Yellow Dog Troubles

Our drama dog did it to us again.

After last year's whole episode I was hopeful we'd be done with the whole sick dog thing for a while, but no...

Last night the Yellow Dog and I were watching TV when she started acting funny like she was having trouble moving.  She then collapsed into a convulsing seizure.  After about three minutes she stabilized, but then had another small one.

Needless to say, we scooped her up and took her to the emergency room.  Again.  

She's been there overnight and doing well.  We'll find out more when we go pick her up this morning.

Ugh.

Dog Friend vs. Cat Friend

The whole dog vs. cat as a comedy routine is an old one.  However, this video is pretty good.  As an owner of each, this all struck very close to home:

Me on TV

With Cyber Monday this past week the local media went looking for a story.  They found me.  Poor bastards...

Cyber Monday offers online deals

How did I do?

I've Been Not Quite Everywhere

I was listening to the Johnny Cash song I've Been Everywhere, and it got me wondering how many places I've visited that were mentioned in the song.  

Here are the lyrics.  Places I've visited I've colored in red:


I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucka road
When along came a semi, with a high and canvas covered load
If you're going to Winnemucka man, with me you can ride
So I climbed into the cab and then I settled down inside
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand
And I said "Listen Bud, I've traveled every road in this here land"

I've been everywhere man, I've been everywhere man
Crossed the deserts bare man, I've breathed the mountain air man
Of travel I've had my share man,
I've been everywhere

I've been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota,
Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota,
Wichita, Tulsa, Ottowa, Oklahoma,
Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, LaPaloma,
Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo,
Tocopilla, Barranquilla, and Padilla, I'm a killer

I've been to Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana,
Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana,
Monterey, Ferriday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa,
Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Okaloosa,
Tennessee, Hennesey, Chicopee, Spirit Lake,
Grand Lake, Devils Lake, Crater Lake, for Pete's sake

Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Ombabika,
Shefferville, Jacksonville, Waterville, Costa Rica,
Pittsfield, Springfield, Bakersfield, Shreveport,
Hackensack, Cadillac, Fon-Du-Lac, Davenport,
Idaho, Jellocoe, Argentina, Diamondtina,
Pasadena, Catalina, see what I mean

Pittsburgh, Parkersburgh, Gravelburg, Colorado,
Ellensburgh, Rexburgh, Vicksburg, Eldorado,
Larrimore, Atmore, Haverstraw, Chattanika,
Chaska, Nebraska, Alaska, Opelika,
Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City,
Sioux City, Cedar City, Dodge City, what a pity

Overall 91 different places are mentioned.  I've been to 28 - about a third.  Can anyone do better than that?  Post up

Manti Te'o and Leading by Example

Old news for some, but it is still amazing to see how remarkable this young man is.

How different our world would be if we could all be a little more like this:

Winter Arrives in Green Bay

Yesterday I got out and golfed.  While it was only in the 30's, the course was open, and I was dressed for it.  I ended up shooting a 92, which tied my best round of the four I played over the past six days.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Golf in November in Green Bay.  What a concept.

That was all put to bed today, as we got 2 1/2" of the white stuff overnight:

  
I had to get out and snow blow for the first time all year, and while I got wet, it went OK:

The whole change in the weather created a unique scene in the garage, with the snow blower, once relegated to the corner, now taking a place of prominence, and the golf cart, the favored chariot of summer, now in second place:

I guess it needed to come to an end some time.  But what a golf season we had!

A Fist Bump for a Big Brother

Context for thankfulness.  Hat tip to House Baby.

Get the Kleenex again...

Thanksgiving Golf!

Thanks to some incredibly wonderful fall weather, the golf season in Green Bay has extended well into November.  And the course is still quite beautiful:

So yesterday, on Thanksgiving-eve, my Mom, Aunt and I went and hit the links.  We had an awesome time, even though my photography was poor:

Here is a better shot of the ladies:

With a 12:30 tee time (the course was packed!) and the limited sunlight, we were able to barely finish our round.  Had we needed to play one more hole beyond 18, we likely would not have been able to due to darkness.

