Meetings

A few days ago I turned a page on my professional career. I reminisced on the industry changes I have seen over the past 13 years. Today I would like to blog on a significant change I have seen in the business environment. The specific topic will be the business meeting.

In 1996, my days were full of meetings. I would typically have 6-8 hours tied up attending face-to-face meetings held in reserved conference rooms. My meeting schedule was maintained on a leather bound planner that contained a page for each day, and space for meeting notes. Meeting schedules could be recorded in pen, because they were planned a week or more in advance, and were rarely rescheduled.

Every meeting had a PAL, the acronym for Purpose, Agenda and Limits. Many people would not attend a meeting if a PAL was not distributed beforehand. PAL's were usually not followed closely, but served to convince the invitees they needed to be at the meeting. Once the meeting started, the leader or most dominate personality in the room would take the discussion wherever they wanted it to go.

Conference room reservations would require the number of attendees, food/drink, room setup instructions, and any audio/video equipment needed. It is humorous now, but the most requested piece of equipment in those meetings was a overhead transparency projector. PowerPoint decks were printed to transparencies and displayed on the projector. Notes were hand written onto a transparency projected for all to see.

Food and drink were always served during meetings. Pastries or donuts would usually be served at morning meetings along with pots of coffee and pitchers of juice. A sandwich lunch might be served during noon meetings, and cookies and soda were always served during afternoon meetings.

Around 2001, business meetings began to change. That change was brought about by the need to reduce expense. Moving from a monopoly to a competitive environment, coupled with the economic downturn following the 9/11 terrorist attacks forced the company to streamline. Initially the changes were minor. Food and drink was discouraged unless a vendor was picking up the bill. Off site meetings were restricted in favor of on site conference rooms. Technology also began to enable alternatives to traditional meetings. Conference calls reduced travel and allowed attendees to multi-task. Web Ex and other online meeting software accelerated the change away from face-to-face meetings.

Business meetings of today bear little resemblance to the meeting of the late 1990's. It is rare that I attend a face-to-face meeting. Nearly every meeting is a conference call with material shared via LiveMeeting. Since all attendees participate from their desks, many do not pay attention to the call. Instead, they listen for their name as they work on other tasks. It is ridiculously often that a question is repeated to someone who was not paying attention and called to answer.

On the other extreme of today's meetings are the background conversations made possible by text messaging and Instant Messenger. I have held or attended many calls were the important work was going on via IM between a couple of people. Those two would then announce that an agreed upon solution was just identified. I have also sent and received text messages during face to face meetings from someone in the room. Okay, whatever works I guess.

This new style of meeting also enables project teams or work group to be geographically diverse, but still effective. I have actually had a team member fully participate in all meetings and projects while he was visiting an ill mother for 4 months in India. It was as if he never left.

Overall, I guess the new meeting style is fine. It definitely saves money, however is far less personal. Building teams and working together requires effort from both the leader and the participants. Regardless whether it is good or bad, it is here to stay.

Conservatism vs. Liberalism

Winston Churchill was supposedly quoted as saying "If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain." That quote describes me well. I once tilted to the left. I am embarrassed to say that my first vote was for Jimmy Carter over Ronald Reagan. Once Reagan completed his 2 terms, I was a converted conservative. Not by the partisan rhetoric, but by the results. In Reagan, I saw a principled leader. And his principals made sense to me.

Neither conservatives or liberals are completely consistent in all areas. I have found that conservatives are more consistent in the important areas, such as life and personal responsibility. Liberals are terribly inconsistent on life issues. They tolerate abortion and abhor capital punishment. They seem to tilt toward big government Big Brother solutions for social problems instead of encouraging personal responsibility.

Neither conservatism or liberalism has completely succeeded in our form government. The biggest difference between the two positions is that today's liberals believe that liberalism has failed in the past because it was not implemented correctly. The current administration is falling back on old failed tactics that will again fail. Conservatism fails when our conservative leaders lose their compass and try to get along with the liberals. Reagan was the closest to perfect conservatism, but failed in getting congress to accept his entire trickle down plan.

Despite the liberal ridicule, trickle down economics worked well. Cutting tax rates fueled capitalism for years. Tax revenue soared. Every boat was raised. Reagan failed in that he did not demand Congress reduce or freeze spending. Instead, spending rose before tax revenues increased and at a much higher rate. Hence, part of Reagan's legacy is deficit spending and a higher national debt.

The M&M's report that criticism of Obama is inspired by right wing talk show hosts. That is offensive to me. I think for myself and could have been a liberal if their ideas made sense. I haven't listened to Rush in years. The last time I did, I thought his absurdity to be far "over the top". I sometimes catch part of Sean Hannity or Micheal Savage on my drive home. Neither speak for me, but usually validate what I already believe.

Project Management

I once thought that I would like to get into project management. I was interested enough that I took a couple of courses in various aspects of the job. It seemed fairly easy. All you really do is define a list of tasks, assign each to a person with a due date, and then badger that person unmercifully until the task is done. Everything else is done by the project management software. I did not go into project management and am very happy I did not. The reasons are that executives are very eager to shoot the messenger. They will criticize the project manager for the failure of a team member to deliver. Additionally, project managers are always the first jobs let go when a company decides to reduce expenses.

Now I avoid project managers as much as possible. They are usually brain damaged from all the executive abuse they take, and do not think logically. Example #1. I was once called by a frantic project manager who was managing a 2 year project. The team was about one year into the list of tasks. The PM just realized that the task before the one I owned had overrun by 30 days. I needed 30 days to complete my work as negotiated at the beginning of the project. The PM was adamant that I must complete my work in 1 day so that she would have the project back on schedule. If I did not agree to complete in one day, she was going to "open a RED RISK assessment", as if that would compel me to hurry. She was shocked when I responded that she should open it.

"But don't you know what will happen next" she shrieked? "Your director and my director will receive the RED RISK assessment and we will be forced to ESCALATE on you". To her surprise I responded that was okay with me. I told her I would be happy to answer questions on how I was not prepared to compress 30 days of allotted schedule into a single day. I also would love to hear her answer why my task was the key when a year of tasks remained in the project's life.

She responded by asking how quickly I could complete the work. It was a Friday and I told her I could tell her next Monday. "How about Wednesday? she asked. "I am off on Monday and Tuesday". Amazing how unimportant it became once her vacation was in play. I avoided her much of the day on Wednesday. When she caught up to me I was able to shock her by informing her the work was done (I have a great team). I didn't even get a thank you. She simply marked off the task and moved on to the next poor slob on her list of tasks. But I had avoided the dreaded RED RISK assessment.

Example #2. A current project that requires software development by my team is managed by an especially dense PM. We have had repeated discussions that go like this: "If we get the requirements to you on the sixth, when can you deliver them?" How can I get him a date on developing something that has not been defined? We debate that point a few minutes, and I usually relent by providing a date that is excessively padded so that I can accommodate whatever requirements are delivered and we move on to the next task.

That discussion takes roughly the same direction. I am asked to provide a delivery date for a undefined task. By the end of this scheduling meeting, the PM realizes that the entire project will not deliver on time, so we "must find ways to compress the schedule". So we then revisit each task and he quizzes the task owner on why so much time is needed to deliver. This process become iterative until each task owner relents and commits to delivery of something on the date that makes the entire project plan on time.

Once the project managers "series of miracles" are defined, the project starts and delivery dates quickly become in jeopardy. The PM reports the slip to an executive, who demands the project get back on schedule. RED RISK assessments are opened. Escalations are made. Eventually scope is taken out of the project in order to get back on schedule. This process repeats one or two times. And finally, months late, only a shell of the expected deliverable is produced. The PM thanks everyone who contributed to the outcome and generates "Thank You" memos or awards. They are then assigned the next project to manage. This is today's "Dilbertesque" corporate culture.

Scary Stuff

If you desired to become the dictator of a banana republic, how would you do it? History tells us that if you gain control of the military, the economy, the press, the election process and the youth, you would be well on your way to establishing a dictatorship that could not be reversed. And would probably gain control without a shot being fired. Let's look at the state of America.

