Saturday, May 31, 2008
rambling around in america
two days since the last diary blog entry and one long flight to virginia from oxford. flight day went ok, but of course leaving oxford at 6am after 3 hours of sleep didn't leave any time for a run on friday. met some interesting people at the airport and on the plane and that was nice. one was a cancer dr. and we had an interesting conversation about my melanoma history. he suggested that i look into getting into a study being done in Pittsburgh and i just might. he also talked about how the bad cells were affected by levels of sun and why it was more important for a person who had a history of melanoma to not be exposed to long periods of sun exposure. as a side note this nice dr was travelling with his wife and daughter and split his time between Pakistan and Seattle, wash. seemed like a real nice guy and we had a nice talk about a changing world and family life and how the new world is affecting that life and his daughter growing up in two countries.
also met a IT guy who lived in wildwood, ca. in southern md where gail and i used to live. small odds on that. he was on a two+ year contract to pax river and went back and forth between the usa and the uk. even on the way home, the taxi driver and i had a really interesting conversation about the state of the world and his life which was spent going back and forth to Egypt and driving the dulles taxi and sending money home.
interesting world we are living in. and then i was home- to a house where the back yard hadn't had the grass cut since early march and gave me an idea of what a meadow would look like in my garden. three feet high grass and lots of weeds and trees growing everywhere. wonder how long it would take before the garden was forest. but a lot of the stuff i thought had been dead had made really nice comebacks and were seemingly thriving. could spend a long time weeding and trying to cut the lawn down, which i started on just to see how hard it was going to be to get it done.
the big problem was inside where the really heavy recent rains had clogged the back steps drain and the results were a flooded laundry room which had spilled over into other areas downstairs. a nice headache for later on. the water was gone and now the cleanup would begin, but after sifting through three months of mail.
and then to get some sleep. plan was to sleep early and run early and go to the cancer relay. but at 4:25 i woke up- my head thinking it was 9:25 and wanting to be up i suppose. read for awhile and when the sun came up i got ready to run. by 6am i8 was at the track. 70+ degrees already and humid. this was not oxford weather. i had already been re-introduced to dehydration while recovering from the grass cutting.
did a very short warmup thinking i would start my workout slowly and let it come to me instead of forcing it. and it went as ok as it could have. was interested to see how i could handle some longer stuff, but knew the humidity would be a factor until i was used to it again. ended up running 3 sets of 100's and 200's plus a few 400's and one 800. the speed was ok for now. the right leg held up as well as it could and while it was a hard workout i enjoyed it. on some more sleep and conditioned to the heat it would have been easier. my morning heart rate was very high and i didn't bother to finish taking it. but the nice part was that when you start running at 6am you get done pretty early. even with a long cool-down and close to 9 miles total i was done and back home cutting grass before it could get really hot.
and then it was time to get to the relay. the survivor luncheon went well. the speakers are always inspiring, though i was glad they hadn't chosen any children this year. it is always hard to listen to their stories for me. it must be very hard as a parent to watch your child go through cancer treatment. to most people cancer and its' treatment is some nebulous out there thing and they feel it is hard, but here in a room with 70 survivors and talking to them and listening to their histories, you can get a much truer picture of its affects on them and their families. strangely, there is also a level of humor in it also.
the rain storm started while we were inside at the luncheon and they moved everyone inside to do the walking for awhile. bumped into an old running friend about two miles into my walk and we walked about 4 miles together. gave me a nice 6 mile warmdown from the run this morning and about 15 miles of exercise, a good start to being home. while walking a young lady came up to me whom i had talked to on the plane. small world.
eventually i was just too tired to stay anymore and i headed home making one quick stop at the store and then home to do some work in the house and deal with m ore mail and start in on the basement problem. then to sleep, which turned out to be a nap as i am up typing now. will get some more sleep and start early tomorrow and get on with the many things i want to do while home.
will be curious to see how the democrats meeting went today. no matter what it won't really help hillary. they cannot give her every delegate and she'll still be behind. is she more electable than obama? i don't know of course, but i need one of them to win and so does the rest of the world. the world is changing and mc cain doesn't get it. like england, where the people worry about losing their identity and are just not into embracing the coming change to their world, the usa will have to deal with that also. we can choose to have some impact on what happens or we can react to it after it does. no reason to just let it fall on us.
england is so much smaller than the states and change has more of an impact - we can spread it out more and over a longer time frame. i see us two generations aways from major impact. hope i get to see what will come along. what will the world be like when my own kids are almost 62 like i am?
2am in oxford right now. turned on some news and a show about gladiators is on. tv continues to sink to new lows. change is not always for the best.
also met a IT guy who lived in wildwood, ca. in southern md where gail and i used to live. small odds on that. he was on a two+ year contract to pax river and went back and forth between the usa and the uk. even on the way home, the taxi driver and i had a really interesting conversation about the state of the world and his life which was spent going back and forth to Egypt and driving the dulles taxi and sending money home.
interesting world we are living in. and then i was home- to a house where the back yard hadn't had the grass cut since early march and gave me an idea of what a meadow would look like in my garden. three feet high grass and lots of weeds and trees growing everywhere. wonder how long it would take before the garden was forest. but a lot of the stuff i thought had been dead had made really nice comebacks and were seemingly thriving. could spend a long time weeding and trying to cut the lawn down, which i started on just to see how hard it was going to be to get it done.
the big problem was inside where the really heavy recent rains had clogged the back steps drain and the results were a flooded laundry room which had spilled over into other areas downstairs. a nice headache for later on. the water was gone and now the cleanup would begin, but after sifting through three months of mail.
and then to get some sleep. plan was to sleep early and run early and go to the cancer relay. but at 4:25 i woke up- my head thinking it was 9:25 and wanting to be up i suppose. read for awhile and when the sun came up i got ready to run. by 6am i8 was at the track. 70+ degrees already and humid. this was not oxford weather. i had already been re-introduced to dehydration while recovering from the grass cutting.
did a very short warmup thinking i would start my workout slowly and let it come to me instead of forcing it. and it went as ok as it could have. was interested to see how i could handle some longer stuff, but knew the humidity would be a factor until i was used to it again. ended up running 3 sets of 100's and 200's plus a few 400's and one 800. the speed was ok for now. the right leg held up as well as it could and while it was a hard workout i enjoyed it. on some more sleep and conditioned to the heat it would have been easier. my morning heart rate was very high and i didn't bother to finish taking it. but the nice part was that when you start running at 6am you get done pretty early. even with a long cool-down and close to 9 miles total i was done and back home cutting grass before it could get really hot.
and then it was time to get to the relay. the survivor luncheon went well. the speakers are always inspiring, though i was glad they hadn't chosen any children this year. it is always hard to listen to their stories for me. it must be very hard as a parent to watch your child go through cancer treatment. to most people cancer and its' treatment is some nebulous out there thing and they feel it is hard, but here in a room with 70 survivors and talking to them and listening to their histories, you can get a much truer picture of its affects on them and their families. strangely, there is also a level of humor in it also.
the rain storm started while we were inside at the luncheon and they moved everyone inside to do the walking for awhile. bumped into an old running friend about two miles into my walk and we walked about 4 miles together. gave me a nice 6 mile warmdown from the run this morning and about 15 miles of exercise, a good start to being home. while walking a young lady came up to me whom i had talked to on the plane. small world.
eventually i was just too tired to stay anymore and i headed home making one quick stop at the store and then home to do some work in the house and deal with m ore mail and start in on the basement problem. then to sleep, which turned out to be a nap as i am up typing now. will get some more sleep and start early tomorrow and get on with the many things i want to do while home.
will be curious to see how the democrats meeting went today. no matter what it won't really help hillary. they cannot give her every delegate and she'll still be behind. is she more electable than obama? i don't know of course, but i need one of them to win and so does the rest of the world. the world is changing and mc cain doesn't get it. like england, where the people worry about losing their identity and are just not into embracing the coming change to their world, the usa will have to deal with that also. we can choose to have some impact on what happens or we can react to it after it does. no reason to just let it fall on us.
england is so much smaller than the states and change has more of an impact - we can spread it out more and over a longer time frame. i see us two generations aways from major impact. hope i get to see what will come along. what will the world be like when my own kids are almost 62 like i am?
2am in oxford right now. turned on some news and a show about gladiators is on. tv continues to sink to new lows. change is not always for the best.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
11 mile thursday
running around trying to get everything done before i leave for the states in the morning and knowing i won't get it all done trying to choose what gets left undone- but will take a few minutes to get this morning's run down while i wait for the laundry to spin dry.
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first - Fact of the Day
King Charles II was restored to the English throne today in 1660. He had previously been crowned King of Scotland on 1 January 1651 and had attempted to reunite the kingdoms by attacking Cromwellian forces in England. This led to a resounding defeat at the Battle of Worcester where, according to legend, he hid in the 'Royal Oak' until the coast was clear. Upon restoration, Charles acknowledged his thanks to his Scottish soldiers by making The Royal Scots the first regular regiment of the modern British Army.
heritage.scotsman.com
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run wise i promised myself at least ten miles and went out to make that happen. knew i would be off the next day or two as i traveled and recovered from travelling. went north up to st margaret's church. was thinking as i ran that though there are many ways to run and keep that interesting while i was running, that in a run diary like this they must all sound the same, but i didn't quite have the time to go seeking a new adventure. will when i get back.
the new sheep were out along the west pasture mixed in with some pheasants and rabbits. at the church i turned south and went back down to botley road and then north again. wanted to get some time in without getting too far away. so back up to the church and then up towards the nunnery. a slightly muddy mess on the trail as it has rained so much lately. funny how the river here north of the rainbow bridge is still mostly a blue green while below the bridge it is a quite muddy brown. tan all the way up to godstow road and then towards wolvercote.
met a woman running the other way and she asked how muddy the trail was and i said it was pretty muddy, but that i had just come that way and she would be ok. aren't the british best at coping i asked and she said living here one gets use to the rain and the mud. asked where i was going and she said she would see me on the canal later. she was right.
east on godstow i ran towards wolvercote and my usual post office stop for some water. it was about 64 degrees and felt warmer in the sun and of course, i had on my usual sun protection, which made it warmer still. the man at the post office didn't know when they would be closing as part of the EU forced 22 closings. glad to have that as a way station so to speak, as there are almost no water fountains anywhere i run, other than to go into the train station or the community center. same for pit stops. i think i must run somewhat dehydrated all of the time as i hardly ever need either, but water on a warm day is nice.
i am cruising along ok now. up the canal for a little bit past some punt boats and then turn at the new two year construction site. a little breeze in my face felt pretty good and the sun was at my back for this 1.5 miles. then down the canal and it was warmer again. somewhere around north jericho i ran into the woman runner again and she asked if i were doing the Blenheim 5 miler this weekend and i said no, i was off to the states for a bit. it was hilly she said. the only place around to run hills was Blenheim where they do a lot of the races. i mentioned my little short hill repeats in north hinksey and she said she would try that. and we were both off again, her north and me south.
i cut off of the canal at walton lane and ran the fiddler's island loop around ft meadow and turned south on the river. to my surprise they had opened up one of the newly completed sections of the trail. it was just like the southern part of the trail down by dunnington bridge. was wondering if this had been the plan all along. if they keep going it will be more level and more pristine, but will clearly lack the charm of a wilder more natural trail. suppose i will know more when i get back from virginia.
went on but was stopped but a maudlin student and he told me the trail was flooded up ahead and not passable. nice of him to tell me as that is is certainly not the nature of the people here, to provide a warning. i turned and we ran together for the next few miles back across port meadow and down the oxford canal path. he was a rock climber and he told me of future stuff and being a student and it was nice having company even though the pace was clearly faster and my heart rate was climbing. on a good note i could talk easily at that pace and i convinced myself that i was right about just needing some longer speedwork with some faster runners to get a little quicker. at the oxford canal bridge he went left and i right, back towards the thames and home. down the part of the river i really like and the swans were out today and the rail was puddled up really well. but i was running nice at this point just past ten miles and headed towards 11 and that is the way it ended up. could have done more and nothing really hurt so it was ok.
now to get on with getting ready. the washer stopped a few minutes ago. hope to get back on later. but will see. sunny and 70 degrees now. where am i really?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
first - Fact of the Day
King Charles II was restored to the English throne today in 1660. He had previously been crowned King of Scotland on 1 January 1651 and had attempted to reunite the kingdoms by attacking Cromwellian forces in England. This led to a resounding defeat at the Battle of Worcester where, according to legend, he hid in the 'Royal Oak' until the coast was clear. Upon restoration, Charles acknowledged his thanks to his Scottish soldiers by making The Royal Scots the first regular regiment of the modern British Army.
heritage.scotsman.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
run wise i promised myself at least ten miles and went out to make that happen. knew i would be off the next day or two as i traveled and recovered from travelling. went north up to st margaret's church. was thinking as i ran that though there are many ways to run and keep that interesting while i was running, that in a run diary like this they must all sound the same, but i didn't quite have the time to go seeking a new adventure. will when i get back.
the new sheep were out along the west pasture mixed in with some pheasants and rabbits. at the church i turned south and went back down to botley road and then north again. wanted to get some time in without getting too far away. so back up to the church and then up towards the nunnery. a slightly muddy mess on the trail as it has rained so much lately. funny how the river here north of the rainbow bridge is still mostly a blue green while below the bridge it is a quite muddy brown. tan all the way up to godstow road and then towards wolvercote.
met a woman running the other way and she asked how muddy the trail was and i said it was pretty muddy, but that i had just come that way and she would be ok. aren't the british best at coping i asked and she said living here one gets use to the rain and the mud. asked where i was going and she said she would see me on the canal later. she was right.
east on godstow i ran towards wolvercote and my usual post office stop for some water. it was about 64 degrees and felt warmer in the sun and of course, i had on my usual sun protection, which made it warmer still. the man at the post office didn't know when they would be closing as part of the EU forced 22 closings. glad to have that as a way station so to speak, as there are almost no water fountains anywhere i run, other than to go into the train station or the community center. same for pit stops. i think i must run somewhat dehydrated all of the time as i hardly ever need either, but water on a warm day is nice.
i am cruising along ok now. up the canal for a little bit past some punt boats and then turn at the new two year construction site. a little breeze in my face felt pretty good and the sun was at my back for this 1.5 miles. then down the canal and it was warmer again. somewhere around north jericho i ran into the woman runner again and she asked if i were doing the Blenheim 5 miler this weekend and i said no, i was off to the states for a bit. it was hilly she said. the only place around to run hills was Blenheim where they do a lot of the races. i mentioned my little short hill repeats in north hinksey and she said she would try that. and we were both off again, her north and me south.
i cut off of the canal at walton lane and ran the fiddler's island loop around ft meadow and turned south on the river. to my surprise they had opened up one of the newly completed sections of the trail. it was just like the southern part of the trail down by dunnington bridge. was wondering if this had been the plan all along. if they keep going it will be more level and more pristine, but will clearly lack the charm of a wilder more natural trail. suppose i will know more when i get back from virginia.
went on but was stopped but a maudlin student and he told me the trail was flooded up ahead and not passable. nice of him to tell me as that is is certainly not the nature of the people here, to provide a warning. i turned and we ran together for the next few miles back across port meadow and down the oxford canal path. he was a rock climber and he told me of future stuff and being a student and it was nice having company even though the pace was clearly faster and my heart rate was climbing. on a good note i could talk easily at that pace and i convinced myself that i was right about just needing some longer speedwork with some faster runners to get a little quicker. at the oxford canal bridge he went left and i right, back towards the thames and home. down the part of the river i really like and the swans were out today and the rail was puddled up really well. but i was running nice at this point just past ten miles and headed towards 11 and that is the way it ended up. could have done more and nothing really hurt so it was ok.
now to get on with getting ready. the washer stopped a few minutes ago. hope to get back on later. but will see. sunny and 70 degrees now. where am i really?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
another run in the rain
up really early and out to run as i had to be back to go with gail to the bus station. she leaves today for her normandy invasion trip in france. was raining pretty good but not horribly and i ran down binsey lane and across the street towards king edward park. went west so i could run the big loop around the park and come back up osney to the made up track straightaway. that went well enough in the rain and mud puddles and i saw a few other early runners and dog walkers. don't usually see people out this time of morning other than the cars headed to work down the main street.
but around the loop i went and then stopped to run 20 x 100 with all of the 100 recovery jog. wanted to get some recovery in hopes of doing a worthwhile little workout and still be able to run in the morning. friday was a airport day and no chance to run before i left. my morning heart rate was 42 this morning. down a bit to my low again. still think the heart is ahead of the legs.
the workout went ok. i ran 4 sets of 5, running 2 hard, 2 steady and one easy. my easy ones are much faster than they used to be and that is good. the fastest today were not my fastest since i started these, but i had more faster ones than usual. another good sign. finished the twenty and then headed back over to the bike path and ran a big loop west and then another one throwing in the side trail towards raleigh park. that gave me about 8 miles and good enough for the day.
headed home and shortly after this we headed up to the bus station and gail took off from there for her school trip. i walked over to the open market and got some stuff for the house so it would be there when she got back and also picked up some fresh baked scones for breakfast. a nice little treat. then walked home in the slightest of drizzles.
after breakfast i headed up to the driving range. this turned out to be a disappointment today as the rain was coming down heavier now and it made hitting outside the covered area not a great idea, but underneath was packed with kids today. no program -just a bunch of kids doing what kids do. making noise and running up to the ball and trying to hit it. just like the movie. so balls were all over the place and was a tad hard to concentrate. i was doing so-so but not really able to do the drills i had hoped to do today. just went outside and chipped and did some short pitches from the outside mats. they allow me to chip but they wouldn't allow the pitches from the grass and i don't push it, content to do some chipping from actual grass. and then back home - nice the walk is not long as it was coming down now.
