Feeding Babies

The time has come to start feeding Mr. Chunky solid foods. I don't really see the need since he seems to pack on the pounds just fine with Mother's Milk. Something about doctor's orders etc. but anyway I am pretty sure these were green beans. Gross!

He can Dance!

Yesterday I caught my son trying the Macarena. I told him this would be his only warning on this type of behavior which includes all line dancing. I retruned from a trip out of town and initially thought he may have lost weight; as you can see from the picture, I was mistaken.

A funny (Airline Bathrooms and Seats)

I needed a funny today, check it out:

Dear Continental Airlines,

I am disgusted as I write this note to you about the miserable experience I am having sitting in seat 29E on one of your aircrafts. As you may know, this seat is situated directly across from the lavatory, so close that I can reach out my left am and touch the door.

All my senses are being tortured simultaneously. It's difficult to say what the worst part about sitting in 29E really is? Is it the stench of the sanitation fluid that's blown all over my body every 60 seconds when the door opens? Is it the wooosh of the constant flushing? Or is it the passengers asses that seem to fit into my personal space like a pornographic jig-saw puzzel?

I constructed a stink-shield by shoving one end of a blanket into the overhead compartment — while effective in blocking at least some of the smell, and offering a small bit of privacy, the ass-on-my-body factor has increased, as without my evil glare, passengers feel free to lean up against what they think is some kind of blanketed wall. The next ass that touches my shoulder will be the last!

I am picturing a board room full of executives giving props to the young promising engineer that figured out how to squeeze an additional row of seats onto this plane by putting them next to the LAV. I would like to flush his head in the toilet that I am close enough to touch, and taste, from my seat.

Putting a seat here was a very bad idea. I just heard a man groan in there! This sucks!

Worse yet, is I've paid over $400.00 for the honor of sitting in this seat!

Does your company give refunds? I'd like to go back where I came from and start over. Seat 29E could only be worse if it was located inside the bathroom.

I wonder if my clothing will retain the sanitizing odor . . . what about my hair! I feel like I'm bathing in a toilet bowl of blue liquid, and there is no man in a little boat to save me.

I am filled with a deep hatred for your plane designer and a general dis-ease that may last for hours.

We are finally decending, and soon I will be able to tear down the stink-shield, but the scars will remain.

I suggest that you initiate immediate removal of this seat from all of your crafts. Just remove it, and leave the smouldering brown hole empty, a good place for sturdy/non-absorbing luggage maybe, but not human cargo.

Even better it appears to be factual:
http://www.snopes.com/travel/airline/seat29e.asp

Death in the Family

We returned home yesterday evening around 2000 and received a call that Grandmomma had passed away this morning at 0215. We are very thankful for the 82 wonderful years that Grandmomma had and especially thankful for the opportunity that we had to spend time with her last week. She died two weeks after her diagnosis so the suffering for her and the family was certainly not as long as it could have been. While we will miss Grandmomma we know that she was a believer and that she had accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, there lies the hope and the glory in this situation. The picture above was taken in August.

Baby milestone

Not only is my son a fantastic dancer, as evidenced in the picture, he is now able to roll from his back to his stomach whenever he wants. While this is mostly good news, it ends the days of setting him down where ever we felt like it. I guess I have to pay more attention now.
He has also started saying Gaaa, gheee, and goo. I am pretty sure he's trying to say "Golly daddy's a good looking man."

Male Bathroom Etiquette

Weird fun last night

Last night I issued my standard push ups challenge to someone who doubted I could perform more than five. The challenge is you do as many as possible without me watching and I will double it without watching. Last night the twist was that the gentleman asked me to do mine with my kids on my back. My five year old weighs 43lbs. and the seven year old weighs 48lbs. I left the room while my 53 yr old adversary did his thing and when I returned I had the younger girl sit on my back. I was able to do 15 with her and 10 with the other. I was pretty disappointed, but luckily he only did six. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Today's events

Today I got a call at 0800 to get my son to the nursing home where "Grandmomma" is spending her last days. I ran straight out the door with him and we got there in time for her to interact with him a bit as she asks for him whenever she wakes up. It was not long after that when I realized I did not bring the diaper bag with me, this sucks. I borrowed a phone, mine doesn't work 'round these parts, and phoned back to the house to have my mother-in-law bring it when she came. After that my son and Grandmomma were hungry at the same time. As I am unable to feed my son in his current life stage, I fed grandmomma some yogurt. She seemed to think it was really good, and her roommate Miss Effie seemed to think that was hilarious. Miss Effie was a missionary in Africa before she was unable to care for herself; mostly, she sits on her side of the room and giggles in between random memories of her colorful past. I talked with her for a bit while the nurses gave Grandmomma her medication, if you consider talking me saying stuff and her laughing.

We Left after about two hours and, as always, I was terribly impressed with the people who work in those facilities. Definitely hard work, and definitely little pay. After that I cam back to my in-laws and tried to work for a few minutes, but got sidetracked with lunch preparation and my very chunky 4 month old. It was then time for the girls to have school, and my wife needed to leave, so I got that duty today. Second grade seemed much harder than I remember, and kindergarten did as well. I got through that and decided to take the girls swimming in the lake it was around 90 here and the water was about the same.

Now, I am watching the sun sink against the backdrop of this beautiful property and.... waiting. I
think we are having spaghetti then watching the movie E.T. later.

