Kick A Pig

Dreams...

2006-07-05T10:18:00.000-04:00

Dreams are strange things. Last night I was playing in a pool tournament at a local pool hall. In the dream, this was the second year in a row that I had played in this same event. We were all getting ready to cue it up, and in the door walks the Coke delivery guy. To my great surprise, it turned out to be Chris M., my roomate freshman year at Miami. Keep in mind I haven't seen the guy since 1994 as he transfered after our freshman year. We ended up talking for awhile, during which time I learned his life was not going too well. He had two little girls by women that weren't his wife, and he had just found out he had some type of sexually transmitted disease. He didn't know what yet, but the results were coming soon.

Why did I dream about Chris when I have thought about him maybe 10 times in the last 12 years? And how would I have done in the pool tournament if I hadn't been interrupted by Chris?

Do you guys dream about people that obscure, and if so, why do you think it happens?

Strange.

2006-07-05T09:07:00.000-04:00

720 Dunk by Air Up There From AND1 Dedicated to Sweetz

This is unbelievable...I watched it five times...

2006-06-29T08:25:00.000-04:00

send

2006-06-28T20:26:00.000-04:00

robot dance

Ok, wait for the second dancer...he starts slow, but he gets it going...listen to the crowd...Slow motion madness.

2006-06-28T20:24:00.000-04:00

The evolution of dance

If you haven't seen this, it is worth the six minutes...very funny.

Lost contact...

2006-06-21T10:26:00.000-04:00

A month ago I was re-living some old high school basketball memories with a friend of mine. He shared that he had played a few games his senior year right after he smoked pot. It made smile remembering one of my high school teammates, named Benji, who played every single game of my senior year stoned. He was a year younger than me and a very talented basketball player. Benji didn't start for us that year, but he came off the bench and led us in scoring. He was quick to laugh, easy to get along with, and for what I knew of him, harmless to anyone but himself.

I sort of smiled and shook my head as I told the story.

It has been at least 5 years since I've seen Benji, probably at some basketball game where we did the "how you been? what are you up to?" thing.

Yesterday I got a call telling me that Benji had been shot dead in a warehouse in downtown Dayton, an apparent drug deal gone wrong. A tragic ending to the life of an old friend.

Life is short. God can transform lives. I need to be consistently reminded of those two things.

Good things...

2006-06-15T08:11:00.000-04:00

Good cd: All the Roadrunning, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris
Good blog: redhawkreview.com (shameless self-promotion...)
Good book: Catcher in the Rye (read it again. It is worth it.)
Good movie: Collateral
Good day: A run, a long shower, a burger on the grill and time with friends.
Good friend: Jeff P., who welcomed daughter number three into the world last week.
Good scripture: Psalm 62:5-8
Good laugh: Memories of Keith telling about Woo at Spring Fling.
Good goal: To live the moment to the full.
Good quote: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong" Gandhi

SOLAMES...

2006-05-30T14:56:00.000-04:00

Inspired by Hollywood 1 Name, 2 people combos like Billary, Brangelina, Bennifer, and Vaughniston, I have decided to provide a few SOLAMES (solo names...) for some other famous couples, and a few people in my life.

SOLAMES
Joyeff - Jeff and Joy
Chria - Chris and Maria
Rate - Ray and Kate
Alipper or Tipal - Al and Tipper (I'm leaning towards Alipper)
Berry - Ben and Jerry
Julian - Alan and Julie
Davindy - David and Cindy
Chernny - Sonny and Cher
Chreith - Keith and Christi

The opportunities for SOLAMES is basically endless. Have fun with it. Make it your own.

Action...

2006-05-29T10:30:00.000-04:00

"At the day of judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done." Thomas Kempis

I read a lot, but do very little with the knowledge.

I read that Christ calls me to abide in Him.
I read His call me to live in Spirit and in truth.
I read where He commands me to pray.

I always think that the Christian "what we do" Kempis speaks of is to hammer and dig and organize and bandage. Maybe it is really a call to approach the master builder and great physician on behalf of those that suffer the effects of the fall the most, understanding that I myself can do little to nothing.

Pray, not exclusively, but primarily and continually.

Been away a long time...

2006-05-25T11:11:00.000-04:00

Thought I would just throw a quick post here on the Pig. Nothing too special, just one comment about last night's American Idol finale...

Did you see David Hasselhoff crying at the end of the show? That was unbelievable. I'm in a state of shock...how could this have happened? Who cries at the announcement of the AI winner, other than maybe junior high girls and the winner's mother. I mean really...

Back with a vengeance, baby.

The Great Jimmy Rollins

2006-04-04T10:18:00.000-04:00

Jimmy Rollins, shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, got a hit in his 37th straight game yesterday. He ended the season last year with a 36 game hit streak, and extended it with a double in the bottom of the eight inning of yesterday's loss to the Cardinals. If he gets to 40, it will be the lead story of every sports broadcast around the country. If he gets to 50, it will be the front page story on every newspaper in the country. If he breaks the record, hell will actually freeze over.

To put Jimmy's current accomplishment in perspective, here are a few facts about recent hitting streaks...

Paul Molitor had 39 straight games with a hit in 1987.
Pete Rose and Willie Keeler are tied for the second longest streaks with 44 games in a row with a hit.

The Pig will tracking Jimmy's attempt to reach the record, which by the way, is held by none other than Joe Dimaggio, and stands at 56 games.

If I ever get shot...

2006-03-27T14:46:00.000-05:00

I hope this guy is a witness on the scene. I'll be honest, I saw this guy and thought "nobody in a hate like that can possibly be a good interview."

Watch it. You will see how wrong I was.

V for Vendetta

2006-03-27T09:24:00.000-05:00

I went to see V for Vendetta on Saturday night, and walked away shaking my head. It was a very well done movie, entertaining from start to finish. It also was a struggle of good vs. evil, which is usually a theme that I enjoy when watching a flick. However, almost everything that I hold to be good in the world was painted as evil, while everything that Hollywood loves was painted as good.

Good: Liberalism Bad: Conservatism
Good: Homesexuality Bad: The Church
Good: Hollywood Itself Bad: Business

One of the most self-righteous propoganda films that I've ever seen. How is it possible for an entire community to be so blind to it's own biases?

If you have seen it, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts on the film.

A Wonderful New Word: Molesstache

2006-03-20T15:08:00.000-05:00

Catching a late dinner on Thursday night, my friend Reba introduced me to the word "Molesstache". Rather than providing a definition, I'll simply refer to the picture below.

Memories

2006-03-17T08:44:00.000-05:00

Today I was reading an article about a high school kid that memorized over 8,000 digits of the number pi and it reminded me of my buddy Jeremy, who in high school wowed us by reciting the first 30 or so digits of pi.

I haven't thought about Jeremy in a long time, and that memory of his reciting pi might never have come to the surface without reading that article. It got me wondering how many great memories are buried in my head, that need some external kick to bring back into my consciencness.

Wouldn't it be great if you could invent something that would stimulate the brain to just remember things that have long been hidden?

Gulp down this remember drink and you will be gauranteed to surface a great moment from past...comes in cherry and grape flavors.

Tennis Dad goes to Jail

2006-03-09T17:15:00.000-05:00

MONT-DE-MARSAN, France - A father who drugged his children's tennis opponents, leading to one player's death, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted Thursday.

I thought that this only happened in the United States...

In Honor of...

2006-03-09T08:58:00.000-05:00

Chris, Ben, Will and Dr. Miller...and even Big Shel himself...Sometimes it is great to be a hater.

Will We Fight the Whole Middle East?

2006-03-08T10:39:00.000-05:00

and if we do, will we do it alone? These are two questions that I will explore in greater detail soon, but this article should make every person in the United States sit up and take notice.

Iran said on Wednesday the United States could feel “harm and pain” if the U.N. Security Council took up the issue of Tehran’s nuclear research.

“The United States may have the power to cause harm and pain but it is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if the United States wishes to choose that path, let the ball roll,” it said in a statement obtained by Reuters on the sidelines of a U.N. nuclear watchdog board meeting in Vienna.

Say it Ain't So, Barry...

2006-03-08T07:07:00.000-05:00

It can't be true. There is just no way that Barry Bonds, our Barry, could be a steriod user. We're talking about Barry, people. Sure he added 50 pounds of muscle late in his career. But this was a result of maturity and good old fashioned hard work, at least that is what we all thought before yesterday. Instead, it now appears it was the result of some type of performance ehnancing drug.

Shocking.

The lovable, hugable, unbelievable Mr. Bonds used steriods. Wow.

The End of Tolerance

2006-03-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

Interesting article about Europe's response the cartoon craziness. Maybe this will serve as a wake-up call. Is postmodernism too deeply ingrained in the hearts of Europeans, or is the flicker of truth burning bright enough to help light a new way...?

What's going on here? Weren't the Dutch supposed to be the nicest people on earth, the most tolerant nation in Europe, a melting pot for minorities and immigrants since the Renaissance? No longer, and in this the Dutch are once again at the forefront of changes in Europe. This time, the Dutch model for Europe is one of multiculturalism besieged, if not plain defunct...

Even before Jyllands Posten published the cartoons last fall, Denmark's Minister of Cultural Affairs Brian Mikkelsen said, "We have gone to war against the multicultural ideology that says that everything is equally valid..."

