Indecision

While great Cesar lay yet dying
Brutus had the chance for glory.
Had the future lain before him
His would be a different story.

At the feet of Hannibal
Like a ripe plum Rome once lay.
Oft he put the time of conquest
To a later, better day.

Hamlet's course was laid before him
All he had to do was act.
Yet he lacked the inner courage
To make his deep convictions fact.

Shortly after first Manassas
Fate knocked at the door of Lee.
But he failed to take advantage
Or a different country this might be.

Many times through the ages
Like as not the chance appears.
But because of indecision
Man's fond hopes are drowned in tears.

By Ted Turner

Thought For The Day

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
- John Wooden -

OFFICIAL College Basketball Rankings

Men's Division I
1. North Carolina - Interesting week, at Nevada Wed, BC Sunday.
2. Oklahoma - Tough game at 9-1 Arkansas tonight.
3. Georgetown - Nice win vs UConn, big game vs Pitt. Saturday.
4. Michigan State - They kick off Big Ten schedule at 12-0 Minnesota.
5. Texas - Outstanding win at Wisconsin, Appalachian St. Friday.
6. Pittsburgh - Undefeated Panthers are at #3 G'Town Saturday.
7. Wake Forest - They could be overrated, but they are 11-0.
8. Connecticut - They will bounce back from Georgetown loss.
9. Purdue - Boilermakers host 12-1 Illinois tonight.
10. UCLA - Challenging schedule, at Oregon St., at Oregon.
11. Syracuse- Hosts Seton Hall tonight, at South Florida Fri.
12. Minnesota - 12-0, but at Mich. St, at Ohio St. next, yikes!
13. Louisville - Hosts interstate rival Kentucky on Sunday.
14. Villanova - Good Big East game at Marquette New Year's Day.
15. Arizona State - Opens Pac-10 at Stanford and at California.
16. Florida - 11-2, I love the Gators, hosts NC State Saturday.
17. Michigan - Big games vs Wisc. Wed, and vs Illinois Sunday.
18. Xavier - Lost to always tough Butler, at Virginia Saturday.
19. Ohio State - Lost to West Va, now they go to Minn. Sat.
20. Tennessee - Athletic, but I'm not sure how good they are.
21. Clemson - The Tiger Paws are 12-0, at South Car. tonight.
22. Memphis - Hosts Northeastern tomorrow.....why?
23. Marquette - Villanova New Years Day, Cincinnati Sunday.
24. Boston College - 12-2 Eagles visit #1 North Carolina Sunday.
25. Massachusetts - 5-7 Minutemen host Vanderbilt Saturday.

Men's Division II
1. Findlay - 9-1 Oiler's only loss is "exhibition" vs Xavier.
2. So. Carolina-Aiken - Pacers are rolling, at Fla. So. tonight.
3. Southwest Baptist - Bearcats open league play vs Truman St.
4. Saint Anselm - Hawks have showdown at SNHU next Tuesday.
5. Bridgeport - Purple Eagles get a big win vs Southern NH.

Men's Division III
1. Wisc.-Plattville - 11-0 Pioneers take over the top spot.
2. Wheaton, Ill. - 10-0 Thunder at Grinnell Saturday.
3. St. Thomas - The Tommies are at Concordia-St. Paul tonight.
4. Washington, St. Louis - 9-1, lost to a good Elmhurst club.
5. Framingham State - 7-5 Rams host Wheelock next Wednesday.

Women's Division I
1. Connecticut - Host Jen Rizzotti's Hartford Hawks Wed. night.
2. North Carolina - Lady Heels are at Clemson next Thursday.
3. Texas A&M - Lady Aggies host New Mexico tonight.
4. Texas - They finish their California trip at SD St. tonight.
5. Baylor - 11-1, lost to Wisc., next four games are at home.

Thought For The Day

Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
- William Jennings Bryan -

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, the family was in bed,
When I, in my chair, heard a noise overhead.
I looked out the window, the night was so clear.
I saw the sleigh landing, and all the reindeer.

And then in a flash Santa was in the room.
He was working so fast I knew he'd be done soon.
When he was finished he put down his sack,
And said, "hello Mr. J, let's have a chat."

"I've been watching Kenny and Megan, at Saint Anselm I know.
In beautiful New Hampshire all covered with snow.
They are doing so well and making you proud.
I know in the future they'll stand out from the crowd.

And of course Katie, I know you've heard it before.
You're a very lucky man, thats for sure.
She's a great mother and a wonderful wife.
The two of you together have a great life."

Then he looked out the window and saw it was snowing.
"I'm running late old friend, so I have to get going."
I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to the Johnson's and have a good night."

The Road To The Final Four

Let the fun begin. The teams have played enough games to have our first weekly rankings. Some teams look great. Some have been struggling already. Others are still trying to find their way. The league schedules will start next month, football will be over, and it will be wall-to-wall hoops. The Celtics will keep us a little interested in the NBA, but college basketball is where the excitement is.

OFFICIAL College Basketball Rankings

Division I Men's
1. North Carolina - The best team I have seen this season.
2. Connecticut - Great team speed and shooting. G'town Monday.
3. Oklahoma - Blake Griffin might be the best player in the country.
4. Michigan State - Typical, scrappy Spartans, great win vs. Texas.
5. Texas - Good team, but every time I see them they lose.
6. Pittsburgh - Fast start, but shooting is questionable.
7. Wake Forest - Overrated? Easy schedule so far.
8. Georgetown - Great shooting, solid "D", tough schedule.
9. Purdue - Destroyed Davidson, Illinois next Tuesday.
10. Gonzaga - Lost to UConn in OT, Utah, Tenn. next week.
11. UCLA - Lost a lot of talent. Time will tell.
12. Syracuse - Huge win at Memphis. Might be surprise team.
13. Xavier - Only loss to Duke, hosts Butler tonight.
14. Ohio State - Big test vs West Virginia Saturday.
15. Minnesota - Kentucky would like Tubby Smith back.
16. Tennessee - Squeaked by Belmont. Overrated?
17. Louisville - Fair start, but the Big East is tough.
18. Villanova - Pretty boy, Jay Wright, can really coach.
19. Davidson - One-man team. How far can Curry take them?
20. Florida- They are still finding their roles. Watch out!
21. Michigan - Rebuilding, nice win over Duke.
22. Memphis - Calipari will get them together.
23. Boston College - 10-2 start, but the ACC is loaded.
24. Massachusetts - Lost 6 straight then beat Kansas, go figure.
25. Kansas - How can the defending champs not be ranked?

Men's Division II
1. Findlay - Oilers are a powerhouse.
2. USC-Aiken - Pacers only loss was AT Clemson.
3. Southwest Baptist - Bearcats won 80-79 AT Utah.
4. Gannon - Golden Knights are good, league is tough.
5. Saint Anselm - Talented Hawks are off to a great start.

Men's Division III
1. Washington-St. Louis - Bears are a D3 power again.
2. Wheaton-Illinois - The Wheaton Thunder are ready to rumble.
3. Amherst - Lord Jeffs travel to sunny California for 2 games.
4. Elmhurst - Bluejays handed Wash-St. Louis their only loss.
5. Framingham State - Rams have won 5 of their last 6.

Women's Division I
1. Connecticut - Men are #2, women are #1.
2. North Carolina - Men are #1, women are #2.
3. Texas A&M - Could be their best women's team ever.
4. Texas - Lady Longhorns beat Tennessee by 14.
5. Baylor - Coach Kim Mulkey was my favorite women's player.

Election 2008

Believe it or not, the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota is still not decided. Currently, former Saturday Night Live comedian, Al Franken, holds a slim 48 vote lead. There are nearly 1500 disputed votes yet to be counted. The state Canvassing Board needs to rule on them, and they might finish by tomorrow.

Not long after the election on November 4th, I remember a political analyst predicting that Franken would win by 27 votes. He might turn out to be correct.

Thought For The Day

Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation.
- Kin Hubbard -

Thought For The Day

If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?
- Vince Lombardi -

Sammy Baugh Tribute

"Slingin' Sammy" Baugh, one of the greatest football quarterbacks of all time, died today in Texas at age 94.

He played college football at Texas Christian University, and played pro football for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952. Baugh still holds Redskins records for career touchdown passes (187) and completion percentage in a season (70.3). His 31 interceptions on defense are third on the team's career list. He still owns the league mark for single-season punting average (51.4).

Baugh's reputation blossomed as a star high school football, baseball and basketball player in Sweetwater. It began to grow during his college days at TCU. It was there that he picked up the nickname "Slingin' Sammy" -- but it wasn't for his passing. It was for the rockets he fired to first base as a shortstop and third baseman.

After his NFL career, Baugh retreated to his 7,600-acre West Texas ranch about 95 miles southeast of Lubbock. The Hall of Fame and the Redskins have tried to lure him east for ceremonies over the years, and he always turned them down.

