Girls Tackle Stereotypes Amid Concussion Concerns

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                                            Good Day World!
Football is the most popular sport in America.

Say what you will, the sound of helmets colliding is music to the ears of millions of fans of all ages. And genders.

There’s a growing movement for girls to play full tackle football.
Utah has the country's first known tackle football league for fifth and sixth grade girls.

Twelve-year-old Sam Gordon, a 4'6" running back who made headlines as a gridiron girl a few years back, helped get it started.

Three years ago, after her highlight reel went viral, Gordon graced the front of a Wheaties box.

The video showed Gordon breaking tackles and scoring touchdowns in a full-contact league for boys.

Meanwhile, concerns about football-related concussions have become a national dialogue. A controversy. Parents are reconsidering letting their children bang heads in the name of sport.

Another Football Player Quits Amid Concussion Concerns

NBA Basketball star, LeBron James, has publicly stated he isn’t going to let his son play football. Despite improvements made on helmets, and rule changes designed to discourage head-to-head collisions…concussions are still too common.

For all ages. From the first days of peewee ball to the stadium lights of the high school field, it's abundantly clear that physical harm is a reality of football.
For years, it was just "the norm" for adolescents and young adults to break a bone or suffer a concussion here and there. If a young player was injured, odds were they had been playing their hardest out on the field, and that was glorified.

While I want to congratulate Sam Gordon and the other 5th – 6th grade girls for breaking stereotypes – I can’t help wonder if it’s really the kind of ground worth breaking!

Time for me to walk on down the road...

James Buchanan, AKA ‘Miss Nancy’ Was Our 1st Gay President

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia/Salon)
                                         Good Day World!
James Buchanan was gay, before, during and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it, too — he was not far into the closet.

I sure don’t remember being taught that when I was in school in the 50s and 60s. But a lot of things were glossed over in history books back then.

The following are excerpts from Our real first gay president by JIM LOEWEN at Salon:

“Today, I know no historian who has studied the matter and thinks Buchanan was heterosexual. Fifteen years ago, historian John Howard, author of “Men Like That,” a pioneering study of queer culture in Mississippi, shared key documents, including Buchanan’s May 13, 1844, letter to a Mrs. Roosevelt.

Describing his deteriorating social life after his great love, William Rufus King, senator from Alabama, had moved to Paris to become our ambassador to France, Buchanan wrote:

I am now “solitary and alone,” having no companion in the house with me. I have gone a wooing to several gentlemen, but have not succeeded with any one of them. I feel that it is not good for man to be alone; and should not be astonished to find myself married to some old maid who can nurse me when I am sick, provide good dinners for me when I am well, and not expect from me any very ardent or romantic affection.”

According to Wikipedia:

While Buchanan may have been asexual or celibate, many indicators suggest he was homosexual or bisexual. The argument has been put forward by Shelley Ross, biographer Jean Baker, sociologist James W. Loewen, author Robert P. Watson, and historian John Howard.

A source of this interest has been Buchanan's close and intimate relationship with William Rufus King (who became Vice President under Franklin Pierce).

The two men lived together in a Washington boardinghouse for 10 years from 1834 until King's departure for France in 1844. King referred to the relationship as a "communion", and the two attended social functions together.

Contemporaries also noted the closeness. Andrew Jackson called them "Miss Nancy" and "Aunt Fancy" (the former being a 19th-century euphemism for an effeminate man), while Aaron V. Brown referred to King as Buchanan's "better half."

James W. Loewen described Buchanan and King as "Siamese twins." In later years, Kat Thompson, the wife of a cabinet member, expressed her anxiety that "there was something unhealthy in the president's attitude."


Time for me to walk on down the road…

Protest Aftermath: Baltimore Residents Killing Each Other in Record Numbers

Good Day World!

Talk about ironic.

Residents of West Baltimore, are now saying there’s not enough cops on the street.

As everyone knows, cops have been reviled in Baltimore, with accusations of over policing.

So far this month, 36 people have been killed in Baltimore. That’s already the highest homicide count for May since 1999. But while homicides are spiking, arrests have plunged more than 50 percent compared to last year.

