Recently (like three days ago) I joined a martial arts "dojo" (Japanese for: a place where one can legally be physically assaulted by someone else who is wearing a "Gi" or "kick your ^*# uniform") so that I could fulfil my dream of learning self-defense, mostly from my wife, who frequently wears a "Gi" or "kick your ^*# uniform" and regularly requests that I serve as a "scarecrow" or dummy (or stupid idiot) while she practices her "cotas" or "methods of kicking my ^*#."
What does this have to do with Football Season? I will tell you, my friends...by the way, a big hello to everyone, and a special welcome to those reading from such distant points as Latvia, Russia, the United Kingdom, and yes, even China. And many other places. I appreciate it so much. You all have choices but you chose to spend a minute or two here, and for that I am extremely grateful. And now...back to our story...
When College Football Season started this year, I had in mind two things that I would do to maximize my chances of watching football games when such other attractions as the Food Network and the Cooking Channel were hogging the TV remote. First, I would program the TV remote so that only...okay, I only THOUGHT about doing that. Actually what I did was first read the obligatory Dave Campbell's football magazine to gain a better understanding of each of my favorite team's chances of winning the big game (or ANY game, in Marshall's case) so that I would know the "key" games to watch during college football season. Second, I made a schedule consisting of ONLY the games I wanted to watch, whether college, or the occasional high school game that would be aired during the "Infomercial" prime time (1 AM to 4 AM). In this way I knew exactly when a "key" game would be televised.
Next, I scheduled all my other activities so that these activities would occur during football "downtime." Included in the "all my other activities" category are the primary activities of sleeping, and keeping my "office chair" warm by resting my posterior very effectively in the seat cushion. Secondary activities on my list include breathing, "honey dews," physical activity, reading, more "honey dews," and outdoor activities. In this way I managed to "get things done around the house" as well as use very little precious TV time.
Having strategically sorted through and prioritized the games I wanted to watch, AND having done, or at least attempted, most of the "honey dews," as well as accomplishing secondary activities, including breathing, I was now set up to use the true tactic that would successfully defeat my spouse's arguments, even overriding her burning desire to see who got "Chopped," That true tactic, my friends, is of course...guilt. Yes, GUILT! The Guilt Application works at least 98% of the time, and in many cases the Spouse does not even realize she has been guilted at all. My spouse relents, lets me watch another football game, and even "apologizes" by making supper, snacks, and drinks.
So it is Saturday night, 7:00 PM Central Time. LSU has just lined up on the field, the ball is kicked and in the air, and the entire Tigers kick-off team is pouncing on the hapless Western Kentucky receiver, when my spouse walks into the room and cheerily announces, "It's time. We have to go." I say, "Ummm....have to go? Have to go where?" "Honey, don't be silly. It's karate fight night...again." I, reactivating the Guilt Application, say," But Sweetie, I just spent all day with the honey dews. Everything is done.!" I then turn on the poor, lonesome, starving, homeless kitten look (which works hand in hand with the Guilt Tactic) and say, "And I have hardly watched ANY television. See, I let you watch all those cooking shows even though football (Llewegie University versus Tembuk College - a real thriller of a game) was on. You go on to fight night, Sweetie, and I will watch the football game. Or better, why not pop a bunch of popcorn and watch the game with me? I know the office chair would be too crowded but we could sit on the couch in front of the television!"
At about this point I notice that the Guilt Application is suddenly not effective. What can it be?! Is she wearing a leaded warm-up set? Sweetie says, "YOU SAID YOU WOULD GO WITH ME TO FIGHT NIGHT!" Here is where the warning bell began sounding somewhere in the deeper recesses of my brain. I wonder, DID I promise her I would go to fight night with her? Did I PROMISE her I would go to fight night? What was I THINKING?
My spouse, meanwhile, has deployed a tactic of her own. This tactic is known as the "I'm A Yellow Belt In Karate Reminder Tactic." Sweetie has suddenly moved to within arm's length of my face as well as certain more vital areas. She then takes the "Ready Stance" while at the same time utilizing another tactic, the Laser "I" Tactic, which of course works hand in hand with the I'm A Yellow Belt In Karate Reminder Tactic. When these two tactics are employed together, the results can be excruciatingly painful and permanent. These tactics, when combined, are also quite effective in restoring temporarily lost short-term memory. Sweetie's eyes, still in laser mode, were locked into my own, and she was now employing that very familiar Bruce Lee/Chuck Norris Redesign Your Face stance. It was at this point that I remembered that I might have jokingly suggested that I would go with her to fight night at the dojo if there was nothing on TV worth watching. Now, I can assure you that when your spouse or significant other has employed the "I Have A Yellow Belt In Karate Reminder Tactic" and the Laser "I" Tactic, your memory of two or three weeks ago is suddenly crystal clear. That was the case with me. I suddenly and clearly remembered I had indeed promised her that I would go to fight night with her.
