Filling in the Top 12

After the first round, I can now fill in the top 12.

Girls:
Didi Benami
Crystal Bowersox
Lily Scott
Siobhan Magness
Katelyn Epperly
Michelle Delamore

Siobhan and Katelyn did themselves proud during week one and earned the spot.

Boys:
Casey James
Andrew Garcia
Lee Dewyzye
Michael Lynche
Todrick Hall
Aaron Kelly

I am not a Todrick fan, but see some potential. Aaron is a risk. He has a good voice, but seems to be tentative when he should be tenacious. If he can get more aggressive with song choice and arrangement he could stick around for a while. If he continues to weeny out, he could miss the top 12.

It is easy to say that this year's contestants are not as good a previous years. I am not sure. Remember that the handling of each has just begun. A few will blossom into performers. It is rare that anyone is head and shoulders above the rest at this point in the competition. Depending on how they respond to the coaching, and whether they begin to show their musicianship, Didi, Crystal, Casey, Andrew and Lee have a shot at winning it all. My pick to win remains Didi, but if I were to pick each week, Casey won this week. I am wondering if he could lodge a sexual harassment complaint against American Idol after Wednesday?

The Pinnacle of Hypocrisy

Sometimes you just scratch your head and wonder where American journalism went. You won't hear the topic of this video reported by the mainstream media.



In case you don't understand the significance, the democratic hypocrites in the video were speaking about use of the nuclear option to pass a bill that could not get the 60 Senate votes needed to avoid a filibuster. President Bush suggested it, but the Republican-led Senate never used it.

Now the democratic-led Senate is seriously considering using the nuclear option to ram health care legislation down Americans throats. Wouldn't you think that a legitimate press would at least ask these democrats why they changed their views between 2005 and the present?

March Madness, 2010

In January after my Jayhawks first and only loss this season, I blogged on my assessment of the team just before conference play began. You can review that post here. It is time for an assessment on how prepared the hawks are for March Madness 2010.

• Bill Self - What I said then: Bill is a great coach who, no doubt, will have his team in shape come March. I think his only blunder this season was scheduling so many games in Lawrence. With the exception of the Temple game, his team has struggled in every road game, even when playing Memphis at a neutral site (St. Louis). The team just doesn't seem comfortable outside of Allen Field house. What I say now: The team is rounding into shape at the right time. Bill is the man!
  Sherron Collins - What I said then: Sherron has established himself as the leader of the team. He his the only player who seems capable of making plays in the clutch. It has become obvious that only he wants the ball when KU needs a basket. Sherron is playing as an All-American is expected to play. What I say now: No worries about Sherron. He had a couple of poor shooting games, but Sherron will come through in the clutch.
  Cole Aldridge - What I said then: Even though he averages a double double, Cole's play has been somewhat disappointing. Cole has not been dominate in many games as an All-American should. Only his rebounding and shot blocking has been consistent all season. The number of missed put-backs or lay ups has been shocking and inexcusable. What I say now: Cole is playing much better now. He has been the dominator in several recent games. Welcome back!
  Xavier Henry - What I said then: A talented freshman has been playing like a freshman. Against the lesser teams he can and has dominated. Against good opponents he seemed tentative. When the game is on the line, Xavier would rather pass the ball to Sherron. What I say now: I believe Xavier's attitude and effort has dramatically improved over the past couple weeks. He may be ready to graduate early from his freshman year. If so, KU will become dominate at tournament time.
  Tyshawn Taylor - What I said then: Tyshawn has shown flashes of offensive brilliance this season, but the repeating theme of his game is turn overs. He is careless with the ball. In certain games after a turn over, Self will put him on the bench for a few minutes. When Tyshawn returns his passes are weak and tentative as if he is trying too hard to not commit a turnover. Tyshawn must learn how to play aggressive and reduce turnovers, or he will continue to disappoint the KU faithful. What I say now: Bill has handled Tyshawn well. Self removed Tyshawn from the starting role a month ago. Against Colorado and Oklahoma he gave him the start and Tyshawn responded.
  Morris Twins - What I said then: I comment on the twins together because I really cannot tell them apart (other than one wears #21 and the other #22). Their games are nearly identical. Both have really bulked up and improved since last year. While neither will become superstars, both are physical players that can dominate their certain opponents. They are bangers that can wear down the opponents big men. KU cannot look to either Morris to carry them to a title, but both are important to KU's success. What I say now: I still cannot tell them apart. Did you know that even their tattoos are identical? I was wrong about their ability to carry a team. They have carried the Hawks through a couple of conference games. Look for them to remain dominate trough out the tournament.

