follow-up on the growing scandal of car dealership closings

another article about the car dealership closings – looks like the ethical adminstration is as ethical as chavez’s and castro’s

Michael Horton on Joel Osteen

Well written analysis of Joel Osteen’s theology and teaching.

“Joel Osteen and the Glory Story”

UCI Cracking Down on What Equipment Riders Can Use

Professional cycling is scrambling to figure out what the implications of the UCI’s decision about cycling equipment will mean.  Here is the NYT article on the subject..no need for me to rehash what you can read there.

The article raises a broader question about sports in general.  How much should sports be about the athlete and how much should it be about equipment?  Or maybe a better question is – is it even possible to make it completely about one or the other?

Here is my opinion, for what it is worth.  I was involved in a group bike ride a few weeks ago.  One guy showed up with a 1960’s model Raleigh Road bike.  You know the kind with the friction shifters on the down tube – heavy, scratched…  To be honest I didn’t think he would keep up with the leading group.  Well, after I watched him ride away from me on one particularly long hill, disappearing over the ridge and riding out of sight, I decided its not all about the bike.

The athlete matters, even with inferior equipment.

Having said that, if the athletes are all equal, or as close to equal as possible, the equipment can mean the difference between winning and losing.  In cycling the concern is that some teams can’t afford the equipment and testing that will allow them to be competitive with other teams.

In a sport where seconds matter, and seconds can be gained with the right equipment, having some standards that equalize the sport seem to make sense.  The way the UCI seems to be going at it doesn’t.  The racing season is well under way, the equipment has been manufactured already.  To expect teams to retool now is silly and wrong-headed.  If a change needs to be made wait until winter and give teams a chance to adjust.

What say you?

I’m a Grandfather – Again

Samuel Thomas was born April 21st.  Monica and I now have a grandson to go with our granddaughter.  My prayer is I will do a good job at this grandparenting deal.  May I be a blessing to my grandchildren.

Welcome to the world, Sam.

VP Joe Biden’s Daughter – What Ought We to Focus On?

Radar Online has a report out about a guy shopping a secretly taped video of Joe Biden’s daughter , Ashley, reportedly snorting cocaine.  I don’t know if the video is real or not.  Either way, I find it just as wrong to make that an issue as making Sarah Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy.

First, we all debase ourselves or, even worse, reveal our own warped souls when we revel in this stuff.  If we find some sort of glee in the downfall of another person, and find some sense of satisfaction in how another persons sins advance our political positions we are the losers.

Second, have some sympathy with a parent whose child is heading down a path of destruction.  I doubt if Joe Biden and I agree on much of anything.  But that doesn’t mean I ought to feel good about his daughter’s drug issues if they are true.  Instead, as a father, I sympathize with what Joe and his wife must be feeling and thinking.

Third, there are plenty of real issues to be concerned about.  Let’s debate those and stop using the tactics of personal destruction.  Let’s talk about principles of freedom and liberty.  Let’s talk about and debate what will advance the cause of justice and righteousness in this country.

Maybe we just want to win.  Maybe we have become a nation of voyeurs.  Maybe our politics have degenerated into nothing more than another form of Entertainment tonight.

I hope not.

So Joe, if what is being written about your daughter is true, then you have my heartfelt sympathy and prayers.  My hope is that she will be free from this and you and your family will be stronger together on the other side of this problem.

Wealth Guilt – How Much is Too Much?

Due to the current economic conditions a new cultural trend is developing.  Equating wealth with evil and creating guilt for being financially sucessful is popular right now.

Jim Calhoun had a confrontation with a reporter over his pay scale as a basketball coach.  Here is the YouTube video:

The Oscars were last night.  I didn’t watch because I didn’t care.  But I was watching the news this morning and they were rehashing the previous nights happenings.  It struck me as odd that the Hollywood stars were apologetic about their fancy duds.  They were clearly uncomfortable with their wealth.

A few weeks ago Congress made a big deal out of how much money bank executives get paid.

Man, if you are making money you are a target in today’s climate.

