Congratulations to Aunt Julie!

Congratulations Aunt Julie!!! In case anyone has not heard or received her e-mail, Aunt Julie got her first Hole-In-One yesterday. Welcome to The Club!

Now I know where I get it...

One More Hell Week to Go

The light is at the end of the tunnel...I just hope it's not an oncoming train. The Dave Matthews concert is this coming Friday. The coming week will be spent getting everything brought in , situated and set-up. I'm not sure how many hours I will put in this week, but I have the feeling each day leading up to the concert will be longer than previous. The Monday after the concert we begin an 8 game home stand, the second to last home stand of the year. I know Beth and I are happy it's soon coming to a close.

I have not been metal detecting in a long while and I really have the itch to go. No doubt Mark has a huge lead on me in the amount of loot he has found. I hope we can get out somewhere together soon for a hunt...maybe at dad's poker buddy Chuck's property across the river in Indiana.

I haven't played much golf either, but the last time out I shot a 69 at Iroquois while playing with Uncle Mark & Matt. Maybe I should just let the legend grow and not play until the golf trip. It seems I'm playing better now that I play less frequently. The trip appears to be headed back to Crossville, TN, a place we visited a few years ago, instead of Panama City. I think almost everyone is happy with this decision even though Pop is still pushing for Eastern Kentucky. I guess my next project needs to be the golf trip media guide. I usually start this several months in advance, but feel confident I can get one done in plenty of time. It gets tougher every year, so I guess I better start now.

Kevin's Greg Norman Comment

I thought the same thing when I heard Paul Azinger say that "golf had been unkind to Greg Norman." Come on Captain! If golf has been unkind to Norman, then it must want me dead.

The British Open -Greg Norman Kreacher Feature

For anyone who has seen the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I present the following picture comparison.

The State Motto Poetry Challenge

O.K...here are the guidelines I followed for this challenge. I used state mottos from all 50 states. The motto kept its integrity. I also did not add any other words other than what is in the motto itself. Here it is...

Wutsamotto U?

If you seek a pleasant peninsula,

look about you, I have found it!

While I breathe, I hope the life

of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

Forward it grows as it goes,

ever upward, by and by,

let it be perpetual.

Mountaineers are always free!

Strength from the soil God enriches.

He who transplanted sustains nothing without
providence...

state sovereignty, national union,

wisdom, justice and moderation.

Liberty and independence.

Agriculture and commerce,

gold and silver...

I direct the crossroads of America!

Our liberties we prize

and our rights we will maintain

to be rather than to seem.

The welfare of the people is the highest law.

Labor conquers all things...

virtue, liberty and independence.

Friendship, union, justice and confidence.

Industry, freedom and unity.

Hope.

Under God, the people rule by valor and arms.

We dare defend our rights, equal rights, by the
sword.

We seek peace only under liberty,

liberty and prosperity,

equality before the law.

She flys with her own wings

to the stars through adversity-

manly deeds, womanly words-

north to the future.

The star of the North.

United we stand, divided we fall,

all for our country.

In God we trust all things are possible

Live free or die with God,

Thus always to tyrants!

Response to Kevin's State Motto Post

First, I will let you know I have been working diligently on the State Motto Poetry Challenge and will have it up sometime this week. Second, I saw a motto for Florida I liked:

Florida: America's Wang!

"Contact" & Work

I have just started reading Carl Sagan's Contact and have been told the book is much better than the movie (as usual), but my biggest fear is the ending. The ending of the movie was horrible, but I am confident Sagan's will be much better. I have read some of his non-fiction (Cosmos & Billions & Billions) and have been impressed. However, I am more impressed with his fictional writing thus far.

I get the feeling the younger Ellie Arroway character (as well as the adult) sees and questions the world in a very similar way I do now. The questions she thinks of are weird to others, but are perfectly rational questions no one seems to want to bother with. Anyway, it looks promising.

I hope I get the chance to read some in the coming weeks. We are finalizing details at work in time for the All-Star Game and all the surrounding events. It will be a long week starting Wednesday. We then begin an 8-game home stand the day after the ASG. A couple of days after the home stand , we begin set-up for the Dave Matthews concert. Two days after the concert, we start another 8-game home stand. The good news is, the season is almost done at that point.

Another Question for Kevin's List

If Ernie Els, Retief Goosen or Tim Clarke become U.S. Citizens (and they may be), or any other South African, are they considered African-Americans?

Unfortunate Headline

Not to make light of this man's death, but I saw this headline on ESPN.com this morning.

