Boy, do I enjoy running the Crim! If it's not my favorite race, it's right up there. And, to top it off, the race director, Deb Kiertzner, couldn't have ordered a nicer AM.
It's a ten-mile race (with several shorter distances for running or walking) through Flint. The course isn't any easy one, with some nice hills. I think I detected more entertainment on the course again this year; it's been increasing for the past few years. I did miss, somewhat sadly, the clown who always, I mean always, was out at about 9 3/4 miles, just before the final turn on to the bricks of the finish. He had an accordion and was fun to see. Hmmmm......
It was my 20th Crim, as I realized earlier in the week. Wow! That's 200 miles of the Crim. They haven't been consecutive years since I took off a few years about 10 years ago for a variety of reasons--foolishly. Then, I saw the runners with the "30-Year Crim Runner" and "35-Year Crim Runner" tee shirts and really marvelled. Wow! If I live to be 77 and don't miss any Crims, I can have one of those? Of course, others will then have "50-Year Crim Runner" tees then! I saw a few of those out there who had run all of them, including Darrell McKee, Jim Forshee, and the race's namesake, Bobby Crim. I exchanged greetings with each of them, with each seeming to struggle a bit; but there they were, out there running their 350th miles of the Crim. I saw one woman who had on a "30-Year Crim Runner" tee and I couldn't believe it. I asked her at about mile six if that was so and she said it was. I asked, then, "Did you start when your were two or three?" She looked oh, so young! She smiled and said, "No, 19." I said, "You certainly don't look that old." She smiled, so I guess "the creep factor" wasn't involved.
I was pretty pleased with my effort, again not quite so with my time--although it was within sight of my goal. It was about 4 minutes faster than Hell two weeks ago, so.... And, I realize I really haven't trained this year; I've run a bit, but not specifically trained. No hill work. No speed work. No specifically longer runs. So, I was pretty pleased. I was tired last night and a bit sore--more in a couple of paragraphs might help explain why.
Runners, for the most part, esp the older ones are so friendly and nice to talk to. Oh, not all of them, but the majority are. Some of the younger ones, I guess like younger people over the ages, are stuck on "me," but the older ones are fun. I was glad, both Fri at the expo with Bopper, and yesterday to talk to a few.
After the 10-miler, I walked the 8K (5 miles) with Karen, Carrie, and Michelle. I was going to wait anyway, so what was I going to do for 90 minutes? It was a bit of a struggle for me. They walk fast! K bought them matching "team" shirts, which quite a few people noticed. It was pretty cool that a DJ on the course, on his PA, announced when K, C, and M walked by, "Look at the good-looking women walking this race!" And I got to walk with them! As I said, they walk pretty fast. K and M finished at about a 14-minute pace--a whole lot faster than I could or do walk by myself. They finished 156th (tied with the same time) out of 1698 walkers! C was even faster, finishing 42nd, with a pace of 12 minutes per mile! I finally, after all these years, stopped at one of the beer stops! Apparently, someone said, they guys there were having trouble getting rid of the beers; maybe that's why the guy have me two of them. I shouldn't have had any, I know..., because I wanted more after those!
Afterward, Karen and Ben H had us over for breakfast/brunch at their place in Flint. It was nice and we enjoyed it. We all agreed that would be our new Crim tradition. It was a great cap to a great AM!
I came home a bit earlier than K and went out for a bike ride, about 8 miles. It was a beautiful afternoon. Then I arrived and said we were going out to dinner with Russ and Carrie--to Antonio's! Oh, yummy!
Life is good!
Addendum: Sun AM's run was good. It was long, longer than I thought I'd be able to do. But, I have the Brooksie Half Marathon coming up and I don't want to "bonk" at about 8 or 9 miles like I did the last two 10-milers I did. I'll get in some longer runs and maybe some hills; the Brooksie is pretty hilly, too. And then K and I did our usual Sun long bike ride (about 18 miles) with C, R, and M. I remarked to R, "What a great morning! What better way to spend it?" Not many ways I can think of.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Hmmm....
The last time I tried to sign in here, I was rebuffed. I was told it had been shut down due to "unusual activity." Hmmmm....
Well, here it is again. I'm going to stay with this one as long as I can access it.
