Well, not a very good showing, was it. I was (mercifully) not able to go to the game or watch it on TV, but nothing sounds too compelling about it. USC is simply in a different class than UVA, and it showed.
Friends at the game said Pete Carroll really ran up the score, going on 4th down late, etc. In the old days, this was unsportsmanlike. Today, where margin of victory counts in the formulas determining championships, this has to be expected.
Next week is another home game against the Richmond Spiders. Richmond had a great team last year, and they are going to be a very tough team to beat.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
On Returning to the Workforce
I have not worked for pay since mid-February, when I started 45 days of terminal leave en route an April 1 retirement from the Navy. I had originally intended a ninety day break, most of which would have been spent on the job hunt. Along the way, Catherine (my Kitten) asked me if I'd consider taking the whole summer off, putting off returning to work until after the kids go back to school.
When you define yourself by your work, taking three months off is pretty easy. Taking six and a half months off though, is a different story. I really wrestled with the decision. Most of my friends said I'd never make it. Catherine said I wouldn't regret it. They were wrong, she was right.
I spent a lot of time hanging around with Catherine and the girls, getting to know them a little better. My appearance in her life didn't always count as a big "plus" to the girls, so it was important to spend some time seeing if I couldn't count as something other than the guy who takes Mom's attention away. Not sure how well I did on that task, but we're definitely all a little closer.
Tuesday, I fly to California for some in-processing and meetings for my new job. I look forward to the challenge of having a full-time job, a family, and a blog to tend to. I'm pretty sure I'll pull it off, but be kind to me in the beginning as I get my act together.
I'm looking forward to seeing if there is a connection between my time/talent and compensation. I did not find this in 21 years in the Navy, and it was one of the primary reasons I left.
I'm looking forward to seeing how much of what I've learned in the past 21 years works in the civilian world, and I'm looking forward to learning how much I don't know.
Mostly though, I'm looking forward to interacting with a lot of smart people again. If there is a fountain of youth, hanging out with people smarter than yourself has got to be it.
When you define yourself by your work, taking three months off is pretty easy. Taking six and a half months off though, is a different story. I really wrestled with the decision. Most of my friends said I'd never make it. Catherine said I wouldn't regret it. They were wrong, she was right.
I spent a lot of time hanging around with Catherine and the girls, getting to know them a little better. My appearance in her life didn't always count as a big "plus" to the girls, so it was important to spend some time seeing if I couldn't count as something other than the guy who takes Mom's attention away. Not sure how well I did on that task, but we're definitely all a little closer.
Tuesday, I fly to California for some in-processing and meetings for my new job. I look forward to the challenge of having a full-time job, a family, and a blog to tend to. I'm pretty sure I'll pull it off, but be kind to me in the beginning as I get my act together.
I'm looking forward to seeing if there is a connection between my time/talent and compensation. I did not find this in 21 years in the Navy, and it was one of the primary reasons I left.
I'm looking forward to seeing how much of what I've learned in the past 21 years works in the civilian world, and I'm looking forward to learning how much I don't know.
Mostly though, I'm looking forward to interacting with a lot of smart people again. If there is a fountain of youth, hanging out with people smarter than yourself has got to be it.
On Joe Biden
I think Barack Obama made a great choice in Joe Biden. I continue to be impressed with the way Senator Obama has conducted this campaign, and the choice of Biden is another example of why he has proven to be a formidable candidate.
Biden is a big-mouth wise-ass, but then again, so am I...so I can't hold that against him. He is just the kind of balancer Obama needed on his ticket, and I think they will make a good team on the stump.
That said, Biden will also have given the Republicans some great soundbites from the early debates about Senator Obama's candidacy....just like Hillary did.
This is going to be fun...all in all, Obama helped himself with this choice.
Biden is a big-mouth wise-ass, but then again, so am I...so I can't hold that against him. He is just the kind of balancer Obama needed on his ticket, and I think they will make a good team on the stump.
That said, Biden will also have given the Republicans some great soundbites from the early debates about Senator Obama's candidacy....just like Hillary did.
This is going to be fun...all in all, Obama helped himself with this choice.
Back from the Dude Ranch
Just back from the trip to the dude ranch; lots to talk about after a very interesting week both in Wyoming and across the country.
I have definitely become a little addicted to the blogging gig, as I really missed the interaction with regular readers and the joy involved in plowing through mass media looking for interesting things to talk about.
Let's start with the dude ranch, otherwise known as the HF Bar Ranch in Saddlestring Wyoming.
