Quote

"There will never be a day when we won't need dedication, discipline, energy, and the feeling that we can change things for the better."

GEORGE SHEEHAN

Quote

Tennessee Williams said - "Make voyages! Attempt them ...There's nothing else."

Random....

Author Joseph Heywood has an interesting post.

He points out that Hemmingway only went to the UP once but got some great stories out of it didn't he?

28 chicago school kids have been shot, none in the UP...why do people fear the UP and not Chi town.

Harisbreadth is 1/48th of an inch...

He is the author the of the Wood Cop mysteries.

Have a Good Read: House of God

A great raunchy, cynical, anylitical look at the world of medicine. The author makes great points about the technical v. the human in medicien.
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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

"Out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

Albert Einstein

Things of the Past

Joining the horse and buggy will be: the check, and the printed newspaper

Quote

"Always examine the dice."

Groucho Marx

Quote

"If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances."

ALBERTO SALAZAR

He doesn't like...

There's an odd Sports Illustrated story about Adam Dunn. Apparently people think he 'doesn't like baseball'.

Odd as the article later goes to say he typically plays in an average of 158/162 games, has 40+ HR's each year since 2004 and is an above average player. And since 2004 it's Adam Dunn- 198 HR"s to Alex Rodriguez- 197.

The nut of the article is when Dunn says, "I won't self promote" Bingo, bingo, bingo. A lot of incompetence can be buried by self promotion.

AIG Note

One characteristic that I think is positive in leadership is anticipation, in seeing things before most others, in getting ahead of things.

So the AIG bonus story hits. The situation was known a month ago to some and lawmakers asked questions as long ago as December.

The chance was there to lead, it was not taken.

Threateners

Maybe this is just venting from the shift I had or maybe its what I really think. Our system dispatches potential suicides priority 2. Some actual medical issues such as a knee or ankle injury might go lower to a Priority 3.

Well if your life is not in control and if you make the choice to claim to want to harm yourself I say let you be the lowest priority. Someone who trips and falls and comes up with a tweaked ankle should be more important than a threatener of suicide.

Ncaa tourney

March madness and all that. For me its simple. I hope Michigan State does well. Coach Izzo is a yopper, got to support yr. own. I like Wisconsin too. Beyond that can't say & don't know.

Morning Notes

1. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."- Indira Gandhi A potentially excellent lesson for those practicing politics in current day America.

2. Dylan and Dead headline Rothbury....

3. 2666 wins Book critics award. Tried to read this and failed...

Quote

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect

Mark Twain

Earmarks

I know this is a juicy subject, money to restore Tigers stadium, convention center etc. Much of it maybe unjustified.

However I just read that the earmark $ is 1 to 3 percent of the budget.

Seems to me that the earmark issue is a distractor...eliminate them all and you've accomplished not much.

Have a Good Read: Death In Paradise

Seen the movie. Book is often verbatim to the movie. Jesse thinks about drinking scotch and soda. He solves a crime. He speaks economically. It reads quick and enjoyable
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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.

Nurses # 1

In Gallup Poll Nurses are rated as most honest. Telemarketers and lobbyists are trailers. Wonder where Paramedics would rate?

Stem Cells

Obama has opened up stem cell research. That's all about being progressive one definition of which is being open to new ideas.

I heard a reference to 'opening up the culture wars'. Isn't this a science issue?

Quote

"No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place." ~Zen saying

Have a Good Read: The Snowfly

Reads as much like a memoir as a novel. As much fishing as their is mystery. Settings range from england to grand marais. A wide ranging story held my interest to the end.

TCOB

Oregon style where pit bull insurance is being proposed...

While Out

Picking up dog shit in a starbucks cup is known as bricolage...."a construction made of whatever materials are at hand."

Lately

Lately these words have been going thru my mind: humility, privacy and merciful. Wonder why?

Quote

“Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.”

Rabbi Hyman Schachtel

Have a Good Read: The Survivors Club

An intense and practical book. Being a survivor defined much farther than just surviving in the woods. From tripping and being punctured by a knitting needle to bailing out of a jet as supersonic speeds it is all covered. Plenty of research is covered and ways to apply it are suggested.
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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.

Guns and Hospitals

Does it concern anyone that hospitals in Michigan prominently display signs that say you can't bring your concealed weapon in the hospital?

It worries me, but then I am not worried that Obama is going to take my gun.

Fear

I had a chance to listen to Limbaugh and Hannity. These conservative talk radio people are just plain scared. They fear the fact that Barack Obama breaths. They seem to have no constructive idea. After the Bush fear years they have not yet adjusted!

