My "B" team got their first win tonight, 38-14, which was really nice for a change, but the real damage was done by the "A" team, who wrecked shop BIG TIME with an 86 to 35 win over another 2-win team!
We weren't about to repeat LAST WEEK'S mistake!
The other team's coach was really upset, which, by the way, I understand completely. I mean, I can't tell you how many times some other team has laid a 40+ on one of my teams. You hate it and it leaves you with a big knot in the pit of your stomach, but you just have to take it, congratulate the other team, and thank them for pointing out your weaknesses.
I wasn't going to have another "let our foot off the gas and let the other team back into the game" moments, so we never let up.
Sorry!
Not only that, but we have a really big game coming up next week against the second-place team who, as of this writing, only has one loss. A loss to them means finishing second in our district because we lose the head-to-head tie-breaker and we'd have the same season record. All that said, we needed to use this game to tune up for next week.
Sorry, coach! You were in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong team!
We wanted to send a statement to the rest of the district as well. We want them to know that the old Cowboys are back! You know, the ones who were dropping 30+ point wins on practically everyone not all that long ago! Well, the pure fear factor to everyone else was worth the trouble.
Well, I hope it was, at any rate!
So, we're now 8-0 with one regular-season game to go, and then comes our tournament!
We want to take that one, too!!!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Well, THIS one wasn't easy!
This week, my undefeated 7th-graders went up against a team that had only 2 wins coming into the contest.....
DANGEROUS!!!!
We won the game, but we had to fight tooth and nail for it! Final score; 58-54!
Games like this are dangerous for any number of reasons! First, everyone brings their "A" game when the first-place team rolls in, no exceptions! Second, your team is liable to come in overconfident having seen the other team's record. Third, the combination of the above AND a cold-shooting night from several of the better players on the team makes for one very exciting night indeed!
So, we're now 7-0 with two regular season games to go! This week, another 2 win team rolls in and then the second-place, one-loss team comes in for the finale! Should be exciting!
DANGEROUS!!!!
We won the game, but we had to fight tooth and nail for it! Final score; 58-54!
Games like this are dangerous for any number of reasons! First, everyone brings their "A" game when the first-place team rolls in, no exceptions! Second, your team is liable to come in overconfident having seen the other team's record. Third, the combination of the above AND a cold-shooting night from several of the better players on the team makes for one very exciting night indeed!
So, we're now 7-0 with two regular season games to go! This week, another 2 win team rolls in and then the second-place, one-loss team comes in for the finale! Should be exciting!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Well, that's about as easy as it gets!
Dear Blogfan,
You know I never like to take a win for granted. I mean, everyone knows the old "on any given Sunday" mantra; any team can go unconscious and hit everything they throw up on almost any occasion and, at the same time, the other team can go arctic frigid and not be able to make the simplest lay-up.
I know.....I know!
Well, that didn't happen last night! The team we played last night came into our game with the same record we had....if you're dyslexic! We came in 5-0 and they came in without a win; 0-5.
We left 6-0 and they kept their perfect streak alive as well!
I may have seen more inept teams at this level, but I can't remember when. They simply could not get the ball across half-court on us! The score at halftime was 30 to nothing! At the half, the other coach asked if we could run the clock during the second half. I said "sure, why not?" I subbed out all of my starters and played only 3nd and 3rd string guys the entire second half. With those conditions, we only scored 12 more points for a total of 42.
They scored 6!
Not 6 in the 3rd quarter, or 6 in the 4th quarter, or 6 in the first minute and a half of the third.....
6
TOTAL!!!
I felt sorry for them! Having been in their shoes more than I'd care to mention over the years, I did everything I could to keep it from becoming an embarrassment, but, short of simply stalling the entire second half, I don't know what else I could've done to keep the margin any less than I did.
I hope karma pays me back in the end!
The other battle I've been facing has come to an end very much in our favor! At this point last week, I had about 15 guys failing one or more classes and they were going to become ineligible as of a week from this coming Thursday. That would force them to miss their end-of-season tournament and their last regular-season game. Fortunately, their efforts in tutoring (and my size 12 up their backside) paid off. NOW, with grades final as of this afternoon, only 4 guys are being lost to grades! Woo-hoo! AND (and this is a big "and"), only one of those is an "A" team guy!
In the immortal words of the Taco Bell guy, we're "good to go!"
Now, if we can avoid getting the "big head!"
We'll see!
You know I never like to take a win for granted. I mean, everyone knows the old "on any given Sunday" mantra; any team can go unconscious and hit everything they throw up on almost any occasion and, at the same time, the other team can go arctic frigid and not be able to make the simplest lay-up.
I know.....I know!
Well, that didn't happen last night! The team we played last night came into our game with the same record we had....if you're dyslexic! We came in 5-0 and they came in without a win; 0-5.
We left 6-0 and they kept their perfect streak alive as well!
I may have seen more inept teams at this level, but I can't remember when. They simply could not get the ball across half-court on us! The score at halftime was 30 to nothing! At the half, the other coach asked if we could run the clock during the second half. I said "sure, why not?" I subbed out all of my starters and played only 3nd and 3rd string guys the entire second half. With those conditions, we only scored 12 more points for a total of 42.
They scored 6!
Not 6 in the 3rd quarter, or 6 in the 4th quarter, or 6 in the first minute and a half of the third.....
6
TOTAL!!!
I felt sorry for them! Having been in their shoes more than I'd care to mention over the years, I did everything I could to keep it from becoming an embarrassment, but, short of simply stalling the entire second half, I don't know what else I could've done to keep the margin any less than I did.
I hope karma pays me back in the end!
The other battle I've been facing has come to an end very much in our favor! At this point last week, I had about 15 guys failing one or more classes and they were going to become ineligible as of a week from this coming Thursday. That would force them to miss their end-of-season tournament and their last regular-season game. Fortunately, their efforts in tutoring (and my size 12 up their backside) paid off. NOW, with grades final as of this afternoon, only 4 guys are being lost to grades! Woo-hoo! AND (and this is a big "and"), only one of those is an "A" team guy!
In the immortal words of the Taco Bell guy, we're "good to go!"
Now, if we can avoid getting the "big head!"
We'll see!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
football, basketball, and any other sport with balls
Sorry, did I really say that?
It's kind of like the Solar System Unit; you just can't avoid that costly "Uranus" joke, can you?
MDB and I had the opportunity to attend a couple of NFL games here in town this year and I have to admit something; I'm more amazed by the athletic prowess of these athletes now than I ever was! Why do I say that? If you've ever been to a game, you don't need to wonder. It goes something like this:
Kickoff, 5-minute TV timeout; first series team 'A', 7-minute TV timeout; 1st series team 'B', punt and return, 5-minute TV timeout. 2nd series team 'A', 2 minute station identification; 2nd series team 'B', break to the network for highlights, finish 2nd series team 'B', 10 minute break at the quarter change, etc., etc., etc.!!!!
OMA!!!! - how do these guys manage to stay warmed up enough to actually play football when they're actually PLAYING??? No WONDER there are so many pulled muscles in the NFL!!!
Speaking of the NFL, my beloved Browns hired Mike Holmgren as President al la Big Tuna in Miami and his first decision was to retain Eric Mangini as Browns Head Coach. Smart move, in my opinion. First of all, Mangini said (and I believe him) that he inherited "a mess" when he got there and he needed to do some pretty drastic things to turn things around. Since the Browns truly were "a mess" under Romeo Crenell, his claim isn't too hard to believe. Secondly, he had to turn over a large (and I mean LARGE) percentage of his personnel since they were used to how Romeo did things and would resist whatever change he brought about (obviously!). Finally, when his people and his system eventually caught on, the Browns finished with a 4-game winning streak and looked pretty good (especially on the defensive side of the ball!!!) doing it, so it would simply not have been fair to blow the Browns up AGAIN and not give Mangini a chance to finish what he started. Frankly, it's a wonder that Mangini isn't still in New York. As far as I can tell, the only reason he had eventual failure there is the fact that management crammed Bret Favre down his throat and the old man simply didn't have what it took to win over the course of a whole season! As long as Mangini was allowed to do things his way, the Jets were having success!
I have a feeling that the Browns are on their way up and the rest of the AFC North (with the possible exception of Baltimore) is on its way down. Too bad for Pittsburgh, too! I really love those guys with their silly little towels! NOT!!!
