instead of the pockets of a Giant Concern, and thus be a good citizen.
But, perhaps, I have it all wrong?. However, since Wal-Mart has already captured Boardwalk and Park Place, they are in the final stages of winning this International Monopoly game.But...........it's not a game, now is it?
When it affects our collective pocketbook's it's no longer a game is it?.
Cheers
TOP
I recently had occasion to visit Wal Mart, and it started me thinking more about this Corporation.
Now, I have known for a long time that when Wal Mart comes into a community, smaller stores soon begin to fail, and in short order small towns such as the one in which My Family and I reside, are soon filled with empty stores, where there once were thriving small businesses.
I suspect this happens to a greater degree in small towns vs. large cities, but have no doubt that a considerable number of smaller businesses in large cities also close their door when "Wally World" enters.
I don't think, and I have nothing to base this on except my judgement, that Sam Walton meant for this diaspora of small businesses to occur, but as we all know, it has happened, just the same.
Whether this is now the Business Plan for Wal-Mart or not, this is exactly what happens:
Wal-Mart opens. New patrons will at first be thrilled with the wide selection offered, and in a lot of cases, much lower prices will be found. But over a long or smaller length of time has elapsed, small towns around the new Giant store have lost many, if not all, of their small businesses and a patron of Wal-Mart who pays attention will, I think, begin to notice the following:
1. Prices at WM will start to creep up, to the point where the patron is soon paying more to shop at Wal Mart than they ever did shopping in the small businesses in their Town, Village or Hamlet . But.....what is one to do? All the small concerns have shuttered their stores and....Voila! Wal-Mart is left as the only option.
2. Wal-Mart will gradually omit more and more American Made items, as they can buy Foreign made good much cheaper, and thus make a greater profit. I have noticed, as a rule, when W-M first started stocking Foreign made goods, they were a LOT cheaper than domestic items on the next rack, but over time, the foreign made goods will slowly increase in price, coincident with fewer and fewer American Made products being displayed or available.
This folks, is called "Conditioning", sort of a sort of adaptation of Pavlov's "Response Theory", wherein dog's are slowly trained to start salivating when a bell is rung.
Whether you want to call it Conditioning or a Criminal Enterprise, this is exactly what is happening in Cities across the United States, and has been for a long time.
There was a time when such devious conduct was known as an illegal monopoly , and was against the law, but no longer.
This is perhaps because the U.S. is selling U.S. Securities at a greater and greater pace to China (the largest case) and other countries. In fact, it seems to me that what we, the Citizens of the U.S. have allowed to occur, is a Government falling over on its back, and saying to China among others, "sock it to me Baby".
Unpleasant, but true, in my humble opinion.
Remember when Wal Mart first opened in your town? Everywhere you looked their were "associates", employees of WM who were helpful and courteous....no more.
Wal Mart is slowly, but surely "paring down" its payroll and you now have to look long and hard to find someone to help you. You will also note, as I have, in the Wal Mart "Super Stores" the replacement of check out isles with 'Self Check" aisles, ostensibly for your (the customer's) convenience. this is not for our convenience folks, this is for one purpose only and that is......you guessed it,to allow Wal Mart to eliminate yet another employee. You will also, I think, notice, as I have, that fewer and fewer check out aisles will be open, forcing us, the customers, to wait for a longer and longer period of time. WM is counting on us saying to ourselves," well, I've already got a cart full of stuff that I need, so I'll just have to wait my turn", and Wal Mart will have once more succeeded in reducing their costs, to the detriment of us, the buying public.
If you want a suggestion, which might or might now make the Mighty Corporation sit up and take notice, when you get to one of the few check outs open, only find a long line, just wheel your cart to one side, abandon it, and leave the store. If enough people do this, maybe, just maybe, Wally will get the message, or maybe not, but at least we will have registered our displeasure, and perhaps one employee of Wal Mart will keep his or her job, in order to re shelve such abandoned items.
Also, if, say, a certain shirt, or other item, catches your eye, look to see where its made, and if it's not American Made, don't buy it, unless you just HAVE to have it. Perhaps, and it's an "iffy" perhaps, if enough people start doing this, the American Garment Industry will start to make a come back. Its worth a try!
So, I'm very much afraid what we will see, will be come to be known as the "Wal Mart Effect", whereas we will see increasingly, fewer and fewer small businesses and their attendant jobs, More and more giant Businesses, higher and higher prices, a continual growth of unemployment, higher taxes, until, like the Kilkenny Cats, all that is left of the United States of America will be our nails and the tip of our tails.
Another example of this syndrome are Lowes and Home Depot. The rise and success of these giant"Home Improvement Warehouse" concerns have closed down the small town Lumber Yard, for the most part. I sometimes wonder if these mega-corporations employ a person to go around to towns with and/or near such a Mega-Corp., and more or less conduct a census to determine how many small businesses are left? Don't laugh, it is entirely within the realm of possibility. What better incentive for, say, Lowes, as an example, to raise their prices, than the determination that there is, in fact, no competition for them except for Home-Depot. I confess I am as guilty as the next person of patronizing Home Depot, as an example. A few days ago, our Home water heater went toes up, and I purchased a replacement at Home-Depot. I tried to make amends by hiring a local Man and a small Businessman to install the water heater, and paid him almost the exact same price for the installation as the Water Heater cost at Home-Depot, so maybe, in a small way, I tried to balance out the necessary with the desired. In other words, it was necessary to purchase the Appliance at Home Depot, but I was desirous of keeping as much of my money in my own Community instead of the pockets of a Giant Concern, and thus be a good citizen.
