What a pain!

Christmas is right around the corner and there are several things remaining on my to-do list. The tree is done and the shopping too. Two more gifts to wrap and I am done! However, those Christmas cards may need to wait until next year. Maybe I can find some "Happy New Year!" cards instead. You may be feeling the time crunch too. Or, maybe your wallet is a bit more light this year. I found several videos on YouTube describing the 12 pains of Christmas. Here is one that you may enjoy:
Posted on YouTube by sebbydinatale

Although you may be jolly during most years, you have likely had a challenging moment when you think of some of the pains during the holiday season. Maybe it is the long line at the post office or the check-out counter. Maybe it's the challenge of finding the parking spot at the crowded mall. Maybe you've noticed that they have all the sizes --- except the one that you need. (Try a gift card instead!)

I celebrate Christmas every year --- but sometimes my checklist is shorter on some years than others. Or, maybe there are some items that just aren't completed. However, I try to remember the reason for the season when I get a little frustrated or stressed out. I'm hoping that you understand that too! I hope that your holidays are happy! Merry Christmas all!

Image credit: thedailygreen

The season of change

Today marks the first day of Autumn. I love the fall. It's a season of change. However, in Texas it takes awhile for fall to arrive. As they say down South, where I come from we don't really see the evolution of beautiful colors of the fall season. If you have trees, many are evergreens. I have one tree in my yard whose leaves turn with the season. It's neat to watch those leaves, but I'd prefer not to spend my Saturday raking them up. What do I like most about the fall? Mostly I look forward to the temperature falling. Last week there were some days where we did not hit ninety degrees, but the temp is looking up this week again. I'll be traveling north to the state of Connecticut where it may get above seventy degrees a couple of days and it will dip into the forties at night. It seems strange to pull the long-sleeved shirts out of the cedar closet when it is so hot. We were told to bring a flannel shirt --- a what? who needs a flannel shirt in Texas?

I must also note that today is Andrea Bocelli's birthday. I've fallen for his wonderful voice. Since four of my family members will be traveling, I'm praying that everyone will be alright and He will watch us where'ver we go. In times of trouble and uncertainty I can celebrate with confidence that guidance and peace are only a prayer away. Perhaps you'll enjoy the following video of Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli singing "The Prayer"


As posted on YouTube by sylviaberaldi

Today I hope that you're celebrating the fall season and you also have peace through the changes, some unexpected, that life brings.

Image credit:
Autumn Pictures
Andrea Bocelli album cover

I love Lucy, the first lady of television comedy

Today I'm celebrating the birthday of Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball is noted by TVLand as the undisputed first lady of television comedy. Ms. Ball is likely most remembered from her "I Love Lucy"show, which was one of the most successful shows in all of television history. TVLand reports that since its start at 9pm on October 15, 1951 it has never been offair. The show had around 40 million viewers each week and still entertains millions. It was amazing how an ordinary situation could transition to pure absurdity with Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred. You can read about episodes, provide reviews, and vote on your favorites at TV.com.

Here can see on this blogpost a tribute video with some of the best from season 1 and one of my favorite scenes (Lucy and Ethel on the chocolate factory line).

I Love Lucy Season 1 Tribute

As posted on YouTube by gclive

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy

As posted on YouTube by Plymer1258

Today I hope that memories of Lucy bring a smile to your day!

Image credit: tvshowposters

Hello Dolly!

Today, I'm celebrating because I'm far north of Hurricane Dolly's path!

It's that time of year -- hurricane season. I remember those years of my life on the Gulf Coast so well. I've actually experienced four hurricanes -- there was one additional one, but I was a mere infant and do not recall the experience. You often hear of those crazy people who don't leave the coast -- and celebrate the experience. Well, there have never been any hurricane parties at our house. It's a time focused on preparation, recovery, and survival -- until things return to a normal state. I would party tonight, celebrating that I am nowhere near it. However, both my Mom and brother live in the Valley, right in the path of Dolly. Thankfully, neither are there now. My Mom is at the family farm, far away from the path of Dolly. My brother is vacationing in Mexico. Even though they are at a very safe distance, we all can't help but think about what should be done to prepare their homes for Dolly. My Mom has a very nice neighbor who has helped with those chores around the exterior of the home. Hopefully the rain will be farther north and all the drains work properly so that the water does not rise high enough to enter the garage or the sunroom into the house.

Here's my story of the hurricanes in my life:

Katrina
We all went home to the family farm for my Dad's funeral and got stuck there. Before we even realized it, the storm was approaching and had reached category 5 level. I, of course, wanted to leave. The farm house was full of family and guests. My brother, who had also driven cross-country, quickly gathered his family and things and drove north to escape. My other brother and his family, who had riden with me, jumped in the van with them to leave. Mom refused to leave -- she had guests and just could not walk out. Plus, she knew that we had survived several hurricanes in the past. What was I to do? Drive off without her? Leaving her there alone? I could not. She was naive, thinking we could leave in a couple of days to go home. She obviously had forgotten the challenges people experience after hurricanes. Since we were staying at the farm house (only used during vacations), there was very little in the pantry. There was a little food remaining from the funeral, but mostly cakes. (You think you can live on cake forever, until that is all you have!) I rushed to the local grocer 7 miles away and bought 5 cans of food that I found and some Ding-Dongs for the two of us, knowing that it would not be enough. We would need to rely totally on the generosity of our extended family.

We waited the storm out at the local high school library with some other family members. The hallways of the high school were lined with hundreds of others seeking safety from the storm. They had battery-operated portable radios and televisions. Those televisions won't work soon, due to the conversion to HD planned in 2009. Many had their inflated portable mattresses or sleeping bags. Many also brought their own food. Unfortunately, I most remember the smell of fried bologna sandwiches as we walked through the halls trying to find the library, where my cousin had secured our place with her peer staff. Those that did not bring food, assuming the Red Cross would provide it, became restless. What little was there was not enough. Tempers began to flare. The school had already opened its refrigerators and freezers to give away its milk and ice cream. My cousin opened all the vending machines and I helped work the cash box for those who wanted to purchase snacks. After the storm passed, we then drove back home as far as we could and then climbed over the large, fallen trees and debris to get back to the farm. With the help of two cousins, we then cut a way to get our car back home.

My cousin's family graciously helped us -- sharing with us the food from their freezer that had to be eaten before it ruined. What was leftover from those early meals was carefully stored in the ice chest with the remaining ice that was melting quickly. (I hear that ice is no longer on the emergency supply list for hurricane victims -- obviously someone who has never been in a hurricane decided that!) I drove north with a cousin one day to wait in a line at Walmart for six hours to buy gas for the generator that was borrowed periodically --- to run long enough to pump for water. Waiting in that gas line was a memorable day -- we were never at a loss for words. We periodically would drive north or east closer to Mobile until we could get a signal for my cell phone to give updates to our family members. It was one of the most challenging times of my life. For some I am very grateful and for others who failed us in time of great need I am much disappointed.

