Chasing childhood dreams

I did not give the attention to the video at this link that it deserves, but I am among many others who believe that the lecture given by Randy Pausch is incredible. Dr. Pausch is dying and gave this last lecture to his students. It is poignant, inspirational, and funny. He has a great outlook on life.

Gotta get with the program

Last night as K4 was helping me put away his clean laundry, he informed me that he does not like his Cowboys shirt--his Dallas Cowboys shirt. What????? Not want to wear his Cowboys shirt? We'll just have to see about that. There are some things a parent has to put her foot down on, and in our house, this is one. What am I going to do with him?

Give Grandma Her Dang Doughnut!

This article describes the decision by officials in New York to stop accepting doughnuts, cakes, and other pastries for distribution to the elderly. The county officials are concerned that they're setting a bad precedent by providing sweets to senior citizens.

Gimme a break. Don't you reach a point in life where you're old enough to do anything that makes you happy so long as it's legal and not harmful to anyone else? Isn't that one of the privleges of age? Educate Grandma about good nutrition--if she wants to hear it--then if it makes her happy, let her eat doughnuts for three meals a day and snacks in between.

50 Years Ago

It's been fifty years since President Eisenhower called in the national guard to escort 9 African American students as they integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. That time seem so long ago. Maybe it's the pictures, in stark black and white, or the clothing, like costumes out of a staging of Grease. The idea that so many people could be so agnry over because nine black teenagers wanted to take advantage of the learning at Central High seems so foreign. Newsweek has a good article about the events of those days.

Are things better? Mostly, yes. We're still far too conscious of race. But except for maybe a few skinheads or throwback Klansmen, people are rarely openly hostile to the idea of integration.

But then again, I'm reminded that the problems in Jena, Louisiana began when a few black students sat under the tree some white students believed to be exclusively for their pleasure.

Within days of each other, there's a celebration in Little Rock and a protest in Jena.

Sweet Pea

"Alan Greenspan" and "Sweet Pea." Two terms I'd never expect to hear in the same sentence. But that is what Mrs. Alan Greenspan, better known as Andrea Mitchell, calls her man. Greenspan was on Meet the Press this morning, but the interview with the two of them is available only online at this link.

The interview is really kind of endearing, as Mitchell and Greenspan talk about their first date. That Greenspan is quite a smooth operator. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to think of Greenspan the same again.

Priorities

Every season, in every youth soccer league, there's at least one little kid who is distracted by something on the field unrelated to soccer. And there's at least one mom who is desparately trying to pull him out of his own little world and back to the matters at hand. At practice today, I was that mom and K4 was that kid. It mattered not that all about him kids were running, balls were flying, coaches were calling his name, or mom was yelling. That blade of grass or weed that he picked at needed his attention.

I could just kick myself for not having my camera.

Rethinking the last post

I might have been hasty in ranking stupid criminals. The MIT student who brought a fake bomb to Logan Airport, as described in this story, perhaps needs to be added to the list.

You would think someone smart enough to get into MIT would not think it a good idea to put on something that looks like a bomb in the name of "art." Star Simpson (no relation to OJ, I think) may be young, but she surely is old enough to remember the events of 9/11/2001. Even if she has no first hand recollection, the remembrances of that day occurred just last week. And in this day and age, every 3rd grader knows that you don't even say "bomb" or other such things at the airport. So, as the police indicated in their press conference, she is lucky to be in jail. Brilliant, but not smart.

Dumber than OJ?

This article describes the only person who might rival OJ for stupidity. Given the details that have emerged in the last week, I'd love to ask OJ, "What were you thinking???" So, the men in that hotel room might have had his stuff. So he might not have gotten a fair shake had he called the police. So he might be able to create enough reasonable doubt to beat the rap again. Running your own sting is just idiotic. So is robbing a bank just after being released from jail following a bank robbery conviction.

And so, as far as OJ goes, the circus is back in town. War in Iraq? Mortgage crisis? Wide stances in public bathrooms? All page 2 news next to the OJ juggernaut.

Contented fan

The Cowboys won today--good.

