Sunday Wrap: Colts Win, Tiger Loses, etc.

Colts Win
-when I first started watching them this afternoon, they were down 10-0. But soon took charge and won big, 38-20. Verrrrry impressive.

Tiger Loses
-Tiger and Mike Weir had a seesaw match that saw the big guy miss his putt on #17 to wrap it up and then blow it off the tee box on #18. Hats off to the little guy for doing his part even with the weight of the whole of Canada on his shoulders. Impressive.

College Football Powerhouses

-the newbies: South Florida, Boston College, Kentucky - Wow!
-and USC knocked out of first by LSU. Go figure.

Lady Golf
-Lorena foiled in her try for a fourth consecutive win. Maria Hjorth triumphs. (So is the 'j' silent?)

That's enough for the day. Let the world turn as it will...

More Sunday Funnies: Signals, Time's a Changing

Mid afternoon now and the boys are still playing golf at the President's Cup. Tiger down 2 to Mike Weir through 11. Looks like the rest of the matches are going well enough to secure the win for the Americans.

And look who's tied for the lead at the LPGA Navistar Classic: Lorena.

Didn't do much world gazing this morning; rather read more about Nixon's travails and drank coffee. That was until I turned on the tv just after eleven to catch the President's Cup. Turned the antenna with the new rotor and then watched the signal disappear. Oh oh, that's not good. Now it's just after 2:30; Eric came over and helped me find the problem which we didn't do. Drat. So I read some more Nixon and checked the status of the President's Cup on the internet. Now about ready to head on over to the clubhouse and watch the goings-on over there. Diane will be delighted as she'll be able to come on home and leave the golf business, at Lakeview and in Canada, in my good hands.

Number One Son, Marty, sent me the DOT article on the time change - we go Eastern by not doing a thing on November 4th. That means that next year at this time on a Sunday afternoon it will be 3:42 instead of 2:42. That means lighter later in the evening and darker later in the morning. Got that? I thought you did. Marty also made sure I knew his Hoosiers had won (my Hoosiers as well).

Okay, heading on over to the green place north of town where people get crazy hitting a little round thingee.

Sunday Funnies: Kingsolver, Diane, Nixon

Barbara Kingsolver, beloved novelist in this household, has an op-ed in the Wahington Post this morning. She's making plain the benefits of getting closer to our origins, of working with the soil to make life better. She says chemical farming, corporate farming, is not all it's cracked up to be; and that the move from the farm to the city really hasn't gotten us away from the task of feeding ourselves as so many people are working in jobs that have to do with food production and consumption (not to mention the health industry where so many people work to correct our not so smart eating habits). I know where she is coming from since Diane and I, and our four children, left the corporate 'rat' race and headed for the hills to engage in just the sort of thing Ms. Kingsolver is talking about: getting back to the land, growing our own food, raising our own livestock, living as simply as we could. Diane still gets dirt under her fingernails with her flower garden but the dirt on my hands most likely comes from the soil I've rubbed off of a golf call. Times do change? Probably not. Interests certainly.

All of which reminds me: Diane was out trimming and cutting and doing stuff around the outside of the house yesterday. I was busy watching the President's Cup and checking on football scores. At one point, she comes up behind me and tells me that maybe she cut something she shouldn't have. Oh oh, that doesn't sound good and I'm thinking she cut an antenna cable or something equally important. Nah, just a little black wire to the air conditioner. Easy enough to fix in a jiffy - turn off the power, strip the ends, reconnect, twist, wrap in electricians' tape, turn the power back on, try out the ac, go back to what you were doing before. It did occur to both of us that it could have been a live wire and that sometime later in the day I might have wondered where she was, it being awfully quiet around the place, and then going out and finding her laying amidst the vines with a pair of snips and a wire in her hands and a surprised look on her face... But it wasn't. And we laughed.

I should go eat breakfast and read a little more of The Final Days. Judge Sirica has the tapes and Nixon's handlers know that it won't be long before they are made public and the People will know that John Dean was telling the truth and that Tricky Dick is a crook, a guy deeply involved in a cover up of criminal activity. Bad time for Richard and it's only going to get worse.