I never believed the Jayhawks could go undefeated in conference play. The Big 12 is a strong conference top to bottom, with several teams having a legitimate shot at the Sweet 16 this year. Yet, KU is 3 games away from an undefeated conference schedule. The remaining 3 games pit them against Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Missouri. I think they have a better than 50-50 chance of winning all 3. Of the 3, sixth ranked Kansas State will be the biggest challenge. The game will be in Lawrence, so advantage KU. The Hawks go to Columbia to finish the season. I don't think this will be much of a game. Missouri has no inside game, so expect Aldridge and the Morris boys to have their way. Sixteen and zero would be quite an accomplishment from a league that will send at least 6, maybe 7 or 8 teams to the NCAA tournament.

The Big 12 tournament will be nothing short of a war. Kansas essentially put away the regular season title several weeks ago and officially clinched a tie on Monday. So the tournament title is all other teams could claim this year. It would not surprise me to see Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas or Kansas State win this year's conference tournament. It is all a preliminary for the big show - the NCAA tournament.

As I assess college basketball in 2009-1010, there have been 2 dominate teams - Kansas and Kentucky. A fan can only dream these 2 teams will meet in the final, but dreams rarely come true. I think they both have a 50% chance of making the final 4. The two teams are not very similar. Kansas has balance, and is defensive minded. They also seem to be peaking at the right time. Kentucky is not as balanced and relies too much on their player of the year, freshman John Wall. Wall heroics have save Kentucky a loss on at least 3 occasions this season. If Wall turns an ankle or has a tummy ache at the wrong time, Kentucky could make an early exit in this year's tournament.

Kansas has proven this year they can win whatever the lineup. Collins, Taylor, Aldridge and the Morris boys have had dreadful games, yet a different teammate stepped up to fill the void and KU found a way to win. It is this fact that makes them my homer pick for the 2010 national championship.

National Health Care Plan xxx

Obama has cobbled together his version of a health care bill and will meet with Republican leaders on Thursday. Doesn't sound bipartisan to me, but it really doesn't matter. This bill has less of a chance of passing that either bills the Congress worked on last year. Why? Because of Scott Brown. It really doesn't matter what is in Obama's bill because it is a poison pill for any representative that supports it.

Back in October 2009 I blogged about our Kamikaze Senators that seemed willing to lose their jobs just to enact a national health care program. I now think they did not really believe the voters would hold them accountable for their vote. After Scott Brown's upset of a liberal Democrat to fill the seat of Ted Kennedy, now they believe.

America has seen the health care plan and does not want it. Barrack Obama and Kathleen Sebelius do not believe that we are smart enough to understand how the bill will improve our lives, so they are trotting out their version. But Senators and House members now know that for those who support the bill, an election loss is in their future.

So even if the Democratic leadership uses parliamentary tricks to get a bill passed, I don't think it will. I cannot see 50% of either legislative body taking the poison pill.

The Cream of 2010 American Idol

Alright, I have finished watching the top 24 selection on American Idol and can now enlighten everyone on who will finish high in the top 12. As an added bonus I will reveal who will compete and win in the finale. Go to Vegas, bet the farm, this is your sure thing.

I will not pick the top 12 since the talent is so equal after in the lower half of the field, anything could happen. So here are the top finishers:

Top Five:

• Lily Scott - Very unique singer, but unique will not take her all the way to the finale.
• Crystal Bowersox - It will be interesting to see how white her teeth will become as she progresses from week to week.
• Andrew Garcia - Raspy voice and likable, he may do well commercially once AI 2010 is over.

Finale:

• Casey James - Probably the best overall musician in the group. His appeal to 51% of America will take him to the finale.
• Didi Benami - She has the 'it' factor, she has talent, and she is pleasant to look at.

Winner:

• Didi Benami - The tie breaker for me was how long it has been since a white girl won - season 4, Carrie Underwood.

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin for President? I don't think so, but not because I couldn't support her. Every time hear the woman speak I like what I hear. It reminds me of how I felt when Newt Gingrich began selling the Republican's Contract with America. Sarah, like Newt, espouses true conservatism. The most significant difference is the package. Sarah is pleasant to look at while Newt is an old fat white guy.


It is this packaging that scared the pants off of the liberal left. They see Sarah as the right's Obama. She is a threat. She must be destroyed. Just after McCain added Palin to the Republican presidential ticket, McCain surged in the polls. Republicans and Independents liked what they were hearing. The hatchet job began immediately. Libs from the media immediately began to work her over. The New York Daily News recently printed a case study in media bias where they compared the treatment of Palin to that of John Edwards (a real slob). While the article did not dig deep, it did a nice job of showing how the media can attack one politician over another running for the same office, seemly because of their ideology. Tina Fey, Katie Couric and others amped up the attack making Palin look stupid. Polls taken after the election confirmed that a majority of Obama voters erroneously associated sound bites they heard to Palin. Even after the election, the media continues to pound on Palin. It did not help that she resigned from the Alaska governorship, which only gave them more ammunition. Their attacks have worked.


The latest Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that 71 percent of Americans -- including 52 percent of Republicans -- think she is not qualified to be president. Remember that she has executive experience, something that Obama did not have. Yet the public perception is that she is inexperienced. The left has succeeded in destroying future political aspirations of Sarah Palin.


