Columbus...The First Person To Discover...

So, today we celebrate the first person to discover America, Christopher Columbus.  We celebrate him even though he wasn't the first person to find America....and even though he thought he was headed to Asia, not America.

In Columbus' case, he has earned accolades likely that should have gone to other men, but he is not to blame and there is a lesson here for the rest of us.

First, be careful who and what you celebrate.  Celebrating a guy who was headed somewhere else and ended up here is a little bit like celebrating a holiday on January 1.  You know, because that day Dick Rowe didn't see the potential of some boy band from Liverpool back in 1962.  I mean who knew that guitar sound wasn't going away, right?  (At least on New Year's Day we are celebrating new beginnings and not lost chances.)

Second, should you be celebrated for others' accomplishments be quiet about it.  Do not allow the creation of holidays named after yourself so that car and couch salesman have an extra day to give you ten percent off.

Finally, remember that opportunity is not a lengthy visitor so if you get the chance to ...run with it.  Success is yours for the making, even when you make a mistake.  Keep a compass and map handy...know where you are headed, but be willing to make the course adjustments necessary to be successful.  (Even the aforementioned Dick Rowe signed the Rolling Stones after missing out on the Beatles.  Not a terrible follow up move/)

Now go buy a new car at 0% financing or a couch or something.

So...What Do You Know About ....

... Mark Earley and juvenile justice reform?

It seems a long time ago, but at the same time just like yesterday I was asking that very question.  You know how it is when 6219 days all wander together, right?

In any case, Sunday marks seventeen years of...dating I guess.  (You can date when you are married or so I am told.)

In any case, I figured I would go with Lifehouse.  First, momma likes the band.  Second, she likes the song.  Third, it fits...at least for me.

When we met my career was on my mind.  I was not thinking girls and I certainly was not thinking marriage and children.  It took a while for me to "let go of my defenses" that he talked about in the song, but when I did it was all the better.  Hopefully, you will find that one person who you will be all in for the rest of your life.

Enjoy life, enjoy the music, and enjoy the chance to find your "all in."

Coffee Creates Focus...In The Wrong Places

So when I show up to a coffee place and they ask for a name, I usually say Spartacus.  Mostly I am hoping when they call the name and I stand up or step forward and say I am Spartacus, someone else will, or multiple other people will.  So far, no luck.

However, the Washington Post thinks the goings on of a Starbucks is important.  After all, it is located in the Central Intelligence Agency.

The article goes into the in depth quandaries of doing background checks on the Starbucks employees, the fact that receipts record the store number as number one, and that customers don't offer up a name, not even fake ones as I do.

My whole issue with all this is not who or how the CIA conducts operations in its own Starbucks.  It can even recruit people to the Osama bin Laden Capture team for all I care, but what I do care about is the Washington Post's abject failure as a news organization.

Their coverage of the IRS and Benghazi scandals has been pitiful - acting more like a mouthpiece for the Administration than a member of the Fourth Estate.  Even now, when Obama's popularity numbers are sagging, they feel it their responsibility to focus on coffee's ability to focus CIA employees rather than is the Administration focused on the threats America faces.

In case you missed it in the news, this Administration appears to have used the IRS to target groups it disagreed with politically.  This Administration refused to protect its own overseas employees in an attack on the American consulate in Benghazi and woops, in case anybody forgets, the CIA under this Administration has missed the growing presence of ISIS as a force.

I keep hearing how print media is going the way of the dinosaur and I keep wondering if they aren't hastening their own exit.  They are creating the situations for why more than half of people don't want to read them.  They are slanted propaganda pieces, not independent voices in the political arena.  I apologize if I am ranting about a newspaper's misplaced focus, but I understand why they are dying off.  In the meantime, I need a cup of coffee.

Dancing Shoes

So this week's installment of Friday Night Music is Lee Brice's "I Don't Dance."

For me it is just a cool song about a guy who is big and bad until he finds the girl who can get him on a dance floor because it is better to be out there with her and his two feet than it is to be sitting in the sidelines without her.

I guess I am lucky to not have had to worry about this too much so far as I have never had to play tough and the strength we have needed in our life is more mental than physical, but I do have two daughters who I am sure at some point are going to ask their dad to spin them around a room.