Allen
I was enroute with my family to our new home in south Texas during the hurricane. My parents had been in Texas for a short while but had returned to my childhood home for my sister's wedding. Everything I owned was in my Ford Maverick in my big move to the big state of Texas and I was following my parents to their south Texas home. Dad did not want to stop -- hurrying cross country to get home. I remember driving and crossing a bridge (crazy) while water was creeping into the car through the floor before we were able to stop and find shelter. It was raining so much that I had to drive slowly, almost bumping the rear of my Dad's car to even know that they were ahead of me. My youngest brother was riding with me -- we were both terrified. At one point, stuck on the bridge, I heard someone banging on my car window -- it was my Mom who had jumped out the car ahead to join us and to drive the car. When we finally were forced to stop by military personnel who closed the freeway, we stayed the night in a hotel in Kingsville, Texas in one of the few rooms with a roof left. Dad went next door to a diner to buy food but they would only serve the military personnel and power workers. (We had some cheese in the car left over from my sister's wedding which we had just attended.) Dad then asked them just for some bread and mentioned that he had some cheese in the car that his family could eat. They felt really bad for our family and gave to him hamburgers and french fries. We finally made it home the next afternoon -- and waded through knee-deep water in the house and began the recovery. I was surprised to learn that we had water (being from the country where we could not have water until we regained electrical power for our pumps). I ended up losing many clothes as someone was able to steal our clothes from the laundromat while we turned our backs for a very short time.

Frederic
I was at college as the hurricane approached. School was dismissed and I went home to help prepare and to help with the clean-up afterward. We had one of four free-flowing water wells in the county. We sent word to the local radio station noting that we had water and it was free. Cars were lined up for hours for the free water (others with similar wells would charge for it). My little brothers offered to carry water to cars -- and they tipped them. They were under 10 years old and very excited about the tips.

Camille
About twenty family members waited out this storm at our house. It was very frightening. The howling wind was so loud that we never would have heard an approaching tornado. My Mom was 8 months pregnant with my youngest brother -- and had been confined to bed for the last few months. She had been rushed to the hospital several times in the past -- and once the hurricane hit, it would have been impossible to get her there in an emergency. She should have gone to the hospital before that storm, but did not. We were without electricity for 3 weeks afterwards, cooking on the grill and the Coleman stove. I hauled water from the overflow well to the house daily. It was not unusual to be standing at our free-flowing well (loading water to carry to the house, washing our hair) and people drive up for the free water that we gave away.

Top ten reasons you know there's a hurricane churning off the coast in the Gulf:

• you get off work early -- but to hurry home to get into hurricane survival mode
• there's a constant weather update shown on the TV
• there is a rush for generators and propane gas at the local home improvement store
• the windows of homes and businesses are being boarded
• you can't find any batteries, canned food, bread, bottled water, or ice at the grocery store
• all the candles and lanterns are pulled out of storage
• all the available containers in your house are filled with water
• all the tubs are filled to the brim with water
• there's a traffic jam on that typically lonely highway headed north
• there's a stack of hurricane tracking maps on the table

Image credit: David J Phillip, AP

And the wiener is....

Today I'm celebrating Hot Dog month

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, consumers in 2007 spent more than $4.1 billion on hot dogs and sausages in US supermarkets, equaling more than 1.5 billion pounds bought at retail stores alone. Americans will eat enough hot dogs at major league ballparks this year to stretch from Washington DC's RFK Stadium to San Francisco's AT&T Park. New Yorkers consume more hot dogs than any other city. However, Chicago O'Hare International Airport consumes SIX times more hot dogs than LA International Airport and LaGuardia Airport combined. On July 4th, Americans enjoyed 150 million hot dogs, which would stretch from DC to LA over five times. Hot Dog Season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. During the season Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs or 818 every second. US soldiers in military posts around the world consumed 2.4 million hot dogs last year.

I like a good hot dog every once in awhile, at the football game, at the baseball game, after roasting wieners over a campfire, and when I need a solid menu win with my nephews. I prefer a bit of chili on my dog too if I'm at home. Hot dogs are often topped with a variety of condiments, including mayonnaise, chopped lettuce, tomato (chopped, sliced, or in wedges), pickles, celery salt, cheese, avocado, canned corn, chili peppers, and baked beans, to name a few. (Did Wikipedia really say canned corn? baked beans?) I was surprised to see so many hot dog variations described on Wikipedia. I personally like a simple hot dog, preferring just a bit of ketchup (despite the recommendation of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council). I guess I just haven't grown up yet. Plus, my family eats ketchup on almost everything! On my first visit to New York City, I just had to buy a hot dog from a street vendor (without the mustard, sauerkraut, and onions though). I have not yet bought a hot dog from a street vendor in Chicago yet.

I only have hot dogs at my house about once a year. I ponder about what type of wieners to buy: the cheapest, the most expensive, the mysterious meat wiener, all beef, all turkey, bun length, the plumpest, etc. I don't dare look at the ingredients too closely. I generally don't want to think about the ingredients and how the wieners are made. However, I found two videos (part 1 and part 2) that show the entire process of how hot dogs are made. I'm not sure I feel much better, but now I know the clue on the packaging for the wieners I don't want to purchase.

When I think of hot dogs, the hot dog eating contest sponsored by Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs in Coney Island every July 4th comes to my mind. It is the largest hot dog eating contest in the world. The 2007 winner set a record, eating 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. I heard that he won again in 2008, but did not break that record. I found several methods that can be used to win the next hot dog eating contest at your local fair:

• Standard - Skip a meal or two and pig out
• Stretch it - Gradually eat more and more every day, eating bulky food and drinking plenty of water to stretch your stomach and train your muscles to hold the food down.
• Dunk 'em - Dunk the hot dog in water before eating it to make it go down easier
• 'Ala Japanese - Separate the meat from the bun. Eat the meat and then smash the bun into a tiny wad and eat it separately. The 2006 winner used a variation of this approach, focusing on a pair of hot dogs at a time by eating two buns simultaneously, followed by consuming two meats simultaneously.
• Solomon method - After separating the wiener from the bun, break it in half and put the two pieces in your mouth simultaneously --- cutting down on the chewing time.
• Wiggle - Wiggle your body as you're eating to help the food go down and encourage it to settle more compactly in the stomach.

Here's an interesting video with some tips on how to beat the competition in a hot dog eating contest:
How to Win a Hot Dog Eating Contest

As posted on VideoJug

FYI - unless you're in a hot dog eating contest, you might find the Hot Dog Etiquette video useful:

As posted on YouTube by hotdogcouncil

Image credit: The Evil Beet

It's time to get connected

On this date in 1996, MSNBC, a 24-hour all-news network based in the United States, made its debut on cable TV and the Internet. It began as a partnership between Microsoft Corporation and NBC Universal. The news website included original stories and videos plus content from NBC News and other news partners. The first MSNBC slogan was "It's Time to Get Connected" and they regularly displayed e-mail addresses and phone numbers on the network to facilitate connecting with their viewers. There's a lot of competition for news these days and MSNBC is regularly up against CNN and Fox News. Network news services are generally full of controversy and challenges about bias. MSNBC is not exempt from it. All that aside, I think that in general it's great to have multiple sources of information about breaking news items--- each of these news networks generally offers ways for us to get better connected to current events and important issues and offers a variety of viewpoints.