Coins, Cronyism and Controls on Spending

2006-02-23T21:43:00.000-05:00

The Ohio Republican Gubernatorial Primary Heats Up...

The Buckeye State has had more than it’s fair share of political clout in the last two Presidential elections. Both times Ohio went with President Bush, aided greatly by Republican controlled state office holders.

Two of those current officials, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and Attorney General Petro, are seeking the 2006 Republican nomination for Governor.

Blackwell, who vaulted into the national spotlight eye when he presided over the 2004 Ohio Presidential election ballot recount, went on the attack this week. In a series of radio advertisements, Blackwell’s campaign implies that Petro is guilty of ethics violations, an implication that the Dayton Daily News has criticized as “scummy”. The ads have also drawn criticism from Ohio Republican Party Chairman Robert Bennett, who said this week “A man (Blackwell) who models himself after Ronald Reagan should have a little more respect for winning on ideas and vision."

Looming in the background are three issues that will make this primary race even more interesting:

(1) Coins: Toledo area rare coin dealer Tom Noe has been charged with 53 felony counts relating to investment funds he managed for the State of Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation. An audit released this week by Crowe Chizek and Co. charges that Mr. Noe owes the Ohio BWC $13.56MM, money that he allegedly spent on vacations, homes, golf outings, and possibly political contributions to Ohio Republicans. Petro has indirect ties to Noe, and there is a very real possibility that Blackwell will attempt to link Petro to the investment scandal.
(2) Cronyism: On 1/31/06 the Cleveland Plain Dealer published the allegations of Akron lawyer Jack Morrison who claims Petro denied him business with the state for supporting a rival Republican for Attorney General in 2002 Republican primary. Morrison claims that Petro told him, "You're going to lose your work, but you'll have a chance to get back on board if you make contributions. But you're going to have to sit out a year." Petro flatly denies the accusations, but others in the state have voiced similar, if less bold, claims. Again, the issue has the potential to result in political damage for Petro.
(3) Controls on Spending: Petro and Blackwell have introduced competing plans to cap spending in the state of Ohio. While not dramatically different, the plans are likely to serve as a proxy fight leading up to the Republican primary election.

Ethics issues, no clear favorite, and candidates that really don’t seem to like each other. This has all the makings of a classic knock-down, drag-out fight for the heart of the Ohio Republican Party. Here is hoping that the winner is still strong enough to defeat the Democratic challenger come November.

Mixing the Issues

2006-02-22T08:42:00.000-05:00

Derek Farmer, involved in the murders of a Dayton civil rights leader and a police officer in 1974, was invited to speak here in Dayton at the Southwest Priority Board's black history program. Local police officers protested the event, incredulous that a cop killer would be given a platform to speak.

The DDN reports that Mayor McLin said she was disappointed that a group of predominantly white police officers protested at a black history event, saying "It lets me know that we have a lot of work ahead to move toward understanding and forgiveness," McLin said. "I charge us all to embrace our diversity."

Unfortunately, Mayor McClin seems unable to differentiate between the color of skin and blood.

Cartoon Craziness

2006-02-17T12:11:00.000-05:00

I have been waiting to write something on this topic, and finally had a few minutes today to put that something into words. The timing is good, since today an Imam put out a hit on the cartoonist that drew the dreaded pictures.

Below are a few perspectives, including mine, on the recent events in the Muslim world.

DGM

Watching the cartoon demonstrations of 2006, I can’t help but wonder when the people of the West will wake up. Our enemy is trying to intimidate us with threats against our lives, and more importantly, threats against our way of life. Our enemy is dangerous and motivated. Everything that we hold sacred is at stake. We, the peoples of the West, are at war.

This war is not with the adherents of Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity or Hinduism. We are war with adherents of Islam and the radical beliefs they wish to impose on us. Many claim that Islam is really a religion of peace that has been perverted by extremists. I would submit that Islam is a religion of violence, but some followers choose peace. The state of the Muslim world itself is evidence: systematic denial of human rights, repression of women, rape, bombings, war, terrorism, mob rule, indolence, no freedom of speech, no freedome of religion, threats, murder, and oppressive governments. All in the name of Islam.

Currently, thousands of Muslims across the world are hoping to silence the West, using violence to create fear. Once cowed, their next step is to convert by the sword, or one of this era's weapons of choice; the roadside bomb, State sponsored terrorism, and (very soon) the WMD strike.

Every minute the West lingers in postmodern uncertainty is a minute that the radicals grow stronger. We must fight the prevailing myth that all religions, cultures, and ideas are equally valid. This "enlightened mindset" will lead us towards appeasement and ultimately defeat at the hands of Muslim extremists.

Wake up, or hasten the day your grandchildren live under Sharia Law.

Thoughts from John Piper, Christian pastor and theolgian

“Am I missing it, or is there an unusual silence in the blogosphere about the Muslim outrage over the cartoons of Mohammed. To me this cries out for the observation that when artists put the crucifix in a flask of urine, Christians were grieved and angered, but not one threatened to kill anyone. Our longing is to convert the blasphemers with the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection, not kill them. Our faith is based on One who was reviled not just in cartoons but in reality and received it patiently for the salvation of the cartoonists. These riots are filled with intimations about the glorious difference between Christ and Mohammed, and between the way of Christ and the way of Islam. And the cowing of the press around the world and the US government is ominous for the fear we are under of Islam–not just extremist Islam. I do not respect the teachings of Islam which when followed devoutly lead to destruction. So I have been pondering which will take me out first, Islam, Uncle Sam, or cancer. No matter, all authority belongs to Jesus. I just want to bear faithful witness to his glorious gospel of peace to the end.”

William Kristol, Conservative editor of the Weekly Standard

So a group of Danish imams took off for the Middle East to try to cause trouble. To do this, they added three cartoons to their roadshow that they seem to have ginned up--crude propaganda pieces that would be guaranteed to stir a mob, just in case the original illustrations didn't produce the effect they were after.

The militants' trip was a success. Various extremist groups and terror-connected Islamists decided to use the cartoons as yet another weapon in the radical Islamist attempt to intimidate the West, and various Arab dictatorships saw a political opportunity in starting some anti-European riots.

And you can understand their calculation. Since 9/11, the West has gone on offense against radical Islamists and Middle Eastern dictatorships. That assault has apparently been more threatening to them than many of us realized. From Iraq to Palestine to Iran, from Islamist enemies of liberty to dictatorial opponents of democracy, those who are threatened by our effort to help liberalize and civilize the Middle East are fighting back with whatever weapons are at hand, and with whatever invented excuses and propaganda ploys they can discover.

As Olivier Guitta reports elsewhere in these pages, "The actions of Islamist agitators and financiers have deliberately drummed up rage among far-flung extremists otherwise entirely ignorant of the Danish press. The usual suspects--the regimes in Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran--have profited from the spread of the disorders."

This is a moment of truth in the global struggle against Islamic extremism. Will Hamas succeed in creating a terror state on the West Bank? Will a terror-sponsoring Iranian regime succeed in its quest for nuclear weapons? Will Danish imams succeed in intimidating Europe--or the free world as a whole?

With respect to Hamas, Iran, and the cartoons, the response of Western leaders hasn't been particularly encouraging--with the notable exception of Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark. Robert Frost said of liberals that they're incapable of taking their own side in a fight. We will see how deeply a degenerate form of liberalism has penetrated our souls. Will we anguish? Or will we fight?

Positive Story?

2006-02-16T06:09:00.000-05:00

This is the first positive story I have seen on Iraq or our troops in at least 6 months....I did a double take when I read the headline, figuring that I had misread it and the mainstream meadia (MSM) was really praising the Iraqi insurgency.

But no, a nice piece about some good work our troops are doing.

Great Article

2006-02-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

An article about the NY press during the NY City riots of 1863. The jist is that the press championed Lincoln and his efforts to win the Civil War, which included a draft. The poor in the community (rightly) felt that aspects of the draft were unfair. A riot began, over 500 people were killed, and the newspapers in the town were threatened by mob violence. Here is a snipet of their response, but I encourage you to read the entire article.

With the authorities unable to protect them, Greeley's minions at the Tribune took it upon themselves to arm and garrison their building. James Gilmore, a member of the editorial staff, declared that "a blow aimed at the Tribune was aimed equally at free speech." While a mob of thousands surrounded the building declaring that they would soon attack, 150 members of the Tribune staff risked their lives to continue publishing the paper.

Just as it didn't back down physically, the Tribune refused to back down in its rhetoric. In its Wednesday edition the Tribune ran an editorial that announced it was armed and prepared to slaughter any attackers.

Although the more conservative New York Times wasn't as much of a target of the mob's wrath as the Tribune, it, too, turned itself into a garrison and refused to be cowed by the rioters; the Times editorialized during the week of mayhem that it would follow its conscience "without regard to the menaces of the mob."

We are under attack, both the Islamists who would have us live under Sharia law and those in the West who choose safety instead of freedom.

Cheney Broke Law

2006-02-14T07:40:00.000-05:00

That is the headline to an article about Vice President Cheney's hunting trip/accident on msnbc.com. Below are a few quotes from the article that shed a touch more light than the headline. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I doubt this headline would accompany an article about Hillary "breaking" a similar law. You be the judge.

