I don't know if any of you use an RSS reader (or use Google's customizable home page) but if you do, I found a pretty cool site that will allow you to input your calendar and then view it in your RSS reader. This is what my home page looks like (the red circle is around the RSS Calendar...click on the image to see a larger version). Each one of the calendar entries is linked to a page with more specific info about the event. Since I spend all day at my computer, seeing my calendar everytime I open an internet browser has helped me stay on track.
RSS Calendar
I don't know if any of you use an RSS reader (or use Google's customizable home page) but if you do, I found a pretty cool site that will allow you to input your calendar and then view it in your RSS reader. This is what my home page looks like (the red circle is around the RSS Calendar...click on the image to see a larger version). Each one of the calendar entries is linked to a page with more specific info about the event. Since I spend all day at my computer, seeing my calendar everytime I open an internet browser has helped me stay on track.
Yay or Nay?
Putting a picture of yourself on the stamp (which you can do by going to this website) that you use to send out your engagement announcement cards? Putting your picture on stamps in general (for non-nuptial purpose)?
Who is ready for Halloween?
I have to admit, I am not a big fan of Halloween. Call me the Halloween grinch if you must, but I think it is an annoying holiday. Kids ringing your door bell all night, begging for candy, obnoxious teenagers smashing pumpkins and leaving messes all over the place...BAH HUMBUG! :-PI do like to eat pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie...maybe I'll get a pie after school...
Anyway, what are your family's Halloween traditions? Or are you like me and keep the door locked and the porch light off?
SHT Sports
good morning
reset your clocks
again congratulations to the SOX for a great wire to wire run. the sox won their first game of the year 1-0 and the 4th game of the WS 1-0. they swept last years champs, took out the angels 4-1 and swept the astros (all three of which are clad in red). i talked to richard from chicago and he said that the city was going crazy. richard would love to hear about parade day. what a sight that must have been along wacker and the river.....
also, unlike many fans, the sox fans behaved well in their celebration. they acted as if they have been their before.
illinois university was placed on probation by the ncaa. alumni looking for a way to win.
i noticed the last set of contributions from the fans of SHT Sports that was inspired by this award winning post. talk of safe sex, condoms and frugality. you are so versatile.
chapman 13-23 laverne
chicago 42-3 bethany
columbia 3-37 yale
illinois 24-41 wisconsin (15)
sdsu 20-23 tcu (20)
ucla (8) 30-27 stanford
overall record 20-25. only ucla has a winning record. however the maroons of chicago are
on a 3 game winning streak.
another fourth quarter come from behind win for the bruins. stanford was up by 21 before succumbing to the powerhouse of the UC system. after all the cardinal spotted uc davis 17 before losing by 3.
usc crushed washington state, 55-13.
texas did a bruin spotting their opponent a lot of points before winning. this year is shaping up in a very interesting way.
im not a big hockey fan. frankly watching hockey should be boycotted by the fans. after players and owners abused their sport last year. however, i truly enjoyed the mal-treatment dished out in colorado against todd of bertuzzi. i cant believe this scum is allowed to play until the player he maimed can play....i hope all fans everywhere boo him loudly.....
reset your clocks
again congratulations to the SOX for a great wire to wire run. the sox won their first game of the year 1-0 and the 4th game of the WS 1-0. they swept last years champs, took out the angels 4-1 and swept the astros (all three of which are clad in red). i talked to richard from chicago and he said that the city was going crazy. richard would love to hear about parade day. what a sight that must have been along wacker and the river.....
also, unlike many fans, the sox fans behaved well in their celebration. they acted as if they have been their before.
illinois university was placed on probation by the ncaa. alumni looking for a way to win.
i noticed the last set of contributions from the fans of SHT Sports that was inspired by this award winning post. talk of safe sex, condoms and frugality. you are so versatile.
chapman 13-23 laverne
chicago 42-3 bethany
columbia 3-37 yale
illinois 24-41 wisconsin (15)
sdsu 20-23 tcu (20)
ucla (8) 30-27 stanford
overall record 20-25. only ucla has a winning record. however the maroons of chicago are
on a 3 game winning streak.
another fourth quarter come from behind win for the bruins. stanford was up by 21 before succumbing to the powerhouse of the UC system. after all the cardinal spotted uc davis 17 before losing by 3.
usc crushed washington state, 55-13.
texas did a bruin spotting their opponent a lot of points before winning. this year is shaping up in a very interesting way.
im not a big hockey fan. frankly watching hockey should be boycotted by the fans. after players and owners abused their sport last year. however, i truly enjoyed the mal-treatment dished out in colorado against todd of bertuzzi. i cant believe this scum is allowed to play until the player he maimed can play....i hope all fans everywhere boo him loudly.....
Sad, Sad Day at the Mount House
Last night while we were watching the Kings Hockey game, Thai was sitting on my lap being her normal lovable self, when she jumped down from the bed to play with Blossom and apparantly suffered from a heart attack and died.
There was no warning, no symptoms no advanced notice. She was only 4 years old and appeared healthy and happy.
Needless to say, my dearest Irvie is devistated, as is Rachel. We were all shocked.
Thai was Marilyn's favorite kitty and a loyal and true companion.
Please lend us your support and comforting thoughts, we need them...
RM
PS... Irvie, i am so sorry, i know how much you loved that kitty... I did too...
Record Setting Day For Guitarists?
Guitarists will try to break a record with the song "Smoke On The Water."
Melbourne,Australia -- What does it take to break a world record? Two-thousand guitarists jamming out to "Smoke On The Water."
The Hard Rock Cafe in Melbourne, Australia, is sponsoring a gathering of guitarists tomorrow morning as they try to break the record for the most guitarists ever assembled playing on song.
The previous record is one-thousand-322
guitarists in Canada in 1994. Organizers hope to bring two-thousand guitarists together tomorrow.
The guitarists will pay a five-dollar registration fee, which will be donated to a cancer charity.
Associated Press
Stewart Chapman , Web Producer
created: 10/28/2005 3:52:18 PM
Last updated: 10/28/2005 3:57:34 PM
We've passed 350 posts and 4500 page views
The family blog has had 362 posts created and 4521 unique page views since the begining of July...four months.
Mozilla Firefox
For those of you who are not already using Firefox as your internet browser (Ben and Alex, you can probably skip this post) you should definitely consider switching over. Mick suggested that I download it last night (which took less than a minute, BTW) and I am totally amazed that I had been using the evil Bill Gates browser for so long. It is amazingly easy and intuitive. Learn more and download it here. Also, Firfox will transfer all of your bookmarks and page viewing history (if you so desire) so there is absolutely no hassle in switching over (and Firefox's system for bookmarking a website is a million times better than Internet Explorer).