Saturday Wrap, Golf, Football and More

President's Cup

Got to watch some of it this afternoon. Weir and Tiger stand out; Americans dominate the day's golf. So what's with the Europeans that scares the bejeebers out of the Americans, I ask again? I see that the Canadian hero, Mike Weir, is paired with Tiger Woods tomorrow; is that fair? Of course, why not Mike Weir with his local support and already several shots in the highlight reel? Ernie Els offers advice in the link: "Not much I can say. Shoot 62 and hope for the best." Still, tomorrow should be a cake walk for the visitors, including Tiger.

College Football

-Good thing I don't feel anything for the Irish anymore; they start 0 and 5 and have dropped seven in a row. What in heavens name has gone wrong with the Irish football program?!
-Purdue and Indiana have a combined record of 9 and 1. Impressive. Nice to see Purdue rebound and everybody wants the Hoosiers to win, don't they?
-Lots of upsets already this week. Lots of teams that have never been in the spotlight are shining bright this season, at least so far. For instance, South Florida. Feather in the cap to all the newcomers.
-And now that Notre Dame is so woeful, can we think of them as underdogs? And start cheering them on and wishing them well because of that new status?

Today's skin match:

Three skins were won, two of them on par threes - that's unusual. The one on #9 by Jon Boyd was a chip in from left of the green down there in fluff hell. Before the chip in, Jon was bemoaning the fact that the day had been one of his worst ever. Nice to finish on a high note.

Butcher, Hembree, Arvin Claim Scramble Win

For the first time in a long while, Terry Butcher came out and joined the Saturday scramblers , got himself a couple of hole prizes and joined Larry Hembree and Mike Arvin in marching around the course in a trophy winning twenty-nine. Fifteen other players tried to keep pace with only the Doug Denson, Joe Allen and Karry Stoll team staying close with a thirty. The results:

1. Terry Butcher, Larry Hembree, Mike Arvin (29)
2. Doug Denson, Joe Allen, Karry Stoll (30)
3. Wayne Souerdike, Lee Wininger, Ward Smith (32)
4. Dave Wininger, Tony Wease, Curt Johnson (33)
5. Jon Boyd, Tom Holt, Kevin Byron (35)
5. Mike Bird, Kyle Wininger, Morris Cornelius (35)

Sharpshooters: Terry Butcher, Kyle Wininger, Terry Butcher, Jon Boyd

Skins Match

Players: Dave Wininger, Doug Denson, Terry Butcher, Ward Smith, Jon Boyd, Curt Johnson, Mike Bird, Larry Hembree, Tony Wease.
Skins: Doug Denson (#5 net eagle), Curt Johnson (#7 birdie), Jon Boyd (#9 birdie)

In other action on the course on this lovely Saturday morning, Tony Wease joined Larry Hembree and Mike Bird in going for Johnny Quarters. Named for the late Johnny Jackson, the players went for quarters on driving distance and accuracy as well as low net score for a hole. Today, the Johnny smiles belonged to Mike Bird who walked away with five of the JQ's; Larry had three and Tony walked away with one. Johnny of course would have loved the fact that it was the 'little old guy' who got the majority of the JQ's.

President's Cup and More

President's Cup

Americans pretty much trashed by the International squad on Friday. Woods and Furyk faced a hot duo in Singh and Appleby, but hey, come on guys, rise to the occasion! How about the old guy, Woody Austin, doing so well and having a ball. And what's with Steve Stricker, still playing like he owns the planet.

Saturday Scramble

Starts at 8am today. Cool start for the day then warming up nicely. Should be a wonderful day for golf and other outdoorsey things. For those wanting to stay inside, how about eight hours of President's Cup coverage on NBC? (Wonder where the Irish are playing today; do I remember Wayne Pearl saying West Lafayette? Update: yup. Noon kickoff with ESPN tv coverage.)

Cubbies Clinch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! Just went to the ESPN site and there it is, the big flashing, startling Cubs Win. Wow again. Have been watching them every now and then these past few months and these past few days have been checking the scoreboard to see how they and the Brewers were doing. Losing is how they were doing, both of them. But not last night as they beat up on the Reds. Hey! Hey! Go Cubbies! A little history from the linked story with a reminder of what happened the last time the Cubs were in the playoffs:

Instead, the reference point is 2003, the last time the Cubs made the playoffs. They reached the NL Championship Series under first-year manager Dusty Baker, only to collapse when a fan interfered with a foul ball in Game 6 against Florida.