P.S. I love Matthew Mconahey (sp)

The Captain is on the road

I am currently spending half of my day in a nursing home conversing with the guests, and the other half chasing my children and attempting to school them on the road. To be sure this is a trying time for my family as a loved one approaches death. This death will come soon and she is ready to see Jesus. This knowledge will not prevent the sadness of loss but such is the price of sin, thanks Adam and Eve!
Additionally I am struggling with something I never thought I would. Don't feel sad for me though, it's something that has needed to happen for years and we will see where it all leads in time. I am hopeful that things will turn out as they should and that is giving me comfort during my struggle. Please pray that I will make the right decisions in the near future.

The Captain is Tired (but very happy)

I am wearing my self out right now. I just got back from WV, and Monday I fly to Florida for an unexpected family illness; I come back Wednesday then head back to WV Monday. All that said, I am very happy right now.

Most Haunted (dumbest show ever)

So I watched this show tonight to see what the deal was. Pretty much, a bunch of people go into "haunted" houses or other places and attempt to film paranormal activity. What they do is shoot a bunch of stuff through a night vision lens so it looks like crap, and they back it with some scary tense music. One or two other folks are supposed to be "mediums" and they flap their gob-holes about a bunch of senseless crap trying to heighten the mood. After everything gets real tense you will hear some settling noises or some distant bangs or bumps which is supposed to be the "spirit" communicating. This show is whack, I can't believe people enjoy garbage like this. Oh, I forgot that every now and then a little bit of lint or reflection will be highlighted as a ghost too. FYI for anyone listening GHOSTS AREN'T REAL!! If the people would shut up and the backing track wasn't present you would be filming dark rooms which anyone can do at home.

Guys rules

From an e-mail:

The Guys' Rules

---------------------------
At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down Finally! , the
guys' side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear "the rules" from the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules!

Please note.. these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Men ARE not mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport.
And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly Acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only If you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1 Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't Expect us to
act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways
makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one .

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done
Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during
commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not! A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We
have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will Be scratched.
We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like
nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you
don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear Is
fine...Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to
discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation,
or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;


But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Rockstar: SuperNova (gone gay)

Last night Supernova chose this clown as their front man. I have to say that I was terribly disappointed seeing the two worst/weakest as the final two. Toby and Magni were much better singers and musicians than the final pair. Of the final pair Dilana was definitely a better singer but seemed to have some self control problems and relied too heavily on her "I love Satan" look. Lukas does this gimmicky thing with his voice and I doubt he will hold up very long. But hey, Taylor Hicks won American Idol so I guess anything can happen. What do I think should have won?
Well For Idol:


And Rockstar:

Some war facts

Almost 3,000 men and women from our great country have died in Iraq. I have heard that this is too great a price to pay. With that said I wanted to offer some statistics.

Civil War: 618,000 total dead, 203,000 of them in combat.

World War I: 126,200 Americans died, total deaths from all participants 15,596,071.

World War II: 418,500 Americans died, total deaths from all participants 62,537,400

Vietnam: 47,378 KIA + 10,824 non-hostile deaths for 58,202 American deaths. 1,100,000 total death from all participants.

Korean War: 54,229 Americans died (my grandfather received a purple heart), 285,241 total deaths from all participants.

No those figures are not typos and while they may not be 100% accurate, based on my hasty research, they certainly paint the price of freedom. I would say that the main difference now would be the extended media coverage which focuses on the negative aspects of what is happening. Let us not dishonor the tens of thousands who have died in the past by pretending our generation is more precious or important than those men and women who died before us.

Brangelina

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have decided they will not get married until "everyone" can get married. I think this means until gay marriage is legal. Pretty much I think this means one of the following:
1) One of them actually just doesn't want to get married and this is a convenient excuse.
2) They are greatly overestimating their influence on society.
3) They are just weird.

Feel free to mix and match as you see fit. I want celebrities to go back to acting and understanding their opinion is not important to anyone outside of TeenBeat.

9/11

ABC's 9/11 controversy

So, first there were folks complaining about the fact that ABC planned to let people swear openly in this show. Next, I hear that some of the facts are incorrect. Soon after that little revelation former Secretaries of State and Presidents are complaining. Lastly, The ACTORS THEMSELVES said they had doubts about stuff that was shot.
What a crappy way to dishonor the memory of these people. Quit playing politics, and having an agenda on this day. There are already a small portion of jackasses that think this stuff was fake and/or perpetrated by the government. It's the same five people who think we never went to the moon. Well probably their grandchildren, but you get the idea.

For my friends in cubicles

I am no longer in a cubicle, but I am sure I haven't seen the last of them. Enjoy:

The Crocodile Hunter

I have to admit I loved watching this guy do what I considered very stupid things. I think we all envisioned that some animal would someday take his life. At 44 Mr. Irwin was killed when a stingray barb, apparently, punctured his chest and hit his heart. That has to be one of the most rare deaths ever. Without a doubt he boosted the popularity of his country and the Discovery Channel with his insane antics. He is survived by his wife and 2 children.

The News

I heard two interesting stories this week. One was that a "monster" had been found dead in Maine. You can read about it here. I think it looks like a dog, and isn't scary at all. The news must really be hurting, nothing going on so we start calling some mutt a monster.

But wait there was a terrorist attack in San Francisco. Some 29 year old Muslim man tried to run down a bunch of people in a Jewish community. Hmmm, accounts of this story seem to vary but some folks claim he was yelling "I am a terrorist" and others say he just misses his wife. No one seems to want to call a duck a duck anymore.