While the course is officially closed today, I'll be hopping on the cart here shortly for one last round of the season.  Temps here are going to plummet 30-40 degrees tonight as winter finally shows up, so this looks to be the last hurrah.  

In looking at the season, I shot my first round the day after St. Patrick's Day, and will shoot my last on Thanksgiving.  Not a bad year.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  

A Man, A Dog, A Church, and A Miracle

Best story you'll hear all week.  

Get the Kleenex.  Trust me



Donations for the church can be sent to the following:

St. John's Chapel Fundraiser
Frandsen Bank & Trust
125 1st Street South
Montgomery, MN 56069 

Gagliardi Retires

All good things must come to an end.

86 year old John Gagliardi, head coach of St. John's University, announced his retirement yesterday.  He retires with the most wins in college football history, and at 489 wins it is likely a record that will go unbeaten.

John (no disrespect in using that name - that's what he asked to be called, even by his players) was a unique coach.  No whistles, no screaming, no tackling in practice, no showboating, no practice if the weather or bugs were too bad.  His team would drill on things like "the walk away drill" where they would practice walking away after suffering an imaginary cheap-shot.

And that unorthodox philosophy, the antithesis of the cliche blood-and-guts college coach, led to 27 conference championships and 4 national titles.  

Today did a story on him from 10 years ago:



He coached at St. John's since before I was born.  He coached there 25 years after I graduated.  John was as much a part of St. John's as anything, and it is hard to imagine the team and the school without him.

St. John's will not be the same.  College football will not be the same.  But both are definitely left better because of the legacy and imprint left by John Gagliardi.

Cards from My Uncle

A couple of months ago, I was at Mom's house, and we were going thorough a bunch of Dad's old stuff.  Some of it was throughout his life and some of it was from his time up at the Wellsted. 

One of the things we ran across was this:  

This is a stack of cards written from Dad's brother, my uncle, to Dad while Dad was sick.  

Take a good look at this stack.  It's huge.  And what I'm not showing you is what is inside the card.  It wasn't just some token "Love, Your Brother" sign off.  Each and every one contained a long, hand written note.  

Now, to those of you that know my Uncle that will come as no surprise, as he is a man with a fantastic gift of gab.  But what is remarkable is the quantity, quality and the care.  Remember: Dad was horribly sick for most of this period.  And that upon receiving a card, and perhaps reading it, he'd have no memory of it just seconds later.  And at the end, he wouldn't have been able to read it at all.  But that didn't matter to my Uncle - the cards just kept coming.  

And while Dad may not have been able to enjoy them, I can't convey how nice it was, when visiting Dad, to go through his "mail" and read and talk about what my Uncle had written.  It was such a nice thing to discuss, but more than that, it always lifted my heart to know that someone out there still remembered Dad was there and that somebody still cared.  In a very tangible way.  

As a big brother, I'd like to think that what my Uncle did was just the kind of thing that big brothers do.  But that would not be fair.  His kindness a love were extraordinary, and on behalf of the rest of the family, I'd like to thank him, albeit late.    

College Football Craziness

Last night both #1 Oregon and #2 Kansas St. were upset and served their first respective losses on the year.  Earlier in the day, Notre Dame took care of its business by soundly defeating Wake Forrest during Senior Day, so once the dust settled on the day, the Irish sit atop the rankings as the #1 team in the nation.

Who would have thought it?  A team not even ranked by AP pre-season now the best team in the nation...

Notre Dame is not perfect.  They've shown when they take penalties and/or turn the ball over, that they can absolutely be beaten.  If they are sloppy, they can go down.

But when they put it all together, they absolutely are the best team in the nation.  Their defense is a monster, and their offense effective.  

The Irish have their work cut out for them.  Their next game, at USC, will be a tough one.  The Trojans have underachieved this year, and if they were to knock off the #1 Fighting Irish, they'd be able to salvage the season.  This will be USC's biggest game of the year, and I would expect that they'll play like it.

But in the meantime, after a crazy Saturday, the Irish stand atop the rankings.  Incredible.

Lindsey Buckingham - One Man Show

Back in August I wrote a concert review for Lindsey Buckingham's one-man concert in Green Bay.  As stated previously, it was an outstanding show.