and now to get ready to fly home for a bit. laundry and packing and house work and cat work, etc. never enough time to do it all, but will get done what i can. am looking forward to being home for a bit. the tent we live in is getting old and it is just about 10 months now. enough.
back to packing. more tomorrow. another rainy day predicted-imagine?
but around the loop i went and then stopped to run 20 x 100 with all of the 100 recovery jog. wanted to get some recovery in hopes of doing a worthwhile little workout and still be able to run in the morning. friday was a airport day and no chance to run before i left. my morning heart rate was 42 this morning. down a bit to my low again. still think the heart is ahead of the legs.
the workout went ok. i ran 4 sets of 5, running 2 hard, 2 steady and one easy. my easy ones are much faster than they used to be and that is good. the fastest today were not my fastest since i started these, but i had more faster ones than usual. another good sign. finished the twenty and then headed back over to the bike path and ran a big loop west and then another one throwing in the side trail towards raleigh park. that gave me about 8 miles and good enough for the day.
headed home and shortly after this we headed up to the bus station and gail took off from there for her school trip. i walked over to the open market and got some stuff for the house so it would be there when she got back and also picked up some fresh baked scones for breakfast. a nice little treat. then walked home in the slightest of drizzles.
after breakfast i headed up to the driving range. this turned out to be a disappointment today as the rain was coming down heavier now and it made hitting outside the covered area not a great idea, but underneath was packed with kids today. no program -just a bunch of kids doing what kids do. making noise and running up to the ball and trying to hit it. just like the movie. so balls were all over the place and was a tad hard to concentrate. i was doing so-so but not really able to do the drills i had hoped to do today. just went outside and chipped and did some short pitches from the outside mats. they allow me to chip but they wouldn't allow the pitches from the grass and i don't push it, content to do some chipping from actual grass. and then back home - nice the walk is not long as it was coming down now.
and now to get ready to fly home for a bit. laundry and packing and house work and cat work, etc. never enough time to do it all, but will get done what i can. am looking forward to being home for a bit. the tent we live in is getting old and it is just about 10 months now. enough.
back to packing. more tomorrow. another rainy day predicted-imagine?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
short run and joe mc niff memory
let's start with joe, who passed away three years ago today. i was practicing my chipping on the side green at hilltop late on a friday afternoon when joe walked up and said "show me what you you're doing". i hit a few chips and he said it looked pretty good and to stay with it. i mentioned he looked pretty tired and maybe he ought to go home and get some rest. he told me he had just played in a tournament at ft belvoir. i kiddingly said that course would tire out most people. but he still looked like he needed a rest. he was going home he said and maybe we could play the following week with dave at greendale. sounded good to me. i went back to chipping and joe walked to his corvette. he turned and waved as he got in the car and smiled.
that would be the last time i would see him alive and the next day i got an email from dave telling me that joe had died the night before.
golf for me has truly not been the same since that day. i do love the game and it does drive me crazy and i still have great friends to play with, but something has been missing for 3 years now. and i won't bother anyone by rambling on about it. i just miss the guy and his friendship and help and playing with him and being taught by him. what can i say? i did have my first eagle playing with joe and for a couple of weeks he called me eagle man. was nice coming from him. i also remember winning a wed. senior league game one week when i played just so far over my head and joe had shot a 73 and came in second by way of my high handicap help. i mentioned to him that the system hardly seemed fair when i could shoot 6 strokes higher and win. he said that was why they the handicap system-so we could all compete against each other evenly. said he would get me next time and to buy him a drink.
can't help feeling he and my dad would have been best friends. they were so alike in far too many ways and i understood some of what his son was saying at the funeral though i know, and so did many others, that it didn't sound like he was talking about the joe we knew. but i could relate. so would have my dad.
rest in peace joe. i put a little buddha statute in my back garden right next to my practice chipping pad and i call him joe so he can still watch me. when i take the club back on the outside i think to myself that joe would have not liked that and smacked me with his shaft only club. and when my balance was bad i can hear him yell -you cannot be a good golfer if you don't have good balance.
so i did my little short effort today on mostly tired legs despite my morning heart rate of 45. the heart is still ahead of the legs. it was a pretty day and i just kept going until i was done. gail had a good run also. was just nice to be out without any rain. the river was mud brown today beth, in case you read this. very high and very brown.
we spent the morning running errands, even standing in the post office line for 40 minutes to pay our council taxes. and eventually i went up to the range and hit balls and i hit pretty well today, even hitting some five irons onto the green about 170 or so away. nice for a change. my 3 irons still wanted to go straight or right, but i will work on that. a good day and something to build on.
gail goes to france tomorrow and i go to the states on friday so we were busy getting ready for that travel in between things. also throwing things out and getting an early start on getting ready to go home.
gotta go- back tomorrow.
that would be the last time i would see him alive and the next day i got an email from dave telling me that joe had died the night before.
golf for me has truly not been the same since that day. i do love the game and it does drive me crazy and i still have great friends to play with, but something has been missing for 3 years now. and i won't bother anyone by rambling on about it. i just miss the guy and his friendship and help and playing with him and being taught by him. what can i say? i did have my first eagle playing with joe and for a couple of weeks he called me eagle man. was nice coming from him. i also remember winning a wed. senior league game one week when i played just so far over my head and joe had shot a 73 and came in second by way of my high handicap help. i mentioned to him that the system hardly seemed fair when i could shoot 6 strokes higher and win. he said that was why they the handicap system-so we could all compete against each other evenly. said he would get me next time and to buy him a drink.
can't help feeling he and my dad would have been best friends. they were so alike in far too many ways and i understood some of what his son was saying at the funeral though i know, and so did many others, that it didn't sound like he was talking about the joe we knew. but i could relate. so would have my dad.
rest in peace joe. i put a little buddha statute in my back garden right next to my practice chipping pad and i call him joe so he can still watch me. when i take the club back on the outside i think to myself that joe would have not liked that and smacked me with his shaft only club. and when my balance was bad i can hear him yell -you cannot be a good golfer if you don't have good balance.
so i did my little short effort today on mostly tired legs despite my morning heart rate of 45. the heart is still ahead of the legs. it was a pretty day and i just kept going until i was done. gail had a good run also. was just nice to be out without any rain. the river was mud brown today beth, in case you read this. very high and very brown.
we spent the morning running errands, even standing in the post office line for 40 minutes to pay our council taxes. and eventually i went up to the range and hit balls and i hit pretty well today, even hitting some five irons onto the green about 170 or so away. nice for a change. my 3 irons still wanted to go straight or right, but i will work on that. a good day and something to build on.
gail goes to france tomorrow and i go to the states on friday so we were busy getting ready for that travel in between things. also throwing things out and getting an early start on getting ready to go home.
gotta go- back tomorrow.
dead troops remembered by president who had them killed- crooks and liar blog
Dead Troops Remembered By President Who Had Them Killed
Posted: 26 May 2008 05:00 PM CDT
Bob Geiger:
Yes, that’s a harsh headline for this piece.
But I’ll ask you to forgive me because, as a Veteran, there isn’t a day on the calendar that causes my hatred — and I do indeed mean hatred — of George W. Bush to bubble over the top more than Memorial Day.
“On Memorial Day, we honor the heroes who have laid down their lives in the cause of freedom, resolve that they will forever be remembered by a grateful Nation, and pray that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made,” reads Bush’s official Memorial Day proclamation, issued by the White House on Thursday.
The Chickenhawk-in Chief says a lot of things that make this Vet’s blood boil but stuff like saying that he prays “…that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made” is almost vomit inducing.
This statement comes from the same man who himself began dishonoring the sacrifices of all Veterans in such huge ways in March of 2003, when he invaded Iraq behind a veil of lies and deceit and started spilling barrels of military and civilian blood to start a war with a country that posed no threat whatsoever to our national security. These stirring words of remembrance come from an administration that began with a stolen election in 2000, which goes entirely against what I was taught way back when I was in the U.S. Navy, which was that part of the “way of life” we were protecting was symbolized by the ability of all of our citizens to have their votes counted.
“These courageous and selfless warriors have stepped forward to protect the Nation they love, fight for America’s highest ideals, and show millions that a future of liberty is possible,” continues Bush’s proclamation. “Americans are grateful to all those who have put on our Nation’s uniform and to their families, and we will always remember their service and sacrifice for our freedoms.”
The words Bush puts forth are true — it’s him being the one to say them that I find so sickening and personally offensive.
It is positively nauseating to have George W. Bush ever talk to us about “America’s highest ideals” when his administration has started a bloody war for no reason, imprisoned those suspected of being “terrorists” without trial or benefit of legal counsel, tortured prisoners in America’s name and done everything but grab the original U.S. Constitution from the National Archives and run it through a paper shredder.
I also don’t believe for one minute that the majority of the planet now holds our country in such extreme contempt because we’re right and they don’t understand our “highest ideals.” This Veteran will go to his grave believing that the years 2000 through 2008 were a dark time in our history when much of what I believed when I served in uniform was made invalid and debased.
While Brandon Friedman at VetVoice chronicles the disrespect Ted Stevens and VA Secretary James Peake show for veteran today, JS O’Brien at Scholars & Rogues offers his tribute to the warriors who came home…and the battles they’ve never left.
Posted: 26 May 2008 05:00 PM CDT
Bob Geiger:
Yes, that’s a harsh headline for this piece.
But I’ll ask you to forgive me because, as a Veteran, there isn’t a day on the calendar that causes my hatred — and I do indeed mean hatred — of George W. Bush to bubble over the top more than Memorial Day.
“On Memorial Day, we honor the heroes who have laid down their lives in the cause of freedom, resolve that they will forever be remembered by a grateful Nation, and pray that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made,” reads Bush’s official Memorial Day proclamation, issued by the White House on Thursday.
The Chickenhawk-in Chief says a lot of things that make this Vet’s blood boil but stuff like saying that he prays “…that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made” is almost vomit inducing.
This statement comes from the same man who himself began dishonoring the sacrifices of all Veterans in such huge ways in March of 2003, when he invaded Iraq behind a veil of lies and deceit and started spilling barrels of military and civilian blood to start a war with a country that posed no threat whatsoever to our national security. These stirring words of remembrance come from an administration that began with a stolen election in 2000, which goes entirely against what I was taught way back when I was in the U.S. Navy, which was that part of the “way of life” we were protecting was symbolized by the ability of all of our citizens to have their votes counted.
“These courageous and selfless warriors have stepped forward to protect the Nation they love, fight for America’s highest ideals, and show millions that a future of liberty is possible,” continues Bush’s proclamation. “Americans are grateful to all those who have put on our Nation’s uniform and to their families, and we will always remember their service and sacrifice for our freedoms.”
The words Bush puts forth are true — it’s him being the one to say them that I find so sickening and personally offensive.
It is positively nauseating to have George W. Bush ever talk to us about “America’s highest ideals” when his administration has started a bloody war for no reason, imprisoned those suspected of being “terrorists” without trial or benefit of legal counsel, tortured prisoners in America’s name and done everything but grab the original U.S. Constitution from the National Archives and run it through a paper shredder.
I also don’t believe for one minute that the majority of the planet now holds our country in such extreme contempt because we’re right and they don’t understand our “highest ideals.” This Veteran will go to his grave believing that the years 2000 through 2008 were a dark time in our history when much of what I believed when I served in uniform was made invalid and debased.
While Brandon Friedman at VetVoice chronicles the disrespect Ted Stevens and VA Secretary James Peake show for veteran today, JS O’Brien at Scholars & Rogues offers his tribute to the warriors who came home…and the battles they’ve never left.
Monday, May 26, 2008
what's more than a downpour?
started out ok, some rain and a little wind as gail and i went out to run here loop plus a mile. we ran up to st margaret's and down the thames. not too bad out though certainly cool for a memorial day monday- bank holiday monday here in oxford-.nobody was out running as early as we were and the early morning grayness was pretty enough. the river was quite high and only the sheep were out grazing. the meadow was under water and i couldn't see any horses through the fog like conditions.
at botley road i dropped gail off to head home and i turned down the road and did a loop past templeton college and snake park. then down the oxford canal over the just finished repaved canal bridge and i went all the way to the street past the sleeping moored boats. the rain started about here and continued to grow heavier and colder. crossing the street i ran down fisher's walk along the canal and then ran a loop around the west side of town. eventually i turned back west and towards the canal again and re-crossed the street and headed north on the canal. still nobody out. i ran north towards wolvercote and gave some thought to going over to university parks, but thought it might still be closed so i just stayed on the canal. got off above jericho and stopped to get some water at the londi's store- a 7/11 type store. guy told me i was really wet. observant to a fault.
out of the store and back to the canal carrying the now empty water bottle. threw it into a recycle bin on the canal and headed south. all the way down to the bridge again and then turned towards the train station and past snake park again. a woman runner in shorts and a tee shirt headed the other way telling me she was cold. what can i say? did the loop back around the abbey and the college and went over to the train station.
crossed back over the hythe st bridge and ran down to st andrew's church and around the block there and headed home. was really coming down now. a sort of sweet rain smell in the air though and knowing i was almost done now helped. got caught at the light at osney road and could feel the chill on my chest. glad i had worn the light jacket on top of the rei shirt. heavy gloves would have been nice also.
knew i would be a mile short of ten if i ran straight back but couldn't convince myself to run the king edward park route so i just went to the store for a paper and some breakfast stuff and headed home. nine miles in this rain was good enough. i saw one other runner. being out in the rain is not as bad as it could sound, but coming out in a pouring rain is not that easy to do. was glad i had some miles in before it really started.
the rest of the day went ok. did walk up to hit some balls and that went as ok as it could i suppose. some hope and some confusion. will hope to get it sorted out at home with some help. did chip some in a slight rain, but eventually i just headed home. an hour or so later the rain let up and gail and i took a bus into town and walked around and found a pub to eat at and had a nice little dinner. stopped for some ice cream on the walk home and made it back before anymore rain could start. seems like they expect less rain for the rest of the week than they had thought. can live with that as we are both traveling later this week.
now to fold and start packing and then read some. reading a book about england farm life right after world war two. pretty good so far. need to finish it and get on to the book club book.
read a bunch of stuff about the ireland golf trip and blogged it so i could have it handy. eventually i will do more of a real blog i hope, but for now this little run diary and occasional political rant is what i have to offer. not sure anyone reads it, but it is very cathartic for myself.
debate still going on as to getting a cat or not when we get home. time will tell. am curious to see what changes in our life we will make when we get back.
at botley road i dropped gail off to head home and i turned down the road and did a loop past templeton college and snake park. then down the oxford canal over the just finished repaved canal bridge and i went all the way to the street past the sleeping moored boats. the rain started about here and continued to grow heavier and colder. crossing the street i ran down fisher's walk along the canal and then ran a loop around the west side of town. eventually i turned back west and towards the canal again and re-crossed the street and headed north on the canal. still nobody out. i ran north towards wolvercote and gave some thought to going over to university parks, but thought it might still be closed so i just stayed on the canal. got off above jericho and stopped to get some water at the londi's store- a 7/11 type store. guy told me i was really wet. observant to a fault.
out of the store and back to the canal carrying the now empty water bottle. threw it into a recycle bin on the canal and headed south. all the way down to the bridge again and then turned towards the train station and past snake park again. a woman runner in shorts and a tee shirt headed the other way telling me she was cold. what can i say? did the loop back around the abbey and the college and went over to the train station.
crossed back over the hythe st bridge and ran down to st andrew's church and around the block there and headed home. was really coming down now. a sort of sweet rain smell in the air though and knowing i was almost done now helped. got caught at the light at osney road and could feel the chill on my chest. glad i had worn the light jacket on top of the rei shirt. heavy gloves would have been nice also.
knew i would be a mile short of ten if i ran straight back but couldn't convince myself to run the king edward park route so i just went to the store for a paper and some breakfast stuff and headed home. nine miles in this rain was good enough. i saw one other runner. being out in the rain is not as bad as it could sound, but coming out in a pouring rain is not that easy to do. was glad i had some miles in before it really started.
the rest of the day went ok. did walk up to hit some balls and that went as ok as it could i suppose. some hope and some confusion. will hope to get it sorted out at home with some help. did chip some in a slight rain, but eventually i just headed home. an hour or so later the rain let up and gail and i took a bus into town and walked around and found a pub to eat at and had a nice little dinner. stopped for some ice cream on the walk home and made it back before anymore rain could start. seems like they expect less rain for the rest of the week than they had thought. can live with that as we are both traveling later this week.
now to fold and start packing and then read some. reading a book about england farm life right after world war two. pretty good so far. need to finish it and get on to the book club book.
read a bunch of stuff about the ireland golf trip and blogged it so i could have it handy. eventually i will do more of a real blog i hope, but for now this little run diary and occasional political rant is what i have to offer. not sure anyone reads it, but it is very cathartic for myself.
debate still going on as to getting a cat or not when we get home. time will tell. am curious to see what changes in our life we will make when we get back.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
think downpour
downpour with lots of wind comes closest to describing today's run. started out in a decent rainstorm which got worse and worse as i went, but in some perverse way it was almost enjoyable. i saw nobody as i headed north up to st margaret's church and then south back down to the river path. went north on the river which was shrouded in some form of gray cover with more ducks and geese and swans in the water than i had seen in sometime. maybe it is easier for them to be in the water when the storm is heavy. fortunately the path wasn't that muddy yet and i was able to go around the puddles that were there easily enough.
somewhere up near the old nunnery i saw my first other person running south and then as i turned back south myself a small boat was out on the water and the man waived at me in some sort of what are we doing out here solidarity moment. how wet can you get once you are as wet as you can be anyway? the rain and the water were not nearly the problem that the wind was of course. what had been at my back was now in my face and i just moved on slowly through it. i am making it sound worse than it was and i can hear people asking what i was doing out, but in reality a runner gets used to this. in a golf match they would have halted play.