Basketball is going really well this year so far!! My 'A' team has won 5 games and has not lost as of yet; a precarious situation for any basketball coach! Why precarious? Well, the dangers are numerous! First, in Texas, we have "no pass-no play" to deal with. Players who don't pass their classes are not eligible to compete in extracurricular activities. Grades for the third 6 weeks will be posted as of Thursday this coming week and ineligibility begins on Thursday the following week, which means that any of my players who become ineligible due to grades are finished for the season! Not a pretty picture for us if any of my "A" team players become ineligible! Second, our schedule has us playing only 4 more regular season games. Three of those four games are against opponents who have a total of 3 wins between them. In other words, they're not very good! The danger there is that we'll get soft and start to think that we're "all that," setting us up for a fall in our last game, which is against an opponent who has only lost one game, that loss coming to a team that we only beat by 5 points. In other words, they're pretty good! I'd hate to have 8 wins going into the final game of the year with a team with an overinflated estimate of their own abilities only to have it handed to us by a team who's hungry and more than ready for us! Lastly, we have a real chance at injury in any one of those games. We're perilously thin in the front court and any injury there could sink us very easily. I've already lost my starting '4' to a hand injury and his back-up is currently failing two classes. We could put ourselves in a position to lose that final game and wind up in a tie for first with the first tie-breaker being head to head competition. If we lose that final game and wind up tied with that team, they would win the championship despite having the same record as us!
Oooohhhh!!! My head is swimming!
Somehow, we've developed an adversarial relationship with our girls programs and I'm not really sure why! The 8th grade girls have a new coach this year and she seems to think that her program is the only one that counts despite the fact that they're not really very good and they don't seem to be in a position to really make anything happen this year! It's getting old!
Back to football! The Bengals lost (what a surprise!) and the Eagles got beat, rather badly, by the Cowgirls! All I can say is that it's about time that team from Dallas lived up to all the hype! However, who else out there is ready to finally agree with Rush Limbaugh and state that Donovan McNabb is perhaps the most over-hyped quarterback of this generation and the main reason for it is his race!
If Donovan McNabb were white, would anyone say that he's a perennial all-pro or, as the illustrious commentator Charles Barkley stated yesterday, the greatest quarterback in Eagles history? Uhhhh.....anyone out there ever heard of Norm Van Brocklin?
That's what I thought!
McNabb is good, no question; but the "greatest quarterback in Eagles history?" I don't even think he cracks the top 5!!! I mean, come on! Van Brocklin, Cunningham, Snead, Jurgensen, and Jaworski all played for the Eagles! I'm sure if I dig a little harder, I could come up with 5 or 6 more who are better than McNabb! Let's face it; McNabb is good and the Eagles will only go as far as he takes them but at this point, he's not even the greatest quarterback on the Eagles roster RIGHT NOW, let alone the greatest in Eagles history!!!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!
It's kind of like the Solar System Unit; you just can't avoid that costly "Uranus" joke, can you?
MDB and I had the opportunity to attend a couple of NFL games here in town this year and I have to admit something; I'm more amazed by the athletic prowess of these athletes now than I ever was! Why do I say that? If you've ever been to a game, you don't need to wonder. It goes something like this:
Kickoff, 5-minute TV timeout; first series team 'A', 7-minute TV timeout; 1st series team 'B', punt and return, 5-minute TV timeout. 2nd series team 'A', 2 minute station identification; 2nd series team 'B', break to the network for highlights, finish 2nd series team 'B', 10 minute break at the quarter change, etc., etc., etc.!!!!
OMA!!!! - how do these guys manage to stay warmed up enough to actually play football when they're actually PLAYING??? No WONDER there are so many pulled muscles in the NFL!!!
Speaking of the NFL, my beloved Browns hired Mike Holmgren as President al la Big Tuna in Miami and his first decision was to retain Eric Mangini as Browns Head Coach. Smart move, in my opinion. First of all, Mangini said (and I believe him) that he inherited "a mess" when he got there and he needed to do some pretty drastic things to turn things around. Since the Browns truly were "a mess" under Romeo Crenell, his claim isn't too hard to believe. Secondly, he had to turn over a large (and I mean LARGE) percentage of his personnel since they were used to how Romeo did things and would resist whatever change he brought about (obviously!). Finally, when his people and his system eventually caught on, the Browns finished with a 4-game winning streak and looked pretty good (especially on the defensive side of the ball!!!) doing it, so it would simply not have been fair to blow the Browns up AGAIN and not give Mangini a chance to finish what he started. Frankly, it's a wonder that Mangini isn't still in New York. As far as I can tell, the only reason he had eventual failure there is the fact that management crammed Bret Favre down his throat and the old man simply didn't have what it took to win over the course of a whole season! As long as Mangini was allowed to do things his way, the Jets were having success!
I have a feeling that the Browns are on their way up and the rest of the AFC North (with the possible exception of Baltimore) is on its way down. Too bad for Pittsburgh, too! I really love those guys with their silly little towels! NOT!!!
Basketball is going really well this year so far!! My 'A' team has won 5 games and has not lost as of yet; a precarious situation for any basketball coach! Why precarious? Well, the dangers are numerous! First, in Texas, we have "no pass-no play" to deal with. Players who don't pass their classes are not eligible to compete in extracurricular activities. Grades for the third 6 weeks will be posted as of Thursday this coming week and ineligibility begins on Thursday the following week, which means that any of my players who become ineligible due to grades are finished for the season! Not a pretty picture for us if any of my "A" team players become ineligible! Second, our schedule has us playing only 4 more regular season games. Three of those four games are against opponents who have a total of 3 wins between them. In other words, they're not very good! The danger there is that we'll get soft and start to think that we're "all that," setting us up for a fall in our last game, which is against an opponent who has only lost one game, that loss coming to a team that we only beat by 5 points. In other words, they're pretty good! I'd hate to have 8 wins going into the final game of the year with a team with an overinflated estimate of their own abilities only to have it handed to us by a team who's hungry and more than ready for us! Lastly, we have a real chance at injury in any one of those games. We're perilously thin in the front court and any injury there could sink us very easily. I've already lost my starting '4' to a hand injury and his back-up is currently failing two classes. We could put ourselves in a position to lose that final game and wind up in a tie for first with the first tie-breaker being head to head competition. If we lose that final game and wind up tied with that team, they would win the championship despite having the same record as us!
Oooohhhh!!! My head is swimming!
Somehow, we've developed an adversarial relationship with our girls programs and I'm not really sure why! The 8th grade girls have a new coach this year and she seems to think that her program is the only one that counts despite the fact that they're not really very good and they don't seem to be in a position to really make anything happen this year! It's getting old!
Back to football! The Bengals lost (what a surprise!) and the Eagles got beat, rather badly, by the Cowgirls! All I can say is that it's about time that team from Dallas lived up to all the hype! However, who else out there is ready to finally agree with Rush Limbaugh and state that Donovan McNabb is perhaps the most over-hyped quarterback of this generation and the main reason for it is his race!
If Donovan McNabb were white, would anyone say that he's a perennial all-pro or, as the illustrious commentator Charles Barkley stated yesterday, the greatest quarterback in Eagles history? Uhhhh.....anyone out there ever heard of Norm Van Brocklin?
That's what I thought!
McNabb is good, no question; but the "greatest quarterback in Eagles history?" I don't even think he cracks the top 5!!! I mean, come on! Van Brocklin, Cunningham, Snead, Jurgensen, and Jaworski all played for the Eagles! I'm sure if I dig a little harder, I could come up with 5 or 6 more who are better than McNabb! Let's face it; McNabb is good and the Eagles will only go as far as he takes them but at this point, he's not even the greatest quarterback on the Eagles roster RIGHT NOW, let alone the greatest in Eagles history!!!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
5-0, here we go!!!
Well, dear blogfan, we started off 2010 just as we finished 2009; with a lopsided victory and a comfortable maintenance of our first-place credentials, 48-17!
What was interesting this time was the official. He's a guy who's coached at one of our upcoming rivals (a team we have traditionally had a hard time against) for many years but recently retired a couple of years ago. He came to me after the game and told me that our group was the best 7th-grade group he'd seen in a very long time!
Pretty high praise!
Our challenge now is to make sure everyone passes their classes, no one gets injured, and we don't get overconfident!
We'll see how it goes!
What was interesting this time was the official. He's a guy who's coached at one of our upcoming rivals (a team we have traditionally had a hard time against) for many years but recently retired a couple of years ago. He came to me after the game and told me that our group was the best 7th-grade group he'd seen in a very long time!
Pretty high praise!
Our challenge now is to make sure everyone passes their classes, no one gets injured, and we don't get overconfident!
