Thought For The Day

Do not go where the path may lead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

Poem For The Day

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
- Robert Frost -

Saturday Stuff

We are digging out from our first snow of the season and preparing for a big Sunday storm. We only recieved about 5 inches on the Cape because of the still warm ocean water, and tomorrow will be messy but mostly rain. Inland (Manchester, NH) will get buried with 10-16 inches. It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the Patriots-Jets game in Foxboro. It could be much closer than people think. We'll do some Xmas shopping today. There's a shop in Chatham that has some nice things for the young ladies we know, so that will be our first stop. Then we need to work on something for Kenny.

Thought For The Day

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
- Benjamin Franklin -

Rupert Murdoch

This is a historic day at the Cape Cod Times. We are now owned by NewsCorp and Rupert Murdoch, the media tycoon. He purchased Dow Jones, Inc. and its' crown jewel, The Wall Street Journal. Part of the Dow Jones empire was Ottaway Newspapers, of which The Cape Cod Times is a part. We know Murdoch doesn't have much interest in community newspapers, so we expect to be sold again in the near future. Hopefully, we will be purchased by a newspaper company that is interested in good journalism and community involvement. However, we are a profitable business, so we might be purchased by a group of investors who only care about the bottom line. If so, there will probably be jobs lost, especially in the newsroom.

As for my future, I need to work four more years to be eligible for full social security, and that has been my plan all along. I was hoping to finish my four years at the Times, and I think my job is secure, but you never know. I'll keep my eyes and ears open. Financial planning is very challanging.

Thought For The Day

Character is even more important than reputation. Reputation is what other people think of you. Character is who you really are.

Mitchell Report

Today is a very bad day for baseball with the release of former Senator George Mitchell's steroid report. A quick read of the report shows some former Red Sox but no current active players. It also shows many Yankees. The former Sox are Clemens, Damon, Mo Vaughn, Eric Gagne, and Brendan Donnelly, so far. This report could cause some players their place in the Hall of Fame. Here on Cape Cod, we are also looking for former Cape League players on the list. So far we noticed Jerry Hairston and Paul LoDuca. Now we are waiting for another news conference with Mr. Useless, Commissioner Bud Selig.

Thought For The Day

If you want what you've never had, you need to do what you've never done.
- Pete Stringer -

50 Mile Run

This morning at 5 AM I drove my friend, Pete Stringer, to Provincetown so he could begin his annual 50 mile run to raise money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Cape Cod. He will finish at Barnstable High School at around 8 PM tonight. Normally his time would be much faster, but his back has been acting up lately. Oh, did I mention Pete is 65 years old, and a former out of shape, homeless alcoholic in his younger days.

These days, however, Pete is an ultra marathoner who runs 100 mile races all over the country. He also coaches athletes of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities, from disabled people to world class runners. I first met him two years ago when I joined his "beginners" running class. Its a 12 week class. The first week we jog for 30 seconds and walk for 90 seconds, and repeat that 15 times for a half-hour workout. Each week we increase the jogging time and at the end of 12 weeks we are walking 1 minute and jogging 12 minutes, 3 times. He has turned many couch potatoes into runners. Now I'm out there running road races. Not bad for a 62 year old diabetic, quadruple-bypass survivor, and I owe it all to Pete Stringer.

Each year, Pete runs in the Western States 100 mile Ultra Marathon in Leadville, Colorado. He has been asking us to join his support crew, and we might do it next year.

Thought For The Day ( two for price of one)

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
- Mark Twain -

Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.
- Benjamin Franklin -

Elvis Lives

Two Elvis impersonators were stuck in an elevator in London recently. After they were freed, one of the firefighters said, "they were all shook up, but there were two of them so they weren't lonesome tonight".

Thought For The Day

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery.
- Charles Dickens - from David Copperfield, 1849

Look Out Mangini

No NFL team has ever scored 80 points in a game. This week we'll find out just how much the Patriots hate the Jets. If the Jets are smart, they will ban any of their players from speaking to the media. The last thing they want to do is provide the us with more motivation.

Then we have the Dolphins; Miami Dolphins, not the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins. Although D-Y might have a better chance. I'm sure the Miami players wish Don (I was misquoted) Shula never mentioned that there should be an asterisk next to the Pats record. Shula is a weasel and now the Dolphins will pay.

As John Madden said, "It's not the job of the offense to hold the score down".

Thought For The Day

None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

Hyacinths For The Soul

If of thou mortal goods thou art bereft,
And two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole,
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.