Last week the local news hyped an impending snow storm beyond belief. Usually the first big chance for snow causes quite a stir around the area. The local forecasters usually over-predict the first snow storm of the winter each year and I’m left disappointed. I’m happy to say this year they got it right.
They were calling for 10-16 inches of snow for our area and 14-19 for Roanoke. I stated before the storm came that I expected 6-8 inches. Now that’s still a significant amount for this area, but not the massive quantities the weathermen were predicting. The snow came and we ended up with between 12 and 15 inches at our house. I’m amazed by how accurate they were for a change. Additionally, my parents in Roanoke got between 14 and 18 inches. All around the meteorologists did a good job this time.
Chloe, Salvacion and I went out and played in the snow. It was a little dry on top, but underneath was good, wet packed stuff. The second day of fun was even better because the snow had had some time in the sun and moistened on top. It was easy to roll snowman sized balls of snow that day.
Playing in the snow is fun, but the double bonus was getting an extra day and a half off from work due to the weather. Although my pay isn’t the highest for my profession, it’s hard to deny the benefits. I say bring on more snow – winter has just begun.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 04, 2009
The religion of science
Science is the religion with no god. Or rather, it is the religion that places man as the god. It is an arrogant religion with many zealots. All of them spouting facts and speaking intelligently as if they are the authorities on all manner of subjects. There is no argument against science that will be tolerated and you must forsake anything that cannot be scientifically proven. Anything less would be heresy.
We are constantly discovering new knowledge that counters the “truths” of scientifically accepted “facts.” Science is intellectual and not spiritual, but even with all this knowledge they have not the wisdom with which to wield it. They continue to plow through history claiming anything and everything they can. Science worshipers even try to rewrite history to fit their beliefs.
Science will claim events of the past happened in a way that fits their scientific model and never question it. Fitting the data to the model is very unscientific, but that doesn’t seem to stop them. They can’t accept anything that doesn’t fit their model, so arguing the point is useless. I chose to ignore the zealots and live my life with an open mind.
An open mind is not acceptable to science, which refuses to accept it could be fallible. The need to be right and explain everything comes from a need for control. Followers of science cannot handle a world that they cannot understand, and therefore control. The unknown bothers them because it reveals their true nature, ungodly as it is. Accepting this is not an option – man must be a god. Even if that is not how it is termed, that is the underlying premise. It makes me wonder if the Bunsen burner is their secret alter.
We are constantly discovering new knowledge that counters the “truths” of scientifically accepted “facts.” Science is intellectual and not spiritual, but even with all this knowledge they have not the wisdom with which to wield it. They continue to plow through history claiming anything and everything they can. Science worshipers even try to rewrite history to fit their beliefs.
Science will claim events of the past happened in a way that fits their scientific model and never question it. Fitting the data to the model is very unscientific, but that doesn’t seem to stop them. They can’t accept anything that doesn’t fit their model, so arguing the point is useless. I chose to ignore the zealots and live my life with an open mind.
An open mind is not acceptable to science, which refuses to accept it could be fallible. The need to be right and explain everything comes from a need for control. Followers of science cannot handle a world that they cannot understand, and therefore control. The unknown bothers them because it reveals their true nature, ungodly as it is. Accepting this is not an option – man must be a god. Even if that is not how it is termed, that is the underlying premise. It makes me wonder if the Bunsen burner is their secret alter.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Free music
Amazon had a promo code this week for three dollars credit towards downloadable MP3 music. No purchase was necessary and the balance was good for one week. I jumped at the chance to get a few songs for free since most of them are around one dollar each. While searching through the collection for something we didn’t have, but wanted, I discovered they had other MP3 songs available for free separate from the offer.
There were freely downloadable MP3 songs for the taking in practically every genre (probably promotional efforts by the artists/publishers). I concentrated on House, Jazz, Blues, Pop and Christian music. I listened to a couple hundred samples of “free” songs and downloaded maybe 20 of them to listen to in full later. Since Amazon only lets you listen to about 15-30 seconds of each song I’m not sure about the ones I downloaded yet. Since I didn’t spend any money on them though, I can just delete them if I’m not impressed. I won’t be out any money and I got to hear some new music. I think this is a cool idea and I’ll have to check back at Amazon in the future for other free music downloads.
I think the industry could be making use of the digital medium so much better than they are currently. They’re all so scared of lost sales that they are missing the bigger picture. If they considered it a marketing medium and leveraged their libraries in that capacity they could expose consumers to new/different artists. In turn, that would help producers sell a lot more songs at one dollar each –making them some serious money. They could also make money on older music by making it available through this medium. Maybe as the aging executives retire the music industry will catch up with consumers somewhat.
There were freely downloadable MP3 songs for the taking in practically every genre (probably promotional efforts by the artists/publishers). I concentrated on House, Jazz, Blues, Pop and Christian music. I listened to a couple hundred samples of “free” songs and downloaded maybe 20 of them to listen to in full later. Since Amazon only lets you listen to about 15-30 seconds of each song I’m not sure about the ones I downloaded yet. Since I didn’t spend any money on them though, I can just delete them if I’m not impressed. I won’t be out any money and I got to hear some new music. I think this is a cool idea and I’ll have to check back at Amazon in the future for other free music downloads.
I think the industry could be making use of the digital medium so much better than they are currently. They’re all so scared of lost sales that they are missing the bigger picture. If they considered it a marketing medium and leveraged their libraries in that capacity they could expose consumers to new/different artists. In turn, that would help producers sell a lot more songs at one dollar each –making them some serious money. They could also make money on older music by making it available through this medium. Maybe as the aging executives retire the music industry will catch up with consumers somewhat.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Explaining life
How do you tell/explain cancer, surgery and death to a 5½ year old? I’ve contemplated this thought for the past couple weeks after learning that my mom has breast cancer and is getting surgery. The prognosis is good because they caught it early, but it doesn’t change the thoughts going through my head.
Chloe asked at dinner Sunday night why her Nana was getting surgery (after hearing me say something about it to Salvacion). I told Chloe that her Nana had cancer, but this meant nothing to her. So, of course she asked what cancer was. I explained to her that it was an illness Nana had that the doctors were going to remove through surgery – that way she would be healthy. Chloe seemed to accept that explanation even though I don’t think she understood fully.
It made me think though about the worst case scenario. How would I explain death to Chloe? How do you tell a 5½ year old that she will never be able to see a person again (on this Earth)? Would she understand that? How would she respond to losing her favorite Grandparent?
Before, it was easy because I only had to worry about my own emotional state. Now I have this little girl that depends on me (and Salvacion). How would she handle it and how would I explain it? Even when Chloe was younger it was easier because she wasn’t forming long-term memories yet. I can’t protect her forever, but when and how much do you let her experience, and at what age? It’s a new and difficult path to traverse.
The surgery is today and so far so good. I should hear the final word this evening and hopefully we'll be able to visit my mom soon. We had Chloe call this morning to tell her Nana she would be thinking about her. We prayed for her at bedtime Monday night as well. It's all in God's hands now.
Chloe asked at dinner Sunday night why her Nana was getting surgery (after hearing me say something about it to Salvacion). I told Chloe that her Nana had cancer, but this meant nothing to her. So, of course she asked what cancer was. I explained to her that it was an illness Nana had that the doctors were going to remove through surgery – that way she would be healthy. Chloe seemed to accept that explanation even though I don’t think she understood fully.
It made me think though about the worst case scenario. How would I explain death to Chloe? How do you tell a 5½ year old that she will never be able to see a person again (on this Earth)? Would she understand that? How would she respond to losing her favorite Grandparent?
Before, it was easy because I only had to worry about my own emotional state. Now I have this little girl that depends on me (and Salvacion). How would she handle it and how would I explain it? Even when Chloe was younger it was easier because she wasn’t forming long-term memories yet. I can’t protect her forever, but when and how much do you let her experience, and at what age? It’s a new and difficult path to traverse.
The surgery is today and so far so good. I should hear the final word this evening and hopefully we'll be able to visit my mom soon. We had Chloe call this morning to tell her Nana she would be thinking about her. We prayed for her at bedtime Monday night as well. It's all in God's hands now.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Odyssey of the Mind
Chloe is going to be in Odyssey of the Mind (OM). Her teacher recommended her for it and we think it is a great outlet for her. From what I know about OM it’s more about creativity than intelligence. She’s already showing us how smart she is, but I really want to cultivate other aspects as well. Soccer helps with her athletics – her hand to eye and foot to eye coordination. Her schoolwork is helping her to grow mentally. She loves to read and she's getting very good at math as well. This will help her to grow creatively and socially.
Adding another commitment to her schedule brought up a topic of conversation for us. Salvacion and I agreed that we are going to limit Chloe to two extracurricular activities at a time. We don’t want to stretch her too thin and we want her to learn not to over-commit. Right now, she will be allowed to do OM and soccer (although the current soccer season is almost over). We don’t want activities to conflict with each other because then she won’t get the most out of either. It also frustrates the others involved when someone is less than fully committed.
I always wondered what they did in OM and I learned a little bit about it from a buddy in high school. He is the one that told me it was more about creativity than intelligence. It made sense. They are given problems to solve and they try to come up with creative solutions. They try to think "outside the box." Salvacion may end up being the coach for Chloe’s team. The coach really only helps organize things – sort of keeps the kids focused and on track. We’ll see how Chloe likes it.
Adding another commitment to her schedule brought up a topic of conversation for us. Salvacion and I agreed that we are going to limit Chloe to two extracurricular activities at a time. We don’t want to stretch her too thin and we want her to learn not to over-commit. Right now, she will be allowed to do OM and soccer (although the current soccer season is almost over). We don’t want activities to conflict with each other because then she won’t get the most out of either. It also frustrates the others involved when someone is less than fully committed.
I always wondered what they did in OM and I learned a little bit about it from a buddy in high school. He is the one that told me it was more about creativity than intelligence. It made sense. They are given problems to solve and they try to come up with creative solutions. They try to think "outside the box." Salvacion may end up being the coach for Chloe’s team. The coach really only helps organize things – sort of keeps the kids focused and on track. We’ll see how Chloe likes it.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
360 Degrees
My Xbox 360 died last week. I decided to play a game after being home with a headache all morning. I was finally feeling better that afternoon (though not 100%) after sleeping most of the morning and eating some lunch. I didn’t feel like doing much else and didn’t want to go back to bed.
I turned on the machine and started playing some Tiger Woods 2008. After about 20 minutes the screen got very pixilated and the color was off in areas. My first thought was that the TV had gone bad and I was almost ready to panic because it isn’t even a year old yet. After calming myself I decided to try to figure out the source of the issue.
First I tried changing the TV to regular television mode and everything looked fine. The local HD TV station looked crisp and clear with no problems. The TV itself was OK. Good, but what could it be? I went back to the input from the Xbox and it still looked the same. I played one hole of golf that way thinking it might correct itself, but it didn’t (and I didn’t score well with the odd screen). I tried turning the TV off and letting it sit for a few seconds. I thought that might reset something. It was still the same once powered back up. At that point I knew it was either the Xbox or the TV’s input.
The next thing I thought to do was get out of the game to try changing the video display settings of the Xbox. I did just that, changing the settings to 1080i and even 720p. Still the same, so I changed it back to 1080p. Next I thought I should try powering down the Xbox and powering it back up. If the problem persisted, I figured I could try the other component input on the TV (if I ever buy a HDMI cable I’ll switch to that type of connector). When I tried to turn on the Xbox it came up with an error message on the screen and a single red light around the power button.