We'll see how it goes!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Well, another wonderful Christmas at home with MDB!
It was another strange and wonderful week in Brownsworld! It was announced that Mike Holmgren has agreed to fill the position of "Football Czar" with the Browns a week after Josh Cribbs set the all-time NFL record for career kick-off return touchdowns AND the all-time Browns single game rushing record (and the third most in NFL history) was set by Jerome Harrison!
Of course, Kansas City was the opponent, but THAT doesn't matter, does it?
Mangenius has the Browns playing half-way decent the last couple of weeks, so maybe they can close out on a high note and get some momentum going into next year!
Meanwhile, MDB got me a new leaf blower (my request) for Christmas and a card to Lowe's. I was planning on getting a power washer, but I may spend it on our new patio cover...
...I haven't decided!
I got her jewelery from James Avery, a new leather jacket and a Wii game (well....we got each other the Wii game) and she seemed happy with it all!
So....Merry Christmas!
It was another strange and wonderful week in Brownsworld! It was announced that Mike Holmgren has agreed to fill the position of "Football Czar" with the Browns a week after Josh Cribbs set the all-time NFL record for career kick-off return touchdowns AND the all-time Browns single game rushing record (and the third most in NFL history) was set by Jerome Harrison!
Of course, Kansas City was the opponent, but THAT doesn't matter, does it?
Mangenius has the Browns playing half-way decent the last couple of weeks, so maybe they can close out on a high note and get some momentum going into next year!
Meanwhile, MDB got me a new leaf blower (my request) for Christmas and a card to Lowe's. I was planning on getting a power washer, but I may spend it on our new patio cover...
...I haven't decided!
I got her jewelery from James Avery, a new leather jacket and a Wii game (well....we got each other the Wii game) and she seemed happy with it all!
So....Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Uncharted waters
Hello again, blogfan!
We're in uncharted waters tonight. My "Light" team won again last night by the lopsided score of 62 to 41, taking their record to 4-0. As I'd hoped for, the team that gave us a game (in the end...we had them down by 21 and had to take our foot off the gas per league rules) last week rose up and beat the only other undefeated team, leaving us alone in first! When we come back from the Christmas break, we face a 2-2 team that we really shouldn't have any problem with, and then play three teams in a row that are sub .500.
THAT'S the scary part! I'm afraid that we'll play a bunch of soft competition, get soft ourselves, and then play that other team to close out the season as a soft and unprepared basketball team.
I can only say....I'd rather be where we are than where THEY are!
We're in uncharted waters tonight. My "Light" team won again last night by the lopsided score of 62 to 41, taking their record to 4-0. As I'd hoped for, the team that gave us a game (in the end...we had them down by 21 and had to take our foot off the gas per league rules) last week rose up and beat the only other undefeated team, leaving us alone in first! When we come back from the Christmas break, we face a 2-2 team that we really shouldn't have any problem with, and then play three teams in a row that are sub .500.
THAT'S the scary part! I'm afraid that we'll play a bunch of soft competition, get soft ourselves, and then play that other team to close out the season as a soft and unprepared basketball team.
I can only say....I'd rather be where we are than where THEY are!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Pointy-headed libs at it again!
Hello again, blogfan!
Well, it seems as though the pointy-headed libs at the University of Texas (smack-dab in the middle of the People's Republic of Austin) are upset that the University increased Mack Brown's salary to $5 million per year. It seems that the poor faculty of that cash-strapped university is upset that, at this time of financial tumult, a sports figure would be offered a raise.
Anyone up there ever heard of Capitalism? Uhhh....its the financial system of this country, Mr. and Ms. pointy-headed liberal economics professors!
Coach Brown has once again taken his Longhorn football program to the national championship game, which, in and of itself, would warrant a raise. He has taken UT football to a plateau that it has never known before, not even in the time of the revered and renowned Daryl Royal, which means that it is bringing in MEGA bucks! According to the article, Coach Brown's salary is paid entirely by receipts of the UT athletic program and has no impact on the receipts of the university, either pro or con. IN FACT, the article says that the UT athletic program has generously donated some 6.6 MILLION dollars to UT academics in recent years despite having no mandate to do so.
Sounds like a little socialism gone amok there, pointy headed libs!
I tell you what. Why don't you FIRE Mack Brown and hire some nobody that will bring in no recruits, no acclaim, and no success; THEN you can control the government-issued piece of pie that's left and act as though you had it coming all along!
You people are stupid, degree or no degree!
Sheesh!
Well, it seems as though the pointy-headed libs at the University of Texas (smack-dab in the middle of the People's Republic of Austin) are upset that the University increased Mack Brown's salary to $5 million per year. It seems that the poor faculty of that cash-strapped university is upset that, at this time of financial tumult, a sports figure would be offered a raise.
Anyone up there ever heard of Capitalism? Uhhh....its the financial system of this country, Mr. and Ms. pointy-headed liberal economics professors!
Coach Brown has once again taken his Longhorn football program to the national championship game, which, in and of itself, would warrant a raise. He has taken UT football to a plateau that it has never known before, not even in the time of the revered and renowned Daryl Royal, which means that it is bringing in MEGA bucks! According to the article, Coach Brown's salary is paid entirely by receipts of the UT athletic program and has no impact on the receipts of the university, either pro or con. IN FACT, the article says that the UT athletic program has generously donated some 6.6 MILLION dollars to UT academics in recent years despite having no mandate to do so.
Sounds like a little socialism gone amok there, pointy headed libs!
I tell you what. Why don't you FIRE Mack Brown and hire some nobody that will bring in no recruits, no acclaim, and no success; THEN you can control the government-issued piece of pie that's left and act as though you had it coming all along!
You people are stupid, degree or no degree!
Sheesh!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Houston, we have a problem!
So, Houston now has the nation's first openly gay mayor.
Does that qualify her to govern, or is it just a statement of some sort from the nation's gay rights activists?
Well, duh!?!?
She CLEARLY was not the most qualified candidate, but every gay, lesbian, cross-dressing, hermaphrodite weirdo in the country got behind her with a national fundraising effort, attempting to make her candidacy a referendum on the legitimacy of being gay instead of how well (or not well) she would govern Houston.
Thanks for not showing up, NORMAL Houston!
You know, I don't throw that term "normal" or "abnormal" around loosely. From any perspective (except the gay perspective, of course) homosexuality is simply NOT normal. What IS normal? From a simple statistical standpoint, "normal" is any part of the bell curve that falls within two standard deviations of the mean. Typically, "normal" encompasses about 95% of the sample population, which means that about 5% of any population could be expected to be "abnormal" in some way. This, of course, is why the gay rights people are so adamant about pronouncing that, according to them, 10% of the population is homosexual. THAT would mean that about 50% of that population falls withing the range of "normal." Which half is abnormal, gay rights guy? The half that becomes a priest and molests little boys or the half that becomes a serial killer and eats people?
Just wondering...
In any case, even if you buy the gay rights statistics (which I clearly DON'T by the way!!!), look at it from a clearly anatomical standpoint. Sex, by its very nature, is meant to cause propagation of the species. We're built so that the female partner donates 23 chromosomes and the male partner donates the other 23 and the zygote winds up with the normal number of 46. Although I do not mean by any stretch of the imagination to be insensitive, this is exactly why Down's Syndrome children are not normal; they have an extra chromosome (47) that causes any number of physical problems for them.
Having an extra chromosome falls within the 5% of the population that could be considered "abnormal" from a statistical standpoint. I'm sorry if that offends some; but it IS the truth!
Anyway, try as they might to represent themselves as "normal" through "Partner" adoption, artificial insemination, or some other form of parenthood by artificial means, gay unions are not capable of procreation in the manner intended by God.
They are therefore, NOT normal!
All that said, it's clearly a sickness that activists do whatever they can to push their agenda DESPITE what may or may not be good or acceptable from the standpoint of pure governance. Anise Parker was caught in several untruths during the course of the campaign, ranging from fabrications of her own voting record while on city council to made up endorsements.
Well, since the Clinton years, we know that lying isn't that big a deal to the electorate....
even if it SHOULD be!!!
So, much like the nation in which it resides, Houston is stuck with an unqualified, if decidedly PC candidate for at least 4 years.
I hope I'm not anywhere near here when the wheels fall off!
Does that qualify her to govern, or is it just a statement of some sort from the nation's gay rights activists?
Well, duh!?!?
She CLEARLY was not the most qualified candidate, but every gay, lesbian, cross-dressing, hermaphrodite weirdo in the country got behind her with a national fundraising effort, attempting to make her candidacy a referendum on the legitimacy of being gay instead of how well (or not well) she would govern Houston.