Now is not the time to run Palin against Obama. My belief is that her candidacy would only hand the libs 4 more years. It is not worth the risk. Conservatism needs a new face. It could be Bobby Jindal who believe could be the next president, but it is more likely that we don't know who will emerge as the next conservative voice. Whoever it is, expect the liberal media to immediately pounce and attempt to destroy heir character through misrepresentation and outright lies. That is the state of American politics.

Nuclear Power

On Tuesday President Obama announced government loan guarantees to begin construction of 2 new nuclear power plants in the United States. Like a broken clock that is correct twice a day, or the blind squirrel that finds an acorn, Obama is doing the right thing. We need more of those types of Presidential acts, and less big government programs.

While the far left Greenies will disagree with their messiah, nuclear power is a win-win. Consumers and businesses benefit from nuclear power. Nuclear power plants are the cleanest, cheapest, safest power generating facilities our current technology can support. We should be adding 20, not just 2. The Greenies will concede the cleanliness of nuclear power, but cannot get past Three Mile Island or Chernobyl. Chernobyl is a red herring. The Ruskies were never good at building anything safe. I really don't think they really try. Safety systems built into nuclear technology has changed dramatically since Three Mile Island. All nuclear facilities are now designed to shut down automatically without human intervention.

The United States is far behind Europe in building nuclear power infrastructure. Obama's act on Tuesday will help. We need more of that.

Public Speaking

I believe most public speakers have heard the advice to imagine their audience in their underwear. This is supposed to reduce anxiety related to public speaking. I have just learned of another.

A recent University of Michigan study found that in an average audience, only 2% are actively paying attention to the speaker. About 11% are having a conversation with their neighbor, and 17% are fiddling with their cell phone. The largest percentage, approximately 66%, are having an active sexual fantasy.

So what does this mean to a public speaker? Simple. Hardly anyone is listening to you, and most of your audience will leave happy regardless of what you say. Doesn't that take the pressure off?

Brighten your Day

I thought this was a hoot. All Kansas City police officers are required to check their dashboard video cameras before their shifts. To help the officers remember, the KCMO Police Chief sent around this video of one officer breaking it down for his dashcam. It made me smile.

Stupid Letter of the Week

Today I start a new series that will be repeated weekly until if tire of it. I call it the Stupid Letter of the Week where I take an especially stupid letter from the Opinion page of the Kansas City Star, paste it into a post and add my own ridicule. This weeks letter comes from a mental midget named Klaus Karbaumer. Here is Klaus' knowledge nugget of the day:

Profit system part of health care problem

People pool their money as protection against life’s hazards. Claims and administrative costs will be paid out of this pool. That in a nutshell is insurance.

If you also want to pay profits out of this pool, premiums will have to be higher to start with, and whenever possible claims will have to be rejected. I do not know why this is so hard to understand for so many people.

So take your pick: Go for the profit-driven system and end up with what we have in the U.S. or look around how nonprofit systems work in health care. Unfortunately, too many people have been brainwashed in perceiving that profit-driven systems are always superior.

The increasing wealth concentration on top and the vanishing middle class as well as the growing ranks of the poor are the immediate and obvious consequences of believing in unfettered capitalism.

Klaus Karbaumer
Platte City

Klaus sounds like a German name to me. Isn't Germany a socialist country? I think Klaus might be happier if he would move back to the motherland. My first issue with Klaus is his apparent hatred of profit. I wonder what he does for a living. Would he agree to work for free, becoming sort of a non-profit trash collector?

I guess I am brainwashed because I do preceive that profit-driven systems (such as capitalism) are superior. Capitalism is the only way innovation and entrepreneurism can reward the risk a business takes. Profit is why competing businesses attempt to provide better service for less money that their competitors so that they gain more customers. It is the mechanism that provides the consumer with the best price versus value.

There are many countries that would satisfy Klaus' need for non-profit services - and they have all failed or are failing. Klaus sounds like an Obama Kool Aid drinking loser.

Evidence of Global Warming?

Even after the myth of global warming, or the new term "climate change" was exposed for the scam it is, proponents continue to say the "overwhelming evidence" still supports their belief. It is funny how many have faith that somewhere there exists a file cabinet filled with overwhelming evidence, but it is never produced or reported on. Now, the guru of global warming, Phil Jones, has admitted that several key aspects of the overwhelming evidence is tainted. Specifically, he admits that:

• Data for vital 'hockey stick graph' (a key to the myth) has gone missing
• There has been no global warming since 1995
• Warming periods have happened before (such as the medieval period) - but could not have been due to man-made changes

Phil also says that he lacked organizational skills. This from the man who's findings are used to support Cap and Trade legislation that would cripple the US economy. One would hope that our leaders would find a more organized scientist to cite when supporting legislation that could have such dire consequences.