But, perhaps, I have it all wrong?. However, since Wal-Mart has already captured Boardwalk and Park Place, they are in the final stages of winning this International Monopoly game.But...........it's not a game, now is it?
When it affects our collective pocketbook's it's no longer a game is it?.
Cheers
TOP
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lost Writers
Good Afternoon Gentle Folk:
I have just finished reading the Blog of a man I admire, An Editor at a local Newspaper, a man who carefully assembles the parts of the English Language so well that he makes his living from so doing. He is also a man I consider to be a friend, although we have never met. This Gentleman, and I use the word advisedly, who encouraged me start writing (again). I say again, as I had more or less taken a sabbatical from writing, save for many dry, uninteresting technical reports, etc, that were part of my job as a Chemist , plus the fact that I felt I didn't have anything to say, and had absolutely no talent as a writer.
It is true that I tried to write when I was younger, but in common with many people, I found that I had a paucity of life experiences to write about, so I gave up on writing, and buckled down to the tedious task of making a living for my young, but growing, family.
But, although I didn't write, except in the course of my job, but I did read, voraciously. (and still do)
But enough about me, I was commenting about a post on the Blog written by my friend, and I realize that I am taking a point of privilege, to refer to him as such, but I have already explained that statement.
The excellent Blog I am referring to is: http://Exactly Write.blogspot.com. The author of this Blog uses it almost exclusively to instruct others the noble art of writing and the importance of correct usage of the English Language, and I am grateful for his efforts, as they have helped me a lot.
Today's Post on the above mentioned blog refers to the Death of J. D. Salinger, and the better known of his two books, "The Catcher in the Rye" This blogger states an opinion that I wholeheartedly echo i.e. that this is one of the most deadly boring books I have ever had the displeasure of reading.
I was, at the time of said reading, taking a College English Course, and was assigned this book to write an Essay on.(In High School they are called "Book Reports", but in College said reports are called "Essays", Analysis', thought on the Writer's theme or Motive, and so on, ad nauseum.
I read Catcher in the Rye, and hated it, so I read it again, trying desperately to find something in the book to build an Essay around,and about the only Statement I could come up with was, "I am saddened to report that I can find nothing to say complimentary about this Book, I wish I hadn't read it, and will try, earnestly to now forget that I have done so"
My instructor was more than a little displeased on my Essay, but was too cowardly to give me a bad grade on my effort , and in so doing followed her apparent method of doing her job, that of teaching, albiet poorly, what thousands of others before her,had done. Had I been grading the instructor on her assignments and ability to teach, in the main, I would have given her a F-, both on her choice of books to assign students to read, and her reasons for doing so, again, everone else does it!.
But I speak ill of the Dead, in that Mr. Salinger died last week, and his one Claim to Fame (the afore-mentioned book) is freshly being hailed in newspapers and magazines as one of the signal pieces of literature in American History, but I fall back on the words of one my Uncle's, who, after making an uncomplimentary remark on a Person freshly deceased, and being told that he shouldn't speak bad of the recently deceased chap, Said " Why?, I didn't like the Son-of-a-Bitch when he was alive, so why should I like him any better because he's dead?"
It has been only a few short months since the passing of one of the Finest Writers of Fiction I've ever read,and I speak of Mr. Tony Hillerman, who was given scant notice in the Media. Mr. Hillermans books not only entertained me, since I read both for escape and for education, and I shall miss having any more of his books to enrichen my life. Mr. Hillerman's books about the Native American people, I feel shall long endure, even not to the notice of the "Critics" of the media.I feel it is a travesty to give so much journalistic mention of J. D. Salinger, when writers such as Mr. Hillerman have contributed so much to modern american Literature.
Also, another writer of Notable Fiction passed away last week. Robert B. Parker, whose "Spenser" Novels more or less raised the bar on Crime Fiction, even though his last few books, I thought, were apparently written on a "Cookie-Cutter' basis, and suffered therefrom.
So, if my recommendation means anything, Be sure and read Tony Hillerman and Parker, especially his earlier Spenser Novels and his two or three Westerns, and skip Salinger, You will find it no unendurable loss.
Let us mourn those who deserve recognition, and forget about Mr. Salinger. The sooner the better.(note:-added later) As I frequently do, I posted this article without thinking it through, and as a result, it may sound a bit mean........so, just let me add one thing. When I say forget about Mr. Salinger, I could and should have said, perhaps remember Mr. Salinger for his ecctricity, and for the fact that he was an Author, but you will miss nothing if you fail to read his books.
Also I was (am) remiss, in not mentioning a couple of other writers who I think you will enjoy.
The first of these is an excellent writer, and to my knowledge, a good person, is James Lee Burke, whose books are always pleasing to this reader. And the same goes for Dean Koontz, who, while I have never met the man, I feel a certain kinship with, for he is a Dog Lover, as am I.
So, I have corrected my errors of omission (which I suspect happens frequently with we apprentice writers). Sorry, Please and Thank You
Cheers
TOP
I have just finished reading the Blog of a man I admire, An Editor at a local Newspaper, a man who carefully assembles the parts of the English Language so well that he makes his living from so doing. He is also a man I consider to be a friend, although we have never met. This Gentleman, and I use the word advisedly, who encouraged me start writing (again). I say again, as I had more or less taken a sabbatical from writing, save for many dry, uninteresting technical reports, etc, that were part of my job as a Chemist , plus the fact that I felt I didn't have anything to say, and had absolutely no talent as a writer.
