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College Football Playoff scenario

11/20/2018

First of all, there should be eight teams in the college football playoff. A few years ago college football "relented" and "gave the people what they wanted", a playoff to determine the champion.

Except they didn't. What people hated about the polls was that arbitrary people not playing the games were deciding who was worthy enough to be the champion. The playoff was supposed to fix that. Except that college football decided that they would use a poll to determine who gets into the playoffs, so, like last year, you can win the Big 10 and have a team that finished behind you go into the playoff instead of you. Where does that make sense. The beauty of sports is that you settle it on the field. This current, four-team playoff, removes the joy of that.

Here's how to fix it. Go to an eight team playoff. The winner of each of the five power conferences gets an automatic bid into the tournament. Win the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC-12, or ACC and you get an automatic entry into the playoffs. Win and you are in. You can still use the polls to seed them, but they are in.

The final 3 slots are left to this committee. They pick the next best three teams to fill out slots 6, 7 and 8.

For example, based on the projections and rankings right now:
1. Alabama or Georgia (SEC Champion)
2. Clemson (likely ACC Champion)
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan/Ohio State/Northwestern winner (Big 10 Champion)
5. Alabama or Georgia (based on rankings)
6. Oklahoma/West Virginia/Texas (Big 12 Champion)
7. Washington State (likely PAC-12 Champion)
8. UCF (because they won't allow 3 SEC teams)

ROUND ONE
Alabama/Georgia vs UCF
Clemson vs Washington State
Notre Dame vs Oklahoma/West Virginia/Texas
Michigan/Ohio State/Northwestern vs Alabama/Georgia

ROUND TWO
Alabama vs Georgia
Clemson vs Notre Dame

CHAMPIONSHIP
Georgia vs Clemson

CHAMPION: Georgia

trust only movement

11/20/2018

- Alfred Adler

There are a number of quotes that go along this same line... "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." "Actions speak louder than words."

Be moving towards something... your goals. Big or small, be moving. Action matters. Action has value. And if you can bring some others along with you, well now you are creating a movement because you are multiplying your action and you are creating camaraderie and a community experience.

"When all is said and done, will more be said? Or done?" - Chief Gwizdak

6077 hAWKINSVILLE

11/18/2018

Got to visit with members at the Hawkinsville Post this afternoon. Great group of comrades who care a bunch about the VFW, their Post and taking care of veterans. I'm looking forward to seeing how the grow over the next couple of years. Excellent potential. Beautiful property. #GoodVFWThingsComing

District 6 Meeting

11/17/2018

Honored to represent the Department of Georgia at the 6th District meeting in Perry today. Post 6126 showed excellent hospitality and there was more discussion and participation than I've seen in a long time in this District. This district appears to be growing and I'm looking forward to helping with that. Thank-you all for a great meeting.

Post 6605 hospitality

11/17/2018

Got to stop by and visit with Commander Gary Tisdale, Quartermaster Ty Matthews, and members of Warner Robins Memorial Post 6605 this afternoon. Superb hospitality and excellent low country boil. We solved a few world problems and talked of plans to grow the Post in the community and the Department of Georgia. Thank-you for all you do for veterans!

playing with a taser

11/16/2018

Originally published on polarshark back in April 2008, the restructuring of the site brought it forward for another go-round...

I'll start this off by saying I don't know whether it is true or not. Neither does Snopes. I just know I laughed until I cried when I read it. Enjoy...

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something for my wife Julie.

What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short-lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety...

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get a blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh and blood moving target.

I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and then thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat.

But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in the other. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inches in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy-bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best... I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, "don't do it, dipstick," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and... HOLY MOTHER OF GOD... ...WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION... WHAT THE HELL!!!

I'm pretty sure Jesse Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs.

The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself. You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three-second burst would be considered conservative. SON-OF-A-BITCH, THAT HURT LIKE HELL!!!

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about eight feet or so from where it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I crapped myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my testicles.

PS - My wife loved the gift and now regularly threatens me with it.

