Super Bowl: Pay Attention This Time!

We have been invited to a Super Bowl party this upcoming Sunday. It is a game between two teams, Philadelphia and New England, that I have no interest in rooting for. The game is really an excuse to get together with friends. We spend more time watching the commercials rather than the game. Last year, everyone at the party was busy socializing and getting more food and drink during the half-time show. We all completely missed the 'wardrobe malfunction'. I will make sure that I pay more attention this year. After all, the game is on FOX this year. The home of the most outrageously bad reality shows on television (Trading Spouses or Who's Your Daddy, anyone?).

Respect Life Message-1/30/05

On January 25, 2005, the Vatican praised an Italian woman who died after refusing cancer treatment that would have required her to have an abortion. Rita Fedrizzi died, three months after giving birth to a baby boy named Federico. Fedrizzi's decision is being compared to that of Italian pediatrician Gianna Beretta Molla, who died in 1962 after refusing to end her pregnancy despite warnings that it could kill her. Beretta Molla was made a saint by John Paul II in 2003. Fedrizzi, found out she had cancer about the same time she learned she was pregnant. She was aware that if she gave birth she wouldn't have had any hope of surviving. Despite that she went through with her choice, the choice of welcoming new life even at the cost of her own death. She said, "Whenever someone recommended abortion as the only way to escape death, it's as if they're asking me to kill one of my other two children to save my skin." Her husband Enrico said, "Rita's choice, which I always shared, was a choice of faith."

[My entry for the upcoming bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach]

Hapkido Karate

We have been looking at getting our children into martial arts. There are so many different styles. Is there really any difference? We made a decision that 'technically', there isn't a significant difference between the styles of martial arts. So the important factor would be the individual school environment. After a visit to Master Kwon's Hapkido Karate School, we are leaning in this direction. It was a very inviting environment. The head of the school, Master Kwon, met us personally at the door and welcomed us and was willing to answer any of the questions we had. We watched the 'family' class. This was a class for all ages at the lower belt rankings. We saw a four year old boy, an older lady, and everything in between. During class, Master Kwon took some of the students individually for about 3-5 minutes and gave them one-on-one instruction. The school also has adult only classes and children only classes. A lot of options for us. Alex and Marisa seemed very excited about doing this after observing the class. So, we might end up signing them both up. That way they can be sparring partners in class. They are already good at that at home. Hopefully, they can encourage each other, too.

Biggest Poker Payout, So Far

I won $242.73 playing in a No Limit Texas Hold'em tournament online. The entry fee was $9.41+1.88 (5+1 British Pounds). There were 86 entrants. The turning point in the tourney occurred when there were about 20 players left. I held KK and limped into the pot. The flop came AKJ. Two players in front of me made big bets. I went all-in and they both called! The kings held up, actually improving to KKKJJ. I became the chip leader by over a 2-to-1 margin and I played smart poker after that to hold on to win. This was very exciting!

A Tough Lesson Learned

We had one of those 'turning point' experiences during a lesson yesterday. Alex's assignment was to write a book report for his quarterly test. He chose to read The Emperor's New Clothes. Alex has always been a good reader, so reading the story was not a problem. The hard part was trying to summarize the story. It took him over two hours to write the book report. We both were frustrated during the process. I may have been too hard on him. He did cry. When I realized that I was not being a good motivator, I had to change my tact. I told him that it was my fault that it was difficult for him. I should have shown him some of the 'tricks' to write a good summary. One of the tricks to writing a summary is that it is okay to write something that only you got out of the story. His attitude changed, and he ended up finishing the book report in less than 15 minutes.

Here is an excerpt from his summary (take into account he's 6y):

The emperor is rich. The swindlers wanted his money so they weaved him invisible clothes. Luckily, a child said hey you have no clothes on! Yes, I liked the story! It teaches you some lessons...#1 - Not to care only about yourself but other people too. #2 - Not to be afraid to tell the truth!

A Good Streak

I've 'cashed' in seven of the last ten online no limit texas hold 'em single-table tournaments that I've played. Four 1st places, three 2nd places, two 4th places, and a 5th (out of 10). Hopefully I can keep the streak going.

A Parent's Most Important Job is...

...NOT to try to get their children accepted into the most prestigious university. A parent's job is to try to get their children accepted into Heaven.

Yankee or Dixie?