The military - Constitutionally, this is given to the President who holds the title of Commander in Chief. For President Obama, that is not enough. He has said "We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." This should send chills down every citizen's spine. The M&M (Mainstream Media) press should be all over that statement asking how he intends to use that civilian national security force. Scenes of the jack-booted Gestapo come to mind.

The economy - Obama has already taken control of much of the US economy. The government now owns significant portions of banking, auto manufacturing, home mortgages, insurance and other industries. If a government health care option is added to that list, Obama will have gained control of over half the US economy.

The press - Obama has had the M&M's in his pocket since he started campaigning for the presidency. Only talk radio and the Internet remain as independent media where the message is not controlled.

• Obama would like to see the Fairness Doctrine implemented. That law would effectively silence talk radio by requiring every station to provide equal time. Since conservative talk dominates talk radio (because it is commercially successful) owners of radio stations will stop carrying popular talk shows so they will not need to monitor content and track time. If you think the Fairness Doctrine is just trying to level the playing field, then why does it not cover TV, a media dominated by the liberals and M&M's?


• Democrats in Congress have drafted a bill behind closed doors that would give Obama control of the Internet during times of national emergency. The current version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license. The bill would effectively give the president the authority and the means to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet. Bear in mind that the Internet is made up of private-sector computers.

Obama already controls the mainstream press and has initiatives in place to gain control over what he now does not. This is another chilling fact that he has never been asked to explain. Oh,but wait. The askers (M&M's) are already under his control.

The election process - For the first time in history, the White House will oversee the 2010 Census. So what is the problem? Census results determine the number of representatives that each state will be entitled to send to the U. S. Congress and thus could affect the political balance of power. Census numbers determine how much federal aid flows to each state. Control also enables opportunity to skew the results in such a way as to guarantee a perpetual Democratic administration and Congress. Yet, the switch of control from the Commerce department to the White House received barely a mention by the M&M's.

The youth - This may be the hardest area to control, but Obama seems to be making progress. The first attempt to gain the heart and souls of our youth was observed during the elections. Children's books were published and sold in most book stores. These books, intended for the 3-7 age group portrayed Obama as community organizer that righted the wrongs done to underprivileged, and fulfilled the (messianic) Martin Luther King dream. There were also video and audio clips that circulated on YouTube of schools singing the praises of Obama in a near worshipful manner.

There is a new video circulating. Watch it and try not to think of the Hitler Youth.

In case you missed the words, here they are.

Song 1: (To the tune of Jesus Loves the Little Children)

Mm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama
He said that all must lend a hand

To make this country strong again

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama
He said we must be fair today

Equal work means equal pay

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama
He said that we must take a stand

To make sure everyone gets a chance

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama
He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight

Mmm, mmm, mm!

Barack Hussein Obama
Yes!Mmm, mmm, mm
Barack Hussein Obama


Song 2:

Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!

For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"
Hooray, Mr. President!

You're number one!

The first black American to lead this great nation!
Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans

To make this country's economy number one again!
Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!

And we stand for all Americans under the great

Red, White, and Blue!
So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick

So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----
Hip, hip hooray!

Hip, hip hooray!

Hip, hip hooray!

Scared yet? I see Obama as 5 for 5 in getting what he needs to become dictator. Does anyone really believe that all 5 requirements coming together at the same point in time is simply a coincidence? Here is a 6th item for free. The 22nd amendment to the Constitution restricts the the number of terms a president can serve. In January of this year, Rep. Jose Serrano, a democrat from New York, introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms.

End22.com is rallying support for the measure and soliciting contributions for the campaign. "We are wise enough to choose our own leader and to decide how long that leader will serve," the website states, arguing that nothing in the original Constitution barred any president from seeking a third or fourth term.

The United States under a dictatorship is simply unthinkable by all citizens. But the foundation is now in place that would allow a transition from Democracy to dictatorship without a shot being fired. If this does not scare you, you are not paying attention.

I'm Thinking of a Person

See if you can guess who.

This person is a female that most readers of my blog will know.

She is absolutely gorgeous on the outside.
She is a beautiful person on the inside.
She has a sweet spirit.
If you have met her, you like her and enjoy spending time with her.

She is athletic.
Her most dominate attribute is her character.
She is honest, truthful and trustworthy.
She is intelligent and uses her God-given common sense.

Any guesses?
If not, here is a clue that will give up the identity of one of my most favorite people.

Faster than a speeding tortoise
More powerful than a sparrow,
Able to leap tall insects in a single bound.
Look! Up in the sky,
It's a bird, it's a plane! No!
It's Super-Fooey!

Super-Fooey was my nickname for my oldest daughter, Lyndy. Twenty-five years ago, I would lay on my back and hold her up in a Superman flying position as those words were spoken.

Lyndy turned 29 this week. I am double-checking the math because I am far too young to have a 29 year old daughter. Yet, I do, and she and her husband Dan have given Terri and I three beautiful grandchildren.

Some parents and children grow apart over time, as we have done to some extent. But we still spend much time together. That is intentional on our part for 2 reasons. First, Terri and I love the company of our daughter. Second, someday I will need her around to empty my drool cup.

Happy Birthday Super-Fooey. I hope your week has been wonderful and that your cold has you feeling less poopy.

It's Gonna Be a Long Season

The Chiefs hug bad. On Sunday they lost at home to their traditional nemisis, the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders have won 2 straight in KC, something that is unthinkable to a Chiefs fan.

At the start of the year, I picked the Chiefs to win 4 and lose 12 on the season. This would be a 2 win improvement over last year. My thought was that a new GM (New England's Scott Pioli) and coach (Arizona's Todd Haley) would probably be enough to improve slightly over last year.

Todd Haley made a very stupid statement when he got the job. He said "You can take 22 guys off the street and win 2 games". After last Sunday's loss, I am wondering where those 2 games are. Oakland at home appears to tbe the easiest game they will play all year.

As I look at the schedule, only the Denver and Cleveland games look like potential wins. The Chief's schedule is a difficult one. The next potential win is a long time from now. Here is how I see the season going:

• Philadelphia ------------ Loss
• New York Giants (H)----Loss
• Dalas Cowboys (H)------Loss
• Washinton Redskins-----Loss
• San Deigo (H)-----------Loss
• Jacksonville -------------Loss (0-7 at this point)
• Oakland Raiders -------Possible Win
• Pittsburgh Steelers (H)-Loss
• San Deigo Chargers-----Loss
• Denver Broncos (H) ----Possible Win
• Buffalo Bills (H) --------Loss
• Cleveland Browns (H)--Possible Win
• Cincinnati Bengals------Possible Win
• Denver Broncos -------Loss

Only one of the 4 possible wins are at home, so going 2 and 2 is generous. I now see the Chiefs as going 2-14, same as last year. Maybe Haley should have grabbed 22 guys off the street?

M&M's Lack Integrity

Do you remember when the mainstream media (M&M's) would pounce on George Bush whenever he said anything that could be construed as inconsistent? Where is that same sense of journalistic integrity now? The answer to both of these questions is that the M&M's primary goals are to prop up this liberal administration, and to tear down anything that looks conservative.



If the M&M's had any ethics or a sense of responsibility you would be hearing a lot about Obama's inaction on Afghanistan. On Sept. 21st, 2009 General Stanley McChrystal said the situation in Afghanistan was serious and the next 12 months would be decisive. He went on to say that "Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term, while Afghan security capacity matures, risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible. We must do things dramatically differently - even uncomfortably differently - to change how we operate, and also how we think."



General McChrystal is asking for more troops to complete the job in Afghanistan. With his thumb to the wind, Obama now weighs the security of the United States, his past statements, and the reaction of his liberal base before he will decide what to do. The more time he takes, the more American lives will be lost now and in the future. It is instructive to look at what Obama said a few months ago to understand just how much the M&M's are propping this man up. Obama's words are in red text since he is the liberals Messiah.


President Obama on March. 27, 2009


Today, I'm announcing a comprehensive, new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. And this marks the conclusion of a careful policy review, led by Bruce, that I ordered as soon as I took office. My administration has heard from our military commanders, as well as our diplomats. We've consulted with the Afghan and Pakistani governments, with our partners and our NATO allies, and with other donors and international organizations. We've also worked closely with members of Congress here at home. And now I’d like to speak clearly and candidly to the American people.
...
As President, my greatest responsibility is to protect the American people. We are not in Afghanistan to control that country or to dictate its future. We are in Afghanistan to confront a common enemy that threatens the United States, our friends and our allies, and the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan who have suffered the most at the hands of violent extremists.