The drop in arrests followed the death of Freddie Gray from injuries he suffered in police custody. Gray's death sparked protests against the police and some rioting, and led to the indictment of six officers.

Now West Baltimore residents worry they've been abandoned by the officers they once accused of harassing them. In recent weeks, some neighborhoods have become like the Wild West without a lawman around, according to residents.

The scary thing about this situation is it could be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to policing in the future. 

When a black person is killed by officers – whether in the line- of-duty, or not - the black community lashes out at ALL police officers.

Therefore it should come as no surprise if the same situation pops up in other cities. African American organizations have been reviling police departments throughout the country this year.

As a direct result of this attitude, I expect to see more cities experiencing pull-backs from police departments in predominantly black sections to avoid getting sued for doing their job.

It’s up to African-American leaders in this nation to do something about it. If they don’t start changing the hate dialogue towards law enforcement they can expect to see increased homicides in the very communities that are protesting against them.

Now West Baltimore residents worry they've been abandoned by the officers they once accused of harassing them.

Black against black violence accounts for considerably more deaths than cops killing blacks. It’s time that African-Americans get their priorities straight and mainstream back into society.


Time for me to walk on down the road…

In Praise of Pigs: They’re Tidy and Give Off Good Vibes

Good Day World!

Pigs are popular pets, but we also eat them.

That seems strange to me. But it’s a strange world full of paradoxes, ironies, and inescapable realities.

Did you know that there’s such a thing as a therapy pig? Oh, yea…

Check this video out about therapy pigs Pumba and Borris. They visit nursing homes in Denver, Colorado in their spare time.

Speaking of therapy pigs, this video is about a woman who was kicked off a flight because other passengers complained about her 55 pound pot-bellied therapy pig’s smell and loud snorting!

MEET PUMPKIN

Seven-year-old Megan suffers from Cerebral Palsy.
Although her physical therapist wants her to practice opening and closing the clenched fingers of her right and left hands, he can’t motivate the little girl to do it.
All that changed when another “therapist”—a Potbellied Pig named Pumpkin - joined the staff.
Each time a Cheerio® is placed inside one of Megan’s clenched fists, Pumpkin gently roots away at the child’s hand with her nose until the child’s fingers relax and open.  Megan squeals with delight when Pumpkin gently gobbles up a treat.  Even the physical therapist smiles.

Like dogs and cats, Potbellied Pigs often are used as therapy animals in nursing home, rehabilitation center and even hospital settings.

SPEAKING OF POT-BELLIED PIGS

The pot-bellied pig’s natural habitat was in Southeast Asia.  In fact, they descend from six different breeds of wild pig indigenous to the region. Potbellied Pigs were imported to zoos in this country in the 1980s.
Because they’re highly prolific, the zoos soon had too many. Surplus pigs were sold at wild animal auctions to private individuals seeking exotic pets. It wasn’t long before porcine personality, tidy nature and intelligence won them a place in the homes of average pet owners as well.


A PIG STAR FOR THE AGES
                                                 
You didn’t think I was going to talk about pigs without mentioning one of the most famous pigs in Americana culture - Porky Pig – did you?

Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power.

"Th-th-th-that's all folks!"


Time for me to walk on down the road…

Exploring the Merits of Moderation

Too far to the left

too far to the right

no hopeful light

No hope of compromise in sight

Why not explore the merits of moderation

in this polarized nation?

Let anger take a long vacation

Let bias no longer figure in the equation

Moderation brings people together

in a positive endeavor

birds of a feather

fly further in any weather

              ---

Dave Stancliff

I’d Rather Take a Tour of Hell Than Cuba!

Good Day World!
What’s the fascination for traveling to an anemic third-world country where you can’t even spend time relaxing on the beaches?

Since President Obama and Raul Castro have come to an agreement – of sorts – Americans started lining up for tours of this backward Communist country.

All Americans can now travel legally to Cuba -- with some limitations. Americans still can't simply book a flight and a hotel and head to Cuba.