Somehow, I don't think the words "Daddy Doesn't Dance" will be available, but that is for another day.  In the meantime, enjoy your Friday Night Music.

Playing Games With Abuse

All day anymore I hear about bad behavior by NFL athletes.  It is becoming over the top anymore.  Do football players just play football anymore or are they too busy beating their wives or children, getting busted for drugs and guns, DUIs, possible sexual assault, and who knows what else?

I guess they have finally pushed me to the edge with the Adrian Peterson ongoing stories of child abuse.  Below is my opinion piece for the Dallas Morning News which makes my points.  It is getting ridiculous anymore and I am shocked and dismayed by the league's impotence on these issues.

Four children will die. They will die today, like they did yesterday and like they will tomorrow.

The children are not dying of cancer or heart disease; they are dying at the hands of loved ones who are abusing them. You guessed it. I am talking about the Adrian Peterson abuse situation.

Adrian Peterson tells us he is just raising his children like his parents raised him. Wrong. He isn’t raising children at all. He tells us he is just disciplining his kids. He isn’t.

Study after study tells us he is slowing the cognitive development of his own children. That’s right. Peterson is increasing the likelihood of anxiety, depression and antisocial behavior. Another worrying statistic: Children who get “whooped” — Peterson’s description — are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity.

Adrian Peterson said he hit his child with a tree branch “10 to 15” times. However, he said, he doesn’t “ever count how many pops I give my kids.” Look at his son’s leg. It has at least that many marks where the switch caught his thigh. Use your senses and let’s consider this 4-year-old — a 4-year-old who was beaten by a man who is 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds.

The police report notes defensive wounds to the hands. I wonder how able this child was to defend himself against a guy who rushes through 300-pound giants.

I won’t attack the game, but we need to realize that if the players cannot control their impulses at home, they need to find a new line of work. I hate to interrupt this young man’s ability to carry a ball down the field just to save the life of his child, but let’s consider his child for a second.

Take a look at the pictures of his child. If you can stomach it, take a look. Take a second and let the images sink in. Now, what would you do if you sent your child to a friend’s house and he came back with those injuries? Would it be acceptable for your neighbor to “whoop” your child like that if he got out of line? Peterson did that to his own son.

Listen to his son. He didn’t want to talk to the police because he was “afraid of Daddy Peterson.” Forget the statistics for a moment about learning difficulties. Forget about long- term psychological issues. This child is afraid of his own father.

Yes, I am silly enough to think the National Football League should clean up its act. They should suspend Mr. Peterson for a year and make him complete a parenting program. Yes, I am silly enough to think that the NFL should keep this man from his profession.

Of course, for now, things appear headed in the opposite direction for Peterson. The Minnesota Vikings reinstated him on Monday, a day after they lost 30-7 to the New England Patriots without their star back.

“I understand that this is a very difficult thing to handle,” said Rick Spielman, the general manager. “Whether it’s an abusive situation or not, or whether he went too far disciplining, we feel very strongly that that is the court’s decision to make.”

Right now, the league is lost. It’s lost like a child afraid of his or her own parent, and that should scare every fan and every family.

Maybe we should stop playing games until we learn how to deal with abuse.

Four children will die today, just as four died yesterday. Let’s make it the last day.

As always, I look forward to thoughtful comments and I hope I am not offending.

How's The Fishing?

I am reminded by Bill Cosby that dentists always like to talk to you when they have sharp instruments in your mouth.

"Do you do much fishing?"  he would start as he described the process of a conversation between patient and provider in the dentist's chair.  I believe him all the more now because my dentist seems to have the same habit.

As dentists go, he is a good guy.  He works to keep you comfortable.  He is personable.  He doesn't pontificate about why I need to floss nineteen times a day.  He just goes about his business and likes to ask questions that can't be answered thumbs up/thumbs down.  Oh well.

If this is the biggest problem I have, I guess I don't have problems.  Good Monday to you all.

Brave

So after a whirlwind yesterday of speaking at school after school I was supposed to see DolphinTale2 with the kids.  The problem?  I am a few hundred miles away from them.  The good news?  We already saw it as I discussed in a post back in mid-August.

I am still impressed we somehow got into a pre-pre-showing of a movie I knew my kids would want to see.  Just cool!

