Education: AHS Alma Mater

Click on the image to see it enlarged. There is a picture there of my door. Room 2307. Can't wait to move in!

I had to post this because it is really great. I am so psych'd about the school year coming up. Such a great thing to see the Alma Mater for the first time.

Alma Mater

We pledge our trust and honor,
Atascocita High;

With loyalty and courage,
Our wings spread to the sky;

We hold to our traditions,
Our unity is true;

And colors we wave proudly,
Red and white and blue;

Through rigor and through relevance,
Our purpose has no plight;

Through relationships with others,
Our future is so bright;

With liberty and freedom,
We'll rise up to the sky;

Our birthright is our tribute,
To soar as Eagles fly.

Very cool. I love the symbolism and the energy in it. Very well done.

Go Eagles!

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

My Life: Week of Training

This week Norma and I have been attending a training seminar on Gifted and Talented Students (GT). It goes Monday thru Friday from 8:30 to 3:30. The training the first three days has been really valuable. I am finding though that many of the strategies and techniques to use with these "gifted" kids are really effective for ANY students. They are things like co-operative work and differentiation (varying your teaching methods) and focusing on student centered products.

All teachers have to guard against students becoming too passive and just sitting there in class. In my class I often mix activities and do three or four different things each period. That keeps the kids on their toes. But, I fear I am not doing enough activities where the kids are actively engaged. So that has been a valuable part of the training for me.

I have also picked up a tip that I am definitely going to use: Name Cards. This is something that can help take the bias out of calling on students to answer questions. You put each student's name on an index card. After asking a question in class, you pull a card and that student will answer. This would help me greatly because too often I take answers from the same students with their "ohhh! ohhh!" hands in the air.

This method would be valuable as something I could do randomly. Obviously a good discussion oriented topic could be more free-flowing. But, index cards could help me during reviews and summary of what we have discussed. Too often I have honors students that just want to sit there and be told what to know. Then they will just spit it out on the test/quiz and never expend any energy to open their mouth. "Just tell me what I need to know." That's their mantra.

It will be neat to put some of these tips to the test this fall. I can't wait. Really it's all about a month away. We start back at school on August 7th. I have a few meetings in July that I will be attending at school so that will help ease me back into things.

Tomorrow we head back for more training at the ISC building. It's the Instructional Support Center. Really a beautiful building and a great place for teachers to get training and in-service. The building is pretty damn cold though. I'll be wearing layers again tomorrow. So I will freeze all day, go to lunch and roast in the 90 degree heat, come back and freeze for a few hours and then go out and bake again in the afternoon 95 degree sun. But, I can't complain, the training is free and valuable.

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

My Life: Insomnia and the "Beginner's Mind"

[Picture from PostSecret.blogspot.com]

Yep, still having trouble sleeping. Last night was awful. I didn't get to sleep until around 3:30am. Woke up at 6:30am. We needed to get to our first day of GT (Gifted and Talented) training. I was pretty bleary-eyed much of the day. Thankfully the training was pretty good. That's actually great news, seeing that we'll be going back each day the rest of the week.

As for the insomnia, I was able to fall asleep after reading some. I don't know why I haven't been trying that at first. Tonight if I struggle again I'll open my book back up and read. Hopefully that'll help. I have tried everything else. When this happens to me, my body is beat tired but my mind is wide awake. I ran 3 miles last night, 1.5 the night before. There was no doubt my body was ready for some sleep. But, my brain was active as could be.

BTW - I am reading (for probably the third time) a book called, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. Excellent stuff on the nature of Zen and what it means to keep your mind fresh. Attaining a "beginner's mind-set" and keeping it is a key to maintaining happiness I believe.

Quick Review: A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the koan books and answers your questions face to face. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers as recorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicy excerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience of the world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation, Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognition that our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, we dedicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaining anything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and we discover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to know our true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian Bruya

I don't consider myself a Buddhist, but keeping the mind fresh through meditation is a good thing. I have to make more time for it. Maybe that is my mind's way of reminding me... by keeping me up at all hours of the night?

There is no doubt that there are a few things I have to change about my summer to help this problem. #1 I need to start getting some things done that I have procrastinated with. #2 I need to get rid of this sinus infection. #3 I need to cut out my napping when the baby goes down in the afternoon.

I usually only get an hour or so in the afternoon, but most days I feel like I need it because I am not sleeping well at night. A bad cycle. Anyway, this week I won't be sleeping. With training all week, I will be quite busy. That should be good medicine for my insomnia.

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Education: Boy Crisis in Schools?