BHO & TR

When Obama evokes TR and health care...it's true. I guess if Obama is a communist then so am I and so was Theodore Roosevelt.

For Those Who Care...

I was on the Free Beer and Hot Wings show and won the Sportier than Thou Challenge.

Quote

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

Quote

You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind.

Author Unknown

From the World Almanac

Top U.S. oil producing states are: Texas, Alaska and California. Bottom 3 are: Missouri, Arizona and Virginia. 31 of 50 states are listed as producers including Michigan at 17.

P. 153

How are the Goals Going?

2009 Aspirations

Intellect: Read a variety of materials that are interesting, educational and enjoyable.

Comment: Doing well on variety and reading interesting stuff perhaps a little less well in regard to educational.

Blog: Post daily. Use twitter & facebook to communicate.

Comment: Blogging often, making friends on facebook, enjoy but probably don't use twitter as much.

Writing Project: Identify a suitable writing project.

Comment: This is still elusive.
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Be great today

Comment: Especially re. work try to just think of that day...going pretty well.
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Travel: Trips such as NYC, Dakotas & Grand Marais.

Comment: Work and current economics have seen this being given less importance.

Establish a travel fund to use for trips etc.

Comment: If not a specific fund, money is being saved w/ each pay check.
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Break big goals into small targets.

Comment: Don't seem to have a lot of big goals....
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Health: Exercise: Walk and stretch frequently. Diabetes: Achieve tight A1c control. Test frequently, monitor diet.

Comment: Exercise is being done nearly daily. A1c is better per last check up. Testing not being done enough!
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Simple is getting what you need not what you want.

Comment: Have tried to tamp down consumerism, being conscious of purchases. Do feel we have largely what we need.
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Professional: Decide on status. Continue to seek opportunities. Complete necessary CE'S.

Comment: Have full time status. This good in these times. Have plan for CE's.
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Being present is the highest form of consciousness.

Comment: When I do this I feel better. When I don't I get anxious.
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Personal: Stabilize and simplify finances. Focus attention on Jenn when we have time together.

Comment: Fiances are stabilizing. Jenn and I often have great weekends although I must be more sensitive and pay attention to how my actions affect her.
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Experience is the core of being and a form of currency.

Comment: Work often gives unexpected new experiences and I try to take these, analyze and learn from them!
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February Wx

Muskegon's February was 2.1 degrees above normal with an average of 27.4 degrees. Warmest was 52 degrees on the 10th, coolest the 4 degrees on the 4th. Turned out on that coolest day I took a 55 minute walk while on the warm 10th I took a much briefer stroll.

We got nearly 23 inches of snow with 8 of that on the 21st.

Spring will come in March along with baseball and maybe warmer wx.

February Reading

Read 11 books in February. Ranged from memoir to mystery to novel. Good to see that the variety is increasing.

Read 3 Iris Murdoch novels and have two more in the to read pile.

February Walking

Walked all but 4 days in February. 2 of the non walking days were due to being too busy at work. One was due to a wind chill warning and one was a planned day off.

During the month took a 55 minute walk in 1 degree wind chill, it was slushy, I marched around fire trucks and walked in new snow on Valentines day.

A new work schedule will see me adjust things once again.

Packers & Free Agency

Per Peter King "Weirdest thing I heard over the weekend: Pack gave their coaches the weekend off. They'll be in today, and this week, to work on the free agents. I'm told that has meaning -- that the Packers want to send the message that free agency spending these days is profligate, and they'll get in when the Dan Snyders get out."

Per Journal Sentinel, "Well, Peter's right about the message as far as free agency goes. That is definitely what it means. But as for the Packers' coaches having the weekend off -- which Reggie McKenzie told Blank was one of the reasons the Packers weren't in a hurry to bring Canty in for a visit -- that's not exactly the whole story. There were plenty of coaches around, if the Packers' deemed it necessary for them to come in. It's been routine for the Packers to give their coaches off following their work at the combine for some time. With March 16 the start date for off-season practices, this is really the last chance for coaches to tie up any loose ends at home with their families. That's especially true this year with the new defensive coaching staff. This was the last chance for those guys to get things settled back home. But, like I said, most of the coaches were around this weekend."

Have a Good Read: American Rust

From the great cover image to the taught multi faceted story this book is outstanding. It combines a road story, with a taught look at modern day againg and even entrance to Ivy League schools. It's overarching theme is that of American decline one that started in the 70's and that we are currently living in detail. As a bonus the author is a former EMT.
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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.