As I have claimed before, Global Warming is not scientific. It is based on phony science. To believe in Global Warming, one must have faith in the science behind it, that now appears to be nothing more than junk.

If you have watched any of the Winter Olympics, you may have noticed a tone that blames global warming on the lack of snow in Vancouver. I have read newspaper stories that directly tie the snow conditions to man made global warming. Kudos to CBS for reporting the average February high in Vancouver is 48 degrees - about what the Olympics are experiencing. It can get up into the 60's there during February. Vancouver is the warmest city ever to host a Winter Olympic. So don't buy into the propaganda that a lack of snow for the games is a symptom of global warming - it is not based in fact.

So if Vancouver weather is within the normal range for February, where are the anomalies? How about 12 inches of snow in Dallas, a winter storm warning in Pensacola Florida, snow in southern Louisiana, or Atlanta airport closed for 2 days due to snow?

Liberal Letters to the Editor

Michael Savage says that liberalism is a mental disorder. I think most liberals are unaware, uninformed, or extremely short sighted. A letter to the editor this morning caught my eye as a good example. The letter follows:

Sarah Palin is clueless [NOTE: The KC Star creates the title, not the letter's author]

Television pundit Sarah Palin asks, "How’s that hopey, changey thing workin’ for ya?"
Well, for my middle-class family it’s already paying off. With the new tuition tax credits we knocked more than $2,000 off of this year’s tax bill. This credit was not available to us previously. So thank you, President Barack Obama, for working hard for my family and others to ease the burden of higher education.

Jack Myers
Overland Park

So I guess Jack gauges Obamas' performance by the personal benefit he receives. Other than being ridiculously self-centered, it is also very short-sighted. Would Jack feel the same if that $2,000 credit he received was money obtained by a a loan taken out with China showing his children and grandchildren responsible for repayment? Jack might think differently, but both are the same.

I don't begrudge Jack for the tax credit. You take what you can get. But identifying this as an indicator of Obama's performance is simply short-sighted, and indicative of a larger problem with America. Is it all about what is in it for me, or should it be about what is better for all of us?

Daytona 500

It is after 7:00 PM on Sunday and I just finished watching the Daytona 500. The race started just after noon today. Repair of a pot hole that looks like it was shipped in from Kansas City delayed the race for over 2 hours. After 2 attempts at a green flag finish, Jamie McMurray won. The final lap was as good as most restrictor plate races are, with close driving, risky moves and final lap passes for the win. Dale Jr. moved from 10th to 2nd place in the final lap. It was a race that showcased why NASCAR racing is the fastest growing sport in America.

Terri and I were fortunate enough to experience the Daytona 500 in 2001. That was the year after Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap, turn 4 accident. Daytona is a sporting spectacle. Much of the event happens outside the track. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Daytona and Orlando the 2 weeks proceeding the race. Pre-race events begin one week before the 500. Terri and I were part of a racing tour, so were able to listen to hall of fame drivers speak about the traditions and history of the race.

We learned about restrictor plate racing. Restrictor plates limit the amount of air and gas that enters the engine and thereby restricts the horsepower and speed. Restrictor plates are for fan safety. Without them, cars would reach speeds of 240 MPH. The track would not be able to contain cars or parts during accidents. Drivers would also suffer from excessive G-forces be more likely to make poor decisions that lead to accidents.

We also toured the track and the pits. Witnessing first hand the steepness of the 33 degree banking deepens the appreciation of the skill required of the drivers. Just before the start of the race, we were able to meet several drivers (Rusty Wallace, Elliot Sadler, and Ryan Newman) in a Hospitality tent paid for by NASCAR sponsors. NASCAR does a fantastic job of making their stars accessible to the fans.

The start of the race is hard to explain. Forty-three cars, each with engines producing over 800 horsepower, make 3 laps at low speed. The noise is deafening, but only a sample of what is to come. Once the green flag drops, the cars gain speed slowly. Engines rev to over 9,000 RPM. The cars near their top speed of 200 MPH after the first lap. All 43 cars remain nose to tail as the speed pastes them against the high banked corners. There is nothing I can compare the noise to. You must wear earplugs or risk deafness. Even so, the volume can be felt deep within your chest.

NASCAR is a strange sport. The big event of the season, the Daytona 500, is the first race of each season. It is like holding the Super Bowl in September. The stereotype of NASCAR stars are that of dumb hillbillies with deep southern drawls. Many are seen as knuckle-dragging idiots that could only make a living driving fast and risking their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today's NASCAR drivers are college educated athletes that have spent most of their lives honing a skill. The drivers work their way up from go-carts to local short tracks, and then through the progressively more difficult levels of NASCAR racing. Many of the younger drivers hold engineering degrees. Their job is not only driving a car, but also leading a team comprised of engineers, body, chassis and engine builders. On race day they motivate the pit crew that is instrumental in their success. They feed their pit team the information they need in order to improve the speed and handling of their car during pit stops. NASCAR is truly a team sport.