Study Casts Doubt On the 'Boy Crisis'

The Post article says that the crisis is not a crisis at all. Boys are doing as well as ever.

A number of articles have been written over the past year lamenting how boys have fallen behind. The new report, "The Truth About Boys and Girls," explains why some educators think this emphasis is misplaced and why some fear a focus on sex differences could sidetrack federal, state and private efforts to put more resources into inner-city and rural schools, where both boys and girls need better instruction.

"There's no doubt that some groups of boys -- particularly Hispanic and black boys and boys from low-income homes -- are in real trouble," Education Sector senior policy analyst Sara Mead says in the report. "But the predominant issues for them are race and class, not gender."

Interesting. As someone that taught 6 of the 8 World History Pre-AP (honors) sections of classes last year, I can say without a doubt that the girls are out performing the boys. Sure, it's my little corner of the world, but this much is true:
1) There are a lot more girls in AP and Pre-AP classes.
2) Girls score higher on their test on average than boys do.
3) Girls are far more likely to be outgoing and contribute to the class than boys.

Again, this is my own little corner of the educational world. Keep in mind, my school was very diverse. So I think we can throw the cultural, racial and social distinctions out for this issue.

What's to be done about it? I do think that boys are not pushed hard enough by their teachers to be active in their responsibilities towards their own education. It is something I have become more conscious of as I spend more time in the classroom. How do you force young men to keep up their end of the bargain? I guess it's by not letting them just sit there, kick back, and play it 'cool'.

This study just doesn't convince me. But, maybe I will see a difference this coming school year?

Aidan: Pointing on a chair, on a table

Aidan - on a chair, on a table [click for bigger version]
While Mom was getting a Sunday morning haircut, Aidan played upstairs. Daddy was on duty. Aidan came and grabbed me by the hand (he does this when he wants something). He pulled me over to his table and chairs. I grabbed the chair off the top of the table and set it under for him to sit and color. I figured that was what he wanted. NOoooo. He threw a fit. Lots of yelling and pointing. He wanted the chair where it was - on the table. And he wanted to sit in that chair, on the table.

Psycho kid. So I did what any Dad that spoils his kid would do. Put him in the chair. And I took a few pictures.

After he got his way he was ok with getting down and playing for the rest of our time upstairs. He is a crazy boy.
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Politics: Hitler or Coulter? Take the quiz

This is pretty interesting. Take the Quiz: Hitler or Culter, who said it?

It lists quotes from both of them. I did horribly wrong. I didn't realize Hitler said so many "liberal" things. I figured if it had the word liberal in there it must be Coulter. Woops.

They both did a masterful job of working the media. Afterall, Hitler was Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1939.

Coulter or Hitler?

1. "Liberals always get a lot of credit for suffering, while never actually being made to suffer."

2. "The foremost connoisseurs of this truth regarding the possibilities in the use of falsehood and slander have always been the liberals..."

Answer in the first comment.

Technorati Tags: Hitler, Coulter, Quiz, Politics

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Aidan: Video of a laughing baby

These are really dark, but really funny.



Chillin' on the couch on Vimeo



Watching Cartoons 1 on Vimeo

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Aidan: He is a coloring fool

Posted three new videos on the side panel. They are of one of Aidan's favorite pastimes - climbing and jumping. He is a jump on the bed fool.

He also is a coloring fool. He has taken to coloring quite well. Norma and I bought him a SpongeBob Squarepants giant coloring book. It's pretty cool. He is going to color one for me this summer and I am going to put it up in my new room at school. Can't wait to have his art work around my desk next year. That will make me smile for sure.


Two talents combined as one: Climbing and Coloring! [notice the coloring on the door behind him and on the couch to the right. click on the image to enlarge]

Aidan walked with me down the street to get the mail today. We have a community mailbox at the end of the street. I like that because it is locked with a key and there isn't a big bulky mailbox out in front of our home. Anyway, I told Aidan to hold my hand and he did about 3/4 of the way down to get the mail. Then little dude wanted to turn around and go back. So we did. Good idea though it started thundering and lightning and looked like it was about to rain.

It was so great to see him being a little independent dude. Sure, he was holding my hand, but he was walking all on his own and very disciplined. He usually wants to run through all of our neighbor's yards. When we got home we walked to the side of the house where Norma was in the kitchen and we knocked on the window. He had a ball playing peek-a-boy with his Mom through the blind.