The hands down best reason to download Firefox is that their logo is really cool and will look spiffy on your desktop:
The hands down best reason to download Firefox is that their logo is really cool and will look spiffy on your desktop:
Is America "Off the tracks and hurtling forward, toward an unknown destination?"
I was reading the Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal.com and I came across Peggy Noonan's most recent article titled, A Separate Peace. In it, Noonan writes:
Earlier today I read a really good article about Justice Breyer originally published in the New Yorker. Breyer seems to have a polar opposite view of the world, apparently he is a perennial optomist. The article quoted Breyer as telling Supreme Court law clerks after the Bush v. Gore decision in 2003, "This too shall pass."
Noonan seems uncharacteristically alarmist and Breyer quite sensible. Sometimes it seems that America's relatively short existence causes us to be nearsighted and to think that every bump in the road is something serious. Anyway, what do you guys think? Do you think the "wheels are coming off the trolly?" Or do you think "this too will pass?"
I think that a lot of people are carrying around in their heads, unarticulated and even in some cases unnoticed, a sense that the wheels are coming off the trolley and the trolley off the tracks . . . I'm not talking about "Plamegate." As I write no indictments have come up. I'm not talking about "Miers." I mean . . . the whole ball of wax. Everything. Cloning, nuts with nukes, epidemics; the growing knowledge that there's no such thing as homeland security; the fact that we're leaving our kids with a bill no one can pay. A sense of unreality in our courts so deep that they think they can seize grandma's house to build a strip mall; our media institutions imploding--the spectacle of a great American newspaper, the New York Times, hurtling off its own tracks, as did CBS. The fear of parents that their children will wind up disturbed, and their souls actually imperiled, by the popular culture in which we are raising them. Senators who seem owned by someone, actually owned, by an interest group or a financial entity. Great churches that have lost all sense of mission, and all authority. Do you have confidence in the CIA? The FBI? I didn't think so.
But this recounting doesn't quite get me to what I mean. I mean I believe there's a general and amorphous sense that things are broken and tough history is coming.
Earlier today I read a really good article about Justice Breyer originally published in the New Yorker. Breyer seems to have a polar opposite view of the world, apparently he is a perennial optomist. The article quoted Breyer as telling Supreme Court law clerks after the Bush v. Gore decision in 2003, "This too shall pass."
Noonan seems uncharacteristically alarmist and Breyer quite sensible. Sometimes it seems that America's relatively short existence causes us to be nearsighted and to think that every bump in the road is something serious. Anyway, what do you guys think? Do you think the "wheels are coming off the trolly?" Or do you think "this too will pass?"
LAST (home) Game of the Season!!!
hey guys!!! while we are on the subject (of sports), los al JV girls tennis is no longer undefeated :( . we suffered our first loss (by eight measly games!!!) to Esperanza. last time we won by three games. anyway...we play tomorrow at 3 at los al courts although i probably won't play at 3 (i definately won't actually, im not a starter) its the last home game of the season, the next being at fountain valley on halloween (sucks don't it?!) so come out while you can!!! if you want to come and i understand if you don't, i will call my mom when i am going to play (if i play) and you can all hightail it over to los al. oh and we play huntington beach. we beat them last time so...yeah. and we had a pasta party today so we're gonna rock ;)
Congratulations Papa...The White Sox finally did it for you!
WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One Game Left...
Lookin more and more like destiny. ;-)From the Canadian National Post (of all places!):
Finally, in the 14th inning, Geoff Blum won the longest game in World Series history with a tiebreaking, two-out solo homer, and Chicago beat Houston 7-5 Wednesday morning to move within a win of a Series sweep and its first title since 1917.
Walking the Bible
I am reading Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler. If anyone else has read the book or would like to, I'm interested in having an on-line book discussion. Please respond to the post if you'd like to join the SHT Book Discussion Group.
Any thoughts on Bush's nominee to fill Greenspan's shoes?
So what do all of you think about the President's choice to replace Alan Greenspan with Ben Bernanke? Bloomberg had a pretty good article (at least from the perspective of making difficult concepts easy for me to understand). He seems to be roundly admired and his background seems impeccable.Apparently Bernake believes in a strategy called inflation targeting where the central bank sets specific inflation goals. Can one of our resident economics/money experts explain how inflation targeting would affect the average American?
Is it Destiny?
Two down. Two to go. I can't believe Papa passed up the opportunity to be at this game.
Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua
A Talmudic story has come up twice now in my Political Theory readings (in Walzer, see below, as well as in Chambers' "Reasonable Democracy: Jurgen Habermas and the Politics of Discourse") for today. Thought I'd share it, as retold by Michael Walzer in his book "Interpretation and Social Criticism":
"Rabbi Eliezer stood alone, a minority of one, having brought forward every imaginable argument and failed to convince his colleagues. Exasperated, he called for divine help: 'If the law is as I say, let this carob tree prove it.' Whereupon the carob tree was lifted a hundred cubits in the air--some say it was lifted four hundred cubits. Rabbi Joshua spoke for the majority: 'No proof can be brought from a carob tree.' Then Rabbi Eliezer said, 'If the law is as I say, let this stream of water prove it.' And the stream immediately began to flow backward. But Rabbi Joshua said, 'No proof can be brought from a stream of water.' Again Rabbi Eliezer said: 'If the law is as I say, let the walls of this schoolhouse prove it.' And the walls began to fall. But Rabbi Joshua rebuked the walls, saying that they had no business interfering in a dispute among scholars over the moral law; and they stopped falling and to this day still stand, though at a sharp angle. And then Rabbi Eliezer called on God himself: 'If the law is as I say, let it be proved from heaven.' Whereupon a voice cried out, 'Why do you dispute with Rabbi Eliezer? In all matters the law is as he says.' But Rabbi Joshua stood up and exclaimed, 'It is not in heaven!'"
What do you guys think of the story? What moral are we supposed to draw from it? Who was right: Rabbi Eliezer or Rabbi Joshua? Extra points for whomever can identify the biblical passage Rabbi Joshua invokes to defend his argument (I'm not including it here, so as not to predispose your reading of the story.)