Vice President Dick Cheney has been given a warning citation for breaking Texas hunting law by failing to buy a $7 stamp allowing him to shoot upland game birds.

His office said Monday night in a statement that Cheney had a $125 nonresident hunting license and has sent a $7 check to cover the cost of the stamp. “The staff asked for all permits needed, but was not informed of the $7 upland game bird stamp requirement,” the statement said.

A department spokesman said warnings are being issued in most cases because the stamp requirement only went into effect five months ago and many hunters aren’t aware of it.

update: the headline has been changed to Cheney gets citation. Much more appropriate. Kudos to msnbc.

JV Spartans...The final week

2006-02-12T14:28:00.000-05:00

It has come down to one game...the JV Spartans play the Brookville Blue Demons this Friday. If we win, we finish the season at 9-9. I'd love to finish .500, but we have our work cut out for us. The Blue Demons beat us by 20 earlier this year, and to win we will have to play great basketball.

Coaching hasn't come easily or naturally to me. For some reason I thought I would just be able to show up and be a good coach, but it is much more difficult than I could have realized. A little bit harder to do the basketball than I anticipated, but much harder to relate to the kids than I thought it would be. There have been fun, but things have also been very challenging at times---especially when the kids seem not to care and aren't too concerned about working hard to improve.

Welcome, New Picture

2006-02-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have been faithful Kick A Pig readers for awhile, you will notice the new picture under the dgm profile...

The pic comes from a friend of mine that was thrilled to share her photography. She is one of the many silent readers of The Pig, but hopefully this will encourage her to start posting a comment or two.

Gretzky is done.

2006-02-09T09:39:00.000-05:00

Let me be the first to say it---Wayne Gretzky bet big money on sports.

His wife is currently implicated, but my guess is that The Great One used her as a very thin sheild. No woman I know bets money on sporting events. Not one. This smells like Wayne, and I'm convinced that time will show that it is Wayne.

Yesterday's interview with him was disgusting. He acted shocked that the reporter would ask about his wife's involvement, and then he threw her under the bus by saying something like, "you'll have to talk to her about that." He looked guilty, very guilty. Bill Clinton "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" guilty.

Mark it down. Gretzky bet on sports and will be ushered out of the NHL before February is over.

Freedom go to hell...

2006-02-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

All over the world muslims are protesting, burning, and threatening civilization over cartoons printed in a Danish newspaper 4 months ago. This picture, taken in England, is worth much more than a thousand words.

This is not just a battle against flesh and blood, but against a spiritual ideology that is completely opposite that on which the Western World was founded.

Evangelical Debate?

2006-01-31T12:07:00.000-05:00

This is an article about evangelical Christians winning debates...It is focused primarily on Liberty University and its success in national debating forums, although Cedarville gets a small shout out---"Baptist Cedarville University in Ohio just tripled its budget for debate scholarships.

Here is the question...am I overly sensitive when I read quotes like this and shake my head...?

"When you believe the end of the world is coming, you learn to talk fast."

I mean, would we somebody make a joke about of a Hindus belief in the sacred cow, or a Muslims requirement to pray five time a day? Why is a foundational Christian doctrine turned into a joke by a "respected" news institution...?

Alito is coming...

2006-01-24T12:18:00.000-05:00

The whole thing will be over soon. Another solid Justice put on the bench by Bush. There are many things I don't like about the way President Bush has handled his tenure, but Roberts and Alito are great wins for the Court.

Spartan Update...

2006-01-24T12:16:00.000-05:00

The JV Spartans are now 6-6.

3 straight losses.
5 straight wins.
3 straight losses.
1 win.

We have a long way to go, but our game on Saturday night gives me some hope.

Does anyone else feel like we are stealing?

2006-01-24T12:14:00.000-05:00

This January has been the most mild winter month I can ever remember. It is almost like there has yet to really be a winter. I know we can still have 5 or 6 really bad weeks, but anyone can endure a 6 week winter, right?

I feel a little guilty...

Good to Great

2006-01-24T12:02:00.000-05:00

This book is worth reading. I'm not just saying it if you are a business type, I'm saying it is a good read for everyone. The concepts in it are very applicable to people in all walks of life.

Fact vs. Religious propaganda

2006-01-19T09:34:00.000-05:00

Headline on Yahoo! News:
Human Ears Evolved from Ancient Fish Gills.

Science it is based on:
Scientists had thought the evolutionary change occurred after animals had established themselves on land, but a new look at an old fossil suggests ear development was set into motion before any creatures crawled out of the water....However, it's unclear if early tetrapods used these structures to hear. Panderichthys most likely used their spiracles for ventilation of either water or air. Early tetrapods probably passed air through the opening. Scientists would need preserved soft tissue to say for sure.

Kick A Pig Take:
How this can pass as science is beyond me. A few ministers in the Religion de Evolution are pressing forward an impossible to prove argument that is not supported by the facts. Yet Yahoo! reports it as if it is Truth. Why? Because, as part of the pseudo intellectual American establishment, Yahoo! is obligated to disseminate all religious propoganda from the R de E...

Never Attribute Anything to God...

2006-01-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

Mayor Nagin down in New Orleans says that God sent the hurricanes to punish the United States and the black community.

It is fascinating that people have such a hard time accepting the attribution of natural disasters to God. I question the notion that we can clearly explain (in a 30 second sound bite) God's reason for action---but if Christianity really influenced our culture, the attibution of hurricanes to the God who created all things would not be such a shock.

This is similar to Pat Robertson saying the God's hand was on Ariel Sharon's stroke. Why wouldn't Mr. Robertson's Christian faith dictate a belief that God had caused the stroke? I would hold that God is control of all things, even strokes. So of course he allowed/caused the stroke. Pat's linkage of the stroke and Sharon's recent policy decisions may not be accurate, but his acknowledgement that it was not a random act of nature should be celebrated.

Instead, both Nagin and Robertson will be painted as whacked out. Why? People don't want to believe that God is active in the lives of men. Americans are willing to attribute things to luck, to mysterious forces, to coincidence, to randomness, and to forces of nature. Just don't attribute things we can't understand to God.

Forget the Pope, give me Rowdy Rowdy Piper

2006-01-13T07:18:00.000-05:00

Did you read that the U.S. trade defecit delcined by a significant margin? Well, the reason now seems obvious...

ROME (Reuters) - Forget soccer icons Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti. Italian boys have new heroes: beefy, loud American wrestlers like Rey Mysterio and Undertaker.

Only the Bengals...

2006-01-13T07:10:00.000-05:00

CINCINNATI - Carson Palmer’s knee injury was “devastating and potentially career-ending,” but his surgeon said Thursday that he is optimistic the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback can recover and play next season.

Maryland Robs Wal-Mart

2006-01-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

In a move both Hillary Clinton and Maurice Clarret can be proud of, the state of Maryland just robbed Wal-Mart at gunpoint.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland legislators voted Thursday to enact a first-in-the-nation requirement that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spend more on employee health care. The measure, touted as a money-saver for the state-supported Medicaid program, takes effect despite the governorÂs veto of the bill.

The specifics of the bill make it so that Wal-Mart, and only Wal-Mart, pays a tax penalty directly into the state Medicaid fund. The logic here is completely twisted----Wal-Mart faces extra taxation rather than the legislature questioning why the state is paying the health care bills of people capable of holding a steady job at Wal-Mart.

Alito will be confirmed...

2006-01-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

Alito's response to a question concerning the appropriateness of using foreign law in U.S. Courts...

"I don't think it's appropriate or useful to look to foreign law in interpreting the provisions of our Constitution," Judge Alito said in response to questions from Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, in the third day of the judge's confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I think the Framers would be stunned by the idea that the Bill of Rights is to be interpreted by taking a poll of the countries of the world," Judge Alito said. "The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to give Americans rights that were recognized practically nowhere else in the world at the time. The Framers did not want Americans to have the rights of people in France or the rights of people in Russia or any of the other countries on the continent of Europe at the time; they wanted them to have the rights of Americans."

We need this guy. Soon we will have this guy.

Marine Corps Abandons High Standards

2006-01-11T12:48:00.000-05:00

Marine Corps officials announced that previously high standards have been lowered. The precise reasons for the policy change wasn't spelled out in today's press conference, but it is common knowledge that many within the Corps have come to believe the motto, "The few. The proud. The Marines." is too exclusionary.

Recruiting goals have been especially difficult to meet in recent years. The ongoing war in Iraq, high physical fitness standards and notoriously difficult boot camp are often cited by potential recruits as the reason for selecting another branch of the service, or another career path entirely. "We don't have the authority to make wholesale changes in Iraq," said recruiting specialist Captain James Toney, "but we can definitely lower our entrance requirements and make boot camp more user friendly."

One change that will be instantly noticed is the removal of all weight/height standards that have guided Marine physical fitness policy since the early 50's. Each year the standards have been updated to reflect changing trends in America's demographics, but this year the standards have been eliminated altogether. General Robert T. Goodyear commented, "This is 2006. We are fighting a new war, with a new enemy. Conventional methods aren't getting the job done. We have to cast our net broader to catch a different, and in some cases bigger, fish."

Gen. Goodyear went on to reveal a poster campaign that will communicate the new face of the Marines Corps to the public. Some inside the Marines have called the changes "short-sighted".

