I'M NOT ALONE

I checked the stats today for the first time and found that I'm not just talking to a wall. Now I have to watch what I say. NAHHH.
How about a perfect world where everyone got along. It might be a little boring. Difference in opinion has always been around as far back as we can document. To a degree it has become more civilized replacing the club with a talk show host. I see the basis of confrontation stemming from mine and yours. If you don't covet mine, I don't covet yours and we each keep a safe distance we get along fine but when any of those boundaries are crossed it hits the fan. You see this while driving a car, waiting in line for a dinner table, watching your kid's or grandkid's ballgame, etc. We have come so far to be nowhere. Because we live in a free world that allows us to think we know what is best for that society. Unfortunately we don't know squat but allow our thought process to be influenced by TV idiots who claim to be experts when in reality they are only hate mongers looking for ratings. If you really want to know about a topic do some research and get several points of view and for gosh sakes don't forward on an e-mail until you have checked it's validity.

NOT AN EASY JOB

I have a great respect for all of our past and present presidents. Can you imagine if that was you having the position of keeping a large country going? Some were groomed to take that position, whether by family or political kingpins. Put yourself in their position. Being surrounded by a staff of advisers makes the job easier but with a fractured society you are wrong no matter what decision you make. If you have ever been a president or chairperson of any organization you must realize what a monumental job it is to just get 30 or 50 people to agree much less 275 million and then you have to factor in the rest of the world who depend on our country's decisions. In my lifetime I was aware of presidents Eisenhower through Obama and I salute every one of them and will always address them as President.

WHEN DID IT ALL CHANGE

We are visiting some friends in Las Vegas and last night we went to Bellagio Hotel. We watched a fantastic water display playing to beautiful music. As I looked at the crowd both outside and then inside The Bellagio I couldn't help but notice a slovenliness of dress. What happened to the crowd who enjoyed and felt obligated to dress up when attending a nice performance or staying at an elegant hotel. Now the outfit of the day was ripped bluejeans, shorts, T-shirts showing a general disrespect for their surroundings or fellow participants. Is it so difficult to put on a nice pair of slacks with a collared shirt and maybe a sweater? My grandfather was a toolmaker from Sweden who came to this country with that sense of formality and, even though he would go to work in a machine shop, he would dress in a suit every day and change at work. I can understand the idea of feeling comfortable but it doesn't have to be in a Bears football shirt.

IT'S A BIRD

My new friend Rich from Minnesota and I are both restarting our golfing activities after long layoffs. We are starting easy with many trips to the driving range and then rounds at par 3's. Yesterday we played a very small but interesting par 3 in La Quinta called Palm Royale. This course had plenty of water holes and strategically placed sandtraps making it a challenge. The greens were also very difficult with changing contours of hills and valleys. I put a few in the water and I also found the sand but I needed the practice (in the sand not in the water). Coming up to hole 17 I was a little discouraged by my play but when I hit my 8 iron on the 125 yard hole it landed 2 feet from the pin and I holed it for a birdie. I love this game. We will be back there tomorrow at 7:07 A.M. I hope to improve and then on to bigger courses setting up the match in Tucson with Lloyd Kuehn and Bob Rhodes.