Thought For The Day

Energy and persistence conquer all things.
- Benjamin Franklin -

A Change Of Course

There are many definitions of success. Many times, the person who finishes way back in the pack at a road race has overcome so many obstacles, that their accomplishment is much more significant than the person who actually won the race.

I found this article on the Runner's World website.

Sometimes you meet a person and you just know that he or she has a life lesson to share. That's what happened when I met Mike in March. We and about 80 other runners were aboard the Ocean Nova, bound for Antarctica where we would run the Antarctica Marathon or Half-Marathon. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about Mike. He seemed to be just another middle-aged man, carrying a few extra pounds, whose glory days as a runner were back in the nylon shorts era.

As often happens when men in their 50s get to talking, our conversation turned to coming of age in the 1960s and '70s. I entertained Mike with my stories of youthful indiscretions, an early marriage, and enlisting in the Army. Mike mentioned that he, too, had served in the Army. But unlike my five-plus years in the safety of the Army Band in Washington, D.C., Mike served for 30 years, two of which were in Vietnam. Then he mentioned he had spent a year as a prisoner of war. He didn't say it with drama. He said it with the calmness that one might mention having spent a year backpacking around Europe. I gathered from our conversation that what could have been a life-defining experience for some was to Mike just one piece of who he was today.

We landed a few days later, and the morning of the race was warm and dry, making for nearly perfect conditions. The exception was a three-quarter-mile stretch on Collins Glacier. Melting snow made for a slippery climb up and down the steep slope. I saw Mike around mile four. He had fallen several times on the glacier and was reduced to an awkward stiff-legged walk. I asked him what he was going to do and he said, "We'll just see what the day gives me." I saw him later near mile 11 and asked him how he was doing. "Fine," he said. "But the half-marathon will be plenty for today." No anger. No self-pity. No disappointment. Just the ability to accept the truth for what it is.

Many of us put so much significance on one day in our running lives that we're almost guaranteed to be disappointed. We set goals, have expectations, make plans based on our egos. We convince ourselves that who we are will be based on what we accomplish that day.

When that day doesn't turn out as we expected, we often allow ourselves to be devastated. I've seen runners on the brink of a breakdown because they missed their self-imposed standard of performance. But a day is just a day. A race is just a race. It is our selfishness, our self-centeredness that creates the disappointments that we too often let define us.

Not Mike. He'd gone for the marathon, but dropped to the half when circumstances dictated a change, finishing in 4:18. No single day would define him. No one race would make him a success or a failure. The depth and quality of Mike's character transcended any single experience. With that knowledge I resolved to approach life with a new perspective and to accept the challenges that come my way not as obstacles or failures but as opportunities to grow both as a runner and as a person. Then I hope to be like Mike.

Waddle on, friends.

Published June, 10, 2008
By John Bingham, "The Penguin"

Thought For The Day

Life is what happens while you are making other plans.
- John Lennon -

Thought For The Day

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.
- John Lennon -

Thought For The Day

You've got to vote for someone. It's a shame, but it's got to be done.
- Whoopi Goldberg -

Politics 2008

The political crooks in Illinois make our crooks look small-time. Diane Wilkerson, that Turner character, and of course, Speaker Sal DiMasi, are nothing compared to Governor Blagojevich. The U.S. Attorney called him a one-man crime spree. He said the Governor was going after bribes like a salesman trying to make his quota. Ouch! In fact, four out of the last eight Governor's of Illinois are doing prison time. Wow! You can't make this stuff up.

Joke Of The Day

David Letterman said, " President-elect Obama has a plan to create 2 million new jobs. The catch is, we all have to move to China."

Thought For The Day

An optimist is someone who falls off the Empire State Building, and after 50 floors says, 'So far so good!'
- Contributed by Megan B. Johnson -

Frustrated, Etc.

After raking leaves for a couple of hours, I'm sitting here today watching college and high school football on TV. Some of it is interesting, like the Army-Navy game. The history and the tradition makes it a "must see". Unfortunately, neither team is very good, especially Army, so I get tired of it after the first quarter. I'm a Navy man, so if one team has to stink I'm glad it's Army, but I would rather see a good game.

BC is trying to beat Va. Tech, win the ACC Championship, and go to the Orange Bowl. Unfortunately, their regular quarterback broke his collar bone last week and the new kid is not ready. Virginia Tech is running all over the Eagles.

The game of the day is Florida vs #1 Alabama. The winner will probably play in the mythical "National Championship Game". Florida is just too good, and they gradually pull away for the victory.

The high school Super Bowl games are being played at Gillette Stadium today. There are 6 games and the first one strats at 9 AM. Ouch! It's great that the kids get to play on the same field as the Patriots, but the games are only interesting to family and friends. The only game that interests me is the Dracut game, because rumor has it that the big Dracut QB might follow his old coach to Saint Anselm and play for the Hawks next year. He looks good, a bit cocky, but good. We'll see how he handles those big guys from Edinboro. Those guys will hurt you.

The late game involves Oklahoma. They are winning, and that's when my frustration gets the best of me. I have to shut off football for the day. If Oklahoma wins, they will probably play Florida for that mythical "National Championship" I was talking about.

Oklahoma will get the spot in the championship game even though they tied Texas for first place in the Big 12, and Texas beat them 45-35 earlier in the season. The idiotic BSC computer rankings has them ahead of Texas, so the Sooners go to the big game. That leaves us with a bunch of meaningless bowl game that nobody cares about except for the fans of the two teams that are playing. Between the NCAA, the BCS rankings, the bowl games, the endless commercials, and some awful announcers, I can barely stand it.

Oh well, it's time for me to take my blood pressure medication.

Thought For The Day

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind,
As man's ingratitude.
- William Shakespeare -

Thought For The Day

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
- Thomas A. Edison -

Thought For The Day

You need special shoes for hiking - and a bit of a special soul as well.
- Emme Woodhull-Bäche -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - Plays Florida Saturday for SEC Championship.
2. Florida - Saturday vs 'Bama should be a great game.
3. Southern Cal - Will go to the Rose Bowl with win vs UCLA.
4. Texas - I hate the BCS! They beat Oklahoma 45-35.
5. Oklahoma - Will play Missouri for Big 12 Championship.
6. Penn State - Going to the Rose Bowl. Should plau USC.
7. Ohio State - Only losses were to USC and Penn State.
8. Utah - Undefeated Utes win the Mountain West.
9. Texas Tech - 11-1, will probably settle for Cotton Bowl.
10. TCU - 10-2, Horned Frogs have 40 wins in four years.
11. Ball State - 12-0, will play Buffalo for MAC title Friday.
12. Cincinnati - Might be overrated but they won the BigEast.
13. Georgia Tech - 9-3 with a sensational win over Georgia.
14. Oklahoma State - Lost to Oklahoma 61-41. No "D" there.
15. Boston College - QB hurt...no problem. On to ACC title game.
16. Oregon - Quack Attack knocked Oregon St. out of Rose Bowl.
17. Brigham Young -10-2, Third straight 10 win season.
18. Georgia - 9-3 Bulldogs could go to Capital One Bowl.
19. Missouri - 9-3 Tigers play Oklahoma for Big 12 title. Yikes!
20. Michigan State - 9-3, should go to a good bowl game.
21. Massachusetts - 7-5. Stay away from Texas Tech next year!
22. Saint Anselm - 2 wins could have been 4. Get a kicker!
23. Framingham State - 5-5. Ended season with 2 nice wins.
24. Dennis-Yarmouth - Beat Nauset on Thanksgiving Day.
25. Natick - Lost to Framingham. Doom and gloom.

Thought For The Day

An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
- Henry David Thoreau -

Interesting Websites

These are some of the interesting marathon/walking/ultramaraton websites I have seen lately:

http://www.constanttrek.com/
http://www.walkerfriendly.com/
http://www.zombierunner.com/
http://www.journeyheretothere.com/
http://www.marathonwalking.com/
http://www.walkingabout.com/
http://www.walkingconnection.com/

Football Poll

Because of the Thanksgiving Day games and the rivalry games played this weekend, the next football poll will come out next Monday. Then there will be one final football poll before we move on to college basketball.

Our annual March Madness predictions promise to be bigger than ever in 2009. We will be adding more players and the competition will be fierce. Let the action begin.

Election 2008 - Minnesota Style

Is anyone following the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota? Yes, it's still going on. The incumbent, Republican Norm Coleman, beat Democrat, and former Saturday Night Live comedian, Al Franken, by 725 votes out of 2.9 million votes cast.

Since the margin was less than .5%, it triggered an automatic recount. However, even before the recount could begin, several precincts around the state "found" ballots that were not counted on election day but were counted several days later. Amazingly, the margin of victory became only 265 votes.

The offical recount began on Monday, and now the margin is 210 votes with 78% of the recount completed. But wait, it gets stranger. Some of the precincts have found ballots that were not counted on election day, and still haven't been counted. Also, each side is challanging the accuracy of about 1500 ballots. The final count probably won't be available until next month.