Tomorrow we are going to drop him off for a few hours with his daycare sitter Mimi. Norma and I are going to take in a movie or get some lunch or something. It's a good idea because next week we have training all week for school and he'll be back with Mimi. It's been a solid month since he's seen her. We already know what she is going to say, "He's spoilt!" (in her fun Texas accent) He probably is quite spoiled being around us all day long. But, he is our only kid. Who else would we spoil? :)

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Politics: DICK says pulling out of Iraq would be 'the WORST thing we could do'

OK, this is getting kind of sick. Iraq did not have anything to do with 911. Can you understand that America? The terrorists that did 911 were led by Osama bin Laden. NOT Saddam. Why are we in Iraq? Because the President and his men convinced everyone that Iraq was going to get us with Weapons of Mass Destruction. (you know the ones we never found in Iraq)

Now Cheney is simply painting a picture that has already been debunked by common sense. If we don't stay the course in Iraq, then the battles in the Triangle of Death will be on American streets.

CNN.com - Cheney: Iraq pullout 'worst possible thing we could do' - Jun 22, 2006: "Neither an immediate or phased withdrawal would confer any protection on the United States, Cheney said. 'If we pull out, they'll follow us,' he said of terrorists.

'It doesn't matter where we go. This is a global conflict. We've seen them attack in London and Madrid and Casablanca and Istanbul and Mombasa and East Africa. They've been, on a global basis, involved in this conflict.

'And it will continue -- whether we complete the job or not in Iraq -- only it'll get worse. Iraq will become a safe haven for terrorists. They'll use it in order to launch attacks against our friends and allies in that part of the world.'"

If that is the case Dick, then the U.S. made it that way. There were no terrorists in Iraq before the war. And the "terrorists" make up a small percentage of those that are fighting against us in Iraq. Many are Iraqi people that just want us to leave.

Congress has voted this past week to continue the war with complete uncertainty. They have also rejected any kind of time table. The Dems had a number of different proposals on pullouts for staggering them and starting in Winter 2006 and even some saying we'd be out by July 2007.

That's not good enough for Cheney. Why?

Do you really think that Iraqi people are going to come to the streets of New York, LA, and Chicago and strike at us when we leave? C'mon! They will be dancing in the streets. The violence in their country will stop.

As for other terrorists (you know, that guy named bin Laden that we have yet to catch), sure we are going to have to go find them and hunt them down. We probably should have been doing that all along. Oh yeah, and that country called North Korea might be a place to concentrate on... oh yeah, and Iran. You know Iran, it's the country that is spelled a lot like Iraq, but the last letter is different.

Is there any chance these clowns just misspelled Iran and went after the wrong country?

Technorati Tags: Iran, Iraq, North Korea, DICK Cheney, Bush, Politics, War

Picasa Web Albums

Picasa Web Albums

Thought I would give this new software a whirl. Pretty easy so far for me with no problems. I had to send an email to get my picasa web album setup because it is in beta and is new. That took about a week. This is all through Google. So it uses my Google email address for my ID.

I loaded up the pictures from school and put a link on my school blog to it. It was easy to do through Picasa, just selected that folder that I wanted to upload and then hit the button at the bottom that said "Web Album". Logged in and presto it uploaded.

Not a lot of space for photos though. 250 Megs I believe. Yet we get 2 gigs for email? Kind of odd and you would think it would be the opposite. Maybe it will improve in the future.

I still like buzznet for pictures at this point. But, with Google's Picasa web album I can make the pictures much bigger with their original pixel and size. That is nice for really good pictures.

Anyone else out there using Picasa web albums yet?

Technorati Tags: Picasa, Google, Web Album

What a difference a year makes

I was just e-mailing my sister Aimee and commenting about next summer. Aidan is going to be in her wedding. We are very excited. She has also asked me to walk her down the aisle with my brother Terry. It occurred to me that this might be my only shot to do something like that in this life. There is no way I could pass it up.

We may only have one child. And if we do have another there is a great chance it will be another boy. In Norma's family the two other girls only have boys. Her sister in PA has two boys and her sister in OK has two boys. Her Mom always told her that's just the way it is. And Her Mom was correct that Aidan would be a boy. I was positive I would have a girl. I should have known to just ask Norma's Mom and go with her choice. She was always right.

So tonight as I wrote my sister back I realized that next summer (wedding is in June) Aidan will be two and a half and talking. He'll also probably be even crazier than he is now (which is hard to imagine). It will be so awesome to hear him talking. I can not wait.

It got me thinking about how much difference a year makes.

