Quote

"Difficulties are just things to overcome after all."

Ernest Shackleton

Haynesworth

DT Albert Haynesworth got $ 100 million from the Redskins $ 41 million guaranteed. My issue? Availability, durability whatever you call it.

In 7 years he has missed 22 games playing all 16 only in his rookie year. He has missed between 2 and 6 games.

Elementary if you aren't on the field you don't make plays, earn your money etc. If I am to play top money I want someone who will be available 100%

Have a Good Read: The Long Goodbye

Great gritty old school writing. Whether Chandler writes about coffee, whiskey or dames it works. Story not as good, but its really all about the unique writing.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Interesting

Via Politico

N.Y. Times’ Brian Stelter: “More than 52 million people watched President Obama’s first address to a joint session of Congress in prime time on Tuesday, according to Nielsen Media Research…. Mr. Obama’s first prime-time news conference on Feb. 9 drew … 49.5 million viewers … George W. Bush’s first address before Congress, in Feb. 2001, reached an average audience of 39.8 million viewers. Online, a C-SPAN video of Mr. Obama’s address has been viewed more than 150,000 times on YouTube. The Republican response, delivered by Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, has been viewed more than 75,000 times.”

Edu Quote

.And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country.

President Obama

Have a Good Read: Strike dog

Grady Service is back and gets out of the U.P. in his hunt for a serial killer. Service has personal losses to avenge and he does so despite battling the FBI. Another good read from this strong series.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Crash

In Tuscon AZ a car ran a red light hit an ambulance. A third car was involved. Ambulance passenger & two from car perished.

A reminder to me why driving the ambulance is not my favorite part of the job!

Have a Good Read: The Nice and The Good

I've now read three of Iris Murdoch's novels. I like them although I am not sure. They are sometimes impenetrable. The characters are often caught in slow developing dilemmas. I've ordered another one!
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Quote

Quote "I am a man of fixed and unbending principles the first of which is to be flexible at all times."

Everett
Dirksen

From the World Almanac

The U.S. is the top producer of beef and poultry but is topped in pork production by China. Brazil is # 2 in beef, # 3 in poultry and # in pork.

Cole Infobit

Per Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post Colin Cole, "might end up in Tampa Bay."

Quote

"Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running."

SARAH CONDOR

Free Agents

Here are the Packers free agents:

S Atari Bigby (restricted),
WR Shaun Bodiford (restricted),
CB Jarrett Bush (restricted)
TE Tory Humphrey (restricted)
DE Jason Hunter (restricted)
RB John Kuhn (restricted)
WR Ruvell Martin (restricted)
DT Colin Cole
DE Mike Montgomery
OL Mark Tauscher

I'd think Bigby, Bush, Hunter, Cole and maybe Kuhn will be back.

Have a Good Read: Prepared for Rage

Second in a series of thrillers largely about the Coast Guard. Many interesting characters especially 'Isa' who is a terrorist. The end is plausible and does not dawdle.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

From the World Almanac

French workers receive 30 paid vacation days and 1 paid holiday the most that a countries workers are entitled to by law. The U.S. mandates 0 of either by law.

Have a Good Read: The Dying Animal

A lust story between an older man and a young woman with fantastic breats. Then an interlude about the man's son and his issues. The end is about the woman's struggle with breast cancer. Roth stays internal and writes well.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Quote

Quote "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Have a good Read: Thunder Bay

Well put together mystery set in Minnesota and areas north. Plot solution keeps itself well hidden. Will seek out more of this series/author.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

The news is...

Shitty this morning. 49 dead in the Buffalo plane crash. Near my home a 2 and 4 year old die in a house fire. Gas was shut off to home so a kerosene heater was used.

Och the problem of pain. Despite all thoughts of an omni potent god, safety inspections, etc. it all happens.

Have a Good Read: Out of the Shadows

Written by long time author and dog owner Jon Katz this is about his struggles with living a meaningful and happy life. He is especially good in the chapter on the 'Problem of Pain'. Also many fine photos and his dogs and other subjects.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

From the World Almanac

Colorado drivers cover 26,906 miles per registered driver each year. Also over 20,000 miles are Mississippi. On the other end Alaska drivers cover 7,357 per year and California drivers 9,869.

P. 125

Have a Good Read: Stealing buddha's Dinner

This is the 2009 Read Along the Lakeshore selection. A memoir by a Vietnemese girl growing up in 80's Grand Rapids. Due to my closeness to this area, stories like going to the Purple Cow at Meijers, don't really do it. OK, not good or great.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Green

Ahman Green realeased by Texans. He is 29th all time in rush yards. Who knew?

Progress

"According to MSNBC, more people watched the President's press conference than watched the season opener of American Idol."