Oh yeah, Norm Coleman has already delivered his victory speech. Hold on Norm, it ain't over 'till it's over. Actually, nothing in Minnesota politics should surprise us. This is the state that elected wrestler, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, as their Governor several years ago. Ouch!

On election night, conservative political commentator, Bill Bennett, said, "If Norm Coleman can't beat a nut like Al Franken, he doesn't deserve to be a U.S. Senator". Isn't politics fun!

Thought For The Day

You must be willing to do the things today others don't do in order to have the things tomorrow others won't have.
- Les Brown -

Thought For The Day

Don't matter how much money you got, there's only two kinds of people: there's saved people and there's lost people.
- Bob Dylan -

Forever Young

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young

- Bob Dylan, "Forever Young" -

Thought For The Day

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true.
- Richard Bach -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - 11-0, Bye week, then Auburn rivalry game.
2. Texas Tech - 10-0, Game of the year at Oklahoma Saturday.
3. Southern Cal - Bye week, then Notre Dame comes to town.
4. Oklahoma - Showdown with Texas Tech at Norman.
5. Florida - I hope The Citadel is ready to get pounded.
6. Texas - Bye week, then A&M on Thanksgiving day.
7. Ohio State - Beat Illinois. Hosts Michigan to end reg. season.
8. Penn State - Going for their 800th all-time win.
9. Georgia - Bye week, then arch-rival Georgia Tech.
10. Oklahoma State - Bye week, then Oklahoma at home.
11. Utah - Rocky Mountain Showdown vs BYU Saturday.
12 Missouri - Bye week, then closes season vs. Kansas.
13. Michigan State - At Penn St. for share of Big Ten title.
14 BYU - 10-1, huge game at undefeated Utah.
15. TCU - Lost to Utah. Horned Frogs host Air Force.
16. Ball State - 11-0. Hosts Western Michigan Tuesday.
17. LSU - 7-3 Tigers vs dangerous Ole Miss Saturday.
18. Pittsburgh - Huge Big East battle at Cincinnati.
19. Miami - The U has won 5 straight, at Ga. Tech tonight.
20. Boston College - Huge ACC game at Wake Forest.
21. Massachusetts - Crushed at UNH, they should beat Hofstra.
22. Saint Anselm - 2 wins! We can't wait for next year.
23. Framingham State - 5-5. Won their last two games.
24. Natick High School - Lost to Walpole. Out of the playoffs.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 5-4. At 2-7 Nauset Thanksgiving day.

Thought For The Day

Stubborness we deprecate,
Firmness we condone,
The former is our neighbors trait,
The latter is our own.
- John Wooden -

The World's Toughest Race

Thanks to my friend, Pete Stringer, I get some interesting group
emails from his ultra-marathon friends. These are unique people
who like to push themselves beyond their limits. Maybe they are
trying to find their limits. This message is from Pete's friend Susan
from New Mexico. It's a little long, so settle in for fifteen minutes.
It's a great look into the mindset of someone who doesn't settle
for the ordinary.

Some weeks ago when we were in Alpine, TX and it was the night
before the Marathon2Marathon (half for me) Matt was flipping
through the tv stations and landed on the Discovery channel. We
ended up watching the first episode of "The World's Toughest Race,"
which is a documentary in installments of the 2008 Iditarod dog
sled race (Anchorage to Nome). The show followed several of the
mushers - some the top contenders, some unknowns but with
interesting back stories like the guy with diabetes who's racing with
an insulin pump or the tribal musher who built his own sled in the
tradition of his people.

By chance we caught another episode of the show this past Friday
night. We're kind of hooked for a couple of reasons: 1. when we lived
in AK I actually did a little volunteer work for the Iditarod and at
least once we took our kids out to a spot between Anchorage and
home to see the teams fairly close to the start of their race;
and 2. the show gets me to thinking about what makes people rise
to such a daunting challenge. I guess there's a third reason:
I love watching the strategizing.

As of Friday night's program the top three contenders are getting
close to the finish. In the lead is Lance Mackey, a cancer survivor
and former winner (in '07 I think). He's been referred to as "one in
the biggest debt because of his medical bills." His dog team has been
reduced to 12 dogs and he's running on pure guts. The other night he
"snuck" out of a rest station to try and put some distance between
himself and the 2nd guy. He's the real scrapper: broke down team,
no real money behind him, but fighting it out with determination
not to let the next guy psyche him out.

The 2nd guy is Jeff King. He's won four times already. He's one of
the "most heavily sponsored." He's slick. He's let Mackey break the
trail pretty much the majority of the race. This is not according to
trail or race protocol - when the trail conditions aren't good it's
common for the lead racers to trade off somewhat spontaneously.
Mackey's been a little pissed about King's lack of cooperation with
the informal understanding about the taking turns in front, but
there's no set rule to point to. King's 16 dogs are all healthy.
He's playing with Mackey and already gloating a bit about winning.
We'll see. I favor Mackey for his moxie. King is pushing Mackey,
pushing Mackey's dogs, but at the same time, to keep up with
Mackey King is having to push as well.

Third and coming on strong is one of the true gentlemen of the
event, four time winner Martin Buser. Buser is originally from
Switzerland. He's methodical - sticking to his plan. He was way
back in the middle for a long time. His 18 yr. old son Rohn is racing
for the first year as well. They had an understanding that the time
would come when Martin would leave Rohn to go for the win.
He's been moving up from well-back in the pack and now has the
front two within reach. He talks much about the balance between
rest and running for himself and his dogs.

I don't know who will win. The guy with the diabetes is fighting
to finish. At one point he said just that..."I just want to finish this
thing." Out there in the wilderness he's very vulnerable, but he's
determined and he is trying to set a standard for other diabetics.
I'm nervous for him but also amazed. At one point he and his dogs
all had stomach issues - it's run through the stations (sorry for
the pun) - several teams are effected. He's better now, at least a
full day behind those up front, but still going on.

It was his comment that set me to thinking. Wanting to finish is
so much stronger than "I don't want to quit." Both lead to the
same, but the one seems so much more positive. When we lived
in AK my kids were very little and we weren't in a position nor
did I have the experience, but I secretly wanted to run the Iditarod
some day. It's not possible now, but I manage to get out and
accomplish most of what I get a fancy to do.

Setting goals is important. I've seen many posts about which
100 miler makes a good first 100 miler, a new group member is
thinking about run/walking across Maryland, and so it goes.
I'll confess that I wanted to walk across Mongolia for a really long
time. And I've followed (somewhat loosely) constanttrek.com
Paula Constant covered over 12,000 kms before a civil war
turned her from her path.

Byron Chikinda posted about his around-the-world mileage and
I've been pondering every since. I thought his approach to getting
around the world was rather brilliant. I'm grateful to him (hope he
reads this) for the inspiration.

Someone will always be faster or go further or break the next
record or have the more "exciting" adventure. Those mushers in
the Iditarod are focused. They know what they want and what
they need to do to accomplish it. For some it is simply about
finishing. Others are using their own strategies to push
for the win.

I'm starting to plan a new adventure. It probably will be smaller
in scale than my Arctic trek and even a bit less than April's Jornada
adventure. I was told about a rough and remote trail in Scotland
(the Cape Wrath Trail) but when Matt said, "After the last two
walks, you don't need to prove anything," I had to agree. I will
probably pick something that will amount to a good walk.
I'm checking out two trails - they both appeal to me for different
reasons. Either will be challenging simply because of the hills
and the miles and the weather and the unknown. Neither is
crossing Mongolia on foot, but then I was told by someone living
there that, "If you are on foot, the locals will think you are so poor
or so unloved that no one offered you a ride (on horseback)."
I don't want to go some place and be thought of as "unloved."
I just want to go some miles.

So, watching Mackey, King, and Buser I'm going to adopt the
Buser strategy. I'll figure out exactly what I want to accomplish
and how I want to do it. I'll plan according to who I am and by
which trail interests me more. I'll be in it for the finish, not the win.
I'm not a contender in that sense - no records to break for this girl.

For me, the beauty of what we do (whether we go the length of a
trail or finish 100 miles) is that we discover something about
ourselves along the way. Yes, we'll measure ourselves for our
endurance and maybe for our speed, but we should also experience
joy and gain some wisdom as we go.

There's a musher, I think she's in 13th place now, maybe a little
further back who's been around a long time: DeeDee Jonrow.
She's had double mastectomies in the last couple years and missed
an Iditarod or two while she was undergoing her treatments.
She said an amazing thing in the last show. "If I won the lottery
tonight, I'd still want to be doing this, living in this state,
having the same house, being married to the same man, driving
the same car. It doesn't get any better than this."