It is true that I tried to write when I was younger, but in common with many people, I found that I had a paucity of life experiences to write about, so I gave up on writing, and buckled down to the tedious task of making a living for my young, but growing, family.
But, although I didn't write, except in the course of my job, but I did read, voraciously. (and still do)
But enough about me, I was commenting about a post on the Blog written by my friend, and I realize that I am taking a point of privilege, to refer to him as such, but I have already explained that statement.
The excellent Blog I am referring to is: http://Exactly Write.blogspot.com. The author of this Blog uses it almost exclusively to instruct others the noble art of writing and the importance of correct usage of the English Language, and I am grateful for his efforts, as they have helped me a lot.
Today's Post on the above mentioned blog refers to the Death of J. D. Salinger, and the better known of his two books, "The Catcher in the Rye" This blogger states an opinion that I wholeheartedly echo i.e. that this is one of the most deadly boring books I have ever had the displeasure of reading.
I was, at the time of said reading, taking a College English Course, and was assigned this book to write an Essay on.(In High School they are called "Book Reports", but in College said reports are called "Essays", Analysis', thought on the Writer's theme or Motive, and so on, ad nauseum.
I read Catcher in the Rye, and hated it, so I read it again, trying desperately to find something in the book to build an Essay around,and about the only Statement I could come up with was, "I am saddened to report that I can find nothing to say complimentary about this Book, I wish I hadn't read it, and will try, earnestly to now forget that I have done so"
My instructor was more than a little displeased on my Essay, but was too cowardly to give me a bad grade on my effort , and in so doing followed her apparent method of doing her job, that of teaching, albiet poorly, what thousands of others before her,had done. Had I been grading the instructor on her assignments and ability to teach, in the main, I would have given her a F-, both on her choice of books to assign students to read, and her reasons for doing so, again, everone else does it!.
But I speak ill of the Dead, in that Mr. Salinger died last week, and his one Claim to Fame (the afore-mentioned book) is freshly being hailed in newspapers and magazines as one of the signal pieces of literature in American History, but I fall back on the words of one my Uncle's, who, after making an uncomplimentary remark on a Person freshly deceased, and being told that he shouldn't speak bad of the recently deceased chap, Said " Why?, I didn't like the Son-of-a-Bitch when he was alive, so why should I like him any better because he's dead?"
It has been only a few short months since the passing of one of the Finest Writers of Fiction I've ever read,and I speak of Mr. Tony Hillerman, who was given scant notice in the Media. Mr. Hillermans books not only entertained me, since I read both for escape and for education, and I shall miss having any more of his books to enrichen my life. Mr. Hillerman's books about the Native American people, I feel shall long endure, even not to the notice of the "Critics" of the media.I feel it is a travesty to give so much journalistic mention of J. D. Salinger, when writers such as Mr. Hillerman have contributed so much to modern american Literature.
Also, another writer of Notable Fiction passed away last week. Robert B. Parker, whose "Spenser" Novels more or less raised the bar on Crime Fiction, even though his last few books, I thought, were apparently written on a "Cookie-Cutter' basis, and suffered therefrom.
So, if my recommendation means anything, Be sure and read Tony Hillerman and Parker, especially his earlier Spenser Novels and his two or three Westerns, and skip Salinger, You will find it no unendurable loss.
Let us mourn those who deserve recognition, and forget about Mr. Salinger. The sooner the better.(note:-added later) As I frequently do, I posted this article without thinking it through, and as a result, it may sound a bit mean........so, just let me add one thing. When I say forget about Mr. Salinger, I could and should have said, perhaps remember Mr. Salinger for his ecctricity, and for the fact that he was an Author, but you will miss nothing if you fail to read his books.
Also I was (am) remiss, in not mentioning a couple of other writers who I think you will enjoy.
The first of these is an excellent writer, and to my knowledge, a good person, is James Lee Burke, whose books are always pleasing to this reader. And the same goes for Dean Koontz, who, while I have never met the man, I feel a certain kinship with, for he is a Dog Lover, as am I.
So, I have corrected my errors of omission (which I suspect happens frequently with we apprentice writers). Sorry, Please and Thank You
Cheers
TOP
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Cogitation on the English Language.
Hi Guys:
For some reason I've been thinking a lot about the English Language lately. I think if one wants to ponder a mystery, one could do a lot worse than trying to figure out how the English Language came to be, or for that matter language in general.
Who was the first Hominid to use a word, with a meaning, rather than just a gutteral sound? I'm not sure, but I don't think I've ever heard a good postulation on the origin of spoken language, I say spoken, as I'm pretty sure that the first man creature, for want of a better term , did not set himself down and scratch out a word, as we understand words to be, in the dirt.
I'm also fairly certain that language did not spontaneously erupt of their own accord, say, as a caveman, we'll call him Org for the moment walked out of his cave one fine morning, yawned, scratched himself (I think Men have always done so), looked about and said to no one in particular, "I say, its a beautiful morning", further, I think its also doubtful that his neighbor, christian name Moog, just happened to emerge from his cave a moment later and replied to Org " It is that, me boy, a fine day indeed".No, I'm pretty sure it didn't happen that way.
Perhaps these two cavemen just started using different sounds to name different things. Maybe Org pointed at a rock and said "Rock", whereupon Moog replied "Say what"? then Org again pointed to the rock again and repeated "Rock" causing Moog to think deeply (while scratching), and then came perhaps the first look of enlightenment in Human History as Moog GOT IT! he excitedly pointed at the rock and said, quite clearly," Ock". Org again pointed at the rock and said "Rock" causing Moog to jab his finger in an impatient manner at the stone in question, and again say "Ock!". Then Moog picked up the rock and smacked Org in the skull, and said, "Ock" then added perhaps the second word ever to be spoken, added "Dammit".