In any case, the female lead in the movie, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, did the song Brave Souls for the movie and I would be remiss if I did not add make that my Friday Night Music edition for the week given the movie starts today.  I hope you enjoy.

Before The Rain...

Years ago, President Kennedy gave us great advice.  Be prepared before you need to be. On the 13th anniversary of September 11, I have at ask are you prepared for another crisis? 

Watching 9/11 and Katrina happen up close and personal after moving to Texas I can say without fear of contradiction, most of us are still under-prepared in the event of  an emergency.

Are you ready, do you have your emergency kit ready to go and ready for transport if you were forced to evacuate suddenly?  This year I am providing a list of essential equipment every home should have.  This does not include the gallon of water per person per day requirement either so start collecting and get to it.

These buckets are not hard to do by yourself and should disaster strike could give you the ability to take care of yourself until emergency responders can.  Help us, help you...fix the roof before the rain.

General - This list contains items that can routinely be found at your local hardware store such as Lowes or Home Depot.

• glow sticks
• flashlight
• liquid candle
• matchbooks
• mylar thermal blanket
• hand warmers
• AM/FM radio
• whistle and lanyard
• sewing kit
• blank notebook
• pencils
• extra batteries (for flashlight and radio)
• zip ties
• P-38 can opener
• trash bags
• N95 dust masks
• duct tape
• small tarp
• paracord
• safety goggles
• split leather gloves

First Aid - these are mostly available at any CVS or Walgreens.  In addition to these kits, I encourage you to consider personal radiation dosimeters and potassium iodide.  If you live near an area that could have a niclear/radiologic emergency these can be helpful as well.

• basic first-aid guide
• moist towelettes
• antiseptic towelettes
• latex gloves
• acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• ibuprofen (Advil)
• aspirin
• diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• loperamide (Imodium A-D)
• burn cream
• sting relief towelettes
• hydrocortisone cream
• triple antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)
• cough drops
• earplugs
• instant ice pack
• tweezers
• nail clippers
• scissors
• digital thermometer
• cotton balls
• waterproof adhesive tape
• gauze rolls
• gauze pads
• moleskin
• band-aids
• butterfly bandages
• ace bandage
• triangular bandage
• hand sanitizer
• Q-tips
• petroleum jelly

Hygiene - everything on this list can be found at either CVS, Walgreens, or Walmart.

• bar soap
• kleenex
• floss
• baby shampoo
• hand lotion
• sunscreen
• toothpaste
• toothbrushes
• feminine hygiene pads
• comb
• toilet paper
• washcloths

Planning

Benjamin Franklin said "failing to plan is planning to fail."  I do not know the situation upon which he offered this witticism, but it is apropos for me today.

Next week is the 13th anniversary of 9/11 and as I consider my work for Never Forget Foundation, I am still being asked which schools and where I will be at as my itinerary is put together for me.  I am amazed by the details that go into whether or not we speak at a given school or attend a particular event, but that is what life is I guess...jumping from one event to another and hopefully planning ahead for the contingencies at each location.

In any case, it i keeping me busy as I get to consider opportunities and say yes or no while figuring out will I have time to grab something to eat in between event after event sequentially so that we can make the most of limited time.

In any case, I hope you are considering your remembrance of 9/11, even if you do not have the planning that goes with.  Obviously it is a critical date for me, but I hope we do not let it just become another day on the calendar.

Law and Order?

...and the gaffes are over Governor Perry?

In a bid to rebuild confidence in a possible campaign for President, Rick Perry has once again stepped in it.  This time his campaign tweeted out a photo of his nemesis Rosemary Lehmberg as being the most drunk Democrat in Texas.

While his campaign has since deleted the tweet my question is has the staffer in question been fired?  If the tweet was as offensive and unauthorized as you claim Governor, why not fire the staff member for the total lack of judgement?  You are Mr. Law and Order, right?

Perry who is in legal trouble - not because of Democrat Lehmberg - but because of a Republican appointed special prosecutor should understand that this is the type of thing that is umimpressive to the voters that will win or lose an election for you.