NASCAR fans are stereotyped as beer drinking, pot bellied, back woods hicks. Partially true. But the sport is growing in all demographics. CEO's and movie stars are normally seen at any race. The fans are more loyal than average. Since the NASCAR season rotates through 30-40 cities each season, each race is a big event locally. Most races draw at least 100,000 fans. Some draw over 200,000. Many fans follow the races from city to city much as a dead head would follow the Grateful Dead to each concert. The difference is that NASCAR groupies usually own fifth wheels and live in luxury the week leading up to the next race.

This year's Daytona race ended as it should. Over 30 drivers were within 2 seconds of the lead, fighting and clawing to improve their position. The most minuscule of error led to dramatic consequences. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment were destroyed in high speed crashes. And it came down to one lap. At least 10 drivers had a legitimate shot at winning the race. The winner was not evident until he completed the 4th turn and shot towards the checkered flag. That is NASCAR at Daytona.

REPOST: Jon Stewart

Funny guy, but has always been one of Obama's loudest cheerleaders. You know that Obama is in trouble when he loses the support of Jon Stewart. The original post used the wrong video link. The correct video can be found here.

What Should They Do?

Prior blogs have described the deep federal debt hole we find ourselves in. It is a hole so deep that very little wiggle room is seen since 75% of our spending is locked into entitlements or the military. Obama did not help the current debt situation with his recent budget. First, he showed great timidity by delaying spending freezes until next year. Even then, his savings are analogous to finding a few coins in the sofa seat cushions while the house is in foreclosure. They do little, almost nothing, to solve our deficit and debt problems.

So what are my ideas on what should be done? Thank you for asking. As you might expect, I have an opinion. The first and most important step in gaining control over the budget is very short term limits. Huh? Yes, we will never control the budget while the Congress is looking at their next reelection. They have a habit of making budget-stupid decisions in an effort to retain their job. Solving our budget mess will require hard decisions that have never been made before in Washington. The Congress will not make those decisions unless a significant percentage will not be returning due to term limits.

I would favor a 1 term limit in this time of crisis. House members get 2 years, and senators get 6, and then they go home. Can you imagine the freedom this would give to our representatives to make decisions in the country's best interest? With a 1 term limit, the next step in budget control could occur with a reasonable chance of succeeding.

This next step is painful, but it happens many times every day in boardrooms across the country. The step is simply to meet the budget. Only the dollars that come in can go out. Every line in the budget must be inspected and a key question asked - How important is spending these dollars in comparison to other line items. The result would be a 1 to x list of budget lines in priority order. The expected revenue (taxes) is then used to see how far down the list we can afford.

In today's situation, the money would not go far. It would not cover all current entitlements and defense spending. Any"below the line" budget item could be elevated "above the line" only if savings from a funded line can be realized - robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is the discipline that is happening every day in businesses large and small across the country. Even most state governments are required to institute this discipline. It is the discipline federal officials (that can borrow or print money at will) are not able to follow.

This is the discipline that Congress must adopt, but one they will never adopt if running for reelection.

Mary

Thursday is the funeral for my mother-in-law, Mary Hansen. You may remember previous blogs on our trip to the Mayo Clinic, Passing the Torch, or on Christmas 2009. In these blogs I recounted the progress of her battle against thyroid cancer. This cancer took her life last Saturday evening. If interested, arrangements follow:

Visitation on Wednesday 2/10 from 6-8 PM at Amos Funeral home in Shawnee
Funeral is Thursday 2/11 at 10:30 AM at Overland Park Lutheran Church, 79th and Lowell
Burial immediately following at Johnson County Memorial Cemetery, 75th and K-7

Mary has been an important person in my life for the past 33 years. As her health was failing, I began to think about that time. What came to mind first is the stereotype associated with mother-in-laws. That stereotype is they can be overbearing, and men should just tolerate their mother-in-law in order to get along with their wife. That has not been my experience. My memories of Mary are are more like that of a mother. Mary accepted me and her other son and daughter-in-law as if we were her own children.

Mary had a servant's heart. She worked tirelessly at her church. She was a "Church Basement Lady", always helping out during church events, weddings and funerals. She was a servant at home. Christmas and Thanksgivings were usually celebrated in her home. She would prepare most of the food and work in the kitchen until the meal and desserts were served. Then she would clean up. Most of my memories of Mary relate to holidays, cooking and cleaning.

After a surgery, Terri was not able to transport me to a doctor's appointment. Mary volunteered. After a different health problem, Mary was at the hospital visiting me, volunteering to stay with me during the recuperation, and bringing me a fresh batch of her awesome cinnamon rolls (she knew was my favorite). Mary and I had a secret deal. Whenever I prepared barbecue for a family meal, she made the slaw. It was a tasty combination. So tasty that during her illness, Terri learned her recipe so the tradition would continue.