but down the river i went and then over the rainbow bridge and south on the thames and hoping to get to the canal. seems like the workers had made lots of progress in the past couple of days on the trail and i still hope they finish before we have to leave so i can see what they came up with in a way of design.
nobody out here either until a mile down or so i saw a couple out walking north, though you could barely see them under all of the clothes they were wearing. went under the train bridge and around the water puddled up there and over to the canal and south on the canal path down to the hythe st. bridge road. then turned north and went back and north to the playground near the burgess park bridge. thought about it for a mini-second and decided to just turn south. the canal path was much easier to run on in a rainstorm and eventually i made my way back to the swan trail.
ran into a trail friend there walking his big old shaggy dog who came up to me to be petted. we were all pretty soaked at that point but i jogged alongside him as he told me about the chelsea flower show he had attended yesterday. the lady on the bus had also talked about what a great show it was and had shared the look of some of her flowers with us by putting them on the table between us. we went on to have a nice discussion about politics and living in scotland.
eventually i started on my way home. had been out for 1:40 and that was long enough today. by the time i made it home i figured it would be close to two hours. a slow, but decent run through the rain. knew i was going to throw these shoes away anyway, but was worried about my orthotics, which have just taken on too much running this year and were about worn out. will replace them asap. but not soon enough.
the rest of the day was slightly different than i had hoped due to the rain. did laundry and started to fold and get ready to pack up. threw away two pair of old running shoes. made plans to give away stuff and tried to decide how little stuff i could get by on for the time remaining here. then a slight window of opportunity arose as the rain slowed down and i walked up to the driving range.
the range was pretty crowded for this weather. people must be desperate to get going and it is a bank holiday weekend, so most people have tomorrow off, though the forecast is for heavy rain all day long also. i hit a large and small bucket of balls not as well as lately but not as bad as i had been doing. even missing one day seems to throw me off as my swing is still too fragile. got some chipping in with the 8 iron and lob wedge and that went ok. 8 iron gets better faster than the lob wedge. have taught myself two new shots - one with each of them and will see if i ever get to use them on a golf course. have also been practicing a draw chip that a friend of mine from the hilltop range showed me once. interesting shot as it lets the ball run out more and i can keep it from going right easier.
then i went to hit some pitch shots and the guy next to me asked to play for pennies. 20 pitches for 20 pence. what the hell huh? from 40 yards i made the first one and then hit the flag three straight times. got a little lead and won 15 of the twenty. no big deal, but it was just a funny start and this guy didn't know me at all. let him keep the 10p. i must look like i cannot play golf probably. and i really cannot, but i can hit a chip and a pitch shot.
anyway-went home and watched the rest of the pga championship at wentworth where everyone tried to give it away and eventually anguel won as the other guys missed two foot putts( as he also had) and hit drives into the trees. i always want to see someone win with a good shot but it was fun waiting to see who would stop screwing up long enough to win. i say that with all due respect as the pressure must be intense and nothing i have felt at that level.
listened to the sunday news show and read some newspaper. off to do some administrative stuff. more rain ahead so will play the week by ear so to speak. except the runs. rain or shine will be out nice and early. count on it. 2512 miles done since i have been here. but lots of travel ahead will probably keep me from 3000. had no goal in the beginning other than to run as much as the right leg and pf would allow and i am doing that.
66 days to go.
somewhere up near the old nunnery i saw my first other person running south and then as i turned back south myself a small boat was out on the water and the man waived at me in some sort of what are we doing out here solidarity moment. how wet can you get once you are as wet as you can be anyway? the rain and the water were not nearly the problem that the wind was of course. what had been at my back was now in my face and i just moved on slowly through it. i am making it sound worse than it was and i can hear people asking what i was doing out, but in reality a runner gets used to this. in a golf match they would have halted play.
but down the river i went and then over the rainbow bridge and south on the thames and hoping to get to the canal. seems like the workers had made lots of progress in the past couple of days on the trail and i still hope they finish before we have to leave so i can see what they came up with in a way of design.
nobody out here either until a mile down or so i saw a couple out walking north, though you could barely see them under all of the clothes they were wearing. went under the train bridge and around the water puddled up there and over to the canal and south on the canal path down to the hythe st. bridge road. then turned north and went back and north to the playground near the burgess park bridge. thought about it for a mini-second and decided to just turn south. the canal path was much easier to run on in a rainstorm and eventually i made my way back to the swan trail.
ran into a trail friend there walking his big old shaggy dog who came up to me to be petted. we were all pretty soaked at that point but i jogged alongside him as he told me about the chelsea flower show he had attended yesterday. the lady on the bus had also talked about what a great show it was and had shared the look of some of her flowers with us by putting them on the table between us. we went on to have a nice discussion about politics and living in scotland.
eventually i started on my way home. had been out for 1:40 and that was long enough today. by the time i made it home i figured it would be close to two hours. a slow, but decent run through the rain. knew i was going to throw these shoes away anyway, but was worried about my orthotics, which have just taken on too much running this year and were about worn out. will replace them asap. but not soon enough.
the rest of the day was slightly different than i had hoped due to the rain. did laundry and started to fold and get ready to pack up. threw away two pair of old running shoes. made plans to give away stuff and tried to decide how little stuff i could get by on for the time remaining here. then a slight window of opportunity arose as the rain slowed down and i walked up to the driving range.
the range was pretty crowded for this weather. people must be desperate to get going and it is a bank holiday weekend, so most people have tomorrow off, though the forecast is for heavy rain all day long also. i hit a large and small bucket of balls not as well as lately but not as bad as i had been doing. even missing one day seems to throw me off as my swing is still too fragile. got some chipping in with the 8 iron and lob wedge and that went ok. 8 iron gets better faster than the lob wedge. have taught myself two new shots - one with each of them and will see if i ever get to use them on a golf course. have also been practicing a draw chip that a friend of mine from the hilltop range showed me once. interesting shot as it lets the ball run out more and i can keep it from going right easier.
then i went to hit some pitch shots and the guy next to me asked to play for pennies. 20 pitches for 20 pence. what the hell huh? from 40 yards i made the first one and then hit the flag three straight times. got a little lead and won 15 of the twenty. no big deal, but it was just a funny start and this guy didn't know me at all. let him keep the 10p. i must look like i cannot play golf probably. and i really cannot, but i can hit a chip and a pitch shot.
anyway-went home and watched the rest of the pga championship at wentworth where everyone tried to give it away and eventually anguel won as the other guys missed two foot putts( as he also had) and hit drives into the trees. i always want to see someone win with a good shot but it was fun waiting to see who would stop screwing up long enough to win. i say that with all due respect as the pressure must be intense and nothing i have felt at that level.
listened to the sunday news show and read some newspaper. off to do some administrative stuff. more rain ahead so will play the week by ear so to speak. except the runs. rain or shine will be out nice and early. count on it. 2512 miles done since i have been here. but lots of travel ahead will probably keep me from 3000. had no goal in the beginning other than to run as much as the right leg and pf would allow and i am doing that.
66 days to go.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
run and day in london-quick notes
was up pretty early and out the door to run. needed to get done early to leave for day in london with friends from the states who will be living in london for the summer. the morning heart rate was down to 47, slowly coming back down. still think it is all allergies as there is much tree pollen in the air. went straight to king edward park and after a very short warm up ran 25 x 100 sprint intervals. went pretty well with the right quad holding up and only minor tightness in the right piriformis after some 30 minutes. kept an eye on it but kept the workout going. a pretty quick last few and then a slow and easy two mile cool down and home. quick everything at home and on to london.
walked up to the bus station and took the bus to london where we then walked to the tube station and caught a victoria line tube (subway)toward hampstead where michale and mary are living and where we have spent many summers. was good to see them again as we have not seen them in a while. after a nice lunch we walked over to the heath and kenwood house, a beautiful old house high up on the heath's hill to enjoy the artwork and have a tea break. there was also a wedding going on there today and the heath parkland was really crowded as they were also having a summer fair day(a carnival type day here).
the walk up and down the hills of the heath with all of the flowers in bloom was really pretty. free admission to the kenwood house has been in effect for years and that is nice also. the artwork dates back 400 years. tea and scones plus some ice cream made for a nice break after about a 5 mile walk up and down the hills. and then of course, we had to walk the same almost 5 miles back down and around the heath to their flat(apartment). stayed a bit and visited and then headed home. this involved walking back to the tube and then changing to another tube and then walking to the bus top. an almost 2+ hour ride later we were back in oxford at the main bus station and we walked the mile home. all in all about 10+ miles of walking on top of the morning's sprint workout. enough exercise for one day.
had a quick dinner when we got home and listened to the newshour and gwen ifill. now off to sleep. everything else can wait until tomorrow when hopefully the rain won't be the total washout they predict. cold and windy out now. not like virginia in late may to be sure. all good today though. and a day less. should probabaly re-read this but won't. hope it made some sense.
walked up to the bus station and took the bus to london where we then walked to the tube station and caught a victoria line tube (subway)toward hampstead where michale and mary are living and where we have spent many summers. was good to see them again as we have not seen them in a while. after a nice lunch we walked over to the heath and kenwood house, a beautiful old house high up on the heath's hill to enjoy the artwork and have a tea break. there was also a wedding going on there today and the heath parkland was really crowded as they were also having a summer fair day(a carnival type day here).
the walk up and down the hills of the heath with all of the flowers in bloom was really pretty. free admission to the kenwood house has been in effect for years and that is nice also. the artwork dates back 400 years. tea and scones plus some ice cream made for a nice break after about a 5 mile walk up and down the hills. and then of course, we had to walk the same almost 5 miles back down and around the heath to their flat(apartment). stayed a bit and visited and then headed home. this involved walking back to the tube and then changing to another tube and then walking to the bus top. an almost 2+ hour ride later we were back in oxford at the main bus station and we walked the mile home. all in all about 10+ miles of walking on top of the morning's sprint workout. enough exercise for one day.
had a quick dinner when we got home and listened to the newshour and gwen ifill. now off to sleep. everything else can wait until tomorrow when hopefully the rain won't be the total washout they predict. cold and windy out now. not like virginia in late may to be sure. all good today though. and a day less. should probabaly re-read this but won't. hope it made some sense.
Friday, May 23, 2008
another chance for adventure
up early for whatever reason and decided to go out. not raining yet as predicted. heart rate was 48-still higher than it should be. lots of carbs last night trying to recover. and up the lane i went. so early there are no sounds but the birds chirping.
morning birds are certainly different than evening birds.
a gray morning and the dampness in the air. rain cannot be far away. i move slowly up binsey letting each muscle wake up on its' own timetable and just happy to be out. some ducks land in the little creek near the house. the cows are wandering in the field behind the playground. i keep moving north.
near the village i hear the rooster and i turn towards rainbow bridge. some workers are getting ready to work on the trail as they load their stuff on the little barge to carry downstream. i stay ahead of them and go over the bridge. across port meadow i see the cows meandering looking for grass while the ducks swim in the meadow pond. the horses are further north though i can see them in the gray distance. deciding to what to do i leave it to my instincts and they say to cross the bridge so i do. i run the little trail around fiddler's island having not been here in a few weeks. someone has evidently cleared the trail some more and it is surprisingly runnable. the loop brings me out into the port meadow car park and i head towards the canal.
i turn north on the canal and and the trail is eerily quiet. some ducks in the water and the gardens are all in bloom, but there are no people. where are the dog walkers and the bikes going to work? i run north, moving slowly, but feeling ok and all awake now. a mile or more up i turn into the playground and across the grass back onto the school trail. this brings me to the allotment bridge which carries me uphill back into portmeadow. i come out amidst the horses and turn north towards burgess nature reserve park. off to the left wytham woods are fogged in and clouded over. an interesting gray haze gives them an almost mystic appearance. i see my first dog walker.
into the park and i head up the left outside trail. you could run so many different trails in here and as i head north an ipod listening woman heads south and out of the park, a very early riser. up the side trail i go watching the horses run north also on the other side of the trees. eventually we can not see each other and i continue on what i have come to call two mile trail as that is about how long it is-surprise. the grass is soft and barely wet with morning dew. around the corner i go and here comes a decent size brown lab coming right at me showing no signs that he will slow down and i prepare myself for the inevitable jump up which he does. help him down quickly and he is ok and playful, his owner apologetic telling "midnight" he shouldn't have done that and explaining to me how the dog just loves to jump up on people. not a good habit i think to myself, but invoking the british way, i say nothing and run on after petting the dog. a good dog and a nice, but untrained owner. a smaller person less prepared would have been knocked over. not good for big labs to be jumpers.
but no harm and down the trail i go. the yellow, purple and white flowers are gone now and there is a green and brown look to the trail, but the birds are singing everywhere and i am glad i didn't give in to thinking i was tired. i am not fresh for sure, but i am running. two miles later i am back near the front gate and i do one more loop taking a different trail across the park and doing an isosceles triangle loop. then head out and south back to the bridge bridle-path. the uphill exit gives me a chance to run 4 times up and down to get some small amount of running a hill in. only takes 40 seconds and is just short of 200 yards. finally done and then back on the canal south towards home. the canal is more crowded now.
i say good morning to the usual runners as they go north; out early they nod? bikes go by with no warning of course and people are out mowing their grass. it starts to drizzle lightly. i notice it first on the water and then on me. refreshing at this level and fortunately it never picks up and stays this way all the way back home. across the canal bridge back to the river. i see where they are building the bridge connecting the river path to the train trail. will not be done while i live here, but will be very helpful to the people catching a train or taking their children to "turbo ted's day care". i see john's wife elizabeth walking their dog, a very small and very old some kind of a dog. it has worse hips than i do i can tell. reminds me that i don't feel the hip today, must be going to slow.
down the rest of the river past the swans and onto botley road i pick up the pace towards the community center and then ease off until the grocery store. a little over 8 miles in. wouldn't have missed it, but could have. you never know until you go out what kind of day it will be. sort of like golf. everyday is a new chance to be a hero, to have an adventure or just to enjoy being out.
morning birds are certainly different than evening birds.
a gray morning and the dampness in the air. rain cannot be far away. i move slowly up binsey letting each muscle wake up on its' own timetable and just happy to be out. some ducks land in the little creek near the house. the cows are wandering in the field behind the playground. i keep moving north.
near the village i hear the rooster and i turn towards rainbow bridge. some workers are getting ready to work on the trail as they load their stuff on the little barge to carry downstream. i stay ahead of them and go over the bridge. across port meadow i see the cows meandering looking for grass while the ducks swim in the meadow pond. the horses are further north though i can see them in the gray distance. deciding to what to do i leave it to my instincts and they say to cross the bridge so i do. i run the little trail around fiddler's island having not been here in a few weeks. someone has evidently cleared the trail some more and it is surprisingly runnable. the loop brings me out into the port meadow car park and i head towards the canal.
i turn north on the canal and and the trail is eerily quiet. some ducks in the water and the gardens are all in bloom, but there are no people. where are the dog walkers and the bikes going to work? i run north, moving slowly, but feeling ok and all awake now. a mile or more up i turn into the playground and across the grass back onto the school trail. this brings me to the allotment bridge which carries me uphill back into portmeadow. i come out amidst the horses and turn north towards burgess nature reserve park. off to the left wytham woods are fogged in and clouded over. an interesting gray haze gives them an almost mystic appearance. i see my first dog walker.
into the park and i head up the left outside trail. you could run so many different trails in here and as i head north an ipod listening woman heads south and out of the park, a very early riser. up the side trail i go watching the horses run north also on the other side of the trees. eventually we can not see each other and i continue on what i have come to call two mile trail as that is about how long it is-surprise. the grass is soft and barely wet with morning dew. around the corner i go and here comes a decent size brown lab coming right at me showing no signs that he will slow down and i prepare myself for the inevitable jump up which he does. help him down quickly and he is ok and playful, his owner apologetic telling "midnight" he shouldn't have done that and explaining to me how the dog just loves to jump up on people. not a good habit i think to myself, but invoking the british way, i say nothing and run on after petting the dog. a good dog and a nice, but untrained owner. a smaller person less prepared would have been knocked over. not good for big labs to be jumpers.
but no harm and down the trail i go. the yellow, purple and white flowers are gone now and there is a green and brown look to the trail, but the birds are singing everywhere and i am glad i didn't give in to thinking i was tired. i am not fresh for sure, but i am running. two miles later i am back near the front gate and i do one more loop taking a different trail across the park and doing an isosceles triangle loop. then head out and south back to the bridge bridle-path. the uphill exit gives me a chance to run 4 times up and down to get some small amount of running a hill in. only takes 40 seconds and is just short of 200 yards. finally done and then back on the canal south towards home. the canal is more crowded now.
i say good morning to the usual runners as they go north; out early they nod? bikes go by with no warning of course and people are out mowing their grass. it starts to drizzle lightly. i notice it first on the water and then on me. refreshing at this level and fortunately it never picks up and stays this way all the way back home. across the canal bridge back to the river. i see where they are building the bridge connecting the river path to the train trail. will not be done while i live here, but will be very helpful to the people catching a train or taking their children to "turbo ted's day care". i see john's wife elizabeth walking their dog, a very small and very old some kind of a dog. it has worse hips than i do i can tell. reminds me that i don't feel the hip today, must be going to slow.
down the rest of the river past the swans and onto botley road i pick up the pace towards the community center and then ease off until the grocery store. a little over 8 miles in. wouldn't have missed it, but could have. you never know until you go out what kind of day it will be. sort of like golf. everyday is a new chance to be a hero, to have an adventure or just to enjoy being out.
a two minute thought
Did the wall fall? Can it?
