Teacher Ties Nose Picker to Chair

This case instantly reminded me of this one.

Now you would think people who are teachers would be able to figure out that this sort of thing doesn't go unnoticed or unpunished. Wouldn't you?

Who's a Hero?

There's been a lot written and said regarding the current situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Although I do have a strong opinion on that topic, this post will not deal with that area of discussion. Here is what I would like to discuss. I am aware that this was also released last night, but I mainly want to express my thoughts on the first article. I will try to keep my thoughts brief, although they are many and long in discourse.

Although we could go through the entire article and blast away, let's focus solely on the title of the article "Pat Tillman is not a hero: he got what was coming to him."
First off, who was Pat Tillman? He was a man. He played football professionally in the NFL. He left a 3.6million dollar contract to join the Army Rangers in 2002. His brother, Kevin, is also a Ranger.

Secondly, how did het get "what was coming to him"? What had this man done to deserve death? What great injustice had Pat Tillman performed? Walking away from wealth and safety to pursue what he felt called to do?

Lastly, with regard to the title, what is a hero? Here's the Merriam-Webster definition, which reads in part as follows: "an illustrious warrior : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities : one that shows great courage".

Was Pat Tillman an illustrious warrior? Well, he served proudly with honor. And evidently those who knew him in his service thought enough of the man to promote him posthumously. The Army said that the promotion was to recognize that Tillman "would have been a fine leader."

Did Pat Tillman show great courage? Yes, as do all of our men and women in military service. In his specific case, it is known that after coming under fire, Tillman's patrol got out of their vehicles and gave chase to those firing on them. What followed was a fire fight that last almost 20 minutes. It takes courage to get out of your vehicle and chase those who have shot at you. It takes courage to stand your ground for 20 minutes as bullets fly past you.

Lastly, is Pat Tillman to be "admired for his achievements and noble qualities"? Absolutely. The team he left in 2002 has already recognized this fact and has decided to retire his number and name a part of their new stadium after him. His friends and family speak of a man who loved his country and was shaken to his core by September 11th.

One final question for the author, Rene Gonzalez.
When you were growing up in Peurto Rico, who did you look up to and admire?

The issue at hand isn't about the war. It's not about who's right and who's wrong. It's not about politics.
It's about a man. A soldier. One who left his life to fight for a cause he believed in. He loved his country to his death.

Pat Tillman is a hero. I admire his passion on the field and off, and I respect him for the way he followed what he felt led to do. He served, and died, so that idiots like Rene Gonzalez can freely write articles that go against everything Pat Tillman ever was.

"Higher" Education?

Let's see. If I were a member of a fraternity while I was in college (which I was not), I would take into account recent news events prior to participating in such activities. I think I would realize that cases of hazing are now nationwide news and over the past several years have become flaming hot potatoes for fraternities and sororities as well as the Universities attached to the organizations. Nothing good comes of it, and other than it being silly tradition and a chance to humiliate a person, these sorts of actions serve no real purpose. Secondly, if I were to engage in hazing (which I wouldn't), I would make sure that nobody was filming or taking pictures of the event. Why do people record such idiotic behavior? It will never be worth it in the end - it just becomes solid proof against your organization.

Idiots.

An Open Note to All Drivers

Dear Driver,

I couldn’t help but notice the fact that you seem to be thoroughly enjoying your time behind the wheel. In fact, I would say it is refreshing to see someone so relaxed while traversing the highways and byways of life. It is obvious that you are able to find happiness and relaxation in the view through your windshield. I believe that I have found a few things you could do to make the journey all the more enjoyable.

The first thing you might consider doing is having your speedometer checked. When I came upon you in the fast lane of I-70, I couldn’t help but notice that you were going 50 miles per hour. I am sure that an auto mechanic can quickly check your speedometer, and replace it if necessary, thus allowing you to return to the roadways in a quicker fashion. This will allow you to see more of this beautiful country in less time.

Another item you might consider having inspected would be your blinkers. I have noticed on several occasions that they do not seem to work properly when you are changing lanes or making a turn. I am certain that the mechanic can check and replace the bulbs if need be. This simple correction will allow you to find further enjoyment through the flashing light on your dashboard as well as the reassuring sound that is made when your blinkers are working properly.

The last items that I believe you may want to have modified as soon as possible are your tires. I cannot be absolutely certain, but I believe that are out of alignment. This thought occurred to me when I was driving in the lane next to you and you began to cross over into my lane. I have also notice on other occasions that you have a tendency to float from one side of your lane to the extreme other side – often passing the line by a foot or more. A simple alignment could fix the problem and make your driving experience even more smooth and relaxing.