Just some thoughts.... Why do we, esp with online applications, etc., have to put in the names of our states when our Zip Codes are required? Isn't each Zip Code unique to an area in a particular state? And, speaking of state names, why are there drop down lists for states when it would be easier and quicker to type in the name? Perhaps too many people can't spell their home states' names? Why are drunk drivers targeted so much more than those who excessively speed, run red lights or stop signs, talk on cell phones or text, put on make-up while driving, etc.? Aren't people's lives in danger from this negligent driving behavior, too? If first-time DUIs get jail time, why don't first-time offenders of the above also get jail time? Why is there no, absolutely none!, LameStream coverage of the vacation expenses of the First Family? Officially and unofficially, it's in the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars? Is it because that's just a drop in the bucket of the federal budget? (That's a specious argument school personnel often use.) Is it because the LameSteams think our First Family is Royalty and deserves all this expense? Any way it's done, it doesn't quite mesh with "shared sacrifice," does it? In fact, it reeks of blatant hypocrisy. But, who's watching? Certainly it isn't the LameSteams? Speaking of the LameStreams.... Aren't some, at least, members embarrassed, even shamed, at the one-sided coverage of events?
Well, here it is again. I'm going to stay with this one as long as I can access it.
Just some thoughts.... Why do we, esp with online applications, etc., have to put in the names of our states when our Zip Codes are required? Isn't each Zip Code unique to an area in a particular state? And, speaking of state names, why are there drop down lists for states when it would be easier and quicker to type in the name? Perhaps too many people can't spell their home states' names? Why are drunk drivers targeted so much more than those who excessively speed, run red lights or stop signs, talk on cell phones or text, put on make-up while driving, etc.? Aren't people's lives in danger from this negligent driving behavior, too? If first-time DUIs get jail time, why don't first-time offenders of the above also get jail time? Why is there no, absolutely none!, LameStream coverage of the vacation expenses of the First Family? Officially and unofficially, it's in the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars? Is it because that's just a drop in the bucket of the federal budget? (That's a specious argument school personnel often use.) Is it because the LameSteams think our First Family is Royalty and deserves all this expense? Any way it's done, it doesn't quite mesh with "shared sacrifice," does it? In fact, it reeks of blatant hypocrisy. But, who's watching? Certainly it isn't the LameSteams? Speaking of the LameStreams.... Aren't some, at least, members embarrassed, even shamed, at the one-sided coverage of events?
Monday, August 15, 2011
More "Bread and Circuses"
It's no surprise Europeans are rioting in Britain, Greece, and other places. They have been given things for so long--maybe their entire lives--they have come to think they deserve those things. They've done nothing to earn them and those who pay the taxes for them have done nothing to have their money pay for them. (If they want to do so voluntarily, that's another story.) Now, trying to take these freebies, these entitlements away is difficult, even impossible--hence the riots. And, although the LameStreams seem to be slacking on reporting this, apparently there is some violence in sections of places like Philadelphia and Milwaukee. (This isn't the same as the 7 murders in Detroit last Fri or Sat.)
From page 205 of Mark Steyn's book, After America:
"A man of 21 with learning disabilities has been granted taxpayers' money to fly to Amsterdam and have sex with a prostitute." Hey, why not? "He's planning to do more than just have his end away," explained his social worker. "Refusing to offer him this service would be a violation of his human rights." Why do they need a Dutch hooker? Just another hardworking foreigner doing the jobs Britons won't do? Given the reputation of English womanhood, you'd have thought this would be the one gig that wouldn't have to be outsourced overseas."
That's utterly ridiculous, but true! Only in Britain (well, I guess in much of Europe)--and the US!--could such insanity occur. Remember, a Michigan inmate is suing the prison for not allowing him to get the porn channels with his cable TV! (Why inmates get cable TV is beyond me, too. How ridiculous! Why don't we give them a chance for a free college education while in prison, too? Oh, we do that already.)
Chapter 5, I think, of his book discusses this. I think I blogged about this last week or the week before ("Bread and Circuses"), when the Brit riots started. I wrote about "children of dependency" (Steyn's term) although I phrased it differently. We have created a generation of people, a society really, that expects things to be given to them. Mostly, it's the government which is doing the giving. Those less well off expect money from those better off--after all, they deserve it. The big corporations expect gov't bailouts or subsidies. But it's more. Students (and their parents!) expect teachers to give them good grades. Whether or not they deserve them is a different matter. (Patrick Allitt in his book on college teaching at Emory College admits about 8 in his class of 30 "deserve to fail. They'll get the B minuses." When I wrote to him, trying to shame him, he didn't fall for the bait, rationalizing that these students deserve to get into the best grad schools. As Dirty Harry might say, "Yeah....") Those kids have to get into college, and often the right college, don't they? Little Leaguers, pre-teen dancers, everyone gets a trophy, is on the all-star team. Drive past any school--it's unusual to find one that hasn't earned "exemplary" or "blue ribbon" status--regardless of the pitiful products it might be turning out. And in the schools themselves? Hey, every cheerleading team, every robotics team, every marching band is the best in the state--what, does the state of Michigan have 268 different classes of schools, a championship for every school? The local hs was proudly crowing its crown of some robotics state tournament trophy. There was a big write-up in the newspaper. An accompanying story noted there were 32 teams in "competition," and 28 of them went home with some sort of trophy for "best." Yeah.... Everyone deserves something, whether he deserves it or not.