I retrieved my gear bag from the bedroom. When I returned I heard loud cheering and excited commentary coming from the television. The announcer said, "That was the classic fade and pass, and the entire Western Kentucky defense fell for it! What a play! And now the PAT is up, it's good! The Tigers are trouncing Western Kentucky. It is only four minutes into the first quarter and already the score is the Tigers..." CLICK. Dead air. The front door was already open and Sweetie was on the stairway headed out. Oh, I admit I was tempted to turn the TV back on for just a second, just to hear the score, but that temptation was very short-lived. For you see, whenever an angry spouse utilizes both the I'm A Yellow Belt In Karate Reminder Tactic and the Laser "I" Tactic, the loser is rarely College Football.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Texas Tech Roller Coaster Ride, or A Die-Hard Red Raider Fan
I am sorry if I seem a little out of sorts today, but you see, I am a Die-Hard Red Raider Fan. GUNS UP!! I first became enthralled with the Raider as a teenager. I worked at a service station (those antique institutions in which a human attendant approached your car in the driveway and asked "Fill 'er up? Check under the hood?") on Saturdays during my high school years. During football season the radio was always tuned to Red Raider football. I was into rock and roll then, but the radio was on country as per the owner, and as my roots were well grounded in country music, I was able to tolerate country for a few hours. Actually I like old country and was therefore really annoyed when the music was interrupted by football games.
On one particular Saturday, business was really slow. I had done all of the things service station boys did, such as washing off the driveway, cleaning spilled grease, and assorted other oily tasks, and had no alternative but to walk into the office and listen to radio. Texas Tech was playing the Houston Cougars. The game turned out to be a real nail-biter with Tech finally coming from behind to win with a field goal. The Red Raiders were such an exciting, explosive team that after that game I was hooked. But I learned that being a Red Raider fan could certainly have its ups and downs. Some of those "downs" happened after some very high "ups." For instance, the very NEXT Saturday the Red Raiders went to Arkansas and got their behinds handed to them by the Razorbacks to the tune of 49 to 7. The only positive thing to say was that at least the Red Raiders had killed the skunk.
A Red Raider fan had better learn early on to get in the roller coaster seat and buckle up. The highs will be HIGH and the lows will be nearly ninety-degree drops. The good thing is that there is usually not a flat bottom, but just another 180 bend and then a 5 G-force blast back to the top. The most recent example of course was the Red Raider's victory over OU on October 21. The Sooners were then the number one ranked team in College Football. What a great victory, even though this game too was a nail-biter. But the Red Raiders were on a high, and with good reason. They had hung on and knocked off the Sooners against all odds!
But the very NEXT week, the Red Raiders dove straight down the roller coaster, losing to the Iowa State Cyclones 41 - 7. What a bummer! The Die-Hard fans hit that curve with Red Raiders...only this curve DID prove to be a little flatter than the last. The Raiders have now lost three games by at least twenty points. But they lost Saturday's game against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys BIG TIME. The final score was 66-6! This was the worst margin of defeat in the history of the Red Raider football program. And there is still more bad news. The Red Raiders still face two good teams, the Missouri Tigers and those remarkable Baylor Bears, under the direction of Robert Griffin III. The good news is that, depending on WHICH Red Raider team shows up, these final two games could be very exciting.
I have to wonder, at this point, if Coach Tuberville is giving some thought to whether he is sitting in the head-coach chair or the ejection seat. 2011 has certainly been a Tale of Two Seasons for the Red Raiders. I am sure that no one is more aware of this than Coach Tuberville, except for maybe Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt and some of the Tech alumni. Could they be getting a little antsy for a return to the Tech glory days under Mike Leach? On the other hand, Coach Tuberville has great credentials, being the former Auburn head coach. The two remaining games of the regular season are of great importance, both for Tuberville and the Red Raiders, and for Die-Hard Fans, like me. The roller coaster is still rolling on the flat track at the moment. I just hope the real Red Raiders show up at these last games. I can tell you there is nothing like that sudden 5 G-force, 90 degree curve in the rails that will fire the Red Raiders back to the top, then...who knows what will be waiting at the next bend of the rails!!
So, Die-Hard Red Raiders Fans, suck in your guts, let go of your safety grips...and GUNS UP, RED RAIDERS!