While his current situation supposedly surrounds the question of whether or not Lehmberg should have resigned after his suggestion and whether she could run her office and the Public Integrity Unit after her own arrest for DWI, I do not remember Perry calling for the resignation of Kaufman County District Attorney Rick Harrison or Swisher County District Attorney Terry McEachern.

Harrison was arrested in Seagoville after driving the wrong way down a street and hitting another car. That was his second conviction for DUI.

In November 2002, Swisher County District Attorney Terry McEachern was arrested in New Mexico after failing a field sobriety test and refusing a breath test. He was found guilty of aggravated DWI in June the next year.


The problem in both of those cases was they were Republican office holders.  So much for law and order.

Labor Day

Today is Labor Day, the first Monday in September when we recognize the role the labor movement has had in America.  To create safer working conditions, to procure the forty hour work week...even if it isn't forty hours anymore.

As a middle class guy I used to get labor.  As an economics student I was okay with unions because they allowed management to budget out labor costs specifically without having to guess what a future wage would cost.

I paid my dues.  I paid my dues even in Right to Work states to belong to my fire associations (Texas and Virginia) and served as President of one.  The International Association of Firefighters.  I paid my dues despite the fact that I knew my dues in many cases were going for things I did not support.  I paid my dues and I participated in our MDA work to raise money, but I look back now and wonder why.

When I think of the MDA Telethon, I think of the Jerry Lewis Telethon, but it has now been two years since he was removed from the program and I wonder where my Labor Day entertainment has gone.  It makes me wonder why an organization that profited over $2B since Jerry Lewis started hosting his fundraising appeals would move away from the character that was Jerry Lewis.

Sure, he was something to deal with.  He was the punch line in a number of jokes, but he always raised money and his labors were that of love.  According to tax filings, MDA received pledges of $60M in 2011, but collected only half that.  Part of me is sad because this was apparently a self inflicted wound.

They removed the namesake...doesn't everyone think of Jerry's kids when they think of muscular dystrophy?  I support an entirely different group, the Never Forget Foundation, who has an entirely different mission, but I still grieve for what was a good organization that killed one of its own stars.  It seems like the type of thing management would do to a labor member who had poured hours of his soul into his work, but it wasn't fitting the company priorities and in the end it is the company who loses by losing its most important resource.  It's human resources.

Foreign Policy Freefall

 Free fall.  That was the description that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers used when commenting on the President's foreign policy.  Senator McCain (his 2008 opponent) was hardly kinder when he said President Obama was in denial or overwhelmed.  Perhaps the most damning criticism though came from Senator Diane Feinstein, the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman, who said Obama was "too cautious" when dealing with ISIS.

These statements by senior Congressional leadership are a bipartisan slamming of President Obama's hopes and dreams that the world will magically right itself.  Mr. Obama seems to have missed the boat when it comes to the fact that Hitler did not accidentally commit suicide after trying to take over the world.  It happened because thousands of lives confronted evil directly.

Mr. Obama seems to think the Cold War just had a course, like the arc of a pendulum, and eventually everything would be good again.  He gives no credit to the Reagan peace through strength initiatives and instead gives away American technology to those who would harm us with it.

The mainstream media gives Mr. Obama tons of credit for the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden, but was this really that amazing a feat?  Even Bill Clinton considered a strike on bin Laden, but chose against it because of the possibility of local civilian casualties.  Whether or not those stories are true or not, in the post 9/11 world, who would not have been willing to launch an attack against bin Laden?

The point is Mr. Obama has again and again missed the mark on foreign policy issues except pulling the proverbial trigger on Osama bin Laden. That is it.  Otherwise his foreign policy appears disconnected and ineffective.

Senator Robert Mendez noted that in Ukraine the Russians were carrying out an invasion.  Rogers echoed those comments noting that the Russians weren't on a "sight seeing tour."

President Obama threw down the gauntlet against Syria with respect to the use of chemical weapons and they crossed the line.  Obama did nothing showing his lack of self respect and losing respect across the world, but worse was the initial line as it appears Basher al-Assad is the safer bet in Syria.

It appears the President has zero plan for what to do with the Israeli-Gaza conflict that is now in a cease fire after it appears Hamas has run out of rockets.

The President and his team have completely underestimated  the intensity of ISIS and because of their immigration strategy has no idea if they are streaming across the southern US border.  Even David Cameron has said he needs a new law allowing police to seize the passport of ISIS fighters.