Panic and frustration really set in at that point. I had no idea what E 74 error code meant, but I knew I didn’t see three red lights (red ring of death). Red ring of death is a free repair at least, but I didn’t have that and I thought I’d have to buy a new Xbox (which we really can’t afford to do). I didn’t know what to do. I tried powering down and back up, but got the same results. It was toast.
Remembering that Mike’s machine died on him I started to call to ask him questions about it. Then I thought maybe I should check out what the error message actually meant first. After getting online over dial-up I found out the E 74 error is basically equivalent to the red ring of death and gets a free repair within the extended 3-year warranty. I felt a little better knowing we wouldn’t have to shell out any money. I started the repair request process, printed the shipping label, packed it up and got it ready to go.
Now I’m just waiting to get it back. It’s already fixed according to the online status. The service was quicker than I expected, so hats off to Microsoft on this one. I’m just waiting for the 360 to make a full 360 and return to me.
I turned on the machine and started playing some Tiger Woods 2008. After about 20 minutes the screen got very pixilated and the color was off in areas. My first thought was that the TV had gone bad and I was almost ready to panic because it isn’t even a year old yet. After calming myself I decided to try to figure out the source of the issue.
First I tried changing the TV to regular television mode and everything looked fine. The local HD TV station looked crisp and clear with no problems. The TV itself was OK. Good, but what could it be? I went back to the input from the Xbox and it still looked the same. I played one hole of golf that way thinking it might correct itself, but it didn’t (and I didn’t score well with the odd screen). I tried turning the TV off and letting it sit for a few seconds. I thought that might reset something. It was still the same once powered back up. At that point I knew it was either the Xbox or the TV’s input.
The next thing I thought to do was get out of the game to try changing the video display settings of the Xbox. I did just that, changing the settings to 1080i and even 720p. Still the same, so I changed it back to 1080p. Next I thought I should try powering down the Xbox and powering it back up. If the problem persisted, I figured I could try the other component input on the TV (if I ever buy a HDMI cable I’ll switch to that type of connector). When I tried to turn on the Xbox it came up with an error message on the screen and a single red light around the power button.
Panic and frustration really set in at that point. I had no idea what E 74 error code meant, but I knew I didn’t see three red lights (red ring of death). Red ring of death is a free repair at least, but I didn’t have that and I thought I’d have to buy a new Xbox (which we really can’t afford to do). I didn’t know what to do. I tried powering down and back up, but got the same results. It was toast.
Remembering that Mike’s machine died on him I started to call to ask him questions about it. Then I thought maybe I should check out what the error message actually meant first. After getting online over dial-up I found out the E 74 error is basically equivalent to the red ring of death and gets a free repair within the extended 3-year warranty. I felt a little better knowing we wouldn’t have to shell out any money. I started the repair request process, printed the shipping label, packed it up and got it ready to go.
Now I’m just waiting to get it back. It’s already fixed according to the online status. The service was quicker than I expected, so hats off to Microsoft on this one. I’m just waiting for the 360 to make a full 360 and return to me.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Nationally licensed
It is official. I received my certificate in the mail and am now a nationally licensed coach through the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). I have my National D License.
The course was good and I learned a bunch from the staff. I made a few friends, even if they are long distance. I got my certification and now I'm thinking about the next step. The next step is the USSF National C License.
The C course is a serious commitment. I think it is 7-10 days and costs a little over $1000. I'm not sure how that's all going to work out yet, but the club may foot the bill if I sign an agreement to coach for them for a couple years following.
I can't take the course until next Summer/Fall anyway because I have to hold the D for at least a year first. So, I have some time to think about it and work out the details. I don't know where this is going, but it feels right.
The course was good and I learned a bunch from the staff. I made a few friends, even if they are long distance. I got my certification and now I'm thinking about the next step. The next step is the USSF National C License.
The C course is a serious commitment. I think it is 7-10 days and costs a little over $1000. I'm not sure how that's all going to work out yet, but the club may foot the bill if I sign an agreement to coach for them for a couple years following.
I can't take the course until next Summer/Fall anyway because I have to hold the D for at least a year first. So, I have some time to think about it and work out the details. I don't know where this is going, but it feels right.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Goodbye kindergarten
Chloe, with some trepidation, moved up to 1st grade last Tuesday. She hasn’t looked back and loves every minute of it. The teachers told us she was ready and I guess she was. She wasn’t so sure, but everything seems fine.
She was anxious Monday night – afraid that she wouldn’t like it. She cried a good bit about it and even the following morning was still emotionally unsure. I talked to her and told her to give it a try. I told her if she didn’t like it that we could talk about it Tuesday night. The only conversation was about how great it was. It’s a done deal.
She did say something funny to me late last week about it though. She said that at the end of the year her class mates would move up to 2nd grade. She said she thought she would stay with them and not skip 2nd grade. I kind of laughed. She doesn’t realize it isn’t that common to skip a grade and even less to skip a second time. I told her let's worry about getting through 1st grade before we worry about that.
She was anxious Monday night – afraid that she wouldn’t like it. She cried a good bit about it and even the following morning was still emotionally unsure. I talked to her and told her to give it a try. I told her if she didn’t like it that we could talk about it Tuesday night. The only conversation was about how great it was. It’s a done deal.
She did say something funny to me late last week about it though. She said that at the end of the year her class mates would move up to 2nd grade. She said she thought she would stay with them and not skip 2nd grade. I kind of laughed. She doesn’t realize it isn’t that common to skip a grade and even less to skip a second time. I told her let's worry about getting through 1st grade before we worry about that.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hybrid diesel
I pondered the idea of a hybrid diesel over six years ago. I’m glad to see a carmaker finally put some brainpower into this worthwhile idea. I can’t believe it took that long for one of them to bring the idea to the table though. The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is on the right track, even if it is only a concept at this point.
If I could think of it six years ago, how is it that we only now have a prototype? I would think the engineers would be able to think of the idea and begin working on it before little old me. With that assumption, why did it take so long to bring the concept car to bear? I know there is a lot involved, but the problems we see now with vehicles were already evident then. Today it is just super-pronounced to the point that everyone can see it.
Now here comes the real challenge, delivering a package that the average person can afford. Since this is a BMW, I doubt that will happen. “It’s not easy being green,” is an understatement. Only the wealthy can afford such a pious status. It’s good to have the option out there though. Perhaps one day I'll be able to consider such a purchase.
If I could think of it six years ago, how is it that we only now have a prototype? I would think the engineers would be able to think of the idea and begin working on it before little old me. With that assumption, why did it take so long to bring the concept car to bear? I know there is a lot involved, but the problems we see now with vehicles were already evident then. Today it is just super-pronounced to the point that everyone can see it.
Now here comes the real challenge, delivering a package that the average person can afford. Since this is a BMW, I doubt that will happen. “It’s not easy being green,” is an understatement. Only the wealthy can afford such a pious status. It’s good to have the option out there though. Perhaps one day I'll be able to consider such a purchase.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I'm amazed
Chloe continues to amaze me. I knew it would be an adventure being a parent, but nothing prepares you for it. I am constantly amazed at how quickly Chloe learns and how smarts she is. I think she is the perfect blend of Salvacion’s and my traits. She has my natural curiosity and memory skills, but she has Salvacion’s concentration and focus to go along with it. She loves to read books and is technology savvy. The blend of exposure and curiosity has fostered intelligence beyond all my expectations and beliefs.
After being tops in her class last year in Pre-K, she started Kindergarten this year. Already she is well beyond her peers. She goes to 1st grade for reading and the 1st grade teacher tells us she is in the top reading group in that class. They began testing her this week and Chloe is beyond what we could have imagined. I want to say I’m proud of her, but I’m not really. I’m amazed.
Her spelling came out at a 2nd-3rd grade level (if I read the test results correctly), her word recognition came out at a 4th grade level and they haven’t administered the reading comprehension test yet. They also gave her the math assessment given to 1st graders at the end of the year and she passed it. She missed four (4) problems out of 30. Again, this was a post 1st grade test and she just started kindergarten. I’m blown away by what the teachers have told us so far. Her kindergarten teacher and her 1st grade teacher both think she can move up to 1st grade without any problem. The 1st grade teacher said that she would not only fit in the 1st grade class, she would be in the top group of kids. Wow!
I would maybe feel proud if I thought we had done anything special. I do keep telling Salvacion that Chloe doesn’t live in the average US home either. We don’t have cable television or high speed internet. We don’t live in a subdivision with a lot of other families. We eat dinner together, as a family, most nights and try to have family time weekly. Salvacion is a stay-at-home mom, which isn’t commonplace anymore. I used to think it was the environment, but I wonder if it’s also the person. She is excelling beyond anything I could have imagined.
It kind of brings a tear to my eye because I think she may have the right combination of traits to be truly great and influential on a scale that most people only dream about. I’m just happy to be the parent and a part of it all, really. She seems to have inherited the good traits from Salvacion and me, without too many of the flaws. Maybe it’s too early to tell, but I can truly see her doing anything she wants in life. I’m just amazed by what’s she’s done already, I’m beginning to realize that she’s got a long ways to go before she’s through. I can’t wait to see what is yet to come.
After being tops in her class last year in Pre-K, she started Kindergarten this year. Already she is well beyond her peers. She goes to 1st grade for reading and the 1st grade teacher tells us she is in the top reading group in that class. They began testing her this week and Chloe is beyond what we could have imagined. I want to say I’m proud of her, but I’m not really. I’m amazed.
Her spelling came out at a 2nd-3rd grade level (if I read the test results correctly), her word recognition came out at a 4th grade level and they haven’t administered the reading comprehension test yet. They also gave her the math assessment given to 1st graders at the end of the year and she passed it. She missed four (4) problems out of 30. Again, this was a post 1st grade test and she just started kindergarten. I’m blown away by what the teachers have told us so far. Her kindergarten teacher and her 1st grade teacher both think she can move up to 1st grade without any problem. The 1st grade teacher said that she would not only fit in the 1st grade class, she would be in the top group of kids. Wow!
I would maybe feel proud if I thought we had done anything special. I do keep telling Salvacion that Chloe doesn’t live in the average US home either. We don’t have cable television or high speed internet. We don’t live in a subdivision with a lot of other families. We eat dinner together, as a family, most nights and try to have family time weekly. Salvacion is a stay-at-home mom, which isn’t commonplace anymore. I used to think it was the environment, but I wonder if it’s also the person. She is excelling beyond anything I could have imagined.
It kind of brings a tear to my eye because I think she may have the right combination of traits to be truly great and influential on a scale that most people only dream about. I’m just happy to be the parent and a part of it all, really. She seems to have inherited the good traits from Salvacion and me, without too many of the flaws. Maybe it’s too early to tell, but I can truly see her doing anything she wants in life. I’m just amazed by what’s she’s done already, I’m beginning to realize that she’s got a long ways to go before she’s through. I can’t wait to see what is yet to come.
Monday, August 31, 2009
National D
I just finished taking the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) D license course in Washington, DC. It was hosted by DC Stoddert Soccer and the lead instructor was Len Oliver. I won’t know the final results for another 4-6 weeks, but I’m pretty confident that I achieved the national license level. My goal is still to obtain the national C license before deciding anything further. The C level and beyond is a major commitment of time and money. That’s why I did not set my goal any higher than C for now.
Len Oliver is quite an amazing guy and his course was equally enjoyable. Len is a former national and professional player. He has helped to move the sport forward in the US as much as anyone in the history of the sport here (save maybe Pele). He has trained over 4200 coaches since beginning this role as a coaching instructor. He knows many people in the sport and attends most, if not all, of the DC United games at home. Len has a great love and knowledge of the game at a level you rarely see in the US. What is truly amazing is that even at his age he still gets out there and does his part to further the sport. He is still an active coach with DC Stoddert and instructs new coaches through the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) regularly. I’m glad to have been one of those coaches.