"Rabbi Eliezer stood alone, a minority of one, having brought forward every imaginable argument and failed to convince his colleagues. Exasperated, he called for divine help: 'If the law is as I say, let this carob tree prove it.' Whereupon the carob tree was lifted a hundred cubits in the air--some say it was lifted four hundred cubits. Rabbi Joshua spoke for the majority: 'No proof can be brought from a carob tree.' Then Rabbi Eliezer said, 'If the law is as I say, let this stream of water prove it.' And the stream immediately began to flow backward. But Rabbi Joshua said, 'No proof can be brought from a stream of water.' Again Rabbi Eliezer said: 'If the law is as I say, let the walls of this schoolhouse prove it.' And the walls began to fall. But Rabbi Joshua rebuked the walls, saying that they had no business interfering in a dispute among scholars over the moral law; and they stopped falling and to this day still stand, though at a sharp angle. And then Rabbi Eliezer called on God himself: 'If the law is as I say, let it be proved from heaven.' Whereupon a voice cried out, 'Why do you dispute with Rabbi Eliezer? In all matters the law is as he says.' But Rabbi Joshua stood up and exclaimed, 'It is not in heaven!'"
What do you guys think of the story? What moral are we supposed to draw from it? Who was right: Rabbi Eliezer or Rabbi Joshua? Extra points for whomever can identify the biblical passage Rabbi Joshua invokes to defend his argument (I'm not including it here, so as not to predispose your reading of the story.)
SHT Alumni College Football and Sports Report
of course the big story of the day is the white sox victory
over the astwos. however, cant afford to get too excited
as a lot of baseball is left to be played. the go go sox
won their first game of the 1959 world series against the dodgers.
by the way gas was 25 cents a gallon in 1959.
SHT Football
if it werent for ben and michaels decision to go to ucla our
record would be totally embarrassing. it is at times like this
we should thank many of our family members for attending long beach,
fullerton or northridge state (they had the good sense to drop
football).
on a sad note. a student at the university of minnesota at morris
died saturday due to complications from a tear down the goal
post stampede after their football game.
chaman 23-20 whittier
columbia 6-17 dartmouth
chicago bye
illinois 10-63 penn state
sdsu 24-47 new mexico
ucla 51-28 oregon state
congratulations to ucla and chapman for winning efforts. a nominal
shout out to chicago for scheduling a bye week.
other scores section:
usc 51-24 over washington.
st lawrence saints lost to hobart college 13-9
however, lawrence university beat grinnel 27-19.
over the astwos. however, cant afford to get too excited
as a lot of baseball is left to be played. the go go sox
won their first game of the 1959 world series against the dodgers.
by the way gas was 25 cents a gallon in 1959.
SHT Football
if it werent for ben and michaels decision to go to ucla our
record would be totally embarrassing. it is at times like this
we should thank many of our family members for attending long beach,
fullerton or northridge state (they had the good sense to drop
football).
on a sad note. a student at the university of minnesota at morris
died saturday due to complications from a tear down the goal
post stampede after their football game.
chaman 23-20 whittier
columbia 6-17 dartmouth
chicago bye
illinois 10-63 penn state
sdsu 24-47 new mexico
ucla 51-28 oregon state
congratulations to ucla and chapman for winning efforts. a nominal
shout out to chicago for scheduling a bye week.
other scores section:
usc 51-24 over washington.
st lawrence saints lost to hobart college 13-9
however, lawrence university beat grinnel 27-19.
Cezanne & Pissarro
So who wants to go to the Cezanne and Pissarro exhibit at LACMA? It's there until January 16.
"Pioneering Modern Painting: Cezanne and Pissarro 1865–1885 offers an unprecedented opportunity to examine the parallel creative paths of these two artists, both through their common choices of subject matter and through their intense exploration of new pictorial processes. Camille Pissarro and Paul Cezanne worked together intermittently from the moment they met at the Suisse Art School in 1861 until 1885. The exhibition reveals how modernism developed through acts of exchange and discussion as the artists painted together in Pontoise and Auvers in France’s Oise River Valley. The presentation features an insightful collection of landscapes, still lifes, and portraits—including many that depict exactly the same motif and that are reunited for the first time since they were created." ~From the LACMA website
P.S. the computer/blog really doesnt like the accent in Cézanne.
Do We Learn Racism, Or Is It Built Into Us?
From a fan website:Prussian Blue are two adorable young ladies,Lynx and Lamb, who play songs about white nationalism.Their repertoire includes covers, songswritten by wrongly imprisoned white nationalists put to music by Lynx and Lamb, and originals. Contrary to an orchestrated smear campaign calling them"ignorant" and other derogatory labels, they are in fact extremely well-educated, including matters about race,and understand racial issues at avery high level.
From an interview with their mother:
Although Gaede's husband made for good "Aryan" breeding stock, she claims that their relationship turned violent, and they were divorced in 1996. Her one regret, she says now, is "the many years that I lost in which I could have produced four to six more children with that ideal eugenic quality that [Lynx and Lamb] possess."
Do you think crackpots like these a marginalized bunch of weirdos, or do they pose a real threat to our society?
Please Mom, Don't Hurt Them!
I opened up my Yahoo! Home Page this morning, and saw this item. Mom, please, don't beat the Lakers too badly. It's only pre-season, and they're not very good.
Just a reminder to anyone who might be interested...
NaNoWriMo starts November 1st. Is anyone going to write a 50,000 word novel in a month?
Goals
[edited to rephrase the question due to Richard and Larry's picky objections 
]
If a magic genie promised that one of your lifetime dreams would come to fruition (one that is not very likely to occur without the granting of a wish by a genie) which would you choose?
I'd run for Senate.
]If a magic genie promised that one of your lifetime dreams would come to fruition (one that is not very likely to occur without the granting of a wish by a genie) which would you choose?
I'd run for Senate.
R.I.P. Dr. Cross
My high school history teacher Jim Cross passed away a few days ago. He had cancer for a long time but was planning to come back to school after taking time off for chemotherapy. He never made it back. When I found out he was sick I thought I ought to write him a letter or come visit him. He meant so much to so many and I wanted more than anything for him to know how many lives he'd impacted. In sophomore year I was motivated to get into honors classes the next year. That's where all my friends were and I was tired of sharing the classroom with so many students who were unenthusiastic about what we were learning. Dr. Cross was instrumental in my getting into the classes I wanted. But it's more than that. During a time when school was very difficult for me and I hardly believed I'd be able to reach my goals he believed in me, unfailingly. I never truly expressed to him how much that meant to me. I wish I'd had a chance to write him the letter.
Dr. Cross, you'll be truly missed. In a society where people can so often be too jaded and pessimistic to see the potential in others, you had faith that I'd go far if I just had a few people who believed in me. I can only hope that I've made you proud and that you understood somewhere in your mind that you've always been a part of all of us and always will be.
Sleep in peace Jim Cross.
Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as raven's claws.
If you could say anything to someone who's gone now, who would it be and what would you say?