Thanks for not showing up, NORMAL Houston!
You know, I don't throw that term "normal" or "abnormal" around loosely. From any perspective (except the gay perspective, of course) homosexuality is simply NOT normal. What IS normal? From a simple statistical standpoint, "normal" is any part of the bell curve that falls within two standard deviations of the mean. Typically, "normal" encompasses about 95% of the sample population, which means that about 5% of any population could be expected to be "abnormal" in some way. This, of course, is why the gay rights people are so adamant about pronouncing that, according to them, 10% of the population is homosexual. THAT would mean that about 50% of that population falls withing the range of "normal." Which half is abnormal, gay rights guy? The half that becomes a priest and molests little boys or the half that becomes a serial killer and eats people?
Just wondering...
In any case, even if you buy the gay rights statistics (which I clearly DON'T by the way!!!), look at it from a clearly anatomical standpoint. Sex, by its very nature, is meant to cause propagation of the species. We're built so that the female partner donates 23 chromosomes and the male partner donates the other 23 and the zygote winds up with the normal number of 46. Although I do not mean by any stretch of the imagination to be insensitive, this is exactly why Down's Syndrome children are not normal; they have an extra chromosome (47) that causes any number of physical problems for them.
Having an extra chromosome falls within the 5% of the population that could be considered "abnormal" from a statistical standpoint. I'm sorry if that offends some; but it IS the truth!
Anyway, try as they might to represent themselves as "normal" through "Partner" adoption, artificial insemination, or some other form of parenthood by artificial means, gay unions are not capable of procreation in the manner intended by God.
They are therefore, NOT normal!
All that said, it's clearly a sickness that activists do whatever they can to push their agenda DESPITE what may or may not be good or acceptable from the standpoint of pure governance. Anise Parker was caught in several untruths during the course of the campaign, ranging from fabrications of her own voting record while on city council to made up endorsements.
Well, since the Clinton years, we know that lying isn't that big a deal to the electorate....
even if it SHOULD be!!!
So, much like the nation in which it resides, Houston is stuck with an unqualified, if decidedly PC candidate for at least 4 years.
I hope I'm not anywhere near here when the wheels fall off!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
3-0; NOW what do we do?
Well, dear blogfan, it's been a wonderful and strange week in Dan's sports world; my 7th-grade "A" team is 3-0 and tied for first place in the district, and my beloved Browns actually won a game, beating the despised (pronounced dE- SPIZE- eD) Steelers and essentially knocking them out of any hope they may have had for the playoffs this year (snicker...snicker...). Strange and wonderful, no?
My "A" basketball team is special. They don't look it, but they're absolutely the most athletic bunch of kids I've ever coached! Even better, they put the ball in the basket when they get and take a shot! I've had teams in the past who worked really hard, got a good look at the basket, but actually put it in the hole at an alarmingly pitiful rate! Well, this bunch gets the good looks AND sinks the shots they get! AMAZING!!!!! They scored 64 last week and 53 this week. I hate to sound like I'm bragging, but that's a LOT of points in only 28 minutes of basketball especially when you consider that on the night they scored 64 the clock ran for the whole 4th quarter!
This past week, we built up a 21 point lead before we had to stop pressing (league rules prohibit pressing with a 20+ point lead) only to finish with only a 5-point margin of victory. Having to take our foot off of the gas took us out of our rhythm.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
This week, we face a team that lost last week to the only other undefeated team in the district, so this is going to be another tough week in basketball! Fortunately, the team who made such a valiant come-back on us this past week faces the other undefeated team; maybe (good Lord willing) WE'LL be the only one left standing after the week is over! That would be AWESOME!!! I hate to hope for someone else's demise, but we don't face them ourselves until the final week of the season, so what's wrong with hoping that someone gets to them before WE do?
On the other front, it sure is nice to see my Browns play well for a change!
Well, it may have been more of a function of Pittsburgh playing poorly, but who (outside of Pittsburgh) is going to look this gift horse in the mouth? Certainly not I!!!
The Browns sacked Rothlisberger (sp?) 8 times overall, I believe. Uhhh....how about a little protection for Big Ben, what do you say Steeler's O-line? Didn't he just recover from a concussion? Seems to me like you'd want to offer a little more protection for your franchise quarterback than that........I'm just saying!!!
I'm not complaining, mind you! It was really nice to see Brown and Orange all over that black and yellow, not to mention the pain and bewilderment in his eyes, but, were I a Pittsburger, I think I'd be looking for a little more "max protection" calls from Mike Tomlin and a lot fewer "everyone in the pattern" calls......I'm just saying!!!
What was really nice was the fact that the Browns seemed to be able to run on Pittsburgh almost at will, especially in the first half. Josh Cribbs did to them what he usually does; slice and dice like a vegamatic on steroids! Why would anyone wearing black and yellow EVER punt a ball to Josh Cribbs? Do they have game tape in Pittsburgh? Has anyone seen what Josh Cribbs ALWAYS does to Pittsburgh? Maybe they should consider NOT punting the ball to him anymore...I'm just saying!!!
Well, that's enough advice for the evil empire. They have enough else to worry about, what with searching for a new head coach and all. Maybe they can bring Chuck Noll back; he was such a breath of fresh air, wasn't he?
He made Bill Belichick look like Robin Williams in comparison!
I'm just saying!!!
My "A" basketball team is special. They don't look it, but they're absolutely the most athletic bunch of kids I've ever coached! Even better, they put the ball in the basket when they get and take a shot! I've had teams in the past who worked really hard, got a good look at the basket, but actually put it in the hole at an alarmingly pitiful rate! Well, this bunch gets the good looks AND sinks the shots they get! AMAZING!!!!! They scored 64 last week and 53 this week. I hate to sound like I'm bragging, but that's a LOT of points in only 28 minutes of basketball especially when you consider that on the night they scored 64 the clock ran for the whole 4th quarter!
This past week, we built up a 21 point lead before we had to stop pressing (league rules prohibit pressing with a 20+ point lead) only to finish with only a 5-point margin of victory. Having to take our foot off of the gas took us out of our rhythm.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
This week, we face a team that lost last week to the only other undefeated team in the district, so this is going to be another tough week in basketball! Fortunately, the team who made such a valiant come-back on us this past week faces the other undefeated team; maybe (good Lord willing) WE'LL be the only one left standing after the week is over! That would be AWESOME!!! I hate to hope for someone else's demise, but we don't face them ourselves until the final week of the season, so what's wrong with hoping that someone gets to them before WE do?
On the other front, it sure is nice to see my Browns play well for a change!
Well, it may have been more of a function of Pittsburgh playing poorly, but who (outside of Pittsburgh) is going to look this gift horse in the mouth? Certainly not I!!!
The Browns sacked Rothlisberger (sp?) 8 times overall, I believe. Uhhh....how about a little protection for Big Ben, what do you say Steeler's O-line? Didn't he just recover from a concussion? Seems to me like you'd want to offer a little more protection for your franchise quarterback than that........I'm just saying!!!
I'm not complaining, mind you! It was really nice to see Brown and Orange all over that black and yellow, not to mention the pain and bewilderment in his eyes, but, were I a Pittsburger, I think I'd be looking for a little more "max protection" calls from Mike Tomlin and a lot fewer "everyone in the pattern" calls......I'm just saying!!!
What was really nice was the fact that the Browns seemed to be able to run on Pittsburgh almost at will, especially in the first half. Josh Cribbs did to them what he usually does; slice and dice like a vegamatic on steroids! Why would anyone wearing black and yellow EVER punt a ball to Josh Cribbs? Do they have game tape in Pittsburgh? Has anyone seen what Josh Cribbs ALWAYS does to Pittsburgh? Maybe they should consider NOT punting the ball to him anymore...I'm just saying!!!
Well, that's enough advice for the evil empire. They have enough else to worry about, what with searching for a new head coach and all. Maybe they can bring Chuck Noll back; he was such a breath of fresh air, wasn't he?
He made Bill Belichick look like Robin Williams in comparison!
I'm just saying!!!
Saturday, December 05, 2009
basketball, broken arms, and multiculturalism!
Hello again, blogfan!
Well, another busy week in the books! My 7th graders came on strong again this week and took a lopsided 64 - 31 victory over another team that I've never been able to beat! Looks like it's going yo be a good year! I told them Thursday that putting that kind of whooping on someone has pluses and minuses. The big plus is that teams in the district see the same scores we see and it adds a little fear factor to us walking in the gym. The big minus is that other teams see the same scores we see and it puts a big bulls eye on us! Oh well; I'd rather be where we are than where they are!