Since we are imagining (or at least I am), we can well imagine, when Org finally came to, with a splitting headache, He picked up a rock of his own, and bashed Moog in the Brainpan. (as a new footnote to history, this was probably the first example of an Arms race) Org probably figured out that what he needed was a bigger Rock, perhaps a one kiloton stone, found one and went looking for Moog, who as it happened was casting about for a bigger rock for himself. Continuing on this theme perhaps our two cavemen eyed each other warily, sat down on large Rocks and Ocks, respectively, and with a sudden bust of insight, realized that they had just invented a language, stood up, scratched, and went to their caves in search of their Clubs (Or, in Moog's case) Lubs.
No, I'm pretty sure that Human Language did not originate via the above method, even if other human characteristics did show promise of evolving (fighting, cursing and scratching). in doing a small amount of research on the subject, I discovered what I too often discover when researching a subject, and that is .....No one is sure.
Paleontologists have discovered, by discovery and by exterpolation, that approximately 3.5 million years ago Hominids developed a more "L" shaped Larnyx, which is necessary for the formation of both vowel and glottal sounds. This occurred about the same time that these same hominids became bipedal, walking on 2 legs vs all fours, and were thus named "Homo Erectus" (which has nothing to do with Viagra)
Then, a few years ago, a Neanderthal Fossil was discovered containing a Hyoid bone, which together with earlier theories suggested that Neanderthals had at least the probability for a capacity for vocalizing sounds similiar to modern Hominids,.
Since Neanderthals died out about 25,000 years ago it is then possible, that they had some last words, and interesting to speculate what those words might have been. Judging from what their successors in the race we call our own,have spoken, these words might have been "D`OH", "LOOK OUT", "HEY WATCH THIS", "LOOK OUT, HE'S GOT A RO..." or in case of the Male of this species,
"OF COURSE I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING".
So I guess, to sum up, No one really knows for sure when Humans developed a spoken speech. There has been speculation that a sign language existed prior to a spoken language, but again, no one is sure, and as far as I can discover, there's no way of being sure. But.......I still think its a tasty food for thought, sort of like the old poser about the Chicken or the Egg.
Your Thoughts and Discoveries will be welcomed, even if they just state that I have too much time on my hands.
Stay Well
The Old Professor
For some reason I've been thinking a lot about the English Language lately. I think if one wants to ponder a mystery, one could do a lot worse than trying to figure out how the English Language came to be, or for that matter language in general.
Who was the first Hominid to use a word, with a meaning, rather than just a gutteral sound? I'm not sure, but I don't think I've ever heard a good postulation on the origin of spoken language, I say spoken, as I'm pretty sure that the first man creature, for want of a better term , did not set himself down and scratch out a word, as we understand words to be, in the dirt.
I'm also fairly certain that language did not spontaneously erupt of their own accord, say, as a caveman, we'll call him Org for the moment walked out of his cave one fine morning, yawned, scratched himself (I think Men have always done so), looked about and said to no one in particular, "I say, its a beautiful morning", further, I think its also doubtful that his neighbor, christian name Moog, just happened to emerge from his cave a moment later and replied to Org " It is that, me boy, a fine day indeed".No, I'm pretty sure it didn't happen that way.
Perhaps these two cavemen just started using different sounds to name different things. Maybe Org pointed at a rock and said "Rock", whereupon Moog replied "Say what"? then Org again pointed to the rock again and repeated "Rock" causing Moog to think deeply (while scratching), and then came perhaps the first look of enlightenment in Human History as Moog GOT IT! he excitedly pointed at the rock and said, quite clearly," Ock". Org again pointed at the rock and said "Rock" causing Moog to jab his finger in an impatient manner at the stone in question, and again say "Ock!". Then Moog picked up the rock and smacked Org in the skull, and said, "Ock" then added perhaps the second word ever to be spoken, added "Dammit".
Since we are imagining (or at least I am), we can well imagine, when Org finally came to, with a splitting headache, He picked up a rock of his own, and bashed Moog in the Brainpan. (as a new footnote to history, this was probably the first example of an Arms race) Org probably figured out that what he needed was a bigger Rock, perhaps a one kiloton stone, found one and went looking for Moog, who as it happened was casting about for a bigger rock for himself. Continuing on this theme perhaps our two cavemen eyed each other warily, sat down on large Rocks and Ocks, respectively, and with a sudden bust of insight, realized that they had just invented a language, stood up, scratched, and went to their caves in search of their Clubs (Or, in Moog's case) Lubs.
No, I'm pretty sure that Human Language did not originate via the above method, even if other human characteristics did show promise of evolving (fighting, cursing and scratching). in doing a small amount of research on the subject, I discovered what I too often discover when researching a subject, and that is .....No one is sure.
Paleontologists have discovered, by discovery and by exterpolation, that approximately 3.5 million years ago Hominids developed a more "L" shaped Larnyx, which is necessary for the formation of both vowel and glottal sounds. This occurred about the same time that these same hominids became bipedal, walking on 2 legs vs all fours, and were thus named "Homo Erectus" (which has nothing to do with Viagra)
Then, a few years ago, a Neanderthal Fossil was discovered containing a Hyoid bone, which together with earlier theories suggested that Neanderthals had at least the probability for a capacity for vocalizing sounds similiar to modern Hominids,.