"If you think education is expensive, try being stupid."

travel surprise at Houston Hobby

11/16/2018

Traveling home from New Mexico bumped into Derek Hines, a friend (and his son) from high school back in the 20th Century from North Dakota. Small world!

the hoochie-mama of ellicott city

11/15/2018

This originally appeared on Polarshark in April 2008 but in moving to the new platform it has earned another publication.

Okay, couple of weeks ago we were wandering around historic downtown Ellicott City, Maryland when we came upon the Sweet Cascades Chocolatier at 8167 Main Street. I'm not sure what a 'chocolatier' is but I'm pretty sure it means they make candy. Anyway, we stepped inside to see what savory wares they might have.

In no time, the Mrs. was pointing out a thing called a "Hoochie Mama" (right) on one of the lower shelves. It was a jalepeno pepper dipped in chocolate. Oh my!

Since "Hoochie Mama" is my catch word for everything (kind of like a mainland version of "da kine"), I just had to get one.

I asked how hot the peppers were and the proprietor said they were fairly hot. I asked if the chocolate would cut the heat any. She lovingly smirked as she replied, "Honey, you won't even know the chocolate is there." Yikes!

She tried valiantly to convince me to bite the Hoochie Mama right there in the store but I had bigger plans. We were meeting a large group for dinner and I wanted to show off my Hoochie Mama.

I'll add here that I also bought a slice of chocolate covered bacon. That just sounded too strange to pass up.

So off we went to meet our group. There were about 30 people from the our week-long conference gathered for dinner at the Crab Shanty. I probably made a spectacle of showing off my Hoochie Mama but I think it was fun for everyone. I will also add that I gave everyone in the place a chance to bite the Hoochie Mama and none stepped forward.

So, after polishing off the Soft Shell Crab Volcano, I gathered everyone around to witness the event. After offering my Hoochie Mama one last time to everyone in the crowd and finding no takers, I lifted my chocolate dipped pepper friend and took the plunge.

I'd like to admit that I chewed my Hoochie Mama with a casual abandon befitting a man of my stature. I'd like to... but I can't. I had a glass of milk waiting there on the table and quickly chased the Hoochie Mama with the milk. She was still pretty danged hot. It was an event. George Wright tried some of the pepper (without the benefit of the milk - I drank it all). He ate it and he liked it. He was sweating profusely and had a kind of wide-eyed look on his face, but he liked it. I liked it too.

So if you ever find yourself outside of Baltimore,
Head to downtown Ellicott where they have sweets and more.
There'll be no need for acting up or any dance of drama,
Just talk to Sweet Cascades a bit and get a Hoochie Mama.

tommy by rudyard kipling

11/14/2018

In the British military, "Thomas Atkins" was used somewhat like "GI Joe" or "John Doe". It was a generic placeholder used for a regular soldier. That soon morphed into the slang "Tommy Atkins" and just plain "Tommy." I cleaned up the colloquial style of language because I think the message is clearer for today without it. You can find the original version here. You can see the issues haven't changed much through the years. It's better but there's still room for improvement.

I went into a public house to get a pint of beer,
The publican he up and says, " We serve no red-coats here."
The girls behind the bar they laughed and giggled fit to die,
I'm out into the street again and to myself says I:
O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.

I went into a theater as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but hadn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-halls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's " Special train for Atkins " when the trooper's on the tide
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, making mock of uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, and they're starvation cheap.
And hustling drunken soldiers when they're going large a bit
Is five times better business than parading in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy, "how's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of heroes" when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of heroes," when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red heroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barracks, most remarkable like you;
And if sometimes our conduct isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barracks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and "Tommy, fall behind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk of better food for us, and schools, and fires, and all:
We'll wait for extra rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Savior of his country" when the guns begin to shoot;
And it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and anything you please;
And Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

disappearing car door

11/13/2018

How in the world is this not reality yet? We need these. It just makes so much sense and the cool factor is off the charts.
#WhenIRuleTheWorld

<<Previous

College Football Playoff scenario

trust only movement

6077 hAWKINSVILLE

District 6 Meeting

Post 6605 hospitality

playing with a taser

travel surprise at Houston Hobby

the hoochie-mama of ellicott city

tommy by rudyard kipling

disappearing car door

Jeff Carroll

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