Here is a test that shows the many different dialects within the United States. It is very interesting because it gives reasons (and locations) why Americans say a word so many different ways. It is based upon a Harvard study of over 30,000 respondents. It is interesting to me that the way that I pronounce many words is because of my Midwestern upbringing. That was over thirty years ago.

Respect Life Message-1/23/05

A bill is being introduced in North Dakota, House Bill 1227, that will ban all abortions in the state and prosecute any person that intentionally takes the life of an innocent preborn human being. Some pro-life groups in North Dakota have erroneously chosen to oppose this bill. These groups claim that the measure will surely be overturned by the Supreme Court and will therefore create more legal precedence in favor of Roe v. Wade. This argument is preposterous and is a slap in the face to the pro-life movement. Regardless of the final outcome of the bill, we must always encourage consideration of 100% pro-life legislation that is intended to bring about an end to abortion. To not do so is a crime. All people, groups, and churches that believe that life is a gift from God must come together at this time. (excerpt from American Life League)

[My entry for today's bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach]

The Susan G. Koman Foundation Connection

This is an older (Sept. 2004) 'controversy', but I thought I'd revive it here for those who may not be aware of it.

There is an unholy alliance between the Susan G. Koman Foundation (SGKF) and Planned Parenthood (PP). Be careful when you 'race for the cure' or support SGKF in any other capacity. SGKF has been very successful in raising significant amounts of money for breast cancer research and awareness. However, their relationship with the number one abortion advocate/provider in the nation, PP, has to be taken into consideration when donating your time or money. Eva Sanchez Silver, a charter member of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's National Hispanic/Latina Advisory Council, resigned her position, noting that SGKF affiliates have given nearly half a million dollars to PP chapters across the country. Silver commented, "It makes me wonder what other abortion related agendas SGKF may be supporting, like the black-out on the 16 statistically significant epidemiological studies linking abortion to breast cancer. Is one hand washing the other?"

I found a forum thread that is interesting because both sides of the issue on whether having an abortion increases the chances of getting breast cancer is discussed. I am not sure if there is a credible scientific study that supports this hypothesis yet, but there does seem to be a correlation between the two. There is no doubt about the SGKF/PP link, however. There are many other cancer research organizations that you can support. Please do your own homework before supporting any group or organization.

A Father is...

...a son's first role model and a daughter's first true love.

You Can't Make This 'Stuff' Up

Condoleezza Rice is one of the front-runners as the Republican nominee for President in 2008. That is if she can ever be confirmed as Secretary of State. Her confirmation is currently being blocked by ex-KKK member Senator Robert Byrd (D) of West Virginia. Michelle Malkin gets right to the point.

A War Story

I've just read a very emotional story by an army chaplain currently serving in Iraq. Please take the time to read it at his blog: Training for Eternity. He relates a story about a fellow chaplain who was severely injured in a plane crash. A very short story of faith, honor, commitment, courage, sacrifice, and a longing to be home. While at his site, read his open letter to his wife. That one got to me, too. Continue to pray for 'the safe return of our troops overseas, as soon as possible'.

Perfect for the Nanny!

I was looking at the Los Angeles Zoo website. There are different membership levels that you can pay for to support the zoo. At the family level, you get unlimited free admission for two adults and all of your children for a year. At membership levels above that, you can get admission for three adults. They could have emphasized the extra admittance for a loving grandparent, another family member, a neighbor, or even the non-custodial parent (a benefit for those who are divorced). No, they say that the third admission is "perfect for a nanny!" I just do not understand. I suppose this is marketed perfectly for the L.A. stereotype of what a normal family should look like.

The Carnivorous Seagull

We saw the most bizarre thing yesterday at the Redondo Beach Pier. A lady who had just ordered lunch from one of the food vendors, briefly left her unwrapped hamburger sitting on the table while she went back to the counter to get some napkins. One giant seagull swooped down, took the top bun off, grabbed the still steaming 1/3 pound piece of meat and gulped it down in about 5 seconds. I believe that the bird even flipped it in the air before catching it in its beak. The lady came back screaming, but it was over before it started. She resigned herself to the fact that she had been beaten by the king of the pier. She sat for awhile and reflected as she finished her soda. Then she left, possibly to find a simpler, more civilized hamburger stand along the way.

A Different Democrat Leadership...

The Democrats are in the process of looking for a new chairman of the Democratic National Committee. I would like to think that if they were open to the pro-life movement, they could become a more powerful force in the country. They could easily re-take Congress and the Presidency. Right now there is only one party for people who cannot in good conscience vote for a pro-abortion candidate.