I believe that these simple adjustments to your vehicle will allow you to further enjoy the driving experience. If for some reason these items do not seem to help, then I would suggest you put down your cell phone and pull of to the side of the road. Or, if you have another passenger in the car that you would like to carry on an animated conversation with, please go to the nearest parking lot - so you won’t be bothered with having to keep some of your attention on the road.

I believe that if you made these simple modifications to your driving habits and car, the rest of us might be able to be more like you and find more peace and relaxation while on the interstate. Thank you for your time and consideration!

RG

Computer Crash

At this moment I am a little perturbed with my computer.
I had a nice little post almost finished when suddenly my machine locked up and I had to reboot.
Hopefully, I will find the time and willpower to attempt to recreate this lost post later today.
Until then, rest assured that it is Wednesday and I'm prepared to begin the downhill slide toward the weekend.

This Place Needs Something

Okay, so I feel as if my blog lacks a little something... Alright, perhaps it lacks a lot...
I think it lacks personality. I write down my thoughts, but it doesn't reflect any of the other junk that makes me who I am.

For example:
Do you know that music is a huge part of my life and that there is rarely a moment that passes without me either listening to it, singing a song (either out loud or in my head) or attempting to write one? I think not...
And do you know why? Because I have never mentioned this fact and there is no way for you to hear what's being played in my head right now.

So, my goal for today is to set up a section in my blog that will allow me to share this vital information with you.
I also want to do a redesign of the layout, but I think that will take me longer than the time I currently have on hand.
I've got to get organized here... The problem is, I am not a super organized person. I'm more of the carefree sort.

But I realize that people might want some sort of reason to the madness found on this page and, by golly, that is what I will try to give them.

I'm feeling kind of spunky at the moment. Maybe it's because I've got nothing that must be accomplished today, but I've just determined to do something. Perhaps it's because it's another glorious day outside. It could be a result of the fact that I just rambled in an e-mail to Kristen about some random connections we have in common. Yeah, I'll blame it on that for now. Thanks Kristen!

A Little Too Much Leniency

So I heard on the radio Saturday that Leonard Little was in trouble again with the law, but I had missed what it was he had done. I turned to my friend and said, "Well, let's hope it doesn't have to do with drunk driving." Later in the day I found out what had happened and I was somewhat enraged (and still am).

At what point does a person "earn" special treatment? What is the dollar amount that must be made in order to get the law to bend for you? I truly wish someone would just make a law that defines exactly at what income amount "special considerations" will be considered. How can I know which laws I can afford to break if someone doesn't tell me how much it will cost me monetarily.

Another set of questions:
When did a guy running around on grass chasing another man with a leather, air-filled ball become reason enough to excuse a person from breaking the law? (At this point, the argument crosses all sports boundaries, but I'll keep the focus on football for the time being.)
When did we as paying customers decide that it was okay for our sports "heros" to behave in a manner that is not only inappropriate and dusgusting, but also illegal?

Like it or not, sports "icons" exist today as the public holds them up on a pedestal. Is it fair to the player to be considered an idol or hero or role model? Perhaps not. Is it the job they signed a contract for? Absolutely not. Are they under a lot of pressure? Sure they are. And they get paid incredibly well to be in that limelight. So it's impossible for me to separate the "professional athlete" from the "public figure", because they are one and the same.

The athletes enjoy the spotlight when it shines brightly on their achievements, but cry foul when it burns severely on their heads when they do something wrong. I, for one, do not believe there needs to be such a double standard. You want to be paid so much to play a game? Fine. You want to mess up your life, and the lives of others in the process? Be ready to pay the piper. And I don't mean pay as in financially. I mean doing the hard time that any other "common" man would be required to serve in a common prison.

Charles Barkley once stated matter-of-factly in a Nike commercial "I am not a role model... Parent should be role models."

I challenge the reasoning behind such logic. Anyone who is seen in public has the potential to be a role model. If I hold the door open for someone, I am being a role model. If I flip someone off in traffic, then I am being a role model. If you play a sport on the professional level, you are a role model. And if you break the law, you should be the role model of a citizen judged justly, sentenced accordingly, and serving completely whatever judgement has been given.

I am nauseated by the consistent special treatment of athletes in judicial matters. I think they should be prosecuted just like everyone else. And although I am a huge Rams fan, I would love to see justice served in whatever form it may be. And whatever contractual issues may exist in releasing Little shoud be considered mute. He violated his contract as a representative of the team and thus, vicarious as it may be, as a representative of our city. If I did something to damage the reputation of the company I work for, I would be released without benefits or severence pay. Here's a guy that has made millions playing a game. I think he should be able to "survive" for a while without any more money from a team he has burned twice now. If not, then shame on him...