On one particular Saturday, business was really slow. I had done all of the things service station boys did, such as washing off the driveway, cleaning spilled grease, and assorted other oily tasks, and had no alternative but to walk into the office and listen to radio. Texas Tech was playing the Houston Cougars. The game turned out to be a real nail-biter with Tech finally coming from behind to win with a field goal. The Red Raiders were such an exciting, explosive team that after that game I was hooked. But I learned that being a Red Raider fan could certainly have its ups and downs. Some of those "downs" happened after some very high "ups." For instance, the very NEXT Saturday the Red Raiders went to Arkansas and got their behinds handed to them by the Razorbacks to the tune of 49 to 7. The only positive thing to say was that at least the Red Raiders had killed the skunk.
A Red Raider fan had better learn early on to get in the roller coaster seat and buckle up. The highs will be HIGH and the lows will be nearly ninety-degree drops. The good thing is that there is usually not a flat bottom, but just another 180 bend and then a 5 G-force blast back to the top. The most recent example of course was the Red Raider's victory over OU on October 21. The Sooners were then the number one ranked team in College Football. What a great victory, even though this game too was a nail-biter. But the Red Raiders were on a high, and with good reason. They had hung on and knocked off the Sooners against all odds!
But the very NEXT week, the Red Raiders dove straight down the roller coaster, losing to the Iowa State Cyclones 41 - 7. What a bummer! The Die-Hard fans hit that curve with Red Raiders...only this curve DID prove to be a little flatter than the last. The Raiders have now lost three games by at least twenty points. But they lost Saturday's game against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys BIG TIME. The final score was 66-6! This was the worst margin of defeat in the history of the Red Raider football program. And there is still more bad news. The Red Raiders still face two good teams, the Missouri Tigers and those remarkable Baylor Bears, under the direction of Robert Griffin III. The good news is that, depending on WHICH Red Raider team shows up, these final two games could be very exciting.
I have to wonder, at this point, if Coach Tuberville is giving some thought to whether he is sitting in the head-coach chair or the ejection seat. 2011 has certainly been a Tale of Two Seasons for the Red Raiders. I am sure that no one is more aware of this than Coach Tuberville, except for maybe Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt and some of the Tech alumni. Could they be getting a little antsy for a return to the Tech glory days under Mike Leach? On the other hand, Coach Tuberville has great credentials, being the former Auburn head coach. The two remaining games of the regular season are of great importance, both for Tuberville and the Red Raiders, and for Die-Hard Fans, like me. The roller coaster is still rolling on the flat track at the moment. I just hope the real Red Raiders show up at these last games. I can tell you there is nothing like that sudden 5 G-force, 90 degree curve in the rails that will fire the Red Raiders back to the top, then...who knows what will be waiting at the next bend of the rails!!
So, Die-Hard Red Raiders Fans, suck in your guts, let go of your safety grips...and GUNS UP, RED RAIDERS!
Friday, November 11, 2011
My Fiftieth Veteran's Day: A Big Thanks To America's Heroes
As a child, my favorite holidays were of course Christmas, the Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving. Oh yeah, my own birthday was a big one, too. But, I have to confess that there were a couple of holidays that I just did not get as excited about. Memorial Day, for instance, and Veteran's Day. I just did not understand why my parents were so excited about going to see a bunch of old soldiers walk down the street in a parade, or listen to these same men, and some of their wives, make boring speeches on the courthouse lawn. Lots of other people got excited about these same things. I wonder if their children were as bored then as I was. I mean no fireworks, no big feasts, and of course, no presents!
In my teen years and even into early adulthood, while I began to understand more about why these days were special, I appreciated these holidays more because I sometimes got out of school for the parade, and because Memorial Day meant that summer vacation was just about here! Soon I would be able to spend the days out on the old dairy land, or at least spend the days just having fun, whether I made it out to the dairy or not.
Yes, I was a somewhat oblivious child as far as the meaning of Veteran's Day, but even back then, back in the Sixties, I was aware of my grandmother being worried all the time. I did not really understand her pain or fear, I just knew that she sometimes burst into tears for no reason. When a strange car would come down the little road to her house, I would see her strain to see the car's markings, or what the occupants looked like. Only later did I realize she was trying to see if there were military men inside the vehicle, for that could mean only one thing. You see, my uncle, John Snoddy, Jr, was serving at that time in a place with a really strange name: Viet Nam. Uncle Junior was a Marine...not drafted, but a volunteer to that service. And my grandmother feared the arrival of that dark green sedan that several of her neighbors had seen. Uncle Junior was in Viet Nam. Each day he was there was another day of worry for my grandmother, another gray hair, another wrinkle on her sweet face.