Dr. Cross, you'll be truly missed. In a society where people can so often be too jaded and pessimistic to see the potential in others, you had faith that I'd go far if I just had a few people who believed in me. I can only hope that I've made you proud and that you understood somewhere in your mind that you've always been a part of all of us and always will be.
Sleep in peace Jim Cross.
Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as raven's claws.
If you could say anything to someone who's gone now, who would it be and what would you say?
SHT Alumni College Football
Thanks Rick and Marilyn for liking the SHT Alumni College Football Scores
Here they are:
Chapman 10-49 Pacific Lutheran (1-4)
Chicago 35-6 Carnegie Mellon (2-4)
Columbia 16-44 Pennsylvania (2-4)
Illinois Bye (2-4)
SDSU 28-19 Utah (3-4)
UCLA 44-41 WSU (6-0)
Congratulations to the Maroons, Aztecs and Bruins.
Overall record for SHT is now 16-20.
Special Mention to UCLA for moving up to #9 in the nation
after a come from behind overtime victory.
USC beat Notre Dame in what was one of the most exciting
football games I have seen. Trojans still #1.
As an aside: The Saints of St. Lawrence University had a bye week. They
encounter Hobart College next week. Go Saints. I understand that they have
a very good hockey team.
Here they are:
Chapman 10-49 Pacific Lutheran (1-4)
Chicago 35-6 Carnegie Mellon (2-4)
Columbia 16-44 Pennsylvania (2-4)
Illinois Bye (2-4)
SDSU 28-19 Utah (3-4)
UCLA 44-41 WSU (6-0)
Congratulations to the Maroons, Aztecs and Bruins.
Overall record for SHT is now 16-20.
Special Mention to UCLA for moving up to #9 in the nation
after a come from behind overtime victory.
USC beat Notre Dame in what was one of the most exciting
football games I have seen. Trojans still #1.
As an aside: The Saints of St. Lawrence University had a bye week. They
encounter Hobart College next week. Go Saints. I understand that they have
a very good hockey team.
World Series Party
We're planning a World Series Party!
Please weigh in on the blog about which day would be good for the party. The first games are this Saturday and Sunday. There are also games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The final two games, if needed will be Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th. See www.mlb.com for times.
Please weigh in on the blog about which day would be good for the party. The first games are this Saturday and Sunday. There are also games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The final two games, if needed will be Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th. See www.mlb.com for times.
UCLA moves up to # 9 in the College Polls
Larry...
I missed you weekly NCAAF update, quit watching Baseball and get on the Football...
RM
I missed you weekly NCAAF update, quit watching Baseball and get on the Football...
RM
Congratz Papa
White sox just won. Score was 6 - 3 White Sox. 4 Games to 1. 4 complete games by each of their pitchers. First World Series appearence in 46 years.
Congratulations Papa!!!
Congratulations Papa!!!
Saint Lawrence
LAWRENCE
Also known as
Laurence; Laurent; Laurentius; Lawrence of Rome; Lorenzo
Memorial
10 August
Profile
Third-century archdeacon of Rome, distributor of alms, and "keeper of the treasures of the church" in a time when Christianity was outlawed. On 6 August 258, by decree of Emperor Valerian, Pope Saint Sixtus II and six deacons were beheaded, leaving Lawrence as the ranking Church official in Rome.
While in prison awaiting execution Sixtus reassured Lawrence that he was not being left behind; they would be reunited in four days. Lawrence saw this time as an opportunity to disperse the material wealth of the church before the Roman authorities could lay their hands on it.
On 10 August Lawrence was commanded to appear for his execution, and to bring along the treasure with which he had been entrusted by the pope. When he arrived, the archdeacon was accompanied by a multitude of Rome's crippled, blind, sick, and indigent. He announced that these were the true treasures of the Church.
Martyr. Lawrence's care for the poor, the ill, the neglected have led to his patronage of them. His work to save the material wealth of the Church, including its documents, brought librarians and those in related fields to see him as a patron, and to ask for his intercession. And his incredible strength and courage when being grilled to death led to his patronage of cooks and those who work in or supply things to the kitchen.
The meteor shower that follows the passage of the Swift-Tuttle comet was known in the middle ages as the "burning tears of Saint Lawrence" because they appear at the same time as Lawrence's feast.
Born
at Huesca, Spain
Died
10 August 258; cooked to death on a gridiron; buried in the cemetery of Saint Cyriaca on the road to Tivoli; tomb was opened by Pelagius to inter the body of Saint Stephen the Martyr; his mummified head removed to the Quirinal Chapel; the gridiron believed to have been his deathbed is in San Lorenzo in Lucina; garments in Our Lady's Chapel in the Lateran Palace
Also known as
Laurence; Laurent; Laurentius; Lawrence of Rome; Lorenzo
Memorial
10 August
Profile
Third-century archdeacon of Rome, distributor of alms, and "keeper of the treasures of the church" in a time when Christianity was outlawed. On 6 August 258, by decree of Emperor Valerian, Pope Saint Sixtus II and six deacons were beheaded, leaving Lawrence as the ranking Church official in Rome.
While in prison awaiting execution Sixtus reassured Lawrence that he was not being left behind; they would be reunited in four days. Lawrence saw this time as an opportunity to disperse the material wealth of the church before the Roman authorities could lay their hands on it.
On 10 August Lawrence was commanded to appear for his execution, and to bring along the treasure with which he had been entrusted by the pope. When he arrived, the archdeacon was accompanied by a multitude of Rome's crippled, blind, sick, and indigent. He announced that these were the true treasures of the Church.
Martyr. Lawrence's care for the poor, the ill, the neglected have led to his patronage of them. His work to save the material wealth of the Church, including its documents, brought librarians and those in related fields to see him as a patron, and to ask for his intercession. And his incredible strength and courage when being grilled to death led to his patronage of cooks and those who work in or supply things to the kitchen.
The meteor shower that follows the passage of the Swift-Tuttle comet was known in the middle ages as the "burning tears of Saint Lawrence" because they appear at the same time as Lawrence's feast.