Len Oliver is quite an amazing guy and his course was equally enjoyable. Len is a former national and professional player. He has helped to move the sport forward in the US as much as anyone in the history of the sport here (save maybe Pele). He has trained over 4200 coaches since beginning this role as a coaching instructor. He knows many people in the sport and attends most, if not all, of the DC United games at home. Len has a great love and knowledge of the game at a level you rarely see in the US. What is truly amazing is that even at his age he still gets out there and does his part to further the sport. He is still an active coach with DC Stoddert and instructs new coaches through the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) regularly. I’m glad to have been one of those coaches.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Two-faced hypocrites
Democrats are the champions of minority groups, or at least that’s what they claim. However, even if I believed that, times they are a changing. These days, they are letting all that power in Washington DC go to their collective heads. They are hypocrites, at best. At worst, they are something much more evil.
Democrats are calling the recent fiery debates over healthcare reform a political stunt by the Republican Party. Republicans may or may not be behind the mobilization of these people, but it doesn’t change the fact that there are a lot of people in this country against their proposed healthcare reform. Democrats are choosing to marginalize those with differing opinions by saying they are pawns of the Republican Party. Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of the opposition, they choose to claim that it is only a small few manipulated by and organized by the Republican Party. Democrats seem to think there are no real people against their proposed healthcare reform. I assure you there are real people in this country that do not want government-run healthcare.
And another thing that bugs me, why are they rushing this bill through Congress? It’s like a used car salesman rushing you to sign on the dotted line. I want to be given ample time to read this bill (well, not me personally) and time to think about the pros and cons of it. Rushing it through the way they are and glossing over it raises big red flags for me. What is in there that the people in Congress don’t want us to see?
If they are not hypocrites then they must be something worse. They misled so many American’s into putting them in power, and now they have no better ideas than the last bunch. Why do so many people trade the enemy you know for the enemy you don’t know? Is this the change you can believe in? If it is then our problems only got worse. If you think about it, he never said what kind of change, just a change. Now all those duped people are learning what kind of change. I started calling him Snobama last fall. I doubt the media will ever follow suit.
Democrats are calling the recent fiery debates over healthcare reform a political stunt by the Republican Party. Republicans may or may not be behind the mobilization of these people, but it doesn’t change the fact that there are a lot of people in this country against their proposed healthcare reform. Democrats are choosing to marginalize those with differing opinions by saying they are pawns of the Republican Party. Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of the opposition, they choose to claim that it is only a small few manipulated by and organized by the Republican Party. Democrats seem to think there are no real people against their proposed healthcare reform. I assure you there are real people in this country that do not want government-run healthcare.
And another thing that bugs me, why are they rushing this bill through Congress? It’s like a used car salesman rushing you to sign on the dotted line. I want to be given ample time to read this bill (well, not me personally) and time to think about the pros and cons of it. Rushing it through the way they are and glossing over it raises big red flags for me. What is in there that the people in Congress don’t want us to see?
If they are not hypocrites then they must be something worse. They misled so many American’s into putting them in power, and now they have no better ideas than the last bunch. Why do so many people trade the enemy you know for the enemy you don’t know? Is this the change you can believe in? If it is then our problems only got worse. If you think about it, he never said what kind of change, just a change. Now all those duped people are learning what kind of change. I started calling him Snobama last fall. I doubt the media will ever follow suit.
Friday, July 31, 2009
More on spanking
I feel the need to discuss this spanking in schools issue a little more. There are a lot of “experts” out there that want to dismiss it off-hand. They say it isn’t effective and that it creates an environment of fear that is not conducive to education. The problem is, like most things, you can’t make generalizations. Even the principal from the story I quoted earlier in my blog was quick to point out it isn’t the magic bullet, quick-fix answer to everything for his school (or any other school for that matter). What he does see it as, I think, is a tool – and an effective one at that. Sometimes, and with some children, you need a way to escalate punishment. That’s one of the main reasons for administration’s involvement in the punishment process. Otherwise you’ll get instructors spending their time disciplining kids instead of teaching them. No one wants that.
The big reason corporal punishment has gone away is liability. Schools don’t want to be on the hook for possible abusive situations and so they keep a hands-off policy for faculty. I can understand that in this sue-happy day and age. Still, liability aside, it’s hard to argue against the methodology which is not only effective, but makes sense. Most schools send unruly students home on suspension as a last resort. Really though, what good is that? You’re taking away their access to a better future, and believe me they don’t know or care. They don’t understand what a difference education can make for them until it’s too late. “While suspensions take kids out of the classroom for days, paddling could be done in 15 minutes…. ‘This way there's an immediate response, and the child is right back in the room learning.’” When the majority of parents are OK with corporal punishment it’s usually because that is what happens at home. Sending them home for a few days means they still get the corporal punishment, but you have hindered their ability to get a good education. This school is just cutting out the middleman and making sure the kids get the education they need. As Nixon says, "What are we here to do? Educate."
Experts though have to make sure everyone believes them:
I remember getting spanked in school and that was the norm during my time. What I don’t remember is a lot of fights and kids bringing guns to school or having sex with teachers. Kids today have this sense of invulnerability and entitlement that wasn’t present two decades ago, or earlier. Times are different, yes, but times are also the same. How does suspension not create “an atmosphere of fear” at its root? Isn’t that the general idea of punishment in practice to make the person receiving it not want it again? Or is Nadine suggesting that we never punish kids at all? That’s not preparing them for the real world where you can and do go to jail for stealing (among other offenses).
I believe corporal punishment is appropriate in some situations, but not all. We use time-out, reward and praise for good behavior, grounding and other basic parenting techniques. However, sometimes those just don’t get the message through – the lesson isn’t learned. There are also times when other methods just aren’t effective. Spanking is just another tool. When used properly and lovingly by a parent it can do the job intended, but like most things it can also be abused. It’s really as much about the parent as it is about the child. By making parents feel bad that they spank their kids they are pushed to do it only in private. That creates the opportunity for mistakes because other parents can’t critique the methodology they witness and offer feedback. Parents are hesitant to even mention they spank their kids these days in conversation with other parents. It isn’t always abuse and I really wish they would stop the slandering campaign. Sometimes tough love means punishment and too many parents are doing it all wrong, or worse, not at all.
The big reason corporal punishment has gone away is liability. Schools don’t want to be on the hook for possible abusive situations and so they keep a hands-off policy for faculty. I can understand that in this sue-happy day and age. Still, liability aside, it’s hard to argue against the methodology which is not only effective, but makes sense. Most schools send unruly students home on suspension as a last resort. Really though, what good is that? You’re taking away their access to a better future, and believe me they don’t know or care. They don’t understand what a difference education can make for them until it’s too late. “While suspensions take kids out of the classroom for days, paddling could be done in 15 minutes…. ‘This way there's an immediate response, and the child is right back in the room learning.’” When the majority of parents are OK with corporal punishment it’s usually because that is what happens at home. Sending them home for a few days means they still get the corporal punishment, but you have hindered their ability to get a good education. This school is just cutting out the middleman and making sure the kids get the education they need. As Nixon says, "What are we here to do? Educate."
Experts though have to make sure everyone believes them:
"Most education scholars consider it abusive, helpful only in the short term and even predictive of future violence. ‘This is not a practice for the 21st century,’ says Nadine Block, executive director of the Center for Effective Discipline in Ohio. ‘Maybe for the 18th century. An atmosphere of fear is not going to increase learning. Maybe temporarily. But over time, it does not work.’"
I remember getting spanked in school and that was the norm during my time. What I don’t remember is a lot of fights and kids bringing guns to school or having sex with teachers. Kids today have this sense of invulnerability and entitlement that wasn’t present two decades ago, or earlier. Times are different, yes, but times are also the same. How does suspension not create “an atmosphere of fear” at its root? Isn’t that the general idea of punishment in practice to make the person receiving it not want it again? Or is Nadine suggesting that we never punish kids at all? That’s not preparing them for the real world where you can and do go to jail for stealing (among other offenses).
I believe corporal punishment is appropriate in some situations, but not all. We use time-out, reward and praise for good behavior, grounding and other basic parenting techniques. However, sometimes those just don’t get the message through – the lesson isn’t learned. There are also times when other methods just aren’t effective. Spanking is just another tool. When used properly and lovingly by a parent it can do the job intended, but like most things it can also be abused. It’s really as much about the parent as it is about the child. By making parents feel bad that they spank their kids they are pushed to do it only in private. That creates the opportunity for mistakes because other parents can’t critique the methodology they witness and offer feedback. Parents are hesitant to even mention they spank their kids these days in conversation with other parents. It isn’t always abuse and I really wish they would stop the slandering campaign. Sometimes tough love means punishment and too many parents are doing it all wrong, or worse, not at all.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Busy with soccer
Wow! Things have really been busy the last few weeks. I knew I hadn't posted to my blog in a while, but I didn't realize it had been so long. So much has been going on (mostly soccer) that I haven't had time to catch my breath and collect my thoughts.
Chloe finished the summer soccer program with CVU, although she sat out the last night pouting the entire time. We also found out that CVU runs a recreational program for younger players in the fall. We are going to try to get Chloe on the same team with Virginia in the hope that it will help Chloe enjoy playing in Lynchburg more. Those two really hit it off. Virginia tried to even encourage Chloe to join her on the field twice when Chloe was sitting out at the last session. When Chloe participated she truly got more out of the four week program in Lynchburg than she did the whole spring season in Bedford – Virginia was a bonus. I also now know the guy heading the recreational teams for CVU and he’s a very knowledgeable guy and former player.
I started coaching my U13 team last night. The other U13 coach and I combined teams for the first practice and had them scrimmage most of the time so we could see them play and get acquainted with the players. We also took this time to begin learning their names. We’ll see how many I get right on Wednesday when they will most likely be in different clothes. It went well and I already recognized some areas we need to work on. A big one is going to be fitness, so we’ll probably spend half the next practice on conditioning.
In about a month I’ll be headed off to a coaching course. I’ll be seeking my USSF D level license for soccer coaching. I have to go to Washington DC for two weekends in a row to get it, but luckily I’ll get to stay with Lance and Michele while I’m there. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to hang out a little even though I’m sure the course will wipe me out on Saturday and Sunday of both weekends. It will still be nice to hang out when I’m not in class – instead of being stuck in a hotel alone somewhere. I’m looking forward to it.
Chloe finished the summer soccer program with CVU, although she sat out the last night pouting the entire time. We also found out that CVU runs a recreational program for younger players in the fall. We are going to try to get Chloe on the same team with Virginia in the hope that it will help Chloe enjoy playing in Lynchburg more. Those two really hit it off. Virginia tried to even encourage Chloe to join her on the field twice when Chloe was sitting out at the last session. When Chloe participated she truly got more out of the four week program in Lynchburg than she did the whole spring season in Bedford – Virginia was a bonus. I also now know the guy heading the recreational teams for CVU and he’s a very knowledgeable guy and former player.
I started coaching my U13 team last night. The other U13 coach and I combined teams for the first practice and had them scrimmage most of the time so we could see them play and get acquainted with the players. We also took this time to begin learning their names. We’ll see how many I get right on Wednesday when they will most likely be in different clothes. It went well and I already recognized some areas we need to work on. A big one is going to be fitness, so we’ll probably spend half the next practice on conditioning.
