And so, history is made

My congratulations to both sides of the aisle, one for winning, and the other for showing the most civilized attitude I have seen in conceding defeat.

Ok, so now we have gone through the election and the incoming administration must be wondering just where to begin.  I can envision how an athlete looks at the high jump bar figuring out how to approach it and get over it...

Now, President Obama, our hopes are on the upcoming change and we stand ready to help get things going in the right direction once again.  I realize that the road ahead is going to be tough, we are feeling it in the skin ourselves, and may be much tougher than a great number of people want to believe.

The bar has been set incredibly high and it is going to be up to all of us to pitch in and make it happen!

Worthwhile movie quotes

Sometimes one comes across something in a movie that strikes a cord because it is funny, is memorable, or simply makes you think.

Here are some I have found to be worth writing down and hope to expand on these as I come across them (or remember to write them down.)

A remarkable toast from the movie "Hitch:"

Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink.
But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love.
If you must steal, steal away from bad company.
If you must cheat, cheat death.
And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.

Why engineers don't make for good marketing pros - generally...

Forget about the name for a minute, pillow soft???

What happened to Common Sense?

Obituary of Common Sense

"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.  No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.  He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
... Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
... Why the early bird gets the worm;
... Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies ... don't spend more than you can earn.  And reliable strategies ... adults, not children, are in charge.  His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
...Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate;
... Teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch;
... And a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.  It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment  than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.  She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.  He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights; I Want It Now; Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone."

Source Unknown

Where is common sense taught and who teaches it?

Ok, so the latest thing to catch my attention deals with the incredible lack of common sense exercised by the Assistant Principals at Flower Mound High School (Flower Mound, TX) when they decided to press charges on two senior students who did a silly prank.  They ended spending some 16 hours in jail for something that was juvenile (they are of that age after all folks...) and I basically do not see how this enforcement action will make us safer.

Now, before anyone gets on the "security issue" bandwagon, PLEAAAAAAAASE tell me how this decision would prevent a die-hard terrorist from getting into a venue?  Is he/she really going to think "Oh, I remember that the banana kids were arrested..."  The other argument that does not hold any water is the "until someone gets hurt."  Come on people!  Wake up and get real!

I suppose that getting public attention caused the charges to be dropped but is this the way to deal with people on power trips?  And to make matters worse, now it seems that it is becoming a finger-pointing exercise between a shamed LISD and the Flower Mound Police Department as to who overstepped their boundaries.  Geee, I wonder...

Now, I wonder what these Assistant Principals would think if they were thrown in jail for some stupid and minor infraction; or better yet, if it was one of their kids!  Then we would be hearing a different tune.

My First Endurance Ride

It was not that long ago that we got a cycling club started here in the Flower Mound area and that I was invited to participate.  Eager as I was, I got my old mountain bike out and came out to ride.  Imagine my surprise when I saw people on their triathlon bikes (these guys spend > $5,000 on a bike!) and me on this old and heavy bike.

Needless to say I have come a loooong way since that ride in mid May when I was barely able to complete a 14 mile loop.  I finished the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred Endurance Ride in Wichita Falls, TX in six hours and 20 minutes of actual butt-time - with stops and a flat repair it stretched out to eight hours.

The elation of crossing that finish line is one I will not soon forget.

Wow!  My first century ride is complete.

Just where are we headed?

Today I read in the local newspaper that "if we were to leave Iraq now, the terrorists will take over."  I have a bit of a problem with that as the follow-up question is "are we in control now??"

The obvious response does not seem to support this...

Taking into consideration the present situation in Iraq, the comute of the sentence of someone in government who divulges state secrets, and the kingdom that our vicepresident seems to rule in one cannot help but wonder:

"What in the world is going on???!???  Is this a government of the people and for the people?"