I told one of the parents the other day (who was bubbling because of our early-season success) that I've coached this bunch pretty much the same way I've coached every other team I've ever had. The difference with this bunch is that they're actually going out and executing the things we've worked on!
You can go from idiot to genius in about two nanoseconds in this business! Coaches with good athletes are geniuses by and large and the ones without them are idiots (or so it would seem!).
This Wednesday we have our first home game. The team we play is one that is always tough but I've managed to get wins over two of the last three years. Their coach is pretty well schooled in the game and always has his teams prepared for us. I say we've beat them two of the last three years; we've beat them in the tournament at the end of the year despite losing our regular-season game against them. This year I'd like to get the regular-season game and let the tournament take care of itself!
It's a strange year so far! 5 of the ten teams in the district are undefeated at 2-0 and 5 do not have a victory! STRANGE!!! I'm glad to be one of the teams at 2-0! It's hard getting motivated when you know your season is already over with only two games in the can!
Toward the end of our game this week, a kid from the other team fell down and broke his arm. From all appearances, both the radius and the ulna were pretty much snapped in two, though the skin was not broken. Despite that, there was MAJOR deformation (it was UGLY!!!) and naturally, a lot of pain! Having been trained for 15+ years as an EMT in my former career, I went to see if I could help and wound up doing the splinting. The young man was able to hold the clipboard (all they could find for a splint was a clipboard) without a sling, so we tucked it under his arm and off to the ER he went (mom was at the game, thank goodness!!!). Thursday, I sent an e-mail to the opposing coach and asked him how the young man was doing. The coach e'd back that he was set to either have surgery or get the bone set that day and that the ER doctor was very pleased with the job I'd done with the splint. He also passed along gratitude from the mother who was very happy that her son had been efficiently and professionally taken care of in his time of need. Then the phone started ringing; the 7th-grade AP called and left a message with a voice mail from the mom in question attached. She had called my school and left a very nice message praising the work I'd done on her son. THEN the school principal called and enclosed the same message! THEN I got down to the coaches office and our AD played it for me AGAIN!!! WOW!!! It's nice to be appreciated!
Meanwhile, I hope the young man is doing okay; he did not cry during the whole ordeal despite what must have been excruciating pain and he exhibited a great deal of courage!
My thoughts on multiculturalism probably ought to go on a whole new entry, but here's the gist of it; pride in America is waning because we have inculcated in our youth that what we honor is NOT the country that allows us the freedom to celebrate our cultural differences, but the country from which those traditions arose. Put simply, we need to make sure our young people realize a few things; America is the greatest country ever to grace planet Earth! The constitution of this country allows people to be different while still being Americans! That said, if you live here, if you draw your sustenance here, if you make your living here, you need to honor and pay tribute to the country that allows you the freedoms you enjoy! Try NOT honoring China in China! Go to Mexico and tell them that America is WAY better than Mexico and see what happens to you! Have pride in your heritage, but realize that you're an American now and America is the country that needs and DESERVES all of your allegiance and pride both now and in the future!
Well, another busy week in the books! My 7th graders came on strong again this week and took a lopsided 64 - 31 victory over another team that I've never been able to beat! Looks like it's going yo be a good year! I told them Thursday that putting that kind of whooping on someone has pluses and minuses. The big plus is that teams in the district see the same scores we see and it adds a little fear factor to us walking in the gym. The big minus is that other teams see the same scores we see and it puts a big bulls eye on us! Oh well; I'd rather be where we are than where they are!
I told one of the parents the other day (who was bubbling because of our early-season success) that I've coached this bunch pretty much the same way I've coached every other team I've ever had. The difference with this bunch is that they're actually going out and executing the things we've worked on!
You can go from idiot to genius in about two nanoseconds in this business! Coaches with good athletes are geniuses by and large and the ones without them are idiots (or so it would seem!).
This Wednesday we have our first home game. The team we play is one that is always tough but I've managed to get wins over two of the last three years. Their coach is pretty well schooled in the game and always has his teams prepared for us. I say we've beat them two of the last three years; we've beat them in the tournament at the end of the year despite losing our regular-season game against them. This year I'd like to get the regular-season game and let the tournament take care of itself!
It's a strange year so far! 5 of the ten teams in the district are undefeated at 2-0 and 5 do not have a victory! STRANGE!!! I'm glad to be one of the teams at 2-0! It's hard getting motivated when you know your season is already over with only two games in the can!
Toward the end of our game this week, a kid from the other team fell down and broke his arm. From all appearances, both the radius and the ulna were pretty much snapped in two, though the skin was not broken. Despite that, there was MAJOR deformation (it was UGLY!!!) and naturally, a lot of pain! Having been trained for 15+ years as an EMT in my former career, I went to see if I could help and wound up doing the splinting. The young man was able to hold the clipboard (all they could find for a splint was a clipboard) without a sling, so we tucked it under his arm and off to the ER he went (mom was at the game, thank goodness!!!). Thursday, I sent an e-mail to the opposing coach and asked him how the young man was doing. The coach e'd back that he was set to either have surgery or get the bone set that day and that the ER doctor was very pleased with the job I'd done with the splint. He also passed along gratitude from the mother who was very happy that her son had been efficiently and professionally taken care of in his time of need. Then the phone started ringing; the 7th-grade AP called and left a message with a voice mail from the mom in question attached. She had called my school and left a very nice message praising the work I'd done on her son. THEN the school principal called and enclosed the same message! THEN I got down to the coaches office and our AD played it for me AGAIN!!! WOW!!! It's nice to be appreciated!
Meanwhile, I hope the young man is doing okay; he did not cry during the whole ordeal despite what must have been excruciating pain and he exhibited a great deal of courage!
My thoughts on multiculturalism probably ought to go on a whole new entry, but here's the gist of it; pride in America is waning because we have inculcated in our youth that what we honor is NOT the country that allows us the freedom to celebrate our cultural differences, but the country from which those traditions arose. Put simply, we need to make sure our young people realize a few things; America is the greatest country ever to grace planet Earth! The constitution of this country allows people to be different while still being Americans! That said, if you live here, if you draw your sustenance here, if you make your living here, you need to honor and pay tribute to the country that allows you the freedoms you enjoy! Try NOT honoring China in China! Go to Mexico and tell them that America is WAY better than Mexico and see what happens to you! Have pride in your heritage, but realize that you're an American now and America is the country that needs and DESERVES all of your allegiance and pride both now and in the future!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Why don't some black athletes do what the libs want?
Hello again, blogfan!
I listen to a lot of sports talk radio, so I hear frequently from listener-callers about how they wish Tiger Woods and/or Michael Jordan would speak out about social issues. Jim Brown, the best running back in the history of football and notorious advocate for social change, has mentioned this, most recently in an interview on the Jim Rome show. Brown basically wished out loud that either Tiger, Jordan, or both would use their considerable sway with the public to elicit change in public policy.
So, why don't they do it?
Well, obviously liberal agents of change ASSUME that black athletes like Jordan or Woods would trumpet the "party line" and sing for Obama-esque change; more government assistance, affirmative action, and government control over whatever CAN be controlled by government. However, what would happen if their assumption is wrong? What if Woods and other insanely rich black athletes would take a conservative stand and ask people to assume personal responsibility for their own well-being? Not only would that be treacherous to "their roots" in the eyes of the libs, but it would severely undermine whatever credibility they enjoy in African-American culture, or at least the liberal version of it.
Maybe Woods and Jordan know this and therefore refuse to say anything at all! At least they don't risk the ire of the community that hold them up as examples of success by not speaking out.
How ironic would it be if THAT were the case?
I listen to a lot of sports talk radio, so I hear frequently from listener-callers about how they wish Tiger Woods and/or Michael Jordan would speak out about social issues. Jim Brown, the best running back in the history of football and notorious advocate for social change, has mentioned this, most recently in an interview on the Jim Rome show. Brown basically wished out loud that either Tiger, Jordan, or both would use their considerable sway with the public to elicit change in public policy.
So, why don't they do it?
Well, obviously liberal agents of change ASSUME that black athletes like Jordan or Woods would trumpet the "party line" and sing for Obama-esque change; more government assistance, affirmative action, and government control over whatever CAN be controlled by government. However, what would happen if their assumption is wrong? What if Woods and other insanely rich black athletes would take a conservative stand and ask people to assume personal responsibility for their own well-being? Not only would that be treacherous to "their roots" in the eyes of the libs, but it would severely undermine whatever credibility they enjoy in African-American culture, or at least the liberal version of it.
