How Did We Get To This Point?

The other day on the news I heard a story about a grade school who had banned the use of any type of ball during recess.

Seriously.

No footballs, softballs, basketballs, soccer balls. Nothing. The only allowable "ball type" was a Nerf ball.  The reasoning: the school didn't want to take the chance of any of the kids getting hurt. This made me laugh. Nerf balls are for toddlers and hemophiliacs. Not 8, 9 and 10-year old kids.

What are we doing here people?? Turning our kids into de facto "bubble children"? How much protection do they need?

When I was in grade school we played dodge ball, 4-square, tether ball...and there were always footballs flying through the air. There were 4 basketball hoops in use. Were there bruises and bloody noses...yes. Every once in a while someone got smacked on the nose playing tether ball. A football would sail long and bonk someone on the head. So what? We were kids having fun and playing. Outdoors. Exercise.

There were skinned knees and elbows. Maybe even a black eye if you were really lucky. Badges of battle to show off the rest of the day in school!

I don't know where the school is going with this, but it is nowhere good.

Thoughts?

BANNED!!

Forgotten But Not Gone

Apologies for being MIA for so long. As we all know, life issues sometimes cause our blogging activities to be put on hold for a while. Some more sudden than others. It is nice to know that blogging for fun can be put down temporarily and then resumed like slipping on an old pair of shoes. At least I think that is what it will feel like.

I will be absent a couple more weeks or so but I just had to make time to let those friends I have made online know that I am still around. I want to thank Alex for emailing me with his concern for my absence. I am really sorry I missed the CassaStorm promotion and regret not partaking. After reading the book however, I am sure it's success will be as great as the first two books.

For the rest of you who have been missing me, fear not, I will be annoying again soon.

In the meantime, I wish you each success is your individual endeavors!

"In Your Pants" Blogfest

Summer Ross is hosting crazy blogfest. And it was so easy!!! Name of the book I am reading and then adding "in your pants" to it. Simple...and sure to be some hilarious reads.

Well I am reading a book recommended by the great Alex J Cavanaugh and written by the talented Lisa Regan. So here is my entry...drum roll please


Finding Claire Fletcher...In Your Pants!

I guess I can stop reading...I found her!!!!

Tiger Woods Redux

I previous posted about Tiger Woods here. It'll give you a chance to read my mad blogging skills early on!
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The FedEx Cup playoffs have started in the golf world.

This past weekend saw another spectacular and gritty performance by the worlds #1 golfer, Tiger Woods. He didn't win. But his play on Sunday was reminiscent of the 2008 US Open that he won in dramatic fashion on basically one leg...in a 19 hole playoff no less. Taking the rest of the season off after that victory in June of '08, Tiger had knee surgery to repair a damaged ACL and walked around in a cast for some time as the result of stress fractures to the same leg. It was amazing he could walk a golf course for 5 rounds (between 25 and 30 hours of play) and win arguably the hardest golf tournament that is played each year, let alone swing a golf club.

This past week was the top 125 players starting their competitive playoffs for the FedEx Cup championship and the $10 million (you read that right) pay off that goes along with it to the winner.

Tiger came in ranked #1 in the standings as he has done 4 times previous (twice before winning the cup and the cash). After two weeks off from a failed attempt to win the PGA (the years final major tournament) he had to cut his Wednesday practice round short after only nine holes due to a tweaky back he blamed on a poor nights sleep on a bad hotel mattress. (If I had his money I would have my own bed shipped to every tournament. But that's me.)

Thursday's start seemed to be fine and Tiger was in the hunt at the end of the first day...after 11 hours on the course due to 2 rain delays. Friday midway through his second round there were signs of the back tightening up but he commented afterward it was fine and a little physical therapy would have him ready to go on Saturday.

Saturday morning ended the second round and was the worst round for him to this point in the tourney. During Saturday's third round, the back again failed him down the final stretch of holes and he ended up 4 shots off the lead going into Sunday's final round. One of his playing partners actually caught fire and held the lead over night.

As the Sunday round started, Tiger found himself paired with a relative newbie on the tour (at least in terms of being high up on the leaderboard on a Sunday). Tiger and Kevin Chappell teed off in the second to last group right before the leaders.

It was the most intense tournament I have watched in a while as several top players jockeying for the lead...charging...falling back. The third round leader shot himself out of the tournament after one horrendous hole. Tiger tied for the lead and fell back and then charged forward again. Then on the 13th hole, a long par-5, well, watch this short video...




With six holes to go!!! He somehow ended up bogeying this hole to drop a shot and now five holes to play. A par and another bogey and he was three shots back. Every full swing a monumental effort to hit the shot. Then on 16 he hits an amazing shot and birdies the hole...2 back. On 17 another birdie...1 back. Needing a birdie on 18 to tie the leader in the clubhouse (Adam Scott) at 11 under and force at least a 2 man play off. This is one of the hardest holes on the course. Tiger puts his second shot 20 feet past the cup...the crowd is going insane! The 18th hole was surrounded by what looked like every person attending the tournament that day...it was electric. Everyone expected a birdie and a playoff. One inch. The ball stopped 1 inch from going in the hole.