Just stick it!

Today I'm celebrating the invention of the cork board

On this date in 1891, John T Smith patented the cork board. A cork board is a framed section of cork typically backed with wood or plastic. Cork boards are often used as bulletin boards where announcements and information can be easily posted using sticking pins or tacks. You've likely passed by a corkboard recently. They are found in many places, from college campuses, classrooms, corporate offices, in hallways in many businesses, and in the home. They are often used to post information for others to reference. In classrooms, student artwork is posted. On college campuses, you'll likely see advertisements of local bands, books to sell, tutoring services, etc. In offices and businesses you may see job postings. At home, you may see a grocery list, the calendar of events for the week, a report card that needs to be signed, and photographs.

In my home office, I created a little planning section on one wall that is covered with cork. There is no backing of wood or plastic though. It just includes several squared sections of cork that I purchased from a local office supply store. What's on my corkboard today? A to-do list, a calendar of events, mindmaps of the main topics for the next two wikis I am planning to create, a table of anticipated profit ranges I anticipate from my next big business idea (my dream), some post-it sheets describing two new blogs I've thought about starting, and the organization of a new e-book I want to write. There's a variety of color on my cork board -- from the push pins, to the postits, and to the snippets of paper with my big ideas and goals. Oh, how I wish for one solid month to dedicate work on the items on my cork board!

Before my vacation, I designed some posters to take to my Mom about her available rental property. One afternoon we took a drive around the community looking for prime spots to display the posters. We first stopped at the local dollar store to buy some push pins and some scissors (so that the telephone number could be easily torn from the poster). With the price of gas, it was much more cost effective to drop by the dollar store in Hurley than drive all the way back to the farm for the scissors we forgot. We stopped by the local grocery stores, the feed store, and the hardware store. (Does your community have a local feed store? LOL) One grocery store's bulletin board had been stolen; only its frame remained. Most had a cork board outside the entrance. Mostly there were ads for vehicles, lawn mowers, tractors, and dogs. Of course, there were the posters about the various services people could perform, like housekeeping and lawn care.

Today, I quickly jotted down some of the many ways I've used a cork board:

• Posted pics of my favorite things
• Posted my to-do list
• Posted an ad to sell something
• Posted a pic of a dream (vacation spot, new car, those profit margins)
• Posted a reminder (dental appointment card)
• Posted some info don't want to lose (phone number)
• Posted a message
• Posted tickets that I did not want to lose
• Posted tickets for the show I wanted to remember fondly, often
• Posted a receipt for something I needed to handle (for taxes, for reimbursement, for a rebate)
• Posted info to help me organize my thoughts

Today, I'm reminded that the cork board is a great invention -- one that can be used to stick just about anything you want to remember or to announce. Sure, we've got the PDA, e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, wikis, e-Bay, Craigslist, postits for the desktop, etc. However, the corkboard, although a sort-of old- fashioned concept, definitely still works and is a valuable tool for many.

Here's a little video I'd like to stick on my cork board of things to celebrate -- it's a creative little stopmotion video created using the cork board:

Tackiness

As posted on YouTube by soysteph

Image credit: Pin-artsy from Wikimedia Commons

Happy Birthday USA!

We're starting our celebration early this year. Taking a little break to enjoy the family. Maybe we'll go fishing and spend some time at the beach too. The grill is already ready! Have a great holiday. We'll be back soon, reporting things to celebrate everyday!





Image credit: RazzleDazzleRecipes

Who's got the clicker?

A day for all couch potatoes to celebrate! Today is celebrated by many as the date when the remote control was first introduced.

The first remote intended to control a television was developed by Zenith. It was officially called Lazy Bones. The first remotes were actually connected to the television set by a wire. Many complained about tripping over the cable. Later, a wireless remote was developed. Wikipedia notes that the remote is often called a "clicker" because of the sound the early remote made when the user pushed a button on the remote control. The remote has reportedly changed network television programming. They now split the screen so that you simultaneously view credits during the last moments of a broadcast. More commercials are placed in the middle of programs with transitions into the next show directly. The networks don't want you to switch that channel and they don't want you to miss their sponsors' commercials.

The remote has given viewers opportunity -- opportunity to interact with your tv. Viewers can easily change their minds and not watch a show because they do not want to continuously get up to turn the channel. It drives me crazy when someone constantly is changing the TV channels though. I once had a college roommate who would try to keep up with multiple shows being televised at the same time. She was constantly clicking back-and-forth, switching channels during commercials. The remote was practically glued to her hand. The remote definitely comes in handy for those with DVRs. Because of the DVR unit, we start watching the show a few minutes late and then we just fast forward passed those pesky commercials using the wonderful remote control. We generally only look forward to the commercials during the Superbowl!

Things have certainly changed a lot during my lifetime. I grew up in rural America and we were lucky to get three tv stations in our area. There was no cable and no satellite. In our house, the kids had responsibilities. One had the responsibility of changing the channel at Dad's request. Another had the responsibility of standing outside and turning the TV antennae to make the picture as clear as possible! I was very glad when my little brothers grew older and were able to share these duties. I don't miss those days. However, I am reminded of them when we go to the family farm for vacation -- still no cable or satellite and still dealing with what channels are avaiable without sending someone to the antennae. Of course, that will change in 2009. In less than a year, that antennae will be worthless and will be replaced by a little box required to convert the signal into something our old tvs at the farm will recognize.

Perhaps your coffee table is full of remotes -- one for the TV, the DVD player, the cable/satellite/DRV box, the CD player, and the amplifier. Don't forget about the remote for the ceiling fan and the lights. It's been reported that the average American home has four remotes. They sell remotes for remotes -- those universal remotes that magically "learn" or duplicate the signals of the other remotes you have in your home. I've also seen those cool systems where you have a small touch-screen panel where you can control all your systems, replacing the stack of remotes. That is what I want!

The remote is often a topic of discussion in our house. You frequently hear, "Who's got the remote?" or "Where did the remote go?" Many times it slips and falls between the cushions on the sofa or chair. I usually keep the main remote in one spot, but have a decorative small chest that includes my collection of remotes. I generally must spend several minutes looking for the remote after my nephews leave though. They frequently will carry the remote out of the room with them (if they can get away with it) because they don't want their channel changed -- leaving you to sit and watch the commercials and unable to mute the sound. Do you even remember how to change the channel without the remote? If you just change the TV's channel, you'll often lose everything when dealing with cable/satellite/DVR boxes. I often need a "finder" or a "locator" for the remote.

At my Mom's house the entertainment system is quirky. There are multiple remotes and multiple ways to turn on the television and select a channel. However, we've learned that there is only ONE CORRECT way to do it. The challenge is learning and remembering that correct way. I wish Dad had written down those instructions for us all. Maybe it's time for a change. We need someone to evaluate how things are installed and make it easier. You know when it's wrong -- there is a familiar, awful little "pop" related to the surround sound system, followed by the voice of Mom down the hall reminding us there is a proper way to turn on the tv. Now, I usually just ask her to turn it on and keep it on until she turns it off.