It's a terrible legacy of our generation. We should be ashamed; that's what we deserve: shame!
From page 205 of Mark Steyn's book, After America:
"A man of 21 with learning disabilities has been granted taxpayers' money to fly to Amsterdam and have sex with a prostitute." Hey, why not? "He's planning to do more than just have his end away," explained his social worker. "Refusing to offer him this service would be a violation of his human rights." Why do they need a Dutch hooker? Just another hardworking foreigner doing the jobs Britons won't do? Given the reputation of English womanhood, you'd have thought this would be the one gig that wouldn't have to be outsourced overseas."
That's utterly ridiculous, but true! Only in Britain (well, I guess in much of Europe)--and the US!--could such insanity occur. Remember, a Michigan inmate is suing the prison for not allowing him to get the porn channels with his cable TV! (Why inmates get cable TV is beyond me, too. How ridiculous! Why don't we give them a chance for a free college education while in prison, too? Oh, we do that already.)
Chapter 5, I think, of his book discusses this. I think I blogged about this last week or the week before ("Bread and Circuses"), when the Brit riots started. I wrote about "children of dependency" (Steyn's term) although I phrased it differently. We have created a generation of people, a society really, that expects things to be given to them. Mostly, it's the government which is doing the giving. Those less well off expect money from those better off--after all, they deserve it. The big corporations expect gov't bailouts or subsidies. But it's more. Students (and their parents!) expect teachers to give them good grades. Whether or not they deserve them is a different matter. (Patrick Allitt in his book on college teaching at Emory College admits about 8 in his class of 30 "deserve to fail. They'll get the B minuses." When I wrote to him, trying to shame him, he didn't fall for the bait, rationalizing that these students deserve to get into the best grad schools. As Dirty Harry might say, "Yeah....") Those kids have to get into college, and often the right college, don't they? Little Leaguers, pre-teen dancers, everyone gets a trophy, is on the all-star team. Drive past any school--it's unusual to find one that hasn't earned "exemplary" or "blue ribbon" status--regardless of the pitiful products it might be turning out. And in the schools themselves? Hey, every cheerleading team, every robotics team, every marching band is the best in the state--what, does the state of Michigan have 268 different classes of schools, a championship for every school? The local hs was proudly crowing its crown of some robotics state tournament trophy. There was a big write-up in the newspaper. An accompanying story noted there were 32 teams in "competition," and 28 of them went home with some sort of trophy for "best." Yeah.... Everyone deserves something, whether he deserves it or not.
It's a terrible legacy of our generation. We should be ashamed; that's what we deserve: shame!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Bread and Circuses
So, there are riots around the world and not just in Third World nations? Is that a surprise? I wouldn't think so.
Large numbers of people have been getting freebies for quite a while now. The "rich" have been taxed to pay their "fair share." But, such gov't largesse, growing and growing because those who enact the laws don't pay for them, just spend other people's money, is unsustainable in the long run.
What, then, happens when things that have become "entitlements" are taken from, well, people who have been treated like children, not like adults responsible for themselves? They act like children, of course. They throw tantrums, translated into "riots."
The Romans knew this and I'd guess any real thinking person knows it, too. "Bread and circuses" can't go on forever. Either they must be curtailed or extended so that the future has to pay the burden and deal with the tantrums/riots. The corrupt Roman emperors were concerned with maintaining power and their own lavish lifestyles; they were willing to stick future rulers and Romans with an untenable economic situation. Whether or not our current politicians are corrupt is debatable, but they are either spineless or stupid. Is there another choice: corrupt, spineless, or stupid? I suppose it could be a combination of all three.
I am amazed at the speed of the downfall. Is this it? Has the mightiest economic nation in the history of the world, the one with the greatest freedoms, been brought to its knees? Who was the British philosopher, a couple centuries ago, who postulated democracy would thrive until people realized they could vote to give themselves what other people have (earned)? Is this it? I always worried about my kids and, esp, grandkids. Perhaps I'll see the calamity. I don't know.