JV Spartans Roll...

2006-01-09T05:56:00.000-05:00

The Waynesville JV Spartans started the season 0-3, but have since won 5 straight to run their record to an impressive 5-3. The winning is a lot more fun than the losing---that is for sure. Spartan Pride.

Try, try, and try again...

2006-01-01T17:19:00.000-05:00

I was at lunch today and one of my friends says that this year he has resolved to give up drinking Coke. He sounded confident, and I was ready to applaud him for his stand. Before I could congratulate him, however, he informed us that he has failed in this endeavor at least three other times. Instantly I went from thinking it was a done deal to wondering when he would pop open his first Coke...

My great obstacle is learning to speak Spanish. Three or four times in the last 8 years I've put that on my list of goals, and each time I've failed to accomplish the task. Once, while living in Charlotte, I signed up and attended an intro Spanish course at the local community college. This year I organized a group to learn some Spanish in preparation for a trip to Mexico. I own several Spanish texts, have thousands of hand written flash cards, and have made two trips to Spanish speaking countries. Still, I sit here today with only a basic vocabulary and the sense that I may never achieve this goal.

The question to you is...what goal/resolution have you consistently made but failed to accomplish? What causes that failure? Has anyone ever failed multiple times at something and then finally broken through?

It's a motto, it just says itself...

2005-12-31T14:56:00.000-05:00

The time has come for a new motto. For those of you that don't know, I select a motto each year. The are always deep, and usually powerful. And fortunately for all of us, they often rhyme. For instance these two classic mottos both served admirably...

Gonna Do More in 2004.
Coming Alive in 2005.

This year, many qualified mottos applied for the job of serving as my inspiration for the year, but alas, only one could be selected. I would like to recognize the runner-ups, however. This year's first losers were...

Hoping It Clicks in 2006.
Picking Up Chicks in 2006.
Getting My Kicks in 2006.

All good, and you are free to use any of them for your own personal motto. I believe that each could serve you well.

However, my motto for 2006 will be...

Tending My Wicks in 2006.

You see, this is the first year I can remember where I don't feel the need to add anything new to my life or goals. I've got plenty of good things brewing, but most of them are only half done. Several good ideas yet to be completed. Lots of time needed on my business. Many relationships that need to be given more attention.

The right candles are all burning, but they need to be tended more intentionally during the coming year. Thus, Tending My Wicks in 2006.

Feel the heat, man, feel the heat.

intelligent Design

2005-12-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

In one of the biggest courtroom clashes between faith and evolution since the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, a federal judge barred a Pennsylvania public school district Tuesday from teaching intelligent design in biology class, saying the concept is creationism in disguise.

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones delivered a stinging attack on the Dover Area School Board, saying its first-in-the-nation decision in October 2004 to insert intelligent design into the science curriculum violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

A six-week trial over the issue yielded overwhelming evidence establishing that intelligent design is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory, said Jones, a Republican and a churchgoer appointed to the federal bench three years ago.

The disclaimer, he said, "singles out the theory of evolution for special treatment, misrepresents its status in the scientific community, causes students to doubt its validity without scientific justification, presents students with a religious alternative masquerading as a scientific theory, directs them to consult a creationist text as though it were a science resource and instructs students to forgo scientific inquiry in the public school classroom and instead to seek out religious instruction elsewhere."

I am knowledgeable about neither science nor the law and would be interested to read opinions on this subject from those that are trained in either discipline...

Welcome!

2005-12-19T13:40:00.000-05:00

I would like to welcome Troy C. and Mike S. to Kick A Pig blog friends.

Troy C. is no stranger to The Pig, having contributed a great guest column a few weeks ago about transforming ideas into reality. His latest entry on Mark is worth your time. Welcome Troy.

Mike S. is also no stranger to Kick A Pig---having become very active in his comment contributions over the past month. His blog, which used to be entirely about Helwig and is now just partly about Helwig, is at times a confusing mess. If Troy is seeking clarity and the pursuit of understanding, Mike is going for obscurity, incoherence, and humor. If you know Helwig or Mike, Pure Philosophy is worth the read. If not, be warned.

Today's Press Conference...

2005-12-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON - The White House unexpectedly announced Monday morning that President Bush will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Update...

President Bush is no longer letting the Democrats use their mouthpiece, the liberal mainstream media (nod to Ben H.), to dictate the public discourse. He is taking the fight to them.

President Bush on Monday said disclosure of his domestic eavesdropping program was a “shameful act” and said he will keep using it “for so long as the nation faces the continuing threat of an enemy that wants to kill American citizens.”

“As president of the United States and commander in chief I have the constitutional responsibility and the constitutional authority to protect our country,” he said in an opening statement at a year-end news conference.

Richard Pryor

2005-12-12T12:03:00.000-05:00

Richard Pryor died this weekend. This quote was attributed to him, and it struck me as very insightful.

"I had some great things and I had some bad things, the best and the worst. In other words, I had a life."

41 Points

2005-12-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

My basketball team lost by 41 points on Friday. If it has never happened to you, let me tell you, it does not feel good.

Take up your cross...

2005-12-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

Mark 8:34 "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

Question: What does it really look like to take up your cross?

Ami Mari

2005-12-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

I have two sisters, but only one of them is celebrating a birthday. Ami Mari Meredith, my oldest sister, turns 37 today.

For those of you that don't know her, she is truly a wonderful woman. Thoughtful and funny. Intelligent and independent. She can be both a ball of fire and a gentle sweetheart.

When I need a quick favor, she is the person I call. When I get something personal in the mail, it's almost always from her. When I get crushed in Jeopardy, it is usually by her wicked quick mind. And when I think about the things that give me great personal joy, she is at the top of the list.

Sis, I know you read The Pig. I want to tell you that I love you, that you are great, and we are very blessed to have you in our lives. I'm excited to see where God leads you in the next few years because great things await.

Have a very happy birthday.

Sad Story

2005-12-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

U.S. marshals say two agents were justified in using lethal force against an agitated passenger who said he had a bomb in his backpack, as a local and federal investigation into the incident was under way Thursday.

The article goes on to explain that he was bipolar, had an episode, threatened the plane with a bomb, and was promptly shot by two air marshals.

Reading this article made me very sad. I think that air marshals did the right thing, but that doesn't make it any less tragic.

Things...

2005-12-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

I've been very busy the past few weeks, and the blog has suffered for it. Thought I would take a few minutes to recap the highs and lows...Please forgive the combination of the serious with the silly, but they have both been prevalent in my life lately.

(1) Trip to Gainesville, Florida to be in the wedding of Eric Johnston---one of my best friends. He married a wonderful woman named Ellen, and they are very happy in their romance. Highlights of the trip include...
A. Time with some really good friends from my camp counselor days.
B. Playing 5 on 5 football in The Swamp for over an hour.
C. The chapel where Ellen and EJ got married was wonderful brick and wood.
D. Celebrating a couple that will stand the test of time.
E. Laughing about our hotel...La Quinta is Spanish for crappy.

(2) Began working out again after many, many months off.

(3) Remembering my father on the one year anniversary of his death. It was sad, but also healthy at the same time. I bought a can of Coke and a bag of combos and ate them in memory of my dad. It was strange to eat and drink things that are distinctly his, all while taking the time to mourn his passing. Soon it hit me that what I was actually doing was taking a communion in honor of my dad. I was eating and drinking in tribute and memory to a man I loved, reflecting on who he was and the the things we shared over the years. The thought hit me, right in the middle of that sadness, that this communion to dad was more real to me than the communion I take to commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. I was humbled by the reality that while I claim to "know Jesus", I sure don't know him like I knew my dad. My prayer was and is that God would make Jesus as real to me as my dad was...

(4) Put up a Christmas tree and strung up some Christmas lights on the front porch. Both make the place look rather festive.

(5) Coached the Waynesville Junior Varsity basketball team to two close losses this weekend. We came out on Friday like a ball of fire, scoring 14 first quarter points, and trailing by only a basket at half. The third quarter proved fatal, as we found ourselves in a 15 point hole by the end of the period. We rebounded to lose by only 8, and I was happy the kids didn't quit but instead played hard until the buzzer sounded. Saturday we shot 0-21 from the floor in the first half (that's right...zero baskets from the field), battled our way to lead by 4 with two minutes to play, and then played and coached a terrible stretch drive---finding a way to lose by about 5...Even with the losses, however, the weekend was still a success.

(6) All that and I still found time to have some serious conversations, help some friends work through a couple of issues, break a door, host a few people at my house for board games, and eat some Twizlers for the first time months.

A very memorable couple of weeks...

Game Day

2005-12-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

Tonight, 5:30 PM, the junior varsity Waynesville Spartans take the court against the fighting somethings from Clinton Massie...My hope is to be competitive.

Updates will follow.

Hollywood Minute

2005-12-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

"Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman buried the hatchet Thursday on "The Late Show" and wondered just how their 16-year feud started in the first place.". And people say that peace in the Middle East is impossible.

Kick a Player...?

2005-11-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is absurd.

Headline of the Day...

2005-11-28T15:26:00.000-05:00

Fatter butts require longer needles for injections.

Pure Joy

2005-11-28T12:35:00.000-05:00

This picture was sent to me by a friend from college. Her little girl is obviously working it, and she looks to me to be the happiest kid in the world. She owns that look...and she knows it.