I remember that now. Ouch, still hurts.

Enough hurt, on with the celebration and yes it's time for me to mosey. See you at the golf course just up the road and around the corner.

More on Putting

My putting has given me fits this year as I have noted in a previous blog. For now, I find that putting down a string does give me a daily reminder of what the stroke should feel like, and thus maybe a little muscle memory. Still try and maintain the one step back, two step forward stroke distance (a 1:2 ratio), and on occasion I'll even close my eyes and putt blind to try and get the feel for the swing of the club and my body. Have noticed some improvement on the course though nothing to write home about yet.

Reminder: Manager's Scramble will start at 8am tomorrow. Bring your long stick as the ball is suddenly going about fifty yards less than it was just this last Monday before the rascally rains came and dampened the hard-as-brick fairways (nice to see a little more green though).

President's Cup update: Americans all square in two and down in the other four.

Friday Follies

Notes to Get a Day Started

-No Thursday Senior event what with the rain in the morning yesterday. Did have Richard Barber and two Washington boyz play some in the drizzle.
-So what's with the dominance of the Americans at the President's Cup and their miserable showing at the Rhyder Cup?
-Larry Hembree came out late yesterday afternoon and helped me find some Johnny quarters; while I found six of them, he could find nary a one. Jackson is back in town for a little bit, a United States Marine now.
-A note from the past: From WAPO, Nixon and Hoover bashing justices in phone conversation after Supreme Court's 6 to 3 decision on continued publication of the Pentagon Papers. What a couple of jerks besides being men in powerful positions who did plenty of ill in their time in office.
-Movie time last night: Reversal of Fortune. A legal thriller.

Heading to the golf course. It's gonna be a good one. Drop everything and Go Golf! it's good for you.

Thursday Wrap

Pictures: Bridge scene and more boat people.


At the President's Cup, Americans dominant. My oh my.

Thursday's Start

Items of Note

from WAPO:

-Gates (not Bush) seeking 190B for wars. Certainly we have better things to do with our money. I say NO. Come back with a better plan, a more reasonable request.
-Oregon judge throws out (voids) parts of Patriot Act, unconstitutional. That's good news.
-Broder on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): Republicans following Bush over a cliff. Hmmm. What is up with these guys? I say yes to more health insurance for our kids.

from ESPN:

-Jason Sobel goes through the match ups: the one that struck me as, well, striking, was the David Toms/Jim Furyk fight with Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera. I guess it's the presence of Angel that provides the electricity. Should be fun - who can ever forget the Ernie Els/Tiger Woods fight to the finish a couple of years back (turns out it was back in 2003) when the two of them traded pressure putts till darkness came and Nicklaus and Player decided that nobody should lose?! Declared it a tie. Good stuff.

It's raining here and looks like it will keep on raining for a while. Eric is at the golf course mowing greens. Guess I'll head that way, just for the fun of it.

Wednesday Wrap, Derek a New Dad, Movie Time

Derek Gilbertson came out and played a round of golf for the first time in a few weeks. He and wife Amber are still celebrating the birth of their first child, Brody, on September 14th. Congrats to the new parents and welcome to our world, Brody.

Diane, Eric and I did enjoy a breakfast at The Cabin this morning. Jack Lents and Dave (Ace) Strange were sitting with several others at the Liars table.

Diane and I watched a lovely movie this evening: The Road Home. A Chinese love story. Absolutely wonderful. Get it and watch it and enjoy. Of course, we ruined the rosy glow created by that movie by then watching more of Ken Burns' The War.

The Final Days, Thursday Games, The War

As I have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns, I am now ready for another good book. Looked through Diane's collection and nothing jumped up and grabbed me by the collar and said: "Read me!" So I went to the bookshelves that contain some of the books we have had for decades. What did jump out at me was Woodward and Bernstein's The Final Days, a 1976 book that I had purchased and read in February of 1977. You remember, it covers the final days of the Nixon presidency, something Woodward and Bernstein were instrumental in bringing about with their investigative reporting of the bungled Watergate caper and resultant cover up that exposed how devious and downright illegal Nixon and his henchmen were in their many shenanigans as they tried to govern. I was intrigued by it all back then and now, with the Bush presidency beginning its final days, I just might find it informative and illustrative to revisit those momentous times again. And, after the first dozen pages or so, it has not failed - I'm still intrigued and it sure does paint Nixon as a psycho case, at least early on. Should be fun...