I'm happy to report that Lindsey has released a live album from the tour, and tracks exactly match his set list that he played in Green Bay.  While he recorded the album in Des Moines, it sounds exactly like the show that I remember.

You can download it here - definitely worth the listen

Images of Israel's Defense in Action

It is claimed that Israel's rocket defenses have wiped out over 90% of the missiles shot at it.  Here is a video of them in action.

This is quite a scene on how folks over there are living their lives.  As we reach our upcoming designated day of thanks, we may want to remember this.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Squire Association

It was a cold January day during my sophomore year at St. John's.  The phone gave a double ring, which meant that the call came from outside of the all men's campus.  And that meant it could have been a girl.  

After a quick race to the phone, I successfully grabbed the receiver from my roommate and answered with an expectant, "Hello?"  "Hello, Mr. YDP?" came the reply on the other end of the line.  While it was indeed a woman's voice, her calling me by my surname meant this 1) was not going anywhere and 2) likely something bad was going to be discussed.  

She assured me this would be a quick call - she worked for a research company and wanted to talk about adult beverages and my consumption habits.  As college student, talking about drinking seemed like a really good use of my time and I proceeded to provide the nice telemarketing lady my answers, some of which were likely off her charts.  

She concluded by asking what were my favorite top three adult beverages.  "That's easy," I replied, "Beer, whiskey, and vodka."  "No," she corrected, "What are your three favorite brands of adults beverages."  "Easy again - Jack Daniel's, Coors Light, Phillips Vodka." (hey, I was a college kid).  "Mr. Sidders," my telemarketer continued, "I am so happy to hear you say that.  I need to be honest.  I'm not really from the Such and Such telemarketing agency.  I work for Jack Daniel's, and we're looking for loyal customers like you to take part in our Tennessee Squires organization."  She continued to explain to me that as a Squire I would receive a deed for a piece of property down at the distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and that I was encouraged to come down some day and visit my land.  

Sure enough, in the next week, my formal deed arrived in a huge brown envelope, and I still have it to this day.  

Since that time - over 25 years and at least a dozen moves - Jack Daniel's sends me at least one letter from one of my Lynchburg neighbors about my land.  Below is just the latest installment:  

They usually also send one nice gift, usually around Christmas time.  And all of this for zero cost to me.  

So what has this wrought?  Simply my undying loyalty for over 25 years.  Sure, I've drunk other American whiskeys, but I can count on one hand when I've bought anything other than Jack Daniel's.  Heck, I even made a trek to Lynchburg in the '90's to go see the distillery and my property.  They've got me hook, line, and sinker.  

I'm sure every year some new finance guy on their team takes a look at the program on paper and raises the idea of killing off the Squire program to drive the bottom line.  Given what they spend on it on an annual basis, it has to be tempting to drive all of that profit back into the business.  But Jack Daniel's is a unique brand, and I'm sure some senior executive ends up putting their arm around the new finance guy and says something like, "You know, Fuzzy, that's a dern fine idea.  And we sure appreciate you coming up with it.  What say we stop off on the way home tonight and we talk about it over some of Mr. Jack's finest?"  Which is southern for "You don't have a clue, Yankee.  Now shut up."  

For more information on the Tennessee Squires, I found this great website.  Also, any other Jack fans that might be looking for a nomination to the Squires feel free to post up and I'll see what I can do to get you in.    

The Current State of the Business Environment

Obama's reelection was not about the economy.  The metrics around the economy are horrible, and yet the man kept his job by a significant margin.  No, to the common citizen, the economy didn't matter.

But what about to the common citizen's employer?

SmartBrief is a daily briefing of multiple news items to which I subscribe.  And in every issue, they offer a poll of their readers to understand what is happening in their world.  

A poll from last week is attached:

69% claim it is week, horrible, or getting worse.  69%.

Not scientific, I'll grant you.  But this is feedback from those that drive this economy.

Businesses are scared.  Scared to hire, scared to expand, and scared to invest.  And until the Obama administration does something to reassure businesses and establish a firm footing, I predict growth to continue at a snail's pace.  

Or worse.