Laugh freely, Walk far,
susan

Thought For The Day

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
- Scott Adams -

Thought For The Day

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
- Kahlil Gibran -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - Clutch win vs LSU, hosts Mississippi St.
2. Texas Tech - Bye week, then huge game at Oklahoma.
3. Southern Cal - 8-1, at Stanford, always trouble.
4. Oklahoma - They also have a bye, then Texas Tech.
5. Florida - Nice win at Vandy. South Carolina next.
6. Texas - Colt McCoy leads the 'Horns against Kansas.
7. Utah - Beat TCU, SD State this week, Then BYU.
8. Penn State - Terrible loss to Iowa, hosts Indiana.
9. Ohio State - Buckeyes travel to always tough Illinois.
10. Missouri - Chase Daniel and Mizzou visit Iowa State.
11. Georgia - At Auburn Sat., which Bulldog will show up?
12. Oklahoma State - Beat up Cowboys travel to Colorado.
13. Michigan State - Bye week then close season at Penn St.
14. BYU - 9-1, At Air Force, then the Big Game at Utah.
15. TCU - Lost to Utah, hosts Air Force Nov. 22nd.
16. North Carolina - Beat Ga. Tech, tough game at Maryland.
17. Ball State - 9-0, visits Central Michigan next.
18. LSU - Lost to #1 Alabama 27-21, hosts Troy Sat.
19. Pittsburgh - Bowl bound Pitt visits Cinncinati.
20. Boston College - Sweet win vs Notre Dame. At Fla. St.
21. UMass - Bad loss to Maine, now they visit UNH.
22. St. Anselm - Beat Pace to finish season on a sweet note.
23. Framingham St. - 5-5, Beat Coast Guard with 10 seconds left.
24. Natick High - Big showdown with undefeated Walpole Fri.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 4-4, hosts Plymouth North Fri. night.

Thought For Veterans Day

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
- Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935 -

In Flanders Fields

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing,
fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD Canadian Army

All The World's A Stage

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts.
- William Shakespeare -

Thought For The Day

If your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.
- Anon. -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - Number 1 until beaten. At LSU Saturday.
2. Penn State - They look like a lock for the BCS title game.
3. Texas Tech - Great win vs Texas. Watch out for OK St.
4. Southern Cal - Are they the best 1 loss team? Host Cal.
5. Oklahoma - Are they the best 1 loss team? At Texas A&M.
6. Florida - Are they the best 1 loss team? At Vanderbilt.
7. Texas - Lost a great game at Texas Tech. Hosts Baylor.
8. Utah - 9-0. Huge home game vs TCU tonight.
9. TCU - 9-1. Only loss to Oklahoma. At Utah tonight.
10. Oklahoma State - 8-1 Cowboys visit #3 Texas Tech.
11. Ohio State - Buckeyes visit injured Northwestern.
12. Missouri - Hosts Kansas St. and their lame duck coach.
13. Georgia - Pounded by the Gators, they visit Kentucky.
14. LSU - Lost last 2 games, now they host #1 Alabama!
15. BYU - Came from behind at Colo. St. 45-42. SD St. next.
16. Michigan State - Spartans host Purdue. At Penn St. 11/22.
17. North Carolina - 6-2 Heels take on tough Georgia Tech.
18. Florida State - Why are they ranked? Should beat Clemson.
19. Ball State - Still undefeated. Letterman is smiling.
20. Boston College - Lost 2 straight. Notre Dame comes to town.
21. Massachusetts - 6-3 Minutemen host Maine Black Bears.
22. Saint Anselm - Hawks travel to Pace for revenge game>
23. Framingham State - Beat Mass Maritime, travel to Coast Guard.
24. Natick High School - 8-0, #6 in Globe poll. At Weymouth Fri.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 4-3, lost to Sandwich 21-20, at Falmouth.

Thought For The Day

Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.
- Barack Obama -

Yes We Can

Not many things happen that can't be put into words, but last night when Barack Obama was named the winner by the television networks, one after another, the look on the faces of the people fortunate enough to be in Grant Park in Chicago said it all.

The significance of Obama's election is so incredible that it's almost impossible to overstate it. I'm not a big fan of William Bennett, the former Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan, but he may have said it best; "As a former Education Secretary, I never again want to hear the excuse that a person can't accomplish his or her goals in this country".

Those of us who are old enough have not seen a politician with this kind of ability to inspire people since Robert Kennedy. I pray that President Obama stays safe in this crazy world. I look forward to seeing him work for the next four years.

Thought For The Day

Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote.
- William E. Simon -

Thought For The Day

Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.
- Norman Vincent Peale -

Football At Its' Best

Today we had the pleasure of spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, watching a football game between the Maritime Academy Buccaneers and the Framingham State Rams.

It has to be one the most unique settings for a college football game in the entire country. The Cape Cod Canal behind one end zone, with a steady parade of boats of all shapes and sizes. Behind the other end zone is a huge wind turbine which turned continuously in the breeze from Buzzards Bay.

In between is a perfect football field made even prettier by a beautiful, sunny Novemeber day. The caliber of football might not have been great, but the effort was. The Framingham defense made the plays late in the fourth quarter, and the Rams pulled out a 19-17 win. The end of a nice day.

Thought For The Day

Others will unconsciously take you at your own self-appraisal.
- Norman Vincent Peale -

Thought For The Day

The only way to define your limits is to go beyond them.
- Arthur C. Clarke -

Pete Stringer Update

My friend, Pete Stringer, the 65 year old ultra-marathoner from Osterville, is competeing in the New England Ultra 200 Mile Endurance Run in Pittsfield, Vermont this weekend. Yes, that's right, I said 200 miles.

The website says "Pittsfield races are not designed to be easy.They are designed to challange you, make you cry, make you dirty, and in some cases, make you bleed a little".

The race started at 5 PM today (Thursday), and the course closes at 5 PM on Sunday. So all you have to do is average 50 miles per day and you're all set; nothing to it. If you think that's amazing, get this. To warm up for the ultra-race, he ran the very difficult Cape Cod Marathon last Sunday in 3 hours, 56 minutes.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, in addition to the 200 mile run, they also have a 100 mile "Fun Run". Yes, ultra-marathoners are a different breed. The contact person for the race is a guy named "Sherpa John". Scary!

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - Cupcake game vs. Arkansas St., then at LSU!
2. Texas - One tough game after another. Texas Tech next.
3. Penn State - Won at Ohio State. Should go undefeated.
4. Southern Cal - 6-1. Hosts Willingham's Washington Huskies.
5. Oklahoma - Beat K State. Old rival Nebraska is next.
6. Florida - Huge game Saturday vs Georgia at Jacksonville.
7. Texas Tech - They are scary good, but can they beat Texas?
8. Utah - Maybe ranked too high, but they are undefeated.
9. TCU - Horned Frogs visit offensive minded UNLV Saturday.
10. Georgia - Maybe ranked too low, Florida at Jax. Saturday.
11. Oklahoma State. Lost to Texas 28-24. Should beat Iowa St.
12. LSU - Lost to UGA. Battle of the bayou vs. Tulane Sat.
13. Missouri - Best 2 loss team visits Baylor in Waco.
14. Ohio State - Second best 2 loss team has a bye week.
15. BYU - Only beat UNLV by 7, at Colorado State Rams.
16. North Carolina - Impressive win vs BC. Bye week.
17. Florida State - 6-1 'Noles visit very good Georgia Tech.
18. Tulsa - 8-0. Big test at Arkansas of the SEC.
19. Ball State - 8-0, might meet their match against N. Illinois.
20. Boston College - Lost at UNC. Host Clemson at the Heights.
21. Massachusetts - Beat Bryant. Visits Rhode Island Rams next.
22. Saint Anselm - Lost to Bentley. Could surprise vs. Stonehill.
23. Framingham State - I will see them at Mass Maritime.
24. Natick High School - 7-0, hosts Needham Rockets Friday night.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 4-2 Dolphins host dangerous Sandwich.

Persistence

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
- Calvin Coolidge -

Baseball, The Best Game

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
- Earl Wilson -

With those who don't give a damn about baseball, I can only sympathize. I do not resent them. I am even willing to concede that many of them are physically clean, good to their mothers and in favor of world peace. But while the game is on, I can't think of anything to say to them.
- Art Hill -

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.
- A. Bartlett Giamatti -, "The Green Fields of the Mind," Yale Alumni Magazine, November 1977

You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all.
- Earl Weaver -

Baseball is not necessarily an obsessive-compulsive disorder, like washing your hands 100 times a day, but it's beginning to seem that way. We're reaching the point where you can be a truly dedicated, state-of-the-art fan or you can have a life. Take your pick.
- Thomas Boswell, Washington Post, 13 April 1990 -

The Final Week

We are about to enter the final week of a seemingly endless presidential campaign. This morning, John McCain "guaranteed" victory on Meet The Press. Also today, Barack Obama drew over 100,000 people to a rally in Denver, and then followed that up with a crowd of 50,000 at the Colorado State University football stadium in Fort Collins.

Obviously, anything can happen. Remeber, George Bush got elected twice. However, it sure looks like Obama, ahead in most of the key states, will win next Tuesday. It could be very exciting.