God only knows the pain and fear she and so many other mothers felt during the Viet Nam years. And I have no clear concept of what my uncle went through, what he experienced, the terror in which he lived every day, and yes, every night. Uncle Junior of course would not tell a little boy of the horrors and death in Viet Nam, of the sacrifices our men and women made there. Maybe he did not talk about it to anyone. I don't know. All I know is that one day he came back to his mother's house, and my grandmother cried so much, and hugged him, like the Prodigal Son. Only later have I come to realize the great joy and relief felt by my grandmother, and by so many other parents, when their children returned from a war nobody really wanted in a land no one had even heard of before. But Uncle Junior and other men and women like him answered the call to service. Even today, I cannot say what the point and purpose of the Viet Nam War might have served, I can only marvel and be so grateful for those who served there.
With maturity and understanding came the knowledge that not every soldier came home from Viet Nam. So many parents and wives had to watch that dark sedan drive slowly toward them. God help them when the car stopped at their driveway. The officers in the car did not have to say a word, really. It was obvious. This mom and dad had lost their soldier. The handshake from the officers, the letter they bore, just made it official. Their soldier was gone. How many people have gone through this shattering experience over the years? The number is not really within comprehension. But still some brave men and women have answered, and will answer, the call to serve their country while the majority of able-bodied persons choose to remain on the side.
I have seen the pictures on Facebook, the photographs of our parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, that served with honor in two great wars, and in the many smaller conflicts that just never seem to end. But without the sacrifices those people made, it is safe to say that our country would soon cease to exist as a free nation, a shining shrine of freedom to the rest of the world. I have talked with another uncle, only briefly, who was damned proud, as he said, to have been called to serve in the Army in World War II. He, like Uncle Junior, did not talk to a little boy about the things he saw. Instead, he spoke proudly of the role the United States played in defeating Hitler, and about how proud he was of his generation. He did tell me a little of the cold he endured in Europe, but he talked more of the sacrifices his family had made at home due to all the rationing and saving that made the war effort possible. My spouse's grandfather served in Europe also, and literally came within an inch of losing his life when he was shot in the leg, the bullet just missing the artery.
Now, havin seen fifty Veteran's Days come and go, I, having never served in the military, have yet come to realize and understand (as much as one who has not been there CAN understand) what all of our soldiers have gone through. In some small way I feel their fear, their uncertainty, but also their desire to serve, and their pride in serving this nation. It is this small portion of understanding that lets me finally grasp the true meaning of Memorial Day, and of today...Veteran's Day. The men and women of our military have a fierce pride in serving their nation - which of course means YOU and ME - and a fierce and undying loyalty to Flag, and To The Republic, For Which It Stands. It is with great humbleness and gratitude that I salute today all United States veterans, both old and young, who have served this nation with the knowledge that each day they served could be their last. It is not too much trouble, as it once was, for me to stop for a moment and honor our Veterans, to stand at the street side as they march in parade, to listen to their speeches, and to just walk up and shake their hands. Because of them we still have our America, and will, for generations to come.
In my teen years and even into early adulthood, while I began to understand more about why these days were special, I appreciated these holidays more because I sometimes got out of school for the parade, and because Memorial Day meant that summer vacation was just about here! Soon I would be able to spend the days out on the old dairy land, or at least spend the days just having fun, whether I made it out to the dairy or not.
Yes, I was a somewhat oblivious child as far as the meaning of Veteran's Day, but even back then, back in the Sixties, I was aware of my grandmother being worried all the time. I did not really understand her pain or fear, I just knew that she sometimes burst into tears for no reason. When a strange car would come down the little road to her house, I would see her strain to see the car's markings, or what the occupants looked like. Only later did I realize she was trying to see if there were military men inside the vehicle, for that could mean only one thing. You see, my uncle, John Snoddy, Jr, was serving at that time in a place with a really strange name: Viet Nam. Uncle Junior was a Marine...not drafted, but a volunteer to that service. And my grandmother feared the arrival of that dark green sedan that several of her neighbors had seen. Uncle Junior was in Viet Nam. Each day he was there was another day of worry for my grandmother, another gray hair, another wrinkle on her sweet face.