What a wonderful six days it was. I highly recommend this style of vacation to those among you with an appreciation for the great outdoors and a simpler way of life. Let's be straight here...I'm no outdoorsman. I've spent by my reckoning, one complete night out of doors (courtesy of the USMC during a NROTC Summer experience) in my entire life. I'm a fan of the great indoors--museums, great cathedrals, art, castles....I'm kind of a Europe guy. But this ranch was superb. Far fromluxe , it provides you with a great rustic cabin to sleep in (ours was right on the creek) hearty meals three times a day and all the horses, fishing, skeet shooting and hiking you could possibly want. There's lots for the kiddies to do, and even if you're not a horseman (I'm not), they'll match you up with a horse who'll take great care of you.
I didn't give this vacation a lot of thought before we went. My Kitten bid on it at a school auction long before I was even a gleam in her eye, so I was really just the fourth to round up the foursome. That said, it was memorable, it was healthy, it was fun, and it was a great experience. Some random thoughts sprung up while I was there:
--This is a big country. You sometimes forget that, living most of your life along the eastern seaboard as I do. But man, we have a lot of room. Wyoming is a land of stark beauty; much of it looks like the surface of the moon, with rocky crags and miles of flat/rolling hills. Other parts of the state are mountainous, which describes the areal aroundSaddlestring . Nestled in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, one looks east at the moonscape and west at towering peaks. It was huge, and it was beautiful.
--This is not a homogeneous country. Think all you want about Hollywood, the Internet, Television...and how we think they homogenize us. Well, not out there. People in the west are just plain different than people in the east. They talk slower but no less eloquently. They do vastly different things (one of our wranglers had rodeo as a high school sport but not baseball). Many of the folks out there think nothing of working several different jobs a year, based on what season it is. I never once saw a wrangler wearing aniPod . There is a whole, huge, thriving subculture in the west that has no interest in being swallowed by the larger culture, and I think it is wonderful.
--I had not ridden a horse in nearly thirty years when I took to my mount (Ace). The bones of the lower body of a 43 year-old man are not made for infrequent forays into matters equine. I suffered after each ride, but only for about fifteen minutes. Then everything worked its way back into place and I was ready for the next one. I had not heard a full-throated horse winnie (sp?) in many years, and riding out through the grazing heard, I was treated to a symphony of them. What a beautiful sound.
--The proprietress of the ranch, Margi Shroth, is a big Obama supporter. The Dem convention was on the ranch TV each night...I will check next week to see if the Repubs get similar treatment. Due to a large number of college employees, there was also a fair smattering of Obama bumper stickers to be found. I don't think Republicans are as big on bumper stickers as Dems are. But I could be wrong.
I have definitely become a little addicted to the blogging gig, as I really missed the interaction with regular readers and the joy involved in plowing through mass media looking for interesting things to talk about.
Let's start with the dude ranch, otherwise known as the HF Bar Ranch in Saddlestring Wyoming.
What a wonderful six days it was. I highly recommend this style of vacation to those among you with an appreciation for the great outdoors and a simpler way of life. Let's be straight here...I'm no outdoorsman. I've spent by my reckoning, one complete night out of doors (courtesy of the USMC during a NROTC Summer experience) in my entire life. I'm a fan of the great indoors--museums, great cathedrals, art, castles....I'm kind of a Europe guy. But this ranch was superb. Far fromluxe , it provides you with a great rustic cabin to sleep in (ours was right on the creek) hearty meals three times a day and all the horses, fishing, skeet shooting and hiking you could possibly want. There's lots for the kiddies to do, and even if you're not a horseman (I'm not), they'll match you up with a horse who'll take great care of you.
I didn't give this vacation a lot of thought before we went. My Kitten bid on it at a school auction long before I was even a gleam in her eye, so I was really just the fourth to round up the foursome. That said, it was memorable, it was healthy, it was fun, and it was a great experience. Some random thoughts sprung up while I was there:
--This is a big country. You sometimes forget that, living most of your life along the eastern seaboard as I do. But man, we have a lot of room. Wyoming is a land of stark beauty; much of it looks like the surface of the moon, with rocky crags and miles of flat/rolling hills. Other parts of the state are mountainous, which describes the areal aroundSaddlestring . Nestled in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, one looks east at the moonscape and west at towering peaks. It was huge, and it was beautiful.
--This is not a homogeneous country. Think all you want about Hollywood, the Internet, Television...and how we think they homogenize us. Well, not out there. People in the west are just plain different than people in the east. They talk slower but no less eloquently. They do vastly different things (one of our wranglers had rodeo as a high school sport but not baseball). Many of the folks out there think nothing of working several different jobs a year, based on what season it is. I never once saw a wrangler wearing aniPod . There is a whole, huge, thriving subculture in the west that has no interest in being swallowed by the larger culture, and I think it is wonderful.