Thought For The Day

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.
- Denis Watley -

Thought For The Day

Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.
- Frank Leahy -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Alabama - After a bye week they should handle Tennessee easily.
2. Texas - Beat Okla. & Mizzou, now they host Okla. St. - Wow!
3. Penn. State - Huge Big Ten game at the Ohio St. horse shoe.
4. Southern Cal - At Arizona will be a test for the Trojans.
5. Oklahoma - They're good, but maybe I'm overrating them.
6. Florida - Killed LSU, should beat an injured Kentucky club.
7. Texas Tech - Better not look past Kansas to Texas Nov. 1.
8. Oklahoma State - Undefeated Cowboys visit undefeated Longhorns.
9. LSU - Hosts Georgia, Big Time Southern Football!
10. Georgia - At LSU, Are there any easy SEC games?
11. Ohio State - Ranked low? Can they beat any teams above them?
12. Utah - Moved way up. BCS committee's nightmare team.
13. Missouri - Too high for a 2 loss team? They have Chase Daniel.
14. TCU - Monster win vs BYU. Fear the Horned Frogs!
15. Pittsburgh - 5-1. Hosts Rutgers, then @ Notre Dame.
16. South Florida - 6-1, but I have my doubts about them.
17. BYU - The Fighting Mormons need get get back on track.
18. Boston College - The Eagles have a big ACC battle at UNC.
19. Tulsa - Hurricanes are a quiet 7-0. Host UCF.
20. North Carolina - Bad loss at Virginia. Host B.C. Eagles.
21. Massachusetts - 4-3 Minutemen host Bryant. Yes, Bryant.
22. Saint Anselm - Looking for 2nd win vs. Bentley Saturday.
23. Framingham State - 3-4 Rams host Maine Maritime.
24. Natick High School - 6-0 Red and Blue at Milton Fri. night.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 4-2 Dolphins have a bye week.

Thought For The Day

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.
- Larry Bird -

Thought For The Day

Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go much further than people with vastly superior talent.
- Sophia Loren -

Thought For The Day

Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
- John Quincy Adams -

Perseverance

Wasn't last night's Red Sox game a great metaphor for life?

When all seems lost, if you just keep plugging away, every now and then, the tide slowly begins to turn, good things start to happen, momentum swings your way.............and you win!

I have always wondered how people who are not athletes, or even sports fans, get that feeling or learn the lessons that sports teaches. I guess they must, but I don't understand how.

Actually, I think the most important thing sports teaches us is that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, and no matter how much effort you put into something - you can still lose. But, the next day you're back at practice, trying to improve and get ready for the next game, or the next race.

How can that not help us get through the difficult times that life throws at us?

Running Quotes

"Road racing is rock 'n roll; track is Carnegie Hall."
- Marty Liquori -

"In our business, son, we have a saying: 'You can't put in what God left out."
- Sam Mussabini, in Chariots of Fire -

"In running it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
- Fred Lebow -

OFFICIAL College Football Top 25

1. Alabama - Coming off bye week. Now they're on top.
2. Texas - Impressive against Oklahoma. Now they get Missouri.
3. Penn State - 7-0. Should crush Michigan in Happy Valley.
4. Oklahoma - Can't fall too far. Hosts Kansas State.
5. Southern Cal - Beat a good Ariz. St. 28-0. At Wash. State Sat.
6. Florida - Beat LSU 51-21. Gainesville will be party central.
7. LSU - Lost to Florida at the swamp. At South Carolina.
8. Missouri - Lost to Oklahoma State. Huge game at Texas Saturday.
9. Texas Tech - 6-0. High scoring Red Raiders visit A&M.
10. Oklahoma St. - Upset Missouri. Hosts Baylor in homecoming.
11. BYU - 6-0. I would pay to see the Cougars at TCU.
12. Georgia - Bulldogs host Vandy. It should be a dandy.
13. Ohio State - They are winning ugly. Big test at Mich. State.
14. Michigan State - Best 1 loss team in the country?
15. Utah - 7-0. Beat Wyoming 40-7. Entertains Colorado St.
16. Vanderbilt - Upset at Miss. St., at Georgia next. Ouch!
17. Virginia Tech - Coming off bye week. Big game at BC.
18. North Carolina - Beat Notre Dame. Letdown at Virginia?
19. Ball State - 7-0. Fighting Letterman's host Eastern Mich.
20. Boston College - Nice win at NC St. The Hokies visit on Sat.
21. Massachusetts - Beat Northeastern. Richmond Spiders next.
22. Saint Anselm - "The Streak" is over! At So. Conn. Saturday.
23. Framingham State - 3-3. Blew 28-7 lead. At Westfield next.
24. Natick High School - #6 in Boston Globe poll. At Wellesley.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - Beat Somerset. At Plymouth So. Friday.

Thought For The Day

Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing.
- George Sheehan -

Congratulations

Congratulations to our friend Julie for finishing the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

Thought For The Day

Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.
- Cadet Maxim, United States Military Academy -

Thought For The Day

I think when you move past your fear and you go after your dreams whole heartedly, you become free. Know what I'm saying? Move past the fear.
- LL Cool J -

How Do You Act When The Pressure's On?

How do you act when the pressure's on,
When the chance for victory is almost gone.
When Fortune's star has refused to shine,
When the ball is on your five yard line?

How do you act when the going's rough,
Does your spirit lag when the breaks are tough?
Or, is there in you a flame that glows
Brighter as fiercer the battle grows?

How hard, how long will you fight the foe?
That's what the world would like to know!

Cowards can fight when they're out ahead.
The uphill grind shows a thoroughbred!
You wish for success? Then tell me son,
How do you act when the pressure's on?

From "The Winners Manual" by Jim Tressell
Head Football Coach at Ohio State University

Poem For The Day

When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life,
Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most difficult, dangerous test,
If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum,
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears,
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

- 'The Guy In The Glass' by Dale Wimbrow -

Thought For The Day

Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.
- Tom Landry -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Oklahoma - Sooners renew Red River Rivalry vs Texas in Dallas Sat.
2. LSU - Rested after bye week. At Florida, could get down and dirty.
3. Missouri - Big win @ Nebraska. Hosts undefeated Okla. State.
4. Alabama - Bye week, then hosts dangerous Ole Miss.
5. Texas - Longhorns vs Sooners Saturday in the Cotton Bowl!
6. BYU - Averaging 41 pts. per game. Hosts New Mexico.
7. Penn State - Might be underrated. At Wisconsin Saturday.
8. Texas Tech - Run and gun Red Raiders host Nebraska.
9. Florida - Party Boys host LSU. Tebow, watch your knees.
10. Georgia - After bye week they should pound Tennessee.
11. Southern Cal - Entertains Ariz. State - both starting QB's are hurt.
12. Ohio State - Big win vs Wisconsin. Should beat Pudue at home.
13. Utah - Squeaked by Oregon St., should win at Wyoming.
14. Vanderbilt - Huge SEC win vs Auburn. at Mississipi St. Sat.
15. Virginia Tech - 5-1. Tough schedule, @ BC, then @ Fla. State.
16. South Florida - Lost Big East battle to Pitt., Syracuse next.
17. Oklahoma State - 5-0. Are they ready to upset Missouri?
18. Michigan State - Best 1 loss team? Hosts Northwestern
19. Ball State - Cardinals are ranked for the first time in 84 yrs.
20. Boston College - vs Va. Tech., old time Big East rivalry.
21. Massachusetts - Nice win vs Delaware. at Northeastern Sat.
22. Framingham State - 3-2 Rams entertain 2-3 Bridgewater Sat.
23. Saint Anselm - Struggling Hawks travel to Merrimack Fri. night.
24. Natick High School - 5-0, beat Braintree 35-14. Bye week.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 2-2, lost to strong Marshfield. @ Somerset.

Thought For The Day

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.
- Thomas Jefferson -, Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin (1802)3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

Thought For The Day

It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'
- Sam Levenson -

Thought For The Day

Keep true to the dreams of thy youth.
- Friedrich von Schiller -

Thought For The Day

That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.
- Neil Armstrong -, On the first moonwalk, July 20, 1969

The Space Elevator

A new space race is officially under way, and this one should have the sci-fi geeks salivating

The project is a "space elevator," and some experts now believe that the concept is well within the bounds of possibility -- maybe even within our lifetimes.

Indeed, if successfully built, the space elevator would be an unprecedented feat of human engineering. A cable anchored to the Earth's surface, reaching tens of thousands of kilometers into space, balanced with a counterweight attached at the other end is the basic design for the elevator.

It is thought that inertia -- the physics theory stating that matter retains its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force -- will cause the cable to stay stretched taut, allowing the elevator to sit in geostationary orbit. The cable would extend into the sky, eventually reaching a satellite docking station orbiting in space.