Sully

Watching the Sully 60 minutes interview, he's said a couple of interesting things. When asked if he prayed he said no there were probably about 155 people taking care of that for me.

After the landing he didn't think he had averted disaster, he realized he needed to evacuate the plane.

That's all about in the moment!

He did what he was trained to do. No miracle but achieved what was within his limits.

STEMI's

Via Street Watch a study that says nailing what is-or isn't a STEMI- is tough for medics and doctors.

Have a Good Read: By a Spiders Thread

Fine mystery. Good cultural insights. Plot is kept hidden to keep you reading. Ending is a shoot 'em up!
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

From the World Almanac

Since 2004 the Toyota Camry has been the top selling car in the US. On a yearly basis it has sold between 426,990 and 473,108. In that same period the best showing by an American car was the Chevrolet Impala with 311,128 in 2007.

Quote

"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."

Bertrand Russell

Have a Good Read: Last Breath

This book is a three in one. First you get adventure stories. Then you get some memorable characters- the hypothermic skier, the desert wanderer. Finally you get excellent well researched medical information.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

All types of casualties

January saw few Army combat deaths, a positive marker.

Sadly it saw more soldiers commit suicide than were killed in combat.

As we are promised war will wind down, I shudder that casualties won't.

For those...

Who are dissapointed Michael Phelps smoked pot get over it. Just the latest case of just because a person is great at one thing doesn't mean it transfers to everything. He is the latest to have role model thrust on him. Be your own damn role model. Put expectations on yourself.

Don't live thru corporate media hype of athletes. Be realistic, model yr. swimming on this guy not your life!

From the World Almanac

In 2007 Toyota built 514,652 cars in the USA. Ford built 302,080.

P. 122

Have a Good Read: A Severed Head

Late in the book a character says, "This has nothing to do with happiness." Truly in this book everyone at one time is ecstatic and at another suicidal. All in unexpected combination and ways.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Dean for HHS

Reasons why Governor Howard Dean should become the new Secretary of Health and Human Services:

• He's a Doctor
• He was a successful Governor
• He started the movement against Bush-ism in 2004!
• He was a succesful chair of the Democratic Party
• He will give us the power to have better Health Care!
  

January Wx

January's average temperature of 19.1 F was the 13th coldest in Muskegon history. The snow total of 41.7 inches was the 20th snowiest.

The warmest January got was 36 degrees on the 31st. Coldest reading of the month was -4 on the 20th which tied that days record low.

Only on the 1st, 2nd,4th,23rd and 31st did it get above 32.

Snow fell on 18 days with a max of 14.8 inches received on the 17th. From the 7th to the 18th snow fell every day.

January Walking

Walked 18 of 31 days. One string of 4 days without walking due to work and a day with below 10 degree temperatures.

Due to work schedule may need to get up around 0400 and get walks in!

From the World Almanac

The miles of rail road tracks in the USA peaked at 252, 845 in 1920. Mileage as of 2007 is 140,965. P. 118

Have a Good Read: The Sea, The Sea

Thoroughly British lots of odd asides about Apricots. A man seeks his first love late in life after a life of seperation. It doesn't work, people die in interesting ways. Another over the header.
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Have a Good Read is written By Isaac Stephenson reader of over 100 books per year and operator of BookScoutLookOut Purveyor of Interesting Things to Read.

Next Year

Packers are 25-1 to play in the 2010 Super Bowl.

Patriots favorite at 8-1.

Minnesota and Chicago are 30-1, the Lions 100/1.

SB thoughts

Football has become a passing game as witness the all time low combined rushing yards.

Receivers such as Holmes and Fitzgerald are cornerstones not so much the rb's anymore.

Nervy pressure defenses are where its at.

Given a choice I take the mobile qb. Late game plays often need ad libbing and mobility makes that possible.

Tebow as next 'Big Ben'

Warner as hofer? Has anyone benefitted from better receivers. Ie guys like Bruce and Fitzgerald more hall of fame worthy than Warner?

Airline Distribution

"Airlines fly to only about 500 airports. and of those, fewer than 70 get about three-quarters of all traffic"

Total Airports in USA: 19,820 of which 5,286 are 'public use'.

The Current Situation

From Frank Rich's column:

"The abyss is widening. Of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones industrial index, 22 have announced job cuts since October. Unemployment is up in all 50 states, with layoffs at both high-tech companies (Microsoft) and low (Caterpillar). The December job loss in retailing is the worst since at least 1939. The new-home sales rate has fallen to its all-time low since record-keeping began in 1963."

From the World Almanac o

The US Imports 444,500,000 dollars of watches clocks and part while exporting 392,000,000.

P. 116