May 30, 2005:


June 17, 2006:


Look at those two... boy am I lucky!
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Walking Around Money

Bumped into this story on Anderson Cooper 360 Blog. AC360 Blog is a place where the contributors to the show on CNN share some wisdom about their stories. This one caught my eye: Going Carless to Save the Planet- Posted by Randi Kaye

the Durning family has stopped spewing greenhouse gases from a car and now commutes mostly by foot, bus or bike. Once in a while, they'll splurge and rent a hybrid car for $8 an hour. These are cars that neighbors can share once they buy into the "flex car" rental plan. ... Alan figures his family is saving the planet about 4,000 pounds of pollution this year, since he says most cars emit roughly their own weight in pollution. He says it can only help what is a worsening situation in his part of the country.

Experts say the snow pack in the Cascade Mountains, which are just east of Seattle, has diminished by about 50 percent over the past 50 years. As temperatures rise, more precipitation falls as rain instead of snow. Snow sticks around longer, giving a steadier supply of water. Rain doesn't help as much.

The story is pretty wild. The family says it has lost about 10 lbs a piece because they are now walking everywhere. They run errands with a baby stroller.

Do you think you could really do this for a year? (leave a comment to let me know)

I know we couldn't. Getting the baby to day care for one would not be possible. If we rode a bike to work it would be over a 20 mile ride. It just simply isn't possible.

But, it does make me think harder about our next vehicle and making it a hybrid at least. We probably won't need a new car for a long time though. By the time we are ready to buy, 5 years at least, I would think technology would be even better than it is today. We are seeing some strides towards energy efficiency with vehicles, but it still isn't where it needs to be. But, the more people that buy these hybrids the better the chance car companies are going to invest in building them.

I also realized yet again that people in Seattle sure seem progressive. You hear a lot about the Pacific Northwest and the connection they have to their environment and making it better. I can only hope these ideas spread to Texas.

Technorati Tags: Environment, Randi Kaye, Anderson Cooper, Seattle

80s Music for Norma & Chili Peppers Review: Stadium Arcadium

I am posting this for my beautiful wife Norma. Although I know she will love it, there may be a few others of you out there that do too.

I love the 80s. Over 1,400 Music Videos from the 1980s

Kinda funny though. Norma was listening to my iPod while running on the treadmill and said that she runs better with the hard music. She specifically mentioned a rock'n tune by Korn. :)

She loves the 80s though. Good for her. I have since moved on.

An album I can't stop listening to is the new one from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Awesome 28-song, double cd set. Really great stuff. Check it out sometime.

Hey I just realized... these guys got started playing in 1983... so they fit my theme here with 80s music for my wife. :) No wonder she likes this album, too!

There are some really good hits on this album that you just can't get out of your head. Snow (Hey Oh) is one of them. The whole, "Hey Oh, Listen what I say-Oh" just rolls around in my head after I hear the song. For hours.

Slow Cheetah and Desecration Smile are catchy, too. They recorded all the songs in the same mansion as 1991's BloodSugarSexMagik. You can almost hear echos of that great album throughout this double cd. The songs are multi-layered and loaded with guitar and melody. It's the kind of double-cd set that I will be listening to for a long time because I hear new things each time I listen.

Flea's bass is great as always, but the star of the show is John Frusciante the guitarist. Amazing stuff. He is a magician with that axe. I don't know how Frusciante is going to be able to do all of these guitar solos when they finally start touring on this album. He will be exhausted if he does them all. There is no greater example than the kick-butt solo at the end of Dani California. Wow. It could be it's own song on it's own merits. BTW - the video for Dani is histerical. Check it out below:


Classic. You get the Peps dressed as Elvis, The Beatles, Kiss, Nirvana, Pearl Jam/Green Day, Elton John, Poison, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix. There are probably other references that I could be missing! Pretty funny and well directed.

Technorati Tags: 80s music videos, Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

My Life: Doctor Visit

Went to the Doc today to get updated prescriptions and I had a quick question for her about a little congestion I have. She takes a look. A second later, "You have a sinus infection." Little did I know. I have been coughing up some crap, but feel just fine. Nothing compared to what I was like all of last year.

So now I am taking an antibiotic for 21 days. She said to give it 14 days and see how I am feeling. She asked if I have ever been diagnosed with "chronic sinusitis"... I just gave her a blank stare like, "Lady this is my 5th or 6th sinus infection in the past two years, yeah, seems chronic to me." But, of course I haven't been diagnosed with that. In fact, they always say, "It's just a new sinus infection."

Same crap to me. Whether it is new or not, they don't seem to go away.

I am refusing to stop working out though. Ran my mile and a 1/2 tonight and worked out on the bowflex. I will drink more fluids, flush my sinuses, and get a little more sleep. Other than that... my body needs to start healing itself. Maybe if I say it out loud like a mantra it will work?