Today I found a video about a group of guys who tried to create the ultimate universal remote -- a remote to not only turn on the tv, but one that would put their hot dogs on the grill and open their beer. You can see a video about this ultimate remote here:

As posted on YouTube by remotedisasters

Ride, Sally Ride

Today I'm celebrating the first American woman in space

On this date in 1983 astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. At that time she was also the youngest American to enter outer space. She was 1 of 8,900 people to answer a newspaper ad seeking applicants for the space program. She joined NASA in 1978 and spent 343 hours in space. After retiring from NASA she became the president and CEO of Sally Ride Space, a company founded in 2001 to create entertaining science programs and publications for upper elementary and middle school students, with an particular focus on girls. You can hear Sally Ride talk about her selection for the NASA crew on YouTube.

Sorry, you may think this is corny, but I can't help but think of the song "Mustang Sally" when I hear Sally Ride's name. You can watch Running with Scissors perform the song on this blogpost:

As posted on YouTube by MisterGrizz

Today I wonder if Dr. Sally Ride ever thought about buying a Mustang. Of course, she had a bigger dream -- all she wanted to do was ride but around the world, that is! As nice as a Mustang is, it will not get you where Sally Ride wanted to ride. Dream big!

Image credit: britannica.com

A carbon copy

Happy Father's Day!

When we all go back home for the family vacation, my brother and I will almost daily here words like:
You remind me so much of your Dad
I can see your Dad in your eyes
You look just like your Dad
Your son is a carbon copy of your Dad at that age

It seems to be a joy to those who were so close to your father to see his look in your eyes, to hear the similarity in the voice, to see his walk or the way he talked, or to recognize the wit or sense of humor. Even after our Dad's are gone, we can often feel them close at hand. You can almost hear the quiet word of warning or the whisper of encouragement. It's amazing how close we still can feel, seeing him through the faces and lives of our loved ones. We see his likes, his dislikes, and the many traits passed on through the kids.

Today, I thought of the Rodney Atkins song "Watching You" and you can see the music video from this blogpost today. This song reminds us that our children are often carbon copies of our lives -- not only the physical traits that are so recognized, but also the habits and behaviors that we may or may not wish to be portrayed.

As posted on YouTube by BlazingSky2006

Today on Father's Day, a challenge for us all: remember the influence we have in the lives around us. Our sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews are indeed watching us...learning from what we say and what we do...learning from what we don't say and what we don't do as well.

What goes up, must come down

Today's I'm celebrating Yo-Yo Day

In honor of Donald Duncan's birthday and his phenomenal influence he had in the world of yo, today is celebrated as yo-yo day. The history of yo-yo likely originated in China. Although you may find yo-yos today manufactured in China (unfortunately like so many other products), there is a rich history of yo-yo manufacturing in the US. Duncan built his factory in Luck, Wisconsin. They produced 3,600 wooden yo-yos per hour earning the town the nickname: Yo-yo Capital of the World. They used 1,000,000 board feet per year. Duncan then partnered with Flambeau Plastics Company to produce plastic yo-yos. By 1962, the Duncan Company alone sold a record 45 million yo-yos in a country with only 40 million kids. Duncan Yo-Yo once dominated sales producing 85% of all yo-yos being sold in the US. At its peak production, Duncan produced 60,000 yo-yos per day with 640 employees. In 1965, Duncan lost its trademark on the word yo-yo. Also, tragically in 1965 the Duncan Company was forced into bankrupty. Flambeau bought the "Duncan" name and now manufactures and sells 11 different models of Duncan yo-yos today.

The yo-yo has been a big part of US history and entertainment. In 1968 activist Abbie Hoffman was cited for contempt of Congress for "walking the dog" and in 1974 Richard Nixon made headlines when he yo-yo'd on stage at the opening of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. In April of 1985 the yo-yo was first taken into space by NASA and again in July 1992. You may have seen yo-yos in a Simpsons or House episode on television. You may have seen an orderly playing with a yo-yo in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or the yo-yo tricks throughout the Zoolander film. You can see amazing videos of yo-yo competitors today on YouTube.

Yes, even I owned a yo-yo or two during my childhood. However, I was not very successful in mastering the yo-yo. I'm still amazed watching the yo-yo masters, even today. What do I most fondly recall about "yo yo" during those early teen years? You can see in the video below.

Yo Yo by The Osmond Brothers


As posted on YouTube by nurfana

Image credit: mentalacrobatics.com

A mover and a shaker

Today I'm celebrating the premier of "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley!

On this date in 1956 Elvis Presley first performed "Hound Dog" to a nationwide television audience on The Milton Berle Show. The controversy of his pelvic gyrations exploded with Berle's network receiving protest letters and the TV critics claiming that Elvis had no talent, criticizing the nonsense lyrics, and claiming his influence on juvenile delinquency. Elvis, who earned the nickname Elvis the Pelvis, was known as a mover and shaker. Presley's "Hound Dog" spent eleven weeks at#1, staying there until replaced by his "Love Me Tender." It is listed #19 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and is the highest ranked of Presley's eleven entries. The song has also been featured in numerous blockbusters, including American Graffiti, Grease, Forrest Gump, Lilo and Stitch, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which you can enjoy in movie theaters today).

You can also enjoy Elvis singing "Hound Dog" on this blogpost:

As posted on Youtube by elpres42

Although this song premiered before my time, it is a song that is very familiar to me and is likely very familiar to you -- one of the most famous songs sung by the infamous mover and shaker.

Image credit: Howstuffworks

Beautiful to view

Today I'm celebrating Jefferson Davis Day

On this date in 1808, Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederacy, was born. Beauvoir was the location of his retirement home. Beauvoir, which means beautiful to view, is located in Biloxi, Mississippi, across US Highway 90 from Biloxi Beach. The estate consisted of about 608 acres when he lived there, but is only about 52 acres today. The compound had a cottage-style plantation residence, which faced the Gulf of Mexico, and a botanical garden, a Confederate veterans home, a Confederate Soldier Museum, a historic Confederate cemetary, the Jefferson Davis Library and Museum, and the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier. It was a beautiful estate with a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico along the Biloxi Beach. I've driven by that estate hundreds of times. At one time the house was surrounded by cedars, oaks, and magnolia trees. You could see Spanish moss hanging from many of the large old trees on the property. The home survived Hurricane Camille in 1969. However, during Hurricane Katrina, five out of the seven buildings on the estate were reportedly destroyed. This week, during the start of the hurricane season, I'm reminded of my drives down Highway 90 viewing the damage of Hurricane Camille and Hurricane Katrina. Although it took years, the beachfront revived following Hurricane Camille and life returned. It's an amazing site driving down the coast, viewing the devastation following Hurricane Katrina. The restoration effort is proceeding slowly. I understand that as a US national historical landmark, there will be federal support to repair and rebuild the Beauvoir complex. It's my hope that once again, and very soon, that the drive along Highway 90 will one day again be beautiful to view.


Image credit: Photos by Debra Hess Norris and Betty Fiske, courtesy of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art

A first for women at the Indy 500

Today I'm celebrating the Indy 500 and the history being made today!