Former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer, a Catholic who opposes abortion, is being challenged by the leadership of the Democrat Party to become chairman of the DNC. Phil Johnston, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, says Democrats shouldn't choose someone who is against abortion rights and that they can only regain the White House by choosing someone who can articulate the values of the party (read: abortion-on-demand) and strengthen its grass-roots organization.

This stance is good for Republicans, but horrible for the innocent unborn.

The Twilight Zone Series on DVD

If there is anyone out there who is a Twilight Zone fan (the original), I found DVDs that are only $4.99 ($14.99 list) each with 4 episodes per DVD at Amazon. I've looked around other sites, and these are selling for $7.99 and $9.99 elsewhere. Take a look at The Twilight Zone Series. I ended up getting 10 of them thanks to a gift certificate we received for Christmas, with hopes of getting a few more later. There are 43 in all. Why don't they make TV shows like this today?

Respect Life Message-1/16/05

"Obviously, there are some evils which the State must adjudicate. Which ones? Those which directly target the common good of the common life of the society. And in such cases, the State must act. For example, abortion and euthanasia. Here the contemporary vision is perverse. It is the modern problem of legal positivism -- whatever the majority wants is considered to be 'just'. This is a perversity! It is perverse because tomorrow what the majority dictates will be opposed to the majority of today. Society's job is to seek out unchanging values. Every [political] party must place itself under those fundamental values, and the first among these is the intangible worth of the human person."

Bishop Karl Romer, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Vatican City

[My entry for today's bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach, California]

Personal Memo (Childhood Milestone)

Marisa (4 1/2) rode a bicycle without training wheels for the first time today. Alex (6 1/2) rode his for first time on 12/25/04. Most of the time it is good to have an older sibling as an example and encourager.

Pope as Example-All Life is Precious

I just read a blog entry from a newly-ordained priest, Father Dennis, in Iowa. He recounts a recent conversation that he had with his Archbishop. The subject came up that perhaps Pope John Paul II should retire, since he is in such a fragile state. The Bishop pointed out that the Pope has emphasized throughout his papacy, that all life is precious regardless of the state it is in. Now, he is a living example of that message.

Kids Are So Literal

We went through the McDonald's drive-thru today. When you order a Happy Meal, sometimes they will ask if you want a boy or a girl toy. For some reason the boy-toy always seems to be a lot more fun to have. Today, Marisa asked me if she could have a boy-toy. As we were going through the drive-thru the kids had made a decision that she would have to hide the fact that she is a girl from the cashier. But since it was too hard for her to hide, she had to pretend that she was a boy. Alex even made it a point to call out her new boy name, Mark, very loudly as I was paying. "Oh boy MARK, I can't wait for our Happy Meal (giggle, giggle)!!!"

House Exchange?

Would you be willing to exchange homes with a complete stranger in another country for a couple of months while on vacation? You wouldn't have to pay for a hotel. You would have access to a couple of cars. You would save a lot of money on food, since you have access to a full kitchen. There are a lot of benefits. I just don't think that I could do it. It would seem weird to me to have another family we have never met living, sleeping, and breathing in our home for that long. What if they break and steal my stuff?

Well, that is what my cousin and her family are doing. They left their beautiful home in the San Diego area and exchanged it with another family in New Zealand. I told my cousin that they should keep something of value from the New Zealand home until they come back to check on their house. Then, after all is well, they could mail it back to the New Zealand people. She just laughed.

You can read about their adventures 'down under' at Harnish Down Under.

"Homeschooling is Illegal" Declares German School Official

Seven homeschool families in Northwest Germany are being forced to enroll their children in public school. The Paderborn County school board has levied fines against these families and ordered the children to attend school or the police will forcibly take them to school. Any resistance by the parents will result in the removal of these thirteen elementary age children from their homes and into state custody. We are lucky that we live in a country that allows parents to make their own decisions about their children's education. Will that always be the case?

For more on the story and actions that you can take to help these German families see the Home School Legal Defense Association site.