Engineers hope the elevator will transport people and objects into space, and there have even been suggestions that it could be used to dispose of nuclear waste. Another proposed idea is to use the elevator to place solar panels in space to provide power for homes on Earth.

Thought For The Day

Freedom is that instant between when someone tells you to do something and when you decide how to respond.
- Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein -

Live Free Or Die

The words "Live Free or Die," written by General John Stark, July 31, 1809, is the official motto of the state of New Hampshire

It was the 1945 Legislature that gave New Hampshire its official motto and emblem, as World War II approached a successful end. The motto became "Live Free Or Die," as once voiced by General John Stark, the state’s most distinguished hero of the Revolutionary War, and the world famous Old Man of the Mountain was voted the official state emblem.

The motto was part of a volunteer toast which General Stark sent to his wartime comrades, in which he declined an invitation to head up a 32nd anniversary reunion of the 1777 Battle of Bennington in Vermont, because of poor health. The toast said in full: "Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst of Evils."

Thought For The Day

Don't sell your soul to buy peanuts for the monkeys.
- Dorothy Salisbury Davis -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Oklahoma - Scoring machine at Baylor Sat., Texas next.
2. LSU - Bye week, then at Florida. No easy games in the SEC.
3. Missouri - 15 game losing streak at Nebraska ends Saturday.
4. Alabama - Huge win at Georgia. Hosts Kentucky Saturday.
5. Texas - Averaging 49.5 points per game. At Colorado.
6. BYU - Has outscored opponents 103-0 last 2 weeks.
7. Penn St. - Impressive win vs Illinois. At Purdue Sat.
8. Texas Tech - Tough Big 12 road game at Kansas State.
9. Florida - Party boys lost to Ole Miss 31-30. At Arkansas.
10. Georgia - Lost at home to Alabama. Bye week.
11. Southern Cal - Disappointing loss at Oregon St. Hosts Oregon.
12. South Florida - 5-0. Hosts Pitt to open Big East schedule.
13. Ohio State - Beanie is back for key Big Ten game @ Wisconsin.
14. Utah - Hosts USC killer Oregon State on Thursday.
15. Auburn - 4-1. at upset-minded Vanderbilt on Saturday.
16. Wisconsin - Upset at Michigan. Hosts Ohio State next.
17. Fresno State - 3-1 Bulldogs host Hawaii Rainbows Sat.
18. Virginia Tech - Beat Nebraska. Cupcake game vs W. Kentucky.
19. Connecticut - 5-0. Big test at North Carolina Saturday.
20. Boston College - Visits old coach Tom O'Brien at NC State.
21. Massachusetts - Hosts Joe Biden's Delaware Blue Hens.
22. Framingham State - 2-2 Rams homecoming game vs Wor. St.
23. Saint Anselm - Competitive Hawks host strong AIC Sat.
24. Natick High - 4-0. Beat Dedham 27-7. At Braintree Fri. night.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - 2-1. Hosts powerful Marshfield Friday night.

Thought For The Day

This country has come to feel the same when congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
- Will Rogers -

Thought For The Day

Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning.
- George Carlin -

Hurricanes in Maine

This weekend, Maine had it's first hurricane watch in 17 years. However, over the years Maine has had visits from quite a few hurricanes. They are usually either minimal hurricanes or just tropical storms by the time they reach the cold waters off the Maine coast. Here's a list of past hurricanes to reach Maine.

New England Hurricane of 1938
Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944
Hurricane Carol of 1954
Hurricane Edna of 1954
Hurricane Donna of 1960
Hurricane Gloria of 1985
Hurricane Bob of 1991

Quote Of The Day

I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.
- George Bush -

Quote Of The Day

"There's no question about it. Wall Street got drunk -- that's one of the reasons I asked you to turn off the TV cameras -- it got drunk and now it's got a hangover. The question is how long will it sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments."
- George W. Bush, speaking at a private fundraiser, Houston, Texas, July 18, 2008 -

Thought For The Day

Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.
- Author Unknown -

Deal Or No Deal - Debate Or No Debate

Does it get any better than this? The economy is going down the drain. The Republican congress is in rebellion. The Democrats are actually agreeing with Bush on the bailout plan. McCain is desperately trying to gain some political advantage. His "country first" policy didn't last long. Meanwhile, Obama is trying to stay calm, cool, and collected. McCain has "suspended" his campaign to work on the bailout and he wants to postpone the debate. Obama insists he will go to Mississippi for the debate tomorrow, because he says he can do more than one thing at a time. Will McCain go or will he stay in Washington? Can they work out a last minute agreement so McCain won't be forced to multitask?

Politics makes sports seem boring.

Thought For The Day

You have the right to be wrong. Let your ideas fail, let your skills prove their inadequacy, and let your knowledge reveal its limits. None of that is the real you anyway.

When you fail you discover your boundaries. You map out the edges of your capabilities. And this allows you to eventually move beyond them.

Being wrong eventually leads to being right. And even where it doesn’t, it’s still a more interesting path than being nothing.
- Steve Pavlina -

Thought For The Day

Most football teams are tempermental - 90% temper and 10% mental.
- Bear Bryant -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Southern Cal - Rested and ready. At Oregon State Thursday.
2. Oklahoma - They should handle a very good TCU team at home.
3. Florida - The party boys host Ole Miss at the swamp - chomp!
4. Missouri - Bye week, then at Nebraska for a big game.
5. Georgia - Alabama Saturday. Southern football at it's best.
6. LSU - Beat a great Auburn team. Miss St. at home, then Fla!
7. Texas - Hosts arch rival Arkansas Saturday. Hook 'em horns!
8. Wisconsin - Michigan Saturday, then Ohio State - Wow!
9. Alabama - Impressive win at Arkansas, but UGA is next.
10. Auburn - Tough loss to LSU. Highest ranked team with 1 loss.
11. Ohio State - Only beat Troy 28-10. Minnesota next.
12. Texas Tech - Smoked poor UMass. Bye this week.
13. BYU - Averaging 43 points per game. Next victim, Utah St.
14. Penn State - Hosts Illinois. Could be an interesting game.
15. South Florida - They travel to Tom O'Brien's NC State.
16. Utah - Struggled vs Air Force. Should kill Weber State.
17. Texas Christian - 4-0, but Boomer Sooners will be too much.
18. East Carolina - Bad loss vs NC St. Should rebound vs Houston.
19. Oregon - Upset by Boise, QB injured, bad news.
20. Boston College - Should beat URI (the "other" Rams)
21. UMass - Bye. Licking their wounds after Tex. Tech pounding.
22. Framingham State - 2-1, beat MIT. At 0-3 Fitchburg Saturday.
23. Saint Anselm - Lost heartbreaker to Pace. @ Assumption.
24. Natick High - 3-0. They dressed 72 guys, Brookline dressed 27.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - Lost to Barnstable 39-31. Wareham next.

Quote Of The Day

"The economy is growing, productivity is high, trade is up, people are working. It's not as good as we'd like, but -- and to the extent that we find weakness, we'll move."
- George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008 -

Thoughts For The Day

"My hero's, my dreams, and my future lie in Yankee Stadium and they can't take that from me."

"My office is at Yankee stadium. Yes, dreams do come true."

- Derek Jeter -

Thought For The Day

Turning back the pages of my sweet shattered dream,
I wonder if she'll ever do the same;
And the thing that I call living is just being satisfied
With knowing I've got no one left to blame

- Gordon Lightfoot -

Sanders Theater - Gordon Lightfoot

Last night we went to see Gordon Lighfoot, one of my favorite singers of all time, at the historic Sanders Theater at Harvard University. I'm not sure which one was the star of the evening.

Gordon Lighfoot has recorded many hits over the years; If You Could Read My Mind, Rainy Day People, Carefree Highway, Sundown, and many others. He's 70 years old now, and his voice isn't what it used to be, but it was still a great show.

The Sanders Theater was built in 1876, and the Harvard Commencement was held there that year. In 1881 Greek plays were held at Sanders, and regular attendees included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Also in 1881, the Boston Symphony orchestra was formed and contracted to play six yearly concerts Sanders. In the 1960's, because the back stage area is not heated, the Symphony found a loophole in the contract and moved to what is now Symphony Hall. Among the famous people who have spoken at the Sanders Theater are Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

The music was great and the setting was spectacular. Check out the schedule, and attend an event at Sanders if you ever get a chance.

Poem For The Day

We are the music makers,
and we are the dreamers of the dream.
Wandering by lone sea breakers,
and sitting by desolate streams.

World losers and world forsakers,
for whom the pale moon gleams.
Yet we are movers and the shakers
of the world forever it seems."

- Arthur O'Shaunessey -

Comfortably Numb

Tribute to Rick Wright, founder of Pink Floyd,
who passed away this week after battling cancer.

When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse,
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The child is grown, the dream is gone.

I have become comfortably numb.