Mary was also known for her Dutch Apple and Cherry pies, Christmas Eve Chili and shrimp, Ess cookies, and Eble Skiber (spelling unknown, but they are Danish pancakes). Even with all of her kitchen talent, Mary could never master the fried egg. Hers were always burnt around the edges. It became sort of a joke within the family.

The speed of her decline was amazing and sad. Just 6 months ago, Mary arose each weekday at
5 AM to participate in water aerobics. After her cancer was diagnosed and was creating mobility problems for her, she remained active and continued to play bridge and pool. The turning point occurred during the second week at the Mayo Clinic. It was mid-November. A series of tests indicated that her right sided weakness and pain was caused by brain tumors. She went on steroids which provided some short term relief from the symptoms. The relief lasted through the holidays. Her family is thankful for that quality time.

During Thanksgiving, she enjoyed a visit from Lloyd,Cindy, Heather, Kelly, and Kelsey. Most of our Christmas traditions remained intact. Mary was able to assist (you could not make her sit down) with the food preparations. She played games with her family. She enjoyed her great grand children. In late January, Lloyd, Cindy and Robin visited. Mary's mobility continued to fail, but she was still social and participated in conversations and activities. We are thankful the entire family was able to spend a few of her last days with her.

By the first week of February, her legs had failed and she could not longer walk. She was also wanting to sleep the majority of each day. Getting her from the bed or chair to a wheel chair became a challenge for several people. The decision was made to move her to a nursing home. Mary was admitted to the hospital on Monday 2-1-2010. There she was evaluated to make sure there were no other issues impacting her health. On Thursday 2-4-2010 Mary was transferred to Trinity Lutheran Nursing home for rehabilitation. The doctors and family thought that if he could regain the strength in her legs, she could return home.

On Friday, she indicated to her rehab therapist that her goal was to work hard, get strong and go home. The therapist believed that was possible since her muscle condition was good. However on Saturday morning Mary's breathing became labored. Doctors thought she might be getting pneumonia and ordered a chest x-ray. The x-ray showed no signs of problem with her lungs or heart. At 8:55 PM that evening, Mary passed away peacefully. The brain cancer had won.

Our family has witnessed a great living example of servanthood. Mary had a huge heart. I will miss her much like Terri, Cindy and Steve will - as a mother.

My 200th Post

I started blogging on June 26th, 2009. I have averaged slightly more than 6 posts per week, so have hit the 200 post milestone in 222 days. I thought I would slow down due to lack of ideas before reaching 200, but President Obama and the inept Congress have provided a lot of blogging opportunities.

About a month after I began blogging, I decided to allow Google to place ads on my blog. I harbored no illusions that it would become profitable, and that has become very true. So far my blog has earned me 80 cents. My first 100 posts earned 48 cents, and the second 100 posts added 32 cents. I don't like this trend, but it is possibly a good indication of the blog's overall quality.

I continue to find the difficulty in blogging is not the writing. I can crank out a couple of posts over my lunch hour without a problem. The difficulty is finding things that interest me enough to write about. My favorite subjects are the personal and family topics, but my life is not that exciting so that well runs dry pretty fast.

My next favorite topic is political. That is a rich source because you can find good topics every day. I suspect that my readers, all 5 of you, bore rapidly when I get on those rants.

My favorite posts from the second 100 were:

• Most Insightful Post: Men's Wardrobes - The truth about how little men care about how they dress.
• Best fantasy post: What I want to be When I Grow Up - Hey, I'm only 53! I can still play ball.
• Best Tongue in Cheek Post: My Sampling Rights - I have learned to plow through the crowds at Costco to get my free sample.
• Funniest: Copenhagen Update - I thought this one was creative and funny, but it received no comments.
• Most Hits: Deniers of Climategate - This was the first post I linked on several news sites. I had over 150 hits from all over the world. It still gets returned by Google when Climategate is used as a keyword.

My only reservation in continuing the blog is my inability to inspire my youngest daughter to occasionally blog. She is a good writer, but refuses to blog with any regularity. I am pleading with you to visit her blog and leave a comment asking when she will write again.

Please join me in badgering Allison, and thank you for your support.

Super Sunday, Big Monday and American Idol

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl which is followed on Monday by a big game for my KU Jayhawks on ESPN's Big Monday. Hollywood week is underway on American Idol, so I thought I would commit my picks by blogging my guess of the final scores and reveal my picks for the season 9 top 12.

I see the Super Bowl as brains against talent. Indianapolis has the smartest quarterback ever to play the game in Peyton Manning. The Saints have the league's best overall talent in my opinion. I am picking talent over brains this year (brains are so overrated). Final score will be New Orleans 35, Colts 31.

Big Monday is much harder to predict. KU is the better team, Texas is in decline, but the game is at Texas. Home court or not, I will take KU 75-65.