Meanwhile the President plays golf.  I hope for his sake, his putts sink as well as his foreign policy positions.  I just hope the country does not follow suit.

Exceptional Leadership

Could the difference be any more obvious?  Yesterday I wrote about President Obama and his near infinite reservoir of what America can not do.  No longer is she the shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan saw, but according to President Obama she is a shack with a burnt out light bulb.

For my friends who enjoy history you will keep in mind that today is the 211th anniversary of Meriweather Lewis pushing off from Pittsburgh Harbor.  The expedition was called the Corps of Discovery and was commissioned by President Jefferson.

The goals were simple.  After the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson wanted to find the most practical traveling path across the continent for purposes of commerce.  He also wanted to deny the world powers (Europe at the time) the opportunity to make a presence in the New World.  A secondary objective of course was to provide a scientific information about the plants and animals encountered on their adventure.

When Jefferson looked out of the White House he saw a vast land of rich resources and able bodied people.  They had defeated a world power and earned their own rights to freedom.  When President Obama looks out though he seems to see a cup half full.  A people unable to life themselves up and a country whose resources are finite.  He seems to misunderstand that natural resources are dynamic and not a static asset.  He leads from fear whereas President Jefferson seemed to lead his nation from hope.

The second lesson I consider when I think about the Lewis and Clark Expedition is the leadership those two men must have had.  Theirs was a three year trip and it was not long before they were abandoning their boat to move cross country - up mountains - and through forests and fields.  How hard must it have been to map a continent at that time, much less to lead men, across it.

When I think of today that is the leadership I hope for from my brethren here in the United States.  The idea that we can accomplish much if we only go for it.  Leadership can come from necessity, but perhaps we as a nation have become too comfortable with our disposable DVD players, our fast food, and our fake money.  Exceptional leadership does exist, but I think we need to look for it a little harder.

Welcome To Waffle House

In perhaps the clearest indication that Marco Rubio is running for President in 2016, he has recently sent a letter to President Obama explaining why the border need be secured before new measures are discussed to provide a pathway to citizenship.

Is this the same Rubio who was championing comprehensive immigration reform...last year?  You know before walking away from it.

Look, I get it.  Signing onto a bill with Chuck Shumer because the Chamber of Commerce or someone told you to is easy to do.  They throw easy smiles, warm hand shakes, and the promises of lots of campaign cash for future...aspirations.  However, you may want to dial 804 real quick and check in with Eric Cantor because being unsure about immigration reform is perhaps more deadly than being pro-immigration.

Instead of having a principled approach that says "immigrants have always been a part of our country and I have no problem with that" you appear to have a nasty political disease called poll-itis.  I realize that for many in the Republican Party immigration is a hard issue.  I understand that allowing in millions more workers will dampen wages for the same working class that should be in our camp, but historically this really isn't any different than times before.

We had immigrants with crazy religious ideas who thankfully mostly settled in Pennsylvania.  You know...the Quakers.  We had thugs of all kinds come over from Ireland and Italy and if this offends you take a look at your own history and the crime we brought over.  It is what it is and like now, all the new folks...dampened wages for those who were already here.

I am not nearly as scared of immigration as some of my colleagues are.  After all, Jesus was an illegal immigrant, running from the persecution of King Herod.  Was he as bad as the folks crossing the Texas border?  Was he any different?  I know, I know...now the Evangelical Christians will be mad too, but I will find solace in Bishop Olsen's commentary on the immigration question.

However, regardless of my personal opinion on the issue, one thing I know is that serving up policy at the waffle house of believing this, that, or the other thing based on the poll of the day is a turn off with both regular and primary voters.  It is not leadership.  It isn't Presidential.

If Senator Rubio is serious about being the Savior of the Republican Party that Time magazine declares him to be he might want to figure out issues before polling and/or move the polls in the direction he leads on, rather than holding his finger to the wind.

Holy Islands

 August 31 is the Feast Day for St. Aidan, the first bishop of Lindisfarne.  It is also the day my third son, Wyatt, was baptized though his saint name is Luke.  Holy Island, or Lindisfarne, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England. It is the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland.