But it amazes me how people who have thrived, even those who have gone against the grain, in this nation are so critical of it. The freedoms they have to say and do the things they do to ruin it are not possible in most nations of the world. We allow people to engage in nation-suicide actions. In fact, one might say, many in our gov't have done exactly that over the past few decades. They may mean well, but do they ever think?!?!? Yet, many of these same people see no hint of hypocrisy with the lifestyles they live, permissible because of the freedoms, political and economic, this great nation has afforded. Note our President, who seems to be taking the Presidency as his own personal toy, vacation, party, etc. His deductions on his income tax were more than double or triple our total household income! I'm not critical of that except to the extent he's always blathering about "paying our fair share." Hey, they guy lives rent-free, doesn't pay for food or transportation or clothes, gets vacations on the house, etc. It simply continues to amaze me.
Out to mow the lawn....
Large numbers of people have been getting freebies for quite a while now. The "rich" have been taxed to pay their "fair share." But, such gov't largesse, growing and growing because those who enact the laws don't pay for them, just spend other people's money, is unsustainable in the long run.
What, then, happens when things that have become "entitlements" are taken from, well, people who have been treated like children, not like adults responsible for themselves? They act like children, of course. They throw tantrums, translated into "riots."
The Romans knew this and I'd guess any real thinking person knows it, too. "Bread and circuses" can't go on forever. Either they must be curtailed or extended so that the future has to pay the burden and deal with the tantrums/riots. The corrupt Roman emperors were concerned with maintaining power and their own lavish lifestyles; they were willing to stick future rulers and Romans with an untenable economic situation. Whether or not our current politicians are corrupt is debatable, but they are either spineless or stupid. Is there another choice: corrupt, spineless, or stupid? I suppose it could be a combination of all three.
I am amazed at the speed of the downfall. Is this it? Has the mightiest economic nation in the history of the world, the one with the greatest freedoms, been brought to its knees? Who was the British philosopher, a couple centuries ago, who postulated democracy would thrive until people realized they could vote to give themselves what other people have (earned)? Is this it? I always worried about my kids and, esp, grandkids. Perhaps I'll see the calamity. I don't know.
But it amazes me how people who have thrived, even those who have gone against the grain, in this nation are so critical of it. The freedoms they have to say and do the things they do to ruin it are not possible in most nations of the world. We allow people to engage in nation-suicide actions. In fact, one might say, many in our gov't have done exactly that over the past few decades. They may mean well, but do they ever think?!?!? Yet, many of these same people see no hint of hypocrisy with the lifestyles they live, permissible because of the freedoms, political and economic, this great nation has afforded. Note our President, who seems to be taking the Presidency as his own personal toy, vacation, party, etc. His deductions on his income tax were more than double or triple our total household income! I'm not critical of that except to the extent he's always blathering about "paying our fair share." Hey, they guy lives rent-free, doesn't pay for food or transportation or clothes, gets vacations on the house, etc. It simply continues to amaze me.
Out to mow the lawn....
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Tuesday Afternoon
Nice name for a song title....
Taking a break from a little one-on-one with Bopper. We've each won a game and the tie-breaker is up next. But someone asked for a rest--guess who? I'd better make this quick, though, before rigor mortis sets in!
I sent around an e-mail a few days ago and including an article about Pres Obama's rather mediocre intelligence. Indeed, I've blogged quite a bit how I can't understanding the fawning over "how smart," "how articulate," etc. he is--he isn't, not at all! I don't think he's a dummy--after all, he defeated the Clinton Machine--but he's far from "the smartest President since T. Jefferson," "the most articulate President...." And, just coincidentally, two articles appeared today, online, covering the same material. I think they are a bit harsher than I am, but pretty much hit the nail on the head.
I read another column this AM in which the reporter likens Obama to former Mich Gov Granholm. She says he makes the same mistake she did--"She was too nice." Hmmmm.... I'd agree they make the same mistake(s), but being "too nice" isn't one of them. It leads one to wonder how some of these reporters get columns, being so out of touch with reality, unable to see the obvious, blatantly partisan. But, it's a good thing I read this column--it reminded me why I so rarely read it.
Mitch Albom had a good article in the Sun magazine, Parade or USA Weekly? He talked about kids' disappearing summers. We're so intent on sending them to this camp, to that clinic, taking this enrichment course or that remedial class.... He correctly points out that we deprive them of a real gift of summer vacations--the ability to really do nothing but help find yourself. What time remains for dreaming and wondering, for experimenting, for talking with friends about all those things? Albom was very insightful, but, as usual with good ideas, his will likely be ignored. He also touched upon another bugaboo of mine--giving elementary school kids homework! Oh, I've written about this before, too. Nobody listens....