Guest Blogger - Troy C.

2005-11-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I like to open Kick A Pig up to a guest columnist. I figure that my friends are interesting, and there is no reason why Pig readers wouldn't want to hear from them.

So I asked my friend Troy C., who is living NYC, to take a few minutes and write about something on his mind. Read it all. It is well worth your time.

Idea Building

How do we take our ideas and bring them to life?

It’s a pretty straightforward question but it does have a way of being complex.

Greg has asked me to write for Kick A Pig and in the spirit of Kickapig’s mission I have decided to write about the point of passion. The spark of an idea. A personal presentiment. It is passion that our mind and body recognizes as truth and yet the difficulty comes in knowing how to build upon it.

The people I pay close attention to are Teachers, Chefs, Architects, Writers and Film Directors. They know first hand that it is not enough to have a great idea alone. The best of each of these disciplines possess vision and an understanding of their responsibility to the equation of realization.

Idea + Plan + Tools + Materials + Dedication + Belief = A result with integrity.

Simple arithmetic. But combine equation with life and its serendipitous nature, and you’ve got yourself a formula for adventure. Yet isn’t that what it’s about? The adventure? The unknown? The risk it demands for living out, what resides in our soul?

A teacher has the most crucial and demanding job in our world today. Their challenge is greater than simply instructing skills and knowledge. David Brook’s in his Op-Ed for the Times (www.nytimes.com) makes a call for understanding our Human Capital. He says, “The only things that work are local, human-to-human immersions that transform the students down to their very beings. Extraordinary schools, which create intense cultures of achievement, work. Extraordinary teachers, who inspire students to transform their own lives, work.” Human builders!

Just think of the chef who has an entire feast in mind. It is then a gargantuan leap to the dinner table. What about the shopping at the market, the preparation, the choreography and timing, the arrival of the guests -- all the countless details in getting to that guest filled room? Stop and think of all the possibilities of what that process and night could bring. You have the collective effort among the cooks to make the meal. You have the sheer joy that comes from good eating and discovering new flavors. You have the conversations and connections between the guests. You’ve made a meal, yes, but what you’ve truly done is created a place for life to organically unfold.

Architects are masters of the Big Picture. They understand the full spectrum of what it takes to build and idea. A bridge is the ideal metaphor; for it represents what building an idea is all about -- getting someplace greater than we knew. It teaches us how to span the impossible. The impossible is transformed into the do-able. But remember this the next time you cross a bridge…construction began underwater. The process, the building is everything rendering the crossing the equivalent to basking in the sun.

Recently I read an interview with the writer Salman Rushdie who said the book you set out to write is never what you finish in the end. It has a way of teaching you how to write the book you are intended to write. What happens to that book and its ideas once it’s in the hands of the reader is a whole other mystery. Ideas keep hatching. You’ve constructed something that lives on. You’ve constructed a mental bridge, one that you have crossed and now others have the opportunity to as well.

And the next time you see a film, sit through the credits and marvel at the number of people involved in making the film. Peter Jackson’s commitment to The Lord of the Rings is flat out mind blowing. Like the ring in the film, Tolkien’s book had been around for a long time waiting for the right inspired individual to come along and meet the story with equal genius and expand its potential. The director Steven Spielberg commenting on a recent film put it simply: “It seemed to be planned by the heart. But it was planned.” He gives a nod to the romantic notion of creating something but ultimately recognizes the necessity of a plan.

I’m reminded of a line from Cathy Horyn, the Fashion Critique of the New York Times:
“In the life of a sculpture a superficial plan is an incident. But a constructive profound plan is a destiny.”

A plan. Now isn’t that a genius idea?

My hope is that in learning how to build our ideas and connecting with the things that are important to us, what we are learning is how to build a life worth living.

Buckeyes Win! Buckeyes Win!

2005-11-21T11:34:00.000-05:00

What a marvelous game...I've got more to say, but for now---just rest in the knowledge that the Buckeyes are 4-1 verses the school up north under Jimmy T.

And the 2005 Internet Humor Pig Goes to...

2005-11-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

A truly unique vocal stylist, a friend, and I dare say a musical genius....

Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the winner of the 2005 Internet Humor Pig....Mr. John Daker.

A hardy congratulation to our friend down there at 1st United Methodist Church. Keep up the good work.

I love Michigan Week...

2005-11-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

Lots of pictures flying around Buckeye Nation, but this is my favorite...so far.

Where did we go wrong...?

It is that time...

2005-11-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

Michigan Week.

Spartan Pride

2005-11-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

I am now the Junior Varsity basketball coach at Waynesville High School. This past Monday was our first practice, and at the end of the week it is clear that the team has a long way to go. We have great kids with some basketball potential, but no star players have emerged at this point.

You might ask, what is the style of ball the Waynesville Junior varsity team is going to play? Well, I'll tell you.

We have four main style themes that we are hammering away at, and they are...

(1) Pressure the ball.
(2) Rebound aggressively.
(3) Advance rapidly.
(4) Attack the rim.

There are lots of ways to play, but we are going to play fast. Our goal is to get 65% of our shots in transition.

To say that I was consumed with basketball last week would be an understatement...

Any Fear?

2005-11-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

Do you have any fear of the United States Government?

I do. Not much, and sometimes I have to work myself out of my comfort zone in order to bring the fear to the surface, but I can say that on occasion I fear the U.S. Government.

Why? Because those who were much stronger, braver and smarter than I'll every be feared centralized power. In fact, some of these folks feared it so much they risked life and limb to establish a government that would be different. Not a government that served itself, but one for, of, and by the people.

Our founding fathers escaped tyranny, and understood well the concept of both limited government and checks and balances.

We now have a bloated federal government that serves itself better than the people. Checks and balances now means that the three branches fight over which of them has the power, rather than leaving all un-enumerated powers with the people/States.

I fear the United States Government because it is growing to resemble the tyrant that the founding fathers slayed more than the nimble officer they so brilliantly birthed.

Healthy dose of fear?

Thanks for stopping by...

2005-11-09T21:24:00.000-05:00

One of my friends from OSU, goes by the name T-Bone, is a huge Bubb Rubb fan. I'm not sure how long ago I sent him the link, but ever since he first saw Mr. Rubb, his phone calls to me have included at least one Woow Woooooow.

Anyway, I told T-Bone about 2005 PIG awards for best of the internet, and he checked out the blog. It was interesting because (1) he hasn't spent much time on blogs and (2) he found some of what is written here on Kick A Pig interesting.

If T-Bone becomes a regular reader---look out. And please remember that this is all just for decoration...that's it and that's all...

25th sentence

2005-11-05T10:10:00.000-05:00

This AP article is about the 10 days of riots in France. Huge uprisings, roaming mobs, burning of cars and building, vandalism---general chaos.

The article gives 24 sentences of information before mentioning that the rioters are muslims...I think that is an important piece of information, don't you?

The 2005 PIGS

2005-11-01T17:27:00.002-05:00

It is time to vote on the 1st Annual Best of the Internet---otherwise known as the PIGS. We will start in the humor category, and the choices are listed below. Voting will be open until the November 14th, so make sure to vote early and vote often...

THE NOMINEES ARE...

(1) John Daker Sings

His performance consists of two songs of a pseudo-operatic voice and various odd and sometimes alarming facial expressions to accompany his vocal stylings. Additionally, he has a tendency to forget lyrics during a song and either looks angry or simply hums along until he recalls a word (often times, the wrong word). Simply by watching the video, it is difficult to tell if he is embarrassed, truly trying to belt the song out, or possibly slightly inebriated.

You're in love...

(2) This Land

A great clip poking fun of both President Bush and Senator Kerry. The humor is subtle at times, and at other points it is 7th grade. Both work to produce laughter.

You can't say nuclear, that really scares me...

(3) Bubb Rubb and Lil' Sis

The news broadcast was about whistle tips, devices welded into a car's muffler to cause a loud whistle as the exhaust gas goes by. Residents of Oakland were upset because of the disturbance caused by the constant whistling. Besides interviewing those who were upset by the whistle tips, the news station also interviewed fans of the modification. One of these fans was a man calling himself Bubb Rubb. During the interview he said the phrase that would bring him his 15 minutes of fame - "The whistles go WOOOO!!"

They should be up cooking breakfast...

(4) Baby Got Book

Somehow, rapping about the KJV Bible is funny. Probably because we Christians don't parody ourselves and our language very often, which makes this one is both original and a genre unto its own.

I like 'em real thick and red lettered...

Request to Readers...

2005-11-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

Two things crack me up more than anything else, both have to do with people taking themselves too seriously. I'm going to ask you all to be on the look-out for funny examples of these things, and I'll feature them occasionally here on Kick A Pig.

First, personalized license plates. No offense if you have them (CLR MAN), but I think they are a riot. I've been taking notes for the last couple of months, and a few of my favorites so far include...

(1) A Honda Element, driven by a heavy-set 50 year old man, that reads...OUT OF MY...
(2) Some type of SUV, driven by a woman in her late 20s, with...STEPHER B...
(3) My favorite so far, driven by a woman in her mid-30's, said...RAUNCHY...

What fun for the rest of us...

Second, DGM is increasingly fond of people that refer to themselves in the third person. Right now, DGM has a lot learn in this respect, but DGM is willing to study at the feet of the best. Like Colts running Edgerrin James.

