Random Soapbox for Saturday 9/3/16

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... there's something that people seem to forget about free speech.  I can't say it better than the article linked below did:  "Free speech is not unidirectional. It is omnidirectional. Everybody has it. So if you have an opinion, somebody else has a right to argue against your opinion."

So ... Colin K gets to silently protest the racist and homophobic cops in San Fran.  And some get to stand with him (as many veterans have done since this story blew up).  But it also means that some of you get to protest the fact that he's protesting (although I still encourage everyone to do some research and to fully understand the situation before giving a knee jerk reaction, because I've seen way too many of those comments that are all jerk and no knee).

What with the fact that free speech goes ALL ways -- except if you are in the crowded theatre yelling fire when there is none -- feel free to fall down the free speech rabbit hole, but remember that everyone gets to weigh in, and no one gets to be all right.

By the way ... I'm still not convinced that part of this isn't because Colin K let his hair go natural.  I thought white people stopped being afraid of afros back in the 70's, but I guess I'm naive.  Give him a buzz cut, oil him up and he lands on the cover of a magazine ... let his hair 'fro, put piggies on his socks and watch him take a knee, and he's a new national villain.

People of the world, everything is not black and white -- ironically, even black and white issues.  Welcome to grown up stuff, where people can stand (or kneel) for something and in the process, start a debate.  If you can't handle it, go watch golf instead (now that the black guy there isn't playing any more).

NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE -- NOT EVEN BLACK AND WHITE ISSUES:
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2016/09/01/colin-kaepernick-5/

'CAUSE NOT EVERYONE TAKES THE TIME TO DIG INTO THE SPECIFICS:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/us/racist-texts-san-francisco-police-rape-case/

FREE SPEECH IS *OMNI*DIRECTIONAL:
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/01/17/hey-everybody-free-speech.html

Random Posting for Penn State 9/3/16

Here are 9 Nittany Nuggets from today's game:

1.)  And so begins another season ... both on the field and on the blog/FB on Saturdays until Thanksgiving (plus a bowl game --- let's not forget the bowl game).
2.)  I blame HACKENBERG (now with the Jets), but MCSORLEY just looked so tiny.  I get that he's 6'1" and 201 lbs (officially), but I just got used to seeing such a big guy in that spot these last few years ...
3.)  Speaking of big guys ... here's hoping 6'6" Evan SCHWANN's injury heals easily.
4.)  Hey coach ... a point-after in the hand is worth a failed two-point conversion in the bush so early in the game.  I spent the rest of the time watching the score afraid that would come back to bite us in the end.
5.)  I'm all for the no-names-on-the-jersey rule revival, but I will admit it took me a bit too long to figure out if Workman was working with White, or White with Workman until they finally flashed Nyeem WARTMAN-WHITE's name on the screen.
6.)  And hey announcerpeople ... how's about a little more enunciating.  Kent State and Penn State should have sounded like two different teams, and most of the time it didn't.
7.)  In honor of those announcerpeople, here's this week's edition of "football announcer or gay porn", as in from which one was this quote heard:  "he was very excited about how open his tight end was".  Hint:  the answer is always going to be football announcer, despite what you might think otherwise.
8.)  I'm just going to come out and say it.  I bet when BARKELEY gets wasted at a party, he's a really good dancer -- based solely on his gameplay footwork.
9.)  I don't care what anyone else says.  *My* player of the week was big ole Joey JULIUS, and that hit he put on that poor Kent State player when he knocked him into last week (which, ironically, would have been the pre-season).

In closing, thanks to Penn Stater Neha GUPTA, featured in a commercial on the Big 10 network for her winning the International Children's Peace Prize for her charity work with Empower Orphans (see link below/to follow) ... and here's to doing next week to the Panthers what we did this week to the Golden Flashes!

BRING ON THE NEW SEASON:
http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2016/01/penn_state_2016_predictions_ca.html#0

*MY* PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
http://victorybellrings.com/2016/07/15/penn-state-football-2016-preview-kicker-joey-julius/

THANKS TO NEHA FOR HER WORK:
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/article_71040580-7a81-11e4-b6e3-c3874d60741e.html

L V C || C L Memory 35

In 35 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #35:  getting reminders that the most important parts of college are the people you get to know.

And I was lucky to get to know quite a few -- which is what happens when you spend the better part of a decade at your undergrad school of choice (what can I say except for what I've said before ... I really really liked my college years).

Long after class sessions had ended, and on campus jobs had been executed, and extracurriculars had filled in all the blanks in your schedule ... it was the late night conversations with quality individuals that helped all involved find clarity and guidance and purpose -- *those* were the experiences that were priceless.

A particular exchange, between Tamsin and I in early 1994, got me on her mailing list for when she reached out to her friends to remind us all to keep up the open dialogue and to always always "tell them now", the "them" being those who are important to you.  Thanks to Facebook, I know that she is following her own advice nearly a quarter century later -- which is a stick-to-your-mission-statement kind of accomplishment that is very admirable.