For the first time in history a woman will drop the green flag to start the Indy 500. Kristi Yamaguchi, reigning winner of Dancing with the Stars and Olympic champion, will have that honor. She is not the only representative of Dancing with the Stars at this event. Helio Castroneves, the prior winner of Dancing with the Stars, has won the Indy 500 twice and is starting in the fourth position. His professional dance partner in that competition, Julianne Hough, has recently transitioned into the country music industry and will be singing the National Anthem at today's race.

I'm very excited about the race. I'm really not cheering for a single driver -- I have several favorites. I'm most excited that Indy Car and Champ Car series have finally united and are both represented in this race. I think it will take a little while for the Champ Car guys to really make their presence known in this crowd. I have favorites from the Indy Car series but I have favorites from Champ Car too. I'm especially fond of Will Power --- who would not be fond of a driver with that name? He was actually the Champ Car rookie of the year in 2006. In April of this year he won the final race of the Champ Car series in Long Beach. He's starting in position 20. Let's see if he has the willpower to race his way up through the crowd. I also have my eyes on the Rahal-Letterman Racing team. Graham Rahal's dad is an Indy 500 winner and is now an owner. Graham is the youngest winning driver in a US open wheel racing event. Graham Rahal is starting in the thirteenth position. I'm also looking at Ryan Hunter-Reay who is also on the Rahal-Letterman team. I must cheer for the hometown guy -- he was born in Dallas but now resides in Florida. Ryan was the 2007 rookie of the year in the Champ Car series.

When you saw this blogpost title, you probably thought the topic was Danica Patrick. There's been so much media hype about her recently, partially due to her first win in Japan. She's actually the US citizen with the fastest qualifying time in the Indy 500. She's accomplished a lot, being the first woman to lead this race. However, I'm not a fan because her antics and what's she marketed as she's gained her positions to the pole. Many think that she's turned back time for women -- and it's hard to think of her as a serious race car driver while looking at all those racey pics of her. What would she think if she saw her racey pics in her competitions' garages with a target drawn on top? I'm instead crossing my fingers for Sarah Fisher, who was the third woman to race in the Indy 500 (behind Janet Guthrie and Lynn St James) and is now a car owner. She's had some challenges financially in getting and staying in the race. I'm also keeping my eye on Milka Duna -- she makes me nervous on the track!

Driver introductions are now in progress. It's less than a half-hour to the start of the best known race in the world! I hope it's a safe race, especially since there were so many crashes during qualifying, when only one car is on the track at a time. When thirty-three cars try to race their way to the front to be the first to cross that famous finish line, it will become much more dangerous. Regardless of the events of the day and the outcome, this year will be an Indy 500 race for the history books.

Image credits: 1st turn at Indy (SPEED channel) and Yamaguchi (Starpulse)

And the envelope please

Today I'm celebrating Johnny Carson's last time hosting The Tonight Show in 1992.

Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years. There was rarely a dull moment on that show, starting with the memorable "Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" introduction by Ed McMahon and the familiar golf swing as Johnny Carson would end his opening monologue. You may recall the "Stump the Band" segment where Doc Severinson's band would actually create some quirky song during the segment when the obscure one named by an audience member was unknown. You might guess that the highest rated show was Carson's final episode. However, you might not guess that the second-highest rated episode was when Tiny Tim married Miss Vick during the show in December, 1969. It was always an adventure when animals were on the set. One funny video of Carson with the animals has been embed in this blogpost.

As posted on YouTube by dal88

When you hear 'and the envelope please' you might think of the winner of an Academy Award, an award for your favorite singer or band, or even the announcement of the winning American Idol. Go David! ; ) However, if you've seen Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show you'll likely not forget his role as "Carnac the Magnificent" as he played a psychic who clairvoyantly divined the answer to a question contained in a sealed envelope. One example you might recall:

A: "Rose Bowl."

Q: What do you say when it's Rose's turn at the bowling alley?

Silly...yes, but many were funny (but maybe not ones I'd post on my blog). After I've worked on my job for 30 years, I hope that I can also recall the fun and quirky moments that make even worklife worth celebrating.

Sweating the details

Today I should be sweating to National Employee Health and Fitness Day!

After working almost twelve hours today and scrambling to figure out what I would do for dinner and how I'd fit everything on my plan for the evening in the short remaining hours, I began to sweat the details. Well, that could also be due to the 95+ degree heat of the day here too. I looked on the calendar thinking how late I am on my blogposts and noticed today's holiday. Today is National Employee Health and Fitness Day. I was reminded of my Mom's gentle 'urging' just last night to stop work on time and hit the health club. I also then recalled two nagging reminders in my InBox about the very topic. My company reimburses employees a small portion of our healthcare premiums if we participate in employee health and fitness programs. Well, of course, I am running late in completing the work required to get the rebates. As I was sweating the completion of the presentation for tomorrow's meeting, the 2008 budget outlook, and a preliminary plan for 2009, I should have been sweating to the oldies, burning shoe rubber on my treadmill, or banking some miles on the bike. I'm not a big fan of sweating, but I definitely need to make this a priority, right away!

Here are a few of my favorite quotes about sweating:

• Nothing but blood, toil, tears,and sweat ~Winston Churchill
• Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things ~ George Carlin
• Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat ~Ann Landers
• Rule number one is, don't sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it's all small stuff .(disputed)
• A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. ~Colin Powell
• Sweat plus sacrifice equals success. ~Charlie Finley

These are definitely some things to think about --- either while toiling over the project plan deadlines or on the treadmill. Oh, the balancing act required to be successful in all these areas. I'm definitely going to feel like a slug if I mess up and don't get those rebates. Thinking of slugs, I found a cute video to remind me not to be a slug about this!

Gonna make slugs sweat



As posted on YouTube by chu2007

Image credit: Tennessee Dept. of Health

What else is there to say?

Applause today to Anita Renfroe for her "The Mom" song, sung to the William Tell Overture!

In thinking about the years under Mom's roof, you'll likely recall many of her instructions and words of wisdom. If your memory is a little vague, her instructions will likely become much clearer when listening to Anita Renfroe sing her "The Mom" song. Regardless of your generation, there is likely to be many phrases that will seem very familiar to you. On this holiday that we celebrate our Moms, you'll likely chuckle when you hear those familiar words sung by Anita Renfroe.


You can hear "The Mom" song on this blogpost today:

As posted on YouTube by joeschoi

Image credit: Brent Humphreys/Redux for The New York Times

Her giving never ends

Today I'm celebrating Mother's Day

On this day we set aside aside some extra time to celebrate our Moms. The lady who is responsible for your very life. Even though she's busy at work, at home helping Dad, and at church, she's often volunteering her time at school too. She's not only your Mom, she's a coach, a volunteer, a friend, and even a superhero. A Mom's work is never done.

