Sunday Photos 4/24/11

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,

 “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 

He is not here; he has risen!"

He is risen indeed.

Memorial, 4/19

The blast in Oklahoma City claimed the lives of 168 people, 

including 19 children under the age of 6.

Sunday Photos 4/17/11

Drought

 Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City

Evergreen

Henderson, Indiana

Today's Top 10: Injury Bugs

Top 10 strangest injuries and ailments that will put Major League Baseball players on the disabled list this year:

10. Heffa Lumps


9.  Check Swing Dribbler


8.  Tommy Jaundice


7.  Wii Knee


6.  Pulled Pork


5.  Unleaded Gas


4.  Magic Jack


3.  Helmet Itch


2.  Liver 'n Onions


1.  Hanging Curveballs

It's April 12. Where will we go tomorrow?

Today marks the anniversary of a couple of important events in the history of space flight.  On this date in 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first person to travel into outer space.  Also on this date, in 1981 John Young and Robert Crippen flew Columbia on the first Space Shuttle launch.  I believe it is only right that we salute these pioneers, the ones that take the first, dangerous steps of a journey so that we may follow.  The men and women that faced the challenges of exploring that new frontier will always have a special place in my heart.

The Wright brothers made the first powered flight in 1903.  Less than 58 years later man orbited the earth.  Only 8 years passed before Armstrong walked on the moon.  And just 20 years after our first small foray into space a re-usable space plane went to work.  I grew up during the space race.  After watching the phenomenal achievements of both the US and Russian space programs, it seemed only natural that our progress would continue to accelerate.  While we might not get to Jupiter in 2001,  in 1970 I was certain that in the far off future of 2011 we would certainly have visited Mars, and have a regular presence on the moon.

Not quite.  Next year NASA will retire the shuttle fleet with no solid plans to replace it.  I understand the arguments against spending money on exploration when we have plenty of problems here at home.  I just fear that if we cease to look outward we will have lost an opportunity to take important steps in our journey as humans. An opportunity that will take a generation to regain.

Sunday Photos 4/10/11

To go along with my recent focus on politics and to also note the upcoming tax filing deadline, here are some shots from our nation's capital.

Don't blame the bus

Not surprisingly, given the current situation in Washington DC, I am hearing comments again about how the system is broken.  Some even say it is beyond repair.  I disagree with this notion.  I think blaming "the system" for our current troubles is like blaming the bus for being late when the driver oversleeps.

I listened to an interview today of a historian of government policy (whose name unfortunately escaped me).  He said the USA is apparently unique in the world in its ability to put itself in the situation of shutting down the government almost completely, which greatly puzzles his friends around the world.  When asked how he explains this oddity, he said he tells his friends that the government in America was, in a way, designed not to work.  Our founders were so afraid of centralized power after their escape from the clutches of King George that the government they formed would be extremely difficult to command entirely by one person or faction.  This makes it fairly likely that situations like today's would crop up now and again.

Sounds about right to me.
Which brings me back to our bus.  When we hire responsible, intelligent drivers the bus gets us where we need to go pretty nicely.  But it would seem we haven't been careful enough about who we've put behind the wheel lately.  And so if there's anything in or system that needs some examination I think it would be how we go about deciding which gals and guys we let drive.  I hope to have moron more on that subject before the bus gets much further.

An Open Letter to The President

(It is with great hope that this letter reaches the person I voted for in 2008.  I am not at all certain of his whereabouts, but the last address I had was 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW)

The Honorable Barack Obama,
  With all due respect Mr. President, it is time to stop trying to win the hearts and minds of the Republican leadership.  There are proposals afoot that would have been laughed at as the ravings of the lunatic fringe not so long ago.  Your response has been to seek compromise and to work around the edges, instead of calling "Bu##sh##", and laying out a clear and strong counterpoint.
  I applaud your instinct to seek bipartisan solutions to our problems. In the long run that is the only way to make real, lasting progress.  But what you don't seem to understand is that the people in charge on the other side of the aisle right now are not interested at all in compromise and bipartisanship.  To put it bluntly, they hate you. There is nothing you can do or say to change their minds or to convince them that working with you in any way might help the country move forward.  So it's time to stop trying to get them on your side, even a little bit.  Forget about trying to win over the minority of people in this country that reflexively scream "Socialism!" at every word you say. It's time to say to Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Michelle Bachmann and Rand Paul, "You are just dead wrong."  It's time, Mr. President, to stand up for the millions and millions of people who voted for you.  It's time, Mr. President, to remind us that you are on our side.

Dr. King

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an 

inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. 

 Letter from the Birmingham Jail

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

"I Have a Dream" speech 

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Speech at the Mason Temple, April 3, 1968 

Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968

Intermission, plus Sunday Photos 4/3/11

Man, life in the real world really had me by the throat this week.  Or at least I let myself feel that way.  Stuff to do, NOW. Frustrations. Schedules. Expectations. Did I mention Frustrations?  I couldn't even let myself really enjoy the time I had scheduled for fun.  Bleh.  But today was different.  I didn't just sit on the couch.  My daughter and I got some painting done in her room, and I've accomplished a few minor tasks here and there.  But the day has had an entirely different feel from the rest of the week because I decided going in that today would be devoted to unwinding the tension that I had let myself get wrapped up in. A day of pausing to reflect upon how truly I am blessed, and to give thanks.  Which brings me to my point today.  Even if your beliefs don't place you in the Judeo-Christian fold, I think there is truth, and something to be gained by everyone, in the idea of Sabbath.  Call it Intermission or The Pause That Refreshes™if you prefer.  But no matter what you call it, or whether or not you include God in it, taking time to truly pause in your life to reflect, meditate, pray, or just be quiet is of tremendous value.  And if this was a great idea a couple thousand years ago, back before the technology of today that sometimes has such a tight grip on us, just think how much more important our Intermissions are today.  (Yeah, I wrote this blog entry today, but it was part of my Sabbath reflection. So there.)

On to the photos.
Some aviation related shots in honor of those of you still on the front lines "pushing tin".

Tango Golf.