In about a month I’ll be headed off to a coaching course. I’ll be seeking my USSF D level license for soccer coaching. I have to go to Washington DC for two weekends in a row to get it, but luckily I’ll get to stay with Lance and Michele while I’m there. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to hang out a little even though I’m sure the course will wipe me out on Saturday and Sunday of both weekends. It will still be nice to hang out when I’m not in class – instead of being stuck in a hotel alone somewhere. I’m looking forward to it.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Youthful innocence
Chloe is really starting to like soccer. I’m glad. She doesn’t have to play because I do, but she chooses to do so and she is genuinely enjoying it. I wouldn’t force her to play at this age because it wouldn’t really do any good. I saw she was old enough to play and asked her if she was interested. She said, “Yes” very enthusiastically, so we signed her up.
She played in the Recreation League this past spring. It took her a while to warm up to everything, but by the end she was getting the hang of it. Over the summer she had an opportunity to do a program with the travel soccer organization in Lynchburg. The program she is doing for children under 6 years old is designed to help them learn more basics. She is already getting more out of the summer program than she got out of the entire spring season (skill development wise). Yesterday was the second of four sessions. She and another girl started bonding the first week and continued this week.
Sometimes I’m envious of how effortlessly children do things, and making friends is one of those areas you lose as an adult. The complexities of life seep into the process and create a difficult endeavor for us. Here though, two little girls that didn’t know each other before the program started are now giving each other hugs and picking flowers together. They also play soccer pretty well together. Virginia is more aggressive about getting in there and kicking the ball and that really has helped encourage Chloe, I think.
The picture Salve took of them is just classic. Maybe if they live near enough to us the girls can play together after the summer session is over. Otherwise they may not see each other again until next summer. Who knows, maybe they’ll end up playing travel soccer together years from now and be best of friends. Then again, maybe neither will play beyond the age of 7 years old. Either way, I’m jealous of how they live in the moment with such ease.
She played in the Recreation League this past spring. It took her a while to warm up to everything, but by the end she was getting the hang of it. Over the summer she had an opportunity to do a program with the travel soccer organization in Lynchburg. The program she is doing for children under 6 years old is designed to help them learn more basics. She is already getting more out of the summer program than she got out of the entire spring season (skill development wise). Yesterday was the second of four sessions. She and another girl started bonding the first week and continued this week.
Sometimes I’m envious of how effortlessly children do things, and making friends is one of those areas you lose as an adult. The complexities of life seep into the process and create a difficult endeavor for us. Here though, two little girls that didn’t know each other before the program started are now giving each other hugs and picking flowers together. They also play soccer pretty well together. Virginia is more aggressive about getting in there and kicking the ball and that really has helped encourage Chloe, I think.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Substitutes
I've always said that subs make all the difference in adult soccer leagues. Yesterday proved me correct again. We had six (6) subs and the final score was 4-1 in our favor. The other team had no subs, but even with them would have struggled against us. We looked great despite missing our best player and at least one of our better players. Three of our players yesterday were brand new additions that we may pick up to replace the no-shows we’ve had so far. I’m thankful for all of them. I was also glad to see some other players that have been missing due to vacations.
This week is critical. We have a scrimmage scheduled for Tuesday night and hopefully another for Sunday (I’m still working on that one). Any players that haven’t been out to a game yet, and don’t make at least one scrimmage, I think we’ll have to drop. It doesn’t matter how good a player is if they don’t come to games. We also found the right line-up for our players, I think. We were trying to make a 3-5-2 work because we had so many mid-field players. We switched to a 4-4-2 to give us a more solid defense and it seems to have worked better. We also pushed our outside mid-fielders out wide and that created a couple of great opportunities. I think we’re going to stick with the 4-4-2. We started it out as a flat back four, but for the second half we pushed a little and played a stopper/sweeper. That seemed to have really made the difference as we really started opening up opportunities and occupying the middle of the field.
I had one good left-footed shot in the second half, but couldn’t get quite enough pace on the ball for a goal. I placed it well and the keeper had to dive for it, but it just needed a little more strength to find the net. I felt good in the mid-field, but I need to hold the ball and distribute better. As I continue to get back in shape I’ll be able to run up and down the field more readily as well. By the end of the season I should be able to run the center mid with Franz and be very effective.
This week is critical. We have a scrimmage scheduled for Tuesday night and hopefully another for Sunday (I’m still working on that one). Any players that haven’t been out to a game yet, and don’t make at least one scrimmage, I think we’ll have to drop. It doesn’t matter how good a player is if they don’t come to games. We also found the right line-up for our players, I think. We were trying to make a 3-5-2 work because we had so many mid-field players. We switched to a 4-4-2 to give us a more solid defense and it seems to have worked better. We also pushed our outside mid-fielders out wide and that created a couple of great opportunities. I think we’re going to stick with the 4-4-2. We started it out as a flat back four, but for the second half we pushed a little and played a stopper/sweeper. That seemed to have really made the difference as we really started opening up opportunities and occupying the middle of the field.
I had one good left-footed shot in the second half, but couldn’t get quite enough pace on the ball for a goal. I placed it well and the keeper had to dive for it, but it just needed a little more strength to find the net. I felt good in the mid-field, but I need to hold the ball and distribute better. As I continue to get back in shape I’ll be able to run up and down the field more readily as well. By the end of the season I should be able to run the center mid with Franz and be very effective.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Team management
It’s always a nightmare managing a team for adult leagues. After doing it twice in the past, I said I would never do it again. Yet here I stand experiencing many of the same problems. At least this time I have a partner in the process. Troy and I are making a good team for running this thing, even if it is frustrating at times.
The frustration comes from the lack of communication and the lack of responsibility by some players. I have no problem with people being out for vacations and sickness and what not. What gets under my skin is when you don’t hear anything and 4-5 players just don’t show up. We played with 11 players yesterday and 12 the Sunday before. We couldn’t pull enough of our own players for a mid-week scrimmage last week and had to borrow some stand-ins just to play. Two players actually told us they would be there yesterday and then were nowhere to be found. This all comes from a team roster of 21 players.
The good news is that money has been almost a non-issue. In the past I stupidly paid the team fee up front and tried to collect money after the fact. Let me tell you something, that doesn’t work. This time we had enough money to pay the team fee and get jerseys. Problem is I have overage I need to return, but can’t fully because there are a couple more players to collect money from. At least I’m not the only one out of pocket on this one. In the summers past I was out a couple hundred bucks each time – part of the reason I said never again.
When we do play and I am able to enjoy it, it’s great. I had a couple good looks yesterday and it’s exciting to be a part of it. I had one shot from about 22 yards out that went inches over the crossbar. A second great opportunity came from some passing with Franz. I made a looping run after passing him the ball and he played a ball over the defense, into space, for me to run on to for a chance (one-on-one with the keeper). I was a step or two too slow and the goalie rushed out to knock it away at the last second. So close! We would have had many more of those if I was in better shape and we had some substitutes. I’m hoping for better turn out and better results this coming week before the one week holiday break. We’ll see.
The frustration comes from the lack of communication and the lack of responsibility by some players. I have no problem with people being out for vacations and sickness and what not. What gets under my skin is when you don’t hear anything and 4-5 players just don’t show up. We played with 11 players yesterday and 12 the Sunday before. We couldn’t pull enough of our own players for a mid-week scrimmage last week and had to borrow some stand-ins just to play. Two players actually told us they would be there yesterday and then were nowhere to be found. This all comes from a team roster of 21 players.
The good news is that money has been almost a non-issue. In the past I stupidly paid the team fee up front and tried to collect money after the fact. Let me tell you something, that doesn’t work. This time we had enough money to pay the team fee and get jerseys. Problem is I have overage I need to return, but can’t fully because there are a couple more players to collect money from. At least I’m not the only one out of pocket on this one. In the summers past I was out a couple hundred bucks each time – part of the reason I said never again.
When we do play and I am able to enjoy it, it’s great. I had a couple good looks yesterday and it’s exciting to be a part of it. I had one shot from about 22 yards out that went inches over the crossbar. A second great opportunity came from some passing with Franz. I made a looping run after passing him the ball and he played a ball over the defense, into space, for me to run on to for a chance (one-on-one with the keeper). I was a step or two too slow and the goalie rushed out to knock it away at the last second. So close! We would have had many more of those if I was in better shape and we had some substitutes. I’m hoping for better turn out and better results this coming week before the one week holiday break. We’ll see.
Monday, June 15, 2009
It’s gold!
Below we see Sweet Baby Ray in his element. He demands attention. People wonder who he is, is he famous? I tell you he is so famous that he is infamous. No one can even hope or dream to attain the level of shear pimpness that is Sweet Baby Ray. See how the girls can’t get close enough to him – how they smile with enthusiasm at the thought of being one of his girls? See how the young men try to emulate his style? They want to look hard, but just pale in comparison to the master. He is so 3008 and everyone else is just so 2000 and late. Just look at him – even with all these young ladies flocking to his side he keeps a cool head. He always has on his poker face. See the stern look and the fist? He is showing all onlookers that he means business and no amount of flattery will keep him from the task at hand. I think he is about ready to collect some money from his girls. No one crosses Sweet Baby Ray – it’s bad for your health. He’s good to those that abide by his law, but for those that disobey there is only one result.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Butter Face
It seems like you can't listen to a Top 40 radio station the last few weeks without hearing Lady Gaga. While we were having fun at Ray's expense for his Bachelor party we heard the song Poker Face multiple times. We don't really care for it that much, but it does have a catchy beat. That's the insidious nature of pop music these days. It's so manufactured that it sounds good no matter who sings it or what the lyrical content is.
We began to talk about the song (particularly Salve’s disdain for it) and the alternate chorus Butter Face came out of my mouth (Bu-bu-bu-butter face, bu-bu-butter face). We all died laughing and I quickly thought of an opening lyric to match the actual song and the stomach pains ensued. Building on that idea, I decided to flesh out (no pun intended) the joke song lyrics a little more.
Try singing this alternative the next time you hear Poker Face. At the very least you’ll be thinking about it. :)
We began to talk about the song (particularly Salve’s disdain for it) and the alternate chorus Butter Face came out of my mouth (Bu-bu-bu-butter face, bu-bu-butter face). We all died laughing and I quickly thought of an opening lyric to match the actual song and the stomach pains ensued. Building on that idea, I decided to flesh out (no pun intended) the joke song lyrics a little more.
Butter Face (by Lady Nada)
I wanna bag it like they do at Burger King
Slide a bag over it baby it ain’t no big thing, I love it
Lust and Fornication are all you need to start
And after she’s been covered up her body does it’s part
Oh, oh, oh, That body’s hot, but her face is not [x2]
Can’t deny, if you try
No, you can see she’s a butter face
(though she’s got a smokin’ body) [x2]
B-b-b-butter face, b-b-butter face [x2]
I wanna hit it from the back so I won’t see
Else it is a gamble when she’s doing it with me, I love it
Don’t want to see her face, I would rather see them buns
And baby when I’m tappin’ that it can be loads of fun, fun
Oh, oh, oh, That body’s hot, but her face is not [x2]
Can’t deny, if you try
No, you can see she’s a butter face
(though she’s got a sexy body) [x2]
B-b-b-butter face, b-b-butter face [x2]
I won’t tell her that I love her
Kiss and hug her
Cause I’m stuffin’ little Miss Muffin
I’m not lying, I’m just stunnin’ with my love-glue-gunning
Just like a dance in a casino
They take the focus off her face now
I promise this, promise this
Check that body cause it’s marvelous
Can’t deny, if you try
No, you can see she’s a butter face
(though she’s got a smokin’ body) [x4]
B-b-b-butter face, b-b-butter face [x4]
Try singing this alternative the next time you hear Poker Face. At the very least you’ll be thinking about it. :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Good secrets
We recently had the dubious task of trying to get Chloe to keep a secret. Unfortunately, part of keeping that secret required some minor fibbing. This created quite the moral dilemma to explain to a five year old - a young mind used to the black and white rules that seem to govern her life.