Here's just a very few of the special things my Mom did:

showed the way
helped each day
we could never repay
knelt with us each night as we'd pray

wiped away the tears
calmed the fears
led the cheers
listened with open ears

came to me when I was sick
knew just what made me tick
had the camera ready to take each pic
got along well with a city slick or even a country hick

wiped my fevered brow
explained the what, why, and how
set boundaries on what to allow
even though I may have wanted it now

held my head when I was ill
calmly helped me learn to swallow the first pill
managed the budget and every bill
made my favorite homemade pickles---sweet, not dill

taught me how to cook
helped me find every lost book
everyone else was first before she took
helped me even bait every hook

taught us how to bake
as we weekly made Grandpa his cake
made it from scratch--no mix, no fake
always one of the best, he'd ask we make

while standing on a stool we'd wash each dish
talking with mom about a wish
she's great at frying our favorites - shrimp and catfish
oh those times passed fast, with a swish

such a challenge, all can see
how can anyone like Mom be?
thinking of the great times with glee
my Mom, she means so much to me!

I love you Mom! Thanks for everything you do!

Image credit: HybridMom

It's the real thing

Today I'm celebrating "Have a Coke Day"

Coca-cola is definitely my favorite carbonated soft drink. I'm such a serious fan that if I had to drink a Pepsi, then I'd rather just do without a beverage. Coke is also my favorite source of caffeine, besides chocolate, that is. On any early Saturday morning at the ballpark watching my nephews play baseball, you may hear me say "I prefer my caffeine cold" and you won't catch me with one of those iced coffee drinks either. If I can't have a Barq's root beer in the bottle (a Southern favorite), then give me a Coke. And, give me the real thing -- the original classic version.

It's especially challenging to travel on business in some areas around NY / CT, "smack in the middle" of Pepsi country. It's sometimes difficult to find a real Coca-Cola in the vending machines or restaurants in that area. If I'm traveling in the area, I always hope that I have a rental car so that I can drop by a convenience store to buy my supply of Coke while there. When I find a real Coke machine, you might catch me buying a couple to stash in my computer case to take back to the hotel with me.

In the South, the term "coke" often has a broader meaning than what you'd think. It is often used in a generic sense to refer to any carbonated beverage or soft drink. You may hear, "You want a coke? what kind?" --- and they are not just talking about Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Vanilla Coke, or any other Coca-Cola product. There may actually be an entire selection of various soft drink brands available, and not only those from the Coca-Cola company either. That likely wouldn't happen in most other areas of the country though -- where you may be asked if you'd like a soda, pop, or a soft drink. (A true give-away that you're really not from the South would be asking for soda or pop.)

When you think about great commercials, there are several Coke commercials that many will recall. Here are two from the past that I hope you will enjoy again:

"I'd like to teach the world to sing"


As posted on YouTube by desireless

One with Mean Joe Green


As posted on YouTube by Upstroker1

Today, I hope that you enjoy your day --- Have a Coke and a smile!

The first real protection for women

Today I'm celebrating the first patent awarded to a female in the US

The Patent Act of 1790 opened the door for people to protect their inventions with a patent. However, because in many states women could not legally own property independent of their husbands, many women inventors never filed for patents to protect their inventions. On May 5, 1809, Mary Kies was the first woman to receive a US patent. She obtained a patent for her method of weaving straw with silk and thread. Using her new method, Mary Kies could make and sell her hats and, according to US law, no one else could sell any created just like hers.

Have you ever invented anything? I once invented a practical teaching tool to use during my segment of a group presentation scheduled in one of my graduate classes. I once taught secondary mathematics for one year in a high school in south Texas and also caught computer programming while a graduate student at Texas A&M University. I thought that the tool I developed would have been useful to me in my former teaching jobs. I demonstrated my invention and obtained some feedback from a couple of my friends who were currently teachers. I refined the design a bit. Then, my friends helped me to create enough of the tools to use in the classroom. The tool proved to me to be very useful for its purpose. Upon completion of the group presentation, the professor generally asked questions and offered feedback to the group members. He asked three questions about my segment:

1. Tonya, did you create this tool that was used today? Yes, I replied
2. Has anyone in this room ever seen a tool similar to what Tonya used today? no one
3. How many people in this room would use Tonya's tool in their classrooms? all

The professor then had one comment: Tonya, I hope that you leave this classroom tonight and immediately work on your patent. Of course, I was very surprised to hear the feedback about my tool, but was very excited too. For awhile in my spare time (which was quite limited since I was working full-time while attending graduate school for my PhD), I did a little work to investigate the possibilities of a patent. I scoured numerous education product catalogs looking for a tool similar to mine (finding none) and performed a small patent search. It indeed appeared that I had created a tool that actually did not exist. My preliminary market research seemed supportive too: feedback from my teacher friends, plus an entire classroom of teachers with significant experience supporting my tool. However, I also became aware of the time and cost to obtain a patent, especially when I did not really have any plans for manufacturing. I was so busy in my career and trying to complete my graduate work that I let those challenges overcome me. Unfortunately, it would not be the first time to be accused of having a great idea, but not following through. I still have my file that describes my invention and about once a year I look at the neat invention and wonder what-if. I still have not seen anything similar to it and still believe that it would be a popular, useful tool for teachers.

Today, my learning of Mary Kies' achievement has definitely got me thinking again about my own invention. Perhaps I should put my project management skills into action and develop an action plan to protect the idea and to actually make it available to educators today. After all, since I've practically lost most of my pension (it was recently frozen) and all the medical retiree benefits that I had planned to enjoy after 30 years of dedicated service, I may need the profits from the sale of the product based on my invention for my retirement years.

Image credit: The Library of Congress

This spud's for you!

Today I'm celebrating Mr Potato Head Day!

George Lerner invented and patented Mr Potato Head in 1952. It included plastic face pieces that could be pushed into fruits or vegetables. It was originally sold to a cereal company who planned to use the pieces as a premium giveaway in cereal boxes. He eventually bought back the rights and worked with the Hassenfeld Brothers (now Hasbro, Inc) to manufacture Mr Potato Head. Mr Potato Head was originally introduced on April 30, 1952 as the Mr Potato Head Funny Face Kit. The original Mr Potato Head contained only the parts (such as eyes, ears, noses, mouths) and parents had to supply the real potatoes. It sold for under one dollar. Later a hard plastic potato "body" was included. In 1953, Mrs Potato Head was introduced -- you could say that they had eyes for each other! Soon afterwards, Brother Spud and Sister Yam completed the family. Numerous playsets were released by Hasbro. Mr Potato Head was expanded into additional toy categories. His image has been licensed for apparel, accessories, and novelty items. Today, Hasbro, Inc still manufactures Mr Potato Head.

Fun facts about Mr Potato Head:

• The first toy to be advertised on TV
• In 1985, he received 4 write-in votes in the mayoral election in Boise, Idaho
• He surrendered his signature pipe to the US Surgeon General, C Everett Koop in 1987 and became the spokespud for the American Cancer Society's annual "Great American Smokeout" campaign (a role he carried out for several years)
• On his 40th birthday, it was decided Mr Potato Head would no longer be a couch potato and he received a special award from the President's Council for Physical Fitness (right on the White House lawn)
• He and Mrs Potato Head joined the League of Women's Voters in 1996 to help out with their "Get Out the Vote" campaign
• His first role on TV was in Potato Head Kids
• He had his own short-lived Fox Kids series in 1998-99
• He has been the subject of a comic strip created by Jim Davis
• He appeared in both Toy Story movies
• He advertised french fries for Burger King
• Versions have been released for popular movies, including Darth Tater, Spud Trooper, Artoo-Potatoo, and Spider Spud. An Indiana Jones-style Mr Potato Head was recently released, complete with a fedora and a golden idol from "Taters of the Lost Ark"
• Mr Potato Head has appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades

There are many videos on YouTube on Mr Potato Head. You can see an early commercial for Mr Potato Head. You can also see Mr Potato Head in a Toy Story scene. However, one of the my favorite videos is "Skydiving with Mr Potato Head" that you can see here:

As posted on YouTube by cujokila

Today, I fondly recall the Mr Potato Head I had as a child. Mr Potato Head has been a great source of entertainment for families for many years.