OK, Now I'm Hooked on 24

I know that this is the start of the fourth season of the FOX television series 24 starring Keifer Sutherland. I watched it for the first time last night. I couldn't resist all of the hype that was surrounding the series. Wow, this is a great show. I think that my heart was beating twice its normal pace the whole two hours. I mistakenly thought that '24' referred to the fact that each episode takes place within one 24-hour period. No, each season takes place within a 24-hour period. There are 24 episodes (give or take) each season. Each show takes place hour for hour in 'real time', not including the commercials. Very original. Extremely well written. There is so much going on, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. I like the way that there is a short 4-way split screen after commercials, showing all the different scenes going on at the same time.

The last time that I was hooked on a show was the ABC series Sports Night. And before that it was Twin Peaks. That tells you how often I watch regular network TV. I definitely need to get the season one DVD of 24.

Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain

Where are we living? It never rains here, right? I heard that we have had a years worth of rain in one week. Today, there are schools closed. There are roads closed because of flooding and sink holes. There are mud slides, homes are floating away. There are tornados! Usually I am thankful for much needed rain. Well, this is too much.

We are going to have even more rain. It looks like it won't stop until Wednesday morning. I really need to to be creative to figure out how to amuse the kids since it looks like it would not be too safe to be driving around town.

A Better Distribution of Priests?

We went to Mass today at our neighborhood parish, St. Margaret Mary in Lomita, instead of the parish that we belong to, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Hermosa Beach. I was wondering why there are three active Priests and three active Deacons at SMM compared to one Priest at OLG right now. Based upon size I would guess that SMM is only about double that of OLG.

I am probably just thinking from an ex-restaurant manager perspective. These kinds of discrepancies cannot happen if you are to run a successful restaurant. Changes must happen immediately. I know that in a church, change is a slower process. And it is the strength of the laypeople who must step up and fill in the needs of the church.

Respect Life Message-1/9/05

On December 9, 2004, President Bush signed into law a federal spending bill which includes a provision prohibiting discrimination against hospitals and health care providers who choose not to provide or participate in abortions. The provision is known as the "Hyde-Weldon Conscience Protection Amendment," sponsored by Reps. Henry Hyde (R-IL) and Dave Weldon (R-FL).

"We applaud President Bush's recognition that hospitals and other health care providers have a right to choose not to be involved in destroying life," said Cathy Cleaver Ruse, Esq., Director of Planning and Information for the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. "Over a million abortions are done every year by willing abortion providers in this country. It is outrageous to suggest that Catholic health care providers and others with moral objections should be forced into the practice of abortion."

[My entry for today's bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach, California]

Amnesty International and the Unborn

I was looking at the Amnesty International site to find out more information about the organization. On it they have a long list of campaigns in which they are currently involved. Some of these include: Stop Violence Against Women, The Death Penalty, and Child Soldiers. These are all noble causes that are consistent with their motto: Working to protect human rights worldwide.

What I found missing from their list is the protection of the rights of the unborn. There are over one million (1,000,000) abortions every year in the United States alone. I am only guessing that the number would be ten times that worldwide. Shouldn't this be their number one campaign? I just do not understand the hypocrisy. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's an un-viable tissue mass.

Music Review: U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Usually when I get a new CD, it takes me a few times listening to it before I start to like and appreciate the music and lyrics. The new U2 CD How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb did not even need a complete playing before I knew that this is a very good album.

It is not as cluttered as previous albums Pop and Zooropa. To me, it seems like the group has gone back to the feel of some of their earlier (and better) albums like Joshua Tree or War. Simplicity. On most of the tracks, you really get a sense of The Edge's haunting guitar sound. Think of the "New Year's Day" riff. Bono's voice has never been better. Recently, I have been paying a lot more attention to the lyrics of songs. Whereas in the past I would completely ignore them and listen only to the music. I would say that the lyrics on this album have a kind of positive spirituality to them. Words for a better world. Inspiring if we are open to the messages.

I am glad that U2 is back (for me). I had lost track of them for the past 8 years or so. U2 is still the 'coolest' band ever. I don't even care that they have sold their souls to Steve Jobs.

Donn's rating: 9 of 10 stars

Ryne Sandberg - Hall of Fame

Ryne Sandberg is one of good guys. He was THE definition of a baseball player to me when he played. You could tell that he loved the game. He always seemed to have a smile on his face. He played hard every game. A true team player. He even came out of retirement ala Michael Jordan to help the team. Can you think of any scandal that he was involved in? As a life-long Chicago Cubs fan, this is definitely a great day. We usually have so little to be proud about our Cubbies. Congratulations to you, Ryno, on your election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame!

Gee, I wonder if my Ryne Sandberg rookie card is worth any more today?