God only knows the pain and fear she and so many other mothers felt during the Viet Nam years. And I have no clear concept of what my uncle went through, what he experienced, the terror in which he lived every day, and yes, every night. Uncle Junior of course would not tell a little boy of the horrors and death in Viet Nam, of the sacrifices our men and women made there. Maybe he did not talk about it to anyone. I don't know. All I know is that one day he came back to his mother's house, and my grandmother cried so much, and hugged him, like the Prodigal Son. Only later have I come to realize the great joy and relief felt by my grandmother, and by so many other parents, when their children returned from a war nobody really wanted in a land no one had even heard of before. But Uncle Junior and other men and women like him answered the call to service. Even today, I cannot say what the point and purpose of the Viet Nam War might have served, I can only marvel and be so grateful for those who served there.
With maturity and understanding came the knowledge that not every soldier came home from Viet Nam. So many parents and wives had to watch that dark sedan drive slowly toward them. God help them when the car stopped at their driveway. The officers in the car did not have to say a word, really. It was obvious. This mom and dad had lost their soldier. The handshake from the officers, the letter they bore, just made it official. Their soldier was gone. How many people have gone through this shattering experience over the years? The number is not really within comprehension. But still some brave men and women have answered, and will answer, the call to serve their country while the majority of able-bodied persons choose to remain on the side.
I have seen the pictures on Facebook, the photographs of our parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, that served with honor in two great wars, and in the many smaller conflicts that just never seem to end. But without the sacrifices those people made, it is safe to say that our country would soon cease to exist as a free nation, a shining shrine of freedom to the rest of the world. I have talked with another uncle, only briefly, who was damned proud, as he said, to have been called to serve in the Army in World War II. He, like Uncle Junior, did not talk to a little boy about the things he saw. Instead, he spoke proudly of the role the United States played in defeating Hitler, and about how proud he was of his generation. He did tell me a little of the cold he endured in Europe, but he talked more of the sacrifices his family had made at home due to all the rationing and saving that made the war effort possible. My spouse's grandfather served in Europe also, and literally came within an inch of losing his life when he was shot in the leg, the bullet just missing the artery.
Now, havin seen fifty Veteran's Days come and go, I, having never served in the military, have yet come to realize and understand (as much as one who has not been there CAN understand) what all of our soldiers have gone through. In some small way I feel their fear, their uncertainty, but also their desire to serve, and their pride in serving this nation. It is this small portion of understanding that lets me finally grasp the true meaning of Memorial Day, and of today...Veteran's Day. The men and women of our military have a fierce pride in serving their nation - which of course means YOU and ME - and a fierce and undying loyalty to Flag, and To The Republic, For Which It Stands. It is with great humbleness and gratitude that I salute today all United States veterans, both old and young, who have served this nation with the knowledge that each day they served could be their last. It is not too much trouble, as it once was, for me to stop for a moment and honor our Veterans, to stand at the street side as they march in parade, to listen to their speeches, and to just walk up and shake their hands. Because of them we still have our America, and will, for generations to come.
Hot Air Talks About Paterno
Being a blogger of “Hot Air,” of course there is no way I can remain silent about the firing of Joe Paterno. First of all, let me say that I do not disagree that Penn State had to make some changes. In the face of the Penn State Administration’s failure to go to the police with their suspicion, and all the heartache and pain that has happened more or less as a result of this failure to act, change was needed. What I am particularly outraged about is the way that the national press, scores of prominent and not-so-prominent sportscasters, and many talking heads across the media have attacked Joe Paterno, almost as if HE were the sick man that assaulted all those boys. So I would like to point out that Joe Paterno did not molest any children. Yes, Paterno did not call the police on the spot, but let’s look at what he DID after learning of Sandusky attacking and raping a young boy in the Penn State locker rooms.
Assistant Coach Mike McQueary interrupted Sandusky in the act of raping a ten-year-old boy. McQueary went to Joe Paterno, and the two men went together to the administration where McQueary repeated his observations. So, obviously now, Joe Paterno, a third-party (or hearsay) witness, had pretty much fulfilled his reporting obligation. Remember that two school officials are now in legal difficulties for their failure to act, including Vice-President Gary Schultz. Pennsylvania state law REQUIRES the ranking official of an institution who is notified of suspected child abuse TO IMMEDIATELY REPORT his suspicions or information directly to Pennsylvania Child Welfare Services. In other words, neither McQueary nor Joe Paterno were required to report what McQueary had seen, because they notified both Athletic Director Tim Curley and College Vice-President Schultz of the child abuse. On the other hand, Schultz WAS REQUIRED BY LAW to do so IMMEDIATELY, as he was the ranking school official notified of the incident.