Since Neanderthals died out about 25,000 years ago it is then possible, that they had some last words, and interesting to speculate what those words might have been. Judging from what their successors in the race we call our own,have spoken, these words might have been "D`OH", "LOOK OUT", "HEY WATCH THIS", "LOOK OUT, HE'S GOT A RO..." or in case of the Male of this species,
"OF COURSE I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING".
So I guess, to sum up, No one really knows for sure when Humans developed a spoken speech. There has been speculation that a sign language existed prior to a spoken language, but again, no one is sure, and as far as I can discover, there's no way of being sure. But.......I still think its a tasty food for thought, sort of like the old poser about the Chicken or the Egg.
Your Thoughts and Discoveries will be welcomed, even if they just state that I have too much time on my hands.
Stay Well
The Old Professor
Monday, January 18, 2010
Nasty Politics (as usual)
Good Morning Folks.
I have been following, with interest, the ongoing Senatorial campaign in Massachusetts. What strikes me the most about this campaign is the outright enmity expressed by the candidates . I realize that is part and parcel of almost all campaigns, and I think that this is emblematic of most political campaigns,and speaks poorly about the state of American politics.
I have said before, that I am against Party Labels, in fact I am against Political Parties, in the main. The fact that one's Father or Grandfather always voted for one Political Party because of something a member of that Party once did that the voter found favor with, is a poor excuse, and I think perhaps reflects one's eagerness to believe anything they read, or see on Television. It doesn't matter whether one is speaking of a Democrat, a Republican, a Whig or a Tory-leaning Independent, it serves no one, and no country, to automatically label a candidate as good or bad, simply on the basis of their "Party Label" Wake up and smell the Roses,people, before all you are smelling is the roots of Daisys.
Until and if, we Americans ever get over the habit of treating American citizens, who just happen to be running for the same office as are we, as Horrible examples of humanity, and as a definite enemy, I don't think we will ever make much progress in straightening out the mess that is currently our Political System.
I will grant you that the current Political climate is much improved from, say, Mark Twain's time when candidates often referred to one another as thieves, murderers, baboons (As I recall reading in one old Election Broadside, Abraham Lincoln referred to), and saying both in print and in speeches, that the opposing candidate should be either shot, hanged, sent to jail or ridden out of town on a rail.
Perhaps the ill will in politics reflects the standard of behavior in our Glorious nation. It seems that good manners are more and more going the way of the Dodo and the Dinosaur . I take note of occasions when people are mannerly and nice, opening doors for other people, saying such simple things as "please" and "Thank You" to one another . I take such note as a departure from what has become the norm.
There was a time when such politeness was more or less a given and people minded their manners as a matter of course, and of habit. Such a time, has, I'm afraid become long gone.
So, perhaps the Political climate currently of notice should be a Bellwether of things we ,each of us, should try to rectify in our own daily commerce.
Take time to tell someone to have a nice day, and chances are they will.
As for the Massachusetts election, I hope neither of the Candidates Win. Wouldn't that be a statement?
Stay Well
TOP
I have been following, with interest, the ongoing Senatorial campaign in Massachusetts. What strikes me the most about this campaign is the outright enmity expressed by the candidates . I realize that is part and parcel of almost all campaigns, and I think that this is emblematic of most political campaigns,and speaks poorly about the state of American politics.
I have said before, that I am against Party Labels, in fact I am against Political Parties, in the main. The fact that one's Father or Grandfather always voted for one Political Party because of something a member of that Party once did that the voter found favor with, is a poor excuse, and I think perhaps reflects one's eagerness to believe anything they read, or see on Television. It doesn't matter whether one is speaking of a Democrat, a Republican, a Whig or a Tory-leaning Independent, it serves no one, and no country, to automatically label a candidate as good or bad, simply on the basis of their "Party Label" Wake up and smell the Roses,people, before all you are smelling is the roots of Daisys.
Until and if, we Americans ever get over the habit of treating American citizens, who just happen to be running for the same office as are we, as Horrible examples of humanity, and as a definite enemy, I don't think we will ever make much progress in straightening out the mess that is currently our Political System.
I will grant you that the current Political climate is much improved from, say, Mark Twain's time when candidates often referred to one another as thieves, murderers, baboons (As I recall reading in one old Election Broadside, Abraham Lincoln referred to), and saying both in print and in speeches, that the opposing candidate should be either shot, hanged, sent to jail or ridden out of town on a rail.
Perhaps the ill will in politics reflects the standard of behavior in our Glorious nation. It seems that good manners are more and more going the way of the Dodo and the Dinosaur . I take note of occasions when people are mannerly and nice, opening doors for other people, saying such simple things as "please" and "Thank You" to one another . I take such note as a departure from what has become the norm.
There was a time when such politeness was more or less a given and people minded their manners as a matter of course, and of habit. Such a time, has, I'm afraid become long gone.
So, perhaps the Political climate currently of notice should be a Bellwether of things we ,each of us, should try to rectify in our own daily commerce.
Take time to tell someone to have a nice day, and chances are they will.
As for the Massachusetts election, I hope neither of the Candidates Win. Wouldn't that be a statement?
Stay Well
TOP
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
First Post of the New Year
Good Morning Good People:
Well, as happens every year, we have a brand new year to face, hopefully with a full heart and a positive outlook. As in all years, we will, most of us, face new challenges, accomplish perhaps a modicum of the things we wish to accomplish, and even in the odd instance, keep some of our New Years Resolutions.