Lastly in San Francisco there is yet another example of how to do things very very wrong. This article talks about one school district is going to let kids decide for themselves if they are boys or girls. Is your gender some mystery, the anatomy is a pretty big clue most of the time. Children need guidance and instruction to help them through the confusing times, and also to assist them in making better decisions later in life. If we let children run themselves they would all get fat on chocolate and sit on the couch watching TV all day. Oh, wait that's how a lot of people "parent" these days anyway. Then they sue the school for having a vending machine.

Stupid! Be accountable for your family and how they are raised, and what they eat and what they do.

Rookie Analysis

So, with the Pre-Season almost over here's what I think of the rookies I have watched:

Vince Young: Tremendous athlete, running/scrambling is solid, passing game still needs work.

LenDale White: Fat (as pictured), needs to get trim and start running. Looks to be powerful.

Reggie Bush: He's good to go, looks dangerous as long as everything isn't on him.

Jay Cutler: Looks incredible, should be good to go next season as a starter. Already prepared to step in as a reliever.

Matt Leinart: Looking good, should have been in camp on time. Hopefully he will be ready to start after Warner trows his first pick.

Mario Williams: Is he even playing?

Laurence Maroney: Watch out Corey Dillon, he's good to go.

Rex Grossman: Fragile. Someone just told me he isn't actually a rookie he just hasn't played much.

I think those are all the big names. If I left out one of your favorite players, feel free to get your own blog.

Sir Charles Barkley

Mr. Barkley is debating whether or not to run for political office. Reading this article he seems like one of the most confused people on the planet. Let's also not forget that if he weren't famous only his family would vote for him, if that.
He said if he were in charge he would "ask somebody and try to make a fair, honest decision for the majority of the people. Not the rich, not the poor, not the black, not the white." Yeah dude, that's how the government works now. All you hear about is the opposing parties bashing depending on who is the President. Plus the media finds whatever little crack it can see and turns it into the Grand Canyon. I think this is true of Republicans and Democrats and that people should learn for themselves if most of the accusations that fly around are true.

Funeral

Saturday I went to Mr. G's funeral. This man was not famous nor was he wealthy. I would estimate that several hundred people showed up at his funeral. I have never seen anything like that. This man touched so many lives as he tried to witness Christ to everyone he came in contact with. The service was beautiful and stunning, I told my daughters they may never see anything like that again.
Sunday evening as we went through our normal evening routine where the girls shower at 8 then are allowed to read in bed until 830 or 9 when I play the guitar for them. When I took my guitar in Sunday night my 7 year old was writing a note. Here is what she said:

Dear James,
I love you so much!
I wonder why God had to take you?
I am glad I will see you agin.
Thank you for letting me play in your ofiss.
I wis you were here.
Love Jana

And the next page:

Dear God,
Why did you have to take him?
I gess he was hurting so much.
But I still love him so much.
Love Jana

Oddly it was my 5 year old that asked the dreaded "Why did Mr. James have to die?"
It's difficult to explain to adults why bad things happen to good people let alone a child, or so I thought. I told them that sometimes bad things happen to bring glory and honor to God. For example at the funeral 4 or 5 people surrendered their lives to Christ. Several households and hopefully their future generations will now live as Christians. This was all James wanted, and all he lived for. I, sadly, had underestimated my girls; they understood perfectly.

The verses read by the Pastor accurately sum up the life of this man.

The apostle Paul wrote these words to Timothy near the end of his life.

2Ti 4:6	For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2Ti 4:7	I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
2Ti 4:8	in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Ridiculous waste of money...

and the worst job ever.

Losing Someone

Today the president of our company passed away. He had battled bladder cancer for several years and the fight is finally over. I count it a privilege to have known Mr. G. and count it a greater privilege to have seen him fight the good fight through his illness. Though painful for him and his family in spirit and in body he exemplified how a man should live his life.

Mr. G. counted it a blessing that God chose him to bear the burden of cancer. Truly stunning to hear from someone who suffers daily in pain. He wanted only for others to come to know Christ through the faith he displayed during his long painful battle. The grace and humility he showed the world could not have come from anywhere other than God. Grace and Mercy like that are not of this world and it's quite rare that we actually get to glimpse it in a man.

As a Christian I know that he has moved on to a better place, this does not lessen the pain of seeing a great mentor, husband and father leave us. These are the times where Christ calls us to lean on him.

Check out the song Homesick by Mercy Me, and we'll see you on the other side Mr. G..

Ensign Dude

That's my boy! He was very runty when he was born, but as you can plainly see he's packing on the pounds prepping for his career in the NFL. I also plan to nominate him for the "Cutest Dude" award shortly. God gives me beautiful babies, for that I am very grateful.

Having babies!

I got back from working out of town last week and noticed that Melba, my female Jack Dempsey, was hovering in only one area of the tank. A quick look inside shows about two hundred eggs on their nice flat stone. I am hopeful that several will survive, let me know if you need some fish! Please know that my Jack Dempseys are much better looking than the one pictured in the reference link above.
I also have six baby orandas at home which make an excellent outdoor fish if anyone needs a very simple "starter" fish. The fry came from one of the three different species I have in the pond, I have one each of Red-Cap Oranda, Calico Oranda, and a fancy Goldfish. So who knows what the kids will look like since I haven't picked the fish up and turned them over to see who is male and who is female.

Katrina Victims

In Sunday's paper I read this article that talks about how many promises have gone unfulfilled after Katrina. Reading the article it doesn't sound like promises weren't kept, it sounds like people aren't happy with the progress that has been made. I respect that argument but don't call it something it isn't. Before I go on, I don't want anyone to think that this was handled perfectly, but I do believe it was fairly decent considering there was no previous basis for response.