This is just one part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent Afghanistan from becoming the al Qaeda safe haven that it was before 9/11. To succeed, we and our friends and allies must reverse the Taliban's gains, and promote a more capable and accountable Afghan government.


I remind everybody, the United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan. Nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on September 11, 2001, for doing nothing more than going about their daily lives. Al Qaeda and its allies have since killed thousands of people in many countries. Most of the blood on their hands is the blood of Muslims, who al Qaeda has killed and maimed in far greater number than any other people. That is the future that al Qaeda is offering to the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- a future without hope or opportunity; a future without justice or peace.


So understand, the road ahead will be long and there will be difficult days ahead. But we will seek lasting partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan that promise a new day for their people. And we will use all elements of our national power to defeat al Qaeda, and to defend America, our allies, and all who seek a better future. Because the United States of America stands for peace and security, justice and opportunity. That is who we are, and that is what history calls on us to do once more.


Obama was right then, but something has changed. Listen to how he now speaks with far less decisive words.

September 17th, 2009

You have to get the strategy right and then make the determinations about resources. I am going to take a very deliberate process in making those decisions.

What? I thought we have a comprehensive new strategy developed less than 6 months ago?

September 21, 2009

The president said that if a new counterinsurgency strategy can be shown to be effective "then we'll move forward. But, if it doesn't, then I'm not interested in just being in Afghanistan for the sake of being in Afghanistan or saving face or ... sending a message that America is here for the duration."

A recent Washington Post poll showed that 51% of Americans think the war is not worth fighting. Is Obama following the polls or the advice of his generals?

Why not just declare a tax holiday?

A couple of my old Facebook notes were just sitting over there collecting dust, so I thought I would post them here for all to see. This note (rant) was posted on 2/2/2009 during the time we debated corporate bailouts. My current comments are highlighted in red text.

As our representatives in Washington prepare to spend our children and grandchildren's money on yet another bail out, the question has arisen as to why they just don't declare a tax holiday. Good question, especially if you think that simplicity has elegance. The size of the current stimulus plan would mean a tax holiday of over 6 months could be enacted. Can you imagine how much you could stimulate the economy if there were no federal withholdings from Jan. through August?

There are 2 main reasons that such a logical step will never be taken.

1. Because money is power to those in Congress. It doesn't matter if they are Repucblican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, Red or Blue, they will never stop collecting that which brings them power; your tax dollars. If money stopped flowing into Washington, Congress would have no other options but to print more. Today they operate under the illusion that only they can intelligently spend the Federal budget.


2. It would lead to rebellion. Many people do not understand how much they pay out of each paycheck to the Feds. Some still believe that a tax refund is a gift from the Federal Government, and not a refund of overpaid taxes. If there were a tax holiday, it would become immediately apparent to all workers just how much they fund our government. When that tax holiday expired, many would start to question whether they want their taxes spent on abortion, or other special interests.
3. Here is a new one. Because it's too easy and makes a lot of sense. The dollars would have already hit the economy, as opposed to the 10% that has been spent so far.

So even if a tax holiday were proposed as the best way to stimulate the economy, it will never happen. And it didn't. Maybe next year? No, never.

Jimmy Carter Says Joe Wilson is a Racist!

Joe Wilson exclaims "You lie!" when President Obama said that health care would not be extended to illegal aliens. Former President Jimmy Carter states that Representative Wilson's comment was based on racism. How can he tell? Let's look at what we know.

Joe is a representative from South Carolina, a state that does have a racist past. Is that Carter's evidence? Probably not, since Carter is from Georgia. Not much difference between to the two states. So let's look at the words he used - You Lie.

Lie. Wilson called Obama a liar. Is that racist? No. Both whites and blacks lie. There is no evidence that either race lies more or less than the other.

You. Wilson directed the criticism at Obama, a black man. That must be the basis for Carter's statement. In Carter's mind, you cannot criticize a black person or you are a racist. You wonder if Carter believes you can you call a black man a liar if he actually lies? Is that racist too?

Here is what Obama said: “There are those who also claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false — the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.”

Just because he says it doesn't make it true. There has been plenty of independent analysis to indicate the House health bill could result in coverage being extended to illegal immigrants.

The bill will mandate that everyone buy insurance, including illegals. But the non-partisan Congressional Research Service warns there’s no verification mechanism. An amendment by GOP Rep. Dean Heller of Nevada, to use electronic immigration records to verify eligibility for subsidies, was shot down by Democrats.

In England, their nationalized system treats nearly a million illegal immigrants a year because eligibility verification at the point of service is impossible and unaccounted for in their system. The English plan has stopped trying because illegals have won the right to be treated at taxpayer expense as a basic human right. Sound familiar?

Bush was called a liar when no WMD were found in Iraq, ever though countless foreign and domestic experts and politians also said the same. If he was a liar, is Obama for shamelessly making claims that cannot be supported by fact?

When you look at the facts, Obama lied, there is no reason to believe Wilson's comments were racially based, and Carter may be ready for the nursing home.

Turn the Page

I am done with Sprint. On Monday I begin the next chapter of my career working for Ericsson, in its North American Services division. Anxiety and apprehension are high. Many things will likely change, but the specific changes are not known.

I started working for Sprint on August 13th, 1996. As I look back on my last 13 years, one thing is obvious. Sprint has been very good to me and my family. I became a Sprint employee as an individual contributor with a narrowly focused technical aptitude. Over the course of my employment with Sprint, my role, aptitude and comfort area has transitioned to management and leadership. During this transition, I have developed my management principals and philosophy. Sprint rewarded that development by paying me well.

I have watched the company I work for move from a total monopoly in the markets they serve, to one that competes for every customer. I have been intimately involved in the entire life cycle of high speed data and wireless products, from business case to implementation to operation. High speed data and wireless services have moved from high end extravagances to the point where they are considered commodities. A majority of homes now have one or both services.

I have seen the incredible adoption of email, text messaging and wireless voice services. My smart phone does more than my first computer did. That phone has become both a blessing and a curse that keeps me connected to the office 24 x 7.

When I started this job, there were times in every day when I could not be reached. Today there is never a time when I cannot be reached. If I forget my phone, I feel weird and unequipped to perform my responsibilities. I worry that Terri or my kids may not be able to reach me in an emergency. It is completely irrational, but real none the less.

I wonder what the future with Ericsson will hold. There is a measure of excitement. This may lead to growth, both personal and professional. I wonder if I will be able to hold on for another 13 years? What will the telecommunications industry look like then? If the changes are as dramatic as the past 13 years, I wouldn't be able to recognize it through the eyes of today.

Sprint is currently in a bad place. They are losing customers while the competition is gaining them. That fact must be reversed someday in the near future. While I will no longer be an employee, Sprint is still my concern. They must be profitable in order for Ericsson to do well. In many ways, nothing has or will change. I will go to the same parking garage, building and cube. I will sit in front of the same PC and monitor. I will lead the same people. I have the same peers, boss and internal customers. Yet, I no longer work for Sprint and will turn the page.

The Next 4 Years

A couple my old old Facebook notes were just sitting over there collecting dust, so I thought I would post them here for all to see. This note (rant) was posted on 1/25/2009 just after the Obama inauguration. My current comments are highlighted in red text.

The past election and campaign cycle was disappointing to all conservatives. Not so much because we lost the White House (many of us believe we lost that 4-6 years ago). The disappointment is more related to how the campaigns and candidates were treated by the mainstream media. You did not need to search hard to find blatantly and obvious favoritism in the coverage. The mainstream media continues to support Obama by apologizing and covering for him when every he slips. It is simply despicable. They have lost their way and will soon fade to insignificance.

For example, consecutive news stories would be how Barrack motivated his base, bringing a feeling of hope and a desire for change. The next would be a comparison of McCain and Bush positions, and usually be biased against Bush. The message could not be more blatant: Obama, change, good. McCain, same, bad. But the bias did not stop there.