A state police official later 1) acknowleded that Joe Paterno was not legally obligated to report the Sandusky attack (for the reasons mentioned above), and 2) stated that Paterno had suffered a “moral lapse” because he did not report the incident to police. But when one reviews Paterno’s actions and the legal requirements placed on ranking school officials, it suddenly begins to look like a not-so-cut-and-dried indictment against Paterno. But Penn State officials needed to “act, and act quickly” (to quote Mel Brooks) to protect themselves and their jobs in the face of the coming and justified public outrage. Firing the college president and vice-president was appropriate and justified. Firing the athletic director was maybe not so justified, but understandable, as he also was a ranking school official. Firing Joe Paterno, however, was overkill…but perhaps Penn State officials believed that the public clamor (as well as media screaming) could be quelled by the sacrifice of one more high-profile individual. Coach fired, case closed. Perhaps Joe Paterno should have himself gone to the police, and taken McQueary with him. That is something that Joe Paterno will live with the rest of his life, as will McQueary.
Joe Paterno’s great accomplishments and great generosity to the staff and students of Penn State will now be overshadowed by the Sandusky scandal that resulted in Paterno’s downfall. But when one steps back from the clamor and the self-righteous finger-pointing, the light of calm reason that shines on the situation is quite revealing. The truth is that Joe Paterno lost his job, but more importantly, his life-earned reputation and dignity, because the Penn State administrators left standing in the wake of the scandal needed a large, impenetrable shield to hide behind. Unfortunately, that shield was Joe “JoePa” Paterno.
Assistant Coach Mike McQueary interrupted Sandusky in the act of raping a ten-year-old boy. McQueary went to Joe Paterno, and the two men went together to the administration where McQueary repeated his observations. So, obviously now, Joe Paterno, a third-party (or hearsay) witness, had pretty much fulfilled his reporting obligation. Remember that two school officials are now in legal difficulties for their failure to act, including Vice-President Gary Schultz. Pennsylvania state law REQUIRES the ranking official of an institution who is notified of suspected child abuse TO IMMEDIATELY REPORT his suspicions or information directly to Pennsylvania Child Welfare Services. In other words, neither McQueary nor Joe Paterno were required to report what McQueary had seen, because they notified both Athletic Director Tim Curley and College Vice-President Schultz of the child abuse. On the other hand, Schultz WAS REQUIRED BY LAW to do so IMMEDIATELY, as he was the ranking school official notified of the incident.
A state police official later 1) acknowleded that Joe Paterno was not legally obligated to report the Sandusky attack (for the reasons mentioned above), and 2) stated that Paterno had suffered a “moral lapse” because he did not report the incident to police. But when one reviews Paterno’s actions and the legal requirements placed on ranking school officials, it suddenly begins to look like a not-so-cut-and-dried indictment against Paterno. But Penn State officials needed to “act, and act quickly” (to quote Mel Brooks) to protect themselves and their jobs in the face of the coming and justified public outrage. Firing the college president and vice-president was appropriate and justified. Firing the athletic director was maybe not so justified, but understandable, as he also was a ranking school official. Firing Joe Paterno, however, was overkill…but perhaps Penn State officials believed that the public clamor (as well as media screaming) could be quelled by the sacrifice of one more high-profile individual. Coach fired, case closed. Perhaps Joe Paterno should have himself gone to the police, and taken McQueary with him. That is something that Joe Paterno will live with the rest of his life, as will McQueary.
Joe Paterno’s great accomplishments and great generosity to the staff and students of Penn State will now be overshadowed by the Sandusky scandal that resulted in Paterno’s downfall. But when one steps back from the clamor and the self-righteous finger-pointing, the light of calm reason that shines on the situation is quite revealing. The truth is that Joe Paterno lost his job, but more importantly, his life-earned reputation and dignity, because the Penn State administrators left standing in the wake of the scandal needed a large, impenetrable shield to hide behind. Unfortunately, that shield was Joe “JoePa” Paterno.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Positive Attitude and A Visit (Someday) to Brunei
Hmmm…what to blog about today? There are so many topics that are just begging for attention, so many interesting and outrageous things going on in the nation and the world. Most of the subjects that are yapping about my heels for attention are what my wife would call “negative” in nature, as indeed she calls my own “nature” as well. I have to admit that maybe I do focus on negative things in many of my blogs. Of course one reason I focus on negative things is that positive things rarely need to be “fixed.” On the other hand, I know that if a person focuses primarily on the negative things in life, the positive things are soon taken for granted.
On the positive side of things, this dry, parched, arid piece of heaven got some much-needed rain last night. No, it was not enough to end the drought, but it certainly was plenty to provide for the needs of lots of birds and animals, and the cacti and mesquite will certainly be a beautiful shade of green for a few days. As for this blog, a positive thing happened when I noticed that one person who honored me very much by visiting my blog had done so from a computer in Brunei!