In a room with three people
Who is the giant
And who is the clown
If there were four in the room
Would that make a difference
Would someone be lonely
And someone be free
Now there are five there
And the room seems crowded
Should someone leave
Will someone speak
In a room with three people
Are there no woman
Are there no men
If there were four in the room
Could one be a partner
And one be a friend
Suppose there were five
Would one be gay
Would one be loved
And one be hated
In a room with three people
If a wall fell down
Would it still be a room
If four people watched it
Would the wall still fall
Suppose that they caught it
And the fifth person asked
Where did you come from
Where is my partner
Where is my friend
Who will love me
If I were gay
If I were black
If I were yellow
If I were brown
If I were white
And the wall falls- can you hear it
and the wall stays up- quiet
In a room with three people
Who is the giant
And who is the clown
If there were four in the room
Would that make a difference
Would someone be lonely
And someone be free
Now there are five there
And the room seems crowded
Should someone leave
Will someone speak
In a room with three people
Are there no woman
Are there no men
If there were four in the room
Could one be a partner
And one be a friend
Suppose there were five
Would one be gay
Would one be loved
And one be hated
In a room with three people
If a wall fell down
Would it still be a room
If four people watched it
Would the wall still fall
Suppose that they caught it
And the fifth person asked
Where did you come from
Where is my partner
Where is my friend
Who will love me
If I were gay
If I were black
If I were yellow
If I were brown
If I were white
And the wall falls- can you hear it
and the wall stays up- quiet
Thursday, May 22, 2008
dead on my feet day
has been a long time since my legs were this dead, but didn't find this out until gail and i had gone out to run and were heading up the lane to the river and then north on the trail towards tree cemetery. not much to do but tough it out. every step felt like the 24th mile of a marathon not going very well. but tough it out is what you do on days like these and eventually you grab onto the prettiness of the morning and the cows, horses and sheep and the moving river and just keep going. and then somehow you are running down botley road towards the grocery store and the little five mile run is behind you.
always like to ask myself if i knew before i ran that it was going to go like this would i have gone out anyway? of course- will skip one of the next two days and get some legs back. 4 days of rain ahead and a trip to london also so will work around that. sometimes being retired has some real advantages. not being old, but being retired.
found a you-tube guy who has over 200 gordon lightfoot songs on his sight. i have seen gordon now 14 times in concert so he leads neil young 14-11. i read that canada has more guitars than any other country in the world and they think it is because of gordon being so popular there. hard to believe he'll be 70 this year.
eventually we made it up to the market and traded in used books for more used books and then gail headed off to school and i went to the post office to mail bills. then a quick stop at the store for bagels and yogurt and bananas. a really nice day and the market is packed. most colleges are done now and the kids and tourists and parents are everywhere.
passed on walking home and grabbed the bus. met some people from Jacksonville, Florida at the bus stop, and it turned out that the husband and i had run the marathon there the same year. was advertised as the flattest marathon in the country back then. not sure he fully believed me when i told him we went to Savannah the next day and ran the marathon there. that was back in the days of sy mah(who talked me into savannah), who at that time had run more marathons than anyone. a nice professor from harvard with a sweet wife. the good old days. still, running didn't stop his cancer , but he enjoyed his life more than most. now norm frank has taken up that mantle of running the most marathons. norm and i have run many a marathon together and a nicer guy you would have to look far and wide to find. hope to see him in penna. at the 12 hour race this fall.
and then i went off to the driving range where i hope i finally figured out how to make the turn i have been trying to learn. hit a zillion balls but worked really hard at all of them and did all of the drills and i think it will pay off. not to completely undo the good feelings of the day i hit up to the 5 iron. will do the woods later. not all went straight of course, but solid and high and some length was back In them. a good start. of course, that swing is gone and tomorrow is a new day. i used to say that, but with this new plan, i should be able to at least try for the same swing even if the vagaries of the day confuse the issue.
and home to eat and do laundry and read the paper and throw out stuff. with 67 days to go it is almost time to start getting ready and i am. celebrated joyce randolph's birthday with a piece of chocolate cheesecake. the least i can do. hope she was able to do the same back in fayetteville, pa.
and the world goes on. stay well out there. forget the short grass and hit the green.
sad, sad, hillary.... what a lousy system they have and i can see some of her point. will be curious to see the end game. sometimes the dumbness of such simple things amazes me. if the simple little easy things are so complicated, how do the hard things get done? a dumb ramble i know- must be the mood- but how do we negotiate with iran when we cannot decide what to do about florida and michigan? and how many businesses will we close to send people back to mexico? and why does it matter who marries who? i know that one. and is it right to charge for the first bag you check? and how will $5 gas change the way we live? i saw a guy pay 5pounds 60 today for a pack of marlboro's. in us dollars that would be $11.20. how do people pay that just to smoke and get cancer?
later............
always like to ask myself if i knew before i ran that it was going to go like this would i have gone out anyway? of course- will skip one of the next two days and get some legs back. 4 days of rain ahead and a trip to london also so will work around that. sometimes being retired has some real advantages. not being old, but being retired.
found a you-tube guy who has over 200 gordon lightfoot songs on his sight. i have seen gordon now 14 times in concert so he leads neil young 14-11. i read that canada has more guitars than any other country in the world and they think it is because of gordon being so popular there. hard to believe he'll be 70 this year.
eventually we made it up to the market and traded in used books for more used books and then gail headed off to school and i went to the post office to mail bills. then a quick stop at the store for bagels and yogurt and bananas. a really nice day and the market is packed. most colleges are done now and the kids and tourists and parents are everywhere.
passed on walking home and grabbed the bus. met some people from Jacksonville, Florida at the bus stop, and it turned out that the husband and i had run the marathon there the same year. was advertised as the flattest marathon in the country back then. not sure he fully believed me when i told him we went to Savannah the next day and ran the marathon there. that was back in the days of sy mah(who talked me into savannah), who at that time had run more marathons than anyone. a nice professor from harvard with a sweet wife. the good old days. still, running didn't stop his cancer , but he enjoyed his life more than most. now norm frank has taken up that mantle of running the most marathons. norm and i have run many a marathon together and a nicer guy you would have to look far and wide to find. hope to see him in penna. at the 12 hour race this fall.
and then i went off to the driving range where i hope i finally figured out how to make the turn i have been trying to learn. hit a zillion balls but worked really hard at all of them and did all of the drills and i think it will pay off. not to completely undo the good feelings of the day i hit up to the 5 iron. will do the woods later. not all went straight of course, but solid and high and some length was back In them. a good start. of course, that swing is gone and tomorrow is a new day. i used to say that, but with this new plan, i should be able to at least try for the same swing even if the vagaries of the day confuse the issue.
and home to eat and do laundry and read the paper and throw out stuff. with 67 days to go it is almost time to start getting ready and i am. celebrated joyce randolph's birthday with a piece of chocolate cheesecake. the least i can do. hope she was able to do the same back in fayetteville, pa.
and the world goes on. stay well out there. forget the short grass and hit the green.
sad, sad, hillary.... what a lousy system they have and i can see some of her point. will be curious to see the end game. sometimes the dumbness of such simple things amazes me. if the simple little easy things are so complicated, how do the hard things get done? a dumb ramble i know- must be the mood- but how do we negotiate with iran when we cannot decide what to do about florida and michigan? and how many businesses will we close to send people back to mexico? and why does it matter who marries who? i know that one. and is it right to charge for the first bag you check? and how will $5 gas change the way we live? i saw a guy pay 5pounds 60 today for a pack of marlboro's. in us dollars that would be $11.20. how do people pay that just to smoke and get cancer?
later............
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
summary of today-wed. may 21st
this has to be quicker than i would like, but my pc broke down again today and put me behind the 8-ball for time. somehow we figured out how to get it to work again. not sure i would ever buy a pc with vista in it again until they figure out how to make it work rather than tell you how to fix the common problem that "everyone" also has.
in a nutshell i ran about 10 miles this morning. did the usual up and down the river thing and then a big loop around the park, including a path i had not run on before through a large horse field and that was nice and soft running. a very nice day and it warmed up quickly. ran into several people i knew and shared a moment and even ran with some locals from north oxford for a bit. i was going a little faster today than usual so i was actually able to keep up with someone.
then i stopped and ran 15 x 100 and ran them quickly as a fast set rather than taking it easy. went ok. the usual right pf problem that i had started to feel at 3+ miles never got worse and i managed to get the 15 in ok. then a slow cool down.
later in the morning i took the bus with gail as she headed off to school and i got off and walked to christ church to watch the summer 8's races. that was ok. did get to see some racing but was hard to see it all as they went down the river and i was near the finish line so i got to see the last several hundred yards. still, a nice experience and i met some parents who had kids racing. the teams were up for it and several raced in some form of costumes- like pirates or vikings.
then this afternoon i went to the range and practiced. went ok and i will keep working on it. a true work in progress and i wish i had understood more earlier. also got to help the pro a bit and that is always fun. and then home to diner and bill paying and other house stuff. and fixing the computer. just took too much time and still have much to do and most of it will wait until tomorrow, which is only a few minutes away.
not sure anyone is still reading these diary type blogs, but they have been a help to me. was nice listening to old gordon lightfoot songs while i was on the computer. one of his videos featured shania twain and it reminded me that her husband just left her. hard to imagine who you would leave her for. wish her well. and also to ted kennedy who is facing some tough times ahead.
happy birthday to joyce randolph tomorrow! will have a piece of cake in celebration here in the UK. stay well everyone.
70 days to go!
in a nutshell i ran about 10 miles this morning. did the usual up and down the river thing and then a big loop around the park, including a path i had not run on before through a large horse field and that was nice and soft running. a very nice day and it warmed up quickly. ran into several people i knew and shared a moment and even ran with some locals from north oxford for a bit. i was going a little faster today than usual so i was actually able to keep up with someone.
then i stopped and ran 15 x 100 and ran them quickly as a fast set rather than taking it easy. went ok. the usual right pf problem that i had started to feel at 3+ miles never got worse and i managed to get the 15 in ok. then a slow cool down.
later in the morning i took the bus with gail as she headed off to school and i got off and walked to christ church to watch the summer 8's races. that was ok. did get to see some racing but was hard to see it all as they went down the river and i was near the finish line so i got to see the last several hundred yards. still, a nice experience and i met some parents who had kids racing. the teams were up for it and several raced in some form of costumes- like pirates or vikings.
then this afternoon i went to the range and practiced. went ok and i will keep working on it. a true work in progress and i wish i had understood more earlier. also got to help the pro a bit and that is always fun. and then home to diner and bill paying and other house stuff. and fixing the computer. just took too much time and still have much to do and most of it will wait until tomorrow, which is only a few minutes away.
not sure anyone is still reading these diary type blogs, but they have been a help to me. was nice listening to old gordon lightfoot songs while i was on the computer. one of his videos featured shania twain and it reminded me that her husband just left her. hard to imagine who you would leave her for. wish her well. and also to ted kennedy who is facing some tough times ahead.
happy birthday to joyce randolph tomorrow! will have a piece of cake in celebration here in the UK. stay well everyone.
70 days to go!
two articles from crooks and liars blog;sebelius may be an up and comer
Kansas Gov. Sebelius Vetoes Voter ID Law
Posted: 20 May 2008 05:00 PM CDT
The always-impressive KS Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a bill that would disenfranchise untold numbers of voters by requiring them to show photo identification before casting their ballots. Expect more states to attempt to implement these draconian laws now that the Supreme Court paved the way.
The Governor’s statement:
“Additionally, no elected official should support enacting new laws discouraging or disenfranchising any American who has been legally voting for years….HB 2019 seeks to solve a problem of voter fraud which does not exist in our state due to the tireless efforts of our local election officials.”
As Bill W. mentioned earlier, the Great Threat posed to our democracy by “voter fraud” is virtually non-existent. The thousands of people who would lose their ability to vote, however, is very real.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------es
Posted: 20 May 2008 12:40 PM CDT
A flood of recent polls suggests the 2008 election will once again display the “Iron Law” of 21st century Republican presidential politics. That is, with Americans showing an overwhelming preference for Democratic positions across virtually the entire spectrum of issues, the GOP has to make the race about something else. This year as in 2000 and 2004, the Republicans will try to turn the race into a presidential personality contest. And to win it, they need to manufacture a “character gap” between John McCain and Barack Obama.
Two surveys in the past week show the Republicans’ dilemma. First, a new Rasmussen poll revealed that voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on each and every one of the 10 issues measured. Democrats enjoy double-digit advantages on the economy (50%-36%), government ethics (45%-26%), health care (54%-33%), Social Security (49%-36%), education (50%-35%), Iraq (50%-39%) and immigration (45%-35%). The GOP lags by smaller margins on national security, taxes and abortion.
Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll similarly reflects the devastating impact for the GOP of Americans’ record-setting disapproval for President Bush and the direction of the country…With 82% of respondents now believing the U.S. has gone off the rails, Democrats have built a massive 21 point cushion (53%-32%) as the party Americans trust to “do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years.”
Those lopsided results are consistent with an April poll from Rasmussen which found that “election 2008 is creating record numbers of Democrats.” The results showed a 10-point Democratic advantage in party identification (41.4% to 31.4%), almost double the margin one year earlier. That delta is unprecedented:
“In fact, the Democrats now have the largest partisan advantage over the Republicans since Rasmussen Reports began tracking this data on a monthly basis nearly six years ago.”
The calculus is simple. If Americans vote the issues, Republicans lose. Which is why character matters more than policy to the Republican faithful.
In early May, yet another Rasmussen survey showed that by a 52% to 36% margin, Americans contend that a candidate’s policies on the issues matter more than his or her character. Unsurprisingly, given Americans’ clear support for Democratic positions and priorities, Republicans instead responded that character counts most.
The Rasmussen findings show a sharp partisan cleavage over the importance of candidate’s policies versus character. By a two-to-one margin, Democrats said policy positions matter most. But Republican respondents argued the reverse, with character trumping issues by 49% to 43%. Among independents, policy proposals rank as more important, by 49% to 32%. As a result, the Rasmussen poll like the later ABC/WaPo survey showed a dramatic advantage for the Democratic Party in a generic presidential match-up:
“The survey found that 48% of the nation’s adults are inclined to vote for a Democratic Presidential candidate while 34% prefer a Republican.”
Which is precisely why the Republican Party cannot let the 2008 election be about the issues.
As Rasmussen suggests, thus far the GOP has been very successful in converting the White House race into a personality contest in which the supposed maverick John McCain is amazingly competitive at a time of almost universal disdain for his party and its policies:
“In fact, one of the most significant stories so far in Election 2008 is the way that John McCain significantly outperforms the Republican brand. On a series of key issues, the Democrats are trusted more than the GOP but McCain is trusted more than either Democrat.”
As I noted recently, John McCain has been the beneficiary of both the bitter (and endless) Democratic race and the seeming imperviousness of the media’s McCain maverick myth. For example, on the economy, Americans prefer Democrats over Republicans by 48% to 40%. Yet in head-to-head matchups, voters say they trust John McCain over both Hillary Clinton (47% to 42%) and Barack Obama (46% to 39%). Despite John McCain’s repeated admissions that “the issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” right now Americans trust him more than his Democratic rivals on the issue they consider most important in 2008. On Iraq, national security and taxes as well, McCain is also seen as more trustworthy. Even with the albatross of a disrespected Republican president and a discredited GOP brand, John McCain may be winning the character war.
Sadly, we’ve been here before. The 2000 and 2004 exit polls clearly show the Republican Party succeeded both in portraying the presidential contest as being about character and in defining the accepted media narrative for candidates Bush, Gore and Kerry. Eight years ago, 24% of voters claimed being “honest/trustworthy” was the quality that mattered most; among them, George W. Bush trounced Al Gore by 80% to 15%. In 2004, Bush walloped the supposed flip-flopper John Kerry by 70% to 29% among those claiming honesty was the most important presidential attribute. Among those wanting a “strong leader,” Bush swamped Kerry by a staggering 75 points.
In his 2007 book The Big Con, Jonathan Chait described how Republicans consistently win elections despite almost universal disdain for their policies among the American people. In a nutshell, Chait argues that Republicans must convert elections into contests of character because they simply can’t win on issues. While their man, be it George W. Bush or John McCain, is the “authentic” guy you’d “like to have a beer with,” the GOP drives the media conventional wisdom that paints the likes of Al Gore, John Kerry and now Barack Obama as effete, out-of-touch elitists whose positions change with the wind:
“Media outlets functionally affiliated with the Republican Party have been able to create news that makes its way into the nonpartisan media. It is a kind of machine that manufactures images of character.
The Republicans’ seminal insight was that the random process by which small events come to wield great symbolic insight into the character of presidential candidates didn’t have to be random. It was possible to prime the pump, in a way.” (p.169)
The data is clear. If the election is about the economy, health care and Iraq, John McCain cannot become the 44th president. Only if the GOP succeeds once again in transforming the race into a media medley about lapel pins, angry ministers and Muslim-sounding middle names can the Republicans hope to maintain their hold on the White House.
The right-wing media machine is already hard at work on producing the 2008 version of the character gap. The supposed elitism of Barack Obama (and not the perpetually out-of-touch John McCain) has already emerged as an indispensable, if demonstrably false, conservative story line. In Monday’s New York Times, Bill Kristol extolled McCain’s “exceptionalism.” Meanwhile, uber lobbyist and McCain senior adviser Charlie Black now labels his man “slightly right of center” after just weeks ago airing a McCain television spot titled, “True Conservative.” No doubt, McCain’s move to the center and away from his president and his party is well underway.
All the more reason why the Democratic Party needs to move beyond its interminable nominating process and begin the demolition of John McCain’s maverick myth. To win the war for the White House, Democrats need to win the battles for Americans’ hearts - and minds.
Posted: 20 May 2008 05:00 PM CDT
The always-impressive KS Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a bill that would disenfranchise untold numbers of voters by requiring them to show photo identification before casting their ballots. Expect more states to attempt to implement these draconian laws now that the Supreme Court paved the way.