And a great letter-to-the-editor in the OP this weekend, just great!!!!! Reading it was like living my life in the high school again! Great letter-to-the-editor I read this AM in Sun's paper!!!!! I think I'll send it to the HVS board administrators and each of the board members. Of course, I'm not stupid enough to think it will do any good, but I'm still sending it. I at least want them to know what I think of them. Anyway, the letter notes that not just kids are being bullied in today's schools. Read this: "Apparently principals are the biggest bullies targeting strong teachers for 'control reasons.' They often make the work environment so uncomfortable that teachers feel isolated because colleagues will avoid them for fear they could be targeted, too." It concludes with, "...this morally offensive behavior that includes sabotage, verbal abuse, and shunning because it affects the health of our educators and sets an extremely poor example for our youth." When I read this aloud to K, she said--you guessed it! That's what they do--that's what they did to me!!!!! And that's what's happened to the best three or four teachers at K's school. Now, granted, not all of the best/good teachers are targeted, just those who question the garbage that passes for policy and programs. What was best for me in reading this was that other people know!!!!! They know the dimwits try this crap on "strong teachers" to try to silence them into acquiesence and compliance--or at least silence. Like I always said, "I have to eat their crap, too, just like the rest of you teachers. But at least I don't bring my own spoon." Can you imagine the union, after all the cuts, layoffs, etc. teachers have found themselves subjected to, staying quiet in the face of hiring another administrator in this economic climate? Well, yes, I can imagine it. In fact, I can't imagine the district's teachers's union not staying quiet. After all, "we don't want to upset them (the administration/school board)." But, I mean a real union? Imagine how this would play in the newspapers? Imagine if teachers weren't such dung-eaters, they stopped doing all the unpaid extras--ice cream socials, sponsorships, and, well, you know them all? I guess in a way I'm still amazed I get so worked up over this crap. In a way, though, I'm not surprised. I hate losing to dishonesty, stupidity, etc.--and I did lose and will continue to lose because nobody cares--not parents, not the community, not teachers, not former teachers, nobody. Oh, politicians posture, but then do some stupid stuff, too--like NCLB or the teacher tenure act in Michigan.
You know, Phooey's is still a great, great restaurant! I've never been to a better Chinese place. If the won ton soup and egg roll were heavenly (and they almost were!), the pork fried rice certainly was! Oh, yummy. And, tonight? We're taking Matt to Antonio's before he heads back to LV tomorrow. BTW, there is hope for education, however slim, as long as people like him (and Carrie and others) are involved.
Out to "whup" Bopper in the tie-breaker.
Taking a break from a little one-on-one with Bopper. We've each won a game and the tie-breaker is up next. But someone asked for a rest--guess who? I'd better make this quick, though, before rigor mortis sets in!
I sent around an e-mail a few days ago and including an article about Pres Obama's rather mediocre intelligence. Indeed, I've blogged quite a bit how I can't understanding the fawning over "how smart," "how articulate," etc. he is--he isn't, not at all! I don't think he's a dummy--after all, he defeated the Clinton Machine--but he's far from "the smartest President since T. Jefferson," "the most articulate President...." And, just coincidentally, two articles appeared today, online, covering the same material. I think they are a bit harsher than I am, but pretty much hit the nail on the head.
I read another column this AM in which the reporter likens Obama to former Mich Gov Granholm. She says he makes the same mistake she did--"She was too nice." Hmmmm.... I'd agree they make the same mistake(s), but being "too nice" isn't one of them. It leads one to wonder how some of these reporters get columns, being so out of touch with reality, unable to see the obvious, blatantly partisan. But, it's a good thing I read this column--it reminded me why I so rarely read it.
Mitch Albom had a good article in the Sun magazine, Parade or USA Weekly? He talked about kids' disappearing summers. We're so intent on sending them to this camp, to that clinic, taking this enrichment course or that remedial class.... He correctly points out that we deprive them of a real gift of summer vacations--the ability to really do nothing but help find yourself. What time remains for dreaming and wondering, for experimenting, for talking with friends about all those things? Albom was very insightful, but, as usual with good ideas, his will likely be ignored. He also touched upon another bugaboo of mine--giving elementary school kids homework! Oh, I've written about this before, too. Nobody listens....