Image credit: Hasbro, Inc.

References and links: Mr Potato Head History , The Mr Potato Head Collector's Page , Mr Potato Head News! blog , and Mr Potato Head wikipedia article

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat

Today I'm celebrating ABC's Wide World of Sports series

ABC's Wide World of Sports debuted in 1961 originally as a summer replacement series, but became the first year-round weekly sports series on network television. For ninety minutes each Satursday afternoon, it provided a showcase of sports around the globe for the American fans. It proved that there is more in the sports world than the NBA, NFL, and MLB. It included traditional Olympic sports, like figure skating, skiing, gymnastics, and track and field competitions. However, it also included other competitions, such as auto racing, soccer, surfing, cliff diving, body building, bowling, boxing, hurling, rodeo, curling, jai-alai, lumberjack competitions, firefighter's competitions, demolition derby and fishing tournaments. It also included offbeat sports like barrel jumping, arm wrestling, and baton-twirling. Did you know that Muhammed Ali made over 60 appearances on the show, the most for any athlete? The show also featured the stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel on the show. In seven episodes on the show in 1973-1976, Evel Knievel attempted to jump 50 stacked cars, 11 Mack trucks, 13 Mack trucks, a Canyon, 13 double-tiered buses, 7 Greyhound buses, and 14 Greyhound buses, successful on five of the seven attempts. You can see a video about Evel Knievel's years on Wide World of Sports on YouTube.

I'm not the biggest sports fan in the world. However, I can fondly remember watching auto racing events on ABC's World Wide of Sports with my Dad. I can recall being glued to the tv watching the daredevil Evel Knievel. I held my breath as I watched them dive off the cliffs to the water below. I was amazed that they would televise arm wrestling events on national TV. I also still enjoy the offbeat competitions, like the lumberjack sports when they're televised.

In 2007, ABC's Wide World of Sports was named by Time Magazine as one of "The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME." You probably recall many thrills of victory, but no one could likely forget the "agony of defeat" while watching that poor ski jumper. The opening of that show is still famous today:
Spanning the globe... to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition… this is ABC's Wide World of Sports!

You can see a short video of the show's closing which highlights many of sports covered.

As posted on YouTube by Chelonia


Image credits: sixties60s.com and irememberjfk.com

It just doesn't add up

As the month of April closes, I can't forget to celebrate Math Education Month. However, based on recent reports of US math skills, there is not a lot to celebrate about math education in the US. The story is not that new either, based on my first job experience as a secondary mathematics teacher in south Texas. I was shocked to learn that so many ninth graders in my school could not perform the basic arithmetic operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Many had been promoted from elementary and junior high schools without the math skills. The class had many from Mexico too -- whose math skills are lower than US students. Plus, many of the students were in migrant farming families and did not attend all the school year. There was a lot of pressure to teach the basic objectives for the annual test scheduled in the spring and to raise the school's scores in math. However, I recall barely making it through the first half of the objectives before the months of review sessions were scheduled in preparation for the exam. I had hoped that progress could be demonstrated. There was pressure to also lower failure rates by the school administration. I guess there was an expectation that in seven short months I could raise their math proficiencies from the third grade level to the ninth grade level. However, both I and my department head knew that many in my introductory math classes would again be assigned to the class the next year. It was a very frustrating experience.

It was frustrating to me also while working on my math degree in college. I grew up in a rural community and attended a small school where you could attend all twelve grades at the same site. Only the basic mathematics courses were taught in high school there, including algebra I, algebra II, and geometry. That's it. I recall being told that we had to find 8 students who would take trigonometry and then petition the county school board to get that class scheduled at my school. When I attended college on a special summer program for high school juniors, I took college trigonometry. I later completed two semesters of calculus, with students who had completed calculus courses in high school. I was learning things for the first time -- no basic foundation due to the limitations of my school district -- unlike the other students. I worked hard and competed with the students from the city schools and successfully finished the degree in mathematics. I had a great professor who had a unique method of teaching -- a rather old fashioned approach that ensured you learned in each session and demonstrated you could apply what you learned.

I was hoping that the hit CBS show NUMB3RS would instill some interest in mathematics across the public. I was excited to learn about the math education initiative, We All Use Math Every Day, led by Texas Instruments in partnership with CBS and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). However, I don't yet see updates for the most recent post-writer's-strike 2008 episodes. Check out this program and encourage your children's school to participate.

I don't know what the solution is to our math crisis in America. However, I have some opinions:

• Develop national standards on learning objectives for mathematics in each of the grade levels
  
• Evaluate the approaches included in the curricula and textbooks used today. The video of M J McDermott demonstrates some of the approaches used across text books. It is quite scarey to me. The newest approaches may not be the best approaches. I would not be the first to suggest throwing away the new math.
  
• Devote more time to the study of mathematics and science
  
• Develop specialized training for mathematics teachers
  
• Provide to them the tools they need, including computers, software, and online education modules
  
• Create crash courses in educational methods for mathematicians and engineers from industry and let them work under the guidance of an educational professional due to the shortage of math teachers.
  
• Set up math and science labs in the schools to utilize the math and science skills of specialized teachers across multiple classes, similar to the computer labs in many schools
  
• Encourage philanthropists to throw some money into the educational system to improve math teaching methodologies, to provide the resources needed, and to create programs to help raise math proficiency (Just think of what Bill Gates' and Oprah Winfrey's money could do to help the education system!)
  
• Schedule after school programs and summer programs for math educators and math education for students
  
• Make math education fun -- use creative teaching approaches with emphasis on realworld applications so that students see the value
  
• Review and test one of the "fast math skill" approaches with a set of students to see if we can really quickly bridge the gap and instill some confidence in our students
  
• Pay off college student loans for mathematicians and scientists who will choose to work in the public education system for five years following graduation and are successful in raising mathematics skills
  
• Raise the pay for teachers of mathematics and science who are successful -- to make it competitive with industry
  
• Establish a partnership between schools and industry -- where professionals from industry can participate in mentoring, in tutoring, in math and engineering camps, and in special class sessions
  
• Create programs where math and science teachers work for industry in the summer to learn realworld applications and to establish partnerships between industry and education
  
• Study what the other countries are doing that make them successful and test changes in the US educational system
  
• Establish partnerships with other countries and host math educators from those countries in conferences to learn about their approaches
  
• There's a link between music and mathematics -- bring music back into the school system and watch math proficiency improve
  
• Establish incentives for US companies which help educational systems improve math education
  
• Establish incentives for US companies which hire US mathematicians and engineers -- rather than offshoring that work. Or, penalize them for sending that work overseas -- many are not choosing those careers because they do not feel there will be US jobs available
  
• Make math sexy -- not all people who use mathematics are geeky people. Generally mathematicians have great career options -- which generally means that they have funds for the fun in their lives.