I’m no defender of Hollywood, D1 basketball coaches or bank executives.  but I do think it is a shame we are going to resort to guilting everyone who has done well.

I’ve never owned a mansion and never wanted one.  I’ve never been on a private jet and don’t care if I ever am.  I drive a paid for Ford truck with 175,000 miles.  I wear my clothes till they wear out and I don’t mind.

I don’t resent those who have more than me.

Most of the time we only think the people who have more than us have more than they need.

Check out American Solutions – 12 American Solutions for Jobs and Prosperity

I want you to take a look at: American Solutions – 12 American Solutions for Jobs and Prosperity 

MPG and ethanol update

The last two fill-ups with ethanol free gas resulted in 16.5 mpg and 17.5 mpg respectively. I’m working on my fifth tank of ethanol free gas. The mpg has improved up 2.5 mpg to this point. I started at 15mpg while using 10% ethanol gas and the last tank was 17.5. I thought I had peaked at 16.5 since two tanks came in at that level, but it went up again.

So the experiment continues.

I’m wallowing in Sooner bitterness

The following was emailed to me by a reliable source who had it forwarded to him by his aunt’s second cousin’s bosses personal assistant – so there has to be some truth to it…

Subject: St. Tebow

Tebow Skips Senior Season, Ascends Directly Into Heaven

MIAMI (SP) — Shortly after leading the Florida Gators to a national
championship with a 24-14 win over Oklahoma, junior quarterback Tim Tebow announced that he would skip his senior season and ascend directly into heaven.

Tebow entered the press room to wild applause. A reporter for a 24- hour
cable sports network burst into tears when the 2007 Heisman winner entered the room. Another threw a pair of boxer shorts on the podium. Tebow smiled at the gesture and several sports reporters fainted.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tebow began. “There was a six-year-old boy with cancer
in row 54 and I had to make my way through the crowd to heal him.”

“I want to start by saying that playing quarterback for the University of
Florida, winning two national championships, has been a great honor. There has been some speculation about my future and I want to clear that up right now,” he continued.

“Don’t go, Tim!” a reporter shouted from the back of the room.

“After much consideration, I have decided to skip my senior season at the
University of Florida and ascend directly into Heaven,” Tebow announced.
Upon making the announcement, Tebow was bathed in a blinding white light and vanished.

In response to the news, ESPN announced they will have a month-long tribute to Tebow. ESPN2 will now be known as ESPN-TEBOW and will feature Tebow highlights (including home videos of Tebow’s childhood), re-airings of past interviews, Tebow-centric analysis by ESPN air personalities, a Tebow quiz show and a reality show to find the “most Tebow-like” person in America.

“He wasn’t just the greatest player in college football history,” said a
college football writer at the press conference, tears streaming down his
face. “He might have been the greatest person to ever walk on earth.”

Ethanol and MPG

I have been told by several people that using gas with ethanol decreases your avg mpg. Honestly I hadn’t checked my mpg on my truck in a long time. Just to check it out for myself I am doing a little experiment.

The last time I remember checking the MPG on my Ford F150 it was around 18 MPG. I checked it again when starting this test and it came in at 14.7 MPG.

I have been buying gas at a local store for the past seven years. One reason I go there is I always pay cash for gas. I don’t use debit cards or credit cards. Every station in town requires prepayment for gas to prevent drive offs. The only way to avoid making a couple of trips inside the store is to use a credit card or debit card at the pump. This particular business came up with a great business model. They give you a card that works like a credit card to get the pump started and then you go in and pay for the gas with cash. They got my business because their system is easy and a time saver.

Well, they also have about 10% ethanol gas. There are two gas stations that sell ethanol free gas where I live. This past week I went to one of them and filled up. That tank of gas resulted in an Avg. MPG of 15.5. Still not great and not that much different than what I got the week before.

The experiment will continue for several weeks. And I will seek to answer the question – Does ethanol use result in a lower avg. MPG?

What is your experience in this regard?

Note: I am driving a 2000 Ford F150 with a V6, standard transmission and it has 175,000 miles on it.