Born
at Huesca, Spain
Died
10 August 258; cooked to death on a gridiron; buried in the cemetery of Saint Cyriaca on the road to Tivoli; tomb was opened by Pelagius to inter the body of Saint Stephen the Martyr; his mummified head removed to the Quirinal Chapel; the gridiron believed to have been his deathbed is in San Lorenzo in Lucina; garments in Our Lady's Chapel in the Lateran Palace
Pirate Jokes
1Have you heard about the new pirate movie? It?s rated AARRRRGGH!2What's a pirate's favorite mode of transportation?A cAARRRRGGH!3what's a pirate's favorite letter of the alphabet?arrrr4what's a pirate's favorite kind of socks?arrrrgyle5what is a pirates favorite study subject?arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt.6what's a pirate's second-choice job?an arrrrrrchitect!7This pirate walks into a bar with a big ship's wheel down his pants. The bartender says, "Excuse me, sir, but do you know you have a ship's wheel down the front of your pants?" And the pirate says... Aaargh, it's driving me nuts!!8a little kid with a speech impediment dresses up as a pirate and goes trick or treating. he knocks on the door of a house and a man answers. "oh, i can see you're dressed up as a pirate." the man says. "but where are your buccaneers?" the kid gets really mad, and says "on the sides of my buckin' head!"9how much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced?a buccaneer10what's a pirate's favorite kind of cookie?ships ahoy11what do you call a pirate that skips class?captain hooky!12A pirate walks into a bar and the bartender says, "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened, you look terrible!""What do you mean?" the pirate replies, "I'm fine."The bartender says, "But what about that wooden leg? You didn't have that before.""Well," says the pirate, "We were in a battle at sea and a cannon ball hit my leg but the surgeon fixed me up, and I'm fine, really.""Yeah," says the bartender, "But what about that hook? Last time I saw you, you had both hands.""Well," says the pirate, "We were in another battle and we boarded the enemy ship. I was in a sword fight and my hand was cut off but the surgeon fixed me up with this hook, and I feel great, really.""Oh," says the bartender, "What about that eye patch? Last time you were in here you had both eyes.""Well," says the pirate, "One day when we were at sea, some birds were flying over the ship. I looked up, and one of them shat in my eye.""So?" replied the bartender, "what happened? You couldn't have lost an eye just from some bird shit!""Well," says the pirate, "I really wasn't used to the hook yet."13why does a pirate's phone go beep beep beep beep beep?because he left it off the hook!14what does a pirate say when he takes over santa's job?ho ho ho and a bottle of rum 15What does a vegan pirate do in jail?Starrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve!16What has 8 arms and 8 legs?8 Pirates!
"There will be an answer, Let it be"
Mick is watching the Beatles Anthology DVDs mom and dad (Roberta & Rob) got him for his birthday. "Let it be" is playing. Does anyone know what inspired the song? I think it might be one of my favorite Beatles songs. It represents a concept so difficult for me: accepting things the way they are.
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,
there will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,
there will be an answer. let it be.
Let it be, let it be, .....
And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,
shine until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be, .....
Quote of the Day (3) / Author Recommendation
"And probably everyone has at one point or another had to wonder how it is that a mysterious and rather beautiful phrase ["the pursuit of happiness"] appears in the preamble to that constitution. Up until then, all English, American and European reformists and liberals trying to establish the right of self-government over arbitrary power, whether monarchal or religious, had said that they wanted to defend life, liberty and property. This was the trinity, if you like, of political and intellectual reform in that epoch. There’s a twist of genius, an X factor you might say, in the great substitution in our great founding document for property – the pursuit of happiness. One way this has to translate, I think, for the modern American is that the citizen can in no way be the property of the state, and that everyone has the right to go to Hell in their [sic] own way." --Christopher Hitchens, Speech at S.M.U.
I was going to try to keep these to one a week, but I read this recently and thought it such a well said analysis of a subject that I know is near and dear to this family (namely, early American History) that I thought I'd post it. Christopher Hitchens, if you aren't familiar with him, is a wonderful writer, literary critic, and analyst of contemporary American politics, and now, one of The Guardian's Top 100 public intellectuals (I had the opportunity to meet another, Jurgen Habermas, at a political theory workshop last Wednesday). A former Trotskyite, British New-Leftist, and contributor to "The Nation" magazine, he is now a self-styled contrarian and thorn in the side of both liberal and conservative orthodoxies in the US and Britain. Made popular in recent years by his defense of "humanitarian interventionism," especially the most recent Iraq War (he was opposed to the last one), Hitchens' books "A Long Short War" and his other writings in a collection of essays, "Love, Poverty, and War" provide the most coherent defense of that war that I have read. I haven't read his most recent biography of Jefferson, his book on Orwell, nor his damning left-wing attack on the Clintons, entitled "No One Left To Lie To" (Hitchens and Clinton were at Oxford together, where the latter didn't inhale and the former probably did regularly) which are all supposed to be quite good, but I have enjoyed his books "The Trial of Henry Kissinger" and his "Letters to a Young Contrarian" as well as the ones mentioned above.
I was going to try to keep these to one a week, but I read this recently and thought it such a well said analysis of a subject that I know is near and dear to this family (namely, early American History) that I thought I'd post it. Christopher Hitchens, if you aren't familiar with him, is a wonderful writer, literary critic, and analyst of contemporary American politics, and now, one of The Guardian's Top 100 public intellectuals (I had the opportunity to meet another, Jurgen Habermas, at a political theory workshop last Wednesday). A former Trotskyite, British New-Leftist, and contributor to "The Nation" magazine, he is now a self-styled contrarian and thorn in the side of both liberal and conservative orthodoxies in the US and Britain. Made popular in recent years by his defense of "humanitarian interventionism," especially the most recent Iraq War (he was opposed to the last one), Hitchens' books "A Long Short War" and his other writings in a collection of essays, "Love, Poverty, and War" provide the most coherent defense of that war that I have read. I haven't read his most recent biography of Jefferson, his book on Orwell, nor his damning left-wing attack on the Clintons, entitled "No One Left To Lie To" (Hitchens and Clinton were at Oxford together, where the latter didn't inhale and the former probably did regularly) which are all supposed to be quite good, but I have enjoyed his books "The Trial of Henry Kissinger" and his "Letters to a Young Contrarian" as well as the ones mentioned above.
Underpants Run
100 Turn Out for Annual Underpants Run
By Associated Press
document.write(getElapsed("20051014T031736Z"));
UPDATED 20 HOURS 54 MINUTES AGO
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii - Some 100 runners wearing nothing but their skivvies turned out Thursday for the Underpants Run, a fun run that has become an annual event in the days leading up to Saturday's Ironman World Championship.
"It's pretty much 'the' event now," joked founder and former professional triathlete Paul Huddle. "People fly in Wednesday night just for this."
Not all triathletes would agree. More than 1,800 competitors from 80 countries are in Kona for the grueling Ironman, a 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike leg through the lava fields and a full 26.2-mile marathon run.
Some of the international athletes who come to Hawaii to train in and around the village for the race in the week before the event sparked the idea for the fun run, which began with three people in 1997.
"It was a reaction to the abhorrent and unbelievable practice of wearing Speedos around town, in the post office, the grocery store, even restaurants," Huddle said. "It's just a clash of the cultures, between the more conservative Americans and the whole European and Mediterranean resort vacation thing."