There were probably 6000 to 8000 people following Tiger's group that day. Kevin Chappell, in the end, had no chance. He shot 5 over and went from tied for 2nd to 15th. It is a crush of humanity everywhere when you get paired with Tiger.

I know maybe none of you follow golf or even know much about it. I post this as a way of recognizing the truly and unbelievably talented golfer that is Tiger Woods. He went from being on top of the world in every way to the reality-shattering personal strife and is back on top again. He has won five tournaments this year. No one else has won more than 2. They say he may not win Player of The Year since he did not win a major tournament. They say maybe Adam Scott might win it...since he won the Masters and then this past week. I say ridiculous. Many golfers do not win 5 times in their entire career. Tiger has had that many wins in a SEASON...ten times!!!  He has played 14 tournaments this year and won 5...over 30%. Believe me, it is a difficult thing to do.

I have no comment on his personal fallibility. I hold no grudges. I admire the man for his talent, his ability to focus unlike any other tour player, his grit to fight through injuries and carry on to the end. I do not know of another player on tour who would have continued to play after the shot on 13 on Sunday.  I have tried to play with an achey back and quite frankly I watched in awe as he finished that round. Other players have flamed out and never recovered from various off-course issues.

Another of the playoff tournaments (The Deutsche Bank Championship) where the field is now paired down to the top 100, is starting on Thursday. After that the field will be cut to the top 70. A week off and then the BMW Championship after which the top 30 advance to Atlanta for the final event of the series. Tiger will be teeing it up again in two days.

And he will be there at the end. Don't bet against him.

This Is The Age Of Reflections

It struck me today how many different people address me as "sir". I just realized that I have not been knighted by the Queen Mum and I don't look like Paul McCartney (thank God...that dude looks dead!!) Elton John (again, thankfully) or Nick Faldo...all legitimate Sirs.

No, I mean people at work (superiors and subordinates) and just in general. I certainly don't act like anyone should call me "sir"

The question I am asking myself is how many times in a day can I be called "sir" without actually feeling old?

(For you ladies I suppose the question would be equal for "ma'am")

And does it make me old to ponder such a thing so deeply as to take up valuable posting space with it?

How do you feel about this??

A View To A Kill

There is a real scourge in the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans and it is growing by the day. I am talking about the voracious and unstoppable red lionfish (P.volitans).

Pterois volitans (red lionfish)

This fish, though beautiful to look at and photograph, is rapidly endangering other organisms in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The lionfish has numerous poisonous spines which serve as fins as well as protection. They have no natural enemies and nothing will eat them unless they are dead...and most sea-dwellers like fresh-kill. Large groupers and some eels as well as sharks will eat them with apparently no ill affect. Roatan Marine Park officials have even been attempting to train sharks to eat lionfish.

This fish is native to the Indo-Pacific oceans of the world. It is speculated that during hurricane Andrew a large aquarium in Florida was destroyed releasing the lionfish that were kept there into the ocean. It is also believed that some lionfish were purposefully discarded by unsatisfied aquarium enthusiasts in Florida. Since the early to mid-90's the species has taken hold in the Atlantic.

Because they have no natural predators and the fact they can reproduce monthly (females release about 15,000 eggs each month), their population is growing exponentially. The Florida Keys Marine Park has never issued a hunting license for any animal except the lionfish. In many marine parks in areas I have traveled the last couple years (Fiji, Belize, Roatan) divers can spear lionfish and it is the only reason they are allowed to wear gloves when they dive...or carry a spear.

There are some organizations who arrange lionfish hunting trips for their dive groups in an attempt to help control the population. These fish are like the feral hogs of the sea. Failing to control their growth in some manner will continue to be devastating to the reef and ecosystem. This will have ever-lasting consequences on our sea life balance.

They are however quite tasty and I enjoyed fresh lionfish served on our live-aboard trip two years ago in Belize. I suspect the best way we humans have of eradicating a species is to fish the hell out of it. We are good at that.

So encourage your local seafood restaurant to add lionfish to the menu and support your local dive shop in their efforts to stop the spread of this red menace.

Beautiful and deadly

The Weekend Graphs Redux

In case you thought you might never see these again (and some may wish for that day) sorry to disappoint...your favorite weekly is back this week, with a bang!

The Weekend Graphs!!!

Please be entertained...enjoy>>>

Old Yeller anyone?




Is it safe....yet?




This one time at band camp....




Star light star bright...




Einstein had it all wrong...




And a public service graph to help you cope...



Please drink responsibly...or whatever.