I find the intersection of these two facts both interesting and remarkable: A Holy Island and the Sacrament of Baptism: the anointing with Holy Water.  Islands of course are surrounded by water, but Baptism is about bringing the person, or child, into the Church as a whole.  How can one be brought into a body separated?

The English poet and Church of England priest John Donne tells us that no man is an island.  Donne argued in his Meditation XVII that if any man died, he himself is less, because he is a part of mankind.  Yet, Holy Island is an island.  It is an island where St. Aidan was well known for his homilies and knowledge of scripture.  Like our current pontiff, St. Aidan was also known for his kindness to the poor and distaste for pomp.  It was on Lindisfarne that St. Aidan created a seminary for the training of ministers.

Today, Holy Island offers Church of England services via St. Mary the Virgin, the same namesake as my parish.  (I should note I am not sure if I am offended by the fact that the parish is controlled by the Church of England or not, but I do wonder if they would yield the property to the Roman Catholic Church if they were to come calling for a property first built in the 7th Century AD, i.e. well before a Church of England ever existed.)

In the meantime, I return to the juxtaposition of these two issues.  Lindisfarne is connected at low-tide by crossing sand and mud flats, following an ancient pilgrom's path.  The path is covered during high tide.  The difficulty in getting to the island must be significant and I wonder how the peoples of Northumberland did it.

However, it does help with the other issue.  How often do we only look for the Holy Island - a people set apart so to speak - when our lives are at low tide?  Why is it only at these times we find the path we need to take to find the kindness, humanity, and love that the church can offer?  Donne was right, no man is an island, but why do we have to be at our weakest to find the separate nature that is the Kingdom of God?  Why is it we do not swim in the waters of forgiveness and mercy that is the Church all the time?

These are obviously life long questions and I suspect the answer comes back to my own priest's homily today about the ability to follow God's will instead of our own, but for now I will hope my son does not need to wait for low tide to find his church home's warmth and grace.  It is right there waiting.

Unexceptional Leadership...Isn't

"Good" news for President Obama.  Recent polling indicates his foreign policy approval rating is only four points worse than his approval rating for how he handles the economy.

The bad news is his approval rating on the economy is at 39.4%.  Ouch!  Foreign policy approval is 35.3%.  That isn't an approval...that is the percentage likelihood that Tony Romo makes it through all sixteen games of the season.  These numbers are not even anemic because they represent the fact that at least some Democrats now realize that President Obama is wrong on issues affecting two core issues to every American: our world standing and our pocketbook.

At the same time his best friends for the past six years, the Washington Post, admits that the recent gaffe at his press conference stings because it fits into people's preexisting suspicions.  I remember Lyn Nofziger referred to the Reagan administration as not amateurs, but novice amateurs.  Well if Ronald Reagan and Company were novice amateurs who the Hell are these kids?

I am not sure, but even the Washington Post Editorial Board took the President to task for the whiplash he must be causing foreign leaders when they hear one thing from his United Nations Ambassador and then hear him contradict her.

The Editorial Board remarks about his comments on both Ukraine and ISIS as well as the abosolute lack of exceptionalism shown by this administration.  This is the bad parent who continually says no instead of offering options.  Instead of speaking about America's greatness and ability to do things, the world seems to have escaped his charm.

Barak Obama keeps talking about American shortcomings.  He has encourages the fires around the world that now burn and no one is to blame for this but himself.  Finally, the media seems willing to explain to this President that unexceptional leadership...isn't leadership at all.  Unfortunately the message will not get out until the next President arrives to put out the fires this guy started.

The Quiet Outrage Over Lamborghini

The outcry is deafening.  I wish they would stop...or start in this case.

Earlier this week I posted about the tragic story of the 9 year old who shot a firearms instructor with the Uzi she was using.  I will leave the arguments for and against that topic in the previous topic, but as expected I immediately heard the calls to ban various firearms.  I have yet to hear anyone cry out for the banning of Lamborghinis after an 18
year old killed himself driving at too high a speed.  (It should be noted that while this was a joy ride, it was authorized and the car owner was in the vehicle too.)

I hope the point is obvious.  We call to ban certain things, but not others.  For instance, guns should be banned, but not Lamborghinis.  We legalize marijuana in Colorado and Oregon, but illegal drugs are dangerous too.  So what do the numbers tell us?