After taking a pledge not to wear racing Speedos for anything other than swimming, the runners took off to Kailua Pier for a quick round of calisthenics and then continued along Alii Drive.
You're the judge...
Yesterday evening while watching the Angels and White Sox game I was sure that the umpire made the wrong call. I even watched the replay several times and it seemed clear to me that the ball was caught before hitting the dirt. Today I encountered some people who thought otherwise. What do you think? Was it a good or a bad call???
Small Change to Blog
Just a heads up that I changed the blog in a very small way. I made it so that the name of the person posting is now above the post. The link to leave a comment is still below the post. I thought this would make it easier to determine who is writing what, especially on long posts.
Home Heating Costs This Winter
I heard on the news this morning, that if you heat your home with natural gas, which many of us do, the costs will skyrocket this winter do to Hurrican Katrina damage. I think I'll go buy a few electric room heaters, before it gets too cold. I think stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond and Linens and Things and Costco sell portable room heaters.
Has anyone ever tried to create a list of every book they've ever read?
I am thinking of trying. I think it will be easier if I start now, while I am relatively young. A related question: how many (exactly) books do you own?
Funny Faux Blog
Having a little fun at the President's "esteemed" nominee's expense: Harriet Miers's blog.
Also, a hilarious Miers quote (from the documents released by the Texas State Library) from a NY Times article:
I guess we can't all be brilliant all of the time.
More funny stuff is available at Underneath Their Robes.
Also, a hilarious Miers quote (from the documents released by the Texas State Library) from a NY Times article:
"You are the best governor ever -- deserving of great respect," Harriet E. Miers wrote to George W. Bush days after his 51st birthday in July 1997. She also found him "cool," said he and his wife, Laura, were "the greatest!" and told him: "Keep up the great work. Texas is blessed."
I guess we can't all be brilliant all of the time.
More funny stuff is available at Underneath Their Robes.
Quote of the Day (2)
On Fern's encouragement, I'm going to submit another food for thought quote.
"Political language--and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists--is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. One cannot change this all in a moment, but one can at least change one's own habits, and from time to time one can even, if one jeers loudly enough, send some worn-out and useless phrase--some jackboot, Achilles' heel, hotbed, melting pot, acid test veritable inferno or other lump of verbal refuse--into the dustbin where it belongs." --George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language"
"Political language--and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists--is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. One cannot change this all in a moment, but one can at least change one's own habits, and from time to time one can even, if one jeers loudly enough, send some worn-out and useless phrase--some jackboot, Achilles' heel, hotbed, melting pot, acid test veritable inferno or other lump of verbal refuse--into the dustbin where it belongs." --George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language"
The Big Useless... The Big Ugly... The Big Loud Losers.
Yankees Bounced Out
Angels Win Division Series, Advance to Face White Sox Tonight: Angels 5, Yankees 3.
Send me good vibes.
I have an interview for sales assistant at KPRI radio tomorrow (102.1 FM). Wish me luck
*=)
Check out the website-you can see what they've played in the last six hours.
Rock Without Rules
*=)
Check out the website-you can see what they've played in the last six hours.
Rock Without Rules
Gift Baskets
Does anyone know of a good company (brick and mortar or dot com) that sells gift baskets? I know Harry and David...but are there others?
Re-jec-tion
1. The act of rejecting or the state of being rejected.
2. Something rejected.
3. Medicine. The failure of a recipient's body to accept a transplanted tissue or organ as the result of immunological incompatability; immunological resistance to foreign tissue.
From The DOJ's website:
5 of the 12 judges I applied to have also sent rejection letters. This sucks.
2. Something rejected.
3. Medicine. The failure of a recipient's body to accept a transplanted tissue or organ as the result of immunological incompatability; immunological resistance to foreign tissue.
From The DOJ's website:
Current Status:Not Selected for Interview
5 of the 12 judges I applied to have also sent rejection letters. This sucks.
Book Reviews
I've been reading some interesting tomes lately.
The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre is about giant pharmaceutical companies 'testing' their drugs on third world countries before releasing them to Western markets. It is set in Africa and the major characters are in the British Diplomatic Corps, so there is plenty of political intrigue. I heard the movie was pretty good, but I thought the book was just ok, a 3 on a scale of 5.
I also read Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, which gets a 0 on a 5 point scale. In other words, don't bother reading this insipid novel. Maybe the movie is better.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I was expecting a lot, so I was a little disappointed with this book by a first time author. It is a historical novel about Count Dracula. I enjoyed the history lesson, but was disappointed in the subplot about 'the historian'. But overall, it gets a good (not great) review and atleast it moves quickly. I give it a 3 out of 5.
Ice Bound by Jerri Nielsen details this doctor's time at the south pole. She contract's to serve as the medical doctor for the team of researcher's and scientists at the pole. She arrives in the summer (not quite as freezing as winter) but during the winter discovers she has breast cancer. It is too cold for aircraft to land, so she must endure through the artic winter, before she can be airlifted out. Her accounting of life at the south pole is very interesting. Michael, you might enjoy reading all the medical stuff, such as the doctor trying to do a biopsy on herself, her makeshift chemo treatments and the tales about practicing medicine in such an extreme environment. I give it a 4 out of 5. This is a true story, by the way.
The Coffee Trader by David Liss. I thoroughly enjoyed this book about an ex-patriate Portuguese Jewish community in 17th Holland. The title character is a commodities trader, and plots to corner the market on coffee. It was very interesting to learn the Dutch had developed the first commodities market. I was fascinated by the world of puts, calls and futures. Definately a 5 out of 5!
Lastly, I read Adams vs. Jefferson by John Ferling. The book details the events and characters that lead up to the contentious election of 1800. Politics and politicians at their very best, or should I say worst? Very worthwhile and important reading. It gets a 4 out of 5
If you have read any of the above I'd be interested in your reviews. Also, please share your recent reading material.
The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre is about giant pharmaceutical companies 'testing' their drugs on third world countries before releasing them to Western markets. It is set in Africa and the major characters are in the British Diplomatic Corps, so there is plenty of political intrigue. I heard the movie was pretty good, but I thought the book was just ok, a 3 on a scale of 5.
I also read Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, which gets a 0 on a 5 point scale. In other words, don't bother reading this insipid novel. Maybe the movie is better.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I was expecting a lot, so I was a little disappointed with this book by a first time author. It is a historical novel about Count Dracula. I enjoyed the history lesson, but was disappointed in the subplot about 'the historian'. But overall, it gets a good (not great) review and atleast it moves quickly. I give it a 3 out of 5.