And if we let him off the hook again, then shame on us...

Nickelcreek @ the Pageant

Well, Nickelcreek's performance last night at the Pageant was incredible. Not that I didn't expect it to be as good as it was(I saw them last year at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO), I just was pleasantly justified in all of my excitement and anticipation. Not to mention the fact that I had a great view of the stage from my seat in the center balcony. From the opening notes to the final one mic tune, the group played the songs that made them famous, as well as a couple of new ones and a few covers (who would have imagined hearing them perform "Two Turn Tables and a Microphone"?) Chris and Sara carried on a friendly banter with the audience throughout the evening, and the group seemed genuinely suprised by the ovation they received upon coming back out to perform the last segment. [Do yourself a favor and go read Kritter's review of the show. It is right on.]

One gripe about last night (and it has nothing to do with the band):
When the band unplugs and steps up to perform a mainly traditional acoustic set in such a venue, shut your mouth. It's a rarity to be in such a position to hear such talented people play their instruments in their natural form, so sit back and enjoy it. To the handful of people that felt they needed to keep hooting and cat-calling as the band began to play in this wonderful format, I kindly ask that you never attend such a show ever again. Until you can actually simply enjoy the music for what it is, and watch the fabulous musicians find total enjoyment in their instruments through their talents, why don't you just stay home and listen to a studio produced, cleaned up, oversampled CD?

It was a wonderful evening of some incredible music. And once again, Nickelcreek has left me wanting more and hoping to see them again in the near future.

Creepy Eyes

So late last night as I was driving home, I rounded a bend in the road and right there just beside the yellow line was a creepy possum. It was almost all white, and it lifted it's head and staired at me with it's beady little red eyes.
It appeared to be eating a previously crushed possum (although actual verification of animal type is not possible due to the fact that I didn't stop to analyze it, and it was an almost flat furry pancake at that point). I didn't think that possums were carnivorous, but perhaps there are certain species which are. Perhaps this little nasty animal was either super hungry (which is not too plausible since everything is in bloom right now) or is just a sicko like some humans.

Either way, possums are creepy animals and seem not to mind almost getting flattened while hanging out with their dead buddies. (Yet another similarity to some humans..)

Beyond the Point of Loopy

Today I am thoroughly exhausted in every way imaginable. Physically I am beat. Mentally I am fried.
Why can't we have naptime at work like we used to have after lunch in kindergarten? I would like that.
Actually, I would love that right now. To curl up on a little sleeping pad on the floor and just drool away an hour or two.
It doesn't help that the weather outside begs to be pondered through deep breathing and closed eyes.
I really like that last sentence...

Porn Industry Pauses

I just read this article and I find the fact that some members of the porn industry are just now considering the threat of HIV to be very real somewhat amusing.
Here's the quote from Mary Carey, an adult movie star who ran for governor of California last fall: "It's very scary," she said. "This is kind of a wake-up call for everybody."

A wake up call now?!? How long have we all known about HIV and how it is spread. And wouldn't the fact that if you are in the industry and are tested every couple of months kind of give you the idea that maybe you are a high risk?

Blues Playoffs/Season Review

What a miserable way to end a lackluster season.
Can we say overpaid, underproducing, passionless talent?
I can and will.
With the way the Blues played, they deserved to lose.
Where was the passion to win? Where was the desire to empty the tank every game?
I spoke with fans on the Metrolink ride home after the Game 4 loss who verified what I thought to be the case:
The Blues gave up in the second period. They quit playing to win. They stopped trying. At home.
Disgraceful.

If I were Bill Laurie, I would not only shuffle the deck, but burn it in the process. Let all the high paid slackers go, and focus on a rebuilding effort. Sure we may not make the playoffs for the umpteenth year in a row, but who wants to go to the playoffs when all your team will do is meander around the ice like lost children in Walmart? Let's build a team that wants to win, with talent that needs a bit of time to develop.

I'm tired of getting the "veterans" at the trade deadline who will "help" us in the playoffs.
Lets have a team already in place as we blaze into the playoffs.

I love the Blues, but I hate the way we lost this series. We rolled over.
Despite what this idiot blowhole said prior to and during the series, we never had the desire to come from behind.
I wish this moronic marble mouth would move to Chicago or Detroit so I could hate him even more.

Now we wait the long summer months, and possibly a lot longer for NHL hockey to return.
In the meantime, I will watch the Otters play hockey in October with passion and not get paid out the wazoo for slacking.
Maybe the NHL and the Blues could learn a lesson from these teams that play to win, not for just a paycheck.