My picks to make the AI top 12:

Maddy, who has retarded brothers
Leah, the sheltered Christian girl
Kimberly with the cute 5 year old daughter
Vanessa the hillbilly bridge jumper
Tyler and his 2 broken wrists
Germaine coming back for his 2nd audition

My overall assessment of the season 9 contestants is average. I have not seen any one person who strikes me as belonging with Carrie Underwood or Daughtery. It is actually sad when the only one I really remember was a hillbilly from Tennessee who likes to jump off bridges.

Remember that we have seen less than half of the contestants sent to Hollywood, so a few of the unseen will impress the judges and move on. Also remember that I am making my picks as an interview for Simon Cowell's replacement. Howard Stern is rumored to now be in the running. I say, bring it on! We see if he can hit 6 for 6 top 12 picks after city auditions, and pick the final winner from the top 12, which will be my resume builder needed to secure the job. I may need you to help me get the word out and serve as a reference. I will let you know when.

Jobs Bill?

During the State of the Union address, Obama appeared to change priorities and begin focusing his resources on job creation. He asked that Congress produce a jobs bill ready for his signature as soon as possible.

Give me a break.

This administration wants more people working for the government, so a jobs bill is simply smoke and mirrors. With the current state of the federal budget, bringing on more government workers is poor management and will be detrimental to our struggling economy. Remember that to pay for each government job, there must be 10 tax-paying private sector jobs. Simply creating government jobs is just another way to run up additional deficits. In short, Obama's job bill is a recipe for financial collapse.

It is very difficult for the federal government to create private sector jobs. All they can really do is incentivize entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and create new work that requires new workers. Lowering interest rates is the best method, since it allows businesses to borrow and expand. But today, interest rates are at record lows. Without the interest rate lever, the federal government can only incentivize by reducing taxes or removing regulation and red tape.

Does anyone think that Obama or the democratic-led Congress would ever consider either of these approaches? I think not. Expect the upcoming jobs bill to be the next unfunded stimulus package used by the democrats to push their leftist agenda. Hopefully Americans are getting wise to their game.

Special Season

I am fortunate to be experiencing a very special NCAA basketball season. I have 2 favorite teams. Both wear blue and share the initials U and K. Both have been ranked #1 in college polls this year. Both are mentioned during any discussion of who is the best team.

The primary difference between my 2 teams is that KU plays their games 30 minutes from my house and shares my home state pride, while UK plays in the distant town of Lexington, Kentucky. My allegiances are torn. Who is number 1 and who is number 2 favorite? That is my current conundrum.

Kansas has brought me the enjoyment of many seasons of strong teams, several final fours, and one national title since I became interested in the sport. Kentucky has a long proud tradition, and rich heritage but not much else during baggy shorts modern history. In the current season, both are solid teams with outstanding players. Kansas is currently ranked #1 after winning an incredibly entertaining game last Saturday against Kansas State, (even with the loss, Kansas State moved up in the rankings, something that rarely happens).

So which team in blue is my favorite? It's like asking me which is my favorite daughter, (well actually it is a lot harder). So let's just leave it that I like each equally well. What I like the best is posting this picture. It never gets old.

The Trial of Scott Roeder

Last June, I wrote about the unfortunate murder of a murderer. His name was Dr. George Tiller. Why he retained the title doctor is beyond my comprehension as his trade was performing late term abortions. In my mind, a late term abortion makes the pro-choice argument of viability moot. Tiller was himself a murderer.

Just prior to that post, Scott Roeder had killed Tiller in pre-meditated fashion. He gunned him down in the church that Tiller served as an usher. He did so on a Sunday morning near the end of services on the church grounds. All the evidence indicates that Roeder planned the murder, committed the murder, and then fled.

The trial for the murder of Tiller was conducted in Wichita Kansas last week. Roeder confessed and has admitted the facts of the case as presented by the prosecutor. Yet the trial continues. The only goal of the defense was to put abortion on trial. The defender's strategy is to gain a manslaughter conviction instead of first degree murder. The defense did not having much success with their strategy. The judge shut down all lines of questioning that might make the trial about abortion.

I followed the testimony via the Wichita Eagle reporter who is in the courtroom. He has posted summaries several times each day. Roeder's testimony was rather shocking.

"These babies were dying every day and no one was able to do anything," Roeder said. "I thought I had to do something," Roeder said he began to think about killing Tiller. "I though about running my car into his, shooting him with a rifle." But Roeder testified he feared hurting someone else, besides Tiller. "I felt if he was to be stopped (his church) was the only place he could be stopped," Roeder said. "It was the only window of opportunity I saw to stop him."
Roeder said he took the .22 Taurus with him when he went to the church on May 24, the week before the shooting. But Tiller wasn't there that Sunday.

"I had no choice but to wait," Roeder said. "Abortions were being done every day," he said. "My honest belief was that if I didn't do something they would continue to die." Roeder said he went to the church and sat in the back row in the northeast corner. He said he saw Tiller come in and look right and left then go back in the foyer before he went out and did what he thought he had to do to protect the children.