People are criticizing the 3 billion dollars that were thrown at the issue saying we could have saved money with competitive bids; I wonder if they realize that we might have saved 10% but had to wait at least a year while the bids were solicited and sorted. I also noted that the President offered two programs that were rejected. One of these programs would have given free jobs training, school, and child care to people. Another would have given free plots of land to folks. Instead they want $30 billion dollars. This was a tragedy for sure, but I feel like some of the victims are holding their hands out and waiting for the big cash to come their way. These people are irritated at the $9 billion dollars given them which translates to $150,000 per homeowner. Someone please try to convince me that there was either $9 billion worth of anything there before and/or that each of these homeowners had $150k in any type of assets prior to this disaster. I want these people to have decent shelter and the basic commodities of life, in short they should be restored to their previous position. This should not be an opportunity for victims to profit.

Movie Review (The Family Stone)

So my wife rented this one. The story is a son bringing his fiance' home to his family and I think it's supposed to be funny with some awkward humor. It's not.

What I didn't like:
I can't type that much. This is the worst movie ever. The family are a bunch of white trash stuck up snobs. They hate anyone who doesn't agree with them and their way of thinking, and they don't try to be accepting at all. They are hateful and rude and I am pretty sure they are supposed to be an example of a nice modern liberal family too. SUCKS!

What I did like:
ummm stellar cast, unfortunately abused.

The bottom line:
Stick a fork in your leg if you somehow get roped into seeing this, it will be less painful. Perfect definition of uber crap.

Movie Review (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby)

This was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Let me start with the stuff I didn't care for and then proceed with the praises. The premise is that of a man who was "born" to race cars. Good build up, and you like his character as he becomes a great unstoppable Nascar driver. He wins and loses and wins again in typical hero style.

What I didn't like:
Gratuitous cussing is a waste of time, especially when you use children for shock value. None of the children's cussing lines made anyone in the theatre laugh, it was a bit sad. There was also needless cussing by the adults but that is quite typical in today's movies.

What I did like:
There are about three thousand riotous one liners that I will have to write down next time I see it. The family elements were pretty good and the characters meshed well. The story, thought predictable, was fantastic too.

The bottom line:
This is NOT a family movie and children should be kept away from it. Very funny for grown us though. I also don't buy into the whole anti-christian or anti-southerner talk I heard. The uses of those elements were quite funny and obviously satirical.

Will Ferrell does a great job, as does the entire cast, of delivering great over-the-top performances.

Islam

http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/muslimprotest.asp
So Peaceful.

Airline Plot

First off GREAT JOB by Mi-5 and the British to gank these losers before they had a chance to do any damage, and thanks for keeping us in the loop during the process. Now on to the nuts and bolts. These guys were caught because their privacy was "violated" based on who they were (racial or religious profiling?). Guess what? I'm all for it! People who whine about our "illegal" phone tapping practices should learn to read what the law actually states. The calls must be originated from and/or destined to a known terrorist nation.

Now, if we could just figure out what the Iranian President is planning to do on August 22nd I would sleep a little better at night. He is bound and determined to bring "the end of the world" so that Islam can rise up and "be free." I am actually afraid of this man he is taking orders only from Allah.

John Edwards

This is too funny. Yesterday on Hardball, Mr. Edwards officially took himself out of contention for any future political office for anyone with ears. He told Chris Matthews that if "these people" (muslims) would just "get to know us" they wouldn't want to hurt us or commit suicde to hurt us. My goodness gracious Mr. Edwards they live amongst the people they are planning to kill for years at a time. They know us; they hate us in spite of, or perhaps because of, knowing us. I appreciate your idealism and wish what you were saying were true, but it just isn't.

Magni (Dolphins Cry)

I admit I watch some reality shows, especially select weeks of American Idol and most of Rockstar SuperNova. Last year on Rockstar INXS I loved most of the singers and thought that the band (INXS) was just ok. This year, it has been the reverse I feel the band has enormous potential and the singers have been dull.

That was until last night when Magni KILLED IT! Rocking the house on an acoustic guitar by yourself is no small task, way to go man!

More Football (NFC Analysis)

Now for my brilliant insight on the NFC:
NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: With TO in camp you just have to hope he stays happy. This guy is talented for sure, but no one else on this team is. Terry Glenn (worst haircut in football) is past his prime and Drew Bledsoe is not good(see career stats for proof). I think Julius Jones is the best QB on their roster and he's playing halfback, well maybe Drew Henson. The only redeeming thing is Parcells and he is inconsistent at best with respect to winning. My bad, Jason Witten is a great TE this does not matter when your team is crap.

New York Giants: Looking good on paper are the New York Giants this year. Solid on both sides of the ball with a number of proven all-stars. Watch for Eli to get his act together, everything hinges on him. The defense can hold their own, but will not win games for them, and the two backup QBs will not get the job done if Eli goes down. I think he was thrown to the wolves a bit early last year and just wasn't ready for this level of competition. Probably sucks being Peyton's brother.

Philadelphia Eagles: This team actually, still, has all the tools to win it all ESPECIALLY with TO gone. McNabb is great and Garcia can also win games if anything goes wrong. The defense is also solid with perhaps the weak link or intangible being whether or not Kearse can play an entire season. After an amazing first three years he has been a bit fragile. If this team stays healthy watch out.