Blues Playoffs - Round 1 Game 3

WooHoo! I am so thrilled with the way the Note played last night.

Perhaps they finally realized that this is the playoffs.
Perhaps they finally noticed the fact that they have to score to win.
Perhaps they realized they have pads they can check with.
Prehaps they read my previous entry and decided to change their play... Perhaps not.

Either way, I am excited about what I saw last night. If the Blues can come out tonight and successfully avoid the penalty box for the dumb stuff, I think they have a good shot to go 2-2 and fly back to San Jose with the momentum. Keep the hits and shots coming boys!

One thing I don't understand - this whole see of yellow business. What's that all about? Suddenly, the announcers are talking about it and it seems that sponsors are promoting it by giving away yellow rally towels. Why? Last time I checked we are the Blues. I recall hearing the phrase "sea of blue" in the past and I always thought it was cool to see all of the blue in the building, filling the seats. Why are we leaning towards the yellow color? It immediately brings to mind cowardice. I think we might be giving the opponent and their media reporters a huge mental image by saying "The Savvis Center is packed tonight and "the sea of yellow" grows more excited as game time nears."
Am I just wrong here or what?

Bleeding Blue! (not yellow)

Blues Playoffs - Round 1 Game 1

Okay, so the Blues lost it in overtime which is frustrating.
They started out the first and third period in slow motion, giving up multiple odd man breaks and letting the Sharks walk all over them. And then the Blues would decide to skate for a bit and actually attempt to make a crisp pass that might possibly catch a Note in stride. (This was a rarity throughout the entire game.)
Why couldn't we push the puck into the net on that 4 minute power play?
Flood the crease, move the puck quickly and pummel the goalie with a relentless barrage from different points. Screen the shot, deflect the shot, take the shot! Anything.... Grrr...

Perhaps the most frustrating thing of the whole night was the announcing. Now I usually like Ken Wilson, and Bernie Federko is tolerable. I've grown up listening to them. However, several comments from last nights game put me on the edge of my seat in bewilderment. After a failed power play, they would both praise the Blues for good puck movement and good shots. After a few minutes of listless skating and keep away in the neutral or Shark's zone, Ken and Bernie would begin to rattle off endless adoration of the Blues dominating presence or how the Blues have taken ahold of the game and its tempo. Huh?

Now, don't get me wrong. I am a huge Blues fan. Always have been, and always will be. - may the Red Wings and Blackhawks forever die a slow, agonizing death. However, don't pretend that the fans watching at home cannot see the truth of the game. The facts were as follows:
We were out-hussled a majority of the night.
We made terrible passes throughout the game and never effectively transitioned from defense to offense.
We never hit anybody with any sort of fire or passion that the Stanley Cup playoffs demand.
We never scored on the power play, despite how pretty it may have looked - it was still ineffective.
We had moments of sustained pressure, but nothing that wore the Sharks out to any degree.
We played dump-and-chase hockey most of the night, but failed to do the "chasing".
We love to ice the puck for no apparrent reason.

I want to see the Blues win. I would love to see them go far. But until they start playing like it matters and they want to win, it will not happen. Until bodies start flying up the wing and passes start connecting in synch, we will not win. Until somebody, anybody, decides they will throw their weight around and be aggressive on the boards and forecheck, we will not win. Standing men up at the blue line is effective, but we must do it consistently...

I didn't realize how much I want them to win until right now.
And I didn't realize I could sound so full of hockey until right then either... Oh well!

Go Blues!

Athletic Haiku

So, jimH of my little STLBloggers community is hosting a little poetry contest.
Here's a traditional Japanese style poem, with obvious St Louis connections and passions:

Empires of Play
Blues, Cards, Rams play games
Burnt once, twice, three times the same
Champs ever again?

Maybe I'll work on something a bit more profound or in depth later, but this quickly came to mind, so I thought I would throw it out there for the masses to enjoy.

Cards Opening Day

Yep, I was there.
For those of you who were stuck outside in lines at the start of the game - it's your own fault.
Stop blaming security or the President or construction. Blame yourself.
When everyone is telling you to be at the park between 11 and 1, make sure you are there during that timeframe.
The huge lines formed rapidly around 2pm, when 15,000 thought they would hop in line to get into the game.
Be realistic people!
This is Opening Day!
Not opening day for the cubs, but for the Cardinals!
Idiotic people deserve to be left outside in more ways than one.

So the boys didn't play well today, but the season is forever long. They have some time to figure it out...

Go Cardinals!