NHRA's Kalitta dies in Funny Car crash

Richard Dawkins, Atheism & Politics

I have become a big fan of Richard Dawkins, James Randi, Sam Harris & Daniel Dennett, collectively known as "The Four Horsemen." Here is a clip of Dawkins discussing the view of theism, atheism & politics.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=saFIIgM2_co

I Knew It Would Be A Bad Day...

I knew it would be a bad day today when I dropped my car keys in my juice cup.

Lies or Ignorance

Here is another example of straight lies or ignorance (you be the judge) from the "Creation Science Association of Mid-America." The title of the group should say enough. What exactly is scientific about creationism?

Anyway, here is the new depressing newsletter from this organization.

http://www.csama.org/csanews/nws200807.pdf.


I'll post my reaction when I get a little more time.

2008 U.S Open - This Expert's Picks

U.S. Open expert here. I will predict the Top 5 finishers for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. I will tell you why my picks are as solid as a Ben Hogan knock down and why not only will I be dancing, but be within gimmee range. Even my brother Kevin couldn't pull this off. First, an expert like myself must develop the proper criteria, a rubric, for selecting the golfers feeling the heart palpitations on Sunday and those doing the "Samsonite Slide" Friday afternoon. I will also tell you why other criteria, though seemingly important, did not make my list for this tournament. Since every major is different, here is my list of criteria for the 2008 U.S. Open

1. Record at Torrey Pines - This is self explanatory. If a guy likes the course, you have to go with him, U.S. Open setup or not.



2. % of Fairways Hit - This is always key in The Open. Keep it out of the rough and you have a chance.



3. Putts per Green - This is important in every major, but must be factored in with fairways hit. Chipping and one putting every green for bogey won't cut it.



4. G.I.R the Last 3 Starts - I like to see who is hitting the irons well coming into the U.S. Open. This shows relevant confidence and an ability to work the ball, necessary to hit shots to tough U.S. Open hole locations. Those sick sadistic USGA-ians!



5. Scrambling - You won't hit many greens in an Open, even at a more forgiving Torrey Pines. You better be able to get up and down.

Some of the criteria I don't rely on and why:

1. Scoring Avg. - The U.S. Open means one thing...numbers in the black. " The best golfers can shoot an 85 in the U.S. Open." Every little mistake is amplified under these conditions. You must throw it out.



2. Driving Distance - Torrey Pines might be playing almost 8,000 yards, but you'll be hacking out each shot with a pitching wedge if you can't keep it in San Diego.


3. Money List - I don't care if you won $800,000 after shooting 22-under at the FBR Open. This ain't the FBR Open (buckle down J.B!)

Given this criteria, I will now present you with the order of finish in the 2008 U.S. Open. These golfers may be tied with one another or tied with other golfers I do not mention, but they will be there!

1. Phil Mickelson - It is his year to win this major at this course.

2. Tiger Woods - Bad knee or not, he loves this course. Maybe just a little too much rust to pull out the victory.

3. Justin Rose - This limey will again make a run at another major, but it won't quite happen... yet.

4. Stewart Cink - This steady player always performs well in The Open, but once again he'll come up short.

5. Geoff Ogilvy - This course suits his game and he has the experience of winning it.

DARK HORSE - Robert Allenby(if his irons are on...watch out.)

****Tune in tomorrow when I post my jackpot sheet***

Brian Likes His Evolution Spicy (A Response to "Kung Pao Evolution" by Kevin)

"The second law of thermodynamics is an expression of the universal law of increasing entropy, stating that the entropy of an isolated system which is not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium." - A loose definition from the "scholarly" Wikipedia.

Some creationists state evolution cannot exist due to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. This is my favorite argument. They argue things should devolve over time in our closed system...so god must be the giver and designer of life. The key to the 2nd Law is the "isolated system" tidbit. Remember the huge, glowing orb that heats and lights the Earth? Yeah...it's called the Sun.

Also, I have a quibble with people who believe the Universe is not in chaos. Sure, some portions have some order. In a place as vast as the Universe, given enough time & due to natural laws...some order is bound to occur. They seem to forget the fact just about everything seems to be expanding at an increasing rate, stars are exploding, galaxies are colliding with on another and black holes are swallowing star systems like I down a bag of M&M's.

Let's narrow the focus, however, and just think about Earth. Our planet is periodically bombarded (on a geological time scale) by large objects from space. Tons and tons of new debris falls to the Earth every year. Our planet is blasted by X-rays & Gamma rays...even Stevie Ray, Ray Charles and Charlotte Rhea. And this is just a small example of what goes on on this "pale blue dot."

Yep...this is one orderly closed system he "created."