In the United States, firearms account for roughly 32,000 fatalities per year.  What is not indicated in this number though is 60% of these deaths are suicides.  In general I hear no call to make illegal drugs more illegal...just the opposite in fact, but overdose related deaths topped 41,000 in 2011 making drugs more dangerous than firearms...and that is only prescription drugs.  Let me take it a step further and ruin your Sunday football commercials.  You know the constant Sam Adams and Budweiser commercials?  Well, alcohol contributes to 88,000 deaths per year.

I dare you to send a letter to your local NFL team suggesting they cut back on the booze they serve.  I suspect their response will be something about a long walk down a short plank.

My point here is people are quick to jump on tragedy, but when you look at the things killing us in real life numbers no one wants to ban those items because it would deny their freedom.  However, a specific freedom mentioned in the Bill of Rights is discounted because it is politically unpopular.  It makes me a little dizzy sometimes trying to keep up, but maybe I am just dizzy from all the outrage over an 18 year old behind the wheel of a 600 HP vehicle.  For some reason it isn't quite as loud though, but perhaps it should be.

Rick Perry: Forgetful Or Felon?

I am not sure even where to go with this, but I do have to ask, how far has the Republican Party fallen that an indicted sitting Governor of Texas can run for President with any credibility.

As the video notes the mugshot was a "smirking sitting Governor of Texas."  While I get the legal strategy of smiling for the camera so you can now sell campaign t-shirts I am disappointed he takes these charges so cavalierly.

Again, as Stewart's clip notes this isn't a political hit job except that it was a Republican judge who appointed the Republican special prosecutor.  That's right.  The special prosecutor in this case is Michael McCrum was appointed Assistant US Attorney by George H.W. Bush.  In every situation related to this case I can find, Democrats have recused themselves from the case.

I am not a lawyer and to date have not played one on TV or in the movies, but this is the same Governor who couldn't even remember which agencies he wanted to eliminate in a debate a few years ago.  Rick Perry likes to talk about Texas being open for jobs, but he fails to mention the repeated implication of crony capitalism that stains his administration again and again.

This might be an interesting case to see go forward as Mr. Perry always shoos away questions about Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas.  We also get to find out if Mr. Stewart is right.  Is Rick Perry re-branding and going from "forgetful doof to felon."  In the meantime, the Republican Party needs to admit we have better options than this guy or we are all losers.

Learning

So I have a personal affinity for the music of Five for Fighting and I am not sure why I like John Ondrasik and his music more than other musicians, but what can you do? In any case, this being the first week of school I bring you The Riddle by Mr. Ondransik and Company.

For me this is a great song of reflection.  Where are we?  Where are we going?

After the first week of school I suspect all three of mine realize their place in life may or may not be as big as they thought it was. 

Giant world.

Millions of people in their immediate community.
Millions more in their state.
Billions of people on their tiny planet.
How many more planets out there amongst the billions of stars?

In between there are lots of quizzes and test...both in school and in real life.  How do you know which are important?  What is the meaning of life?

Well, according to the lyrics..."a Dylan song, the eclipse of the moon, looking into an angel's eyes."  There is also a great line about the batter swings, the summer flies" which gets me.  How many summers have my eldest and I already lost?  I shouldn't say lost because they were well spent watching baseball, playing catch, going to practice, or playing the game, but wow they go by quick.

I guess I like this song because while we all have our measures of success, he brings it back to a pretty Christian ethic of your relationship with those around you.

Love your neighbor as you love me.  Make your relationships one of support and nurturing and they will work out well.  Become conceited and use relationships only to press gains and bad things happen...you disrupt the natural for your own selfishness.

In any case, I am confident public schools today are not talking about developing and maintaining relationships so maybe we will sit down tonight and have ourselves a nice little, relaxing song tonight and see what they think. 

Go find your meaning in life and I hope you enjoy Friday Night Music as well.

The Citizenship Of Workplace Violence

The Army psychiatrist, Nidal Hasan, accused and convicted of the "workplace violence" murders of thirteen employees by the US Govenment has now asked to become a citizen of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

At the time, many were outraged that Hasan's crimes would be considered an act of workplace violence instead of the terrorism they clearly were.  the US government demurred and chose to not admit this was another act of terrorism on US soil or they would have had to offer up Purple Hearts to those wounded by this act of terrorism.