Thought For The Day

What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.
- Donald Trump -

Thought For The Day

"If my mother put on a helmet and shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother."
- Bo Jackson -

OFFICIAL Football Top 25

1. Southern Cal - How many NFL teams could they beat?
2. Oklahoma - A scoring machine. Waiting for Texas Oct. 11th.
3. Florida - Gators are loaded. Let's party!
4. Missouri - Chase Daniel should win the Heisman Trophy.
5. Georgia - Lucky to beat So. Carolina, @ Ariz. St. on Sat.
6. Ohio State - Overrated, but not as bad they looked at USC.
7. Texas - Hook 'em Horns. Rice is next.
8. Wisconsin - Nice win at Fresno State. Bye week, then Mich.
9. LSU - Big game Saturday at Auburn.
10. Texas Tech - UMass next. Yes, I said UMass.
11. Oregon - Won the game, but lost their QB, 2-4 weeks.
12. Auburn - Beat Miss. St. 3-2. LSU next. Yikes!
13. Alabama - Nick "I'm not leaving the Dolphins" Saban.
14. BYU - Should be undefeated until last game vs. Utah.
15. Penn State- 99 year old Jo Pa has a nice team.
16. East Carolina- After 2 big upsets, they will be hard to stop.
17. Utah - Might go undefeated. BCS nightmare.
18. South Florida - Very athletic. Jim Leavitt is a good coach.
19. Texas Christian - Beat Stanford. Great win for their program.
20. Boston College - Should beat Cent. Fla & URI at home.
21. UMass - At Texas Tech Sat. What are they thinking?
22. Framingham State - 1-1 start. Hosts MIT Saturday.
23. Saint Anselm - Showed some offense at Plymouth State.
24. Natick High School - Redmen......oops, Red and Blue are 2-0.
25. Dennis-Yarmouth - Beat Bourne 25-3. At Barnstable Friday night.

Thought For The Day

Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it. The man who knows how will always have a job. The man who also knows why will always be his boss.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Jimmy Buffett

The sun is hot and that old clock,
is movin' slow, and so am I.
Work day passes like molasses,
in winter time, but it's July.

Getting paid by the hour,
and older by the minute.
My boss just pushed me,
over the limit.

I could call him something,
think I'll just call it a day...

- Jimmy Buffet from "It's Five O'clock Somewhere"

Thought For The Day

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
- William Jennings Bryan -

Bobby Donovan, FSC Athletic Hall of Fame

FRAMINGHAM STATE COLLEGE ANNOUNCES
2008 CLASS OF INDUCTEES INTO THE
FRAMINGHAM STATE COLLEGE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

The Framingham State College Athletic Department is pleased
to announce the 2008 Class of Inductees into the Framingham
State College Athletic Hall of Fame. This year’s induction ceremony
will take place on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 as part of the
Framingham State College Homecoming and Family
Weekend Festivities.

The 2008 Class of Honorees includes:
Nicole Abbott ’01 (Women’s Soccer)
Ronald Alves* ’66 (Coach-Soccer),
Janice Coppolino ’03 (Volleyball, Women’s Basketball)
Richard Cugini ’73 (Athlete & Coach)
Robert Donovan ’87(Football)
Elder Fonseca ’77 (Men’s Soccer, Football)
Jeanmarie Lagos-Patriacca ’87 (Softball, Field Hockey)
David Spencer ’76 (Football, Ice Hockey, Baseball).

Please contact Framingham State College
Associate Director of Athletics,
Carey Eggen, at ceggen@frc.mass.edu
for ticket information.

Thought For The Day

Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours.
- Swedish Proverb -

Thoughts For The Day

Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing.
- George A. Sheehan -

Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.
- George A. Sheehan -

Thought For The Day

In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.
- Warren Buffett -

More From Dr. George Sheehan

We were not created to be spectators. Not made to be onlookers. Not born to be bystanders. You and I cannot view life as a theatergoer would, pleased or displeased by what unfolds. You, as well as I, are producer, playwright, and actor, making, creating, and living the drama on stage. Life must be lived. Acted out. The play we are in is our own.

- Dr. George Sheehan from "Running and Being; The Total Experience" -

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 -

Best And Worst

Charles Dickens wrote, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I think Charles must have been a New England sports fan.

First we have the Red Sox. They are a cinch to make the playoffs, they're closing in on the fading Rays for the division title, and they are a real threat to win another World Series.

Then we have the Patriots. What a disasterous beginning. Talk about a Tale Of Two Cities. We lose the best quarterback in the game, and the Jets find their missing link, 69 year old Brett Fav-re.

Let's look on the bright side, Matt Cassell has more NFL experience replacing Brady than Brady had replacing Drew Bledsoe. Is Matt Cassell the next Tom Brady? Can lightning strike twice?

The Blog Is Back

The Capehiker has returned from a much needed vacation. The blog has been redesigned to make it it easier to read. I hope everyone likes it.

The summer is over. The Melody Tent season is over. It's time to enjoy a great New England autumn, and get ready for winter.

We had a nice trip along the Maine coast, and then through the Western Maine mountains into New Hampshire. We spent a few days with our friends in Ossippee, New Hampshire, and enjoyed a nice visit with Kenny and Megan at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.

Even though we enjoy traveling, it always feels good to get home to Cape Cod.

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Beers

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with
golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into
the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open
areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar,
effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you
to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are
the important things; your family, your children, your health,
your friends and your favorite passions, and if everything else
was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job,
your house, and your car.
The sand is everything else---the small stuff.
'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.'

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy
on the small stuff you will never have room for the things
that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are
critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children .
Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the
beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'
The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend.'

Contributed by Megan B. Johnson

Obama-isms

Americans... still believe in an America where anything's possible - they just don't think their leaders do.

If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists - to protect them and to promote their common welfare - all else is lost.

Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation - not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago.

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen.

What Washington needs is adult supervision.

- Barack Obama -

Thought For The Day

Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.
- Barack Obama -

Thought For The Day

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.
- Edmund Burke -

Thought For The Day

Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.
- Warren Bennis -

Only Got 100 Years To Live

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you’re on your way
Every day's a new day...
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
- Five For Fighting -

Thought For The Day

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
– Oprah Winfrey -

Thought For The Day

Common sense is the guy that tells you that you ought to have your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front end. Common sense is the Monday morning quarterback who could have won the ball game if he had been on the team. But he never is. He's high up in the stands with a flask on his hip. Common sense is the little man in the grey suit who never makes a mistake in addition. But it's always someone else's money he's adding up.
- Raymond Chandler -

Thought For The Day

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross -

The VP Choice

The political conventions are about to start, as soon as the Olympics are over, and it's time for the candidates to announce their choices for the VP slot. In fact, Obama might make his choice known tomorrow.

It appears that it will be either Joe Biden, the Senator from Delaware with much foreign policy experience, or Tim Kaine, the Governor of Virginia. Other than coming from Delaware, with only 3 delegates and already a Democratic state, everything seems to favor Biden. Which means it will be Kaine.

McCain has a problem. He can pick the best candidate, Romney, or pick someone who will make the Christian conservatives happy. They don't like Mormons so Romney would be risky. Since the Republican convention begins after the Democrats, McCain can wait to see who Obama chooses. Given McCain's age, picking someone who is ready to be President is a factor he must consider.

Candidates for Vice President don't usually win elections, but they can lose them, Dan Quayle and Joe Leiberman are perfect examples.

Thought For The Day

I don't really like to repeat quotes, but this one is so good, every time I see it I have to use it.

"The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, What is the use of climbing Mount Everest? and my answer must at once be, It is no use. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behaviour of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for."
- George Mallory -

OFFICIAL College Football Preseason Poll

1. USC
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Auburn
11. Texas
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Arizona State
16. Brigham Young
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. South Florida
20. Illinois
21. Oregon
22. Boston College
23. Massachusetts
24. Framingham State
25. Saint Anselm

Thought For The Day

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.
- Warren Buffett -

Thought For The Day

Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home.
- Phyllis Diller -

Summer

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.

If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?
- Steven Wright -

There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want.

Thought For The Day

What we do during our working hours determines what we have; what we do in our leisure hours determines what we are.
- George Eastman -

Cats

If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favorite cat, they too would purr.

As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.

The problem with cats is that they get the same exact look whether they see a moth or an axe murderer.

You can not look at a sleeping cat and feel tense.

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.

Thought For The Day

Baseball is a lot like life. The line drives are caught, the squibbles go for base hits. It's an unfair game.
- Rod Kanehl -

Thought For The Day

Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.
- Warren Bennis -

Thought For The Day

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
- Steve Jobs -

Thought For The Day

I am as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am as good as the best.

- Walt Whitman -

More J.K. Rowling

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.

You sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.

It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

Thought For The Day

As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
- Seneca -

J.K. Rowling at Harvard

The following are excerpts from the Harvard commencement address of "Harry Potter" author, J.K. Rowling, in June, 2008.

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default."

"Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to invision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared."

"We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better."