Duck Hunting on Green Bay

My whole life, I have never hunted ducks on big water.  Every place I've ever hunted these past 40 years has been a small lake, slough, or bayou.  Never big expanses of water.  But that all ended with a buddy's invitation to hunt his duck camp on Green Bay.

The camp has 700 acres of prime waterfowl habitat that resides on the western shore of the big bay.  With a river running through the property, as well as multiple creeks, wetlands, and potholes we had our choice of hunting spots, but for the morning, we chose to hunt the big bay.

While the weather didn't cooperate - it was 60 degrees - but there were birds on the Bay, and with any luck we'd be able to lure some in.

The day started with a beautiful sunrise:

The Bay is very shallow - note the sand bar jutting out into the water just to the right of the decoys.

We ended up with six birds - a mix of diver and puddle ducks.  Here's the Yellow Dog with a beautiful drake Goldeneye:

Green Bay is unique in how shallow it is.  Because it is show shallow, and Lake Michigan such a large basin, when the wind is blowing hard from the south it can blow the water out of the Bay.  That is exactly what happened to us this morning.  The decoys in front of us were placed in about three feet of water.  By the time we picked up, they were no longer floating.  Compare the picture below with the first one to get a better understanding:

It was a great morning.  The dog was outstanding, our calling and shooting acceptable, and the resulting bag respectable.  Not a bad way to start my first ever big water duck hunt.

Three Reasons Why Petraeus' Affair Matters

Some are wondering why the affair of CIA Director David Petraeus is a big deal.  After all, people have affairs all the time.  This is a "personal" matter.  

They couldn't be more wrong.  For the following three reasons:

• As our country's head spook, Petraeus knew that such activity could compromise him as a blackmail target.  Such a view is part and parcel for life in the CIA, and any of his agents would face the same consequences if it was found that they did the same thing.  
• Likewise, it shows a massive lack of character.  Petraeus was touted as a man's man, and ultimately showed himself to be a sniveling coward.  If your marriage isn't working and you want greener pastures, be a man, divorce your wife, and go for it.  Instead, he took the coward's way out.  I have very little respect for that kind of behavior.  
• Final point.  If you cheat on your marriage, you have proven that you have the capacity to cheat on anything.  Period.  Not exactly the kind of resume bullet one wants for a career as our chief spy.  

Granted, I don't know all the circumstances of the Petraeus' marriage - his wife may have been very aware of the general's behavior and condoned it.  If so, I owe him an apology.  However, and regardless, as one chartered with protecting us who was so cavalier in putting himself, and his country at risk, he owes us one. 

Dragon Baby Video

Not sure where people come up with this stuff, but it is entertaining as hell:

Tolkien Take Off Instructions

Air New Zealand puts a new (or is it old?) spin on the traditional take-off instructional video:

A Response to SJU's Annual Fund Request

Dear Director of Annual Giving,

This is going to be a very tough letter to write.

I received your request for the Annual Fund today, the day after the election.  Your timing could not be worse.

Annette Atkins' letter to the StarTribune of October 1, 2012  has absolutely stuck in my craw since it was published.  Should she choose to support an administration so openly hostile to the Catholic faith on her own time and under her own name, fine.  However, St. John's was involved in her commentary, and as a Catholic and as an alumni, I find that completely unacceptable.

I am growing apart from St. John's, and what a horrible shame.  I've reached out through the alumni network (a nightmare of a system) to help prospective or existing students, and have never been contacted.  My company hires dozens of college grads every year, yet no outreach.  In the meantime, the University of Minnesota, where I received my MBA, has, in the past two years, traveled to meet with me twice here in Green Bay (once last week), has invited me to speak to their classes, and is begging me to support their internship and hiring programs.

The funny thing is - I have ZERO affinity for the Carlson School.  It never compared to the life-changing experience I had while at St. John's, and as such I've never contributed to them financially.  I've only volunteered.

I know you don't have the U's resources, nor do I feel it necessary for you to take the steps they do.  But when my only contact with you is when you ask for money, when you send me your magazine, and when I follow the football team - which is getting worse and worse, as St. Thomas ascends - I'm losing touch.  Especially when one of those interactions is from a former professor of mine wading into a divisive political argument in a major newspaper.