While the US Department of Homeland Security continues to worry about the domestic terrorism that Christian conservatives who want to practice their faith might bring, they are actively missing acts of domestic terrorism being committed by persons like Mr. Hasan or the Americans who have died and who continue to fight overseas for ISIS.

It might seem that our work is only beginning when it comes to terrorism.

When You Teach Violence, Don't Be Surprised When You Get It

It's Friday, but it seems like it is Freaky Friday.  What is going on today?

More news reports...this time regarding a teacher who thinks it appropriate to make comments in reference to her students including:

• Wanting to stab them
• Having an itchy trigger finger
• Dousing them with hot coffee

Her tweets which have now gone viral have earned her a letter of reprimand, but not a termination.  What?

If a student had said any of these, they would have been on a suspension list if not an expulsion list in moments.  While I am not a fan of these standards, if a school is going to have them, they can not only apply to students.

From the Newark High School website, it's Discipline Policy:

The staff of Newark Memorial High School and the Newark Board of Education believes that one of the major functions of the public schools is the preparation of youth for responsible citizenship.  Newark Memorial High School shall foster a learning environment that reinforces the concepts of self-discipline and the acceptance of personal responsibility. 

How in the world is the Newark Unified School District supporting its own policies when it settles for a reprimand instead of a termination for a teacher who advocates violence against students?

Newark Unified School District on its own website talks about bullying:

Bully . . .

Since the inception of the one room schoolhouse in the 18^th Century, bullying has occurred on school campuses across our nation.

Lately, with increased cyber bullying, we have seen an increase of suicides related to bullying.  We can no longer remain on the sidelines holding the notion that, “kids will be kids”.

Laurie Massar wrote in Leadership 2011, “While most administrators and teachers understand the global realities of the problem, the larger problem lies in their ability to recognize bullying on their own campuses.

Congrats boys and girls.  You are the bullies.  Again, their web statement is correct: the larger problem lies in the ability to recognize bullying on their own campuses.  I would say this is the definition of a problem, but they are not turning a blind eye as Laurie Massar refers.  Instead they are acting out a charade of discipline against a teacher.

Mrs. Hodges who has a cute peace symbol on her Twitter byline seems to think it okay to talk about her summer ruined teaching.  Maybe you need a break in teaching Mrs. Hodges.  It is clearly too much for you and your itchy trigger finger.

I Scream, You Scream... (Reprise)

In the category of "Are You Serious?" a baseball player, namely Jesus Montero, should have been ejected for trying to brawl...with a cross checker, a senior level scout, from his own organization.

The media story goes Montero who showed up to Spring Training a hefty forty pounds overweight was coaching first base in Boise for the Everett Aquasox and was told to speed up on his way back to his dugout by the cross checker.

Deadspin reports that Montero who did not respond to the calls of Rapido! Rapido! then had an ice cream sandwich ordered for him by the cross checker and sent down to him in the dugout. At this point, Montero decided to throw the sandwich into the stands and may have held a bat in a menacing way.

Hmmm....so....was he mad it wasn't a banana split or was he mad he was being called out for not managing his weight as you might expect a professional athlete to do?  Despite being banned for 50 games last year due to a PED suspension, Montero did not seem to take the discipline to heart.

For me I do not mind a cross checker busting him for not busting it.  So far, Montero has hardly shown himself to be Major League material despite the initial projections which we now have to presume were PED driven.  Further, he seems to take his current standing as an opportunity to be lazy rather than to push himself every day?  What message does he send his team mates when he is not willing to work the weight off - especially after being shown to be a cheat?

I look at this really simply.  Montero showed up to Spring Training unable to play pro ball because he did not do the things he had to so that he could contribute.  He has ended up on a rehab assignment to the Northwest League where he can't seem to fight his urges at the dinner table, but is more than willing to fight the people who expect him to perform.  Further he isn't in Everett, Washington to play and get in some game time...just to rehab, i.e. he can't even play on a Short Season A Ball team!

I scream and apparently so should Mariners management who traded away an above average pitching prospect for this knucklehead.