Now let me note here that I appreciate all my readers equally, but one of the highlights of my blogging experience is seeing where my readers reside. I have made it an ongoing practice to try to learn at least a nutshell bit of knowledge of the states and nations that I know very little about. When I saw that this particular visitor’s location was in Brunei, I was very surprised…and a little ashamed. I confess that I literally had to go to the emap (no globe in the house) and find this tiny nation. As I expected, Brunei is a very exotic (to me, anyway) spot in Southeast Asia. It is a tiny nation of around 400,000 people, and occupies a small portion of the Borneo Island. Brunei is surrounded on three sides by Malaysia, and bordered on the forth side by the South China Sea. This nation is a Muslim nation, and in fact is a sultanate.
Tourists visit Brunei for its beaches, water recreation, and for tours into the remote and pristine rainforests. Probably a very major tourist attraction is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque located in the village of Kampong Ayer. Both are major landmarks in themselves. The Sultan’s Mosque is a magnificent structure that will definitely inspire awe. But the other attraction is the fact that Kampong Ayer is a city (or village) built entirely over water. It is a self-sufficient village with all the facilities and amenities one would expect in any town. The other major attractions are the nations national parks in the rainforests and mountains. I am personally attracted by one of the national parks in which the government has constructed a walkway at the canopy level of the rainforests. I guess I have added Brunei to my “bucket list.”
There are many sights to see around the world, and even though they require travel outside the nation of Texas, I would love to see them one day. I have had some travels myself, venturing as far north as Chicago, as far west as California, and east to North Carolina. These trips are the extent of my international travels. But I would love to see Scotland, England, Latvia, Belise, and so many other places. And now, I have added Brunei to that list. Incidentally I would like to add one more fun tidbit to the Brunei mystique. The complete name of this nation is Negara Brunei Darrussalam, or, in English, The Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace. The history of this small sultanate belies that name, as attested by the numerous wars, the loss of empire, the Japanese Occupation of World War II, and the years as a protectorate of the United Kingdom. But the nation once again regained its independence in 1984. Perhaps Brunei will be at peace for many years to come, as all members of the United Nations recognize it as a sovereign nation. Who knows? Maybe one day I will send you a post card from Kampong Ayer, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
On the positive side of things, this dry, parched, arid piece of heaven got some much-needed rain last night. No, it was not enough to end the drought, but it certainly was plenty to provide for the needs of lots of birds and animals, and the cacti and mesquite will certainly be a beautiful shade of green for a few days. As for this blog, a positive thing happened when I noticed that one person who honored me very much by visiting my blog had done so from a computer in Brunei!
Now let me note here that I appreciate all my readers equally, but one of the highlights of my blogging experience is seeing where my readers reside. I have made it an ongoing practice to try to learn at least a nutshell bit of knowledge of the states and nations that I know very little about. When I saw that this particular visitor’s location was in Brunei, I was very surprised…and a little ashamed. I confess that I literally had to go to the emap (no globe in the house) and find this tiny nation. As I expected, Brunei is a very exotic (to me, anyway) spot in Southeast Asia. It is a tiny nation of around 400,000 people, and occupies a small portion of the Borneo Island. Brunei is surrounded on three sides by Malaysia, and bordered on the forth side by the South China Sea. This nation is a Muslim nation, and in fact is a sultanate.
Tourists visit Brunei for its beaches, water recreation, and for tours into the remote and pristine rainforests. Probably a very major tourist attraction is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque located in the village of Kampong Ayer. Both are major landmarks in themselves. The Sultan’s Mosque is a magnificent structure that will definitely inspire awe. But the other attraction is the fact that Kampong Ayer is a city (or village) built entirely over water. It is a self-sufficient village with all the facilities and amenities one would expect in any town. The other major attractions are the nations national parks in the rainforests and mountains. I am personally attracted by one of the national parks in which the government has constructed a walkway at the canopy level of the rainforests. I guess I have added Brunei to my “bucket list.”