Which stories were reported and which were not was the mainstream media's most dastardly bias. How much did you hear about Reverend Wright, William Ayers, and other Obama friends of questionable character on CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC? You had to go to FOX or talk radio to get that story. Consider the media coverage of Sarah Palin. Remember when McCain selected Palin as his running mate. She charged up the conservative base.

The pick was pure genius. First, McCain effectively offered the voters another first. Instead of the first black president, he offered America the first women vice-president. Secondly, if Obama would even mention Palin’s thin experience he would be making the voters consider his even thinner experience. The fact remains that Palin has far more experience for the job of VP that Obama had for the job of president. That was good commentary (patting sound).

For a few days, this new energy pulled McCain ahead of Obama in the polls. That was actually quite a come back for McCain. But then the media began to knock her down. Charlie and Katie of ABC and CBS ambushed her and much was made about her answers, which were arguably poor. These same "journalists" never asked Obama similar questions. He simply got a media pass.

This next part is good original analysis. CNN and NBC spent more time reporting Tina Fey comedy bits of her doing a Palin impersonation (as Tina did quite well). Many in the public could never distinguish real Palin quotes from comic Fey jokes. Looking back, this was ingenious of a media that intended to get Obama elected. When the Republican ticket had momentum, they simply confused the public with innuendo.

How Obama Got Elected has all the evidence needed to understand how uninformed the majority of Obama voters were. The mainstream media should be ashamed of how they murdered journalism in 2008, but they are not. Instead, they continue to cover the current president as if he were the messiah. When will they first question an action of his?

So now America looks forward to at least 4 years of on the job training for an inexperienced commander in chief. We will survive. I am no longer as sure as I once was. Obama will leave his mark, but that mark will not include the most leftist of his campaign rhetoric. I was wrong. He has gone farther left that I thought he could get away with. No doubt because of help from the media. I know that the kook left will be disappointed as Obama ignores their special interests in favor of a more centrist administration. Most ideological presidents (right or left) move to the center to govern since that is the easiest position to be effective. The left will be livid.

If Obama moves to the middle, he may leave office with an approval rating in the Bush zip code. It doesn't matter anymore if the left supports him. His approval is headed for the toilet as wishy-washy conservatives and Independents leave him. The left will eat their own, and the right will never accept a man who was the most liberal senator in congress. Obama will move to the center, and he will leave a mark. So does a poke with a sharp stick. Consider his first executive orders. Closing Guantanamo is a move made only for political cover. Obama was anti-War, anti-torture and wants to establish talks with our enemies, so now he has done something to fulfill that campaign position.

But did it make sense? Noticeably absent from his order was direction on what to do with those currently incarcerated in Guantanamo. That will require decision making, something Obama has not yet done in his entire career. Still hasn't. He will soon be forced to decide and these decisions promise to be very unpopular. Consider that those held at Guantanamo are largely Islamic fundamentalist that will never place nice with the infidels. Only Islamic theocracies are willing to take these prisoners, so what should we do? Just release them go to join their flavor of Jihad? Lawmakers from around the country are already posturing for a fight to keep these dangerous prisoners from being incarcerate within their districts. Looks like he wants them at Leavenworth, just up the street from my house. Not smart.

Eventually Obama will be forced to do an unpopular thing and move the prisoners to American soil. Their neighbors like me will likely wish that Guantanamo remained open. There was not legitimate reason to close it.

Reestablishing government funding of abortion was quietly done during Obama’s first week in office. I doubt that if this was put to a pure up or down vote, a majority of Obama voters would support this. But now it is done. That is the consequence of voting for hope and change without knowing what is hoped for or in what direction we will change. Ultimately these too will be righted, but not for at least 4 years.

More accurate than your local weather on this next one.... The greatest danger of the Obama presidency will be the Supreme Court nominations he will no doubt make. Currently the court is slightly tilted to the conservative. With at least 2 justices on the verge of retirement, this balance will quickly reverse. This change will be the lasting damage of our collective mistake - the Obama election win. Courts can remain intact for generations. Liberal courts will bring us precedence’s such as Roe vs. Wade and will gleefully legislate that which cannot be passed by elected representatives. This will be the Obama legacy. Brilliance, I must say.

I love Apple

Several weeks ago I decided to buy a BluRay player. The prices had fallen dramatically, and even continue to fall. The player I bought for $229 now sells for $199. Oh well, that's technology. The Samsung player I bought came with NetFlix and Pandora access built in. I was very familiar with NetFlix instant movies as we own a Roku box on one set used for instant movies. Pandora was new to me, so I ventured to the Internet to find out what it was.

For someone who likes to listen, Pandora is fantastic. The site allows you to tailor a music "station" to the kind of music you favor. Skeptical at first, I set up a free account and started my own Internet radio station by selecting artists or songs that I like. I then added additional artists to expand the range of music that my custom station would play. I then found that I could give a thumbs up or down to individual songs as they played. This feedback to Pandora is used to further refine the type of music I like.

It's all part of the Music Genome project, that classifies every artist and song using criteria such as genre, harmony, instruments, key tonality, aesthetics, prominent musical components, and such. As I provide feedback to Pandora, the site bases future music selections to those that match what I have indicated I enjoy. I can also exclude what I do not like. The result is a station that plays the music I like with only an occasional brief commercial. I'm in!

One problem. I could only listen to Pandora from a PC, or the sound system attached to my BluRay player. That is kind of limiting. After all, I also have a Bose 3.2.1. system upstairs that I would love to use to play Pandora. So I set out looking for a solution. I expected to find a third party black box for Pandora, such as the Roku box is for NetFlix. I was willing to spend up to $100 for such a solution. No luck. In fact, all I found on the Internet was a lot of other people asking for the same solution. I did find several extremely expensive solutions that allow audio and video streaming from a PC to any audio or video component in your house. All were several hundred dollars and far too complex for what was trying to do.

Several months ago I replaced my iPOD-mini with a new iPOD Touch. I have never been an Apple disciple. I think Apple makes good, but not great stuff. In an effort to avoid converting my music library from the iPOD to MP3 or some other format, I stuck with Apple and bought the Touch. At the time I was not aware the Touch also allows access to the Apple App store over WiFi. It was this discovery that led to my Pandora solution.

Over the past weekend, I found a Pandora app on the Apple App store. It was free. I quickly set up my iPOD Touch to play my Pandora stations. That was great, but still did not solve getting Internet radio to my Bose 3.2.1. I then learned that my Touch was smart enough to determine if the headphone connection had headphones or an audio component connected to it. That was the final piece of the Pandora solution. Off to Nebraska Furniture Mart for a $14 cable that allowed me to connect my iPOD Touch to my Bose 3.2.1 auxiliary input connection. And it works great!

I have always been a PC guy. Not really by choice. It was just what I learned first and was the hardware and applications provided by the companies I have worked for. I am a creature of habit, so I use and buy what I know. iPODs are the only Apple products I have have owned. I have never used an Apple computer, but have played with an iPhone. I do admit that Apple is the best at developing user interfaces and making their loyal followers believe they are getting the best money can buy.

My experience over the past weekend leads me to believe that Apple deserves the reputation they have. They are brilliant marketers, and make the most usable electronics on the market. Apple lost big in the early days of the Personal Computer. IBM and Microsoft cleaned Apple's clock by discounting operating systems, and pre-installing them on the hardware. They also flooded the market with great applications that a single company (Apple) could not compete with. From that, Apple learned their lesson and have now turned the tables. The iPhone is a great piece of hardware chained to a crappy network (AT&T). Yet, Apple and the iPhone dominate the smart phone market. Why? Because they have the applications and made them easy to acquire. Guess who does not have a Pandora application for their handset? I cannot get a Pandora app for my Sprint HTC handset running Windows Mobile 6.0! It is the exact opposite of the early PC days.

Apple also has a seamless, comprehensive, and effective end-to-end business model that has been successfully executed over and over. I know that I was mentally willing to pay $100 for a specific solution, but because of the iPOD Touch capabilities and the Apple business model that led to a robust app store, I solved the problem for $14. I love Apple.

Project Update

It has been a couple weeks since I blogged about my common area restoration project, so I thought I would update you on the progress. As you can see from the pictures below, it is getting greener. The seed has germinated. I am now getting to a critical time.