Washington Redskins: A storied history and a once great franchise, the Redskins should investigate the possibility of playing a season or two in the NCAA or possibly High School. Mark Brunell is quite fragile and only a shadow of the man from the past. They have some great people on defense that have never really emerged as stars but definitely could if the scheme was tailored to their abilities. My advice; throw Brunell the clipboard and let Jason Campbell play. I normally don't like rookies to be starters but he is the better option. I know some folks will talk the receivers up but I have never been sold on short receivers.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Have some talent no doubt, but Rex Grossman will take no one very far. This has nothing to do with his fragility either, he is simply not big or athletic enough. They have Griese who can be a winner if he could ever get out of "I'm good because dad was" mode(primadonna). Three good running backs, and one fantastic receiver (Mushin) along with a good defense. None of that matters if Grossman is the guy though.

Detroit Lions: Should also investigate a season or two in the minors( see Redskins). A few talented guys sprinkled into positions that don't win games is a recipe for another losing season. I want to see Orlovsky play mainly because he is ginormous and can't be any worse than Kitna. The Jury is still out on McCown since he started his tenure with Arizona where they only allow one good player at a time to be on the team.

Green Bay Packers: Favre returns! Unfortunately that equals a losing season now. His competitiveness is to be admired but his ability is no longer the stuff of legend. With a good QB this team could rampage the NFL like the Packers should. I would try Aaron Rodgers and hope he has been learning from Favre the kid was great in college. Every other position on this team is tough and stacked.

Minnesota Vikings: Seems weird we won't see Culpepper out there in his giant purple uniform, wait who's that throwing the ball? Brad Johnson?!?! Doesn't he suck? No he does not if placed in the right scheme. Has good numbers sprinkled through his career, which started in Minnesota, and has a championship to his credit. The bad news: I don't know who anyone else on this team is. Koren Robinson sounds familiar, and Tank Williams but that's it. Good luck Vikes!

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: With Finneran out already things don't look good. To be fair Vick can win a game by himself on the right day, but not everyday. I see D.J. Shockley as the number three QB, but look for that to change shortly. This team can only win when Vick is accurate and has some lateral movement to find throwing lanes. Box him in and he is terribly mediocre at best. If he can move even a little this team is always a threat. This team's success rides on the O-line.

Carolina Panthers: Good team solid on both sides with decent backups for almost every position. This is not news, why hasn't this team won a ring the last three years? Something is stopping the Panthers and it isn't lack of talent. John Fox's third year, let's see if it finally comes together for Carolina.

New Orleans Saints: Snatched Drew Brees thinking he would help but the running game is the battle to watch. Reggie Bush will be the man on this team. If Brees has time he can make plays, if he is hurried and flustered it's over. I see they snatched up the embattled Adrian McPherson too; this kid looked amazing before FSU pitched him on his ear for stealing. Keep an eye on that number three QB, the Saints might actually do some damage this year.

Tamp Bay Buccaneers: IF Chris Simms and Michael Clayton can get on the same page this team will be an absolute terror to their opponents. Good talent at almost every position offense and defense it all hinges on those two guys. Yes, there are other receivers but none are as explosive as Clayton can be( see 2004).

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: Snagged Edge and Leinart. Seems this team may be violating their self imposed only one good player per year rule. Edgerrin's days of scaring people are over, but perhaps the mystique will work when combined with the legend of Kurt Warner. My hope is that Leinart gets to sit with the clipboard and learn all year until the Cards can grab a fresh dynamic young RB. If that happens Leinart is the prototypical NFL type and should be able to bring some success to the team for the future. This year they can do damage, but only based on the memories of Warner and James in their prime.

San Francisco 49ers: I love Trent Dilfer, but he isn't great and he's the number two. Alex Smith was a stud in college, but class is over son. Other than them I don't know anyone on this team, what happened to them? Wait, Larry Allen is there wasn't he in the 1974 Super Bowl?

Seattle Seahawks: Came close last year certainly the stars were aligned in their favor. Shaun Alexander is truly amazing, but I think we will learn that last year was some sort of fluke, I look for Hasselbeck to, once again, prefer the opponent's defenders to his own receivers. David Greene is on the roster at number three and will certainly pass Seneca for the number two shortly. He might be the spark that Seattle needs.

St Louis Rams: I see some talent (Stephen Jackson) mixed in with some guys that really need some relief (rest of offense). Good defense but the offense is suspect. I don't see Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce worrying too many defenders these days. Seattle managed to do it with only a running back, so you never can tell.

It's Football Season (AFC Analysis)

I will now begin my analysis of the upcoming football season one division at a time:
AFC East

Buffalo Bills :
The Bills are short on talent, and after a rough 2005 I don't see any end to their suffering. After scoring a total of 15 points last year they drafted mainly defensive players that's brilliant.

Miami Dolphins:
9-7 last year and definite contenders this year if everyone gets on the same page. Ronnie Brown is a stud, Daunte Culpepper is as well. Joey Harrington will finally get the chance to hang out a bit, but watch for him to learn from and push Culpepper. This is the opportunity Joey needed for his NFL career to not be a train wreck. David Carr is dreaming of something similar I am sure.


New England Patriots:
Always dangerous with Brady at the helm watch for this re-tooled team to get right back where they left off two years ago. The defense is back, and hopefully stays healthy, and they picked up Reche Caldwell who could make up for lost time on the offense. I don't know how this team wins but they should never be counted out.