Lying in general is not a good thing, but what do you do when it will ruin a greater event such as a surprise party or gift you are working on? How about when lying to one person is required to cover up for a promise you made to someone else? Lying for selfish reasons is wrong, but lying in a conflicted situation is a call each individual has to make for themselves, in that given situation. Does the captured soldier lie about where his comrades are in order to save their lives? Sometimes though these situations aren't so cut and dry, and sometimes one person draws the line closer to the chest than someone else.
Trying to explain the nuances of why it is OK to lie in this instance is difficult with a young mind. It is especially difficult when you consider that mind has been repeatedly told that lying is not a good thing to do - it's not nice. I don't know if she fully understood or if we confused her more, but lying will be something she will do to us and others whether we like it or not. The best we can do is teach her how to discern when lying is unavoidable and when it is purely selfish. Maybe then she will be able to feel fully accountable for her actions without being riddled with guilt.
Lying in general is not a good thing, but what do you do when it will ruin a greater event such as a surprise party or gift you are working on? How about when lying to one person is required to cover up for a promise you made to someone else? Lying for selfish reasons is wrong, but lying in a conflicted situation is a call each individual has to make for themselves, in that given situation. Does the captured soldier lie about where his comrades are in order to save their lives? Sometimes though these situations aren't so cut and dry, and sometimes one person draws the line closer to the chest than someone else.
Trying to explain the nuances of why it is OK to lie in this instance is difficult with a young mind. It is especially difficult when you consider that mind has been repeatedly told that lying is not a good thing to do - it's not nice. I don't know if she fully understood or if we confused her more, but lying will be something she will do to us and others whether we like it or not. The best we can do is teach her how to discern when lying is unavoidable and when it is purely selfish. Maybe then she will be able to feel fully accountable for her actions without being riddled with guilt.
Monday, May 04, 2009
That’s a paddlin’
Reading an article from Newsweek recently, I couldn’t help but think of the Simpsons episode where the old guy substitutes at the school and proceeds to tell the students about all the offenses that will result in a “paddlin’.” It was ridiculous and funny. The Newsweek article was not funny. It was about a struggling school in South Carolina that re-instituted corporal punishment. The “new” principal used it to turn the school around after years of disciplinary problems and poor academic performance. The school is in an area hit hard by the economic downturn – a place “where all but one of the major textile plants have closed, and where the leading local employer is the school system…. Nearly 90 percent of the kids…live below the poverty line.” Let me see if I can dissect this for my readers.
The school was in disarray. They had disciplinary problems so bad that a teacher quit and took her own child out of the school. The school’s academic performance was sub-standard. The economic downturn gave little hope to the people of the community and with a lack of good education the children were set to suffer the same fate as their parents (life below poverty level). In 2006 a young, inexperienced Administrator, named David Nixon took over as principal at one of the elementary schools and changed the paradigm. Though he did not come up with the idea to institute corporal punishment on his own, he did execute it well. Further evidence that he wasn’t planning this from the start, he didn’t even have his own paddle, “[h]e found it in a dusty cabinet in his predecessor's office.” No one knew if it had actually been used previously, but has since being discovered.
It all started:
So he didn’t just take it upon himself to start beating kids. He didn’t come in the door thinking “I’m going to teach these kids a thing or two.” It just sort of happened and the funny thing is it worked.
Every parent is given first authority over their child, and then secondly the school acts according to the offense. Parents know up-front how their child will be handled in disciplinary situations. Nixon also doesn’t spank kids for minor things like talking out of turn. He reserves the corporal punishment for what are considered major offenses – it is a last resort. Nixon isn’t always the one administering the punishment either:
Every thought has been given to the use of this punishment. It wasn’t something taken lightly, and there are clear guidelines and hesitancy in using the paddle.
Additionally, when paddling a female student is required, “then a female administrator does it.” Careful thought was put into the administering of corporal punishment at this school and for good reason. It could definitely be a liability nightmare if not handled carefully. The superintendant “is unsettled by the practice,” saying, “One has to be extremely careful with this.” It’s hard to argue with the results though. Since 2006 “referrals to the principal's office have dropped 80 percent.” The school also recently received three state awards, “one for academic performance and two for overall improvement—the school's first such honors in its 35-year history.” You have to think that has something to do with the kids spending more time in the classroom and less at home under non-corporal punishment.
You’ll get no arguments from me – it works.
The school was in disarray. They had disciplinary problems so bad that a teacher quit and took her own child out of the school. The school’s academic performance was sub-standard. The economic downturn gave little hope to the people of the community and with a lack of good education the children were set to suffer the same fate as their parents (life below poverty level). In 2006 a young, inexperienced Administrator, named David Nixon took over as principal at one of the elementary schools and changed the paradigm. Though he did not come up with the idea to institute corporal punishment on his own, he did execute it well. Further evidence that he wasn’t planning this from the start, he didn’t even have his own paddle, “[h]e found it in a dusty cabinet in his predecessor's office.” No one knew if it had actually been used previously, but has since being discovered.
It all started:
“Thirty minutes into his first day of school at John C, a father walked into Nixon's office and said, ‘I want to give you the authority to whip my son's butt.’ Nixon was surprised, but after he thought it over, he decided to give every parent the same option.”
So he didn’t just take it upon himself to start beating kids. He didn’t come in the door thinking “I’m going to teach these kids a thing or two.” It just sort of happened and the funny thing is it worked.
Every parent is given first authority over their child, and then secondly the school acts according to the offense. Parents know up-front how their child will be handled in disciplinary situations. Nixon also doesn’t spank kids for minor things like talking out of turn. He reserves the corporal punishment for what are considered major offenses – it is a last resort. Nixon isn’t always the one administering the punishment either:
“After a conversation in Nixon's office, the child was paddled at home. Parents are given the option of spanking their child themselves; on rare occasions, they come to the school and use their own belts.”
Every thought has been given to the use of this punishment. It wasn’t something taken lightly, and there are clear guidelines and hesitancy in using the paddle.
“Before he begins, though, he sits the child down for a quiet talk about why he, or she, is in trouble. He tries to determine if a deeper issue, such as a problem at home, might warrant a meeting with a counselor. If the child shows remorse, Nixon will often send him or her back to class without a spanking.”
Additionally, when paddling a female student is required, “then a female administrator does it.” Careful thought was put into the administering of corporal punishment at this school and for good reason. It could definitely be a liability nightmare if not handled carefully. The superintendant “is unsettled by the practice,” saying, “One has to be extremely careful with this.” It’s hard to argue with the results though. Since 2006 “referrals to the principal's office have dropped 80 percent.” The school also recently received three state awards, “one for academic performance and two for overall improvement—the school's first such honors in its 35-year history.” You have to think that has something to do with the kids spending more time in the classroom and less at home under non-corporal punishment.
You’ll get no arguments from me – it works.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Reading just isn't for me
I have to explain this all the time to people. I don't understand why people don't believe me, or just choose to think I'm an idiot. I don't like to read. I don't read books for leisure. I don’t get lost in books. I don’t have a problem putting a book down after I pick it up. I can wait forever to read the latest best seller. Reading just doesn’t do anything for me.
Now this isn’t to say I never read anything. I consume vast quantities of news and technology articles, but they come in small doses and I never spend that much time on any one topic or article. I get what I need and get out. I don’t need a lot of descriptive wording – just the facts ma’am.
I think my sister is finally starting to get it. A conversation we had recently finally helped her see the light, I hope. She asked me why people spend so much time in games like WoW. I told her it was like any other hobby. I said, “People spend time doing the things they enjoy. For example, I don’t understand why people spend so much time reading books.” Her face changed and I thought maybe this time it made sense to her – the light bulb lit. We’ll see if she got it.
I know she just wants to share the thing she loves to do with me and wants me to enjoy it as well. The problem is that I don’t. Like her though, so many people want to push me to read because THEY enjoy the hobby. It’s actually quite draining and a little unfair – especially since I don’t push my hobbies on them in equal return. It’s not like I push other people to go out and play soccer every chance I get. I share the fact that I play, but only in the sense of letting them know what I’ve been up to lately. I don't constantly ask why they aren't playing soccer this week.
Since it seems I need to defend my position on reading constantly, I'm doing it here and referencing it for future use. Here are a few quotes from some people you might have heard of:
I enjoy thinking and living life too much to spend time in books. Without knowing history you are doomed to repeat it is true, but if all you ever do is read about history you’re doomed to never see the future. I love thinking about a multitude of topics in depth. And although I may never have an original thought, how many people these days truly do? I like to discover things for myself as much as I like to hear about other’s discoveries. My question is this, what could you have discovered, created or accomplished while you were lost in that latest best seller? Is it better to read about life, or to live it?
Now this isn’t to say I never read anything. I consume vast quantities of news and technology articles, but they come in small doses and I never spend that much time on any one topic or article. I get what I need and get out. I don’t need a lot of descriptive wording – just the facts ma’am.
I think my sister is finally starting to get it. A conversation we had recently finally helped her see the light, I hope. She asked me why people spend so much time in games like WoW. I told her it was like any other hobby. I said, “People spend time doing the things they enjoy. For example, I don’t understand why people spend so much time reading books.” Her face changed and I thought maybe this time it made sense to her – the light bulb lit. We’ll see if she got it.
I know she just wants to share the thing she loves to do with me and wants me to enjoy it as well. The problem is that I don’t. Like her though, so many people want to push me to read because THEY enjoy the hobby. It’s actually quite draining and a little unfair – especially since I don’t push my hobbies on them in equal return. It’s not like I push other people to go out and play soccer every chance I get. I share the fact that I play, but only in the sense of letting them know what I’ve been up to lately. I don't constantly ask why they aren't playing soccer this week.
Since it seems I need to defend my position on reading constantly, I'm doing it here and referencing it for future use. Here are a few quotes from some people you might have heard of:
“The multitude of books is making us ignorant.” ~ Voltaire
“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” ~ Albert Einstein
“Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.” ~ Sir Arthur Helps
I enjoy thinking and living life too much to spend time in books. Without knowing history you are doomed to repeat it is true, but if all you ever do is read about history you’re doomed to never see the future. I love thinking about a multitude of topics in depth. And although I may never have an original thought, how many people these days truly do? I like to discover things for myself as much as I like to hear about other’s discoveries. My question is this, what could you have discovered, created or accomplished while you were lost in that latest best seller? Is it better to read about life, or to live it?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Women making more $
It is not just an occasional abnormality for a woman to make more than her spouse/partner these days. For many years before we got married Salvacion made more money than I did. She started working sooner and she got her degree. Even though she stays home now, she has the potential to make more money than me in a professional setting. It never really bothered me, other than the fact that for many years I made less than everyone I had been in school with. Of course that could just be a function of the fact that I left school without completing my degree.
So, even though women (as a whole) want equality, why do they complain about men who make less than they do? I read an article recounting the conversation of several women regarding the subject of dating men that make less money and the comments are quite astounding. I thought we were looking for equality here? As I’ve said in the past, don’t believe the lies – the women’s movement is not about equality.
“Dating a man without money is really tough because you end up paying for everything and that wears on you after awhile.” Really? Welcome to a man’s world baby. Why should it matter who pays for what in the relationship? I thought we were working towards equality here?
“It’s the romance and chivalry that women want—not the free meal.” Well, whether that’s true or not, I’m not about to deny I love getting a free meal. If it comes with a side of romance, well, that just means I don’t need to order dessert. But since you brought it up, why is a man expected to pick up the tab in this equality-driven age?