Remember that I said my plan was to not water the area, but live with what Mother Nature provided? This September has been very dry compared to average. If I don't get some rain soon, I will need to start watering, or give up on the $80 of seed I put down.

For now I am keeping my fingers crossed. When the new grass starts to dry up, I may change my mind.

Audience Participation

I despise it. When I go anywhere to be entertained, the last thing I want is an expectation that I must help produce the entertainment. Sometimes the audience is asked to participate, while at other events they willfully volunteer. A good example of the audience volunteering their participation is music concerts.

A few years ago, Terri and I finished off a North Carolina vacation with a Keith Urban concert held in Myrtle Beach. The venue was simply the worst ever designed for music shows - The House of Blues. I have several beefs with HOB. First, only the first 10 or so patrons can sit and watch the show. The next 20 or so can see the show, but not sit. The next several hundred can wander a bar-like setting and hear a muffled version of the live show. I would never pay to darken a HOB door, even for a Beatles reunion show.

The HOB setting worsens with audience participation. I found a comfortable corner of the bar to listen to Keith Urban, but found myself surrounded by dozens of teenage girls belting out the lyrics to every song. I heard them just fine, but had difficulty hearing the act I paid to hear. Keith did not elicit the participation. No, portions of the youthful audience volunteered to participate. I have seen other acts turn their microphone to the crowd, an obvious and overt request for them to sing along. Those are usually only for short stints in a song - maybe just the chorus. The audience's voluntary participation will usually span the entire event.

Anyone who has plopped down hard earn dollars to see Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede show knows how audience participation can become irritating and aggravating. Their version is nothing short of obnoxious. When you arrive at a Dixie Stampede show, you are treated to an opening act in the mezzanine. Enjoy it, because it only gets worse from there. Once seated in the main auditorium, the emcee arbitrarily divides the audience into 2 or 3 teams. In order for your team to "win" something, they must scream louder and longer that other teams. It is their clever way to artificially generate excitement where none would otherwise exist.

Can you imagine getting excited over your team's pig racing against another? Or even better, cheering your cowboy riding an ostrich over the other team's? From the first moments, I felt an extreme hokeyness overcome me. I did not want to participate. Getting my team's food served before an other's did nothing to motivate me to cheer for my team's cowboy, pig or ostrich. I might have participated if the winning team had their price of admission refunded.

There was one show I experienced over 32 years ago, that I enjoyed the audience participation aspect. It was called "King Henry's Feast". The setting was King Henry's court where wenches did the serving while the lords were served. I was a lord. Terri was a wench and had to go beg for salt for her lord. I liked that.

Handy

I have always been fairly handy around the house. I don't see a reason to pay someone else to do what I can do for myself. They don't teach "handy" at school. So I started wondering how I got my degree in "handy". I have concluded the degree was earned by spending time with my father and grandfather. Both were professors of handy.

My grandfather likely begun his training when he bought an old house from an old Cherokee Indian Chief sometime in the 1920's. That old house only had 3 original rooms, a living room and 2 bedrooms - no bathroom or kitchen. As was the custom of the time, when you needed more room in your house, you built on. The old house had at least 2 additions, probably done nearly single handed by my grandfather. He also converted a detached garage on the same property into an apartment for his sister.

To my knowledge, he was never a carpenter by trade. He did work at various dairy farms in the area and could tell you what farm once owned the land a new shopping center or housing development was built on. He finished his full time working life as a salesman for Great Western Paints. I am sure that he had no formal training that prepared him for foundations, framing, plumbing, electrical, and trim carpentry, but he did them all. His principal for a well built house was to use 5 nails when 1 might do.

He passed his knowledge on to my father by doing much of the work required to build a large addition on my childhood home. There were only 2 tasks I can remember were completed by another person. They hired a mason to lay the foundation blocks and build the fireplace and chimney. Everything else was completed by my father's and grandfather's hand, with a little help from a couple of uncles. I still remember them digging out the crawlspace and foundation by hand - something no modern craftsmen would consider doing.

My father repaid his help by lending a hand when my grandfather built an entire house in the Avondale area of North Kansas City. The 3 bedroom, 2 story home was built on family property and served as a rental home providing a second income to my grandfather until years later he offered it to Terri and I for $10,000. We considered the generous offer, but declined due to the location and the routine flooding in that neighborhood. A small creek running in the back of the property would suddenly rise during heavy rains, sometimes enter the home. It was the same creek I fished for bullhead one summer while the home was being built.

These were the large projects the two men tackled. They always handled smaller projects themselves, and it was extremely rare they would pay someone else. Both men re-roofed their own home when approaching 60 years old. Plumbing and electrical work was always performed themselves. I was with them for both the home addition and the build of the Avondale home. I watched and learned. On occasion, I would help when directed. I became an apprentice in handy.

Since those childhood experiences, I continued to develop my handy skills. I initiated small carpentry projects even as a teenager. During my days as a house painter, I witnessed the different trades required to build a house. This was also instrumental in my training. Once Terri and I bought our own home, many opportunities have presented themselves for continued development. All were successful, but many were painful.

One particularly painful project was the replacement of a sliding patio door at our first home. We had bought a new French door. The process seemed simple - remove the trim, disassemble the old door, set the new door, a replace the trim. Once the old door was removed, I found that it had leaked water onto the sub floor which had rotted. I pulled the old carpet back and cut out a section of sub floor. That uncovered water damaged floor joists under the sub floor. That damage was caused by my deck building skills that had trapped water against the floor joist, so I dissembled a portion of the deck.

After replacing sections of floor joist, re-working deck attachments and deck boards, a section of sub floor, reattaching carpet, re-trimming the door, paint, stain and finish, I was done. A weekend project took nearly a month but finished product was great. The lesson learned was best said by Harry Callahan; "A man's got to know his limitations". I now do quite a bit of handy work around my house and my daughter's homes, but I have become selective on what I will do. If I see a big downside, I hire it out. My paternal ancestry is no doubt shedding a tear over my wasteful ways.

Automation

I did not know it then, but 25 years ago I began a career path in automation. I had worked for the local cable TV company for several years and became very good at resolving technical issues with the cable TV system. I also became interested in programming PCs. I quickly found that I could use this combined knowledge to make my job easier. My first few projects were text based utilities that would go to a piece of equipment, check something, determine if the result was okay, and if not print out the result on a computer. A technician (me) still needed to check the printer and investigate anything that had printed out.

Then came Microsoft Windows and Visual Basic. That enabled much prettier and sophisticated software development. My first major application was to communicate with a couple hundred smart devices distributed throughout the cable TV network. These devices would report back their status and a few basic measurements. This was information that normally would be retrieved by driving a truck to the location, climbing a pole with test gear, opening up a weather tight housing, making the measurements and returning to the truck.

The communications application provided by the hardware vendor was text based, and very difficult to use when troubleshooting the network. My version was much prettier. It started with a map window that would adequately depict the location of each smart device. A hierarchy was established so that the system knew what devices fed the next. With this hierarchy set, I could draw the paths to each device and determine the most significant device in a series of failed devices (root cause).

So my first automation system consisted of a map with devices color coded by their current status, placed at the proper location and connected in the proper order. This enabled alarming when certain situations were identified. I started to look for a series of 2 or more devices in failure condition as this would indicate a branch of the network was not working. Audible messages were passed to the technical dispatchers to catch their attention and inform them of what was identified as significant network event.

The system could only detect problems but could not resolve them. A technician still needed to roll to the location and begin troubleshooting. The process was much easier since they would already know what devices were not functioning, and which were okay. This avoided much of the isolation time needed in troubleshooting. Technicians could roll straight to the problem, or at least get very close.

I did not realize it then, but this project was foundational to future career assignments. Flash forward 20 years. The alarming systems used by telecommunications companies are very mature. Tens of thousands of alarms or conditions are collected each day from thousands of network elements. Some alarms indicate a significant network failure, while others are merely informational. Collecting and displaying this information is handled well, but there are far too few people to review the number of alarms generated. What has never been done well is creating systematic reactions to each alarm that avoids the necessity for human action whenever possible. That's what I now do.