Ice Bound by Jerri Nielsen details this doctor's time at the south pole. She contract's to serve as the medical doctor for the team of researcher's and scientists at the pole. She arrives in the summer (not quite as freezing as winter) but during the winter discovers she has breast cancer. It is too cold for aircraft to land, so she must endure through the artic winter, before she can be airlifted out. Her accounting of life at the south pole is very interesting. Michael, you might enjoy reading all the medical stuff, such as the doctor trying to do a biopsy on herself, her makeshift chemo treatments and the tales about practicing medicine in such an extreme environment. I give it a 4 out of 5. This is a true story, by the way.
The Coffee Trader by David Liss. I thoroughly enjoyed this book about an ex-patriate Portuguese Jewish community in 17th Holland. The title character is a commodities trader, and plots to corner the market on coffee. It was very interesting to learn the Dutch had developed the first commodities market. I was fascinated by the world of puts, calls and futures. Definately a 5 out of 5!
Lastly, I read Adams vs. Jefferson by John Ferling. The book details the events and characters that lead up to the contentious election of 1800. Politics and politicians at their very best, or should I say worst? Very worthwhile and important reading. It gets a 4 out of 5
If you have read any of the above I'd be interested in your reviews. Also, please share your recent reading material.
88 years
Chicago 5 8 0
Boston 3 7 1
W: Garcia
L: Wakefield
S: Jenks
for the first time in 88 years the White Sox win a post season series.
at least for one night all is well in our small corner of the universe.
CONGRATULATIONS DAD!
Boston 3 7 1
W: Garcia
L: Wakefield
S: Jenks
for the first time in 88 years the White Sox win a post season series.
at least for one night all is well in our small corner of the universe.
CONGRATULATIONS DAD!
SNORING!!!!
I'm in the library and the guy sitting at the table next to me is SNORING. I took a picture on my camera phone but I don't know how to get it off my camera and on to the computer. [edit: I figured it out, here is the pic]
Take the "Why do People Hate Me Test"
Here. I must have lied when answering the questions because it says I am easy-going and friendly. Ha!
Can someone please explain why Reagan needs to crawl behind the bowls to eat?
And while you're at it. Why does Pixel take one peice of kibble in her mouth, walk a few steps away, chew and swallow the kibble and then return to the bowl to repeat the procedure. Weird.
Wi-fi...
Philadelphia to become City of Brotherly Wi-Fi
Oct 05 5:00 PM US/Eastern
Philadelphia is set to become America's largest municipal wireless Internet hot-spot, after city officials inked a deal for a vast broadband umbrella with Internet service provider Earthlink.
The 135 square mile (350 square kilometer) network is set to be up and running late next year, and will offer wireless Internet service to low income customers for as little as 10 dollars. Regular rates will be around 20 dollars.
The scheme will give "many Internet users the ability to stay connected, no matter where they are in the city," said Garry Betty, chairman and chief executive officer of Atlanta-based Earthlink.
Visitors to Philadelphia, in the northeastern United States, will be able to buy daily and weekly access to the network, and some parks and public spaces will have a free hook-up.
Philadelphia's announcement came after search engine giant Google said Monday it had offered to blanket the western city of San Francisco with a wireless network that would allow residents to log on to the Internet free of charge
Quote of the Day
Found an interesting quote from today's readings, thought I'd share.
"The consequence of wildly overvaluing the received arts is that men do not look beyond them; the consequence of undervaluing their own strength is that they waste it on trivia and do not test it on business of real weight. These things are then like baleful pillars set up against the sciences, as men are not encouraged by the desire or hope of getting beyond them. Moreover, as opinion of plenty is among the greatest causes of poverty, and as faith in the present leads us to neglect true helps in the future, it is useful and actually necessary on the very threshold of our work to rid ourselves of excessive respect and admiration for things discovered already (and to do that briskly and without pretense), with a wholesome warning to men not to exaggerate their abundance or overpraise their utility."
--Francis Bacon, Novum Organum
"The consequence of wildly overvaluing the received arts is that men do not look beyond them; the consequence of undervaluing their own strength is that they waste it on trivia and do not test it on business of real weight. These things are then like baleful pillars set up against the sciences, as men are not encouraged by the desire or hope of getting beyond them. Moreover, as opinion of plenty is among the greatest causes of poverty, and as faith in the present leads us to neglect true helps in the future, it is useful and actually necessary on the very threshold of our work to rid ourselves of excessive respect and admiration for things discovered already (and to do that briskly and without pretense), with a wholesome warning to men not to exaggerate their abundance or overpraise their utility."
--Francis Bacon, Novum Organum
Rosh Hashana Dinner at Grandma's (Char) House
Can someone tell me what time we are supposed to be at Grandma's tonight?
Good Times!!!
Mick and I stayed up all night last night (read: we didn't sleep at all) finishing a catalog for his job. I am so TIRED!!!! We went to Denny's at 4 am to get some coffee and breakfast just to keep our eye's open. Who knew that so many other people are out and about at 4am?! There wasn't traffic or anything, but we were by no means the only car on the road or the only people eating at Denny's. Anyway, I am pretty sure this post is entirely incoherent, so I'll keep it short...see you all tonight! :-)
and you thought you had it rough...
FIRST YORKSHIREMAN:
You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.
SECOND YORKSHIREMAN:
Luxury. We used to have to get out of the lake at six o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of 'ot gravel, work twenty hour day at mill for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would thrash us to sleep with a broken bottle, if we were lucky!
THIRD YORKSHIREMAN:
Well, of course, we had it tough. We used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.
FOURTH YORKSHIREMAN:
Right. I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.
FIRST YORKSHIREMAN:
And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.
ALL:
They won't!
Family Dilemma
Knowing how continuous the baseball playoffs will be with the White Sox in and the Red Sox likely to make it, I fear our diverse loyalties may tear us apart as a loving extended family.
Fear not though, I offer a solution... Join forces with me, setting aside your personal feelings for the teams that threaten to tear us apart, and route for the Yankees. A unifying force for good, renown for their humble demeanor and loving fans who will gladly take you all into their fold...
No responses necessary, I know you will all agree...
RM
ps... Arod for American League MVP...
Fear not though, I offer a solution... Join forces with me, setting aside your personal feelings for the teams that threaten to tear us apart, and route for the Yankees. A unifying force for good, renown for their humble demeanor and loving fans who will gladly take you all into their fold...
No responses necessary, I know you will all agree...
RM
ps... Arod for American League MVP...