The Governor’s statement:
“Additionally, no elected official should support enacting new laws discouraging or disenfranchising any American who has been legally voting for years….HB 2019 seeks to solve a problem of voter fraud which does not exist in our state due to the tireless efforts of our local election officials.”
As Bill W. mentioned earlier, the Great Threat posed to our democracy by “voter fraud” is virtually non-existent. The thousands of people who would lose their ability to vote, however, is very real.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------es
Posted: 20 May 2008 12:40 PM CDT
A flood of recent polls suggests the 2008 election will once again display the “Iron Law” of 21st century Republican presidential politics. That is, with Americans showing an overwhelming preference for Democratic positions across virtually the entire spectrum of issues, the GOP has to make the race about something else. This year as in 2000 and 2004, the Republicans will try to turn the race into a presidential personality contest. And to win it, they need to manufacture a “character gap” between John McCain and Barack Obama.
Two surveys in the past week show the Republicans’ dilemma. First, a new Rasmussen poll revealed that voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on each and every one of the 10 issues measured. Democrats enjoy double-digit advantages on the economy (50%-36%), government ethics (45%-26%), health care (54%-33%), Social Security (49%-36%), education (50%-35%), Iraq (50%-39%) and immigration (45%-35%). The GOP lags by smaller margins on national security, taxes and abortion.
Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll similarly reflects the devastating impact for the GOP of Americans’ record-setting disapproval for President Bush and the direction of the country…With 82% of respondents now believing the U.S. has gone off the rails, Democrats have built a massive 21 point cushion (53%-32%) as the party Americans trust to “do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years.”
Those lopsided results are consistent with an April poll from Rasmussen which found that “election 2008 is creating record numbers of Democrats.” The results showed a 10-point Democratic advantage in party identification (41.4% to 31.4%), almost double the margin one year earlier. That delta is unprecedented:
“In fact, the Democrats now have the largest partisan advantage over the Republicans since Rasmussen Reports began tracking this data on a monthly basis nearly six years ago.”
The calculus is simple. If Americans vote the issues, Republicans lose. Which is why character matters more than policy to the Republican faithful.
In early May, yet another Rasmussen survey showed that by a 52% to 36% margin, Americans contend that a candidate’s policies on the issues matter more than his or her character. Unsurprisingly, given Americans’ clear support for Democratic positions and priorities, Republicans instead responded that character counts most.
The Rasmussen findings show a sharp partisan cleavage over the importance of candidate’s policies versus character. By a two-to-one margin, Democrats said policy positions matter most. But Republican respondents argued the reverse, with character trumping issues by 49% to 43%. Among independents, policy proposals rank as more important, by 49% to 32%. As a result, the Rasmussen poll like the later ABC/WaPo survey showed a dramatic advantage for the Democratic Party in a generic presidential match-up:
“The survey found that 48% of the nation’s adults are inclined to vote for a Democratic Presidential candidate while 34% prefer a Republican.”
Which is precisely why the Republican Party cannot let the 2008 election be about the issues.
As Rasmussen suggests, thus far the GOP has been very successful in converting the White House race into a personality contest in which the supposed maverick John McCain is amazingly competitive at a time of almost universal disdain for his party and its policies:
“In fact, one of the most significant stories so far in Election 2008 is the way that John McCain significantly outperforms the Republican brand. On a series of key issues, the Democrats are trusted more than the GOP but McCain is trusted more than either Democrat.”
As I noted recently, John McCain has been the beneficiary of both the bitter (and endless) Democratic race and the seeming imperviousness of the media’s McCain maverick myth. For example, on the economy, Americans prefer Democrats over Republicans by 48% to 40%. Yet in head-to-head matchups, voters say they trust John McCain over both Hillary Clinton (47% to 42%) and Barack Obama (46% to 39%). Despite John McCain’s repeated admissions that “the issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” right now Americans trust him more than his Democratic rivals on the issue they consider most important in 2008. On Iraq, national security and taxes as well, McCain is also seen as more trustworthy. Even with the albatross of a disrespected Republican president and a discredited GOP brand, John McCain may be winning the character war.
Sadly, we’ve been here before. The 2000 and 2004 exit polls clearly show the Republican Party succeeded both in portraying the presidential contest as being about character and in defining the accepted media narrative for candidates Bush, Gore and Kerry. Eight years ago, 24% of voters claimed being “honest/trustworthy” was the quality that mattered most; among them, George W. Bush trounced Al Gore by 80% to 15%. In 2004, Bush walloped the supposed flip-flopper John Kerry by 70% to 29% among those claiming honesty was the most important presidential attribute. Among those wanting a “strong leader,” Bush swamped Kerry by a staggering 75 points.
In his 2007 book The Big Con, Jonathan Chait described how Republicans consistently win elections despite almost universal disdain for their policies among the American people. In a nutshell, Chait argues that Republicans must convert elections into contests of character because they simply can’t win on issues. While their man, be it George W. Bush or John McCain, is the “authentic” guy you’d “like to have a beer with,” the GOP drives the media conventional wisdom that paints the likes of Al Gore, John Kerry and now Barack Obama as effete, out-of-touch elitists whose positions change with the wind:
“Media outlets functionally affiliated with the Republican Party have been able to create news that makes its way into the nonpartisan media. It is a kind of machine that manufactures images of character.
The Republicans’ seminal insight was that the random process by which small events come to wield great symbolic insight into the character of presidential candidates didn’t have to be random. It was possible to prime the pump, in a way.” (p.169)
The data is clear. If the election is about the economy, health care and Iraq, John McCain cannot become the 44th president. Only if the GOP succeeds once again in transforming the race into a media medley about lapel pins, angry ministers and Muslim-sounding middle names can the Republicans hope to maintain their hold on the White House.
The right-wing media machine is already hard at work on producing the 2008 version of the character gap. The supposed elitism of Barack Obama (and not the perpetually out-of-touch John McCain) has already emerged as an indispensable, if demonstrably false, conservative story line. In Monday’s New York Times, Bill Kristol extolled McCain’s “exceptionalism.” Meanwhile, uber lobbyist and McCain senior adviser Charlie Black now labels his man “slightly right of center” after just weeks ago airing a McCain television spot titled, “True Conservative.” No doubt, McCain’s move to the center and away from his president and his party is well underway.
All the more reason why the Democratic Party needs to move beyond its interminable nominating process and begin the demolition of John McCain’s maverick myth. To win the war for the White House, Democrats need to win the battles for Americans’ hearts - and minds.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
may 20th-not in the mood to say much
skipped running today as i knew i needed a break and the morning heart rate was 49 telling me also that i needed some rest. so slept in a bit and did get some more rest than usual and then worked around the house for a bit, and finally went to hit some balls at the range, earlier than usual. pretty empty range today and i hit two buckets mingled with some pitching and chipping. was ok i suppose, though a few hooks and pushes were also part of the day. am still working on the grip and swing so it was ok. more important to learn what i am doing i tell myself than where the ball may be going on any one swing. some really nice ones also and most of the bad ones would have been playable except for the hooks of course. my driving range friend john told me that he has never played better golf since i gave him two tips. wish i could give myself tips. but it was nice to hear him talk about being longer and straighter. wonder what that is like? i have learned a lot watching the pro's here swing though only a little of it actually helps me.
then back home again to do laundry and online work. was going to go out for a walk, but decided against it. got a couple of miles in just going to the grocery store and driving range. will see how the legs feel in the morning, but i want to do some sprint work before i go off to see the crews race. looking forward to it. always do look forward to sprint work. feels the same as when i was fast, though the times are slower, but it feels like real running and not slogging up and down the river trails.
i did blog the link to some pictures from the crew team and on the second picture in the group you can see one of the river trails i run on behind the crews. this would be the southern part of the thames, though at that point the locals call it the Isis river.
anyway. made the arrangements to fly to ireland to meet the golf group. should be fun. the group is always fun and the courses look nice. looking forward to it. now to make reservations to fly back and forth to england one more time.
all in all, a mellow day. starting to get ready to go home. have been there mentally for some time. what can i say?
best of wishes to edward kennedy and his family also.
for those of us counting- it is 71 days to go.
then back home again to do laundry and online work. was going to go out for a walk, but decided against it. got a couple of miles in just going to the grocery store and driving range. will see how the legs feel in the morning, but i want to do some sprint work before i go off to see the crews race. looking forward to it. always do look forward to sprint work. feels the same as when i was fast, though the times are slower, but it feels like real running and not slogging up and down the river trails.
i did blog the link to some pictures from the crew team and on the second picture in the group you can see one of the river trails i run on behind the crews. this would be the southern part of the thames, though at that point the locals call it the Isis river.
anyway. made the arrangements to fly to ireland to meet the golf group. should be fun. the group is always fun and the courses look nice. looking forward to it. now to make reservations to fly back and forth to england one more time.
all in all, a mellow day. starting to get ready to go home. have been there mentally for some time. what can i say?
best of wishes to edward kennedy and his family also.
for those of us counting- it is 71 days to go.
Monday, May 19, 2008
today's story finally starting with poor anne boleyn
some of you may have recently seen the movie "the other boleyn sister"-here's a fact of the day from scotman's.com
Fact of the Day
Not a lucky day for doomed beauty Anne Boleyn in 1536 as her dream marriage to King Henry the VIII ended. Unlike today, the separation was a terminal one since it involved her head being separated from her body. Henry went on to marry four more times, finally running up a tally of six queens - "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived."
scotsman.com/monarchy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so the computer seems to be working now and that's good. when it serves as your lifeline to the outside world it is better that it works. turns out many people have had the same problem with dell/vista and there are groups discussing it in on-line forums.
but i got up and went out to run on a pretty cold morning for this late in may- about 45 degrees. my heart rate last night was 48 and this time it actually behaved itself and was 46 when i woke up. seems to be locked in now just a tad higher than its low point showing a constant level of not quite being rested. as long as it allows me to run that is ok. would probably be better optimally if i rested more, but the run or run/walk outings are the only thing saving my brain from total depression so i will keep going out. besides today was cooler than normal, but just really pretty.
i went north and then ran into two neighbors about a mile north from here and turned back towards the house figuring i would have some company and that maybe gail would have come out to run. but nope, she wasn't out so i turned back and went north again. the cows and sheep were all out and the usual birds singing was everywhere. turning towards the river i ran into a decent wind, but otherwise saw nobody out as yet. at the river i went south and over the rainbow bridge and kept going south to see what the crew was working on. they were using heavy equipment to lift and place metal barriers on the sides of the banks to widen the path. they seemed particularly cheerful today and all said hello as i went by. went all the way down to botley road and turned back north again. was running ok and wanted to stay on the soft path and the river was as good a place as any. one more trip up and down and then over to the park.
did the loop down osney lane and down the bike path towards north hinksey. the horses were out in their blankets, including the two foals and they were quietly chewing away at the ground cover. the trail was now getting busy as people use this trail to go town for work and also to take their children to one of the school located on both ends of the path. i turned down the road towards north hinksey and did the loop behind the fishes restaurant and back around to the park made up track.
ran 24 x 100 sprints stretching out the legs and hoping the right hip and attached stuff would be ok. seemed to get better instead of worse and that was nice. finished and stretched and then did a very short cool down loop and headed home. another nine miles behind me.
after the usual morning stuff i headed up to the range and hit some balls. did the usual practice, but had to push myself mentally a bit to stay there as my brain was just not into it. hit a bucket and a half and chipped and pitched and it went ok. worked down to the 7 iron. still pushing right with the slightly longer swing. is the choice to hit longer and right pr shorter and straight? will not give up on longer just yet. i know why it is going right and it doesn't every time. i certainly am hitting the 7 iron higher and farther than before, but will be in many right green-side bunkers at this rate and i never do get to practice sand shots.
all in all, some house stuff done and the exercise is in too. now to settle down and pay some bills and get ready for whatever tomorrow brings.
Fact of the Day
Not a lucky day for doomed beauty Anne Boleyn in 1536 as her dream marriage to King Henry the VIII ended. Unlike today, the separation was a terminal one since it involved her head being separated from her body. Henry went on to marry four more times, finally running up a tally of six queens - "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived."
scotsman.com/monarchy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so the computer seems to be working now and that's good. when it serves as your lifeline to the outside world it is better that it works. turns out many people have had the same problem with dell/vista and there are groups discussing it in on-line forums.
but i got up and went out to run on a pretty cold morning for this late in may- about 45 degrees. my heart rate last night was 48 and this time it actually behaved itself and was 46 when i woke up. seems to be locked in now just a tad higher than its low point showing a constant level of not quite being rested. as long as it allows me to run that is ok. would probably be better optimally if i rested more, but the run or run/walk outings are the only thing saving my brain from total depression so i will keep going out. besides today was cooler than normal, but just really pretty.
i went north and then ran into two neighbors about a mile north from here and turned back towards the house figuring i would have some company and that maybe gail would have come out to run. but nope, she wasn't out so i turned back and went north again. the cows and sheep were all out and the usual birds singing was everywhere. turning towards the river i ran into a decent wind, but otherwise saw nobody out as yet. at the river i went south and over the rainbow bridge and kept going south to see what the crew was working on. they were using heavy equipment to lift and place metal barriers on the sides of the banks to widen the path. they seemed particularly cheerful today and all said hello as i went by. went all the way down to botley road and turned back north again. was running ok and wanted to stay on the soft path and the river was as good a place as any. one more trip up and down and then over to the park.
did the loop down osney lane and down the bike path towards north hinksey. the horses were out in their blankets, including the two foals and they were quietly chewing away at the ground cover. the trail was now getting busy as people use this trail to go town for work and also to take their children to one of the school located on both ends of the path. i turned down the road towards north hinksey and did the loop behind the fishes restaurant and back around to the park made up track.
ran 24 x 100 sprints stretching out the legs and hoping the right hip and attached stuff would be ok. seemed to get better instead of worse and that was nice. finished and stretched and then did a very short cool down loop and headed home. another nine miles behind me.
after the usual morning stuff i headed up to the range and hit some balls. did the usual practice, but had to push myself mentally a bit to stay there as my brain was just not into it. hit a bucket and a half and chipped and pitched and it went ok. worked down to the 7 iron. still pushing right with the slightly longer swing. is the choice to hit longer and right pr shorter and straight? will not give up on longer just yet. i know why it is going right and it doesn't every time. i certainly am hitting the 7 iron higher and farther than before, but will be in many right green-side bunkers at this rate and i never do get to practice sand shots.
all in all, some house stuff done and the exercise is in too. now to settle down and pay some bills and get ready for whatever tomorrow brings.
sunday a day late on monday-i.e., the broken laptop
quick catch up blog as my vista program shut down my computer yesterday and it took awhile and some stealth work by gail and some guess work by me to get it to work again. in a nutshell then- was up and out early and gail also came out to run. i did the loop with her and hopefully her heel is starting to get better. we ran up binsey lane and then over and down the thames trail along the water. was a nice morning, though cooler than it should be for this time of year.
eventually gail headed home at botley and i went back up the thames a bit and then over to the canal through the templeton path and past snakes nature park. always love the sign that says keep out but a park called "snakes" doesn't have to ask me twice to stay out. went up the canal path past wolvercote letting the bikes sneak by. i would guess that 99% of the bikes here never ever give a passing warning. they will ride behind you rather than pass if it means saying "passing on the left or right"-they pass anywhere here so a constant vigil for bikes can be necessary if you run where they ride.
small boats are going down the canal and they wave as i run north. the ducks and geese look at me like i am in their way, but they scatter as i get closer. i still get a kick out of watching them come in for a landing on the water. the sun darts in and out behind the clouds and i zip up and down according as the temperatures shift. legs feel ok so i go up another mile or so and then turn back south. at this point i will reach the park at about 8 miles done. at the end of the canal path the construction signs are all gone so i continue on to see what they have done and then head over towards the train station and cross over the botley st. bridge to hit the little hotel grocery store for some water, but of course they are closed. on to the park i go.
i run the smaller loop around the park today as i have my 8+ a little in now and just want to run some striders before i head home. there is a guy running around the park in his bare feet listening to his ipod and he nods and says good morning back to me in response to my hello. it is still pretty early out and cool now. i cannot imagine running around a park which floods constantly and where people walk their dogs constantly in my bare feet. always glass around here on the edges where the beer drinkers dump their bottles that they try to throw into the waste cans and miss. i still remember getting stitches in my foot stepping on a piece of glass from a beer bottle in the water at wildwood crest in nj and have been cautious about going around in my bare feet since.
i start my striders hoping to just run 10 about 7 minute pace and stretch out a bit. on my fifth one the pit bull lady comes out with her dog. picture christie brinkley walking a mean ugly dog and not on a leash. we have dealt with each other before as she likes to walk across the make shift track and then stop and wait for the dog. now picture me running fast for me down the straightaway towards a pit bull glaring at me. there is always that moment where i either stop or the dog moves. dumb game and this morning- yesterday now actually, the dog moves away when i am withing 15 yards. not that i want to risk getting bitten, i don't, but when i start and then he moves in the lane i don't want to stop. seems easier to move over for a large cow somehow. at any rate they move on as i say-, not trying to sound sarcastic, thanks to her for calling the dog. she says nothing of course and moves on across the field.
i run the rest of my striders running only the last one hard at what would be 6:30 pace and head over to the southern part of the path to cooldown on the way home. i catch up to a guy i see occasionally who runs at 15 minute pace or so and never in straight line, but he is always very friendly and i wish him a good run and nice day. he does the same and asks how it went for me today. well, i replied and he smiles and says he used to be faster, but age has caught up to him. me too i say and refuse to utter the line i truly despise-"at least we're still out here doing it" ;;;; who came up with that one? have to love the well intentioned though i know. mr positive still trying, and not always succeeding.
i leave him and head back. get the sunday paper and some yogurt and head home to the tent house. a pleasant morning reading and watching the replay of the preakness. then off to hit some balls while gail writes.