"Ain't no power down there, you know? I was headed down South, but when they told me they had no power and a curfew (laugh) ... Edge needs power and Edge don't need no curfew. Edge time is Edge time."

So, as you see funny personalized license plates or come across people referring to themselves in the third person, please take note and send them DGM's way. DGM would greatly appreciate it.

Oh Martha...

2005-10-31T16:22:00.000-05:00

A marketing genius? Yes. One of the best business people in the world? Yes. Still active and attractive at 64? Yes.

Somebody who learns from her mistakes? Apparently not.

I'm reading this article about her Apprentice show. It isn't doing well, and she is starting to blame The Donald. He is blaming her for the decrease in the ratings of his own Apprentice. Anyway, the article ends with the following...

After serving five months in jail for lying about a 2001 stock sale, which was followed by nearly six months of house arrest, the lifestyle guru says she feels resilient. "I have learned that I really cannot be destroyed."

Is that really what she learned? Not an ounce of humility, but rather, resting in the knowledge that she is indestructible. Interesting.

Learning an important lesson...?

Supreme Court: Samuel Alito

2005-10-31T11:14:00.000-05:00

The Dems are already up in arms, so I guess this is probably a pretty good pick.

From MSNBC

"Judge Alito has served with distinction on that court for 15 years, and now has more prior judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years,” Bush said, drawing an unspoken contrast to his first choice, Harriet Miers.

From Powerline

In selecting Third Circuit judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. for the Supreme Court, President Bush has made a truly outstanding nomination that deserves widespread acclaim. By any objective criteria, it is doubtful that there is anyone now or in recent decades (yes, not even Chief Justice Roberts) whose experience and qualifications better prepare him for the Supreme Court.

Judge Alito’s entire career since graduating from Yale Law School in the mid-1970s has been devoted to public service in the law. His range of experience dealing with difficult questions of federal law is unmatched. After a prestigious clerkship on the Third Circuit, he worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey for four years. Then, as assistant to the Solicitor General, he briefed and argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court for four years. He next served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel—the office that was previously headed by Rehnquist and Scalia and that advises the White House Counsel’s office and the entire executive branch on the proper meaning of the Constitution and other federal law. In 1987, Alito became United States Attorney in New Jersey. In that capacity, he was responsible for all federal prosecutions in New Jersey for three years (including the successful prosecution of a Libyan-sponsored terrorist who planned to attack various New York targets). And for the past 15 years, Alito has served with great distinction on the Third Circuit.

Just as the Left attacked Roberts, it will attack Alito. But President Bush has again selected an outstanding nominee whose intellect, character, experience, and, not least, proper understanding of the role of the courts will earn the deep respect of the American people and of all fair-minded observers.

50 Yard Field Goal

2005-10-28T10:06:00.000-04:00

This is unbelievable. The guy misses from 20, 30, and 40---but then nails the 50 yarder for $1 Million dollars. Ok, so it is $1 Million Canadian, but still...that is a lot of cash and a long, long kick.

Most Underrated...

2005-10-27T21:28:00.000-04:00

So today I'm on site at one of my clients. A nice women that works in the office has a bowl full of good candy just waiting to be eaten. Feeling the obligation to share in the corporate camaraderie, even though I'm just a lowly consultant, I decide to take her up on her implicit offer of candy and put my hand in the bowl for a treat.

That got me thinking about candy bars. Greatest candy bar alive today? I would make the argument that the Snickers bar reigns supreme, unchallenged by the masses. It isn't flashy, but it gets the job done time and time again. It is the McDonald's breakfast meal of the candy bar world...Sure, sometimes you go somewhere else for fast food breakfast, but you always come back to Mickey D's...Same with the Snickers.

But I didn't chose the Snickers today, I went in another direction. In fact, I began to think that it is the most underrated candy bar in the world. A quick review of the possible competition was in order...

The Butterfinger. Hard to be underrated with Bart Simpson as the pitch man. Also, it has great taste but it lingers in the cracks of the teeth entirely too long.

The Twix. Great candy bar, underrated, but sometimes the caramel overwhelms the cookie and leaves you with too much to chew.

My choice today, the Kit Kat, never disappoints. Sure and steady, it always delivers good taste with no negative side effects. In my entire life, I have never once regretted eating a Kit Kat.

Therefore, I declare the Kit Kat to be both the most underrated candy bar of all time and the official candy bar of Kick A Pig.

Thank you old friend...

Ben Bernanke is in...

2005-10-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

Seems to be a good pick, both politically savvy and respected by Wall Street.

President Bush Monday nominated Bernanke, chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers and a former Fed governor, to take over the central bank when Greenspan steps down Jan. 31. The nomination is subject to approval by the Senate.

Analysts say Bernanke will have to act quickly to establish his credentials as an inflation fighter, possibly by raising interest rates more aggressively than otherwise would have been required. Bond prices fell on news of the nomination, sending long-term interest rates slightly higher on concerns Bernanke might not be sufficiently tough on inflation, market analysts said.

Harriet Miers is out...

2005-10-27T21:18:00.000-04:00

I am very happy about this...Isn't politics fascinating?

Having made a catastrophic misjudgment of his own party by nominating Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, President Bush has now learned the hard way that he would be wise to keep conservatives close by his side.

While Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter R-Pa. called the treatment of Miers “really disgraceful” and “a sad episode in the history of Washington, D.C.,” conservative Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., seemed quite upbeat, saying her withdrawal “demonstrates the sanctity, the preciousness, the beauty of the confirmation process.”

Axis of Evil

2005-10-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

How would you like to be an Israeli citizen right now, as the President of a neighboring country calls for your annihilation and encourages terrorists to keep up the good work? Axis of evil, indeed.

IranÃ’s hard-line president called for Israel to be Ã“wiped off the mapÃ” and said a new wave of Palestinian attacks will destroy the Jewish state, state-run media reported Wednesday.

Threat greater than terrorism?

2005-10-25T09:12:00.000-04:00

Coming to a town near you...

A flu pandemic is the most dangerous threat the United States faces today," says Richard Falkenrath, who until recently served in the Bush administration as deputy Homeland Security adviser. "It's a bigger threat than terrorism. In fact it's bigger than anything I dealt with when I was in government." One makes a threat assessment on the basis of two factors: the probability of the event, and the loss of life if it happened. On both counts, a pandemic ranks higher than a major terror attack, even one involving weapons of mass destruction. A crude nuclear device would probably kill hundreds of thousands. A flu pandemic could easily kill millions.

My House

2005-10-24T23:25:00.000-04:00

I can finally say that the house is coming together. This weekend I spent several hours, too many in fact, looking at rugs, hanging blinds, and walking the aisles at Lowes. All the hard work, and the money, is starting to pay off as the downstairs is nearly complete. Tomorrow I pick up the dinning room table, and then I have to hang a few lights, clean a few floors, and buy a few pictures for the walls.

But the downstairs will almost be done. Good times.

State Champs

2005-10-23T19:57:00.000-04:00

My buddy Dave coaches the Oakwood High School girls tennis team. On Sunday they won the state championship in the team tournament...

They may also win individual state titles next week, in both singles and doubles. Pretty amazing.

Congrats to Dave his Lumber Jills.

A Name...

2005-10-19T20:23:00.000-04:00

Need some help re-naming a business. We make virtual tours of homes that up for sale. Let me know which you prefer...

Focus Home Tours
inFocus Home Tours

Thanks.

The world was not worthy of them...

2005-10-18T17:41:00.000-04:00

In Hebrews 11, the writer expounds on faith and the faithful. He ends his discourse with the passage below...

"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them."

It is faith in, and faithfullness to, a living God that allows us to live a life worthy of Him.

Who Dey?

2005-10-18T17:33:00.000-04:00

I love the Ohio State Buckeyes. I like the Cincinnati Bengals. I'm here to give the Bengals props for a wonderful start to the 2005 campaign.

All I can say is these guys are pretty good.

There is a lot of fight in this dog...

Pujols The Great...

2005-10-18T17:08:00.000-04:00

Last night, I tuned into the baseball game in the 9th inning. Two outs, nobody on base, Astros winning 4-2.

Single to left by Eckstein.

Walk to Edmonds.

3-run home run to Albert Pujols.

Cardinals win 5-4.

Unbelievable.

Sorry to all of you Astros fans out there. The Cardinals still have to win two more games to take the series, while the 'stros only need one. Still, if I were a gambling man I would say this series is now even money...

Turn these lights out, you won't need them again till Spring...

Keep 'em coming...

2005-10-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

His name is Rocky Stallone. All he does is win boxing matches, inspire legions of fans, write Oscar winning movies, beat up his brother-in-law Paulie, and occassionally make tv magic with Sugar Ray.

Rocky VI had to happen.

"I am drawing on a lot of my feelings that are in sync with many people's feelings about facing the last chapter of their lives and how they want it to be written," Stallone said.

The hat also needs a comeback...

What was that guy's name?

2005-10-15T20:25:00.000-04:00

6 weeks ago, a bunch of us went to see Ohio State play in the horseshoe. The game was fun, and the conversation was varied. One of the topics we discussed on the way back from Columbus was a basketball player who's name none of could remember.