Looks like the rain has stopped. Got two inches in our neck of the woods.

Reminder: Tomorrow morning: 9am - 9 hole skin match using existing handicaps with the following restrictions: no strokes on par threes, no carry over of those strokes, maximum handicap per hole: two strokes.

BTW, Ken Burns new documentary on WWII, The War, is excellent. Been on PBS these last three nights.

It's Coooool!

Picture: Current radar from Wunderground.com.

Indeed it is cool. The rains broke the back of the drought and the run of 90 degree days. Now for some Fall weather and and splashes of yellows and reds and greens to mix with the searing whites and browns of the past several weeks. Nice change.

Items of note just before I head to the golf course:

-Indy woman charged with trying to hiring a hit man to kill her ex. Studying to be a crime scene investigator. Hmmmm. Maybe she needed a class in what goes on before the crime, for instance, Planning a Crime, Do's and Don'ts.
-via TPM, State Department tells Blackwater that 'mum is the word', no talking to Congress, or anybody else. Hmmm, hired guns protected by extra constitutional 'I'm-king-and-do-what-I-want' attitude of sitting administration. Really?

There's lots more out there but have to mosey now. Me thinks it's a great day for golf even if it is Wednesday. Well, maybe after the rains. Guess I'll drag Eric and Diane down to the Cabin for some pancakes or biscuits and gravy.

Tuesday Wrap

Well, my apologies to the guys who wanted to scramble this afternoon. As it turns out, I was a little precipitous in closing down the course because of the continuing rain. I thought the rain was continuing but indeed it had all but stopped when I left the course right about 4:30. Darn it all to heck and back; it would have been just jim dandy to have a little scramble, to whack the ball around, even if there were just a few of us. My bad; my apologies to those (including Mike Kidwell) who showed up... How about if we scramble Wednesday at 4:45? Call if interested.

The rain: had a half inch before three then another three quarters of an inch between three and four. Maybe a little more tonight. Eric aerated, seeded and fertilized the tee boxes on Monday and then called down the rains today. Pretty good timing. He'll top dress them tomorrow.

World turns, but you knew that, right?

A Thousand Splendid Suns, etc.

Notes on a Tuesday morning

-I finished A Thousdand Spendid Suns last night. A hum dinger of a book. A gruesome picture of institutionalized spousal abuse is presented in this glimpse at Afghani life over the past thirty years. I especially refer to the treatment of women under Taliban rule. Not a pretty picture. From a review at the Amazon link:

Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status.

A very good read and expect to be shocked and saddened if you pick it up.

-Bayh does endorse Clinton. AP posted the news at 5:32 yesterday afternoon.
-Young beats Bush, Titans defeat Saints. Did you catch one of the pregame stats thrown out Sunday, that only one of 54 teams in past years that started 0-3 made the playoffs? Dire straights for several teams, including the Saints now.
-Rain today? Radar shows some passing west and north of us right now. Certainly some of that system moving up from the south will fall on us...
-Eric and Diane at the golf course.

Today's Pictures

Pictures: Kenny misses a short one; Rex made his; two Jacks already in the hole. Grasshopper on the rock.

Reminder: Tuesday evening scramble starts at 4:45 tomorrow afternoon.

More Monday Notes: Bayh Endorses for Hillary?

Evan for Hillary?

From TPM, Evan Bayh to endorse Hillary's run for the nomination to be next president. The Indy Star suggested that in a headline but the link goes nowhere (Indy Star: We're sorry. The article link is not valid or the article has expired from the system.). So what's going on here? Evan change his mind?

If you are a Sunday morning spin show junkie, then you already know that Hillary hit five programs yesterday. I don't know what she said but imagine it was centered on the Iraq mess and her recently proposed health care plan. We do seem to be getting closer to a fairly universal health care plan though I remain steadfast in my opinion that corporations will be the deciding factor because it's when they realize that such a plan would be to their advantage, their hugh advantage, then the talking points will move down the line to the action plan. And yes I am for universal health care right now - it's a no brainer for me.