“Guys should also pay for dates early on. Career women are happy to pick up the tab when dating someone seriously, but in the early stages of dating, the guy should get the tab. It sets the stage for building a stronger relationship.” Oh, that’s right because we all know that when men pay for things it is the solid foundation on which all great relationships are built.
“It’s not that I couldn’t fall in love with someone who made less money than I do, but it would be difficult. I want to settle down with someone who can take care of me and support a family.” I thought women didn’t need men to take care of them in this day and age. Isn’t that a sexist thought now? I guess that falls in line with the whole “men should pay for dates” methodology. Learn them early that their money is your money – now I get it.
On the flip side though, “For a woman who’s on a limited budget and feels strapped, it’s scary to take on someone who’s making significantly less money.” Wow, you just described the majority of young men in America. Before you get your panties in a bunch, what I mean is that most young men are financially “strapped” yet still expected to pay for dates.
Welcome to equality ladies. It is sometimes ugly, but it’s what you said you wanted. If women are going to expect men to pay for dates then women should expect to make less money than men. It’s only fair that the men should make more if the women are always getting the free meal ticket. If women want equality then they better stop complaining and start ponying up the dough. Actually that's the problem – women are split on what they want.
So, even though women (as a whole) want equality, why do they complain about men who make less than they do? I read an article recounting the conversation of several women regarding the subject of dating men that make less money and the comments are quite astounding. I thought we were looking for equality here? As I’ve said in the past, don’t believe the lies – the women’s movement is not about equality.
“Dating a man without money is really tough because you end up paying for everything and that wears on you after awhile.” Really? Welcome to a man’s world baby. Why should it matter who pays for what in the relationship? I thought we were working towards equality here?
“It’s the romance and chivalry that women want—not the free meal.” Well, whether that’s true or not, I’m not about to deny I love getting a free meal. If it comes with a side of romance, well, that just means I don’t need to order dessert. But since you brought it up, why is a man expected to pick up the tab in this equality-driven age?
“Guys should also pay for dates early on. Career women are happy to pick up the tab when dating someone seriously, but in the early stages of dating, the guy should get the tab. It sets the stage for building a stronger relationship.” Oh, that’s right because we all know that when men pay for things it is the solid foundation on which all great relationships are built.
“It’s not that I couldn’t fall in love with someone who made less money than I do, but it would be difficult. I want to settle down with someone who can take care of me and support a family.” I thought women didn’t need men to take care of them in this day and age. Isn’t that a sexist thought now? I guess that falls in line with the whole “men should pay for dates” methodology. Learn them early that their money is your money – now I get it.
On the flip side though, “For a woman who’s on a limited budget and feels strapped, it’s scary to take on someone who’s making significantly less money.” Wow, you just described the majority of young men in America. Before you get your panties in a bunch, what I mean is that most young men are financially “strapped” yet still expected to pay for dates.
Welcome to equality ladies. It is sometimes ugly, but it’s what you said you wanted. If women are going to expect men to pay for dates then women should expect to make less money than men. It’s only fair that the men should make more if the women are always getting the free meal ticket. If women want equality then they better stop complaining and start ponying up the dough. Actually that's the problem – women are split on what they want.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Facebook takes a bite
Facebook has been eating up the time usually spent blogging. As a result the updates as of late have been fewer and further between. I may drop back to bi-weekly blog entries as a result. This is still the place for me to convey information and espouse about everything under the sun, but I’m spending more time on Facebook because it requires less effort.
I’ve posted some fun stuff on Facebook that you won’t find here as well. For example, I posted a note on Facebook listing the 20 most influential music albums I’ve owned. I also posted 25 random facts about me, which states I’ve been to and some of my additional Album Art game results. I don’t see any reason to transfer that stuff over here and have it all listed in two places.
As a result of making the list of influential albums, I went looking for some old tapes to listen to in the car during my commute to and from work. Since the commuting cars are both more than 15 years old, I don’t see any reason to update their stereos right this moment. They only have AM/FM/Tape and so I’ve been looking for things to listen too. The last two days I’ve been enjoying ZZ Top, Afterburner. I forgot how much I like this album. I played it in the boom box while at home Sunday, and Chloe said she liked it. She was dancing to the music and really excited. She sure does love music. I might just have to pick up this CD to listen to elsewhere.
I’ve also really been craving some Jazz. I’m thinking of just dropping a little cash on some Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong or Glenn Miller. I don’t think I can go wrong with any of these gentlemen. My music tastes must be shifting again. It’s probably about time.
I’ve posted some fun stuff on Facebook that you won’t find here as well. For example, I posted a note on Facebook listing the 20 most influential music albums I’ve owned. I also posted 25 random facts about me, which states I’ve been to and some of my additional Album Art game results. I don’t see any reason to transfer that stuff over here and have it all listed in two places.
As a result of making the list of influential albums, I went looking for some old tapes to listen to in the car during my commute to and from work. Since the commuting cars are both more than 15 years old, I don’t see any reason to update their stereos right this moment. They only have AM/FM/Tape and so I’ve been looking for things to listen too. The last two days I’ve been enjoying ZZ Top, Afterburner. I forgot how much I like this album. I played it in the boom box while at home Sunday, and Chloe said she liked it. She was dancing to the music and really excited. She sure does love music. I might just have to pick up this CD to listen to elsewhere.
I’ve also really been craving some Jazz. I’m thinking of just dropping a little cash on some Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong or Glenn Miller. I don’t think I can go wrong with any of these gentlemen. My music tastes must be shifting again. It’s probably about time.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Coach wil
I met with the director of one of the largest local youth soccer clubs this week. He is in desperate need of additional coaches for the coming year. A buddy mentioned my name and gave him my contact information so we’ve been chatting over email, and met to discuss things this past Wednesday evening.
I wanted to start out as an assistant coach, but the director is in need of head coaches right now more than anything. He is offering me a head coaching position with a second team of U13 (under 13 years of age) players. The pressure won’t be as bad as a first team, but it’s still my first time coaching. I’m a bit nervous about coaching a team on my own for the first time and the expectations parents, and even the players, may have. The director assures me that he will be more directly involved with teams run by new coaches and that with my background I should do fine. He said that I had to get my USSF D license over the summer for him to hire me, but that the club will pay for it. I liked that because I was already planning to do it, but out-of-pocket. He also said the club will provide a lot of the equipment I’ll need and money to defer costs of coaching. It all sounds good and maybe coaching with a large club is a good idea for beginning because of the support I can be offered (versus a small club). Another bonus is that the days of the week I would want to do practices are less desirable overall, so I shouldn’t have any scheduling conflicts for the fields. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I have no experience. At least I’m good at organizing events – that should come in handy.
I’ve had a couple of my teammates from Winter League express interest in assisting with coaching some, so that may be a huge help too. I’m planning to do it at this point, if for no other reason than to stay on track with my coaching license progression. I really want to move forward with that and go even beyond the D level. I need to do it now, while I’m still in relatively decent shape because it won’t get any easier as I get older. It’s going to take a significant time commitment on my part to do all this, but I’m ready. If I can do calculus and work full time, I can do this. Besides, I’m bound to enjoy this more than calculus homework. I just hope this doesn’t cut too much into the fun I have playing.
I wanted to start out as an assistant coach, but the director is in need of head coaches right now more than anything. He is offering me a head coaching position with a second team of U13 (under 13 years of age) players. The pressure won’t be as bad as a first team, but it’s still my first time coaching. I’m a bit nervous about coaching a team on my own for the first time and the expectations parents, and even the players, may have. The director assures me that he will be more directly involved with teams run by new coaches and that with my background I should do fine. He said that I had to get my USSF D license over the summer for him to hire me, but that the club will pay for it. I liked that because I was already planning to do it, but out-of-pocket. He also said the club will provide a lot of the equipment I’ll need and money to defer costs of coaching. It all sounds good and maybe coaching with a large club is a good idea for beginning because of the support I can be offered (versus a small club). Another bonus is that the days of the week I would want to do practices are less desirable overall, so I shouldn’t have any scheduling conflicts for the fields. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I have no experience. At least I’m good at organizing events – that should come in handy.
I’ve had a couple of my teammates from Winter League express interest in assisting with coaching some, so that may be a huge help too. I’m planning to do it at this point, if for no other reason than to stay on track with my coaching license progression. I really want to move forward with that and go even beyond the D level. I need to do it now, while I’m still in relatively decent shape because it won’t get any easier as I get older. It’s going to take a significant time commitment on my part to do all this, but I’m ready. If I can do calculus and work full time, I can do this. Besides, I’m bound to enjoy this more than calculus homework. I just hope this doesn’t cut too much into the fun I have playing.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Organizing soccer
I've been a little busy wrapping things up with the team for the Over-30s Winter League and trying to recruit players for the Open Summer League. So, I've been a little slow to update my Blog, sorry. We will finish up the Winter League this Sunday with a game against the Lynchburg College Club team (no, they are not over-30) but more on that later.
This past weekend was quite the adventure and our team was angry over the game results. We played a team that finished the season in third place. They were technically tied with us at the end of the season with a 7-2 record, but we were given the number two seed because we won the regular season match-up (albeit forfeit). The team is good, but we came on strong at the end of the season and would have beaten them had they not cheated. This is not just the whining of a sore loser. Keep in mind this is supposedly an Over-30s league.
They are a team consisting of more-than-half under-30s players – while we had 10 over-30s players (two of which were over-40). However, for the tournament match against us they brought another under-30 player that is an offensive ringer – a goal scoring machine. This guy will score if you give him the ball and some space – it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of how much. The problem is that he didn’t play with them all season long, and therefore should not have been allowed to play with them in the tournament (not to mention he wasn’t even near 30, let alone over-30). For the start of the game they only had seven players – the minimum number to not have to forfeit in these 8v8 games. Take away the illegal player and they were in a forfeit situation, but they were allowed to play. They had an eighth player join them shortly after the game started and in the second half they somehow magically produced 2-3 substitutes. This ineligible player scored four goals for them (not to mention he created two more). We lost the match 7-5, but most of the time the game play was actually in our favor. In fact, we came back from a deficit of 6-2 to make it 6-5. Plus, we missed two really close chances to tie the game and take the lead in the last five minutes of the game. We had complained about the illegal player before the match because more than half of our team knows the guy, at least by name. We continued our protest after the final whistle and were told that a decision would be made the next day regarding the game’s validity.
I followed up with an email to the guy running the league Monday morning that detailed our complaints about the results of the match. I also made note of the fact that the two teams in the final could not field one over-30s team between the two of them. The team which beat us and the other finals team (LC Club) couldn’t possibly be playing for the Over-30s League title because they weren’t over-30s teams to begin with. The head of the league made some concessions and now we are going to play LC Club this weekend. If we beat them, we should be awarded bragging rights since we are the only team to have beaten them (once already during the regular season, which they finished with an 8-1 record). If we lose to them we’ll move on – after all, they are 10-20 years our juniors.
Once that’s all done I’ll concentrate on pulling together our summer squad. The summer team will consist of the same core players (minus a couple) and add some young guys to the mix for legs. We are looking to be quite stacked for the summer league and should be in the hunt for the trophy. We will have a former semi-pro player, a former U17 international player, several former collegiate players, a couple former college club players and some young travel club players – and that’s just the ones that I know of. It should be fun if nothing else.
This past weekend was quite the adventure and our team was angry over the game results. We played a team that finished the season in third place. They were technically tied with us at the end of the season with a 7-2 record, but we were given the number two seed because we won the regular season match-up (albeit forfeit). The team is good, but we came on strong at the end of the season and would have beaten them had they not cheated. This is not just the whining of a sore loser. Keep in mind this is supposedly an Over-30s league.