And a great letter-to-the-editor in the OP this weekend, just great!!!!! Reading it was like living my life in the high school again! Great letter-to-the-editor I read this AM in Sun's paper!!!!! I think I'll send it to the HVS board administrators and each of the board members. Of course, I'm not stupid enough to think it will do any good, but I'm still sending it. I at least want them to know what I think of them. Anyway, the letter notes that not just kids are being bullied in today's schools. Read this: "Apparently principals are the biggest bullies targeting strong teachers for 'control reasons.' They often make the work environment so uncomfortable that teachers feel isolated because colleagues will avoid them for fear they could be targeted, too." It concludes with, "...this morally offensive behavior that includes sabotage, verbal abuse, and shunning because it affects the health of our educators and sets an extremely poor example for our youth." When I read this aloud to K, she said--you guessed it! That's what they do--that's what they did to me!!!!! And that's what's happened to the best three or four teachers at K's school. Now, granted, not all of the best/good teachers are targeted, just those who question the garbage that passes for policy and programs. What was best for me in reading this was that other people know!!!!! They know the dimwits try this crap on "strong teachers" to try to silence them into acquiesence and compliance--or at least silence. Like I always said, "I have to eat their crap, too, just like the rest of you teachers. But at least I don't bring my own spoon." Can you imagine the union, after all the cuts, layoffs, etc. teachers have found themselves subjected to, staying quiet in the face of hiring another administrator in this economic climate? Well, yes, I can imagine it. In fact, I can't imagine the district's teachers's union not staying quiet. After all, "we don't want to upset them (the administration/school board)." But, I mean a real union? Imagine how this would play in the newspapers? Imagine if teachers weren't such dung-eaters, they stopped doing all the unpaid extras--ice cream socials, sponsorships, and, well, you know them all? I guess in a way I'm still amazed I get so worked up over this crap. In a way, though, I'm not surprised. I hate losing to dishonesty, stupidity, etc.--and I did lose and will continue to lose because nobody cares--not parents, not the community, not teachers, not former teachers, nobody. Oh, politicians posture, but then do some stupid stuff, too--like NCLB or the teacher tenure act in Michigan.
You know, Phooey's is still a great, great restaurant! I've never been to a better Chinese place. If the won ton soup and egg roll were heavenly (and they almost were!), the pork fried rice certainly was! Oh, yummy. And, tonight? We're taking Matt to Antonio's before he heads back to LV tomorrow. BTW, there is hope for education, however slim, as long as people like him (and Carrie and others) are involved.
Out to "whup" Bopper in the tie-breaker.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Some thoughts...
...before cleaning the garage for the "big" garage sale next week--yep, I have my official "Garage Sale Kit," too!
There's a story in the newspaper today about some guy who was arrested for road rage. He tail-gated, rammed a car, and got out and assaulted the car with some woman inside. According to the story, the guy has, only since 2005, had 8 tickets, 5 to 7 accidents (I can't tell from the story), including fleeing from one, and several other violations pending court action. The article said this guy was given his license back in April. Why????? And, why isn't the guy in jail? Now, this correlates to a series in the newspaper a week or so ago about a judge who is, apparently, a hardcase, sending first-time DUIs to jail regardless of what the driver blew. So, does this judge also send those who run stop signs and red lights to jail? What about those who speed in excess of, say 20 mph, of the limit? So, to this judge, having two beers is more of a threat to society than running a red light or doing 90 in a 70 zone? "Harebrained" is the word I would like to use. This judge apparently doesn't believe in the American principle of each person his day in court--with the emphasis on "each." Perhaps a fellow judge or the judicial tenure commission could have a talk with her. Of course, who can argue with SADD or MADD? It's like the trite, stale line the education establishment always throws out, "It's for the kids!" Bologna and Baloney!
I see Congress has already spent 60% of the increase it passed in the debt ceiling! Yep, it took one whole day to spend $24 BILLION. And we're supposed to trust these boobs to fix matters? Boy, are we stupid if we do! "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
And there was an op-ed about the Tea Partiers. They have been the targets of name-calling, some name-callers going so far as to suggest the Tea Partiers are "terrorists." Such stupidity has apparently come from members of Congress (as if they have a lot of room to talk!) and, allegedly, the VP (see the previous parenthetical aside). I immediately thought one thing--not a defense or criticism of the TPs. I was reminded that small minds call names. Name-calling is easier than forming rational thoughts, engaging in dialogue, etc. I have had conversations with who I thought were fairly intelligent people and they quickly jumped into the name-calling of the TPs "racists," "bigots," etc. I guess giving them the benefit of the doubt was a mistake on my part. It all reminds me of the shallow minds who ran/run the schools. Rarely, if ever, did they defend what they were doing in the face of opposition or criticism. They just name-called--or ignored and ostracized.
