Explosive Boobs?

My wife and I spend two winter months in Miramar Beach, Florida. We have for the past six winters. Our three married children and their children wanted to have a family week's vacation in Miramar Beach this fourth of July. Before it's all said and done there will be 27- family members gathering.

Most began arriving yesterday. Some drove from locations in Central and Northern Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri while others opted to catch a flight. And the flight is where my story truly begins. Our second oldest granddaughter is a married reading specialist in a Northern Illinois school district. She is also a mother of a 10-month old boy who breasts feeds. As mother and child were going through the routine TSA screening before boarding their Florida bound flight, the TSA agent did the 'pat-down' then questioned mother about the milk filled baby bottles. My granddaughter explained that she 'breast-pumps' for such occasions, thus filling bottles and avoiding public breast feeding. The agent insisted that they 'check' the bottle's contents.

Several minutes passed when finally the agent returned to tell my granddaughter that her bottled breast milk tested positive with explosives. The agent refused to listen to mother's pleas but emptied the bottles and told her she could have the empties. When I heard the story, I thought the TSA agent failed to follow through with logic. If this woman confesses that she pumps from her boobs the milk in tested bottles and the milk in those bottles are actually explosives then the woman's boobs could explode during the flight.

Right now this 10-month old great-grandson is crawling and pulling himself up ready to walk; ah but I'm thinking there can be a real upside to this. If indeed, my granddaughter is breast-feeding  explosive chemicals into this boy's body, he just might one day leap tall buildings in a single bound. A real-in-life 'SUPERMAN,' the kryptonite kid! The downside in this scenario is I must be discreet avoiding nearness to my granddaughter on this family vacation.

Being Right vs. Getting It Right

A neighborhood friend has different political views than I. In fact, I have several friends who hold different opinions on politics and the direction of the country. I enjoy listening to various views and debating the same. However, one particular friend occasionally posts online notations which are completely false. Just the other day while doing yard work this individual stopped by for a porch-sitting-spell. I seized the moment to point out to him that I googled a recent Facebook post of his to determine its credibility. His post was debunked and I suggested to him that he should research some of those posts before sharing them. His response absolutely shocked me. "I don't care if the post was true are not true, I just wanted to believe it," he said. I was speechless.

I recall years ago a good friend of mine privately told me that I had used a word incorrectly. I was not offended but appreciative. I cannot begin to count the number of times in my journey when my 'wrong' has been pointed out and consequently I made adjustments.Truth is truth and I wish to embrace it. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy being 'right' on matters but I want evidence to anchor my position.

This aforementioned conversation exchange caused me to wonder, 'are Americans getting dumber?'
Well, I researched the topic and lo' and behold, we are getting dumber. In fact there's either a lot of bull-headed people wondering around or folks simply in a state of denial according to research findings resulting in Americans falling far behind other countries when it comes to word and number proficiency and consequently the ability to problem solve. It seems today we have more schooling but less knowledge. Our critical thinking has become rusty. Today, we have so-called educated people dismissing factual evidence of climate change and others refusing to vaccinate children even in the face of a preponderance of evidence  regarding scientific facts and/or benefits.

There is unquestionably growing evidence that more and more Americans refuse to 'trust' experts in specific fields but instead live in their own world of >'it's what I want to believe.'

Touche'

I would think that most Americans, as was I, surprised if not astonished when President Trump  denounced our own intelligence agencies and sided with Russia's Vladimir Putin saying he did not believe Russia interfered with America's 2016 Presidential election.

I wonder how many Americans 'side' with Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini when he claims that the "White House has been stricken by mental illness and does not know what to do."???
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White Coats Are Coming

"I'm Warning You!"

Back in my East Side neighborhood, we called his kind, a   'ball-less -bully.' You know, the guy who talks tough but always wiggles out either because he's not sure if he's right and certain he's afraid to 'throw-down;' the thought scares the crap out of him. It's safe to yell standing on your front porch.

Check it out>>
North Korea shoots off rockets and Trump warns "Little Rocket Man of annihilation." Today 'Rocket Man and 'Blow Hard' are best buddies.

Trump warns Russia to "get out of Venezuela." Russia ignores the warning. Putin likely told Trump  that Russia is NOT in Venezuela...its 'fake news.'

Iran attacks oil tankers and Trumps warns Iran. Iran shoots down an American Drone and Trump warns Iran that they better not provoke America or else face 'obliteration.' Two days later Trump is telling the press corps, "Let's Make Iran Great Again."

Promises mass immigration raids on illegals...then calls it off for two weeks.

Spare me the bluff, Donald.
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S#*t Or Get Off The Pot

Beyond Befuddled

I'm old school and that said places me completely out-of-touch with current sport competition and fandom thinking. Let me explain.