--I had not ridden a horse in nearly thirty years when I took to my mount (Ace). The bones of the lower body of a 43 year-old man are not made for infrequent forays into matters equine. I suffered after each ride, but only for about fifteen minutes. Then everything worked its way back into place and I was ready for the next one. I had not heard a full-throated horse winnie (sp?) in many years, and riding out through the grazing heard, I was treated to a symphony of them. What a beautiful sound.
--The proprietress of the ranch, Margi Shroth, is a big Obama supporter. The Dem convention was on the ranch TV each night...I will check next week to see if the Repubs get similar treatment. Due to a large number of college employees, there was also a fair smattering of Obama bumper stickers to be found. I don't think Republicans are as big on bumper stickers as Dems are. But I could be wrong.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Packing Up for the Trip West (back 8/31)
We're busy packing up here, getting ready to head out to Wyoming for nine days. Then the summer is over, the kids go to school, and my nearly seven months of retirement come to an end.
Please come back on the evening of the 31st or in September. I'll be raring to go, full of post convention/VP thoughts and commentary on the West, Dude Ranches and family travel.
In the meantime, please consider using this post as a place to tee up things you'd like to talk about once I return.
Take care, and go Hoos.
Please come back on the evening of the 31st or in September. I'll be raring to go, full of post convention/VP thoughts and commentary on the West, Dude Ranches and family travel.
In the meantime, please consider using this post as a place to tee up things you'd like to talk about once I return.
Take care, and go Hoos.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Blog Stats
Well, just as I'm about to go on vacation and leave the site unattended for nine-days, good news on readership arrives. Google analytics tells me that I've had over 800 "absolute unique visitors" to the website, resulting in almost 2300 separate visits (average visit lasts just over 3 minutes).
Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, West Virginia, Vermont and New Hampshire remain immune to the charms of the site, as I've had no hits from these benighted states.
Please keep the site in mind once I return from vacation at the end of August. And click those sponsors! I seem to be making headway on screening out the undesirable ones.
Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, West Virginia, Vermont and New Hampshire remain immune to the charms of the site, as I've had no hits from these benighted states.
Please keep the site in mind once I return from vacation at the end of August. And click those sponsors! I seem to be making headway on screening out the undesirable ones.
Free Speech at Mr. Jefferson's University? Not By a Long Shot
I am a season ticket holder for UVA Football and I love the University more than any institution with which I have been associated (once told a friend if I could be either a naval officer OR a UVA grad, I'd choose UVA).
But this is just crap. Utter crap. I'm glad the students are seeking an explanation. The Athletic Department should be ashamed of itself, and I hope they hear from the Alums....they'll certainly hear from me.
But this is just crap. Utter crap. I'm glad the students are seeking an explanation. The Athletic Department should be ashamed of itself, and I hope they hear from the Alums....they'll certainly hear from me.
Death Penalty Stupidity
Many of you are aware of my aversion to the death penalty. I'm not squeamish on law and order, mind you, I just don't like irreversible penalties in imperfect systems. I'd love to see murderers rot in solitary with no weight rooms, TV's, or "recreation" while their minds simply decay.
So here we have the situation in which the state of Texas is getting ready to execute a guy who did not kill anyone (he was in the getaway car during a botched robbery). Putting aside for a moment the really bad rap Texas already has with respect to the death penalty, whatever state law it is that allows for the execution even of those who did not actually murder anyone seems a bit astray. According to the story, the Supremes have given conflicting guidance in cases like this one, so it seems destined to go to the Court.
So here we have the situation in which the state of Texas is getting ready to execute a guy who did not kill anyone (he was in the getaway car during a botched robbery). Putting aside for a moment the really bad rap Texas already has with respect to the death penalty, whatever state law it is that allows for the execution even of those who did not actually murder anyone seems a bit astray. According to the story, the Supremes have given conflicting guidance in cases like this one, so it seems destined to go to the Court.
Lower the Drinking Age?
A group of university presidents has come under a great deal of criticism recently for apparently advocating a re-think of the 21 year old drinking age. Obviously, their vested interest here is in limiting their exposure to liability. It seems their argument is a version of the "they don't do this in Europe (binge drink) because they have more moderate and healthy views of alcohol" based presumably on having begun to drink earlier.
I honestly don't know what to make of the argument. I don't know with any certainty that lowering the drinking age would have any of the benefit that the university presidents seek.