As for me, I did not make any New Resolutions for this year. In the back of my mind, somewhere around a unvoiced vow to, among other things, reduce my waistline by one size, continue to love and appreciate my Wife and Children (The latter is the hardest)continue in my efforts to become a better writer, walk my Dog more often, and abstain from writing about Politics and Religion, there are desires but not resolutions lurking therein.
You will note that I did not include criticisms of individual Politicians and even the odd Religious Leaders. For instance, if the Pope started to be seen in public wearing a speedo and Ice Skates, I'm sure I could not resist the impulse to comment on such happening, and in the same vein, I am sure that I will be unable to resist the literary tarring and feathering of certain Politicians.
Now let me stress one thing. I play no favorites because of Party Affiliation. I have found more to criticise about almost all politicians, regardless of Party than I am able to remember. There is enough of a veritable Rogue's Gallery of errant fools on both sides of the legislative aisle, to keep one hundred scribes busy for one hundred years if we keep up with National News,and if we all did our homework and dug a little deeper, I think we would probably continue to lose what faith we still have in Human Nature. I think we would probably find that our Congress, and upwards, consists mainly of clones of Homer Simpson, playing eeny-meenie-miney-mo with the control panel of State.
In this vein, I might suggest some New Years Resolutions for All High Ranking (or just plain Rank) Politicians, to wit;
I (insert name of any Politician here), hereby resolve to do the following.
1. I resolve to truly represent the People of my State.
2. I resolve to stop making back room deals to fatten my wallet or that of a chosen few cronies.
3. I resolve to make no Television Appearances, save at my arraignment.
4.. I resolve to stop wasting the Public Dollar (that's gonna be a hard one)
5. I resolve to sign all letters MYSELF, and to discard my Autopen and no longer allow my staff to sign my name to anything.
6.. I resolve to READ and try to understand all bills on which I vote, and if it follows that there are too many bills for me to read, I resolve to make mention of the fact on the Floor of Congress, in order to streamline the Engine of Government, and cut down on Nonsensical Bills.If necessary I will find a Library Lady somewhere to read the bills to me, that way perhaps I could have at least a hazy idea of what my job is.
And last but not least, I resolve to not run for re-election.
The reader will no doubt perceive that I find it easier to make resolutions for other people than for myself.
Don't we all?
Peace
TOP
Well, as happens every year, we have a brand new year to face, hopefully with a full heart and a positive outlook. As in all years, we will, most of us, face new challenges, accomplish perhaps a modicum of the things we wish to accomplish, and even in the odd instance, keep some of our New Years Resolutions.
As for me, I did not make any New Resolutions for this year. In the back of my mind, somewhere around a unvoiced vow to, among other things, reduce my waistline by one size, continue to love and appreciate my Wife and Children (The latter is the hardest)continue in my efforts to become a better writer, walk my Dog more often, and abstain from writing about Politics and Religion, there are desires but not resolutions lurking therein.
You will note that I did not include criticisms of individual Politicians and even the odd Religious Leaders. For instance, if the Pope started to be seen in public wearing a speedo and Ice Skates, I'm sure I could not resist the impulse to comment on such happening, and in the same vein, I am sure that I will be unable to resist the literary tarring and feathering of certain Politicians.
Now let me stress one thing. I play no favorites because of Party Affiliation. I have found more to criticise about almost all politicians, regardless of Party than I am able to remember. There is enough of a veritable Rogue's Gallery of errant fools on both sides of the legislative aisle, to keep one hundred scribes busy for one hundred years if we keep up with National News,and if we all did our homework and dug a little deeper, I think we would probably continue to lose what faith we still have in Human Nature. I think we would probably find that our Congress, and upwards, consists mainly of clones of Homer Simpson, playing eeny-meenie-miney-mo with the control panel of State.
In this vein, I might suggest some New Years Resolutions for All High Ranking (or just plain Rank) Politicians, to wit;
I (insert name of any Politician here), hereby resolve to do the following.
1. I resolve to truly represent the People of my State.
2. I resolve to stop making back room deals to fatten my wallet or that of a chosen few cronies.
3. I resolve to make no Television Appearances, save at my arraignment.
4.. I resolve to stop wasting the Public Dollar (that's gonna be a hard one)
5. I resolve to sign all letters MYSELF, and to discard my Autopen and no longer allow my staff to sign my name to anything.
6.. I resolve to READ and try to understand all bills on which I vote, and if it follows that there are too many bills for me to read, I resolve to make mention of the fact on the Floor of Congress, in order to streamline the Engine of Government, and cut down on Nonsensical Bills.If necessary I will find a Library Lady somewhere to read the bills to me, that way perhaps I could have at least a hazy idea of what my job is.
And last but not least, I resolve to not run for re-election.
The reader will no doubt perceive that I find it easier to make resolutions for other people than for myself.
Don't we all?
Peace
TOP
Thursday, December 31, 2009
College Football Bowl Games
Happy New Years Eve good Folks:
I, as many of you, have spent the last few days watching all or part of a bunch of College Football Bowl games, which I usually enjoy this time of the year.
But a chance remark from my Daughter i.e. "Dang, how many Bowl games are there? started me thinking, and I found I did not know the answer to her question. So I did my homework, and found;
In College Games, there are currently Thirty Four Bowls. And as a minority of one, I think there are way too many games to keep us even interested, let alone eagerly anticipated. I decided to do a small review of Bowl Games, then and now.
Using an arbitrary cut off date of 1950, in which year there were exactly seven Major bowl games ( there were a number of others I never heard of, and I'll wager did any of you).