Public defender Mark Rudy asked Scott Roeder, "Scott, do you regret what you did?"
Roeder responded, "No, I don't."

During District Attorney Nola Foulston's cross examination, she asked Scott Roeder if he became familiar with the church and its services on his visits. Roeder said he did. Roeder said he planned on where to park and backed in to the space for an easy exit. He also said he went to his brother's home to take target practice to make sure the gun was in proper working order. Roeder said that the gun jammed, because it wasn't oiled. He and his brother went to Topeka to get the gun fixed and buy bullets.

Roeder said he had the gun in his pocket with his Bible when he visited George Tiller's church on May 24, the day Tiller did not attend church. Answering Foulston's questions, Roeder indicated that he was somewhat frustrated but that he would have come back as many times as needed to get the job done. Roeder also said that he'd gone to the church armed in August of 2008, carrying a gun in a holster inside his jacket.

It would be easy for pro-lifers to hope that Roeder was successful in getting manslaughter instead of first degree murder. I am not one of those pro-lifers. Roeder committed first degree murder and deserves the associated penalty. Hoping for manslaughter, or even cheering if he was successful would be inconsistent and detract from the principles pro-lifers hold. Life is precious, no matter whose. Revenge for thousands of abortions is not for man to extract.

Last Thursday, the judge removed the ability for the jury to find Roeder guilty of manslaughter. Their only option was to find him guilty or innocent of first degree murder. After reading the testimony, there can be no doubt. On Friday, the jury returned a guilty verdict after only 34 minutes of deliberations. I wonder what took them so long?

Roeder must pay for violating man's law. Tiller is already serving his sentence for violating a higher law.

Hard Decisions

Most of you know that my mother in law, Mary Hansen, has stage 4 brain cancer. The prognosis is not good, but the family hopes that radiation treatment will give her a few more good months. To catch everyone up, six short months ago Mary began to show symptoms that once investigated found that she had thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is a slow growing, highly treatable form of cancer, however Mary must have had this cancer for years. Her thyroid gland was removed, but the cancer had metastasized and was found in her bones, lungs and brain.

The brain tumors are the most problematic. Over the past few months, she has lost the use of her right arm, and showed significant weakness in her right leg. Radioactive iodine, the best treatment for thyroid cancer, was administered at the Mayo Clinic but has not shown success in Mary's case. A couple weeks ago the decision was made to perform whole brain radiation in an effort to stop the growth of her brain tumors.

That treatment began on 1/19 with the knowledge that tiredness was a likely side effect. After 9 days of treatment, Mary has not shown signs of progress, and has in fact degraded to a point where she can no longer stand or walk without assistance. Getting her out of bed or a chair occasionally requires 3-4 adults. My father in law, Neil, is no longer able to care for her without assistance.

Oldest daughter Cindy was in town this past weekend, so the 3 siblings were able to discuss next steps with their father. It was decided to work with her physician to get her admitted to the hospital, the first step in getting her moved to a nursing home. In watching the decision process, I realized their decision was more difficult than my family's decision to withhold treatment from my father during his last days.

Elements of the decision are nearly identical, except for the patients wishes. My family understood my father's desire to stop treatment. This was a comfort when we decided to remove the ventilator. Mary still has a clear mind, and does not want to spend her remaining time in a nursing home. So the decision was a very difficult one for her family. Nobody wants to put her in a nursing home, but to care for her at home would require full time nursing by a professional or a family member. One extra person would not be enough at times.

The decision was the correct one, but correctness does not make it any easier. Your prayers for Mary and her family are coveted.

The State of the Union Address

I wrestled with how I wanted to blog on last Wednesday's State of the Union address. There was so much to comment on that I could write for weeks. So instead, I have decided to tell an old joke that came to mind as I listened to Obama. Sorry if you have heard it before.

The reigns of leadership of a large company were being passed from a fired CEO to his replacement. The two met briefly just before the new CEO moved into the stately mahogany-trimmed corner office. The departing CEO handed the new CEO three envelopes. He told the new CEO to open one envelope when he gets into a jam and doesn't know what to do next.

In the business environment, things happen very fast so it was not long until the new CEO faced his first challenge and was at a loss on how to proceed. Remembering the envelopes he had tucked safely into his desk, he removed the first and opened it up. Inside he found a handwritten note that simply said "Blame your predecessor". He used the advice and found that his excuse was accepted by the shareholders.

A few weeks later, the CEO found himself in a new jam and pulled out the second envelope. Inside, another hand written note simply stated "Blame your staff". He again used the advice and found the excuse was was again accepted. The CEO thought to himself that he was really getting the hang of his new leadership role. The advice he was getting from the old CEO was really helping him work out of tough situations.

It was not long before the CEO found himself in another difficult situation, so he opened the third and last envelope. Inside the handwritten note said "Get three envelopes".

Obama's blame Bush, blame Congress and the Supreme Court act is getting old. It may be time for him to get 3 envelopes.