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports: Just a couple of days until the Rocket Returns

Looking forward to Thursday night when Roger Clemens returns for the Astros. This is a much needed boost. I just hope that somehow it delivers the energy to Minute Maid and to the team that gives us a shot the rest of the way.

Our performance this weekend against the Royals was a real disapointment. We need to start making some hay and putting series away. 2 out of 3 is the key. Keep winning series and before long things are turned in your favor.

This will be a fun team to watch. They have lived through the heat of the playoff race so many times before. I know they can do it again.

A boost from the greatest living pitcher on the planet will help get us going!

Technorati Tags: Houston Astros, Roger Clemens, Baseball, MLB

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Quote: Lee Iacocca

In a completely rational society, the best of us would aspire to be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsiblity anyone could have.

Lee Iacocca

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Father's Day 2006

Father's Day 2006 was going to be a very hard day. That is easy to understand. It is the first Father's Day without my father. Since he passed away early this year it has been a struggle. I knew this day would really be hard.

But, it was a lot better than I expected. That was because of my beautiful wife and awesome son. First, Norma let me sleep in, which is a pretty rare thing. Having a 19 month old makes sleeping in pretty difficult (but the afternoon nap is a nice thing). Norma also made muffins for breakfast, which tasted great.

Aidan brought me a present over to me. He seemed to know it was Father's Day and was real excited to see me. I credit Norma for pumping him up on the whole deal. So we opened
...this blog entry interrupted by baby laptime as Aidan wanted to watch Backyardigans from my chair...
Anyway, Aidan brought me the gift bag and we opened the cards. Then he ran off with my t'shirt that Norma got me before I could open the bag. He finally brought it back and smiled while I opened it. It was a brown t'shirt from Target that says, "Cool Daddy" with snoopy on it. Pretty nice. So I wore it all day yesterday. I was going to wear my Steelers Super Bowl T'Shirt to remember my Dad, but this was better and put me in a better mood. (I have the Steeler shirt on today)

We went to the mall to let Aidan run around and burn some energy. He had a ball as usual. It's our Sunday ritual. Then we came home and made a little lunch and all had a nice nap. (I didn't get to bed until super late the night before... just couldn't sleep)

After we woke up and had a nice dinner we went to Starbucks for a treat. You know you are addicted to Starbucks when the lady behind the barista knows your order before you say it. This time I asked for a tall cup with whipped cream in it for Aidan. That made his day! He was pumped to eat whipped cream out of a cup.

Then after Aidan got to bed it was workout time for Norma and I. We both had long runs scheduled. She runs on the treadmill and watches the baby monitor and I take to the streets. Running at night is really the only option in June here in Houston. It is Africa Jungle hot! I went 3.5 miles and Norma ran 2. We are really starting to get back into pretty good shape. Whew, we really needed to. We have worked out every other day for the past month. (pats himself on the back)

Today I take the car in for tires and an alignment. Ouch it's going to crush me in the wallet. But, we'll live.

Once our monsoon rains stop here in Houston I need to cut the grass. It's growing like crazy with the heat and all this rain.

Next week Norma and I have training for Gifted and Talented all week. So it'll be back to work, kinda. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about school next year and I am super pumped about the new school opening.

I just wish my Dad could have seen the school. He would have really been excited for us. But, I wish he could have seen a lot of things this year. Including Father's Day. He deserved many, many more days for us to show him how much we loved him.

Now I know how Norma felt this year on Mother's Day.
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

My Life: Open Nest at AHS

Saturday was "Open Nest" at our new high school. It was open house. But, for the home of the Eagles... you gotta go with "Open Nest." It was really great to see a bunch of my kids from last year there. Many of them were tour guides. Aidan didn't really let us go through a conventional tour. We didn't really need one, so we walked around and saw some of the things we hadn't yet seen.

Today was a real milestone date on the calendar for me. It is the first time the public can see the school and another step towards starting the most anticipated school year that we have had in a long, long time. I took my camera along to show my family some photos back in PA. I really wish everyone could have seen it in person, it is much more impressive that way, of course.

The pictures turned out great. I already have one of the pictures of Aidan and I posted on my classroom website. It is awesome because the school is right behind us. A really good picture for my front page of my site. [shown below]




This is a picture looking at the library from the front entrance of the school. You can see the picture better by clicking on it and enlarging it. On the wall it says, "Learning for Life through Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships", we'll be seeing a lot more of that in the coming years in education. It's the new 3 R's.

I spent a lot of time posting the pictures to my photo site: Fordee@Buzznet - click here to see it.. I also spent a lot of time writing captions for each of the photos under the comments. Please take a couple of mintues to check out the pictures. They are really amazing. I tried to explain all the little things and nice extras that this new school has. It really is hard for me to believe that we'll be there next fall. I can't wait.