today the range goes ok. i am still learning and making some progress. i take breaks to do some chips and pitching between full swings. the session goes ok. the pro watches a bit and says i should satay as relaxed with my full swing as i am with my chips and pitches. confidence he says. also says i am hitting it cleaner and i thank him. two buckets later i finish up and then go help my friend paul learn how to hit pitch shots. we try 40 yard shots as that is where the flag is today. goes ok and then i head home. stop just long enough to watch the pro swing as he asks me to watch where his club is at the top. he is trying a longer swing himself - he can fix himself, though i see that even pro's can be wrong about their alignment.
get home and then we go for a walk into town, stopping to see an art exhibit at the community center. we walk about two miles up into the college area and then turn for home, but making a quick decision, we decide to stop for burritos at the mission mexican restaurant and end up next to three americans here on scholarship to grad school. we talk politics mostly and it is pleasant enough and then we all head out. a relaxing evening planned, but the computer is not working and the fun begins. hours later it is seemingly fixed. i will skip the details. it works and that is what matters. at 1:30 am i try to go to sleep. another day done.
except of course it is now tomorrow as i write this and i will be back to blog today's 9 mile run later. i watched the news of the earthquake in china and it was just horrible. makes me want to forget the stupidity of trying to learn how to hit a golf ball straight and move there and help the people re-build their lives, but i won't. maybe in my next life i will be less selfish and more courageous. but for now i will send money and walk up to the driving range.
eventually gail headed home at botley and i went back up the thames a bit and then over to the canal through the templeton path and past snakes nature park. always love the sign that says keep out but a park called "snakes" doesn't have to ask me twice to stay out. went up the canal path past wolvercote letting the bikes sneak by. i would guess that 99% of the bikes here never ever give a passing warning. they will ride behind you rather than pass if it means saying "passing on the left or right"-they pass anywhere here so a constant vigil for bikes can be necessary if you run where they ride.
small boats are going down the canal and they wave as i run north. the ducks and geese look at me like i am in their way, but they scatter as i get closer. i still get a kick out of watching them come in for a landing on the water. the sun darts in and out behind the clouds and i zip up and down according as the temperatures shift. legs feel ok so i go up another mile or so and then turn back south. at this point i will reach the park at about 8 miles done. at the end of the canal path the construction signs are all gone so i continue on to see what they have done and then head over towards the train station and cross over the botley st. bridge to hit the little hotel grocery store for some water, but of course they are closed. on to the park i go.
i run the smaller loop around the park today as i have my 8+ a little in now and just want to run some striders before i head home. there is a guy running around the park in his bare feet listening to his ipod and he nods and says good morning back to me in response to my hello. it is still pretty early out and cool now. i cannot imagine running around a park which floods constantly and where people walk their dogs constantly in my bare feet. always glass around here on the edges where the beer drinkers dump their bottles that they try to throw into the waste cans and miss. i still remember getting stitches in my foot stepping on a piece of glass from a beer bottle in the water at wildwood crest in nj and have been cautious about going around in my bare feet since.
i start my striders hoping to just run 10 about 7 minute pace and stretch out a bit. on my fifth one the pit bull lady comes out with her dog. picture christie brinkley walking a mean ugly dog and not on a leash. we have dealt with each other before as she likes to walk across the make shift track and then stop and wait for the dog. now picture me running fast for me down the straightaway towards a pit bull glaring at me. there is always that moment where i either stop or the dog moves. dumb game and this morning- yesterday now actually, the dog moves away when i am withing 15 yards. not that i want to risk getting bitten, i don't, but when i start and then he moves in the lane i don't want to stop. seems easier to move over for a large cow somehow. at any rate they move on as i say-, not trying to sound sarcastic, thanks to her for calling the dog. she says nothing of course and moves on across the field.
i run the rest of my striders running only the last one hard at what would be 6:30 pace and head over to the southern part of the path to cooldown on the way home. i catch up to a guy i see occasionally who runs at 15 minute pace or so and never in straight line, but he is always very friendly and i wish him a good run and nice day. he does the same and asks how it went for me today. well, i replied and he smiles and says he used to be faster, but age has caught up to him. me too i say and refuse to utter the line i truly despise-"at least we're still out here doing it" ;;;; who came up with that one? have to love the well intentioned though i know. mr positive still trying, and not always succeeding.
i leave him and head back. get the sunday paper and some yogurt and head home to the tent house. a pleasant morning reading and watching the replay of the preakness. then off to hit some balls while gail writes.
today the range goes ok. i am still learning and making some progress. i take breaks to do some chips and pitching between full swings. the session goes ok. the pro watches a bit and says i should satay as relaxed with my full swing as i am with my chips and pitches. confidence he says. also says i am hitting it cleaner and i thank him. two buckets later i finish up and then go help my friend paul learn how to hit pitch shots. we try 40 yard shots as that is where the flag is today. goes ok and then i head home. stop just long enough to watch the pro swing as he asks me to watch where his club is at the top. he is trying a longer swing himself - he can fix himself, though i see that even pro's can be wrong about their alignment.
get home and then we go for a walk into town, stopping to see an art exhibit at the community center. we walk about two miles up into the college area and then turn for home, but making a quick decision, we decide to stop for burritos at the mission mexican restaurant and end up next to three americans here on scholarship to grad school. we talk politics mostly and it is pleasant enough and then we all head out. a relaxing evening planned, but the computer is not working and the fun begins. hours later it is seemingly fixed. i will skip the details. it works and that is what matters. at 1:30 am i try to go to sleep. another day done.
except of course it is now tomorrow as i write this and i will be back to blog today's 9 mile run later. i watched the news of the earthquake in china and it was just horrible. makes me want to forget the stupidity of trying to learn how to hit a golf ball straight and move there and help the people re-build their lives, but i won't. maybe in my next life i will be less selfish and more courageous. but for now i will send money and walk up to the driving range.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Immigration raid jars a small town - Washington Post- msnbc.com
i thought this article was more than interesting. and if i were trying to be huffington like i would do my rant stuff here, but won't. will say though, that way back in 9th grade i wrote a paper about mankind's inhumanity towards mankind and it still seems true to me. that was 48+ years ago. i do remember dr newmark telling me that when i grew up and understood the way the world worked less things would surpise me. also remember they called hin dancing dave, but don't remember why.
Immigration raid jars a small town - Washington Post- msnbc.com
Immigration raid jars a small town - Washington Post- msnbc.com
Friday, May 16, 2008
saturday -upcoming crew races, etc
gail and i will get to watch some crew races here in oxford on the river down by christ church. should be fun. this is a four day event and i know i am looking forward to it. have been following some of the happenings on the oxford crew team web-site.------------------
Wednesday 21 - Saturday 24 May: Eights Week
The races take place over four raucous days on the Isis (as the River Thames is known locally), when rowers' friends, parents and tutors head down to the river to cheer on their team. The stretch of riverside south of Christ Church Meadows is lined with the rowing houses of the colleges, where boats are stored before and after races. Each rowing house has a platform above the river where students, tutors and parents watch the races and sip endless glasses of Pimms. Oxford University Rowing Clubs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
as for today - i was up and out to run trying to beat the forecasted rain storms predicted for all day starting at 7am. was somewhat dark and cool as i headed north up to st margaret's church, passing a new herd of cows and also one of sheep. decided today might be a good day to stay somewhat close to "home" and after st margaret's i headed back over to the river and went north. many crews were already out practicing for the races this coming week.
ran up to godstow nunnery and at the street turned back south. the river was high from all of the rain and a pretty dark green shade. crews were all over the water. captains were barking out orders and the geese and ducks were scattering. i kept running, doing three minute pickups and three minute recoveries.
at rainbow bridge i crossed over and went south rather than across the meadow. the skies were really dark now. i wanted to see how much work had been done on the trail while we had been in cambridge and they had done a lot, clearing more brush and cutting down some trees and widening the path. also they had a load of sod and stones waiting to go somewhere. a makeshift trail of woodchips had been made wider also. these guys had done a good job on the south trail and i anticipated the same here. was just hoping they would leave some of the wild forest sense to the trail.
just after the port meadow bridge i picked up three visitors from capetown and we chatted about politics and whether the usa was ready for a black president. polite enough conversation and eventually i left them as i went under the bridge and over to the canal for a short two mile part of the run and then back the 2 miles and over to king edward park. ran several 100 yard striders here to loosen up the legs and then ran a loop around he park and headed to the grocery store for some food stuffs and newspaper. almost twelve miles in and enough for today. the dark skies were still just that, though it was colder. it was on the walk back from the grocery store that the rain began an on again off again day of storms and drizzle.
after breakfast and listening to some of the news from yesterday's news shows back home, i headed off to the driving range while gail worked on her book. the range was pretty empty as it was still drizzling, but it stopped for awhile and i went out to hit rather than hit under the closed confines under the covered roof. just started out doing drills and trying to work on the usual things and get some tempo and rhythm going. drills went ok and i still think i can get a better swing than i used to have and with less manipulation once i get the takeaway mastered which i clearly don't have yet. have been hitting much higher lately though and i like that.
was still outside hitting despite some soft drizzle starting up and alex and josh showed up to hit along with alex's girlfriend. was interesting to see youth at play. they also ask for some help and i give them the free advice of an ex-11 handicap. but it helped josh for sure as he straightened out his drives and the good ones were 280+ and dead straight. must be nice. he has some idea how to swing, but not that much, but what he does has is young, strong power. he hit my driver a few times also and it was interesting to see my driver do things i had never done with it.
even the girlfriend who looked more like a fashion model from stockholm-her home town- than a student at oxford, could hit the ball straight when she hit it. she was game but like all new golfers, somewhat frustrated. was just fun to watch the interaction between them as they bounced back and forth between somewhat serious attempts at practicing and being very young.
but they left when the rain came down harder and i finished my 2nd bucket and did pitches and chips with my lob wedge and 8iron. was raining too hard for much more and i left and went home. by the time i got home the rain had lessened and gail and i took a walk down to the commonwealth war graves cemetery, which we always find interesting. the botley cemetery uses a large part of its grounds for the war cemetery and they keep it in excellent condition and it serves as a true memorial sight for those from both world wars and from many countries, including germany. only one woman buried there, mabel murray, a 35 year old nurse who had died of influenza on november 2nd, 1918. we signed the guest book this time on what was one of our several visits. the cemetery was unusually quiet on a saturday given the rain.
and then home to wrap up another day doing the usual stuff at home. the rain has stopped now. we watched a history show on bbc and did some paperwork. tomorrow we will start over again. no rain predicted for the next several days. hope for what should be a good week.
74 days left now.
Wednesday 21 - Saturday 24 May: Eights Week
The races take place over four raucous days on the Isis (as the River Thames is known locally), when rowers' friends, parents and tutors head down to the river to cheer on their team. The stretch of riverside south of Christ Church Meadows is lined with the rowing houses of the colleges, where boats are stored before and after races. Each rowing house has a platform above the river where students, tutors and parents watch the races and sip endless glasses of Pimms. Oxford University Rowing Clubs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
as for today - i was up and out to run trying to beat the forecasted rain storms predicted for all day starting at 7am. was somewhat dark and cool as i headed north up to st margaret's church, passing a new herd of cows and also one of sheep. decided today might be a good day to stay somewhat close to "home" and after st margaret's i headed back over to the river and went north. many crews were already out practicing for the races this coming week.
ran up to godstow nunnery and at the street turned back south. the river was high from all of the rain and a pretty dark green shade. crews were all over the water. captains were barking out orders and the geese and ducks were scattering. i kept running, doing three minute pickups and three minute recoveries.
at rainbow bridge i crossed over and went south rather than across the meadow. the skies were really dark now. i wanted to see how much work had been done on the trail while we had been in cambridge and they had done a lot, clearing more brush and cutting down some trees and widening the path. also they had a load of sod and stones waiting to go somewhere. a makeshift trail of woodchips had been made wider also. these guys had done a good job on the south trail and i anticipated the same here. was just hoping they would leave some of the wild forest sense to the trail.
just after the port meadow bridge i picked up three visitors from capetown and we chatted about politics and whether the usa was ready for a black president. polite enough conversation and eventually i left them as i went under the bridge and over to the canal for a short two mile part of the run and then back the 2 miles and over to king edward park. ran several 100 yard striders here to loosen up the legs and then ran a loop around he park and headed to the grocery store for some food stuffs and newspaper. almost twelve miles in and enough for today. the dark skies were still just that, though it was colder. it was on the walk back from the grocery store that the rain began an on again off again day of storms and drizzle.
after breakfast and listening to some of the news from yesterday's news shows back home, i headed off to the driving range while gail worked on her book. the range was pretty empty as it was still drizzling, but it stopped for awhile and i went out to hit rather than hit under the closed confines under the covered roof. just started out doing drills and trying to work on the usual things and get some tempo and rhythm going. drills went ok and i still think i can get a better swing than i used to have and with less manipulation once i get the takeaway mastered which i clearly don't have yet. have been hitting much higher lately though and i like that.
was still outside hitting despite some soft drizzle starting up and alex and josh showed up to hit along with alex's girlfriend. was interesting to see youth at play. they also ask for some help and i give them the free advice of an ex-11 handicap. but it helped josh for sure as he straightened out his drives and the good ones were 280+ and dead straight. must be nice. he has some idea how to swing, but not that much, but what he does has is young, strong power. he hit my driver a few times also and it was interesting to see my driver do things i had never done with it.
even the girlfriend who looked more like a fashion model from stockholm-her home town- than a student at oxford, could hit the ball straight when she hit it. she was game but like all new golfers, somewhat frustrated. was just fun to watch the interaction between them as they bounced back and forth between somewhat serious attempts at practicing and being very young.
but they left when the rain came down harder and i finished my 2nd bucket and did pitches and chips with my lob wedge and 8iron. was raining too hard for much more and i left and went home. by the time i got home the rain had lessened and gail and i took a walk down to the commonwealth war graves cemetery, which we always find interesting. the botley cemetery uses a large part of its grounds for the war cemetery and they keep it in excellent condition and it serves as a true memorial sight for those from both world wars and from many countries, including germany. only one woman buried there, mabel murray, a 35 year old nurse who had died of influenza on november 2nd, 1918. we signed the guest book this time on what was one of our several visits. the cemetery was unusually quiet on a saturday given the rain.
and then home to wrap up another day doing the usual stuff at home. the rain has stopped now. we watched a history show on bbc and did some paperwork. tomorrow we will start over again. no rain predicted for the next several days. hope for what should be a good week.
74 days left now.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
blogging backwards - thursday first
as fast a blog as i can make it. was up at 5:10this morning and out the door to run just before 6am. pretty cold here and i had no real idea where i was going and decided to run down the street we are staying on and head north. we are in a B&B several blocks just outside of cambridge proper in a town called girton, home of an all women's college-girton college.
so down thorton road i went all the way to a dead end and turned around and went right and north. running through a residential neighborhood of a mixed bag of single family houses, townhouses, and apt buildings. very quiet at that time of day and other than two boys delivering papers i saw nobody for a long time. finally a dog walker and two bike riders. went past a world war memorial to the 31 people from girton who died in the first two world wars and a monument of sorts to a "find" of a shield type thing from an old roman village found in the girton college field. ran into two more dead end streets and did u-turns and along the way saw some nice farms and horses out grazing with their foals. went past a few pubs, one built in 1792, pretty old and then a really old church. the oldest stone i could read was 1875, but many others had their carvings worn out.
saw a sign for the girton golf course and went that way to find out it was open to the public and that visitors should not change in the car park. they would cringe at americans putting on their golf shoes in the parking lots back home. and finally turned back to the b&b. wanted an early start as gail was due to be out of the library at 3:30 today and rain was coming in about 4pm they said on the weather report.
had a nice breakfast with a family also staying at the same place and getting ready to go to scotland. the son was a golfer and we talked of several courses we had played including one he had-mac chrahanish in campbeltown. and after breakfast i walked gail to Churchill college and then i grabbed a bus to city center. it had started to rain while i walked to the bus, some 7 hours early. from city center i had to the golf course i wanted to try and play today and i walked through a shopping area and open market and stopped long enough to buy a lob wedge for 4pounds-about $8. it was a dunlop and i figured it might come in handy if i got to play the little course i had found.
it was raining harder now. i realize that a sensible person would have given up on golf for the day and found a dry and quiet place to spend some time, but that is not my nature and i wanted to play some type of golf. so with lob wedge in hand i stopped at a local store and bought a golf vest. we had a credit at the same store in oxford and i used it and 3 more pounds to get the water and wind proof 3 pocket golf vest. that was pretty lucky and i went back out to keep walking towards the golf course.
another two+ miles later after taking cover twice in a bus stop overhead i made it to the course and went in to ask if they were still open. i had seen 4 people walking off of the course and the lady behind the counter told me they never closed and i wanted to play they would let me. for $11 i could play 9 holes and for $4 they would rent me 4 clubs, 3 balls and a small bag. she said that it was only 9 holes, all par three, but that it was challenging. she was right. she also said a replay was half price.
when a course has the name -lakes- in it you know it will have some water. 6 of the 9holes brought water into play, but that was fine as it added to the beauty. i bought a diet coke and headed out. as i walked to the first tee the sun started to come out and the rain lessened. by the time i put a ball on the tee the rain had stopped. was i meant to play today or what? and because i thought i might be, i had brought 3 of my own balls- 2 of mary's taylor mades and a number 5 pro v from julieta. pro v to start. hit it on and over the green. won't bore you with all of the details, except a couple. the course was in great shape and very pretty with pheasants and ducks and geese and rabbits running around but not in the way. the greens were pretty true and undulating and very large actually7 unless you had to hit over water to get on and then they were smaller.