You'll need to travel with a Cuba travel organization that has an official license from the U.S. State Department, like Insight Cuba and Central Holidays.

And, while your tour may include stops at museums, historic sites, or even the Bay of Pigs or a local Communist Party block meeting, purely recreational activities - like visiting the beach or scuba diving - are prohibited from tour itineraries.

Until and if the remaining aspects of the Cuba travel restrictions are lifted by the U.S. government, tours like these will be the only legal way for most Americans to visit the Caribbean island nation.


Of course, those restrictions don't apply to travelers from elsewhere in the world.

But what’s to see?

An impoverished nation with only 50’s era transportation doesn’t sound thrilling to me.
As for the guided tours, they can have them – I’d rather Google Cuba and check out the photos/videos at a safe distance.

For some reason, the sight of a city full of abandoned/abused buildings, and people living in primitive conditions, doesn’t float my boat!

SOME OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
If you get in trouble in Cuba there’s no U.S. embassy there to help you. Basically, your shit out of luck!

Your not in Kansas any more Toto! Cuba is ruled by an authoritarian, sometimes paranoid government. Many of the rights you enjoy in America don’t exist in Cuba.

Credit and debit cards issued by U.S. banks will not work in Cuba.
That requires U.S. visitors to carry cash or travelers’ checks with them, which can be risky. And for good measure, once you’re in Cuba, your dollars have to be exchanged for special “convertible” Cuban pesos, a parallel currency to normal pesos that will make your trip extra expensive.

I’d rather go to Hell (at least I’ll get to see friends and family in another environment) than take a tour of Cuba!

Still want to go see Cuba’s Old World charm?
Well Yuma (foreigner in Cuban), avoid Singaos (bad people) and watch your Baro (money) or you’ll end up Bruja (broke)!


Time for me to walk on down the road…

Stop griping about things! Here’s How

Good Day World!
I’m tired of listening to people who gripe about things they can’t change.
If it’s 110 degrees outside and you’re complaining about the heat either go inside or shut up! If you have to be outside then griping isn’t going to make your situation any better. Probably worse.
Doesn’t that make sense?
I think it’s in our DNA to complain however.
Everyday we’re faced with reasons to complain: we’re not tall enough, we don’t have the latest and greatest, it’s too hot, it’s too cold, they get everything handed to them, they shouldn’t be doing this they should be doing that, etc.
Things to do about griping
Think before we speak.
Before blurting out a complaint really give some thought to what you’re going to say. Is it a complaint for the sake of complaining? Are you really unhappy with your situation?
Is there any benefit to expressing this view point? If you are looking for insight from the person you’re speaking with then by all means go for it. If you’re mentioning it to spark a debate or initiate a conversation, OK.
Just be aware of what you’re saying and why you’re saying it and also be mindful of the person you’re speaking with. Are they rolling their eyes?

Have a plan
If you’re unhappy with any situation make a plan on how you can change it. How are you going to take control and make your situation better? You can brush up your resume and start applying to new jobs. Can you go back to school or get specific training for what you’d like to do?
Don’t just moan about it do something!
Change your perspective.
Maybe you’re complaining because you lack empathy for someone. Change your perspective and really put yourself in their shoes (and not just in one particular situation, but overall).
Your thoughts, expectations and judgments may change and you may see the other person in a better light and not complain so much about how they’re handling things.
A change in perspective could also be helpful when we’re complaining about what we don’t have or how we don’t measure up. First of all we shouldn’t spend so much time comparing ourselves to others in the first place but if you do why is always with people who have more?
Why not compare with those who aren’t as fortunate as you. Look around you and really see what you have. There are a lot of people who would love to be in your position. Which leads me to my final point …

Be grateful!
Be grateful for what you have and for what others have. Life isn’t a race to see who can collect the most money, cars or other shiny objects. Ever told anyone to mind their own business?
Well same goes for you. Focus on you and what makes you happy and how you can add value to your own life. Show appreciation for all that you currently have and for what you’ve been blessed with.
Don’t worry about all the other people odds are they’re looking at you and wishing for something you have and that you may even be taking for granted.
When we complain it’s usually because we’re so focused on what we’re lacking in certain aspects of our lives. The easiest way to curb our own complaining is to focus on the positive and go with the flow.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

See How They Run! Iraqis Imitate Rabbits When Called on to Fight

“See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly…”

I am the Walrus by John Lennon & Paul McCartney

                           Good Day World!