Our first application listens for a specific alarm that indicates a electronic card at a cellular telephone site has failed. The failure results in dropped call or the inability to initiate a call by our customers. There are thousands of cell sites in the network and many of these cards at each site. It is really a problem begging for a solution.

The application initiates an automated routine that first checks to ensure the card is really out of service. If so, it attempts to reset (think reboot) the card. If that is successful, everything is great so we count the success and move on. If the card cannot be reset, a ticket is created and dispatched to the appropriate field technician so they can replace the card. The application also creates a ticket if the same card continues to fail even if the failures are resolved by resetting them.

That is an elegant solution. One alarm condition down, thousands to go. The goal is to get to a "dark NOC" or using different words, an unmanned operations center. In reality, there would always be personnel monitoring the automation systems, but the heavy lifting would be done by machines. There is also no avoiding the field technician. While we can decrease their workload, there will always be a need for eyes, arms and legs at the location to replace equipment that cannot be remotely repaired.

We all have seen science fiction stories where machines do the work of men. We are getting very close, but you cannot see how close until you step back and see just how far we have come in a few years. Thank you, HAL.

Why, you are very welcome Frank.

Liar?

On Wednesday evening, Barrack Obama laid out his plan for National health care. During his speech to Congress, Representative Joe Wilson committed a serious breach of decorum by calling the President a liar. He apologized immediately after the speech. While the apology was needed, it was not an acknowledgement that the President told the truth. Interestingly, neither Obama or Wilson can make their case on truth or lies. THERE IS NO BILL! Not even a written plan.

Obama cannot claim that a bill not yet written excludes illegal aliens. Wilson cannot make the claim that an unwritten bill covers illegal aliens. The same can be said regarding federally funded abortions. Nobody knows yet. So we really need to look at past actions to get an indication of future actions. If you look fairly on Obama's previous policies and actions, you must side with Representative Wilson's view. The only bill presented to the House of Representatives did not explicitly cover illegal aliens, but neither did it provide adequate checks to identify illegals. Any bill that gets the President's nod will cover payment for abortion. It is in his record - the man will not make abortions harder to get or he risks his constituents.

Regardless, Representative Wilson was way out of line in calling the President a liar during a joint session of Congress. While he and I share our disrespect for the man, we must respect the office. To do otherwise would be acting as the liberal Democrats have for the past 6 years. I am glad he apologized, but would rather he never made the comment.

But is our President a liar? If you believe the President is pushing his plan so that all Americans will have health care, you have been deceived, and deceivers are liars. This is all about power, and the consolidation of power in Washington. Obama is managing this initiative as he has prior initiatives - get it enacted before the details see the light of day.

I was sent an article written my Thomas Sowell that really makes the case. I encourage you to give this short read a few minutes of your time.

Eagle Eye

Everyone probably could identify their best friend when growing up. Mine was legally blind. We met in the church nursery. I don't remember the meeting, but I am sure at some point he was in the crib next to me. I probably commented to him on his rotten luck. His mother had become ill when pregnant with him, and a high fever was credited as the cause of his blindness.

Our parents met picking up their kids from the church nursery. A hallway conversation between them led to a family friendship that endures. We spent many an evening over dinner and conversation. Instead of ghost stories, we would tell tornado stories. I remember falling asleep at their house and being awakened to go home.

My blind friend's name was John. John went to the Kansas School for the Blind. He was not completely blind. His vision was very poor, described as looking through a pinhole in a sheet of paper. The doctors believed that he would eventually go completely blind, so he was sent to the Blind School to learn Braille. John's father would pick me up at my public school and take me to John's wrestling matches at the Blind School. John would always win. It was not that he was a gifted wrestler. His partial sight was a significant advantage over his completely blind foes. I always thought he had an unfair advantage, but as a friend I would cheer him on to the tainted victory.

John loved baseball as did I. We would recreate game situations in the backyard. Sometimes I would bat, but other times he would. I had to throw accurate pitches because his field of vision was so small. Missing my target by a foot or two would mean that John could not find the ball. Missing by more than that meant that he would end up with seam marks on his forehead. It happened often. Yet, he continued to play.

Over our childhood, John heard all the names used on blink kids. He wore the pop bottle glasses that invited the name calling. He was probably called 4-eyes more times that you could count. I did not call him that. I called him Eagle Eye. Since we were best friends, he never seemed to mind too much.

John and I were in cub scouts and boy scouts together. During one family dinner, John smuggled a bottle of baby aspirin from his parent's medicine cabinet. We ate several apiece, enjoying their orange fruity flavor. We were discovered, prompting a late night call to the doctor's to see if our stomach should be pumped. We were spared that since the doctor claimed that if we had consumed too many, we would be dead before they got the tube down our throats.

Since we lived a couple blocks apart, we saw a lot of each other. We slept out in his parents camper, an old refrigerator box, or under the stars. When possible, those camp outs were enhanced with pilfered cigarettes or a bottle of Strawberry Hill wine. Sometimes we would just be mischievous by setting off cherry bombs in the nearby apartments, or using a slingshot and rocks to nail passing cars. When I moved on from my paper route, I gave it to him. My first paying job was at Red Lobster. As soon as John turned 16, I got him a job there too. When I went 120 mph in my 1969 GTO, John was in the back seat. After calling me from his handheld CB radio to pick him up from work, we were pulled over by most of the Shawnee Police Force who thought we were burglarizing a business. John did not let his disability keep him from doing what sighted friends would do. He owned a mini-bike that he would drive in his back yard, and later a larger dirt bike that he would drive on the back roads near his mother's rural home. When working for Red Lobster, he would park customer's cars. They never knew he was blind, and even offered him tips.

John was a groomsman at my wedding (above). Just before I was married, John took a different path. He moved to Willow Springs, Missouri to live with his mother and go to college. He also committed his life to God and the ministry. I had a small part in that. After a wild evening drinking at my apartment, John woke up the next morning with dried Frito's on his chest. He did not remember the night before, eating Frito's or barfing them back up, so he decided to clean up his act.

Our meetings since that decision have been rare. John flew to KC for my wedding, Terri and I travelled to Covington, Louisiana once for a visit, and John occasionally makes contact when in KC to visit his father who died earlier this year. Future visits could even be rarer.

John has always been a surprising person. He endeavoured not to use his disability as an excuse, or a hindrance in life. He did most everything a sighted person does. He married up, and fathered a son. Both surprised me :-). He has a career as a mental health counselor for the state of Louisiana. Our childhood friendship will always be a pleasant memory.

Vacation is Over

On September 21st I become an Ericsson employee. All of my vacation time accrued at Sprint must either be taken, or will be paid out in cash. That gave me an opportunity to do something I normally do not do - take an extended vacation during the late summer. My logic was that I needed to take the time more than the money, so I bundled 6 vacation days with 2 weekends and a holiday for an 11 consecutive day vacation.

The first 6 days were spent at home, doing chores and playing a couple rounds of golf. I was able to catch up on yard work and stain the deck among other things. It was time well spent. I set a goal to limit the time I would spend staying on top of office items, so I turned email off to my phone. I did check email once during the week just to read through my inbox and delete the noise. After that, I did not check work email once.

The last 5 days of the vacation were spent in Branson, Missouri. Terri and I planned the trip with Lloyd and Cindy Wilson, Terri's sister and her husband. We got a one day head start by leaving KC last Thursday. We went down early and scouted out possible activities if the forecast rain washed out our golf plans. We also got a head start on shopping, splitting time between 2 outlet malls. Since this is Terri's only opportunity to get me to shop for new clothes, I took advantage of good sales to buy 3 pair of shoes. I see that purchase as a 5 year supply.

On Friday, Lloyd and Cindy arrived around noon. We met at Starbucks and then made our way to Chester's (not to be confused with McFarlaines) for lunch. Chester's is a "can't miss" hole in the wall restaurant serving breakfast "pile-ups", burgers, tenderloins and other tasty items. We were then off to the Thousand Hills golf course to watch it rain. The rain stopped a few minutes before our tee time, so we began our 5+ hour grind on a short par 64 course, dodging rainstorms and allowing smaller groups to play through. The course, with its high rough and plentiful trouble, won handily. One fellow golfer said they miscounted the hills on the course - that 1,000 was too few. Level lies were hard to find. From the 18th hole we made our way to Shorty Small's, a local BBQ joint. A stop at Shorty Small's is a routine for Terri and I. They feature baby back ribs - good quality, but maybe a little over priced. We made it to our condo at Pointe Royale around 9:00 PM.