They are a team consisting of more-than-half under-30s players – while we had 10 over-30s players (two of which were over-40). However, for the tournament match against us they brought another under-30 player that is an offensive ringer – a goal scoring machine. This guy will score if you give him the ball and some space – it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of how much. The problem is that he didn’t play with them all season long, and therefore should not have been allowed to play with them in the tournament (not to mention he wasn’t even near 30, let alone over-30). For the start of the game they only had seven players – the minimum number to not have to forfeit in these 8v8 games. Take away the illegal player and they were in a forfeit situation, but they were allowed to play. They had an eighth player join them shortly after the game started and in the second half they somehow magically produced 2-3 substitutes. This ineligible player scored four goals for them (not to mention he created two more). We lost the match 7-5, but most of the time the game play was actually in our favor. In fact, we came back from a deficit of 6-2 to make it 6-5. Plus, we missed two really close chances to tie the game and take the lead in the last five minutes of the game. We had complained about the illegal player before the match because more than half of our team knows the guy, at least by name. We continued our protest after the final whistle and were told that a decision would be made the next day regarding the game’s validity.
I followed up with an email to the guy running the league Monday morning that detailed our complaints about the results of the match. I also made note of the fact that the two teams in the final could not field one over-30s team between the two of them. The team which beat us and the other finals team (LC Club) couldn’t possibly be playing for the Over-30s League title because they weren’t over-30s teams to begin with. The head of the league made some concessions and now we are going to play LC Club this weekend. If we beat them, we should be awarded bragging rights since we are the only team to have beaten them (once already during the regular season, which they finished with an 8-1 record). If we lose to them we’ll move on – after all, they are 10-20 years our juniors.
Once that’s all done I’ll concentrate on pulling together our summer squad. The summer team will consist of the same core players (minus a couple) and add some young guys to the mix for legs. We are looking to be quite stacked for the summer league and should be in the hunt for the trophy. We will have a former semi-pro player, a former U17 international player, several former collegiate players, a couple former college club players and some young travel club players – and that’s just the ones that I know of. It should be fun if nothing else.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Fun Redo
The first result gave me a town name in Poland as the band name and a photo from what appears to be the middle-east. They didn’t go together and the band name made no sense. Also, the random album name almost made the whole thing seem a little questionably racist. A picture of two men dressed in Arab clothing pointing with the title “you have ceased to live” just seemed sketchy (given the current terrorist fearing public). Plus, I’d never be in a band named after a Polish town I’ve never heard of in the first place. Combine that with the photo that didn’t fit and the potentially problematic album title, and I feel the redo was justified.
The second image took a lot more work to create too. It was already a really cool image and the idea to place the album title in with the other text was one I just couldn’t pass up. I had to find the right font, color and texture to make it believable. Using my copy of Photoshop at work made the job a lot easier, but I had to get creative because the tools and skills used on this one were new to me. I think it came out well, though not perfect.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Global hot air
I read a good article by David Puner, of Good Magazine, about John Coleman and his take on global warming. I’d never heard of John Coleman before this article, but I like him. He is the guy that founded The Weather Channel (TWC). He was ahead of his time and he knows a thing or two about weather. He was ousted from The Weather Channel in 1983 when it didn’t turn a profit in the first year, “reportedly running $7 million in the red.” He couldn’t find additional funding sources/investors so Landmark Communications enacted a contract clause and pushed Coleman out of the organization. Right or wrong, TWC began turning a profit two years later and Landmark Communications made a staggering $3.5 billion from the sale of the cable channel in 2008.
He’s been a forecaster for over 50 years and he thinks Al Gore and the mainstream media are a bunch of fear mongers. John Coleman doesn’t buy into the science behind the phenomenon known as man-made climate change. He thinks (as I do) it is a part of normal climate change cycles that we’ve had a minor affect on at best. I’ve ranted before about how “we” think we know it all because we have a couple centuries of weather data. Based on those same scientists’ views on the age of the earth (hundreds of millions of years old, if not billions) that is a sliver of data. I didn’t know scientists base facts on less than one millionth of a percent of data. Maybe after a couple millennia of data I’ll begin to believe we have some clue as to what is happening on our planet. Even then, it would be questionable.
Coleman isn’t some lone quack either. “A petition…with the signatures of 31,000 scientists rejecting the U.N. consensus of man-made climate change” was presented just last May. “Nine thousand of the names reportedly belong to Ph.Ds.” Many people point to science and say the debate is over, but I think that arrogance and a political agenda should be taken with a grain of salt. Now, I realize that other science fields play into this discussion (such as geology) but do we really think that we fully know and understand all the factors involved? We have a hard time predicting weather for the next week even with all the technology and data currently available. I think a little patience could go a long way. Are we really as fragile as the dinosaurs?
Coleman has one thing right without question the media hasn’t bothered to vet the story completely and that’s not really a huge surprise. Coleman has been totally ignored by ABC, NBC, CBS – put down by CNN.
"Being a climate change dissenter isn’t sexy. Climate change has Hollywood…Al Gore and Barack Obama.... This is a star-driven society…I can’t be a star, I’m too old." I’m hoping someone charismatic and credible will pick up the baton from Coleman and run with it. If you want an interesting read, search for John Coleman on Good Magazine’s site.
He’s been a forecaster for over 50 years and he thinks Al Gore and the mainstream media are a bunch of fear mongers. John Coleman doesn’t buy into the science behind the phenomenon known as man-made climate change. He thinks (as I do) it is a part of normal climate change cycles that we’ve had a minor affect on at best. I’ve ranted before about how “we” think we know it all because we have a couple centuries of weather data. Based on those same scientists’ views on the age of the earth (hundreds of millions of years old, if not billions) that is a sliver of data. I didn’t know scientists base facts on less than one millionth of a percent of data. Maybe after a couple millennia of data I’ll begin to believe we have some clue as to what is happening on our planet. Even then, it would be questionable.
Coleman isn’t some lone quack either. “A petition…with the signatures of 31,000 scientists rejecting the U.N. consensus of man-made climate change” was presented just last May. “Nine thousand of the names reportedly belong to Ph.Ds.” Many people point to science and say the debate is over, but I think that arrogance and a political agenda should be taken with a grain of salt. Now, I realize that other science fields play into this discussion (such as geology) but do we really think that we fully know and understand all the factors involved? We have a hard time predicting weather for the next week even with all the technology and data currently available. I think a little patience could go a long way. Are we really as fragile as the dinosaurs?
Coleman has one thing right without question the media hasn’t bothered to vet the story completely and that’s not really a huge surprise. Coleman has been totally ignored by ABC, NBC, CBS – put down by CNN.
“You’ve got Al Gore. You’ve got the environmentalists. And then all the networks come aboard, because they love gloom and doom, the-end-is-near.... From Y2K to killer bees — God, give us something to tell people their lives are coming to an end — cancer scare, HIV, whatever we’ve got — let’s go, Man, scare the hell out of people....”
"Being a climate change dissenter isn’t sexy. Climate change has Hollywood…Al Gore and Barack Obama.... This is a star-driven society…I can’t be a star, I’m too old." I’m hoping someone charismatic and credible will pick up the baton from Coleman and run with it. If you want an interesting read, search for John Coleman on Good Magazine’s site.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
New HDTV
I’ve had a little more than a week with the new TV and it is really nice. We got a 46” Samsung Touch of Color LCD with 120Hz (the 750 model). I was originally looking at the model just below it (650), but when I compared prices on Amazon, the one we got was about $80 cheaper – even though it has more/better features. I guess they were trying to move old stock because Amazon no longer has the 750 and nobody has it for the price we paid. The next model up (850) is practically identical except that it is only 1.9 inches deep. The highest model (950) has LED backlighting and is about twice as expensive. I think we got a good deal and this TV is fairly future-proof. It should last us a long time. I’ve been happy with my Samsung purchases in the past, so I feel confident this will prove to be an enjoyable product as well.
I do wish we had high speed internet so we could take full advantage of all the features (OK, and so we could surf the web easier at home). If we had a broadband connection the TV could get RSS feeds for weather, news headlines and stocks that could be displayed onscreen with the click of a button on the remote (kind of cool). It’s not a major loss, but a neat feature. We’ll probably look at getting a Blu-ray player at some point so we can see true 1080p also. For now DVDs and over-the-air HD television look exceptional. We have a basic progressive scan DVD player – nothing special – and the TV displays an absolutely stunning picture when it up-converts to its native 1080p. The Xbox 360 looks amazing on it as well. You can see the difference in some games right away. The sound quality is pretty good for an LCD. Most LCDs don’t have very good sound, but this one is proving to be more than adequate. I even have the Xbox hooked up directly to the TV instead of going through the stereo. Since this TV has a built in Ethernet port for network connectivity, I hooked up the wireless router behind the TV. The TV and Xbox 360 are connected to the router (even though the router goes nowhere). The computers can now communicate with both devices. The TV (with the help of software) can browse my MP3, video and digital picture collections over the network. That’s pretty cool.
The picture quality on this TV is amazing. I think it may take me a while to get used to the 120Hz processing though. When it is turned all the way up on DVDs they look surreal. I have to turn it down right now because I can see it and the picture looks over-processed. I may get used to it with time, but I read online that some like it and some don’t. So far though, I’m loving the TV.
I do wish we had high speed internet so we could take full advantage of all the features (OK, and so we could surf the web easier at home). If we had a broadband connection the TV could get RSS feeds for weather, news headlines and stocks that could be displayed onscreen with the click of a button on the remote (kind of cool). It’s not a major loss, but a neat feature. We’ll probably look at getting a Blu-ray player at some point so we can see true 1080p also. For now DVDs and over-the-air HD television look exceptional. We have a basic progressive scan DVD player – nothing special – and the TV displays an absolutely stunning picture when it up-converts to its native 1080p. The Xbox 360 looks amazing on it as well. You can see the difference in some games right away. The sound quality is pretty good for an LCD. Most LCDs don’t have very good sound, but this one is proving to be more than adequate. I even have the Xbox hooked up directly to the TV instead of going through the stereo. Since this TV has a built in Ethernet port for network connectivity, I hooked up the wireless router behind the TV. The TV and Xbox 360 are connected to the router (even though the router goes nowhere). The computers can now communicate with both devices. The TV (with the help of software) can browse my MP3, video and digital picture collections over the network. That’s pretty cool.
The picture quality on this TV is amazing. I think it may take me a while to get used to the 120Hz processing though. When it is turned all the way up on DVDs they look surreal. I have to turn it down right now because I can see it and the picture looks over-processed. I may get used to it with time, but I read online that some like it and some don’t. So far though, I’m loving the TV.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Shut-up Pelosi
I’ve been somewhat impressed by Obama’s actions the first few days in office. Whether you like this stimulus package idea or not the fact that he’s trying to make the effort to work with Republicans is commendable. That is more than I can say for the Speaker of the House, Pelosi. She is the biggest partisan mouthpiece in Washington right now and I’m sick of hearing her slanderous crock of crap-ola.
I wrote previously in my blog of my disgust for her shenanigans, but she seems to continue to be disillusioned about the real world. In her fantasy world, everything wrong is the fault of the Republicans and everything right was brought about by Democrats. If it were that simple, there would be no need for an election. Her latest statements make it only more clear how mentally lost she truly is.