Thought For The Day

Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
- Les Brown -

Quote Of The Day

"I want to say something from the bottom of my heart. I want to thank the fans in Boston. I love you guys. I just want to move on. I'm thinking Blue right now, I'm thinking about the Dodgers. I want people to judge me on what I do here, not what I did in Boston."
- Manny Ramirez -

Thought For The Day

The comfort zone takes our greatest aspirations and turns them into excuses for not bothering to aspire.
- Peter McWilliams -

Goodbye Manny - I Hope

As I write this, we're not sure where, or if , Manny is going to be traded. It would seem obvious that he will be traded, most likely to the National League. The latest talk on ESPN is a three way deal with the Marlins and Pirates sending Manny to Florida, and Jason Bay to the Red Sox.

It certainly isn't equal value for the Red Sox, but we don't want to pay him 20 million next year, and we know he'll quit on us during the last few weeks of this season, so lets make the best deal we can. I was hoping he would go to the Pirates so he can see how it feels to play 162 meaningless games every year.

I think the Sox are playing so badly that they need a blockbuster trade to wake them up, and just trading Manny is not a blockbuster. How about Varitek or Lowell and some of the young pitchers? That would do it.

Things are never dull in Red Sox Nation.

Quotes Of The Day

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.
- Reggie Leach -

If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.
- Albert Einstein -

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
- Bill Cosby -

Thought For The Day

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow -

What, no ZooMass?

Following is a list of the top party schools in the nation, according to Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 students.

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
2. University of Mississippi, University, Miss.
3. Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
4. West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va.
5. Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
6. Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.
7. University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
8. University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
9. University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif.
10. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
11. University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
12. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
13. University of Colorado, Boulder, Co.
14. Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.
15. Tulane University, New Orleans, La.
16. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill.
17. Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
18. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
19. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
20. Loyola University-New Orleans, New Orleans, La.

Thought For The Day

Confidence is the hinge on the door to success
- Mary O'Hare Dumas -

Thought For The Day

Don't matter how much money you got, there's only two kinds of people: there's saved people and there's lost people.
- Bob Dylan -

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Look out kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't try "No Doz"
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

- Bob Dylan -

Thought For The Day

Who is your best friend, really? Try this test to determine once and for all: Put your wife and your dog in the trunk of your car for an hour. When you open the trunk, which one is happy to see you?
- from 'The London Observer', "Humor Me" column -

Poem For The Day

Make the choice adventurous stranger,
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder 'till it drives you mad
What would have happened if you had.
- C.S. Lewis -

Thought For The Day

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.
- Sir Winston Churchill -

Election 2008

Here we are, only a few months away from the election. It looks like Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe has been a big success. He has looked confident and in charge while meeting with heads of state from other countries, and with our troops in Iraq and Afganistan.

McCain and his people have been reduced to whining about the press coverage and how Obama seems to be acting like he's already President. Yet, the polls are relatively close. How can that be?

The media is speculating that McCain will pick Tim Pawlenty, the Governor of Minnesota as his VP, but I think he's really too much of a no-name. He has to pick a younger person - that won't be hard. I also think he'll make his choice soon to try and regain the media spotlight that Obama has been in lately. The best choice would be Mitt Romney, but a Mormon might be the final straw for the Southern Christian conservatives.

On the other hand Obama is under less pressure because he is doing so well. He doesn't need a big name. I was hoping Jim Webb, the Senator from Virginia, would take the job, but it doesn't look that way. He might go for Senator Chris Dodd from Connecticut because of his foriegn policy experience.

We still have a lot of politics ahead of us; VP picks, conventions, debates. Good stuff for us political junkies.

Thought For The Day

By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.
- Robert Frost -

Thought For The Day

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
- Sydney J. Harris -

Thought For The Day

In the business world an executive knows something about everything, a technician knows everything about something - and the switchboard operator knows everything.
- Harold Coffin -

Poem For The Day

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbow'd.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Lies but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
- William Ernest Henley, "Invictus", 1875 -

Thought For The Day

If you work for someone, then work for them: Speak well of them and stand by the institution they represent...Remember, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness...If you must growl, condemn, and eternally find fault, resign your position and when you are on the outside, complain to your hearts content...but as long as you are a part of the institution do not condemn it.
- Elbert Hubbard -

Melody Tent Update

So far, it has been a long hot summer at the tent. There have been some good shows, Blondie, (how often can you hear a band who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?), Melissa Etheridge, Boz Scaggs, and some real klunkers, Plain White T's, some dreadful opening acts, and the worst of all; Moe.

Hopefully, we hit rock bottom with Moe. I don't even know what to call their music. It wasn't rock. It wasn't punk. It wasn't rap. It was just four guys pounding on their musical instruments, making noise, for three, seemingly endless, hours. I know I'm old school, but I thought I liked all kinds of music. However, Moe was just awful.

The only group I've seen so far, that I would actually pay to see again, was Box Scaggs. If you like Steely Dan music, you would love Boz Scaggs.

We wrap up July with WWE wrestling - ouch - Bill Cosby, and B.B. King. I have been looking forward to B.B. King for months. It should be an easy night of ushering, and then we can settle in and listen to some really good music.

August has the makings of a good month. We have Kenny Rogers, ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, KC and the Sunshine Band, Huey Lewis and the News, and Vince Gill. I'm not scheduled for the Beach Boys, but I'll switch with one of the other ushers so I can see them again.

Thankfully, we didn't get scheduled for the Saw Doctors, an Irish rock band. Apparantly, their Irish fans arrive already drunk, dressed in green, and waving their Irish flags. The place is chaos. What a shame I have to miss that.

Thought For The Day

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
- Aristotle -

Poem For The Day

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Robert Frost -

Quotes For The Day

Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place.
- Johnny Carson -

Traffic signals in New York City are just rough guidelines.
- David Letterman -

The House That Ruth Built

On February 6, 1921, the Yankees issued a press release to announce the purchase of 10 acres of property in the west Bronx. The land, purchased from the estate of William Waldorf Astor for $675,000, sat directly across the Harlem River from the Yankees' current Manhattan home, the Polo Grounds, which they shared unhappily with the landlord Giants of the National League since 1913.

The new stadium would favor lefthanded power with the right-field foul pole only 295 feet from home plate (though it would shoot out to 429 by right center). Though the left-field pole measured only 281 feet from the plate, righthanded hitters were neutralized by a 395-foot left field and a whopping 460 to left center.

The construction contract was awarded to New York's White Construction Co. on May 5, 1922 with the edict that the job must be completed "at a definite price" ($2.5-million) and by Opening Day 1923. Incredibly, it was. In only 284 working days, Yankee Stadium was ready for its inaugural game on April 18, 1923 vs. the Boston Red Sox. Officially, 74,200 fans packed Yankee Stadium for their first glimpse of Baseball's grandest facility while thousands more milled around outside after the fire department finally ordered the gates closed. Before the game began, John Phillip Sousa and the Seventh Regiment Band led both clubs to the flagpole in deep center field where the American flag and the Yankees' 1922 pennant were raised. Appropriately, Babe Ruth christened his new home with a three-run homer to cap a four-run third inning as the Yankees coasted to a 4-1 win.

As one of the world's most-prestigious addresses, Yankee Stadium has also been the home of scores of other sports, entertainment and cultural events. While the Yankees were on the road or out of season, the Stadium opened its gates to college and pro football, soccer, political assemblies, religious conventions, concerts and even the circus.

Until Muhammad Ali stopped Ken Norton on September 28, 1976, thirty championship fights have been fought at the Stadium, perhaps none more memorable than the one for the heavyweight title between Joe Louis and Germany's Max Schmeling on June 22, 1938.

Football also became an immediate fixture at Yankee Stadium with the 1923 Army-Navy game inaugurating a rich history of collegiate and later professional football matchups. On November 12, 1928, with Notre Dame and Army locked in a scoreless game at halftime, the legendary Knute Rockne made his famous "win one for the Gipper" pep talk and the Fighting Irish went out and beat the Cadets, 12-6.

The New York football Giants also called Yankee Stadium home from 1956 through 1973 and, on December 28, 1958, played in what is widely recognized as "the greatest game ever played." With the NFL championship at stake, a crowd of 64,185 watched the Baltimore Colts tie the game 17-17 on a Steve Myrha field goal with seven seconds left. Eight minutes into professional football's first-ever "sudden-death" overtime period, the Colts' Alan Ameche crashed through from the one yard line, ending a contest that would help establish pro football as a major sport.

The Stadium was also an important stop for religious conventions with the conventions of the Jehovah's Witnesses the major outside activity each year. Beginning in 1950, the convention attracted as many as 123,707 people in a single day far more than any other Stadium event. On October 4, 1965 with the Yankees out of the World Series for only the third time in 17 years the Stadium hosted an event of worldwide significance. During the first visit to North America by a Pope, Paul VI celebrated mass before a crowd in excess of 80,000. Fourteen years later, John Paul II also made Yankee Stadium a stop on his tour of the United States.