100 Best Movie Lines

Something completely random for a fun Friday (warning - some mild profanity):

Was your favorite included?

Hyphenated-American

The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court is going to draw out all sorts of opinions.  Those on judicial activism vs strict constructionism are to be expected.  The focus on her race as part of her selection, even her suitability for the Supreme Court, are not.  That focus reflects poorly on many attitudes in America and how our leaders are chosen. 

Many persons, particularly in public service, seem to prefer a hyphenated label to identify themselves.  The labels typically indicate a country of origin for one's ancestors and in practical use become an implied racial designation.  Does it bother anyone that these labels always precede the term American, almost taking on primary importance?  I'm reminded of the following quote by one of our former presidents:

"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all... The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else."

Teddy Roosevelt, Addressing the Knights of Columbus in New York City,  October 12, 1915

A good friend of mine recently became an American citizen after being legally in America for the required length of time, passing all the required exams and background checks.  He is highly educated, having multiple masters degrees and an earned doctorate in statistics.  With those credentials and speaking (I believe) five languages he could live and be successful in any part of the world he desired.  He chose to come to America and has become very succesful professionally and personally here.  The pride he now exhibits in being an American citizen exceeds that I've seen in some new parents!  There is no hyphenation for him.  He is an American now and nothing else.

Judge Sotomayor herself will effectively be on trial for some number of weeks to come.  The views and prejudices of America, from both sides of the political fence, likely will be too.

No Laughing Matter

This has to be a sign of the times...or that most governments have no clue what their real priorities are. Four states have adopted "no smile" policies for their drivers licenses.

The article states that the facial recognition software in use matches new to old licenses better when people have dull expressions. So all a person needs to do to assume a new identity is smile?

That might not be exactly right, but it is an idea. :-)

A Different Kind of Memorial

This post is being written on Memorial Day and it would not be right to let the occasion pass without an open "Thank You" to all the men and women who have served the United States in conflicts far and wide so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. We are created in God's image according to His purpose and in this fallen world it is the soldier who gives us our freedoms. So to all those who have served, Thank You.

That observance having been made, our household can be as distracted as any American's and we often see a long weekend as an opportunity to get more done. Excusing the play on words in the title, that usually makes for a different memory - usually one anchored to a full weekend of home repairs. That actually hadn't been the case this Memorial Day, until 9pm last night when we noticed water coming from under the dishwasher. Sigh.

The next two hours were spent pulling the dishwasher out, drying everything off and finding the leak. Turns out it is where the motor shaft enters the impeller. Something that might be able to be fixed with a new seal seat ring or seal head inside the impeller. Problem is that the shaft has rusted slightly and is fused to the impeller assembly. Not an uncommon problem according to the repair forums, but one that will potentially result in damage to the motor to pry apart. At that point its not worth it to me to replace both the pump and impeller assembly on an 11 year old dishwasher.

Definitely in the category of things I didn't plan to do when I got up this morning - go shopping for a dishwasher. Oh well, I have the ability and freedom to be able to do so. For that, I am thankful.

Happy Memorial Day to veterans everywhere!

Virtual Vacations

Time spent on the computer for many people is a form of escapism.  Similar to being immersed in a good novel, the experience can expand one's horizons.  The analogy isn't perfect and both mediums certainly have their strengths.  However, at the risk of sounding too much like a Google fan, Google Streetview can present some amazing sights.  Amazing enough to provide some very interesting escapes.

With only a little Googling, some popular tourist sites can be found like: Big Ben, the Eiffel tower, the Roman Colosseum, even Yellowstone National Park.   Some, like Mount Rushmore are not nearly as detailed.  As you consider your own to search for, think of how close the camera car can get, as well as any travel restrictions in the area or country chosen.

Google has had its share of privacy issues with capturing unintended street views, however any image taken is public by its very nature, if not timing.  Legalities and liberties aside, its a great diversion.

I don't know how much time was spent following these links, or creating some of your own, but I hope you enjoyed this virtual vacation.  It definitely saves money on travel!

Childhood Expectations

There's probably a larger commentary in here than I intend to write. Something deep and insightful that explores the balance between pushing a child beyond their years and conversely not challenging them enough. However, like most matters that involve raising children, those boundaries are deeply personal and can only be decided on an individual level by a child's parents.

That having been said, I do believe that as a culture, we don't expect enough out of our young people. Maybe its because we don't believe that they are capable of more than the underachieving stereotypes commonly presented in the media.

Social dynamics aside, two items caught my interest recently that got me thinking about childhood expectations: Zara Larsson and the Clapham School. On the surface they might appear unrelated, however both are prime examples of excellence from sources we might not ordinarily expect - a ten year old singer and eight year old students.

These children clearly have excelled in their environments, no doubt with the encouragement and support of many adults, including their parents. It would be difficult to know if they were pushed, but clearly they were not inhibited by low expectations.

Its something to keep in mind as we raise up the next generation of leaders. Excellence is never an accident.

Trial Riding

From the first clip riding across the top of a fence to the last jump, this is an amazing video of street trails riding:



Amazing and inspiring, but now I suspect that riding the Airdyne tonight just won't be the same. A great 5:38 diversion regardless. Enjoy.