The American people didn’t agree with you. The American people voted for the lesser of two evils and/or for an end to partisanship. Many Americans voted against the war in Iraq or to stick it to the GOP because of their dislike of Bush. Some even voted for the historical significance of the election. However, when Pelosi was asked about how this package is relying on partisan support to pass she said:
Continued partisanship is not the change the American people voted for. Your answer also confuses me. Which “us” heard the American people? Is it the ones voting for the stimulus or the ones voting against partisanship? Take a cue from the new president. Whether his actions are all for show or genuine, at least he is making the effort. He doesn’t just hide behind the blame game. By Pelosi’s own words she condemns the Democrats because the American people voted for bipartisanship, not a stimulus package. Plus the Democrats have been in control of Congress for a couple years now. That clearly places a portion of the blame on them as well. A stimulus package was not part of the platform of change Obama used to get elected. I hope Obama puts her in her place soon (if he can). The power has definitely gone to her head.
On a side note – in case you still don’t think the media is bias. It took me more than 30 minutes last Thursday to find the quotes above. A simple search on Pelosi’s name didn’t bring this article up when searching the network news sites. I had to get very specific using Google to find any part of it. I find that terribly strange and disturbing, albeit not surprising. The media reports/publishes what it wants – remember that. Even worse, it highlights what it wants and buries what it doesn’t like. Whether I think the news is good or bad, whether I agree with it or not, I’d still want to hear about it. Mainstream media has their priorities out of whack on what is important news and what isn’t.
I wrote previously in my blog of my disgust for her shenanigans, but she seems to continue to be disillusioned about the real world. In her fantasy world, everything wrong is the fault of the Republicans and everything right was brought about by Democrats. If it were that simple, there would be no need for an election. Her latest statements make it only more clear how mentally lost she truly is.
“Now, we had an election that was about our different views and the direction our country was going in. We had a different point of view. The American people agreed with us. Bipartisanship means giving an opportunity to make their voices heard and maybe to persuade in the marketplace of ideas. It does not mean we will have a continuation of the last eight years of failed economic policies that have taken us where we are today. And so in the spirit of listening to the American people - Democrats, Republicans, Independents…”
The American people didn’t agree with you. The American people voted for the lesser of two evils and/or for an end to partisanship. Many Americans voted against the war in Iraq or to stick it to the GOP because of their dislike of Bush. Some even voted for the historical significance of the election. However, when Pelosi was asked about how this package is relying on partisan support to pass she said:
“It says that some of us have heard the voices of the American people and their desire for change.”
Continued partisanship is not the change the American people voted for. Your answer also confuses me. Which “us” heard the American people? Is it the ones voting for the stimulus or the ones voting against partisanship? Take a cue from the new president. Whether his actions are all for show or genuine, at least he is making the effort. He doesn’t just hide behind the blame game. By Pelosi’s own words she condemns the Democrats because the American people voted for bipartisanship, not a stimulus package. Plus the Democrats have been in control of Congress for a couple years now. That clearly places a portion of the blame on them as well. A stimulus package was not part of the platform of change Obama used to get elected. I hope Obama puts her in her place soon (if he can). The power has definitely gone to her head.
On a side note – in case you still don’t think the media is bias. It took me more than 30 minutes last Thursday to find the quotes above. A simple search on Pelosi’s name didn’t bring this article up when searching the network news sites. I had to get very specific using Google to find any part of it. I find that terribly strange and disturbing, albeit not surprising. The media reports/publishes what it wants – remember that. Even worse, it highlights what it wants and buries what it doesn’t like. Whether I think the news is good or bad, whether I agree with it or not, I’d still want to hear about it. Mainstream media has their priorities out of whack on what is important news and what isn’t.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Samurai and Samsung
Samurai – what could I be talking about? That seems a little random. Go to “Google Maps” and enter the address found below. When it comes up, click the “Street View” link and look around until you see it. You’ll know when you see it. An old high school chum turned me on to this one.
Now, as for the second part of my post – Samsung – we ordered our HDTV. As I mentioned previously, the online price was pretty good. No one in town could even come close and when they got in “the ballpark” it didn’t include tax-free, white-glove delivery or 24-month no interest. I spent more than I had intended, but this TV should last quite a while and with the 24-months of interest free financing I could fudge a little. I ordered from Amazon and although I had a recent annoyance with them (which they made right) I’ve always been happy with the stuff I’ve bought from their site. We should get the new TV early next week. I can’t wait to watch a movie on it and play Xbox on it and hook the computer up to it. I’ll give more details and my opinion of the functionality once it is here and I’ve had a chance to spend a few days (and nights) with it.
One thing’s for sure, I’m excited.
8 Sampsonia Way, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania 15212
Now, as for the second part of my post – Samsung – we ordered our HDTV. As I mentioned previously, the online price was pretty good. No one in town could even come close and when they got in “the ballpark” it didn’t include tax-free, white-glove delivery or 24-month no interest. I spent more than I had intended, but this TV should last quite a while and with the 24-months of interest free financing I could fudge a little. I ordered from Amazon and although I had a recent annoyance with them (which they made right) I’ve always been happy with the stuff I’ve bought from their site. We should get the new TV early next week. I can’t wait to watch a movie on it and play Xbox on it and hook the computer up to it. I’ll give more details and my opinion of the functionality once it is here and I’ve had a chance to spend a few days (and nights) with it.
One thing’s for sure, I’m excited.
Friday, January 23, 2009
New toys
I think we are finally going to buy our first HDTV. I’m looking at a couple of different LCDs and the prices are decent. The big deciding factors though are 24-months interest-free financing, free white-glove delivery, and no tax (online purchase). I’m looking at spending a little more than I originally wanted to, but this will be a TV we keep for quite a while. I want to ensure we get a good quality, 1st tier brand and model. That way we should be fairly future-proof for a while.
I’m still amazed how far down prices have come in just the last month or so. Coupled with 24-month financing, I don’t think there will be a better time to buy for us. We could wait and possibly get a better deal on the price, but paying the interest (and/or fronting the money) isn’t worth it. I want to do some final price comparisons over the weekend, but I believe a certain online retailer will be getting a sizable sale in the next few days.
A buddy of mine that installs this type of equipment and runs cable as part of his job agreed to help me run a wire to the attic for an antenna. So we should be able to watch local HD programming on it and I’ll be able to play Xbox 360 in HD too. Movie nights will be sweet as well.
Now I need to figure out how to re-arrange the living room.
I’m still amazed how far down prices have come in just the last month or so. Coupled with 24-month financing, I don’t think there will be a better time to buy for us. We could wait and possibly get a better deal on the price, but paying the interest (and/or fronting the money) isn’t worth it. I want to do some final price comparisons over the weekend, but I believe a certain online retailer will be getting a sizable sale in the next few days.
A buddy of mine that installs this type of equipment and runs cable as part of his job agreed to help me run a wire to the attic for an antenna. So we should be able to watch local HD programming on it and I’ll be able to play Xbox 360 in HD too. Movie nights will be sweet as well.
Now I need to figure out how to re-arrange the living room.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Oh Canada
The really cold weather today reminds me of Canada in December of 2001. Salve and I were there then and this is the kind of cold we were treated to each day. We were wearing layers of clothes and prepared for it. This time, at home, it seems like more of a shock to my system.
Seeing some great skiing gear on sale online yesterday also made me think of past ski trips. I saw a great buy on a K2 snowboard ($105) that would go well with my K2 clicker bindings and boots. In the end I decided there was little sense in buying something I wouldn’t need for a while. I haven’t been skiing/snowboarding in at least a couple years now. Maybe that will change once Liberty University finishes their synthetic ski slope. Year-round skiing might be interesting, and with a season pass possibly affordable too. It won’t be quite the same, but I’m still curious to check it out.
Still, my memories take me back to that amazing snow of Alberta, Canada. The Banff/Lake Louise area is absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend a vacation there (any season). In the winter though, you’ll find some really great skiing, snow-mobiling, glacier tours and assorted winter activities in one of the most beautiful settings. I’ve not been anywhere more impressive in the winter. I’ve been to other places I adored, but none I liked more than Lake Louise. We didn’t get to do everything, but what we did experience was amazing.
If you get the chance, don’t hesitate to go. Even better, take me with you.
Seeing some great skiing gear on sale online yesterday also made me think of past ski trips. I saw a great buy on a K2 snowboard ($105) that would go well with my K2 clicker bindings and boots. In the end I decided there was little sense in buying something I wouldn’t need for a while. I haven’t been skiing/snowboarding in at least a couple years now. Maybe that will change once Liberty University finishes their synthetic ski slope. Year-round skiing might be interesting, and with a season pass possibly affordable too. It won’t be quite the same, but I’m still curious to check it out.
Still, my memories take me back to that amazing snow of Alberta, Canada. The Banff/Lake Louise area is absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend a vacation there (any season). In the winter though, you’ll find some really great skiing, snow-mobiling, glacier tours and assorted winter activities in one of the most beautiful settings. I’ve not been anywhere more impressive in the winter. I’ve been to other places I adored, but none I liked more than Lake Louise. We didn’t get to do everything, but what we did experience was amazing.
If you get the chance, don’t hesitate to go. Even better, take me with you.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
I want my HDTV
I’m sure I could come up with a few cheesy lines for a spoof of the Dire Straits’ song, but I’ll resist the temptation. Right now I’m drooling over the prices of HD televisions. They seem to be dropping faster than I can keep up with. I did a little basic math today and figured out my price point for each of the reasonable sizes. They haven’t dropped enough yet to meet my price-per-square-inch cost, but they are getting really close.
There have been a few sales on no-name brands, but I want a name brand. I don’t want some third tier, second rate TV that will die after 2 years. I want a name brand that will last for 10 years – so I’ll feel like I got my money’s worth. I’d really like a Samsung, LG or Sharp, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford those premium brands. Sony is out of the question. They make good products, but I refuse to pay for their name. Panasonic, Hitachi, Toshiba, JVC and Phillips all have some good products out, but it’s a matter of finding the right price for the right size and features.
I’m having some difficulty finding what I want because they all seem to be moving to glossy screens. A glossy screen won’t work well in our living room because of all the ambient light. That’s the main reason I’m looking at LCD and not Plasma. With a glossy screen, I might as well go plasma for the faster response times and deeper blacks. A DLP would work if I weren’t concerned about the viewing angles (our living room isn’t huge). The size of our living room also means an overhead projector is out of the question.
For now, I keep watching the prices and wondering when I’ll be enjoying big screen, high-definition in my own home. Until I can get my own HDTV, I have converters so we won’t get left out in the cold come February 17th, 2009. I got in on the government coupons before the program ran out of money, so that’s good. At least I won’t be in a panic because I can’t watch TV – not that I would anyway.
There have been a few sales on no-name brands, but I want a name brand. I don’t want some third tier, second rate TV that will die after 2 years. I want a name brand that will last for 10 years – so I’ll feel like I got my money’s worth. I’d really like a Samsung, LG or Sharp, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford those premium brands. Sony is out of the question. They make good products, but I refuse to pay for their name. Panasonic, Hitachi, Toshiba, JVC and Phillips all have some good products out, but it’s a matter of finding the right price for the right size and features.
I’m having some difficulty finding what I want because they all seem to be moving to glossy screens. A glossy screen won’t work well in our living room because of all the ambient light. That’s the main reason I’m looking at LCD and not Plasma. With a glossy screen, I might as well go plasma for the faster response times and deeper blacks. A DLP would work if I weren’t concerned about the viewing angles (our living room isn’t huge). The size of our living room also means an overhead projector is out of the question.
For now, I keep watching the prices and wondering when I’ll be enjoying big screen, high-definition in my own home. Until I can get my own HDTV, I have converters so we won’t get left out in the cold come February 17th, 2009. I got in on the government coupons before the program ran out of money, so that’s good. At least I won’t be in a panic because I can’t watch TV – not that I would anyway.
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