My wife and I won't be cutting St. John's a check today.  We may not do it this year.  I'm not sure when or if we'll start again.  As stated, your timing is horrible.  Perhaps I'll get over things, but right now, I'm quite angry.

And right now, the answer to your appeal is no, thank you.

YDP, Class of '83

Congratulations, President Obama

Congratulations, President Obama.  Your victory last night was stunning, and it is a total game changer for our country.  

You ran an effective campaign, and there is so much of which you should be proud:  

• Congratulations for running a campaign that completely ignored your last four years, and one that went on offense.  One that at the same time blamed your predecessor for things not getting better, and demonized your opponent as someone that would only make things worse in the future.  And all the while, you were never held accountable for any of your results.  Or lack thereof.  Simply brilliant.  
• Congratulations for co-opting the national media.  Never before in my lifetime has the media been so partisan; from overt things like actively cheering for you at debates to much more subtle, but dangerous things like refusing to ask you about your failings except in the most cursory an token ways.  In fact, as it pertained to Benghazi, they actively helped to bury the story for you.  They are your most powerful political weapon, and they should be equally congratulated for your reelection.  You are as much their creation as you are yourself.  
• Congratulations as well for changing the presidency from one that is sober, businesslike, and aspirational to one that now serves as clown and entertainer.  From story after story about you in the grocery store magazines, to your dozens and dozens of appearances on TV entertainment shows, you remolded the presidency to a high school popularity contest.  Who wants to vote for a boring white guy when they can have someone that dances with Ellen, slow-jams the news with Jimmy Kimmel, is eye-candy for the ladies watching The View, and sings a damn good version of Al Green?  
• Congratulations for dividing our country so well.  Your demagoguery of the rich and successful in our society was played perfectly.  Everybody hates them, and you tapped into that hatred so well.  Also, your effective "war on women" meme was believed,  adopted and embraced, even by men!  It successfully rendered women more concerned about the ability to abort their children than they were about the debt their non-aborted children will inherit.   In an election that should have been all about the economy, you created an environment that made it anything but.  
• Finally, and most importantly, congratulations for killing off conservatism.  If liberalism could not be beaten after your last four years, it will never be beaten.  And by the end of your next term, economics and demographics will be such that it will secure democratic presidents for the foreseeable future, or at least until the economy finally implodes.  Think about it - key democratic constituencies will only grow over the next four years, as the ranks of seniors, Hispanics, other minorities, unmarried women, the non-religious, and other liberal mainstays will substantively grow, if not explode.  Likewise, the trend of growth of those receiving some kind of government payment should continue completely unabated over the next four years.  Be they seniors, the unemployed, students, those on food stamps, those receiving Obama phones, those on disability, or those holding a government job, all areas are growing and will not stop.  By the time your next term is over, these groups will make up a sizable majority of our country.  And they will never, ever vote republican. The hand that feeds them is a democratic one, and that hand will not be bitten.   Liberalism has won, through your programs and your actions, and the ramifications have left your political opponents vanquished. And that, President Obama, will leave our country indelibly changed.  The America of our fathers and forefathers - one of industry, personal responsibility, achievement - that America is now finally dead, and a new America rises.  One of class envy, division, entitlement, and debt.  One where government now exists for the sole reason of income distribution and to "care for its citizens."  Indeed, the liberal utopia that rises will not, cannot, be defeated.  There are now and will be too many voters that will choose to propagate it.  The tipping point has been reached.  It is over.  

Congratulations again Mr. President.  Your campaign strategy and execution was impeccable.   The demographic and entitlement winds are now firmly at your back.  The media will continue to ensure that the historical narrative to eventually be written about you will not be tarnished.   TV show hosts and popular culture icons will continue to fawn over you.  And just like with the first four years, you'll not be held accountable for ANYTHING you do.  

Enjoy your state dinners, your Hawaii vacations, your TV appearances, and your hundreds of rounds of golf and your remaking of America.  Given the success of your campaign, you've clearly earned them.       

Tired of the Campaign

Regardless of the outcome or the candidate you support, we all feel like this little girl.



Now get out there and vote and get this thing over with, already...