The Cowboys beat the Dolphins--better.

The Cowboys beat the Dolphins in Miami--best.

When I spoke to my mother this evening, I promised myself that I wouldn't gloat. I didn't. Not much.

My mother likes the 'boys. She just likes the Dolphins better. I can sort of understand that. She was born in Miami, although the Dolphins seem to be the only thing she likes about Miami. When the Dolphins beat the Cowboys, she's been known to be a bit smug. So I enjoy when the Cowboys are the victors in that campaign. Of course, my mother would really need to say only four words to take the wind out of this fan's sail: Leon Lett, Thanksgiving Day.

presidential candidate spouses, part 2

In the Sept 15 entry found at this site, Mitt Romney states that his wife is prettier than Bill Clinton. Well, duh!! Of course Ann Romney is prettier than Bill Clinton, and I certainly expect Mitt to be the one to say so. Every good husband knows the "right" answer to certain questions:

Does this make me look fat? (No.)

Do you think I've lost weight? (At least 10 pounds (or whatever number is 10 pounds more than reality.))

How do I look in this? (Fabulous.)

Do you think I should buy this? (Yes, dear; if you want it, you should have it.)

So while Mitt might not have been asked directly whether he thinks Bill or Ann is prettier, his statement strikes me as little more than a preemptive strike, an obvious answer, given by a good husband.

If he really wanted to create a stir, Mitt would say, "My wife is prettier than Bill, but not as pretty as Jeri Thompson, Fred's wife." Now that would be newsworthy.

Now that's the Southwest I'm used to

Southwest Airlines does it again, managing to pull marketing genius from the jaws of a public relations catastrophe. First an apology to Kyla Ebbert for the way she was treated regarding her attire, plus a fare sale, to boot. Get em while the hot: "skimpy fares" from Southwest

Surreptitiously cussing?

I think my little darling, K4, was trying to cuss and get K2 in trouble, all in one fell swoop! The following exchange occurred between him and me:

Me: Go tell K2 dinner is ready

K4: ok.

K4 returns.

Me: What did K2 say?

K4: He said, "dammit."

Me: He said what?!?! (with alarm)

K4: He said, "dammit."

Me: I'm going to go ask him.

K4: No Mommy!! Don't talk to him! (with a bit of panic in his voice)

Me: Yeah, I'm going to go talk to K2, and you come with me.

Me: K2, did you say "dammit?"

K2: Huh? No. I said, "close the door."

Me: K4? (actually using his full name).

K4: [the tears start to flow]

Busted!

My sweet little boy, trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

An interesting social experiment

According to this article, Michael Bloomberg, using private funds, wants to pay the poor to develop good habits. Interesting concept. Money is a strong motivator to do all sorts of things, both good and bad, so maybe he's on to something. Plus, similar programs have been successful in Latin America.


Nonetheless, I'm still a bit dubious about the idea. I grew up in a home where our income probably put us below the poverty line, i.e. we were poor. Nonetheless, my mother, a widow with two young children, did most of the things Bloomberg's program would pay people to do. She worked; she attended school conferences; she sent my brother and me to school every day, etc. She did it because that's what you're supposed to do; those habits were ingrained in her; they were part of her constitution. And her story was not unique.


The question is whether adults can develop good habits that are self-sustaining. I'd be interested in knowing what the Latin American programs show on the lasting effect of such programs. Do those individuals maintain the habits only while they're being paid, or does this behavior modification have lasting effects.


I guess we'll see.

What is Baylor?

On Jeopardy yesterday, the $400 clue in Colleges and Universities was:

"This Baptist University is located on a 735-acre campus on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas." (Or something like that.)

It takes so little to make me excited.

Serving McDonald's food could get you jail time

Who knew that you could end up in jail for serving a salty hamburger? Kendra Bull, a McDonald's employee, found out the hard way: don't screw up on the job. When I first heard the story on the radio, I thought it was another case of someone spiking the cop's food with something illegal, like pot, or disgusting, like a loogie, both of which have happened in the past. But Kendra's explanation that she accidentally spilled salt on the meat and tried to clean it off sounds reasonable. On the other hand, the cop sounds like he's power tripping. Sending the meat to the state crime lab for testing? Gimme a break.