Maybe Woods and Jordan know this and therefore refuse to say anything at all! At least they don't risk the ire of the community that hold them up as examples of success by not speaking out.
How ironic would it be if THAT were the case?
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Busy week!
Well, there's lots going on, so lets get to it!
The Senate votes today on whether they should debate their version of the health care bill. Republicans vow to filibuster, but the Dumocrats have the 60 votes they need to bring it to a vote if they vote in lock-step (like they do on everything else!), so don't be surprised if it comes to debate, passes, and goes to conference.
The Dumocrats just don't get it; we don't WANT nationalized health care! It doesn't work anywhere it's been tried! In fact, the several states that have similar plans in place already are going broke faster than the rest of the states and SURELY wish they could go back (but we all know that once you've opened this can of worms a la Social Security, Medicare, etc., it's next to impossible to put that lid on again!), but it's too late.
Dumocrats just don't learn the lessons of history!
Did Socialism work in the Soviet Union or in Eastern Europe? Has it been a huge success in Korea, Viet Nam, or any other country you can name? Oh, and don't get off on China! They adopted (very successfully I might add!) Capitalism a long time ago. The difference there, of course, is that they have a HUGE, VERY CHEAP labor pool upon which to build their brand of Capitalism and that is exactly why they have been so successful in world markets!
In short, please pray with me that a few Dumocrats actually LISTEN to their constituents and vote NOT to proceed instead of voting "aye."
Write it down: if this bill passes, it's the absolute beginning of the end of this Republic.
Then there's this; my kids are coming for our Thanksgiving celebration today! Woo-hoo! I'm really proud of all of them! They're all making positive steps toward a long and happy life! It should be a lot of fun!
Finally, my 7th graders went to BHI to play the Bears on Wednesday. Now, everyone (I guess) has that rival that they can never seem to get past. BHI has been ours. I've coached at PVI for 6 years and I've never had a team that's beat them. They get superior athletes year in and year out and they have very good coaches who have them prepared to play and prepared for whatever we throw at them. As I said, we haven't beat them in six years and who knows how long it'd been before that.
Well, that all changed on Wednesday! We beat BHI to start our season (34-30) and now we're tied for first place in the district! The boys played their hearts out! Naturally, being the first game of the season, we didn't execute our offense all that well, but our defense was outstanding and BHI was never really able to get going against us! What a hoot!
Oh well, that's enough for now! Pray with me that socialized health care in this country does NOT happen. We can't afford it and, as bad as I feel for those who don't have health care for whatever reason, sinking the ship to make sure everyone is in the same water just doesn't make any sense!
The Senate votes today on whether they should debate their version of the health care bill. Republicans vow to filibuster, but the Dumocrats have the 60 votes they need to bring it to a vote if they vote in lock-step (like they do on everything else!), so don't be surprised if it comes to debate, passes, and goes to conference.
The Dumocrats just don't get it; we don't WANT nationalized health care! It doesn't work anywhere it's been tried! In fact, the several states that have similar plans in place already are going broke faster than the rest of the states and SURELY wish they could go back (but we all know that once you've opened this can of worms a la Social Security, Medicare, etc., it's next to impossible to put that lid on again!), but it's too late.
Dumocrats just don't learn the lessons of history!
Did Socialism work in the Soviet Union or in Eastern Europe? Has it been a huge success in Korea, Viet Nam, or any other country you can name? Oh, and don't get off on China! They adopted (very successfully I might add!) Capitalism a long time ago. The difference there, of course, is that they have a HUGE, VERY CHEAP labor pool upon which to build their brand of Capitalism and that is exactly why they have been so successful in world markets!
In short, please pray with me that a few Dumocrats actually LISTEN to their constituents and vote NOT to proceed instead of voting "aye."
Write it down: if this bill passes, it's the absolute beginning of the end of this Republic.
Then there's this; my kids are coming for our Thanksgiving celebration today! Woo-hoo! I'm really proud of all of them! They're all making positive steps toward a long and happy life! It should be a lot of fun!
Finally, my 7th graders went to BHI to play the Bears on Wednesday. Now, everyone (I guess) has that rival that they can never seem to get past. BHI has been ours. I've coached at PVI for 6 years and I've never had a team that's beat them. They get superior athletes year in and year out and they have very good coaches who have them prepared to play and prepared for whatever we throw at them. As I said, we haven't beat them in six years and who knows how long it'd been before that.
Well, that all changed on Wednesday! We beat BHI to start our season (34-30) and now we're tied for first place in the district! The boys played their hearts out! Naturally, being the first game of the season, we didn't execute our offense all that well, but our defense was outstanding and BHI was never really able to get going against us! What a hoot!
Oh well, that's enough for now! Pray with me that socialized health care in this country does NOT happen. We can't afford it and, as bad as I feel for those who don't have health care for whatever reason, sinking the ship to make sure everyone is in the same water just doesn't make any sense!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Going Rogue!
Well, Sarah Palin has been all over the news recently doing interviews and pimping her new book, "Going Rogue." Naturally, the left has done everything they can to discredit her.
Of course, they don't challenge her on the issues because they have no basis for such a challenge. They go straight to their favorite tact, "the politics of personal destruction," and attempt to discredit her personally rather than ideologically.
Why do they fear her so?
Simple. Sarah Palin is intelligent, well-spoken, down-to-earth, firm in her beliefs, and....
wait for it....
Conservative!!!
You see, the libs have come to see themselves as the "owners" of women's issues. You know, equality in the workplace, the right to decide about their own bodies, the right to exist as an autonomous entity, etc. So here comes Sarah Palin, a working woman who chooses to be happily married, chooses to have children, chooses to find strength in family and faith AND chooses to succeed despite coming from the polar opposite side of the political spectrum as the libs (who believe its not POSSIBLE to succeed without THEM)! The fact is, they can't afford, literally AND figuratively, for her "template" to be seen as a viable alternative for women because it discredits THEIR contention that theirs is the only way for a woman to be seen as successful.
I've got to hand it to her; she's taking on all comers. Her interview on Oprah was one of the best I've seen, but you would fully expect "O" to toe the party line and do everything she could to pull the rug out from under her. Props to you, Oprah! You played it fair and Palin came across as honest, intelligent, well-spoken, and right on the issues.
What a shock since she IS those things!
Take note, libs! This is a conservative nation and Palin is the flag bearer for the conservative movement at the moment; attack at your own risk!
Of course, they don't challenge her on the issues because they have no basis for such a challenge. They go straight to their favorite tact, "the politics of personal destruction," and attempt to discredit her personally rather than ideologically.
Why do they fear her so?
Simple. Sarah Palin is intelligent, well-spoken, down-to-earth, firm in her beliefs, and....
wait for it....
Conservative!!!
You see, the libs have come to see themselves as the "owners" of women's issues. You know, equality in the workplace, the right to decide about their own bodies, the right to exist as an autonomous entity, etc. So here comes Sarah Palin, a working woman who chooses to be happily married, chooses to have children, chooses to find strength in family and faith AND chooses to succeed despite coming from the polar opposite side of the political spectrum as the libs (who believe its not POSSIBLE to succeed without THEM)! The fact is, they can't afford, literally AND figuratively, for her "template" to be seen as a viable alternative for women because it discredits THEIR contention that theirs is the only way for a woman to be seen as successful.
I've got to hand it to her; she's taking on all comers. Her interview on Oprah was one of the best I've seen, but you would fully expect "O" to toe the party line and do everything she could to pull the rug out from under her. Props to you, Oprah! You played it fair and Palin came across as honest, intelligent, well-spoken, and right on the issues.
What a shock since she IS those things!
Take note, libs! This is a conservative nation and Palin is the flag bearer for the conservative movement at the moment; attack at your own risk!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Happy Veteran's Day!
Hello blogfan!
I'd be remiss indeed if I let this day pass without a heartfelt "Thank You!!!" to all of our veterans. The freedoms I enjoy today were bought and paid for with their toil, sweat, blood, and tears and I've done little, if anything, to earn any of it. So, thank you, men and women of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard; I owe you a debt of gratitude and I'll NEVER be able to pay it back!
I was fortunate, I guess. As I came up through High School, the Viet Nam war was in full force. Oh, there was talk of cease-fire and an eventual end to the conflict, but we'd been hearing that for how long? Almost as long as I could remember! So, I turned 16 in 1973 and those "don't forget to register for the draft" notices started coming to the house, I grew concerned that I may have to go to Viet Nam. A lot of my friends were already talking about going to Canada, burning their draft cards or simply not responding, but I'd already decided that I was going to do my duty and report if I were called.