There are many sights to see around the world, and even though they require travel outside the nation of Texas, I would love to see them one day. I have had some travels myself, venturing as far north as Chicago, as far west as California, and east to North Carolina. These trips are the extent of my international travels. But I would love to see Scotland, England, Latvia, Belise, and so many other places. And now, I have added Brunei to that list. Incidentally I would like to add one more fun tidbit to the Brunei mystique. The complete name of this nation is Negara Brunei Darrussalam, or, in English, The Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace. The history of this small sultanate belies that name, as attested by the numerous wars, the loss of empire, the Japanese Occupation of World War II, and the years as a protectorate of the United Kingdom. But the nation once again regained its independence in 1984. Perhaps Brunei will be at peace for many years to come, as all members of the United Nations recognize it as a sovereign nation. Who knows? Maybe one day I will send you a post card from Kampong Ayer, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Heartbreak of AARP
(Before reading - Please understand I have nothing against AARP, and in fact will probably be a member before long)
I turned fifty in July of this year. I made sure it was a low-profile birthday celebration, mainly by not mentioning the fact to anyone. But SOMEONE knew my age anyway. I have no idea who this particular someone could be, but I do know that in only about forty-eight hours I began receiving that dreaded piece of junk mail, yes, THAT one. Someone must have called the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and clued them in to that just past great milestone in my life - the big 50.
Mind you, I have nothing against AARP, as I mentioned above. What really guts me is the fact that I am old enough to be a member. I guess if I joined AARP now, I would only be an "honorary" retired person as I am not, in fact, retired or old enough (OR RICH ENOUGH...grrrr...) to do so at the moment. I know several people who have made it to retirement age, and others who made it to retirement wealth. I am in neither group. My lovely bride tells me she will not retire at 62 as she loves her work so much. She also would not retire if she were wealthy enough at this moment to do so...because...she loves her work. Me...not so much. I can think of a few things I would be doing at this moment besides sitting at a desk, if I were "retired." Speaking of the big 50, I think I might start there...as in Hawaii.
But back to the story...
I really do not like the fact that I am "eligible" for membership in AARP. I like even less the fact that there is nothing I can do about my age. And the alternative to getting older, of course, is not palatable, either. Fifty has happened to every one who is fifty plus one day or older. And, pending an earlier demise, it will happen to everyone who is now reveling in his or her youth. Yes, my young friend...this will happen to you. You may use all the Oil of Olay you would like. It does not matter. That certain piece of "junk mail" will eventually find you. And yes, my friend, it IS heartbreaking. You are now one of "them," one of those ''fuddy duds" that annoyed you so much when you were twenty.
But let me tell you one thing that changes...maybe not the very day you turn fifty, maybe it starts settling in a few years earlier, or a few months. That change is your perspective. You realize that you are not "old." You are "just" fifty. You still have a few good years left. And then it hits you. Fifty-five is not old at all. And sixty? Well, that is not the ancient age it once was. Plus...now you are getting some really good deals from AARP! Life is not all bad...
I turned fifty in July of this year. I made sure it was a low-profile birthday celebration, mainly by not mentioning the fact to anyone. But SOMEONE knew my age anyway. I have no idea who this particular someone could be, but I do know that in only about forty-eight hours I began receiving that dreaded piece of junk mail, yes, THAT one. Someone must have called the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and clued them in to that just past great milestone in my life - the big 50.
Mind you, I have nothing against AARP, as I mentioned above. What really guts me is the fact that I am old enough to be a member. I guess if I joined AARP now, I would only be an "honorary" retired person as I am not, in fact, retired or old enough (OR RICH ENOUGH...grrrr...) to do so at the moment. I know several people who have made it to retirement age, and others who made it to retirement wealth. I am in neither group. My lovely bride tells me she will not retire at 62 as she loves her work so much. She also would not retire if she were wealthy enough at this moment to do so...because...she loves her work. Me...not so much. I can think of a few things I would be doing at this moment besides sitting at a desk, if I were "retired." Speaking of the big 50, I think I might start there...as in Hawaii.
But back to the story...
I really do not like the fact that I am "eligible" for membership in AARP. I like even less the fact that there is nothing I can do about my age. And the alternative to getting older, of course, is not palatable, either. Fifty has happened to every one who is fifty plus one day or older. And, pending an earlier demise, it will happen to everyone who is now reveling in his or her youth. Yes, my young friend...this will happen to you. You may use all the Oil of Olay you would like. It does not matter. That certain piece of "junk mail" will eventually find you. And yes, my friend, it IS heartbreaking. You are now one of "them," one of those ''fuddy duds" that annoyed you so much when you were twenty.
But let me tell you one thing that changes...maybe not the very day you turn fifty, maybe it starts settling in a few years earlier, or a few months. That change is your perspective. You realize that you are not "old." You are "just" fifty. You still have a few good years left. And then it hits you. Fifty-five is not old at all. And sixty? Well, that is not the ancient age it once was. Plus...now you are getting some really good deals from AARP! Life is not all bad...
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