New York Jets:
Pennington is "looking sharp" in camp. Well no crap, he is a great QB and no he isn't fragile. He has a mechanics problem that has not been addressed by his coaches. Pennington has what I call a wide profile when he releases the ball. The ball should be tight to your ear and he releases it about 14 - 18 inches away. When you do that you risk the defender hitting your hand and causing the very injury he sustained. All that said, they still don't have all the tools needed to back up Pennington, they desperately need a good runner to complete the package and some younger receivers.

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens:
Snatched Steve McNair and Mike Anderson in the offseason. This is Steve's last shot and he is not very durable now. Their defense is prime and they have three outstanding halfbacks. They could put it all together and make a run, but only if the QB and the 1 and 2 receivers stay healthy all year, which is doubtful.


Cincinnati Bengals:
They have everything they had last year, but displayed that they are nothing without their QB. Additionally, you never know how a player will come back from those nasty knee injuries. I think Palmer is a tough kid and they will do well as long as he is under center.

Cleveland Browns:
Not good, three QBs who have never really played and a linebacker as the best player on the team. This worked for Baltimore one year, but this defense is not that good. Look for the Browns to possibly try playing in the NCAA this year for a few wins.

Pittsburgh Steelers:
SuperBowl Champs! I am concerned about Big Ben's durability based on his style of play, he takes a beating. This guy may only be in the NFL 5 or 6 years if those lineman don't start protecting him. Willie Parker will also find the going more difficult without Bettis to spell him, Duce Staley is not capable of filling the bus's shoes in this capacity. I am looking for Verron Haynes to take over as number 2 though he is a bit undersized for the pounding. I would base their season on How Ben plays after his injuries/accident and how fast Santonio Holmes develops since Hines Ward cannot carry the receiving load forever ( See Rod Smith Denver).

AFC South

Houston Texans:
Good news: New Head Coach Bad News: Probably doesn't matter. Their GM picked Mario Williams at number one then quit his position to go work for another team one day later. Someone please throw the BS flag. Mario is a stud no doubt, but don't pick a defensive player for a team that can't score (see Buffalo). David Carr would be great if he were ever allowed to throw the ball, FYI it's very hard to throw when you fear for your life every play. Reggie Bush was there, and would have been a difference maker.

Indianapolis Colts:
The Edge is gone and this could be the undoing of a great offense. The receiving corps is still sound, but aging. The line is not getting younger and Peyton DOES NOT like to get hit. This team may have waited too long to try and develop Rhodes into a starter. He could have been a stud no doubt, it may have have killed his ambition watching Edgerrin for so many years. Their season will be based on the success, or lack of success, of Dominic Rhodes.

Jacksonville Jaguars:
this team has everything it needs to be successful, unfortunately some of the players are not utilized correctly. They have the biggest receiver in the NFL, and he is probably the third or fourth fastest man in the NFL, in Matt Jones. This guy is phenomenally athletic let him run and move Greg Jones to the starting HB. Those two things would ignite this team. Fred Taylor cannot be tackled more than twice per game, it's time to hang it up man. If the Jags let Leftwich and Jones hook up watch out. If they try to pound the ball with Fred Taylor, good luck selling your season tickets on eBay.

Tennessee Titans:
Vying for stupidest offseason moves (see Houston Texans) they let their Starting QB go. Is Billy Volek a stud as a backup, yes. Is Billy Volek a starter, NO. Vince Young is not ready, He must learn to stand taller and release the ball much higher than he did in college. LenDale White's success will be based on his fat factor, trim him down and he's good to go. WHEN Young and White get dialed in this team may be unstoppable, provided Young does not try to stiff arm NFL linebackers like he did with the college boys. Look for Young to take over the first poor Billy throws more than one pick in a game and let's hope that his support cast doesn't allow him to suffer like Harrington and Carr.

AFC West

Denver Broncos:
Jake took a lot of heat for the playoff loss, but only one of those picks was his fault. Look for him to step it up with Cutler on board. Jay cutler is a stud and has a great system and great mentor to learn from. Look for Ron Dayne to light it up with Tatum doing the same as they deliver the Bronco's famed insert any back here running game. The receiving corps is pretty suspect; if Lelie would be a man and compete they would be great, but Rod Smith cannot continue to carry the load ( see Hines Ward) and Javon Walker is unproven as the sole go to guy. Denver can win it all if the passing game is sound. Defense is great, as is the running game.

Kansas City Chiefs:
Wille Roaf quit or did he? If he is gone their season goes with him. He is the line for KC and Larry Johnson will learn that quickly without him. Trent Green and the receivers cannot be successful without LJ and I do not think he can do what he did last year without Willie. This team is "on the bubble" watch for their fate to follow their left tackle. On the plus side they picked up Brodie Croyle, I am a huge fan and hope he learns quickly since Trent Green seems to get the hook when it looks like the guy behind him has any skill.

Oakland Raiders:
Someone please check Mr. Davis's medication. The Raiders have officially signed every NFL has been and never will be. It might actually pan out if Brooks gets the protection he has never had and can hook up with Moss. Jerry Porter also has flashes of brilliance but I would have ditched one good receiver for a better running back. If they can't get the running game going look for Brooks to continue his struggles on this team ( not his fault).

San Diego Chargers:
This team has it all. Big names in all the right places, and several proven performers in most skill positions. The only problem; can Phillip Rivers deliver? My opinion is that Drew Brees was a product of his environment and not the core of this team. I think Rivers will be dialed in by game number three and this team is a legitimate threat as long as LaDanian Tomlinson is behind Rivers.

NFC next week.