"You know, the big white guy that played at Indiana and then transferred down to Georgia Teach? The guy from over in Springfield, left handed...what was that guy's name?"

It stumped us.

Last Saturday, a friend who wasn't with us told a story about getting dunked on in high school so hard that the dude broke the backboard.

"Who did it?" someone asked.

"Jason Collier..."

"that is the name of the guy we couldn't think of a few weeks ago..."

Today I read on espn.com that Jason Collier died last night. He went to bed, had trouble breathing and eventually died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

He had a wife and a small daughter.

Is it coincidence that my friends and I were talking about a random basketball player, twice in the past few weeks, only to read that he suddenly dies?

I'll say a few prayers tonight for the Collier family, and wonder why he died so young.

State Sovereignty vs. Individual Rights

2005-10-14T09:15:00.000-04:00

An interesting article about state sovereignty vs. Individual rights. Abraham Lincoln got it right, and the United Nations continues to get it wrong.

To Abraham Lincoln, the value of a government was to be determined not by its sacred sovereignty, but rather by the degree to which it secured the rights of the governed. Lincoln recognized that it is not states, but rather the individuals within states who are the true possessors of rights. Accordingly, even an international legal system cannot remain forever indifferent to the character of the governments it purportedly governs; nor can it remain perpetually neutral between freedom and bondage. The degree to which sovereignty should be afforded states that do not secure the rights of the governed is a question that demands asking now as much as it did in Lincoln's day.

More issues...

2005-10-14T08:45:00.000-04:00

Something wrong with the blog again this morning...not sure what is going on...will correct asap.

Best of the Blogs: III

2005-10-13T16:28:00.000-04:00

This isn't from a blog, but from a friend of mine who sent me an email. My friend received the following letter from a close friend of his serving time in prison for dealing drugs. It is a sad letter, and it puts into perspective what it means to have troubles.

Letter From Prison.

Dear friend-

It is Friday night & I just ended a horrible day…no a horrible week. Tonight I am in yet another cell and building. I am now in cell 21367. I am going to give you details & I assure you my day was beyond absurd & only too real.

After being punched on Tuesday I was moved to the cell w/ “Demon”. I wrote about him earlier. My days with him were not good for a # of reasons. First, I was hit hard & for an unknown reason I have been sick- dizzy, clammy sweats, nauseas at times. This could be due to stress, effects of head being knocked on walls, or fact that Tuesday am was last time I got my medication. My physical symptoms probably a combination of all these things. They has me on 3 strong meds- all psychotropic in nature. They are not quick to follow their own housing unit moves. In fact they are not quick about much.

Anyways…Friday morning Demon threatened my life multiple times. He went off on me telling me in detail what he was going to do to me. He spit on me and yelled merely inches from my face. We were of course locked up in our cell. The animal was outraged that I said I would not go out to yard irregardless of the skinhead rule that all whites do go out to yard. I told Demon…and he already was aware that I was sick. Demon declared disrespect to the white race and went off.

Thursday night I was shaking…could not eat…thought I would throw up…started crying uncontrollably in the cell w/Demon. I did not know what was wrong with me. Demon was ok, but freaky about it. He danced in front of me and told me to go ahead and puke… he held a spoon and cup and claimed he would eat it. It is true & god it was not funny. Demon was like a caged bull. He would yell so loud out of the cell door that my bones vibrated I swear. Tues. Weds. Thurs.

After Demon told me he was going to k ell me (said he would bust me up & flush me down the toilet) the cell door opened (it is electrically controlled) so that we could go out to yard for 90 minutes. I went to the C.O.’s on duty & was shaking, legs and hands. I told them what happened, I could not stop crying. There was a Sgt. & a regular C.O. They told me I now would have a “jacket” on me for being a “rat”…having told on Demon. I already knew this would be the case but I was not going back in that cell with him. They got my belongings & took me outside to a common area by the program office. I was locked in a 2 foot by 2 foot cage for two hours. I was dizzy, smelled, not shaven, had to pee…my clothes dirty.
I asked for my meds and was told, “not now.” This afternoon they moved me to a new cell. My cellie is 26, white, Christian & a deaf mute. I have skinheads next door.
A “jacket” means I will be marked to be “punished” for whatever the avenging race claims I did. It is prison polotics & it is real. I call myself “Ken” here ( it is Dave’s middle name) & claim to be from Portland.

While I was in the cage I wished I could have been anywhere else. I thought I would give anything to have 1 hour in your apartment. I would of showered, shaved, washed my clothes in your tub. I could of dried them with a fan. I knew though that I probably would not have stopped crying. It has been a bad week. I leave out so many details. Friend, they are absurdly horrible. I felt so little crying & shaking in front of the C.O.’s today. They told me so many things…asked me to pull it together so many times…I couldn’t.

I am ok now. I am safe with Peter. He & I write or sign to communicate. Do you know what “thank-you” is? It is same as blowing a kiss. I went from Demon telling me he would kill me to this young man blowing a kiss at me. He wrote, “don’t confuse American Sign Language Thank -You with blowing a kiss at you.” I smiled of course but started crying due to the absurdity of my week. He is actually smart as hell…he noticed my fat cheek & asked what happened. The wound is now a week old. Peter asked, “what day you get hit, week ago?”

Bad week. I am okay and safe now. I am still crying a lot but you know what? My cellie can’t hear me! He can’t hear anything. He’s locked up for 5 years…meth. He is a gentle soul it seems. From bone rattling Demon to…silence with the occasional grunts all deaf-mutes make when they get excited. What a week. When will I leave this place? I should not have been here for this. I should have been safely at a low security prison, residing in a level 1 yard, with clean blue clothes, friends, visitors & telephones to call the ones I love. My mes & physical fitness routine in place.

Smurf Haters

2005-10-12T22:17:00.000-04:00

And I thought things were still smurfy...

Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf's village is carpet bombed by warplanes — a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable blue-skinned cartoon characters.

Bomb the Smurfs...?

Nobel Prize = Crap

2005-10-10T12:52:00.000-04:00

When you use a once highly esteemed prize to continually make political statements, you not only demean the award but you prove yourself unworthy of respect.

The Nobel Prize committee chose Mohamed ElBaradei and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) share its Peace prize. Why? "for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way". Are we talking about the same IAEA, the folks who have sat on their hands for the last 3 years as both Iran and North Korea continued to build the bomb? The Nobel Peace prize, going from Jimmy Carter to Mohamed ElBaradei, is now a joke.

God's Will

2005-10-09T19:42:00.000-04:00

In Colossians 1:9, Paul writes "for this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual understanding."

What does it mean to be be filled with the knowledge of His will? Do you feel like you have an idea of what God's will is in your life? If you are a Christian, you know the general elements of His will...to love Him, to love others, to obey His commandments and take delight in Him. But do you know what His specific will is for your life, like some people seem to?

For example, a young man about 20 years of age, felt the specific will of God for His life was to write a Bible commentary. So he laid out a plan of action...he would study all the original languages for 15 years, study the Scriptures for 15, and then spend 15 writing the commentary. 45 years later, his commentary was complete and I'm sure he rested in the knowledge of doing God's will.

I never feel like I know God's specific will for my life, and even when I think I find a piece of it, I am soon proven wrong. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment." (2:24-25)

Comments welcome.

Mommies Little Girl...

2005-10-06T12:14:00.000-04:00

So I'm walking in the pet cemetary yesterday, and I discover something fascinating...Animal lovers are crazy. Yep, that is right. Crazy.

I'm going back. Next time I'll take a pen and possibly a digital camera. There is probably enough material for it to become a weekly feature on Kick A Pig. For now, however, please just enjoy this little tribute found on the tombstone of a beloved cat named Peaches...

Mommies little friend.
Daddy's chest-warmer.
Our sweet kitty.
We miss you.

Not so good...

2005-10-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine got some bad news this week---related to a female. While lesser men turn to booze, my friend decided to turn to the comforting arms of Keats.

Who could have guessed that Kick A Pig would feature poetry twice in the same 7 day period...?

Fill for me a brimming bowl
And in it let me drown my soul:
But put therein some drug, designed
To Banish Women from my mind:
For I want not the stream inspiring
That fills the mind with--fond desiring,
But I want as deep a draught
As e'er from Lethe's wave was quaff'd;
From my despairing heart to charm
The Image of the fairest form
That e'er my reveling eyes beheld,
That e'er my wandering fancy spell'd.
In vain! away I cannot chace
The melting softness of that face,
The beaminess of those bright eyes,
That breast--earth's only Paradise.
My sight will never more be blest;
For all I see has lost its zest:
Nor with delight can I explore,
The Classic page, or Muse's lore.
Had she but known how beat my heart,
And with one smile reliev'd its smart
I should have felt a sweet relief,
I should have felt ``the joy of grief.''
Yet as the Tuscan mid the snow
Of Lapland dreams on sweet Arno,
Even so for ever shall she be
The Halo of my Memory.

Best of the Blogs: II

2005-10-04T13:45:00.000-04:00

Only one of my friends is as smooth with the ladies as I am, and his name is Keith. Read one of his latest adventures below.