It was a rainy day but all was dry inside our new beautiful school. We also found out where our rooms will be and what our schedules look like (at this point they can change). My room is #2307. It is awesome to be able to visualize where I will be working next year. I now know the layout of the room, what the desks look like, and I can start deciding how I will arrange things. It will probably be frustrating to wait the rest of the summer to get started. But, I will enjoy the time off before a very busy and hectic year begins in August.

Hope you enjoy the pictures. They were a lot of fun to take. If you haven't been inside a school in a long time, check out the pictures. They will blow you away. This school is the most beautiful educational building I have ever been in. And Norma and I will have the pleasure of spending many years working there. Hard to believe!


--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports: Boxing Taylor vs. Wright Fight a Draw

Real good fight tonight between Ronald "Winky" Wright and Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor. The fight was a lot better than most had expected just months ago. Taylor was the champ but many considered him unpolished and raw. His new trainer made a huge difference and he was up for the fight round after round.

The fight had an ebb and flow to it that was really interesting. The fighters seemed to trade rounds. The final round started with both fighters basically in a dead heat. But, Winky Wright had changed his posture in the fight and stopped pressing Taylor. Believing he was up on points and cruising to a victory he failed to really dominate the final round and one of the judges gave it to Taylor.

The result was a draw. Taylor retains his belt. No question that in 3 or 4 months there will be a rematch. I can't wait to see it again. This is a very entertaining duo and they both showed well throughout the fight. I believe if the head butt against Taylor (that was unintentional) that closed his left eye never occured, he would have won the fight. But, being what it was... Wright simply can not be excused for refusing to sprint to the finish line and flurry Taylor with punches in the final round. It was a disappointing end to a fascinating fight.

As usual HBO coverage was awesome. Jim Lampley might just be the best play-by-play announcer in all of sports. He was surrounded tonight by two boobs at ringside, but still shined in the call of this one.

Taylor-Wright II? Bring it on.

Technorati Tags: Ronald "Winky" Wright, Jermain Taylor, HBO, Boxing, Middleweight Championship
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports: Boxing Taylor vs. Wright Tomorrow Night

HBO: Boxing: Event: Jermain Taylor vs. Winky Wright: FIGHT PREVIEW: TAYLOR VS. WRIGHT

Big HBO fight tomorrow night. No pay-per-view on this one, which is awesome. It should be a classic fight because of the matchup and because of the skill and determination of these two guys.

Winky Wright is a defensive specialist and by-the-book boxer with great skills. Jermain Taylor is the young stud with physical talents far beyond Wright's. But, will wisdom and workmanship beat youth and strength?

I think I am going to be rooting for Winky. This is his last big fight he is 50-3. The end of the road is coming near for him. He has waited a long time to get a big shot like this and I'd like to see him capitalize on it.

BUT, Taylor is a young lion. He has always been wild and out of control. His new trainer may have tamed him though. Team Taylor switched to Emanuel Steward "Trainer of Champions" and they put Taylor in Kronk Gym in Detroit to go old school. It just might be exactly what Taylor needed to become a solid champ.

Most thought his two wins against Bernard Hopkins were lathargic. But...

Taylor is younger, bigger, stronger, has the homecourt advantage and now has had verified that he fared even better against Hopkins than many of his critics had given him credit for...

That's because Hopkins looked great against Tarver last week. That fight will air right before the big fight tomorrow night between Winky and "Bad Intentions" Taylor. So this will be interesting to watch BHop dismantle Tarver and realize that Taylor beat BHop TWICE.

It will be fun to watch.

On a weekend that is a little tough for me with Father's Day on Sunday... it sure is nice to have a big fight to tune into on Saturday night and take my mind off my Dad. I really miss him.

Technorati Tags: Boxing, Ronald Winky Wright, Jermain Bad Intentions Taylor, HBO

Colbert: Asks Congressman To Recite the 10 commandments...

Check this out: Colbert's Better Know A District

Stephen Colbert interviewed "do nothing" Congressman. The guy has never introduced a bill. Lynn Westmoreland (R) from Georgia's 8th district also thinks we should get rid of the Education Department. Stephen also bates him into saying he wants to eliminate Social Security.

This is probably the funniest bit that Colbert has done in a long time.

The kicker is when he talks to the Congressman about the 10 Commandments. Westmoreland has fought for putting the 10 Commandments in public places, like courthouses. Stephen asks him if he can think of ANY other building that would be better to put the 10 Commandments in... he can't think of any. Then he hits him with the big question: "What are the 10 Commandments?" He couldn't list them.