Football Weekend

After last weekend's extended hunting with my southern kin, I took off hunting this weekend to try and get my life back in order.  I got a ton of work done - over 7 hours on Saturday, and another 3 on Sunday - which went a long way to getting me caught up.

But beyond work, there was football.  It started with the Irish paying Pitt in a triple-overtime gut-wrench.   Notre Dame was not prepared to play, made multiple mistakes, and deserved to lose.    In fact, four different times I got off the couch saying,  "It's over," only to be called back to the TV for yet another chance for the Golden Domers to hold on.  It was quite a ride, but the sloppy win cost the Irish one position in their overall ranking.

After that, LSU and Alabama faced off in an excellent game.  I felt LSU did not have as good of a team this year as they have in previous years, and they gave the Crimson Tide all they could handle and then some on Saturday night.  The Tigers are very good this year, and worthy of their ranking.

Who knows, maybe we're looking at a LSU / Notre Dame bowl game.  Cousins, you ready for a road trip?

On Sunday we had tickets to the work suite at Lambeau.  There was a really nice tribute the the military as part of the National Anthem:

This season Lambeau added a Party Deck - akin to the Budweiser Party Deck at Target Field, but not as nice.  The deck can only be accessed by suite and club patrons, and it offered a pretty unique view of the field:

 Here's my lovely wife who watched all of this football with me this weekend:

We left the Packer game early to meet up with our Vikings Fan Club in Green Bay.  Unfortunately, the Purple played poorly.  Despite a monster game by Adrian Peterson, really poor quarterback play killed them again.  It is looking more and more like Ponder is not an NFL quarterback - he lacks field vision and the ability to extend the ball down the field.  While I hate to rebuild AGAIN, it looks to me like we clearly need to do something different at QB.  And, no, Joe Webb is not the answer.

We ended the day, departing from the bar in which we watch the Vikings game, to the smug comments of some sloppy-drunk Packers fans.  Normally, their comments would have elicited a response from me, but by this time it was 6:00PM, and given the Pack had a noon kick off and that these clowns were likely tailgating for three hours prior, it made no sense.  I'm old enough to know not to argue, or fight, with idiots on a nine hour drunk.

I am SO waiting for December 2...

Latest Update on Book

Here's the latest on It's, It's a Dog Named Blitz...

• Final edit has been completed!  I'm so lucky to have access to some incredible resources
• All content for the book jacket cover has been developed.  It is now in the hands of an incredible designer, and I hope to see an "in progress" version soon
• Unfortunately, the formatting functionality of Lulu.com is a nightmare.  After struggling through troubles related to a dated version of Word that I'm using, I decided to punt and leverage their professional services.  While not cheap ($300), it should leave me with a book that looks quite finished and professional.
• I've determined that I will be donating any profits that the book generates to the following:
• The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration: theaftd.org
• The Alzheimer's Association: alz.org

While I fully expect this book to do nothing in terms or generating any revenue, in the rare event that it does, some great organizations stand to benefit.  

I'll continue to keep you posted...

The Difference This Tuesday

Mitt Romney makes it pretty clear:




Hat tip to House-Baby

Bruno Mars on SNL

I'm not a big Bruno Mars fan.  While I admire his talent, his genre tends to run too much in the pop category for my taste.  However, last week he served the dual role as host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live, and my impression of him changed.

Attached is a video of one of his musical performances:




A couple things of note:

• Real horns.  Who has real horns anymore?  Outstanding
• Look how the band is an active part of the act.  It is rare for a front-man to be so confident in his own capabilities to allow such a configuration
• Could these guys be having any more fun?  That joy is exactly what having a good time with music is all about.  It sucks you in, and the next thing you know you're smiling and tapping your foot.  Infectious.  Makes you want to be up on the stage with those guys, hopping around.  

This was an old-school performance that had me immediately downloading the song from iTunes.  Really fun stuff.  

Hat tip to CO

Political Leanings at Lambeau

At last Sunday's game, an unscientific review of the crowd revealed a couple of things:

• Folks at Lambeau know how to schweel
• There is passion for the Packers
• There is equal passion for Romney.  Not as much for Obama.
• Folks really know how to schweel