On Saturday morning we visited a back roads and well-hidden bakery for breakfast. Then we were off to an 11:10 tee time at the Pointe Royale course. I opened the festivities by hitting a house off the first tee. The day did not improve for me at all, but at least I was on a golf course. After golf, we had a late lunch, at Janna's, a hamburger, BBQ, Mexican joint off the beaten path. It was one of our best meals of the trip. The evening was spent watching the Acrobats of the Shanghai Circus at the facility in Branson. Terri and I saw their show 2 years ago. We were pleased to see that the act changes each year, so it was new and very enjoyable to us. After the show, we spent the rest of our allotted calories (for the weekend) at a local ice cream and desert place.

On Sunday morning we ventured to the Branson Scenic Railroad location for a 2 hour tour of the Branson area from a 1940's vintage train. We were able to visit each of 6 cars, and spent time in the luxury car and dome car. This was my first time on a train. It helped me understand how past generations could ride a train cross-country. I found the trip enjoyable, however it bored my wife and her sister to death.

From the scenic tour, we headed to one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever played. Ledgestone is nothing short of a treat for any golfer. It is also one of the most difficult courses I have played, so as a group we decided to play a couples scramble. I believe we all had more enjoyment than we would have playing our own ball. Couples scores were in the low 80's. Individual play would have scores soaring past 100 easily. It was a great time on a great course.

Sunday was travel day. After a long breakfast, we said our good-byes and hit the road. Our time sped by in the blink of an eye, but it was time well spent.

Funny

The best humor is things that really happen, not made up jokes. A good example is an incident that happened to my brother. He and his wife were spending the night at my sister-in-law's grandparent's home. My bother filled a glass of water and set it in the bathroom in case he became thirsty at night.

He did, so he made his way to the bathroom in the wee hours of the morning, found a glass of water and began to drink. What happened next was very unexpected. His grandfather-in-laws teeth bumped him in the nose as he drank from the glass. He had not picked up the glass of water he prepared, but had picked up the glass his father-in-law used to soak his dentures.

That's funny, I don't care who you are.

Surprise!

Everyone has either been the surpriser or surprisee in a surprise party. In July 2007, Terri and I were surprised by my daughter Lyndy for our 25th wedding anniversary. In addition to flawless planning and execution, she was also able to entice me to cater my own surprise party. Here is how it happened.

A couple weeks before the party, she asked if I would mind smoking a brisket for her in-laws family reunion. I never turn down an offer to barbecue, so I agreed. The reunion date was set for a Saturday evening about 2 weeks out. Lyndy paid for a brisket and I smoked it for several hours in my smoker. The brisket was then wrapped in foil and frozen.

The Friday before the reunion, I pulled the brisket out of the freezer and slowly cooked it overnight. By Saturday afternoon it was tender and ready to serve. Lyndy asked if I could deliver it to the reunion held at her and Dan's church. We agreed. Our brother and sister from Memphis was in town that weekend, and without our knowledge were completely in the know on what was going down.

We loaded up and made the 25 minute drive to the church. Upon arrival, several of my daughter's in-laws, the Farrs, were on the church property riding dirt bikes and 4-wheelers. Nothing seemed strange with that since it was the Farr reunion. We handed off the brisket and chatted with a few of the Farr family. As we prepared to leave, Lyndy asked if we would like a tour of the church. It was a brand new building, so again, nothing seemed strange.

I typically do not spend my Saturday afternoons touring churches, but the Wilson's seemed interested so Terri and I agreed. We toured the sanctuary, a few Sunday School rooms, and then Lyndy lead us to a closed door room. She said we would be especially interested in this room. By then I was extremely bored and just following along. Lyndy opened the door. My first thought was why did all of our friends gathered in a strange church? I can be fairly dense at time, but after a few seconds I deduced that we were the victims of a flawlessly executed surprise party.

Not only was the trap sprung well, I had brought the meat dish for the party. Nice touch, Lyndy. We had a good time celebrating with family and friends. I take from that day 2 unchangeable facts:

1. There is no need for any more family surprise parties as they will all pale when compared to Lyndy's feat.
2. The brisket was exceptional.

Beulah Daisy

My grandmother on my father's side was born in DeWitt Missouri around 1888. Her name at birth was Beulah Thorpe. Her parents did not give her a middle name. Instead she was able to select her own middle name when she reached age 10. She thought that Daisy was a pretty name, so she name herself Beulah Daisy Thorpe. I know little else about my grandmother's early years. She became a mature women during the roaring 20's. I am certain that she had no part of the social aspects of the period.

She married a widower who had a daughter. Her husband, John Leonard Bryant, my grandfather, died of lung cancer before I was born. Together they had a large family. Roby (from John's previous marriage), Margaret (died as a toddler from whooping cough), Dorothy, J.L., Elmer and my father Frank (the youngest). I also know that my grandmother served as postmaster for several years in DeWitt. I found that odd as women normally did not have such positions in her era. I can only assume that she served during war time when most of the men were off fighting.

My personal recollection of my grandmother is one of a very quiet and loving lady. She was someone quite comfortable with herself. She needed very little to survive, and could live life between her ears. I do not believe that I ever saw her angry. She was a person who could sit quietly in a chair for hours, without a TV, radio or book. She would just sit with her thoughts. If I passed by while she was just sitting, she would call me over, sit me on her lap and begin a conversation. One conversation we often had would be her telling me of the evils of smoking, and making me promise her never to pick up a cigarette. She had lost her husband, and years later, her step daughter Roby, to lung cancer. Both were smokers. On multiple occasions I promised never to smoke, but later broke that promise. Thankfully, she never knew.

Every summer, my grandmother would spend a week with my family and I would spend a week at her house. During the time she spent with us, she would have a routine of getting up, cleaning a room or two, reading her bible, then sitting down for the day. During the afternoon she would sit in a chair and nap for a hour or so. I always thought it strange to sleep sitting up, but she was very good at it.

During the week I spent with her, my time was mostly spent playing in the neighborhood. Her daughter (my Aunt) and family lived across the street. Uncle Walter, Aunt Dorothy and my cousins Joe and Jerry were usually willing to entertain me. Joe and Jerry were several years older than I so I was probably a nuisance to them. They were more interested in their nearly identical 1956 Chevy's, and high school girls than with a younger cousin.

My grandmother lived in a tiny house for the entire time I knew her. The 2 story, one bedroom home had a kitchen, bathroom and small living room downstairs and a large bedroom upstairs. When my grandmother could no longer climb the stairs she lived in the downstairs rooms, pulling a hide-a-bed from the couch each night. The same couch that became my bed when I stayed with her. She would let me sleep in the bed and she would sleep in a chair.

Her property backed up to a country club golf course. I would explore the course, hunting for lost golf balls and avoiding golfers. My sport back then was baseball. I remember one afternoon thinking how far a good baseball slide might go on the smooth surface of a golf green, so I tried it. After a good run to pick up speed I went into what I thought would be a long slide. My knee dug into the soft green, carving out a foot long trench. It didn't work like I thought it would, and no doubt left the greens keeper with a real repair job.

My grandmother never owned or drove a car. She walked most places, such as the grocery store, dentist and doctors office. A bus would pick her up for church. My Uncle and Aunt would take her anywhere else she needed to go.

My grandmother lived frugally, but managed to save a few dollars for each of her grandchildren. When I was 18, she presented me with a savings account book containing multiple deposits of 50 cents or a dollar. The total of the account was just over $100, and not a big deal to a kid clearing $60 a week with no bills. I probably spent it soon after it was given. I did not appreciate the sacrifice she put into each savings account.

My grandmother was not a drinker. But after experiencing several "spells" that I now suspect were mini-strokes, her doctor prescribed a shot of whiskey each night to thin her blood. My father would make fun of her drinking, which would embarrass her.

My father would call my grandmother every evening for a chat. Sometimes they would speak for only a few seconds, but more often that not, they would converse for 20-30 minutes.