In 1950 there were, in order of their beginning:
The Rose Bowl, the Granddaddy of all Bowl Games, First played in 1902
The Orange Bowl Circa 1935
The Sugar Bowl same year
The Sun Bowl also 1935
the Cotton Bowl, which joined the Line-up in 1937
The Gator Bowl, 1946
And finally, the Citrus Bowl, debuting in 1947.
That line up seemed to me at the time to be perfectly adequate, enough to irritate a lot of wives, but yet cause few divorces, or threats thereof, while providing entertainment for Husbands Nationwide.
But, an interesting fact I ran across, while doing a bit of research for this post are the number of now defunct Bowl games I never heard of, And, I'll wager, nor did you, (save a few grizzled sports writers.
There were 56 of them, ranging alphabetically from the All-American Bowl, played in Birmingham, Alabama 1977-1990, to the Will Rogers Bowl, played in Oklahoma City in 1947.
Now, I may be displaying my ignorance, but I never even heard of most of these now defunct bowls, such as, the Cigar Bowl, played in Tampa, Fla 1947-1956, the Glass Bowl, Toledo, Ohio, 1946-1949, The Haka Bowl, Proposed for Auckland, New Zealand in 1996, but never played, the Oil Bowl, Houston, Texas, 1946 & 47, The Oyster Bowl, Norfolk, Virginia 1948-95, The Poi Bowl, Honolulu, HI, 1936-39, the Refrigerator Bowl, Evansville, In, 1948-56,The Salad Bowl, Phoenix, Az 1948-52, and the Tobacco Bowl, South Boston, Va ,and later Richmond, Va 1935-84. One cannot peruse the list of these now extinct Bowls without noticing that there was also a Mercy Bowl (No doubt named by fed-up wives) to the Mirage Bowl, in Tokyo, Japan, presumably played with imaginary players and teams.
Another sign of the Times that I don't particularly care for is the Insertion of the Sponsor's Name ahead of the name of the Bowl Game e.g.the "Tostitos Fiesta Bowl". Whats next? The American Standard Toilet Bowl?
Better end this now, There's a Bowl Game on I want to see.
Cheers
TOP
I, as many of you, have spent the last few days watching all or part of a bunch of College Football Bowl games, which I usually enjoy this time of the year.
But a chance remark from my Daughter i.e. "Dang, how many Bowl games are there? started me thinking, and I found I did not know the answer to her question. So I did my homework, and found;
In College Games, there are currently Thirty Four Bowls. And as a minority of one, I think there are way too many games to keep us even interested, let alone eagerly anticipated. I decided to do a small review of Bowl Games, then and now.
Using an arbitrary cut off date of 1950, in which year there were exactly seven Major bowl games ( there were a number of others I never heard of, and I'll wager did any of you).
In 1950 there were, in order of their beginning:
The Rose Bowl, the Granddaddy of all Bowl Games, First played in 1902
The Orange Bowl Circa 1935
The Sugar Bowl same year
The Sun Bowl also 1935
the Cotton Bowl, which joined the Line-up in 1937
The Gator Bowl, 1946
And finally, the Citrus Bowl, debuting in 1947.
That line up seemed to me at the time to be perfectly adequate, enough to irritate a lot of wives, but yet cause few divorces, or threats thereof, while providing entertainment for Husbands Nationwide.
But, an interesting fact I ran across, while doing a bit of research for this post are the number of now defunct Bowl games I never heard of, And, I'll wager, nor did you, (save a few grizzled sports writers.
There were 56 of them, ranging alphabetically from the All-American Bowl, played in Birmingham, Alabama 1977-1990, to the Will Rogers Bowl, played in Oklahoma City in 1947.
Now, I may be displaying my ignorance, but I never even heard of most of these now defunct bowls, such as, the Cigar Bowl, played in Tampa, Fla 1947-1956, the Glass Bowl, Toledo, Ohio, 1946-1949, The Haka Bowl, Proposed for Auckland, New Zealand in 1996, but never played, the Oil Bowl, Houston, Texas, 1946 & 47, The Oyster Bowl, Norfolk, Virginia 1948-95, The Poi Bowl, Honolulu, HI, 1936-39, the Refrigerator Bowl, Evansville, In, 1948-56,The Salad Bowl, Phoenix, Az 1948-52, and the Tobacco Bowl, South Boston, Va ,and later Richmond, Va 1935-84. One cannot peruse the list of these now extinct Bowls without noticing that there was also a Mercy Bowl (No doubt named by fed-up wives) to the Mirage Bowl, in Tokyo, Japan, presumably played with imaginary players and teams.
Another sign of the Times that I don't particularly care for is the Insertion of the Sponsor's Name ahead of the name of the Bowl Game e.g.the "Tostitos Fiesta Bowl". Whats next? The American Standard Toilet Bowl?
Better end this now, There's a Bowl Game on I want to see.
Cheers
TOP
Sunday, December 20, 2009
College Sports.
Good Morning Sports Fans:
I read an interesting article in this mornings Newspaper. It concerned remarks made by Bobby Knight, who many of you will no doubt remember as the fiery coach of, among others, Indiana University and Texas Tech.
Coach Knight was often criticised for losing his temper before, during and after Games in which he felt an injustice had been done. Its strange that we, as observers of the National Scene, remember Coach Knight for these outbursts of temper, but all too often forget Coach Knight's records. His 902 wins puts him in Elite company, but more importantly, I think, the Graduation Rate of his players put him in an entire seperate category. He not only insisted that his players graduate from the College, but must also attend classes, behave themselves, and become Gentlemen. I realize that in today's world those are old fashioned values, but to me they are the Hallmarks of a Good Person, which I believe Coach Knight to be, regardless of his temperment.