the signature hole was quite short, but you had to hit over some bushes and a small lake to a roller coaster green guarded by trees and bunkers. but short enough to hit a sand wedge from the tee box. i played 18 holes today and parred and birdied the hole so that was nice- my only birdie despite hitting the flag on number 9. the guy on the practice green told me i was sort of cheated there he said as the ball bounced some 30 feet from the cup.
all in all not bad for my first golf in awhile- shot 30/30 for 6 over and didn't lose a ball. did get rained on a bit the second nine but was mostly drying out by then. spent some time putting on the brand new practice green rolling at 11 they said. it was quick. and headed back towards the city.
stopped and had some lunch and did some sight seeing along the river cam and around town and in the one mall area i found. by then gail was out of the library and we met up for afternoon tea and shortbread and walked around some. eventually we had dinner at a nice little cafe rouge and then headed back to the b&b. got home at almost 8pm and here i am. a pretty long day, but a decent one. have a new vest jacket and lob wedge and a couple of old books from the market; a good lunch and a decent dinner. met a nice artist and some friendly people from town- this town is different in many ways from oxford-more on that later. the shower beckons as does the newspaper. all in all a pretty good day. 7 miles of running and about the same in walking. walked about 16 miles yesterday but more on that later.
a trip to the botanic garden in the morning after breakfast and then back to oxford. tomorrow is the middle of may and we have 2.5 months to go. 75 days...
so down thorton road i went all the way to a dead end and turned around and went right and north. running through a residential neighborhood of a mixed bag of single family houses, townhouses, and apt buildings. very quiet at that time of day and other than two boys delivering papers i saw nobody for a long time. finally a dog walker and two bike riders. went past a world war memorial to the 31 people from girton who died in the first two world wars and a monument of sorts to a "find" of a shield type thing from an old roman village found in the girton college field. ran into two more dead end streets and did u-turns and along the way saw some nice farms and horses out grazing with their foals. went past a few pubs, one built in 1792, pretty old and then a really old church. the oldest stone i could read was 1875, but many others had their carvings worn out.
saw a sign for the girton golf course and went that way to find out it was open to the public and that visitors should not change in the car park. they would cringe at americans putting on their golf shoes in the parking lots back home. and finally turned back to the b&b. wanted an early start as gail was due to be out of the library at 3:30 today and rain was coming in about 4pm they said on the weather report.
had a nice breakfast with a family also staying at the same place and getting ready to go to scotland. the son was a golfer and we talked of several courses we had played including one he had-mac chrahanish in campbeltown. and after breakfast i walked gail to Churchill college and then i grabbed a bus to city center. it had started to rain while i walked to the bus, some 7 hours early. from city center i had to the golf course i wanted to try and play today and i walked through a shopping area and open market and stopped long enough to buy a lob wedge for 4pounds-about $8. it was a dunlop and i figured it might come in handy if i got to play the little course i had found.
it was raining harder now. i realize that a sensible person would have given up on golf for the day and found a dry and quiet place to spend some time, but that is not my nature and i wanted to play some type of golf. so with lob wedge in hand i stopped at a local store and bought a golf vest. we had a credit at the same store in oxford and i used it and 3 more pounds to get the water and wind proof 3 pocket golf vest. that was pretty lucky and i went back out to keep walking towards the golf course.
another two+ miles later after taking cover twice in a bus stop overhead i made it to the course and went in to ask if they were still open. i had seen 4 people walking off of the course and the lady behind the counter told me they never closed and i wanted to play they would let me. for $11 i could play 9 holes and for $4 they would rent me 4 clubs, 3 balls and a small bag. she said that it was only 9 holes, all par three, but that it was challenging. she was right. she also said a replay was half price.
when a course has the name -lakes- in it you know it will have some water. 6 of the 9holes brought water into play, but that was fine as it added to the beauty. i bought a diet coke and headed out. as i walked to the first tee the sun started to come out and the rain lessened. by the time i put a ball on the tee the rain had stopped. was i meant to play today or what? and because i thought i might be, i had brought 3 of my own balls- 2 of mary's taylor mades and a number 5 pro v from julieta. pro v to start. hit it on and over the green. won't bore you with all of the details, except a couple. the course was in great shape and very pretty with pheasants and ducks and geese and rabbits running around but not in the way. the greens were pretty true and undulating and very large actually7 unless you had to hit over water to get on and then they were smaller.
the signature hole was quite short, but you had to hit over some bushes and a small lake to a roller coaster green guarded by trees and bunkers. but short enough to hit a sand wedge from the tee box. i played 18 holes today and parred and birdied the hole so that was nice- my only birdie despite hitting the flag on number 9. the guy on the practice green told me i was sort of cheated there he said as the ball bounced some 30 feet from the cup.
all in all not bad for my first golf in awhile- shot 30/30 for 6 over and didn't lose a ball. did get rained on a bit the second nine but was mostly drying out by then. spent some time putting on the brand new practice green rolling at 11 they said. it was quick. and headed back towards the city.
stopped and had some lunch and did some sight seeing along the river cam and around town and in the one mall area i found. by then gail was out of the library and we met up for afternoon tea and shortbread and walked around some. eventually we had dinner at a nice little cafe rouge and then headed back to the b&b. got home at almost 8pm and here i am. a pretty long day, but a decent one. have a new vest jacket and lob wedge and a couple of old books from the market; a good lunch and a decent dinner. met a nice artist and some friendly people from town- this town is different in many ways from oxford-more on that later. the shower beckons as does the newspaper. all in all a pretty good day. 7 miles of running and about the same in walking. walked about 16 miles yesterday but more on that later.
a trip to the botanic garden in the morning after breakfast and then back to oxford. tomorrow is the middle of may and we have 2.5 months to go. 75 days...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Neural Buddhists - New York Times
i found this article really interesting for many reasosn i won't bore anyone with right now and am blogging it so i can save it for myself and will read some of the books mentioned later.
The Neural Buddhists - New York Times
The Neural Buddhists - New York Times
last sunny day for awhile
funny how fast they can change the forecast here going from 5 days of sunny and warm weather to 4-5 days of heavy or light showers, but they tell me we have been lucky so far for the weather in may. this past weekend there was an article in the paper about people who move away from here and don't want to come back and the weather plays a big part in it as one can imagine. would be a lot easier having an outdoor lifestyle someplace where it wasn't dark and didn't rain a lot i suppose. i didn't finish the article but i will and report back.
but today when we went out to run it was closer to 46 degrees than 76 degrees and with a little wind in our faces it was totally different than the past few days. gail ran her heel recovering loop and i tagged along or just in front of her, going back and forth a little and we made kit over and then down the thames river. it was really pretty out and the senior crew teams were out and doing intervals and practice starts. fun to watch and i tried to run harder myself. at about 4 miles gail went off towards home and i ran down botley rd a bit and cut over to the bike path- found out the official name of this path is "the ramblers jubilee celebration path", and i ran past the horses towards north hinksey and then turned back towards osney lane. a new pinto and solid white horse were in the pasture bringing the total to seven horses and they were playing and eating and having a good time as i ran by. the black horse looked up to see who was breathing loudly as i went by and went back to his grassy hay stuff.
i stopped at the made up track and decided to run my sprints. ran 14 of them and stopped. was running them ok, but just could not get my head into it and i knew my legs wanted relief. rather than fight it today as i realized i needed the break, i headed home around the outside loop and settled for 8 miles. a good run, but shorter than i had hoped for. still, it didn't make sense to take a chance on hurting something when i clearly didn't want to go anymore and rather than change stride and risked injury i bailed out. 8 is enough as they used to say.
quick breakfast and a load of laundry later and i was on the way to the range. nobody was there and i hit my bucket and half ok continuing to work on stuff and even hit some decent fairway woods-at least those that didn't hook. then i chipped 60chips each with the 8iiron, lob wedge and hybrid. taught myself how to hit a cut hybrid chip-will save that for adrienne somewhere in ireland. also taught myself how to bow my right wrist so i can it certain shots at different height levels and it can really turn a club into a putter or power a ball forward out of a hole. nice to know that shot. then dave gave me some free balls that were left over and i actually hit some drivers- first time since december. wasn't great but mostly straight at least and i saw the potential. still a work in progress as it will be the for the rest of my life i am sure.
home to write up my book review and wrap books for the book swap tonight. will see how my suggestion goes over; i wrapped up some extra books for the new people so nobody would get left out. email today announcing the resignation of our club leader and asking for a new volunteer. i have two more meetings after tonight and will miss the group. one of the few things i miss whenever we move away from somewhere is the book club. i will start my own when i get back to alexandria.
and life goes on. sun is out - the calm before the storm. somewhere in wva people are voting and hillary is closer than ever to dropping out. i don't care who they run for president, but they better beat mccain. was reading about bob barr getting into the race. you just have to love a democracy. i forgot to look and see if he had his flag pin on.
stay well everyone and remember what really matters......and it isn't tomorrow's rain, unless you have an early tee time.
next blog is from cambridge.
but today when we went out to run it was closer to 46 degrees than 76 degrees and with a little wind in our faces it was totally different than the past few days. gail ran her heel recovering loop and i tagged along or just in front of her, going back and forth a little and we made kit over and then down the thames river. it was really pretty out and the senior crew teams were out and doing intervals and practice starts. fun to watch and i tried to run harder myself. at about 4 miles gail went off towards home and i ran down botley rd a bit and cut over to the bike path- found out the official name of this path is "the ramblers jubilee celebration path", and i ran past the horses towards north hinksey and then turned back towards osney lane. a new pinto and solid white horse were in the pasture bringing the total to seven horses and they were playing and eating and having a good time as i ran by. the black horse looked up to see who was breathing loudly as i went by and went back to his grassy hay stuff.
i stopped at the made up track and decided to run my sprints. ran 14 of them and stopped. was running them ok, but just could not get my head into it and i knew my legs wanted relief. rather than fight it today as i realized i needed the break, i headed home around the outside loop and settled for 8 miles. a good run, but shorter than i had hoped for. still, it didn't make sense to take a chance on hurting something when i clearly didn't want to go anymore and rather than change stride and risked injury i bailed out. 8 is enough as they used to say.
quick breakfast and a load of laundry later and i was on the way to the range. nobody was there and i hit my bucket and half ok continuing to work on stuff and even hit some decent fairway woods-at least those that didn't hook. then i chipped 60chips each with the 8iiron, lob wedge and hybrid. taught myself how to hit a cut hybrid chip-will save that for adrienne somewhere in ireland. also taught myself how to bow my right wrist so i can it certain shots at different height levels and it can really turn a club into a putter or power a ball forward out of a hole. nice to know that shot. then dave gave me some free balls that were left over and i actually hit some drivers- first time since december. wasn't great but mostly straight at least and i saw the potential. still a work in progress as it will be the for the rest of my life i am sure.
home to write up my book review and wrap books for the book swap tonight. will see how my suggestion goes over; i wrapped up some extra books for the new people so nobody would get left out. email today announcing the resignation of our club leader and asking for a new volunteer. i have two more meetings after tonight and will miss the group. one of the few things i miss whenever we move away from somewhere is the book club. i will start my own when i get back to alexandria.
and life goes on. sun is out - the calm before the storm. somewhere in wva people are voting and hillary is closer than ever to dropping out. i don't care who they run for president, but they better beat mccain. was reading about bob barr getting into the race. you just have to love a democracy. i forgot to look and see if he had his flag pin on.
stay well everyone and remember what really matters......and it isn't tomorrow's rain, unless you have an early tee time.
next blog is from cambridge.
Corps says condition of levees unknown - Life- msnbc.com
forgive my blogging this story, but i just love it- article about levees and the bad shape they are in and what we do and don't know about them- and the billions of dollars it would take to fix them. the incompetence of the people i charge of just knowing where they are and how many we have is incredible enough even realizing we will not be able to fix them and eventually will deal with them one crisis at a time- risk-reward as they say. this comes on the day after they had people waiting in line here in the uk for over an hour to get into a popular swimming pool because they didn't have enough lifeguards to open it. eventually they closed two other pools and moved their lifeguards over so they could open. i might add the closed pools were in a poorer neighborhood. turns out they had a freeze on hiring as the leisure dept didn't know how many employees they had. sometimes i think governments are around just to provide comic relief to the people they are supposed to work for and protect.
Corps says condition of levees unknown - Life- msnbc.com
Corps says condition of levees unknown - Life- msnbc.com
Monday, May 12, 2008
2397 miles done
had fully planned to take the day off and rest some very tired legs and probably should have anyway, but...travelling days this week will force at least one day off if not two, so i went out with gail to run. we were out very early and it was pretty nice and not yet hot. did the usual loop up binsey past the driving range and then over and down the river, running past cows and oxford crew teams practicing.
gail has been trying to get past this bad heel problem, but it just doesn't seem to want to stay better and i doubt it will heel without some more permanent type of orthotics for support to hold the fascia in place and not let it stretch as much. the soft kind she is using may be ok when she is heeled, but is not helping her heel and rest doesn't seem to help all that much. usual symptom is pain in the morning and then while running it loosens up and doesn't hurt for 55 minutes or so. the latest plan is to do more stretching and run 45 minutes max, with two days off each week and then see the dr when we get home and probably order orthotics.
but it was nice being outside. i ran the loop with her and then when she headed home i ran over to the king edward's park and did the loop around the park and then down to north hinksey and back. came back through the back trails as it is prettier and softer also. the horses were out grazing and i saw nobody else out. about this point i just wanted to be done and was glad to get back to botley road.
looked back at my log last night to see that i have missed only 12 days of running since we arrived here; some of those were in northern ireland and most of the others were during travel to or from the states. on several days i ran twice though i don't usually blog the second run as it would always be the same- an easy loop around and up and down the river. sometimes i just like to cool down with that little 4 mile run and just go at whatever pace i can get around it regardless of how slow i am going.
to date i have covered 2397 miles with 79 days to go and lots of travel ahead. would be nice to get 3000 miles for the year that means averaging 7.7 miles a day with no days off, but the real plan is to take more time off and focus on speed work. will live with 2800 or whatever it ends up. would not like many more runs like today and the plan is to run sprints in the morning. then off to cambridge and when we get back to move to the real-roger bannister- track. it always seems so big when i am there. another chance to learn to love that third lap.
after the run we were back really early and gail headed up to school and i went up to the track so we could both get done early and meet in town. got to the range just as dr. john..... showed up and we hit balls next to one another for awhile. i was trying to show him how to get loaded up on his right side(like i know- actually one of the frustrating things is knowing more than i can actually do).
but he didn't have that problem and he almost instantly added 15 yards, no kidding. he was amazed and i just enjoyed his enjoyment of it. then we hit pitch shots to the 40 yards flag and he finished up and left. i stayed for another two buckets mixed in with three different chip shots and some practice with the shot i love that js taught us before we went to scotland two years ago. i can do it pretty well now with my 6 and 3 iron hybrids and it will be very useful in any kind of wind. a neat way of hitting 115 yard chip shot.
i hit pretty well today and some of the work is paying off. worked down to the three iron today. the 3,5 and 6 were not all good of course, but the good ones were really nice and i can see the potential. it takes a lot longer to hit balls really working them one at a time and concentrating more and more on the set-up and alignment. hope to keep building on it and even getting to hit some woods soon. as a side note i had a hole in one on the range today. only in practice huh? but i had witnesses who enjoyed it while we were playing closest to the pin for a diet coke. somehow i ended up buying the sodas. funny note-was interested to hear people complain about how hot it was today at the range- about 74 degrees. kidding me right?
eventually i headed up town to meet gail, pay some bills at the bank, and go grocery shopping for dinner- best dinner we had yet since we have been here. and we did a little shopping and even took the bus home, a treat. toyed with the idea of going back to the range and hitting some balls, but knew i had to wrap up give away books for tomorrow night's book club meeting. we have thirty people coming and the book swap was my idea so i need to show up ready. will be curious to see how it comes off. some things are just so american and this pollyanna type thing is one of them i guess. like screens in the windows or ceiling fans or tin foil or thick crust pizza or telling people your name or saying good morning or giving warning on a bike passing-- i could go on, but won't... mostly it is good.
enough for now- the days keep rolling by....
gail has been trying to get past this bad heel problem, but it just doesn't seem to want to stay better and i doubt it will heel without some more permanent type of orthotics for support to hold the fascia in place and not let it stretch as much. the soft kind she is using may be ok when she is heeled, but is not helping her heel and rest doesn't seem to help all that much. usual symptom is pain in the morning and then while running it loosens up and doesn't hurt for 55 minutes or so. the latest plan is to do more stretching and run 45 minutes max, with two days off each week and then see the dr when we get home and probably order orthotics.
but it was nice being outside. i ran the loop with her and then when she headed home i ran over to the king edward's park and did the loop around the park and then down to north hinksey and back. came back through the back trails as it is prettier and softer also. the horses were out grazing and i saw nobody else out. about this point i just wanted to be done and was glad to get back to botley road.
looked back at my log last night to see that i have missed only 12 days of running since we arrived here; some of those were in northern ireland and most of the others were during travel to or from the states. on several days i ran twice though i don't usually blog the second run as it would always be the same- an easy loop around and up and down the river. sometimes i just like to cool down with that little 4 mile run and just go at whatever pace i can get around it regardless of how slow i am going.
to date i have covered 2397 miles with 79 days to go and lots of travel ahead. would be nice to get 3000 miles for the year that means averaging 7.7 miles a day with no days off, but the real plan is to take more time off and focus on speed work. will live with 2800 or whatever it ends up. would not like many more runs like today and the plan is to run sprints in the morning. then off to cambridge and when we get back to move to the real-roger bannister- track. it always seems so big when i am there. another chance to learn to love that third lap.
after the run we were back really early and gail headed up to school and i went up to the track so we could both get done early and meet in town. got to the range just as dr. john..... showed up and we hit balls next to one another for awhile. i was trying to show him how to get loaded up on his right side(like i know- actually one of the frustrating things is knowing more than i can actually do).
but he didn't have that problem and he almost instantly added 15 yards, no kidding. he was amazed and i just enjoyed his enjoyment of it. then we hit pitch shots to the 40 yards flag and he finished up and left. i stayed for another two buckets mixed in with three different chip shots and some practice with the shot i love that js taught us before we went to scotland two years ago. i can do it pretty well now with my 6 and 3 iron hybrids and it will be very useful in any kind of wind. a neat way of hitting 115 yard chip shot.
i hit pretty well today and some of the work is paying off. worked down to the three iron today. the 3,5 and 6 were not all good of course, but the good ones were really nice and i can see the potential. it takes a lot longer to hit balls really working them one at a time and concentrating more and more on the set-up and alignment. hope to keep building on it and even getting to hit some woods soon. as a side note i had a hole in one on the range today. only in practice huh? but i had witnesses who enjoyed it while we were playing closest to the pin for a diet coke. somehow i ended up buying the sodas. funny note-was interested to hear people complain about how hot it was today at the range- about 74 degrees. kidding me right?
eventually i headed up town to meet gail, pay some bills at the bank, and go grocery shopping for dinner- best dinner we had yet since we have been here. and we did a little shopping and even took the bus home, a treat. toyed with the idea of going back to the range and hitting some balls, but knew i had to wrap up give away books for tomorrow night's book club meeting. we have thirty people coming and the book swap was my idea so i need to show up ready. will be curious to see how it comes off. some things are just so american and this pollyanna type thing is one of them i guess. like screens in the windows or ceiling fans or tin foil or thick crust pizza or telling people your name or saying good morning or giving warning on a bike passing-- i could go on, but won't... mostly it is good.
enough for now- the days keep rolling by....