To lighten things up a bit, here are some favorite videos from YouTube that you may enjoy:
Mathmaticious, a mathematical parody of Fergie's Fergalicious
As posted on YouTube by SumersetInc

More videos...

• New Math, an award winning video
  
• Math Infomercial
  
• Mathematical genius, a funny clip from an old movie
  
• "Say that funky number, math guy" music video

Today, I encourage you to do the math yourself and evaluate how YOU can help solve the math crisis in America

She crossed the line

Today I'm celebrating the first victory by a woman in open-wheel racing

She finally crossed the line and crossed it first. I've been an open wheel racing fan most of my life. I'm sure you've all heard by now that Danica Patrick finally got her first win at Twin Ring Motegi in the Indy Japan 300 on Sunday, April 20. It was a historical event: the first victory by a woman in open-wheel racing. It occurred during her fourth full season and in her 50th career start in the IRL IndyCar Series. Many are attributing the win to fuel conservation over smart driving, but that's an important challenge. I've seen many slow to a crawl in the final lap due to lack of fuel. The Andretti Green Racing team strategy paid off for Patrick. She is now third in the standings and some say she has thoughts of a championship swirling in her head. It's a nice thought, but its her first win in 50 races and I'm not betting the farm on this one.

Even before her win this weekend, there has been a lot of press about Danica Patrick. Danica Patrick raced for Rahal Lettermanin 2005-2006, but left to Andretti Green Racing in 2007. I've often wondered about that move and why she chose to leave the team that had the confidence in her to launch her career. Within the racing community there's been a lot of talk about why she had not won before Japan 2008 and when she might win. Of course, then there's the controversy that her low body weight of 100 pounds at 5 ft. 2 in. gave her an advantage where engine size and car weight are stictly regulated. That's no longer an issue with the rule change in 2008 where the minimun weight of the car now includes the driver. There's also been some reported sexist remarks from fellow drivers across the motor sports. When tempers flair among drivers, hers is likely to get some attention, along with some sexist remarks. However, I've often thought myself that she was kind of whiney, has shown a temper trantrum or two, and generally cites the other guy's fault when there's a problem. She's not really demonstrated the emotional control that I would expect from someone who can control an automobile among traffic at that high rate of speed. However, I've seen some of the guys shove each other and nearly come to blows during many races. I'm sure they may be in a quandry of what to do when confronted by her. I was particularly amused by her confrontation with Dan Wheldon and you can see a video of it below.


As posted on YouTube by mikezwet

I personally think that those sexist remarks might be somewhat a result of her unique marketing strategy. I'm not the first to notice her "apparent willingness to be marketed on her looks rather than her achievements" especially with her posing for FHM and recently in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Danica's not the first to compete with the boys in open-wheel racing. Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher paved the way before Danica. Although I know there was some criticism of these ladies, I recall it being quite different than it has been with Danica: I don't think it's so much her skill in driving as her poses for FHM and the overall marketing glitz. Judging from those FHM photos, I wonder why she would expect to be treated as a professional equal by the other racers. Don't worry, I don't think we'll see Danica on the next season of Dancing with the Stars (as Helio Castroneves did). However, as most drivers love that pole position, judging from her photos we're more likely to hear of her dancing --- but instead at club, one with a pole. I know that seems kind of harsh -- especially for my blog.


Like the title of the song used in the fan video posted below, my thoughts mostly of Danica have been "just shut up and drive"

As posted on YouTube by nikkithunder

Today, I am really glad to celebrate this historical event in open-wheel racing. I just wish that the historic event had been accomplished by Janet, Lyn or Sarah. I still think Danica Patrick has crossed the line one too many times -- and I'm not talking about that finish line. I also wish that it had been done with a little more class. Tonight I'm wondering if Dave Letterman will invite Danica to his show to talk about her win --- we'll see.

Image credits: autoracingdaily.com and FHM

The wild, zany, and wacky...it's just Daffy

WooHoo..WooHoo..WooHoo. Today I'm celebrating the creation of Daffy Duck!

Often called by some as the maladjusted mallard or the crazy little quacker, Daffy Duck first appeared on this date in 1937 in Porky's Duck Hunt and has been working for more than 70 years in a variety of roles. In the 1930s and 1940s Daffy was cast in a number of cartoons, often paired with Porky Pig. Daffy was placed in several parodies of popular movies and radio serials, with many leading roles including Drip-along Daffy, Robin Hood Daffy, Duck Dodgers, and Stupor Duck (Superman). Daffy Duck became a villain in several Speedy Gonzales cartoons in the 1960s. Daffy's been popular in print as well; numerous comic books have been published. In 1983 Daffy appeared in several feature film compilations with two centering on him. In 1988, Daffy made a cameo appearance with Donald Duck in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, performing a duel on the piano to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2 . Daffy had major roles in Space Jam in 1996 and Looney Tunes: Back in Action in 2003. In 2006, Daffy played the lead in Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas.


Although Daffy never quite made it to the "top of the heap" at Warner Bros, often outshone by Bugs Bunny, Daffy's popularity has not waned over time. His old cartoons have been recycled on TV and he has also appeared in new animation. As many characters do, Daffy has endorsed products, including one for WB Studio. Daffy was never nominated for an Oscar, which would likely cause him frustration if a real person since he has outlasted many of cultural icons who did win the award. However, Daffy appeared on a US postage stamp in 1999. Here are some links to memorable videos of Daffy Duck:

• Daffy performing the Daffy Duck Rhapsody
• Daffy's trademark phrase: You're despicable
• Daffy singing with Bugs Bunny during the opening of the The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show

Daffy's still kicking today! You can see lots of videos on YouTube that people have made of Daffy Duck performing at adventure parks. As you can see in one of the videos, Daffy is quite a talented dancer also. Pretty good for a 70-year-old!

Don't discount Daffy. He's still got what it takes, as featured in an episode of The Drew Carey Show:

As posted on YouTube by SPRINGEROPERAFAN

As I often do, I've found some quotes by Daffy and some might amuse you:

• Ha ha, it's me again. WOO HOO WOO HOO
  
• Hocus pocus. Flippety flam. A razzamatazz and ALACAZAM!!
  
• I can't stand pain, it hurts me!
  
• I've worked with a lot of wise-quackers, but you are dethpsicable!
  
• There's going to be a sneak preview--and the sneaks aren't going to like it!

Daffy often seemed at war with the world, fuming and clenching his fists and tense with fury. Daffy often seemed frustrated. However, I think Daffy was often misunderstood -- after all, he was simply playing the role written for him. Today, I hope that you've had a great day, that although it may have been wild, zany, and wacky, I hope that it has been without frustration and full of peace.
Image credits: Rubinville.com and US Postal Service