Now Coach Knight is in the news again, this time for having the audacity to criticise new University of Kentucky Head Coach, John(never mind your arrest record, can you dunk a ball?) Calipari. It seems that Coach Calipari has had not one but two Colleges Basketball Programs put on probation by the NCAA, those of Massachusetts and Memphis, each of whom had their Wins wiped out by the NCAA for an entire season.
I think the facts speak for themselves when comparing these two coaches, Knight has won more games that any other Coach (902) while Calipari has won something over 400 games. Knight has won Three NCAA Div I Championships, Calipari None.... and the list goes on. I didn't start out to write a post extolling the virtues of this or that College Coach, intending instead for this to be an introducion or lead in to the main thrust of this babble.
.....Which Is.
New Coach John Calipari will be paid approximately THIRTY TWO MILLION DOLLARS for coaching the University of Kentucky over the next eight years, that is presuming, of course, that he doesn't win the National Championship. If he does, doubtless the University will reward him with a new contract, for who knows how many Millions of Dollars. How many of you would like to have a job paying Four Million Dollars a year for teaching a bunch of kids how to play a game? A bunch of kids, who in all probability will, for the most part, not be educated in anything other than this game when they leave College (Most of which not by Graduation).
Folks, have we lost out Cotton-Pickin Minds? While all this money is being spent on these "youths" to play a game, there are thousands of young men and women who would be a credit to any institution of "Higher Learning", who will NOT be able to attend College, due to a lack of funds. This is a damned disgrace.For the cost of the Sports Program, at most Colleges, we could Educate one Hell of a lot of deserving students. Students who might go on to help this country become better and stronger and smarter, to the benefit of us all.
I suppose I should say that while I loved to play Basketball when I was High School age, I, nonetheless had to earn my College Degrees via the G.I. Bill, not just because I wasn't a good enough Basketball Player to Merit a Scholarship (I wasn't), but because it never even dawned on me to consider such, having been taught fairly early on two valuable lessons. One.. You get what you work for. and Two, Employers like to hire reasonably intelligent people, and the ability to Dunk a Basketball is rarely considered a prerequisite for employment.
Does anyone think that this Country will one day wake up and realize we had better get busy and Educate our Kids in order to compete with Smarter Countries of the World who already are doing so ? I'm afraid I'm pretty pessimistic on that subject.
Think About it.
Cheers
TOP (The Old Pessimist)
I read an interesting article in this mornings Newspaper. It concerned remarks made by Bobby Knight, who many of you will no doubt remember as the fiery coach of, among others, Indiana University and Texas Tech.
Coach Knight was often criticised for losing his temper before, during and after Games in which he felt an injustice had been done. Its strange that we, as observers of the National Scene, remember Coach Knight for these outbursts of temper, but all too often forget Coach Knight's records. His 902 wins puts him in Elite company, but more importantly, I think, the Graduation Rate of his players put him in an entire seperate category. He not only insisted that his players graduate from the College, but must also attend classes, behave themselves, and become Gentlemen. I realize that in today's world those are old fashioned values, but to me they are the Hallmarks of a Good Person, which I believe Coach Knight to be, regardless of his temperment.
Now Coach Knight is in the news again, this time for having the audacity to criticise new University of Kentucky Head Coach, John(never mind your arrest record, can you dunk a ball?) Calipari. It seems that Coach Calipari has had not one but two Colleges Basketball Programs put on probation by the NCAA, those of Massachusetts and Memphis, each of whom had their Wins wiped out by the NCAA for an entire season.
I think the facts speak for themselves when comparing these two coaches, Knight has won more games that any other Coach (902) while Calipari has won something over 400 games. Knight has won Three NCAA Div I Championships, Calipari None.... and the list goes on. I didn't start out to write a post extolling the virtues of this or that College Coach, intending instead for this to be an introducion or lead in to the main thrust of this babble.
.....Which Is.
New Coach John Calipari will be paid approximately THIRTY TWO MILLION DOLLARS for coaching the University of Kentucky over the next eight years, that is presuming, of course, that he doesn't win the National Championship. If he does, doubtless the University will reward him with a new contract, for who knows how many Millions of Dollars. How many of you would like to have a job paying Four Million Dollars a year for teaching a bunch of kids how to play a game? A bunch of kids, who in all probability will, for the most part, not be educated in anything other than this game when they leave College (Most of which not by Graduation).
Folks, have we lost out Cotton-Pickin Minds? While all this money is being spent on these "youths" to play a game, there are thousands of young men and women who would be a credit to any institution of "Higher Learning", who will NOT be able to attend College, due to a lack of funds. This is a damned disgrace.For the cost of the Sports Program, at most Colleges, we could Educate one Hell of a lot of deserving students. Students who might go on to help this country become better and stronger and smarter, to the benefit of us all.
I suppose I should say that while I loved to play Basketball when I was High School age, I, nonetheless had to earn my College Degrees via the G.I. Bill, not just because I wasn't a good enough Basketball Player to Merit a Scholarship (I wasn't), but because it never even dawned on me to consider such, having been taught fairly early on two valuable lessons. One.. You get what you work for. and Two, Employers like to hire reasonably intelligent people, and the ability to Dunk a Basketball is rarely considered a prerequisite for employment.
Does anyone think that this Country will one day wake up and realize we had better get busy and Educate our Kids in order to compete with Smarter Countries of the World who already are doing so ? I'm afraid I'm pretty pessimistic on that subject.
Think About it.
Cheers
TOP (The Old Pessimist)
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