Our Motel Experience

Well, this was a hoot. We were supposed to stay at a motel called Shore Haven in Lauderdale by the Sea, but the dude tossed us out. When my wife headed up to the room after checking in, she couldn't get the AC to blow cold air. I had also noticed that all the rooms had their windows and doors open. We went downstairs to tell them that the unit was not blowing refrigerated air and inquire whether or not it could be fixed or we could get a different room. Well the short story is the dude flipped out and snatched the keys from my wife and said go stay somewhere else.

We drove down to the place pictured above called La Cele. It was awesome Dennis, the owner, took us in with no reservation, and for $95 a night we got an 800 or 900 square foot apartment with a full kitchen and two double beds. It would have easily slept nine or ten folks. We were also only one block from the ocean which was gorgeous. The only bad news was that we realized we had left several things back at jerkweed's motel including my wife's wedding ring and all of our food. The items were successfully retrieved.

So, it was great to come home from the training and walk to the beach to hang out for a few hours. The Ocean was close to 90 degrees and beautiful. The vacation portion of the trip was great, the training was completely bogus.

The Zoo

Because we are members of the Knoxville Zoo, we got in for free. I recommend looking into the zoo and it reciprocal relationships with other city zoos. I enjoy the animals and learning about them and seeing how these people strive to take care of them to preserve the different species. At the Brevard zoo you can actually pet the giraffes which is pretty interesting since their heads are enormous and their tongues are very long.
It was a million degrees but we had a blast.

Vacation

We are hanging out at the in-laws and I have been enjoying my father-in-law's newest toy. That is a 2006 Yamaha Rhino 4X4. These things can go almost anywhere; we easily traversed a washout that was 2 feet across and 3 feet deep. Later we rolled through over 18 inches of mud as if it wasn't there. I dig this thing.

Yesterday we went to The Villages retirement community and had a blast. It was a hoot, I highly recommend a visit. I also plan to move in the second I hit the minimum age of 55. We also went to the Astronaut Hall of Fame which was very informative. I still don't really understand the space program and really don't understand how it benefits us much. According to the museum, they have contributed such things as gold-toe socks and oven mitts to society. I do think that space exploration is neat, but seems too expensive for the return on investment.

On the down side it has been hotter than the surface of the sun the whole time we have been here. Today we are planning to hit the Brevard Zoo which ought to be fun in the heat. After that we will head down to Fort Lauderdale for my training. See you there.

Visiting Florida

So I am on vacation/training down in Florida and as I drove into the state I saw the billboard pictured above. Seems like there is a group dedicated to hurting the tourism industry down here by talking about Florida's "shoot first" law. This law states that Floridians can stand their ground and meet force with force without fear of reprisal. I think that's great! It's never good to be the dude that shoots second. The state also has its lowest crime rate in 34 years since this law has been in effect.
I do think we should check out who gets a gun very carefully, and train them to use the weapon.
Once these requirements have been met, I think you should be able to defend yourself at any time and not worry if the person trying to hurt or rob you might sue you later. I know they want to scare off tourists, but that makes me want to live there.

Corporal Jerrod Fields

I found this yesterday:

Cpl. Jerrod Fields has been knocked down before.

Cancer took his mother when he was 7. A thug's bullet took his father six years later. A coach took his basketball scholarship at Tennessee State.

And, in Iraq, a roadside bomb took his left leg.

But every time Fields is knocked down, he dusts himself off and gets back up again.

Now, after a year of recovery, the 23-year-old has managed to stay a soldier and get promoted. And he has plans to re-enlist for six more years.

"I told myself when I came home that I wasn't going to let some guy in Iraq determine my future," said Fields as he showed off his prosthetic leg.

It's emblazoned with the American Flag and the four blue stripes of Fort Stewart's 3rd Infantry Division.

Yesterday's Army was likely to pat Fields on the back, quietly hand him a medical discharge and replace him in the ranks.

Today's Army is giving him a chance.

While there's no official policy on retaining seriously wounded or disabled soldiers, President Bush encouraged the practice early in the war during a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"This is a new age, and this is a new (military)," Bush said in 2003. "Today, if wounded service members want to remain in uniform and can do the job, the military tries to help them stay."

As of March 1, there were 392 war amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan across all military branches, according to Walter Reed figures. Fields is one of about 80 who have chosen to re-enlist, passing the same rigorous tests all service members undergo.

"Fields knows he needs to go way above and beyond, which is what he's done," said Capt. Ryan Booth, about Fields promotion to corporal. "The kid showed the fitness board, chain of command and the entire Army that you can't kick him out."

To stay in, he needed to pass the fitness test for his age: run two miles in under 16 minutes and do at least 40 push-ups and 50 sit-ups in two-minute stretches.

Fields beams when he recites his two-mile time: 14 minutes, 26 seconds.

You can read the whole story here. Yesterday Vice President Dick Cheney drove to Fort Benning and re-enlisted this young man. I do not this man's politics, religion or background beyond what is stated in the article. I DO know that this is the definition of a man, hero and patriot. Someone who can see the greater good, and sacrifice himself for others whether or not they agree or understand with what he is doing.

Thanks Cpl. Fields HOOAH!

Stem Cell Research (Facts vs. Hype)

A fiercely debated topic to be sure. Put aside politics and morals and simply read the evidence I will present. Evidence to the contrary is welcomed provided you can provide it rationally.

http://www.family.org/fofmag/sl/a0024064.cfm this is a religious website but, if you prefer, just read the facts and drop the moral case they present.

http://www.lifeissues.org/cloningstemcell/bradsarticle.html
http://www.pregnancy-info.net/StemCell/embryonic_adult.html
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/nov/03112001.html

Excellent debate, note that one side offers facts, and one side only theory and conjecture.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/stemcells2.php

http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm

Thanks.