This article recounts the whole salty tale. What really got me was the the explanation for the charge against Kendra. According to the Union City public information officer, Kendra was charged because she served the burger "without regards to the well-being of anyone who might consume it."

Considering McDonald's menu, the Union City police should just go ahead and arrest all the McDonald's employees now. Take a bite out of crime.

What a difference 30 years makes

This is just too rich. If she is to be believed, Kyla Ebbert, ,the woman to the left, was told by Southwest Airlines that she could not fly on their planes unless she covered her risqué clothing—the same clothing she’s wearing in the picture.

Is this the same Southwest Airlines that got its business off the ground in the ‘70s with ads such as the one on the right? Did the Taliban stage a take-over or something?

To add even more richness to the story, Ms. Ebbert is a waitress at (pause for effect) Hooters! Thank goodness she didn’t wear her work uniform. The full story can be found at http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070905/news_1m5braun.html

I’ll be flying Southwest this weekend. I think I’ll be okay, but I packed my emergency burka just in case.

Candidate spouses

As between the Democrats and the Republicans, the spouses of the Democratic presidential candidates seem feistier than those of the Republican candidates. Looking at the front-runners, first there's Bill. 'Nuf said.


But is there any doubt that both Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Edwards have attitude enough to slice, dice, and dress someone down, without breaking a sweat or getting a hair out of place. And they could do it while still managing to display lady-like charm. Both are confident and accompished in their own right. Legal training and mommy experience gives them quite the advantage. Maybe they bake cookies, but that's not all they're famous for. Superman or Batman? James Bond or Jason Bourne? Michelle Obama or Elizabeth Edwards? Hm-m-m. Tough call.

On the Republican side, Rudy does have an "interesting" family situation. Who needs to watch the afternoon soaps when Rudy gives us his own personal "All my Wives and All my Children?" From what I've seen, his current wife seems to be keeping a pretty low profile, and with good reason. But wait--I'd better leave his family alone so he'll leave mine alone.


On the other hand, Fred Thompson's wife may add some spunk to the mix, if Fred ever gets into the race, as I guess will happen tonight on Jay Leno. She's beautiful, accomplished, and much younger than ole Fred. I actually heard a debate on some show several weeks ago as to whether her "trophy wife" looks would be an advantage or disadvantage. I thought that level of debate was reserved for talk radio and insignificant blogs like this one.


Cindy McCain seems like a nice person, but we're not likely to hear many soundbites or anything else from her. Same is probably true for Ann Romney, who probably comes closest to being the traditional presidential spouse--more in the nature of Barbara Bush, without the salt and vinegar.

One question: if Hillary should win, what name will the Smithsonian choose for the First Ladies Hall? First Spouses Hall?

Getting ready for the new week

You porbalby wlil not hvae any turolbe aulaclty uesdnatnrdnig waht tihs syas. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Just a fun fact to ease back into the week after the three day weekend.

The best laid plans

What was supposed to happen this weekend:
--get ahead on school work
--complete some things left undone from this summer
--do some committee work
--barbecue ribs
--take little kids to the pool
--clean house
--call K1 to see what she was up to for the weekend

What really happened
--enjoyed surprise visit by K1
--took kids to the pool; watched K1 teach K3 to dive; watched K3 dive over and over
--did some school work
--did some committee work
--barbecued ribs; made dinner

Oh well. So I didn't accomplish as much productive work as I'd planned. As the commercials say, "spending time with the fam? Priceless."

Uses for an invisibility cloak?

What would I do if I had my own invisibility cloak? It could happen, according to this article. Hm-m-m. To even entertain the thought of having one suggests that the owner would be up to no good.

I'm sure I'd be tempted to spy on my kids. I think I could resist the temptation, but who knows? Luckily for my Ks, they'll probably all be grown and out of the house before you can pick one up at Walmart, Spencer's or wherever you'd go to buy one.

But think of the possibilities.