This comes to from Keith D over www.theareopagus.com

Screaming Like a School Girl

I was kickin' it with this girl last night. It wasn't a date, but it was a MAN and a woman hanging out. We grab dinner to go, head to the park, and then off to listen to some music. We stroll through the park, finding some benches to sit and eat. We start talking about this, that, and the other, and I'm feeling confident, like I'm at the top of my game. I figured: I'm in the best shape of my life, I feel marvelous, and I look pretty good in the moonlight, so things are going my way. What could possibley go wrong?

As I sat there waxing eloquently on everything under the sun, my confidence grew. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I hear this shrieking approaching from my back. Honestly, I don't know how to describe. Does death have a sound? If so, it was death. Have you seen Lemony Snickets? Remember the killer eels? No, think raptor from Jurassic Park. Yea, that's it. It was simply the shriek of death. Realizing I was the young dame's confidence, I didn't want to panic. But I could tell it was coming up behind me at an inordinate rate. To say the speed of light is a gross exaggeration, but slightly behind the speed of sound is not. It was fast! Who wouldn't have some fear of a valociraptor cutting through the air at you. A second later there was this impact on the back of my neck that would've taken out a lesser man, sending him sprawling, unconscious to the ground. I'll just say, I was glad that I was in the best shape of my life. I hop off the bench with a shrill scream of my own followed by the mad flapping of the arms like the guy being attacked by a bee, but no one else sees the bee. That was me with my head tucked from the blow and hands waving over the back of my neck. A couple seconds later things started to return to normal, I thought. Then, suddenly, I hear that damn shriek again, but instead of approaching from a distance it is coming from my shirt collar. I start screaming like a school girl, punching the air, and flailing my arms, neck and body in a convulsive state. Fortunately, the teradactyl was scared and this point and decided to run, fly and scream for higher ground and weaker prey. Without missing a beat I returned to the bench, my sandwich, and a learned discourse on the paleolithic period.

Harriet Miers

2005-10-04T08:47:00.000-04:00

This is a terrible pick for the Supreme Court and will go down as the one unforgivable act of President Bush's terms in office. Ms. Miers is 60, she isn't a conservative, and she isn't a constitutional scholar. After a great pick in John Roberts, Bush had the chance to define the court for the next 15 years. Instead, he nominated an old, middle of the road corporate attorney because the two of them happened to be friends. Weak.

Tom Delay

2005-09-30T17:24:00.000-04:00

I don't know much about Tom Delay, but I'm inclined not to like him. He seems like a professional politician. When this whole "indictment" broke, I really didn't read too much into other than he must of been caught doing something he shouldn't have. However, today I read from the boys over Powerline that this is just a partisan smear job. We'll see if there turns out to be more to the story, but for now, Mr. Delay looks the innocent victim.

Following the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, conservatives are left wondering what to make of the charges. The answer is simple. The charges are absurd and should be thrown out of court.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle has charged DeLay with conspiracy to make a contribution to a political party in violation of the Texas Election Code. The alleged violation involved a money swap between the now-defunct Texans for a Republican Majority PAC (TRMPAC), which DeLay helped found but never managed, and the Republican National State Elections Committee (RNSEC). TRMPAC sent a check for $190,000 to RNSEC, and RNSEC then sent checks totaling approximately the same amount to Texas House candidates in October of 2002. Earle, a Democrat, calls this money laundering, because the money that TRMPAC sent to RNSEC came from corporations, which are barred from contributing to campaigns in Texas.

Earle is wrong. Before campaign-finance reform, this kind of soft-money for hard-money swap was perfectly legal and happened all the time. In October of 2002, the Texas Democratic party did the same thing when it sent $75,000 to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and received $75,000 back from the DNC.

Also, as former Department of Justice official Barbara Comstock noted yesterday, “Had corporations sent money directly to the RNC or RNSEC, the transaction would be legal. How could anyone conspire to do indirectly what could legally have been done directly?” Earle considers these transactions illegal because he thinks they should be, and he’s convinced a grand jury to play along with him.

In addition, DeLay denies that he had anything to do with the (legal) transaction at issue. It strains credulity to think, as Earle apparently alleges, that the House Majority Leader was involved in the day-to-day mailing of checks by this PAC.

Green Pens...

2005-09-29T22:18:00.000-04:00

On July 20th, 1996, my friend Danny took me to Wal-Mart and bought me a journal. I had never been a writer, and reflection is something that I rarely engaged in. However, because I liked and trusted Danny, I decided to give the journal thing a try. Now, over 9 years later, I am completing journal #23. Each journal is green, each is spiral bound, and each started its life with 100 pages. Most importantly, I journal in only green ink. Why? Because that is what I started with, and I'm loyal to my roots...

Who would have guessed that Danny's gift would lead to about 2,300 pages of my thoughts, reflections, prayers, ideas, and daily happenings? Some very important things in life start very small. True both of good things, and bad things. Journaling happens to be a very good thing for me.

Best of the Blogs: I

2005-09-29T21:45:00.000-04:00

My friend Greg B posted this months ago. I still think about it and smile. Without his permission, I wanted to put it here on Kick A Pig and let you guys read it for yourselves. In my opinion, Greg B could earn a living doing Dave Barry better than Dave Barry used to do.

Lawn Care League Season 9 Underway!

posted by Funky Presbyterian May 3, 2005...

Yesterday afternoon was opening day. It was the spring classic. The great competition for which sports fans the world over wait in anticipation: the first match of the 2005 BLCL (The Blosser Lawn Care League) season. Now in it's ninth season, the BLCL still only has two teams in active competition: Mower and Grass. But the limited number of competitors only testifies to the elite nature of the league.

The predictors, and prognosticators had been pontificating for weeks, their endless speculation and calculation reaching a furious high on Monday, just before the filler-up-ing of the ceremonial gasoline tank, the honor of which fell once again to yours truly, the founder of the league as well as co-owner of both clubs.

Most of the pundits had been saying the smart money was on team Mower. They quoted their statistics, "After eight seasons, team Mower is undefeated", ""team Grass has not yet made a post season appearance", "Grass has nothing to withstand the multiple horsepower of Mower's spinning blades of death". However, there were also a few experts that were holding out for an upset. "Team Grass has grown a lot in the off season", "reports from the preseason workouts say Mower is looking a little rusty", "Mower has dominated for years, but the effects of age are sure to kick in" "Everyone knows the mower offense is not as sharp as it once was, and how far can its performace slip in a league of this caliber before its dynasty ends?"

On and on the specualtion continued but no one could have forseen the events that were about to transpire. Grass looked on with it's cool motionless game face as Mower went through its pregame warm ups. There was the dusting off of the cob webs (literally). The priming of the fuel injector. And then the pull start.
Nothing.
Again the pull of the cord. Nothing. Again and again the rip start pull cord technique was proving futile to regain the spark necessary to even get team Mower onto the playing surface. It was shocking. And embarassing. Not in eight prior years of competition had team Mower displayed this level of failure. Sure, there had been mishaps. In 99 there was that rock that bent the blades. But mower pushed through the pain and finished strong. And of course we all recall the injury near the end of the 01 season that resulted in a total spark plug replacement procedure. But mower was able to rehab in the off season and come back strong for 02. But this was different. There were whispers of a "Mike Tyson-esque meltdown" and a "Bo Jackson-like career ending injury". Tragically these murmurs were exactly correct. Team Mower was unable to take the field and the ol' faithful champ was retired immediately. Mower did recieve a standing ovation and said something about considering himself "the luckiest gardening implement in the world" or something like that.

After the shocking upset, Grass commented, "We just wanted to go out there and give it a hundred and ten percent. We want to thank all the fans who've stuck by us through the last eight seasons and we wanna say we believe this victory is an indication of a new direction for the club. All we can do is go out there bring our best game and God-willing we'll be there in September when the championships roll around".

As team Grass celebrated in the front yard... (well um.. I guess team Grass IS the front yard) representatives of team Mower were already hard at work recruiting new talent. Late Monday afternoon team Mower signed a hot young prospect from the Lowes organization after negotiations reached an agreed price of approximately $84. This new athlete (ironically also named "Mower") is smaller, and lighter than his revered predecessor. Critics say he has no power and he is far too quiet to attract fans, while supporters of New Mower say his low cost and eco-friendly "push" style of play harkens back to the golden age of the sport and sets a good example of responsible behavior for the kids.

Later that same evening team Mower got a chance to see their new man perform. New Mower soundly defeated Grass once again. While the victory was not as quick nor as thorough as those of Old Mower, it was a good showing by a rookie in a tough league. And everyone expects New Mower to grow even stronger as he becomes more familiar with the Team Mower system and the peculiarities of the playing surface. New Mower was quoted as saying "I must admire the tenacity of Grass and its determination to come back time and again".

After the defeat Grass was devestated and declined comment.

Long break is over

2005-09-29T21:07:00.000-04:00

Friends of Kick A Pig...my apologies on the long break. I have spent the last several weeks moving into my new place. Technology issues, time issues, but most importantly, I was knocked off stride by the formatting problems of my blog.

Well, I haven't figured them out yet, but I'm going to. Hopefully with the help of my faithful fellow bloggers the problems will be solved. I'm missed the blog world, both reading and posting, so it is with great joy I return.

Small things that have happened since I last posted:

(1) Hurricane Katrina
(2) Hurrican Rita
(3) New Supreme Court Justice John Roberts confirmed.
(4) One of my plants was stolen.

That pretty much covers the major happenings during my absence.