2nd Grader Commits to Kentucky

Heard this at work the other day...pretty funny.

http://wkdzsports.typepad.com/sportsbytes/2008/05/second-grader-c.html

"That's My Dad's Shootin' Car" - West Virginia voter

West Virginia's primary is tomorrow. An article on the Financial Times website yesterday about the state's voters proved Barack Obama to be correct. I have not decided on my vote as of yet, but this may help lead me in a certain direction.

West Virginia is seen as a major challenge, if not an impossiblity, for Obama to win on Tuesday because it has few African-Americans & few college-educated whites. "The state has the lowest college graduation rate in the U.S., the second lowest median household income, and one of the highest proportions of white residents, at 96 percent." After interviewing several democratic voters in the small town of Williamson, none of them said they would vote for Obama.

“I heard that Obama is a Muslim and his wife’s an atheist,” said Mr
Simpson [not to beconfused with Homer Simpson, who joined the NRA in 1998], drawing on a cigarette outside the fire station in Williamson, a
coalmining town of 3,400 people surrounded by lush wooded
hillsides.'

Several weeks ago while campaigning in Pennsylvania, Barack Obama made a comment about "bitter" small town people who "cling to guns or religion." Looking at Williamson, "[w]ith a gun shop on its main street and churches dotted throughout the town," Williamson is that kind of community referenced by Obama.

'"If he is the nominee, the Democrats have no chance of winning West
Virginia,” said Missy Endicott, a 40- year-old school administrator. “He doesn’t
understand ordinary Americans.”'

Aaaah, my dear Missy...I think he understands ordinary Americans very well.

quotes from :W Virginia keeps distance from Obama
By Andrew Ward
Published: May 11
2008 20:13

How Do You Spell Relief? Not I-s-r-i-n-g-h-a-u-s-e-n.

Just a quick post. The St. Louis Cardinals have been on a small winning streak despite giving up plenty of runs in the 8th & 9th innings the last few games. It finally caught up to them tonight. Izzy gave up 4 in the 8th to lose 4-3. This bullpen will not get us very far. Please hurry back Carpenter & Mulder...we need your stitched-upped, gnarled arms!

Where Art Thou, Dr. Zeus?

Was there ever a "Twilight Zone" episode where everyone, except the unsuspecting businessman in the fedora, seemed to regress, or de-evolve (devolve?) and before he knew it neanderthals were roaming the streets devouring stray dogs, looting butcher shops & doing Geico commercials? I feel like that guy(minus the snazzy fedora). Recently several states have started looking to pass "academic freedom" legislation that would encourage, or force, teachers in public schools to raise doubts about Darwin's theories & evolutionary biology as it pertains to human origins. Never mind there is no credible scientific evidence to the contrary(I am well aware Darwinian evolution is pretty much gone the way of the Dodo. Darwin wouldn't recognize modern evolutionary biology. He was simply the "father" of the theory of natural selection. Evolutionary Biology grew from this foundation, however most creationists miss this point). Will we start teaching alternative geographical "theories"? You never know...the whole damn earth just may be flat! How about alternative Mathematical theories? "2 + 2 = 4 is all well and good, but I feel I would be slapping God in the face if I didn't say it equals 7."

Most recent surveys across the United States show the majority of people don't believe in evolution (which tells me they do not understand it) and a god created us very much the way we are now. This includes people who are not really that religious. Is this the education system letting us down or the unfortunate, disgusting & powerful influence of theistic willful ignorance taught in the home? My guess is the latter. Whatever the problem, it scares the hell out of me. I think I'll go back to my cave before the dark swallows me, wonder where the sun went and throw feces at the wall until I feel better.

A Rain Delay, 17 Innings & A Cold

Thankfully our home stand is over and I now have 4 days off to recover. Not only was our 5 game stretch at home cold, it was also longer than any other 5 game stretch I've ever worked. Saturdays game went 13 innings...which we lost. Sundays game was longer than normal, but we also has a booster club luncheon afterward. Monday's game was the killer. We new rain was coming, we just didn't know how much. The rain delayed the start of the game by only 40 minutes. After the rain, however, the temperature dropped into the low 40's with 20-30 mph winds. We then proceeded to play 17 innings of baseball until our first baseman was forced to pitch and gave up 2 runs breaking a 2-2 tie. I got home a little before 2 am. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling like I swallowed a pin cushion, dizzy and worn out (to many people that would have meant a good night). I suffered through our 11:05 am Education Day game today knowing I could go home and rest soon after. I now have 4 days to rest and hopefully feel better before Derby Day.

More Cincy Trip...