Andrew Beyer - For Whom Is Eight Belles's Toll? - washingtonpost.com
an article by the great writer andrew beyer of the washington post on the real problem in horse racing and that is, in the usa we allow drugs that the rest of the world doesn't, and it is the use of drugs and not the dirt surfaces they rce on, that is the problem. so horses who use drugs can win and then breed other horses who need drugs and the cycle goes on while the usa generaly seems to have 2/3 more fatalities, percentage-wise. i may be a little fast and loose with these numbers as i have not taken the time to get them exact, but the article includes some stats worth looking at. --LT
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Andrew Beyer - For Whom Is Eight Belles's Toll? - washingtonpost.com
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Andrew Beyer - For Whom Is Eight Belles's Toll? - washingtonpost.com
mccain's christian problem-worth reading for so many reasons
this artice out of the washingtonn post is almost scary and not because of john mccain as much as mike huckabee and his followers. does god really think we deserve obama as president as a warning or a punishment or worse- a biblical plague visited upon sinful people? ... and written by my favorite writer-bob novak..
McCain's Christian Problem
By Robert D. Novak
Monday, May 12, 2008; Page A19
John McCain, who as the Republican candidate for president has spent the past two months trying to consolidate right-wing support, has a problem of disputed dimensions with a vital component of the conservative coalition: evangelicals. The biggest question is whether Mike Huckabee is part of the problem or the solution for McCain.
Some U.S. Christians are not reconciled to McCain's candidacy but instead regard the prospective presidency of Barack Obama in the nature of a biblical plague visited upon a sinful people. These militants look at former Baptist preacher Huckabee as "God's candidate" for president in 2012. Whether they can be written off as merely a troublesome fringe group depends on Huckabee's course.
Huckabee's announced support of McCain is unequivocal, and he is regarded in the McCain camp as a friend and ally. But credible activists are spreading the word that Huckabee secretly allies himself with the bitter-end opposition. That hardly seems possible considering his public backing, but critics of Huckabee's 10 years as governor of Arkansas say he is all too capable of playing a double game.
McCain and Huckabee were friendly rivals in this year's Republican competition, sharing contempt for Mitt Romney. Indeed, McCain would not be where he is today had Huckabee not mobilized born-again voters to upset Romney in the Iowa caucuses. All of Romney's efforts to overtake McCain in conservative Southern state primaries were stifled by Huckabee's success in those contests. Huckabee quickly endorsed McCain once he clinched the nomination. They bonded publicly in Little Rock on April 24 during McCain's tour.
Nevertheless, the word is that some evangelicals dispute Huckabee's support. One experienced, credible activist in Christian politics who would not let his name be used told me that Huckabee, in personal conversation with him, had embraced the concept that an Obama presidency might be what the American people deserve. That fits what has largely been a fringe position among evangelicals: that the pain of an Obama presidency is in keeping with the Bible's prophecy.
According to this activist, at the heart of the let-Obama-win movement is longtime Virginia conservative leader Michael Farris -- the nation's leading home-school advocate, who is now chancellor of Patrick Henry College (in Purcellville, Va.) for home-schooled students. Best known politically as the losing Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 1993, Farris is regarded as one of the hardest-edged Christian politicians. He is reported in evangelical circles to promote the biblical justification for an Obama plague-like presidency.
In conversations with me, Huckabee and Farris both denied saying that an Obama presidency should be inflicted on the country. Huckabee was enthusiastic in his support for McCain, noting how well they had gotten along during their primary competition.
Farris is another matter. A vigorous supporter of Huckabee for president, he has not endorsed McCain and may never do so (though he quickly adds that he never would vote for Obama or Hillary Clinton). "I am concerned about what judges [McCain] may name," Farris told me, "and the test will be who he selects for vice president." He made it clear that Huckabee would be his choice, and ruefully added, "I understand he is not under consideration."
At McCain headquarters, no doubt is expressed about Huckabee's loyalty. "I feel we haven't used him [Huckabee] enough," McCain campaign manager Rick Davis told me. McCain's strategists are more concerned that the libertarian Rep. Ron Paul has not abandoned his candidacy, keeps fighting for delegates and says he will not endorse McCain.
Even taking Huckabee's professions of support for McCain at face value, he is not leaving politics for the lecture circuit. He has formed the Huck PAC to back Republican candidates, his supporters have established a Web site (Huck4America.com), and Huckabee backers are behind the Government Is Not God PAC, which aims to discourage McCain from naming Romney as his vice president.
Mike Huckabee has emerged from obscurity to become a major factor in American politics leading evangelical Christians. The McCain campaign counts on him to energize supporters who would rather wait for Huckabee 2012, not to encourage those dreams.
© 2008 Creators Syndicate Inc.
McCain's Christian Problem
By Robert D. Novak
Monday, May 12, 2008; Page A19
John McCain, who as the Republican candidate for president has spent the past two months trying to consolidate right-wing support, has a problem of disputed dimensions with a vital component of the conservative coalition: evangelicals. The biggest question is whether Mike Huckabee is part of the problem or the solution for McCain.
Some U.S. Christians are not reconciled to McCain's candidacy but instead regard the prospective presidency of Barack Obama in the nature of a biblical plague visited upon a sinful people. These militants look at former Baptist preacher Huckabee as "God's candidate" for president in 2012. Whether they can be written off as merely a troublesome fringe group depends on Huckabee's course.
Huckabee's announced support of McCain is unequivocal, and he is regarded in the McCain camp as a friend and ally. But credible activists are spreading the word that Huckabee secretly allies himself with the bitter-end opposition. That hardly seems possible considering his public backing, but critics of Huckabee's 10 years as governor of Arkansas say he is all too capable of playing a double game.
McCain and Huckabee were friendly rivals in this year's Republican competition, sharing contempt for Mitt Romney. Indeed, McCain would not be where he is today had Huckabee not mobilized born-again voters to upset Romney in the Iowa caucuses. All of Romney's efforts to overtake McCain in conservative Southern state primaries were stifled by Huckabee's success in those contests. Huckabee quickly endorsed McCain once he clinched the nomination. They bonded publicly in Little Rock on April 24 during McCain's tour.
Nevertheless, the word is that some evangelicals dispute Huckabee's support. One experienced, credible activist in Christian politics who would not let his name be used told me that Huckabee, in personal conversation with him, had embraced the concept that an Obama presidency might be what the American people deserve. That fits what has largely been a fringe position among evangelicals: that the pain of an Obama presidency is in keeping with the Bible's prophecy.
According to this activist, at the heart of the let-Obama-win movement is longtime Virginia conservative leader Michael Farris -- the nation's leading home-school advocate, who is now chancellor of Patrick Henry College (in Purcellville, Va.) for home-schooled students. Best known politically as the losing Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 1993, Farris is regarded as one of the hardest-edged Christian politicians. He is reported in evangelical circles to promote the biblical justification for an Obama plague-like presidency.
In conversations with me, Huckabee and Farris both denied saying that an Obama presidency should be inflicted on the country. Huckabee was enthusiastic in his support for McCain, noting how well they had gotten along during their primary competition.
Farris is another matter. A vigorous supporter of Huckabee for president, he has not endorsed McCain and may never do so (though he quickly adds that he never would vote for Obama or Hillary Clinton). "I am concerned about what judges [McCain] may name," Farris told me, "and the test will be who he selects for vice president." He made it clear that Huckabee would be his choice, and ruefully added, "I understand he is not under consideration."
At McCain headquarters, no doubt is expressed about Huckabee's loyalty. "I feel we haven't used him [Huckabee] enough," McCain campaign manager Rick Davis told me. McCain's strategists are more concerned that the libertarian Rep. Ron Paul has not abandoned his candidacy, keeps fighting for delegates and says he will not endorse McCain.
Even taking Huckabee's professions of support for McCain at face value, he is not leaving politics for the lecture circuit. He has formed the Huck PAC to back Republican candidates, his supporters have established a Web site (Huck4America.com), and Huckabee backers are behind the Government Is Not God PAC, which aims to discourage McCain from naming Romney as his vice president.
Mike Huckabee has emerged from obscurity to become a major factor in American politics leading evangelical Christians. The McCain campaign counts on him to energize supporters who would rather wait for Huckabee 2012, not to encourage those dreams.
© 2008 Creators Syndicate Inc.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
sunday, a day of exercise
wake up heart rate was 47. not good or bad- but while usually a sign to keep an eye out i knew i had a long workout planned and headed out the door to get started. ran south down to the oxford rugby stadium through north hinksey village. gardens really in bloom now. already 64 degrees and warming up fast and not many people out this early on a sunday morning. we must not be partying late enough. passed some horses in the south pasture and a few rabbits running back and forth across the trail. toyed with the idea to run a hill workout, but passed on it quickly enough. not without a bottle of water and i hadn't brought one with.
legs felt better than i thought they would though and i reminded myself that i really have to plan some time off to recover. not today though as i headed back along the trail behind the "fishes" restaurant and ran along the creek bed. stopped for a minute and stretched on the bridge over the small waterfalls in what felt like the middle of nowhere. completely surrounded by over grown park land here and the only noise was the waterfall and some birds chirping. funny that i was about a mile from our house.
headed back over towards osney road and turned into the park field there. at this point i had about 3 miles in and i did a series of paced 100's on the makeshift track. ran 6 sets of 5 cut downs, meaning each 100 would be faster than the one before it for 5 in a row. the key is not to run the first one too fast of course, but the minimum pace was 8:00. this is a good workout to work on pace and stride. i wanted to work the right leg today. it is getting to be more useful, but for now it would have to be used in spurts rather than just use it all of the time. the days i try to use it more it gives out later in the run and then the next few days after it is useless.
but today it was ok for the short striders. i could tell it was tightening up after the third set and i kept an eye on it to be sure. i also knew that when i used it i ran 2 seconds faster every time. that would be 32 seconds in a mile and 3 minutes in a 10k. it is worth the effort to try and re-teach it to run. with some extra therapy when i get home it should only get a little better. that's the hope.
the last set was the hardest, but i managed it ok. nice to know i had no more to do. didn't bother with the "relaxed" striders i like to do at the end. had run hard enough and it was over 70 degrees now. i wasn't as tired as i was thirsty. but forced myself to do a warm down. the lst few years i just hadn't done this as well as i should as i just wasn't in strong enough shape to force my mind into doing it. but if anything the 57 miles a week for the last almost 9 months has changed that.
the sets of 100's would be just under 4 miles of running as i was jogging the 00's back for recovery. so sixty 100's in total. so i headed back down the bike path and back down to the rugby stadium. a nice quiet little village when there were no cars around and it was still pretty early for them. the dog walkers were up and a few other runners and an occasional bike rider was also on the path. almost a year now and still don't see a pattern to what side of the path people run or ride on. i still do the usa version so i make everyone pass me on the left. the bikes hardly ever give warnings of passing here and i don't have to worry about them this way. don't even mind being the stupid american as long as they don't hit me.
headed home now. a good workout over with three miles of warm down. almost a 70 mile week and enough. a fast shower and breakfast and off to the driving range for a quick bucket of balls. gail was working on her book and i had enough time for something there. am working on the swing i want and i am getting there. it may not be much but i will "own" it as they say. and hit ok mostly and worked up to the five iron today. the longer irons didn't go as well, but rather than go crazy about that i could see the progress and knew they would come around. two good five irons went about 170 and i would live with that. met some guys from des moines, iowa and boston today. was fun talking to them and the iowa guy-steve- told me to play "honey creek" when i was near des moines. have to love golfers. he was trying to teach his girlfriend how to hit golf balls and she was doing ok for a first timer.
the pro came by and gave me some free balls to hit which i shared with a kid of about 12 who had run out of balls. i had run out of time and he really wanted to hit some more and was trying to sneak out on the range an pick some up. not usually a good idea and was way too crowded for that today. nice last ball as i hit a gap wedge to the 107 green and it landed on the green and then bounced into the flag. good ending.
and back to the tent house. gail wrapped up her paperwork and we headed out and over to the university park, going up the oxford canal and through the village of jericho. the park was packed. really warm now and there was a lot going on and the park was really pretty. i just love the gardens here and everything was in bloom. we did a big and short loop and headed back through town around several colleges, and walked all the way home. wouldn't have minded taking a bus at this point but we never saw one and none passed us while we walked. another 6-7 miles of exercise. enough for one day.
wrapping up another week. off to cambridge for a couple of days this week. should be good. happy mother's day to all of the mom's out there.
legs felt better than i thought they would though and i reminded myself that i really have to plan some time off to recover. not today though as i headed back along the trail behind the "fishes" restaurant and ran along the creek bed. stopped for a minute and stretched on the bridge over the small waterfalls in what felt like the middle of nowhere. completely surrounded by over grown park land here and the only noise was the waterfall and some birds chirping. funny that i was about a mile from our house.
headed back over towards osney road and turned into the park field there. at this point i had about 3 miles in and i did a series of paced 100's on the makeshift track. ran 6 sets of 5 cut downs, meaning each 100 would be faster than the one before it for 5 in a row. the key is not to run the first one too fast of course, but the minimum pace was 8:00. this is a good workout to work on pace and stride. i wanted to work the right leg today. it is getting to be more useful, but for now it would have to be used in spurts rather than just use it all of the time. the days i try to use it more it gives out later in the run and then the next few days after it is useless.
but today it was ok for the short striders. i could tell it was tightening up after the third set and i kept an eye on it to be sure. i also knew that when i used it i ran 2 seconds faster every time. that would be 32 seconds in a mile and 3 minutes in a 10k. it is worth the effort to try and re-teach it to run. with some extra therapy when i get home it should only get a little better. that's the hope.
the last set was the hardest, but i managed it ok. nice to know i had no more to do. didn't bother with the "relaxed" striders i like to do at the end. had run hard enough and it was over 70 degrees now. i wasn't as tired as i was thirsty. but forced myself to do a warm down. the lst few years i just hadn't done this as well as i should as i just wasn't in strong enough shape to force my mind into doing it. but if anything the 57 miles a week for the last almost 9 months has changed that.
the sets of 100's would be just under 4 miles of running as i was jogging the 00's back for recovery. so sixty 100's in total. so i headed back down the bike path and back down to the rugby stadium. a nice quiet little village when there were no cars around and it was still pretty early for them. the dog walkers were up and a few other runners and an occasional bike rider was also on the path. almost a year now and still don't see a pattern to what side of the path people run or ride on. i still do the usa version so i make everyone pass me on the left. the bikes hardly ever give warnings of passing here and i don't have to worry about them this way. don't even mind being the stupid american as long as they don't hit me.
headed home now. a good workout over with three miles of warm down. almost a 70 mile week and enough. a fast shower and breakfast and off to the driving range for a quick bucket of balls. gail was working on her book and i had enough time for something there. am working on the swing i want and i am getting there. it may not be much but i will "own" it as they say. and hit ok mostly and worked up to the five iron today. the longer irons didn't go as well, but rather than go crazy about that i could see the progress and knew they would come around. two good five irons went about 170 and i would live with that. met some guys from des moines, iowa and boston today. was fun talking to them and the iowa guy-steve- told me to play "honey creek" when i was near des moines. have to love golfers. he was trying to teach his girlfriend how to hit golf balls and she was doing ok for a first timer.
the pro came by and gave me some free balls to hit which i shared with a kid of about 12 who had run out of balls. i had run out of time and he really wanted to hit some more and was trying to sneak out on the range an pick some up. not usually a good idea and was way too crowded for that today. nice last ball as i hit a gap wedge to the 107 green and it landed on the green and then bounced into the flag. good ending.
and back to the tent house. gail wrapped up her paperwork and we headed out and over to the university park, going up the oxford canal and through the village of jericho. the park was packed. really warm now and there was a lot going on and the park was really pretty. i just love the gardens here and everything was in bloom. we did a big and short loop and headed back through town around several colleges, and walked all the way home. wouldn't have minded taking a bus at this point but we never saw one and none passed us while we walked. another 6-7 miles of exercise. enough for one day.
wrapping up another week. off to cambridge for a couple of days this week. should be good. happy mother's day to all of the mom's out there.
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