Amazing. Why do these congressmen even give him the chance to rip them a new one?

Technorati Tags: Stephen Colbert, Colbert Report, Lynn Westmoreland, Politics, Humor
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports and Africa: Right to Play in Zambia

ESPN.com - Right to Play in Zambia

This is a really great website with a lot of information about what is happening in Africa. Zambia is a terrible place, but the people at Right to Play are making it better.

This is a great charity. They are using sports to get kids in Africa to feel better about themselves. Then they teach them about Aids and ways to cope with the problems kids have to deal with on the dark continent.

We need more programs like this. Take a second to watch the video on the site. It is really something to see the program in action. Big props to US Olympians Joey Cheeks and Jenny Thompson for their work in Zambia.

Technorati Tags: Olympics, Joey Cheeks, Jenny Thompson, AIDS, Africa, Right to Play, Sports

Instant Message Me

I have been wanting to put a link in my blog that would enable people to shoot me an instant message. There really isn't a good method for it. Some people use yahoo!, others MSN, some AIM. I use something called Trillian. It combines all of the chatting protocols into one application. It is simply super. Have used it for years. I highly recommend it. I love it because I can communicate with all of my friends. Not just those in yahoo-land or microsoft-chatting universe.

Here are my account names:
yahoo! --> d4vidd0ez
MSN ---> d4vidd0ez@hotmail.com
AIM ---> d4vidd0ez

As you can see, I tried to keep the names the same. It's just my name with a 40 subbed in there. For the an "A" in David there is a "4" and for the "U" in my last name there is a "0" (zero).

Shoot me a message sometime if you have something to say or want to say hello.

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Political Cartoon: The Iraq Dance Marathon

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports: Astros sweep Cubs for fourth straight win

Chron.com | Astros sweep Cubs for fourth straight win

My streaky Astros are streaking in the right direction right now. They are really playing well. 4 in a row. 7 wins in their last 8. Awesome.

With Clemens and Backe due to come back soon, this could really be the start of something. The real story has not been the arrival of Clemens but the demotion of Wily Taveras and the ascension of one Mr. Chris Burke to centerfield and everyday starter. Burke started at 2nd today (his future home when Biggio retires) and the vet Biggio took a day off.

Burke has been just awesome. He is a gutty player that just does everything by the book and full speed. I am absolutely loving watching him everyday. He was Mr. Super Sub last year and played a lot of LF at the end of the year. Of course, he is well known for his huge Crawford Box homer to win the Braves series in the playoffs.

I still think this lineup leaves a lot to be desired. We lack any production from SS at the plate. And the corner outfield spots have been terrible. Hopefully Lane and Wilson will keep their bats going. Over the past week they have been hot.

This is fun when summer heats up and your hometown team does at the same time. We are closing the gap on the hated Cardinals.

"Believe the Buzz!"

Technorati Tags: Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Chris Burke, Sports, Baseball

American deaths in Iraq reach 2,500 mark - Yahoo! News

American deaths in Iraq reach 2,500 mark - Yahoo! News

2,500

When is enough just enough?


Technorati Tags: Iraq, Bush, 2500

Aidan: Video from the Petting Zoo

Old Mac's Farm - Humble, Texas on Vimeo

We went to the Old MacDonald's Farm petting zoo in Humble, Texas this week. Aidan had a really good time running around and checking out the animals.



Feeding the Pigs at Old Mac's Farm on Vimeo

It was pretty hot out. We didn't stay very long, maybe an hour and a 1/2. But, it was worth it. He was excited to see the deer, ducks, sheep, goats, cows, peacocks, pigs, rabbits, and horses.



At Old MacDonald's Farm on Vimeo

I am sure we'll go back again when he is bigger. Next time he can go on a pony ride.

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Aidan: Funnin' Pictures

A few random snapshots from this week...

While Mom is on her laptop, our little guy is a having a smiling good time


I call it a "Hat-strainer"... Aidan calls it cool!


Gansta-strainer


Silly boy.


The look of excitement


--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Quote: Einstein - Creativity

The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
- Albert Einstein

Isn't that what blogging is all about? I read blogs all day long that steal a little from there and borrow a little from here. It is actually a bit of an artform for some. I think that is why some blogs are very successful in the end though, because what they have is special and isn't capable of being copied or stolen.

In my case, it's hard to copy or steal Aidan. He is definitely the star of this little acre of the Internet. The rest of what I put on here is probably mostly bull. He is where it's at though.

More pictures & video to come in a few minutes.