SHT College Football
So Happy Together College Scores
Chapman 52 Lewis and Clark 0 (1-3)
Chicago 9 De Pauw 33. (0-4)
Columbia 3 Princeton 43 (2-1)
Illinois 7 Iowa 35 (2-3)
SDSU 31 BYU 10 (2-3)
UCLA 21 Washington 17 (4-0)
SHT Alumni Schools are now 11-14
Congratulations to Chapman for its first win. Lewis & Clark is where Monica Lewinsky attended college.
The Bruins came from behind to beat UW. Very dramatic.
For Marilyn and Ric: USC 38 ASU 28. Seems like USC really enjoys playing complete football in the second
half. They do make it interesting
Today is MLBs last regular season day.
Chapman 52 Lewis and Clark 0 (1-3)
Chicago 9 De Pauw 33. (0-4)
Columbia 3 Princeton 43 (2-1)
Illinois 7 Iowa 35 (2-3)
SDSU 31 BYU 10 (2-3)
UCLA 21 Washington 17 (4-0)
SHT Alumni Schools are now 11-14
Congratulations to Chapman for its first win. Lewis & Clark is where Monica Lewinsky attended college.
The Bruins came from behind to beat UW. Very dramatic.
For Marilyn and Ric: USC 38 ASU 28. Seems like USC really enjoys playing complete football in the second
half. They do make it interesting
Today is MLBs last regular season day.
Actually I have a total slacker schedule this year
Mondays--Trial Practice (9am-12pm)
Tuesdays--Civil Rights (11am-12pm), Con Law Study Group (2pm-3pm), Federal Jurisdiction (6pm-7:15pm)
Wednesdays--Wills and Trusts (3pm-4:15pm)
Thursdays--Civil Rights (11am-12pm), Federal Jurisdiction (6pm-7:15pm)
Fridays--Office Hours (1pm-2pm), Wills and Trusts (3pm-4:15pm)
Since I took summer school classes and more than enough units my first two years I don't need very many units this year. I do have to study. Probably two hours for every hour in class. So that means about 20 hours a week. And I have to prepare for the study group I teach as part of my academic fellowship. But I am crusin'. The end is in sight.
Next semester I am going to work for a judge instead of take classes. I'll just have one class, Professional Responsibility.
Tuesdays--Civil Rights (11am-12pm), Con Law Study Group (2pm-3pm), Federal Jurisdiction (6pm-7:15pm)
Wednesdays--Wills and Trusts (3pm-4:15pm)
Thursdays--Civil Rights (11am-12pm), Federal Jurisdiction (6pm-7:15pm)
Fridays--Office Hours (1pm-2pm), Wills and Trusts (3pm-4:15pm)
Since I took summer school classes and more than enough units my first two years I don't need very many units this year. I do have to study. Probably two hours for every hour in class. So that means about 20 hours a week. And I have to prepare for the study group I teach as part of my academic fellowship. But I am crusin'. The end is in sight.
Next semester I am going to work for a judge instead of take classes. I'll just have one class, Professional Responsibility.
My "Schedule"
The word "schedule" implies regularity, and that is a concept at loggerheads with the nature of what I do. But here's a typical week in my life:
Monday-Meeting at the office with the Vendor Reliability team, a group of Owner/Operators I assembled to address some complex issues we are having with service vendors in the Southern California Region. We have been able to bring a new service provider into the region, though it took us persuading Oak Brook to lean on the Enodis Group to make it happen. We are the first group of its type anywhere in the McDonald's system, and the Equipment Purchasing Dept in Oak Brook is very interested in our work, and replicating our model in other regions. I'm proud of this accomplishment; it will make our managers' jobs easier and save money for all. After the meeting, I went home to work on some new checklists, and review Profit & Loss statements prior to meeting with my Supervisors. Also made several phone calls, including one to an employee with an important issue.
Tuesday-Begin with meeting with the Supervisors. This meeting is part review of the previous week's results, part planning for the future, part dealing with the issues of the moment and part philosophical discussion. We dealt with some serious personnel issues, as well. After that, we had a conference call with our Workers' Compensation Insurance adjusters to review treatment plans and claims status. After lunch, I met with the Supervisors and the managers of 24-Hour restaurants to discuss the issues and potential solutions relating to operating a restaurant that never closes. At home that evening, I collated the notes, and prepared for our follow-up meeting. Also did a study on 24-Hour sales.
Wednesday-Visited a couple of restaurants. Discussed with one Restaurant Manager the improvements she has made in drive-thru service, people she has selected for promotion, issues in restaurant maintenance, and cash-handling issues. At another restaurant, we reviewed procedures in the kitchen area, pointed out a few opportunities to improve, and discussed food cabinet management. From there, headed to the office for a planning meeting with all Restaurant Managers, Supervisors and our McDonald's Operations Consultant. In this meeting we determined the goals, objectives and tactics for each restaurant as we enter the Restaurant Operations Improvement Process (ROIP), which is the system McD Corp uses to evaluate operations in each restaurant. This is an 18-month cycle and involves both announced and unannounced inspections. At home that night, I read through some updated materials on ROIP, planned out an incentive program for Mystery Shops and updated some of the spreadsheets I use to track results.
Thursday-Began with a conference call in the morning, with the National ROIP team, of which I am a member. This team will meet in Oak Brook at the end of October, and this call was to set up the agenda for the meeting. Visited several restaurants. Thursday is commonly the Manager's day off, so I chatted with First Assistants about what was happening in their restaurant, learned a few things, taught a few things. In the Norwalk and South Gate areas I drove around the neighborhoods, checking for new development, competitors, etc. Went to the office to look through mail, and catch up on some overdue tasks. At home, I did more reading--I get about 35 emails a day, so there is always stuff to process. I read several emails, and forwarded them to my Supervisors. Some of the topics included software upgrades for the restaurants computer network that will be done on a "push" download, revised Food Safety Standards (for which I wrote a policy for our restaurants), read the October promotions guide from the advertising agency, wrote a re-cap for the Regional Leadership Council (of which I am vice-chair) , made a call to a customer who emailed a complaint, and researched Mystery Shop results for our restaurants (our organization ranks 5th overall in the region).
Friday-Met with one of the Supervisors and toured his restaurants. Some of the things we look at are Operations, first and foremost, and physical plant issues. We met with the Restaurant Managers and discussed the results of the recent Crew and Management Team Opinion Surveys, and developed an action plan for addressing opportunities those surveys revealed. We talked about McDonald's new Gift Cards and the computer and training issues dealing with that. We also talked with the Manager about current issues in his/her restaurant, and even caught up on the latest info on everybody's kids. Traffic was horrible on the way home, (always is from South Gate) and when I got there, I read and replied to emails and took a nap.
Not as many tough classes as you, Ariel, but I learned a lot!
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