That said, I still want the drinking age lowered. That one can vote and die in combat three years before one can kick back a legal swig of beer is one of life's great inconsistencies. Talked to one of my brothers about this today, and his point was that the age should be 19, when most folks are out of high school. I'd probably be ok with this as a compromise.
I honestly don't know what to make of the argument. I don't know with any certainty that lowering the drinking age would have any of the benefit that the university presidents seek.
That said, I still want the drinking age lowered. That one can vote and die in combat three years before one can kick back a legal swig of beer is one of life's great inconsistencies. Talked to one of my brothers about this today, and his point was that the age should be 19, when most folks are out of high school. I'd probably be ok with this as a compromise.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Horror! Border Crossings to be Tracked.
Who are these "privacy" advocates anyway? You know, the folks who bristle at the possibility that the government...charged with keeping us safe and protecting our borders....might store and use that information in future investigations.
Did anyone crossing one of our borders since 9-11 really think that the swipe of a passport didn't create data for future use? Stories like this are what give libertarians a bad name.
Did anyone crossing one of our borders since 9-11 really think that the swipe of a passport didn't create data for future use? Stories like this are what give libertarians a bad name.
Synchronized Swimming Baffles Me
There was a FRONT PAGE ARTICLE on synchronized swimming in this morning's WaPost. I am baffled. Why this is considered a sport worthy of Olympic grandeur is beyond me, but then again there are many of the 28 sports at the Summer Olympics worthy of reconsideration.
Yes, yes. I realize that these women are great athletes, that it takes incredible wind and body control to do what they do. Yes, yes, yes. It is difficult and I can't do it. But then again, I can't do "Cirque de Soleil" moves either, and you don't see trapeze artists in the Olympics. What I can or can't do should not be a determinant of Olympic worthiness.
What Olympic Events do you feel are worthy of reconsideration?
Yes, yes. I realize that these women are great athletes, that it takes incredible wind and body control to do what they do. Yes, yes, yes. It is difficult and I can't do it. But then again, I can't do "Cirque de Soleil" moves either, and you don't see trapeze artists in the Olympics. What I can or can't do should not be a determinant of Olympic worthiness.
What Olympic Events do you feel are worthy of reconsideration?
Textbooks Cost Too Much? No Worries, Congress is on the Job!
The cost of college textbooks has always been a pain in the butt. One of the great bennies of a Navy ROTC scholarship was that they paid for my books...I used to watch friends really complain about how much textbooks cost; it really seemed to get them upset. But a national priority?
This morning's newspaper brings news that this national nightmare will soon be over. It appears our Congress (with apparently little else to do), is considering methods of bringing the cost of textbooks down.
I am amazed at what the Congress thinks is important.
This morning's newspaper brings news that this national nightmare will soon be over. It appears our Congress (with apparently little else to do), is considering methods of bringing the cost of textbooks down.
I am amazed at what the Congress thinks is important.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Dispatch from Nantucket
This is my first visit to Nantucket, and it is truly a nice place (though we did pay $5.10 a gallon for gas today....). Lots of 19th century charm, beautiful beaches, really quite a spot.
But I haven't yet seen a traffic light on the island. Lots of three and four way stops, and that stalwart of the New England roadway...the rotary. Makes for a lot of unnecessary traffic pain.
Also, very little parking downtown. Lots to see and do, but a real pain to find somewhere to park.
I think I could grow to like this place quite a bit, but I am definitely having some withdrawal symptoms at not getting to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this year.
But I haven't yet seen a traffic light on the island. Lots of three and four way stops, and that stalwart of the New England roadway...the rotary. Makes for a lot of unnecessary traffic pain.
Also, very little parking downtown. Lots to see and do, but a real pain to find somewhere to park.
I think I could grow to like this place quite a bit, but I am definitely having some withdrawal symptoms at not getting to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this year.
The Strategic Value of Georgia
Richard Cohen asks a few good questions in his column today. President Bush has been pushing hard for Georgia and the Ukraine's inclusion in an enlarged NATO. Had he succeeded, Russia's invasion would have triggered (or should have triggered) a massive military effort to defend Georgia by NATO forces, something we (and NATO for that matter) are unprepared to do. Some say that Russia never would have invaded; that the threat of NATO counterattack would have caused them to rethink this path. I am unconvinced. Russia's calculations are based on Russian national interests, and I imagine their view on the appetite of NATO nations to get involved in Georgia is not far from mine.
NATO enlargement has always been tricky. Our desire to embrace the nations formerly under the Soviet boot did not necessarily mean we should have entered into treaty arrangements with them. I have no regard for the Russian regime and its thuglike conduct, but I am just as sure that I don't want to be involved in fighting them because Georgia's President couldn't keep his mouth shut.