I never got an opportunity to make that choice. The war ended in 1974, the draft was discontinued not long afterward, so that dreaded notice never came and I never had to serve.
I often wondered how things would have been different if I DID have to go. Would I have come back? If so, would I have been in one piece? I only know one thing; God knew what path my feet would take and I can only thank Him that I am here today to share this with any who care to read it.
I thank God and I thank our veterans, many of whom did NOT come back and allowed me the opportunity to not go at all. Thank you, veterans!
I'd be remiss indeed if I let this day pass without a heartfelt "Thank You!!!" to all of our veterans. The freedoms I enjoy today were bought and paid for with their toil, sweat, blood, and tears and I've done little, if anything, to earn any of it. So, thank you, men and women of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard; I owe you a debt of gratitude and I'll NEVER be able to pay it back!
I was fortunate, I guess. As I came up through High School, the Viet Nam war was in full force. Oh, there was talk of cease-fire and an eventual end to the conflict, but we'd been hearing that for how long? Almost as long as I could remember! So, I turned 16 in 1973 and those "don't forget to register for the draft" notices started coming to the house, I grew concerned that I may have to go to Viet Nam. A lot of my friends were already talking about going to Canada, burning their draft cards or simply not responding, but I'd already decided that I was going to do my duty and report if I were called.
I never got an opportunity to make that choice. The war ended in 1974, the draft was discontinued not long afterward, so that dreaded notice never came and I never had to serve.
I often wondered how things would have been different if I DID have to go. Would I have come back? If so, would I have been in one piece? I only know one thing; God knew what path my feet would take and I can only thank Him that I am here today to share this with any who care to read it.
I thank God and I thank our veterans, many of whom did NOT come back and allowed me the opportunity to not go at all. Thank you, veterans!
Monday, November 09, 2009
When computers get in the way
Wow! Two posts in two days! It's a miracle!
Well, not really, but it may seem like one!
Anyone who knows me at all KNOWS that I think the technology that's available to us today is remarkable, EXTREMELY useful, and a wonderful contribution to society far more often than it is a detractor.
That said, it IS a detractor at times and it is for us, the users of said technology, to figure out when it gets in the way of progress and avoid those applications!
To wit: Once upon a time, in my previous career, my department occasionally had to write up accident reports. Sometimes, legal wheels would begin turning before the mess was fully cleaned up and people from Corporate would immediately start pressuring us for our report. WAY in the early days of computer usage in business when we had ONE to share for our entire department, we typically wrote such reports by hand, gave them to the department secretary to type up, proofread them for corrections, mistakes, or other changes, sent them back for a final copy, signed it and sent it up the chain of command. On one occasion, just such an accident had taken place and, as the guy on call, I had to get the investigation done and issue the report. It was a case of "legal wheels turning," because I had scarcely returned to the office when the phone was ringing, looking for the report. I wrote it up as quickly as I could, told the secretary that it was a "needed it yesterday" report, and asked that she drop pretty much everything and get to it right away. She acknowledged me and, ostensibly, got to work. I went to work on something else and, after what I considered to be a reasonable time, went to get the report.
But she hadn't even started it yet!
When I asked her what was taking so long (even with my HORRENDOUS skill on a typewriter I could have written it about ten times already!!!), she said that she was trying to learn a new computer program and was having difficulty with some of the commands (an old DOS-based program).
I probably wasn't very diplomatic, but I instructed her to write it up on the typewriter and learn her program when it was a little more convenient to the flow of work through the office!
Sheesh!
Anyway, I said all of that to say this: computers STILL get in the way at times and when we reinvent the way we do things JUST to make sure we include technology JUST for the sake of using technology, we're missing sight of the what we're trying to produce (the product) in favor of HOW it's produced. If the old way produces just as good a product in LESS time with LESS hassle, I say keep with it until the application of technology catches up!
Sheesh!
Well, not really, but it may seem like one!
Anyone who knows me at all KNOWS that I think the technology that's available to us today is remarkable, EXTREMELY useful, and a wonderful contribution to society far more often than it is a detractor.
That said, it IS a detractor at times and it is for us, the users of said technology, to figure out when it gets in the way of progress and avoid those applications!
To wit: Once upon a time, in my previous career, my department occasionally had to write up accident reports. Sometimes, legal wheels would begin turning before the mess was fully cleaned up and people from Corporate would immediately start pressuring us for our report. WAY in the early days of computer usage in business when we had ONE to share for our entire department, we typically wrote such reports by hand, gave them to the department secretary to type up, proofread them for corrections, mistakes, or other changes, sent them back for a final copy, signed it and sent it up the chain of command. On one occasion, just such an accident had taken place and, as the guy on call, I had to get the investigation done and issue the report. It was a case of "legal wheels turning," because I had scarcely returned to the office when the phone was ringing, looking for the report. I wrote it up as quickly as I could, told the secretary that it was a "needed it yesterday" report, and asked that she drop pretty much everything and get to it right away. She acknowledged me and, ostensibly, got to work. I went to work on something else and, after what I considered to be a reasonable time, went to get the report.
But she hadn't even started it yet!
When I asked her what was taking so long (even with my HORRENDOUS skill on a typewriter I could have written it about ten times already!!!), she said that she was trying to learn a new computer program and was having difficulty with some of the commands (an old DOS-based program).
I probably wasn't very diplomatic, but I instructed her to write it up on the typewriter and learn her program when it was a little more convenient to the flow of work through the office!
Sheesh!
Anyway, I said all of that to say this: computers STILL get in the way at times and when we reinvent the way we do things JUST to make sure we include technology JUST for the sake of using technology, we're missing sight of the what we're trying to produce (the product) in favor of HOW it's produced. If the old way produces just as good a product in LESS time with LESS hassle, I say keep with it until the application of technology catches up!
Sheesh!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Good job, Dumocrats!
Well, despite the stinging repudiation from the electorate during last Tuesday's election, the Dumocrats went ahead with their planned destruction of capitalism and voted up on their stupid health care reform legislation.
Yes, it theirs, lock, stock, and barrel. I hope they're big enough to own it in 2010 when the electorate will speak again about their displeasure with the measure!
Unfortunately, I'm afraid it will be too late at that point. Much like Social Security or Medicare, it may be too late to put the cap back on the bottle at that point and put things back in the hands of the free market. Too many people dependent on the largess of government
Again!
How sad that we've come to a place where so many people are willing to trade freedom for so-called security.
I guess it's like a lot of other things. We've got to hit absolute rock bottom, where government dictates absolutely EVERYTHING about your life, before people look up and go "remember when I didn't have to have a permit to flush the commode? Do you recall, back in 2009, when we could go to any doctor we wanted to see? I remember seeing grandma at the old folks home; that was before the government decided that geriatric care was too expensive and mandatory euthanasia went into effect! I wish we still had freedom in this country!"
I won't forget, that's for sure!
Yes, it theirs, lock, stock, and barrel. I hope they're big enough to own it in 2010 when the electorate will speak again about their displeasure with the measure!
Unfortunately, I'm afraid it will be too late at that point. Much like Social Security or Medicare, it may be too late to put the cap back on the bottle at that point and put things back in the hands of the free market. Too many people dependent on the largess of government
Again!
How sad that we've come to a place where so many people are willing to trade freedom for so-called security.
I guess it's like a lot of other things. We've got to hit absolute rock bottom, where government dictates absolutely EVERYTHING about your life, before people look up and go "remember when I didn't have to have a permit to flush the commode? Do you recall, back in 2009, when we could go to any doctor we wanted to see? I remember seeing grandma at the old folks home; that was before the government decided that geriatric care was too expensive and mandatory euthanasia went into effect! I wish we still had freedom in this country!"
I won't forget, that's for sure!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Black is white; white is black!
Hello again, blogfan!
Today, it's unAmerican to tell a liar that he's a liar; or so it seems.
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina reacted emotionally to Obama's claim that illegal aliens have never been on the projected roles of those he intends to cover with "Obamacare."
Obama lied, but everyone nodded politely and agreed with the lie because it's not nice to NOT agree with the liar while he's still lying! Joe's only mistake in my eyes was his choice of place and time!