Random Flashback for Friday 9/2/16

Tonight's theme for the 18th batch of photos of my father's that I inherited when he passed ... is "1950 - 1952" -- because I finally have photos with time stamps on the back.  This week, all five have the date on them as Kodacolor prints and they also all have a slightly yellow hue (that's not a filter).  But other than that, I'm not sure who or what is in the picture.

#86 -- boys going to back to school in new shoes with car in background (week of Sep 11 1950)
#87 -- girl with woman -- maybe Grandma Esther or maybe not -- and chihuahua -- maybe one of Uncle Carl's (week of Sep 11 1950)
#88 -- boy with car on dirt road (week of Sep 17 1951)
#89 -- family gathering with lady in bright lipstick (week of Sep 17 1951)
#90 -- giant flowers -- or small house? (week of Aug 11 1952)

JUST ONE MORE ... itinerary item (September 2016)

JUST ONE MORE ... itinerary item.

As has been the case all year ... there's a different challenge that changes out when we turn the calendar that somehow relates to my concept of embracing incremental change in order to empower folks (or just me) to stay positive and solution-focused in a day and age where problems often seem insurmountable, control often seems out of reach and apathy often seems to be running rampant.

This month, it's personal. Well, maybe a little more personal, but still applicable to you so long as you also have a vacation right around the corner that will have you driving up the eastern seaboard to central PA (and then back down again).

Mind you, it's not until early October, but that means the time for planning is now.  And with that much driving to do ... it should be so easy to get organized and add JUST ONE MORE ... itinerary item.

L V C || C L Memory 36

In 36 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #36:  that same Christmas Party I referenced last night.

Because, for *this* post, there are pictures!  Pictures of people with their prizes.  And as you can probably tell, we didn't have a budget for gifts.

But we did have a fun time in the Underground, as we played one of those games where you each get a number, and when your number gets called, you can steal from someone else or choose a new gift -- except we also had the rule that everyone could only open the items at the very end, so you didn't know what exactly you were stealing.

Also -- there may have been some lessons about not judging things from the outside, with some creative gift wrapping as a part of all the fun.  And it was fun ... as you can see from all the smiling faces!

Random Thought for Thursday 9/1/16

My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-FOURTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Qbar Burgers and Blues
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Beer Flight (four 5oz drinks)
from left to right in the photo:  Hollywood Stout, Mutha Fuggle EPA, Schofferhofer and Left Hand Milk Stout
Appetizer:  small (?!) meat & cheese charcuterie board
Main:  The King
1/2 lb. burger with duck bacon & cheddar cheese on a fresh toasted bun
Side(s):  Shoestring fries
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Lynn

Earlier in this series, the "taste" was Sage French Cafe (#18), and this establishment is right next door -- which makes sense as it is owned by the same people (and as it serves as the bar for that restaurant).  Taking New Orleans as inspiration, it features live music every night of the week, and offers more than just the usual items on the bar menu, including chili and gumbo (although neither person in our party actually ordered either of those specialties).  Notwithstanding that oversight, see the details making up the score below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was the kind of place to take someone for a conversation over drinks ... and even when the live music started, it wasn't too overwhelming, what with the stage being positioned *behind* the bar ... the chandeliers were something to see, and all the pictures were taken in that glow ... a point lost because it was a bit sticky when we first arrived [although the AC did kick in at some point], and a second point lost because neither the bar's website nor its facebook page was updated with performers, so we didn't know what live music to expect the night we arrived)
FOOD:            8/10 (I'm not complaining, but that charcuterie plate that's pictured is a *small*! ... and every single thing on it was the perfect way to start a meal ... extra nice touches were the pear pieces with the blue cheese crumbles and a healthy sliced mini loaf of warmed toasted bread ... interestingly enough, it was so unexpected that it raised the bar a little too high for the burger, which was good, with fresh toppings that made me think "picnic" as I was eating it, but I was expecting a bit more panache when it came to plating, so a point lost there ... and a second point lost because the fries were a bit straightforward and could have used a little adventurous upgrade of some kind)
SERVICE:      10/10 (for the last few weeks, we've been on a run of servers who do well representing their profession, and this place's staff continued the tradition ... she was low key in a good way [I'm slowly beginning to realize that servers who rush make guests feel rushed, something I wish I had known back in my server days], and although I thought I heard her sigh when the beer flights were ordered [that's a lot more work on her part], she more than made up for it with her approach throughout the night, including knowing the menu items well enough to tell us the temperature to order for the sandwiches ... and it may be something simple, but it's endearing to hear someone take the time at the end of the night to say, "come back any time ... see you soon")
BACON:         9/10 (two words for you:  DUCK BACON! ... which, thankfully, is not trying to pass off something like turkey as bacon [which is a peeve of mine], but is, instead, a fattier and richer bonus bacon, as seen on my burger [even if it did taste like ham ... maybe because it looked like ham] ... just one point lost because I didn't have the courage to add regular bacon TO the duck bacon as an extra topping, since I didn't know what to expect with the duck bacon in the first place)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for having a well established dog-friendly approach that includes a special menu of quality homemade food just for puppies, +3 for all of those draft beer choices, shown on the chalkboard in the photo and +1 for being a place to which we will return, with friends, to listen to live music again)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B