NATO enlargement has always been tricky. Our desire to embrace the nations formerly under the Soviet boot did not necessarily mean we should have entered into treaty arrangements with them. I have no regard for the Russian regime and its thuglike conduct, but I am just as sure that I don't want to be involved in fighting them because Georgia's President couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Musharraf's Exit
I have thought in the past few years that no world leader faced as many challenges as Pakistan's Musharraf. He recognized from the start that he would have to ally with the US, even though such a move was wildly unpopular in his own country. His intelligence services are riven with Islamists who have reportedly aided Bin Laden's forces in the "ungoverned" regions of Pakistan. The man was in a tough spot, and I think that on the balance, he was a good and reliable partner for us.
Pakistan after Musharraf will not be a better place. Any attempt to become more popular with the Pakistani electorate appears to include moving away from the US.
Pakistan after Musharraf will not be a better place. Any attempt to become more popular with the Pakistani electorate appears to include moving away from the US.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
More on Wheelchairs and Airports
From a very learned friend:
"P.S. In economics as you likely know, they talk of the concept of adverse selection that focuses on the notion that when a subsidy or support is in place in a given organization for a given challenge, those with that challenge seem to overly populate that organization or entity. In the Navy, problem pregnancies and, more profoundly, families with exceptional health challenges are likely examples of this. In airports, the ready availability of wheelchairs and the services related likely lead to an uptick in those in need of a wheelchair. If you really want to see this in action as one of your commenters alluded to, go to Disney World where folks in wheelchairs are given accelerated access to rides with almost no limit on how many of their "family" they can take with them. Once again, I suspect many, many folks need this support and I am glad they get to enjoy the park but there is no doubt in my mind that there is a statistically significant increase in the use of wheelchairs when these "extra" benefits are in place."
"P.S. In economics as you likely know, they talk of the concept of adverse selection that focuses on the notion that when a subsidy or support is in place in a given organization for a given challenge, those with that challenge seem to overly populate that organization or entity. In the Navy, problem pregnancies and, more profoundly, families with exceptional health challenges are likely examples of this. In airports, the ready availability of wheelchairs and the services related likely lead to an uptick in those in need of a wheelchair. If you really want to see this in action as one of your commenters alluded to, go to Disney World where folks in wheelchairs are given accelerated access to rides with almost no limit on how many of their "family" they can take with them. Once again, I suspect many, many folks need this support and I am glad they get to enjoy the park but there is no doubt in my mind that there is a statistically significant increase in the use of wheelchairs when these "extra" benefits are in place."
Gender Differences in Investing
Fascinating read this morning on the differences in the way men and women invest their money. Surprise, surprise, men are less risk-averse (how often do you see women doing insanely risky things in everyday life? I mean, they are simply much smarter than we are). But in investing, risk equals reward, so there is a chance that women's conservatism leaves money on the table.
I found it interesting to see toward the end of the story, that mixed gender investment clubs actually did better than single gender. Wisdom of the crowd at work?
I found it interesting to see toward the end of the story, that mixed gender investment clubs actually did better than single gender. Wisdom of the crowd at work?
Major Shortage in the Army
Interesting article this morning on the shortage of Majors in the US Army. Lots of folks leaving the Army after multiple pumps in "the suck" (Iraq, Afghanistan) is leaving headquarters staffs short of the people they need to plan and execute operations.
I head a bit of this first hand during my recent trip to Fort Sill. One of my friends (not the guy I went to see) is also a brigade commander (Colonel level command), and when I asked him his major challenge, he said without hesitation "people." When I asked him to elaborate, he began to count out the "gapped" billets on his staff, many of which would be filled (in a better resourced Army) with Majors.
This is a tough one to crack. The Army is tired. But nothing soothes the martial soul like victory, and our Army is winning the war it is fighting. Along the way, we are creating a generation of warriors with unmatched combat experience, folks who will serve the nation well for years to come. I think the Army will get past this point in a few years, once Iraq begins to truly become less of a concern.
I head a bit of this first hand during my recent trip to Fort Sill. One of my friends (not the guy I went to see) is also a brigade commander (Colonel level command), and when I asked him his major challenge, he said without hesitation "people." When I asked him to elaborate, he began to count out the "gapped" billets on his staff, many of which would be filled (in a better resourced Army) with Majors.
This is a tough one to crack. The Army is tired. But nothing soothes the martial soul like victory, and our Army is winning the war it is fighting. Along the way, we are creating a generation of warriors with unmatched combat experience, folks who will serve the nation well for years to come. I think the Army will get past this point in a few years, once Iraq begins to truly become less of a concern.
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