I'm still stuck on the prices at the Tiger game! Again, $4 for a hot dog and $4.50 for a bag of peanuts! Talk about greed!!!!! If the oil companies were that greedy, gas would be $200 a gallon!
Another columnist wrote about light bulbs. Although she apparently doesn't like the inconvenience, the new "energy saving" bulbs are required to save the planet. The arrogant elitist environmentalists and they Congressional lackeys are going to save us from ourselves! They are smarter than we are. Of course, the science behind the new bulbs v incandescents is brushed aside. And so is the idea of individual choice. By the way, better enjoy that Big Mac or steak or beer or...while you can. You need to be saved from yourself.
Out to the garage....
There's a story in the newspaper today about some guy who was arrested for road rage. He tail-gated, rammed a car, and got out and assaulted the car with some woman inside. According to the story, the guy has, only since 2005, had 8 tickets, 5 to 7 accidents (I can't tell from the story), including fleeing from one, and several other violations pending court action. The article said this guy was given his license back in April. Why????? And, why isn't the guy in jail? Now, this correlates to a series in the newspaper a week or so ago about a judge who is, apparently, a hardcase, sending first-time DUIs to jail regardless of what the driver blew. So, does this judge also send those who run stop signs and red lights to jail? What about those who speed in excess of, say 20 mph, of the limit? So, to this judge, having two beers is more of a threat to society than running a red light or doing 90 in a 70 zone? "Harebrained" is the word I would like to use. This judge apparently doesn't believe in the American principle of each person his day in court--with the emphasis on "each." Perhaps a fellow judge or the judicial tenure commission could have a talk with her. Of course, who can argue with SADD or MADD? It's like the trite, stale line the education establishment always throws out, "It's for the kids!" Bologna and Baloney!
I see Congress has already spent 60% of the increase it passed in the debt ceiling! Yep, it took one whole day to spend $24 BILLION. And we're supposed to trust these boobs to fix matters? Boy, are we stupid if we do! "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
And there was an op-ed about the Tea Partiers. They have been the targets of name-calling, some name-callers going so far as to suggest the Tea Partiers are "terrorists." Such stupidity has apparently come from members of Congress (as if they have a lot of room to talk!) and, allegedly, the VP (see the previous parenthetical aside). I immediately thought one thing--not a defense or criticism of the TPs. I was reminded that small minds call names. Name-calling is easier than forming rational thoughts, engaging in dialogue, etc. I have had conversations with who I thought were fairly intelligent people and they quickly jumped into the name-calling of the TPs "racists," "bigots," etc. I guess giving them the benefit of the doubt was a mistake on my part. It all reminds me of the shallow minds who ran/run the schools. Rarely, if ever, did they defend what they were doing in the face of opposition or criticism. They just name-called--or ignored and ostracized.
I'm still stuck on the prices at the Tiger game! Again, $4 for a hot dog and $4.50 for a bag of peanuts! Talk about greed!!!!! If the oil companies were that greedy, gas would be $200 a gallon!
Another columnist wrote about light bulbs. Although she apparently doesn't like the inconvenience, the new "energy saving" bulbs are required to save the planet. The arrogant elitist environmentalists and they Congressional lackeys are going to save us from ourselves! They are smarter than we are. Of course, the science behind the new bulbs v incandescents is brushed aside. And so is the idea of individual choice. By the way, better enjoy that Big Mac or steak or beer or...while you can. You need to be saved from yourself.
Out to the garage....
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Ball Game
I took in a Tiger game at the Comerica Park last night with Matt and Bopper. Although I don't follow MLB and the Tigers very much, the atmosphere, esp before the game, is electric! People just seem to get all excited at the ball park.
We took in the Ferris Wheel, of course, and found our seats by the left field foul pole. The game was pretty good, if not particularly well-played. It held Bopper's attention for about 6 innings and then he casually asked, "When will the game be over?" I don't blame him; about two innings in there weren't too exciting--few hits and it wasn't due to stellar pitching or defense. But then the game picked up with the so-called "holder" gave up three runs in the 8th--he was pretty lousy, whatever his name is. And the Tigers clawed back and the 9th was nerve-wracking.
I questioned some of the Tigers' manager's moves, but that's the nature of the game. Results proved me right, but that's likely just happenstance. I just wanted to do some other things due to what/how I was told some of the Tiger hitters were doing. But I'd like to sit down with the mgr to ask. There were several playss that were hardly Major League plays, including the lack of crow hops on at least two occasions that led to throwing errors. Some of the baserunning was pretty poor.