Captain Dude receives national recognition

READ THIS!

I got referenced on a California website yesterday. After reading the comments on the page I am sure I will get some haters, so here are the rules haters. I will publish your comment as long as you aren't trashing someone's character, cussing, or flaming with no substance. No substance would be this:

Well, if it wasn't already obvious that Bush values his religious extremist supporters over scientific advances, then it surely is now. I read the text of the veto he sent the House and it showed that he has a simplistic view of exactly what stem cell research is all about. Human embryos are destroyed anyway, and most women destroy them each month. I guess that doesn't matter.
Bush to scientific research that doesn't have to do with tactical nuclear weapons: Drop Dead
Bush to the targets of these tactical nukes: Drop Dead

This offers no proof of anything, simply defamation.

Hey nothing wrong with election pandering to the base, it is an election year. Beside it draws attention away from his failed policies in the Middle-East and provides time for the Princess of Darkness Condoleeza Rice, not to be confused with Jerry Rice, consult with Israel on how to proceed in Lebanon.
Yeah the religious right in action again, that is why I keep getting further away from my Catholic roots, and coming to the conclusion that to my church, superstition has it over science, and blind obedience has it over real concern for humanity.

Again, no substance. Now we have two mentions of the word science with tirades of character libel.

He values their votes over human life, that's for sure.
His prop "Snow White Babies" each is alive only because other frozen embryos were sacrificed to create them. Think about that: one to six frozen embryos were destroyed in order that each of those pretty white babies could be born. But that's OK--there's a terrible shortage of White Babies to be adopted. It's important for the country to have more White Babies. White Babies are our country's future. Sure, there are plenty of babies and children looking for homes, but they're all the wrong color.
If I sound bitter at Bush's hypocritical pandering to the lunatic fringe--and be assured, you'll hear plenty from the religious nutcases opposing stem-cell research--it's because one of my spouses suffers from three different medical conditions for which stem-cell research shows promise. Take it away, Pax. But for Zeus' sake don't think through the logical implications of your theology. It'll cause doubt.

This example is both hateful and racist. This is unfortunate because this person seems to actually know someone that could have shed some light on the issue instead of just spewing hatred. It is also certainly idiotic to call the majority of America the "lunatic fringe."

This certainly shows how regressive the Republican base is at this time. If they could get away from all those church fund-raising events, and read about current events, they might realize they are only creating an ebay marketplace waiting to happen for stem cells. Private firms and the rest of the world are all on this technology and our private firms could use both regulation and funds from the government to allow this technology to grow in a sane ethical manner.
Such is the hypocrisy from the Christian Right that blast stem cell research and gorge with in vitro fertilization. No right wing moralist ever seems to have a problem with the harvesting and disposing of those embryos. I guess because one in a million embryos can make infertile woman pregnant with quintuplets.
As usual, for Bush and his base all life is only important until you're born, then you're on your own.

Excellent first paragraph minus the second sentence of course. From there it proceeds into conjecture that is largely untrue. The last sentence is ridiculous, as if there are no social programs available to people. If you are truly on your own after you are born then it is certainly a miracle that anyone lives past the age of two.

Black market, Adam. Ebay, unlike Republicans, has integrity after all.
But that brings up a nice point. Bush defines federally-funded stem-cell research as murder, but has no problem with privately-funded research. So presumably, as long as I don't use federal funds, he'll have no problems with my hiring a hit man.
Good to know Shrub's hypocrisy knows no bounds. Like I needed any proof of *THAT.*

This person wavered with lucidity in the middle but couldn't seem to articulate the point. Yes, private research is ok we are a free society after all. He simply won't allocate federal funds, which are limited anyway, ask all of your left wing movie stars to donate some cash to the private research. They have so much money that all of the "promising research" should provide cures in a year or two. Oh, wait Hollywood won't actually put up or shut up, they want governments to do it all.

The picture for this post is intended to portray that Christians do NOT think we are perfect or blameless in our decision making. We make mistakes, we stumble and we fall just like anyone else Democrat or Republican, black, latino, asian, or white. We simply hold ourselves accountable to God and not the will of man. We make the best decisions we can with the information available at that time. We also understand that this truly confounds some people and we are sorry. We do not judge and spew hatred at you for not understanding us, please extend that same courtesy. I am, of course, only speaking for the people I know and, as an example, not the church in Kansas that protests the funerals. There will be do-dos on either side of any argument when millions of people are involved.

Bush vetoes stem cell bill

Stem cell hype is based on little fact and so far adult stem cells look just as promising. So, with no qualms and no hesitation the President vetoed this bil.

Nicely done sir.

CNN officially merges with the National Enquirer

CNN, which I always felt had a pretty sharp list to the port (left) side, has officially joined the ranks of the sensationalist leftist rags our country likes to call news outlets. Yesterday morning they ran a graphic entitled "Breaking News" President caught using expletive! Oh SHIT, I said that to see if any news crews would appear in my backyard while I watch my kids playing in the pool. Nope guess it didn't really matter. That's the stupidest crap I have ever heard, luckily our President is a Texan and probably is having a good laugh over whatever smacktard typed up that graphic.

I don't care if you dislike the President, but stick to real issues like policy not casual conversation.