What happens when you declare war against Iraq? They run.

What happens when Iraqis are called upon to defend their own cities? They run.

See the Iraqis run.

Ramadi, which was captured by militants a week earlier, is the latest example of Iraqi fighting efficiency.

They were not outnumbered.

In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force, and yet they failed to fight and ran like frightened rabbits. Which has to make an observer wonder if the Iraqis have the will to fight ISIL (ISIS) and defend themselves.

No amount of training and materials of war from America seems to make a difference.

The Iraqi Army leaves behind tons of weapons, tanks, you name it, every time they decide to lift their skirts and run from an enemy.

ISIS should be sending thank you letters to Congress for keeping them well-supplied with the latest in weapon technology.

If Iraq is conquered they’ll deserve it.

My heart goes out to all the American soldiers who served – and died – there. They should have never been put in that hell hole of a country. America failed them, they didn’t fail America.

It’s time to let Iraq do it’s own fighting. If they have the will to win, they’ll prevail. So far, they’ve had the advantage in man power and weaponry – but that’s rapidly changing. 

As a combat Vietnam veteran, I can tell you the South Vietnamese DID NOT have the will to fight North Vietnam. We often referred to South Vietnamese soldiers as rabbits because of their propensity to run like hell if enemy fire broke out.

I saw that clearly while I was there. I see it clearly now with Iraq. If only Congress would get it’s head out of it’s ass, they’d see it too!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Patriot Fans Hold Rally for Cheater Tom Brady

                          Half God, half man…Tom Brady                 

                          Good Day World!

Sports fans can be a little nutty at times.

As a Laker fan, I can attest to that. Some fans go to great lengths to support their team, or favorite player, regardless of any allegations made against them.

The most recent case of fans ignoring what’s right or wrong with a sports figure features GQ pretty boy Tom Brady. He was caught cheating, along with a couple of assistants.

The evidence was clear. Deflated footballs designed to give Brady an advantage.

But that doesn’t bother his rabid fans who’d forgive him if he beat up a girl scout! In a recent nationwide poll people were asked if Tom Brady was railroaded by the NFL?

Every state in the country, but one, agreed with Brady’s sentence of a four-game suspension.

The holdout? No surprise. Massachusetts had a majority of people who thought Brady got a bad deal and shouldn’t have been fined.

Some hardcore fans gathered yesterday outside of Gillette Stadium and held a “Free Tom Brady rally.” They protested “the unjust football arrest” of half God and half man Tom Brady.

This undying fan support, regardless of reality, is what I’m talking about. Brady was caught cheating. Get over it!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

New Reality Show: ‘Wrecking Rehabs in America’

   Good Day World!

After the tremendous viewership of Handling Sharks for Christ (see 5/21 post) I’ve decided to share a series of new reality shows for your continued entertainment.

Today’s entry (#2) is – Wrecking Rehabs in America

Are you tired of watching all those TV shows about people fixing up decrepit houses and then selling them? Seems like there’s no end of them. Ready for a change of pace?

Here you go: 

A couple (any combination) goes to recently refurbished houses that are for sale. Posing as prospective buyers, the couple have to see how much destruction they can cause without alerting the realtor showing the house.

The most popular plan is to split up, one going with the realtor, and the other one trailing behind and causing havoc.

The contestants get to go to three houses during the hour show.

After an evaluation of the damage, the house with the most destruction becomes the couple’s entry for the final show – where they could win a house of their own to destroy!

The panel of judges will consist of hardened criminals from a different maximum security prison every week. They’ll be looking for creativity and quantity of mayhem.

The host for the show will be Arizona’s infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Stay tuned.

Time for me to walk on down the road…