I spent a lifetime in sport competition. I was that participating player for 14-years and then the orchestrating mentor-coach for 39-years. I loved the challenge found in competition. I had a simple straightforward sport competition philosophy. 1) 'If you prepare then don't worry; if you are going to worry then don't prepare but for goodness sakes don't do both!' And 2) 'Respect All; Fear None and leave it all on the field or court.'

I did not hate or even dislike my opponent but I was not ambivalent towards my competition...the other team members were not my friends. We were not buddies. I did not interact with competitors as a kibitser with joking chit-chat. Okay, you now get it...I'm old school...and out of touch.

Watching the televised weekend baseball series between the Cardinals and Angels had my head swimming. At times I thought I was in the twilight zone. Make no mistake, I believe Albert Pujols is one of the greatest baseball hitters the game has ever seen. I pulled hard and applauded him when he was a member of 'MY' team. Once he left for LA, he was no longer part of 'MY' team,' therefore he became the enemy. I wish him all good things when he is competing against others but not when he's competing against the Cardinals.

The fans showed Albert love every at bat.  The Cardinals' fans stood every time Pujols came to the plate and even booed their own pitcher when Pujols walked. Really? The television broadcasters (Dan  McLaughlin and Rickey Horton) verbally loved on Pujols the entire game. In a game that saw the Cardinals win 4-2, Pujols hit a home run and the fans asked for a curtain call, which he obliged. At that moment I wondered how Cardinals' pitcher Dakota Hudson who was pitching one hellava game felt. I scratched my head in total bewilderment when TV broadcaster Dan McLaughlin announced Pujols' home run as the 'Play of the Game.' Obviously Cardinals' outfielder, Marcell Ozuna's two-run homer into Big Mac Land was casually dismissed...I thought how idiotic, the home team won by two-runs; Ozuna's monster blast that did not get a curtain call. You kidding me?

What the hell, why not this new sport philosophy? The owners were never loyal to players and with free agency the players are no longer loyal to the organization and neither have loyalty towards the FAN...thus the fan is now part of the disloyalty.

Personally, I find it unbelievable...but as I said, I'm old school.

A Bit Conflicted In Albert's Return

I have been a St. Louis Baseball Cardinals' fan for 75-years; the first five years of my life I was trying to become a cowboy as I killed or captured hundreds bad guys who had wondered into my backyard.
As began playing 'catch with' father,  my Baseball interest were destined for the sandlot. I soon hung on every word spewed over KMOX radio as I angst with Cardinals' broadcaster Harry Carey. I still do these many years.

For the eleven years Albert Pujols was wearing the birds of the bat Jersey, I stood and applauded his marvelous fetes. I put him on equal grounds with the greatest who ever played the game. Pujols produced and the Cardinals Nation gave homage. After the second of two World Series Championships, Pujols accepted an LA Angels' offer of 10-years for $254 million, which was $34 million more than St. Louis' offer. In retrospect, I think it was a great deal for Pujols and a fortunate outcome for the Cardinals even though experts call it the worst deal in MLB history suggesting LA got the short straw.

This brings us to the current weekend Cardinals-Angels series in St. Louis. I think the St. Louis fans and sports broadcaster received Albert's return with the traditional St. Louis classy fan style, which causes baseball players  pointing to St. Louis fans the 'best' fans in all of baseball. That said, I personally have a tough time with the over-the-top praise coming out of the television broadcast booth from Ricky Horton and Dan McLaughlin. I'm not sure why I feel that way but perhaps the reason is hidden in the following: April 1954 the Cardinals trade16-year veteran, Enos Slaughter to the Yankees. Slaughter hearing the news breaks down in tears saying, "This is the biggest shock in my life. Something, I never thought would happen." Two years later Slaughter hit a three run home run in  game seven of the World Series against the Dodgers as his .359 World Series batting average was remarkable the 40-year old  player.

Yes, perhaps the answer to my perception of too much praise for a deserter from my team lies in the romantic notions honed in the idealistic 1950's environment. Good cowboys wore white hats and were always pure in intention or at least that's what we were taught.

Finally, one thing for certain. Both Slaughter and Pujols left the Cardinals but only one of them
can truly say, "It's not about the money."

When The #%#* Hits The Fan

Iran shot down an American drone, which cost over 100 million dollars. That's a fact...not fake news. America claims their drone was over international waters while Iran insists the drone was over Iranian territory. That's yet to be confirmed. If our Intelligence agency confirms that the drone was over international waters, I will believe our Intelligence people but we cannot be sure President Trump will believe them, NOW CAN WE? After all POTUS believes, Putin, Kim and the Saudi Prince over our CIA and other Intelligence Agencies

I find myself wishing that we had a Defense Secretary 'in place' but we don't. I wish John Kelley and General Mattis were still in the White House where they might be in a position to 'advise.' Seems most White House people appointment by our President either goes to prison or quits...I suppose Trump is "draining the swamp."

It's a mess, folks and it appears it might get worse. Sleep well my countrymen and let's hope somebody has unplugged the 'Red Phone.'
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When The Ship Hits The Sand