--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Roethlisberger injured in accident - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Roethlisberger injured in accident - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

This is one of the dumbest stories I've seen in a long time. Super Bowl XXX winning QB Ben Rothlisberger crashed head first into an oncoming car's windshield this morning. no helmet. How stupid!

He is in serious condition now and is in surgery. I hope he is okay, recovers and learns his lesson. His face could become the poster boy for wearing your helmet though.

Do any of my readers actually ride a bike w/o a helmet? In Texas and in PA it is not against the law to ride without a helmet. But, it does seem to be against common sense and absolutely retarded when you consider how many millions of dollars Mr. Rothlisberger may have given up today. If he is not able to return to football... wow!

Just so stupid.



This was a big story during his rookie year and it was probably one of the most talked about new stories that entire year in Pittsburgh media. All the warnings have come true. I remember having conversations with my Dad about this. I can't get over how irresponsible this is.

But, people do what they want. And how many times do you see accidents caused by folks who know better? Too often. For Steeler fans, this is going to be a tough day until they know how he is.



Let's just hope he is okay enough to continue his profession, learn his lesson and be someone that changes his ways. But, it may not be soon enough for the 2006-2007 season. It's right around the corner.

Technorati Tags: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, Motorcycle, Accident, NFL, Football

Roethlisberger injured in accident - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Roethlisberger injured in accident - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

This is one of the dumbest stories I've seen in a long time. Super Bowl XXX winning QB Ben Rothlisberger crashed head first into an oncoming car's windshield this morning. no helmet. How stupid!

He is in serious condition now and is in surgery. I hope he is okay, recovers and learns his lesson. His face could become the poster boy for wearing your helmet though.

Do any of my readers actually ride a bike w/o a helmet? In Texas and in PA it is not against the law to ride without a helmet. But, it does seem to be against common sense and absolutely retarded when you consider how many millions of dollars Mr. Rothlisberger may have given up today. If he is not able to return to football... wow!

Just so stupid.

Technorati Tags: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, Motorcycle, Accident, NFL, Football

Quote: HG Wells

Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
-HG Wells

track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com

Sports: The Executioner Executes Perfectly

I haven't seen the fight yet, and I am really hoping it comes on HBO soon. Bernard Hopkins did something last night that no fighter in the history of Boxing accomplished. He moved up two weight classes to Light Heavy from Middleweight. And he won. Hopkins beat Tarver in a unanimous decision to take the Light Heavyweight Title and exit the sport. BHop Retired on top.

I really want to see this fight. But, there was no way I was going to shell out pay-per-view money to do it. I could have gone to a sports bar, but decided against it. Hopefully it will re-air on HBO in the next couple of weeks.

The result of the fight surprised me. I had expected Tarver to knock him out. But, I underestimated the defensive wizard in Bernard Hopkins. His 20 consecutive Middleweight title defenses is a record that may never be broken. And what he accomplished Saturday night will live on in the history of boxing.

Tonight I watched an HBO special presentation of Hagler-Leonard. I remember a little of their rivalry, but I didn't have HBO in 1986 to see this one and only fight between these two great champions. Leonard beat Marvelous Marvin in a very close and controversial fight. Sugar had been retired for years and finally came back to take a shot at Marvin who had won 11 straight title defenses of his Middleweight crown. After the fight, Marvin retired to Italy never to be heard from again.

I have really enjoyed getting back into boxing. And I have the Xbox 360 and Fight Night Round 3 to thank for that. It is a great game. It is also a frustrating one. I am learning the sweet science through the game like I have never understood it before. Playing live online is a challenge. So many different fighters and styles and so many great players. Most are cheap and use some questionable tactics. I am 50-65 online. Not a sterling record. The losses just kill you. The wins don't seem so sweet. It's strange. But, it is a lot like coaching. I was so bothered by losing, and winning never seemed as sweet as the bitter loss would sting.

When NCAA Football 07 comes out next month (July 18th) I will probably shelve my copy of Fight Night 3 for a while. I am a football addict on video games. Ever since I bought a Sega and the early Madden games back in the early 1990s. NCAA 07 looks awesome. But, the coverboy image of #5 Reggie Bush might bother me quite a bit. He would have looked great in a Texans uniform. Regardless, I will be rooting for him to do well with the Saints. Afterall they are just down the road from Houston and are kind of a sister team. And I will be rooting real hard for #90 Mario Williams on the Texans to beat up on Payton Manning and the Colts. The Texans still haven't climbed that mountain and defeated Indy yet. Maybe 2006 is the year for that?
Technorati Tags: Boxing, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tarver, Bernard Hopkins, Payton Manning, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Mario Williams, Reggie Bush
--
track the comments on this entry at co.mments.com