That Cabrera guy can sting the ball! He laced one off the 420 foot sign in straightaway CF, so hard we could hear the "thud" as it it the padding. And, it bounced to the CF so fast, we thought this might be a 420-foot single. Speaked of CFs, the Texas one seemed pretty darn good. He played about 15-20 feet shallower than the Tiger CF and that's a sign of a good CF.
I don't like all the extraneous stuff--the music, the games, the calls for cheering, etc. Isn't the game enough--I guess not? The music is almost "in your face," but doesn't that just encourage the players to act that same way--e.g., the Angels/Tigers tiff over the weekend. BTW, if hitters can't show up pitchers by watching their HRs, why can pitchers, namely closers, carry on with their antics? Like teachers, pitchers better clean up their own before they start in on others.
People are rude. They come late--or move to better seats--and stand in others' ways. How many pitches/plays did we miss because people were standing in the way? No, talking to them did no good. They ignored us. The lady in front of us decided to open a big umbrella that, a) was right in Matt's line of vision and, b) ran the water off on the person behind her, me! She was old so we decided not to stress her.
The Tiger SS made two very nice plays, but they were met with only slight, scattered applause and the Jumbotron didn't even replay them. I guess the racing hot dogs were too important.
Greed? Greed? No, not big oil, not the CEO, not Wall Street, not the financial companies, not even the politicians.... C''mon, $4 for a hot dog!!!!! $3.50 for a 12-oz soda!!!!! $4.50 for a bag of peanuts!!!!! And so on.... I can see charging $7 or $8 for a beer to keep the drunks under control. But the other stuff? OK, I suppose a retort is, "You don't have to buy the stuff." No, I don't, but that's not the point, is it? I guess, like everything else, we can be selective in who we call "greedy."
We took in the Ferris Wheel, of course, and found our seats by the left field foul pole. The game was pretty good, if not particularly well-played. It held Bopper's attention for about 6 innings and then he casually asked, "When will the game be over?" I don't blame him; about two innings in there weren't too exciting--few hits and it wasn't due to stellar pitching or defense. But then the game picked up with the so-called "holder" gave up three runs in the 8th--he was pretty lousy, whatever his name is. And the Tigers clawed back and the 9th was nerve-wracking.
I questioned some of the Tigers' manager's moves, but that's the nature of the game. Results proved me right, but that's likely just happenstance. I just wanted to do some other things due to what/how I was told some of the Tiger hitters were doing. But I'd like to sit down with the mgr to ask. There were several playss that were hardly Major League plays, including the lack of crow hops on at least two occasions that led to throwing errors. Some of the baserunning was pretty poor.
That Cabrera guy can sting the ball! He laced one off the 420 foot sign in straightaway CF, so hard we could hear the "thud" as it it the padding. And, it bounced to the CF so fast, we thought this might be a 420-foot single. Speaked of CFs, the Texas one seemed pretty darn good. He played about 15-20 feet shallower than the Tiger CF and that's a sign of a good CF.
I don't like all the extraneous stuff--the music, the games, the calls for cheering, etc. Isn't the game enough--I guess not? The music is almost "in your face," but doesn't that just encourage the players to act that same way--e.g., the Angels/Tigers tiff over the weekend. BTW, if hitters can't show up pitchers by watching their HRs, why can pitchers, namely closers, carry on with their antics? Like teachers, pitchers better clean up their own before they start in on others.
People are rude. They come late--or move to better seats--and stand in others' ways. How many pitches/plays did we miss because people were standing in the way? No, talking to them did no good. They ignored us. The lady in front of us decided to open a big umbrella that, a) was right in Matt's line of vision and, b) ran the water off on the person behind her, me! She was old so we decided not to stress her.
The Tiger SS made two very nice plays, but they were met with only slight, scattered applause and the Jumbotron didn't even replay them. I guess the racing hot dogs were too important.
Greed? Greed? No, not big oil, not the CEO, not Wall Street, not the financial companies, not even the politicians.... C''mon, $4 for a hot dog!!!!! $3.50 for a 12-oz soda!!!!! $4.50 for a bag of peanuts!!!!! And so on.... I can see charging $7 or $8 for a beer to keep the drunks under control. But the other stuff? OK, I suppose a retort is, "You don't have to buy the stuff." No, I don't, but that's not the point, is it? I guess, like everything else, we can be selective in who we call "greedy."
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