In 1976, my grandmother suffered a serious stroke. The last time I saw her alive was in a downtown hospital room. She soon lapsed into a coma. I visited her one afternoon in the dark room. I held her hand and spoke to her, and felt a small, almost imperceptible squeeze of my hand . She died a few days later at the age of 88. I will always remember her quiet, loving disposition. She always had time for her grand kids, and spoke with her adult children daily. It was a simple time then, and she was a simple woman who lived an incredibly simple life.

Spell Checkers

Spell checkers are one of the great inventions of the computer age. When was the last time you saw a dictionary? These were once indispensable for anyone who would write as part of their job, or when corresponding with acquaintances (remember letters?). This blog would be more a of a mess than it is without the built in Spell Checker.

I rely on Spell Checkers to make this dummy appear smarter. However, they can get you in trouble. If you are not precise in selecting the replacement word in a Spell Checker list, you can send the wrong message. For instance, I had a vice president with the last name of Flessas. Anytime I would use his name in an email or MS Word document, the Spell Checker would flag it as a mis-spelling. Two of the suggested replacements were Fleeces and Feces. Either of those selections would have conveyed an unfortunate message.

Another humorous instance involved an email I received. I was one of many sent the email that apologized for rescheduling a meeting. The sender intended to say: "I am sorry for the inconvenience", but selected the wrong option provided by his Spell Checker and sent: "I am sorry for the incontinence". Quite a different message?

Driving Lessons

A discussion with a co-worker about his son and driving lessons brought about this idea for a blog. I will start with my driving lessons. My parents did not allow me to drive until after I turned 16 and completed Drivers Ed. Since my birthday fell in June, I was not allowed to take Drivers Ed during the last term of my sophomore year. Instead, I went to summer school.


I remember that we did a little time on the simulators, but were soon out in the vehicles driving on city streets. The instructor would take 4 of us at a time. The 3 non-drivers would be in the back seat and he would sit in the passenger side front seat. He had a brake pedal on his side. One morning a group of us went out for an early drive. I was first in the drivers seat and he directed me to the interstate highway. It was morning rush hour, so traffic was bad. I remember being very nervous with so many cars on the road with me.


The instructor told me to change from the right to the left lane when safe. I checked my side vision mirror followed by checking the left side blind spot. The nearest car was probably 100' behind me so I changed lanes. The next thing I knew was the instructor had grabbed the steering wheel, and cranked it right while hitting the brakes hard. We came to a stop in the right hand shoulder with rush hour traffic speeding by us.


The instructor was also the football coach for the high school team. He proceeded to criticize my driving skills claiming that I had pulled in front of another vehicle. I was certain that my lane change was safe, but bit my tongue and took the lashing. It was embarrassing to be called out in front of the other students. As I think back, I now believe he was merely making a point. He knew that I had not done anything unsafe, but wanted to make the point to all of us that he would grab control of the car if he saw fit.


Otherwise, I passed Drivers Ed without incident and received my license in 1972. That provided the privilege of driving my dad's 1962 Chevrolet Impala station wagon. On rare occasions I was allowed to drive the good car, a 1972 Pontiac Catalina. It was my parent's first luxury cat and was equipped with a large engine. They never found out that I would occasionally do power burn outs with it. Power burn outs are done pressing the accelerator and brake simultaneously. The front brakes do not let the car accelerate, so you spin and burn the tires producing a lot of smoke. We would have contests after work on who could do the most impressive power burn out.


In 1974 I bought my first car. A 1974 Chevrolet Vega Sport, recently awarded as one of the worst 10 cars ever made. It was silver with a 4 speed manual transmission. That car brought about the next Drivers Ed class conducted by my father. Since I had never driven a car with a manual transmission, he took me to a local school parking lot and showed me the finer points of clutching and shifting. The first 30 minutes were filled with disappointment. I wondered if I would ever get the hang of driving my new car. But once I got the feel, it's like riding a bicycle - you never forget.


Drivers Ed was over for a few years. That is until Lyndy turned 15. Since she was a very responsible child, we agreed to get her a learners permit. That meant that Dad was the Drivers Ed instructor. Since Lyndy had many after school activities, we also bought her a car so that she could drive herself to and from the school functions. The car was a 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88. We called it "the boat" since that is how it handled. The car was huge, while Lyndy was not standing only 5'4". She needed to sit on a phone book to see over the steering wheel.


We started by letting her drive her "new" car though the neighborhood on Sunday mornings, and gradually started going out onto the busier streets. A lot of time was spent in empty parking lots so she could practice parking the boat between the yellow lines without crossing them. The only incident that I can remember occurred later when Lyndy was driving everywhere that we would go together. She was waiting as the second car in line in a left turn lane. The traffic light was not a dedicated left turn signal, but rather a "left turn yield on green". The light changed and the car in front of us turned in front of oncoming traffic who honked and signaled using finger signs. Lyndy followed the car in front. The oncoming driver was shocked to see not one car pull in front of them, but 2. Once I removed my fingers from the newly formed dashboard indentions, I asked Lyndy why she turned left in front of traffic. She said "Because the guy in front of me did."


Teaching Allison to drive was much the same story. Her first car was not a boat, but instead a small Saturn - far more appropriate for a first car. I do not remember any significant events during Allison's initial Drivers Ed training. But at some point, we decided to teach her to drive a stick shift. At the time, I owned a Jeep Wrangler with a 5 speed manual transmission. We started the lessons one weekend in a vacant parking lot near our house. That was a difficult day for me. As Allison went through the normal learning process of dumping the clutch and killing the engine, restarting and repeating the process, however no progress was being made. Instead, she was getting very good at getting my Jeep to "hop". Jeeps are tough, but I began to wonder if it could survive the abuse. I was expecting to see the front or rear axle lying on the pavement. I stayed patient remembering the same experience with my father. After an hour or so, we gave up for another day.

That day never came. Allison lost interest in driving a stick shift, and I did not bring it up again. She would have learned if we had just bought her a car with a stick shift. That should have been the motivation needed to learn. She has never learned how to drive a manual transmission vehicle even though she and Jimmy owned one for several months. Maybe she should blog about it?

The Geology of my Neighborhood

A recent blog provided a description of the summer project I have taken on. For part of the project I have scoured the neighborhood scavenging rocks for a drainage area. I have been fascinated by the variety of rocks found naturally in the area. I am aware that my neighborhood was once in the near distant past was a Christmas tree farm. The remnants of that farm are scatter through out in the form of Scotch Pines, spruces and various firs and cedar trees. My project has got me wondering on the longer term geologic history of the area.

I have found rocks that I did not expect to find. Most of the rock formations are sandstone. But I have also found shale, chert, and limestone. These are all types of sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are formed as fine particles or organic material are slowly deposited in layers and compressed by water. From this I can assume that my neighborhood was once under deep water, possibly under an ocean. I have also found quite a bit of river rocks. Those rocks are smooth and rounded and are formed by years of flowing water. So my neighborhood was once in a river, or a path that the ocean took when filling or receding.

I have also found granite and what I believe to be very impure rose quartz. These two rocks are typically found together, and tell of another geologic period. Granite is part of the earth's crust and found just below sedimentary formations. As the earth's crust moves, granite will be pushed to the surface. Sometimes this pressure forms mountains. The granite I have found looked identical to what I have seen on the top of Pike's Peak. My neighborhood may once have been part of a mountain range.

My fascination with these finds is increased with the knowledge of how my little world has changed over the eons. It makes my significant efforts of moving a few rocks the around neighborhood for decorative reasons seem so insignificant. Some future day, a glacier may push my efforts away like wind moves specs of dust. Or a mountain will rise again from the earth's crust or a river divert and polish those rocks smooth. Human efforts are so temporary. Everything we work to create will be gone in a thousand years if not much sooner.

This thought is lost on those who buy into the global warming hoax. Like so many liberal beliefs, it is based on extreme short term thinking. It was hot today or yesterday, so I believe global warming is true. In fact, a century of warming would prove nothing. The fact remains that man is insignificant. The earth will cool and it will warm as it has done in the past. Nothing man has done or can do will change that. If you really want a laugh, consider the recent article where scientists are developing plans to paint rooftops white, or seed the clouds in an effort to cool the planet. Just another example of mankind believing they can control God's creation. Only the things of heaven will last.