Obama and the cronies he keeps trotting out to replay his lies keeps telling us that nearly 20% of Americans are without health insurance. Well, we KNOW that 10% are without it since his stimulus bill that failed to stimulate anything except the pockets of his cronies has driven unemployment up to nearly 10%, but what about the other half of their claims? Most of the rest of the people he's talking about have no legitimate claim to any largess of the US taxpayer in any case because they're here ILLEGALLY! What's worse (and this is truly the dirty little secret that Obama doesn't want you to know), nearly ALL of the ailments THEY would seek treatment for under Obamacare are already covered under existing programs OR the "mandatory treatment in the ER" laws that already exist!
This in not about health care; it's about grabbing as much power and money as possible while he's got a double-majority in Congress!
In short, he's lying to us (again!). Poor Joe didn't time it well, but he's the only one who spoke the truth during the president's speech the other night!
Today, it's unAmerican to tell a liar that he's a liar; or so it seems.
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina reacted emotionally to Obama's claim that illegal aliens have never been on the projected roles of those he intends to cover with "Obamacare."
Obama lied, but everyone nodded politely and agreed with the lie because it's not nice to NOT agree with the liar while he's still lying! Joe's only mistake in my eyes was his choice of place and time!
Obama and the cronies he keeps trotting out to replay his lies keeps telling us that nearly 20% of Americans are without health insurance. Well, we KNOW that 10% are without it since his stimulus bill that failed to stimulate anything except the pockets of his cronies has driven unemployment up to nearly 10%, but what about the other half of their claims? Most of the rest of the people he's talking about have no legitimate claim to any largess of the US taxpayer in any case because they're here ILLEGALLY! What's worse (and this is truly the dirty little secret that Obama doesn't want you to know), nearly ALL of the ailments THEY would seek treatment for under Obamacare are already covered under existing programs OR the "mandatory treatment in the ER" laws that already exist!
This in not about health care; it's about grabbing as much power and money as possible while he's got a double-majority in Congress!
In short, he's lying to us (again!). Poor Joe didn't time it well, but he's the only one who spoke the truth during the president's speech the other night!
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Obama on education
Here's a new one; I think the President of the United States ought to be able to address the schoolchildren of America without all the hoopla! The fact is, parents need to do their job and inform their children!
What a sad day it is when we can't trust the guy to deliver a plain ol' "stay in school, work hard, get a good education and be a productive member of society" message. What a sad day indeed!
What a sad day when parents are concerned that their parenting skills will be overridden by a US President! I'd have to say, "listen to him, kids! If he tries to indoctrinate you into National Socialism, I'll set you straight!"
There are so many sad things about this day, it's hard to know where to begin! Superintendents of school districts across the country are being asked to take sides; show the President and risk a schism among the parents of the district or don't show him and risk the same! The bottom line here is, we have a President who has managed to polarize this country like none I can remember and he basically did it in a very simple way; he said one thing during his candidacy and now he's doing another thing altogether (i.e., he lied to us!) and, like any other liar, we simply don't trust him now!
The worst of all is the hypocrisy that is coming to the fore. You say, "Let's show the President's address and if your kids don't like it, you can tell us and we'll send them to an alternate location to do something else!" If I said, "let's allow prayer in school; if your kids don't like it, they can go somewhere else while everyone else enjoys it!" , you'd say "Uh, it's not fair to single out certain kids or make them feel somehow inferior. We cannot allow it!"
Well, you DID say the latter, so where's the fairness in the former? It's strictly a double standard (something libs are EXCELLENT at, BTW!) and I don't know how any fair minded individual could ever even SUGGEST it!
What do you expect from the same folks who brought you "(you) travel in a shoebox that gets 400 mpg to save the planet and we'll meet you in the private jet that belches enough greenhouse gas to destroy the entire ozone layer in about 30 minutes!"
Hypocrisy everywhere!
So, go ahead and say what you want, Mr. President. With your track record, no one except the blindest of your minions will believe what you say anyway!
What a sad day it is when we can't trust the guy to deliver a plain ol' "stay in school, work hard, get a good education and be a productive member of society" message. What a sad day indeed!
What a sad day when parents are concerned that their parenting skills will be overridden by a US President! I'd have to say, "listen to him, kids! If he tries to indoctrinate you into National Socialism, I'll set you straight!"
There are so many sad things about this day, it's hard to know where to begin! Superintendents of school districts across the country are being asked to take sides; show the President and risk a schism among the parents of the district or don't show him and risk the same! The bottom line here is, we have a President who has managed to polarize this country like none I can remember and he basically did it in a very simple way; he said one thing during his candidacy and now he's doing another thing altogether (i.e., he lied to us!) and, like any other liar, we simply don't trust him now!
The worst of all is the hypocrisy that is coming to the fore. You say, "Let's show the President's address and if your kids don't like it, you can tell us and we'll send them to an alternate location to do something else!" If I said, "let's allow prayer in school; if your kids don't like it, they can go somewhere else while everyone else enjoys it!" , you'd say "Uh, it's not fair to single out certain kids or make them feel somehow inferior. We cannot allow it!"
Well, you DID say the latter, so where's the fairness in the former? It's strictly a double standard (something libs are EXCELLENT at, BTW!) and I don't know how any fair minded individual could ever even SUGGEST it!
What do you expect from the same folks who brought you "(you) travel in a shoebox that gets 400 mpg to save the planet and we'll meet you in the private jet that belches enough greenhouse gas to destroy the entire ozone layer in about 30 minutes!"
Hypocrisy everywhere!
So, go ahead and say what you want, Mr. President. With your track record, no one except the blindest of your minions will believe what you say anyway!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Michael Vick, Ted Kennedy, and PC run amok!
Hello again, blogfan!
Michael Vick resumes his NFL career this evening with the Philadelphia Eagles.
As me if I care?
Frankly, I think it's fine. I mean, we're a Christian nation despite what Obama says! If anyone can appreciate a second chance, it's someone who's been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus for us all, so I think we need to understand the shortcomings of others and give them second chances when we can.
He among you who is without sin, cast the first stone!
Of course, the PC aspect of this is that PETA, who most people I know thinks is a bunch of fruitcakes and nut-jobs, has somehow managed to make a large group of people think that what Vick did was tantamount to the murder of a human being!
Look, what he did was terrible, reprehensible, and absolutely shameful, but it was not the same as the killing of a human being!
Not even in the same city, let alone ballpark!
Enough of Vick, already! The women of New England can breath a sigh of relief! The womanizing (allegedly) Ted Kennedy has finally gone to a much warmer place and taken his ultra-liberal politics with him! I'm not going to cry for a 77 year-old man who lived in the absolute lap of luxury, got just about anything and everything he ever wanted (including EXCUSED for the killing of at least one young woman), and did everything he possibly could to turn the US into a North American version of Red China! Vick at least did his penance and has shown signs of remorse for what he did! The coward Kennedy never admitted or showed contrition for any of his deeds!
Of course, the Dems have trotted out the notion that Obama's health care bill should be re-packaged as the "Kennedy Memorial Health Care Plan" in the hopes that they can actually garner some sympathy for the ostensibly failed package.
Look, Dumocrats! A bad idea is a bad idea regardless of who's name is on it!
Michael Vick resumes his NFL career this evening with the Philadelphia Eagles.
As me if I care?
Frankly, I think it's fine. I mean, we're a Christian nation despite what Obama says! If anyone can appreciate a second chance, it's someone who's been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus for us all, so I think we need to understand the shortcomings of others and give them second chances when we can.
He among you who is without sin, cast the first stone!
Of course, the PC aspect of this is that PETA, who most people I know thinks is a bunch of fruitcakes and nut-jobs, has somehow managed to make a large group of people think that what Vick did was tantamount to the murder of a human being!
Look, what he did was terrible, reprehensible, and absolutely shameful, but it was not the same as the killing of a human being!
Not even in the same city, let alone ballpark!
Enough of Vick, already! The women of New England can breath a sigh of relief! The womanizing (allegedly) Ted Kennedy has finally gone to a much warmer place and taken his ultra-liberal politics with him! I'm not going to cry for a 77 year-old man who lived in the absolute lap of luxury, got just about anything and everything he ever wanted (including EXCUSED for the killing of at least one young woman), and did everything he possibly could to turn the US into a North American version of Red China! Vick at least did his penance and has shown signs of remorse for what he did! The coward Kennedy never admitted or showed contrition for any of his deeds!
Of course, the Dems have trotted out the notion that Obama's health care bill should be re-packaged as the "Kennedy Memorial Health Care Plan" in the hopes that they can actually garner some sympathy for the ostensibly failed package.
Look, Dumocrats! A bad idea is a bad idea regardless of who's name is on it!
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