Monday Notes to Get the Week Started

Notes to get the week started

-Mike Arvin reported that he played the Brickyard Crossing this weekend; doesn't have to play it ever again - not user friendly. I see from the web site that you can rent a set of clubs for $45. Wow.
-I'm well into A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (he also wrote The Kite Runner). Set in Afghanistan, story takes place over the past thirty turbulent years. War torn part of the world right now. Russians in there in the '80's; then the warlords went at each other; now the Brits and the Americans. One character comments that one of the good things the Russians tried to accomplish was equal education for women; of course, you know that the Taliban wants none of that and yes please cover our women from head to toe when out in the public.

Gotta get to the golf course. Get the News out to the Loogootee Trib. Maybe play some golf.

Sunday Wrap: Changing Colors, Youthful Play

Pictures: Boat people and Fall colors off of #4 this weekend; part of St. John's Youth Group taking leave after scramble today.


Items of Interest:

-Colts win. Hurray...
-Diane and I go to Odon and catch a little of the football game played by 12 year olds; Lucas, grandson #1, plays. Note: the kids are all but swallowed up by the seemingly hugh helmets and shoulder pads.
-Shirley and Mark Jeffers bring out the St. John's Youth Group for a scramble. Curt, Chris, Ashley and Jill are the winning foursome with a score of 32.5.
-Believe the world to be still turning. Am glad for that.

Sunday Funnies, Saturday Recap

Lakeview Skins Match on Saturday
-players: Tyler Kidwell, Doug Denson, Tom Holt, Curt Johnson
-skins: Tyler Kidwell (5); Doug Denson (1)
Comment: Looks like Tyler was on fire! He knew he was lucky after stumbling into a scramble win with four under earlier.

College Football
-Notre Dame falls to MSU at home (again); starts season 0-4 for first time ever. Ouch.
-Louisville Cardinals upset by o-3 Syracuse. Ouch.
-Hoosiers lose for first time. We knew it was coming; hoped it wouldn't happen just yet.
-Boilers win! Finally a 'W' for an Indiana team. Wayne Pearl is happy.
Comment: If you were watching the ND-MSU game, you know that NBC made a big thing of ND's first touchdown yesterday; rightfully so as it was the offensive team's very first score of the season.

Other News of Note:
-Blackwater, the security force company used by the State Department in Iraq, a loose cannon on deck. Or maybe a bunch of drunk (with power? hate? greed?) cowboys with guns a-blazing. So where's the oversight by the State Department?
-Dave Crooks, local politician, not going to run next year for the seat he's held in State Government since 1996.
-Number One son Marty sent me a note on the just increased salary of OSU's basketball coach (Mata), wondering if this was getting out of hand (the spiraling of salaries for basketball coaches); Indy Star notes IU's Sampson is State's top earner. Hmmm.

Okay, time to go to golf course, help Eric get things started. Busy day yesterday. Got the Jeffer's Youth Group coming in at 3pm today. Hopefully, lots of other golfers as well. Go Colts!

Importance of Never Giving Up

Saturday Manager's Scramble

Today's scramble was loaded with excellent players and the expectation that it would take seven or eight under to take the prize was shared by several of the players. But the golf goddesses had something else in mind, like the Mike Kidwell team with Mike Bird playing shotgun starting off with a bogie on #9; like the Doug Denson team starting off by missing a four foot putt for birdie on #8 and then getting a bogie on #1. Dig a hole, guys, and see how fast you can get out of it, the unseen goddesses seemed to be saying. As it turned out, not fast enough for these two teams though they really didn't have all that far to go to match the amazingly low scoring of the other two teams. The results with a winning score of four under about half of what it should have been:

1. Tyler Kidwell, Larry Hembree, Tony Wease (-4)
2. Doug Denson, Tom Holt, Kevin Byron, Ward Smith (-3)
3. Mark Sherer, Jim Fox, Kent Summer (-2)
3. Mike Kidwell, Mike Bird, Curt Johnson, Karry Stoll (-2)

Sharpshooters: Larry Hembree, Doug Denson, Kevin Byron, Larry Hembree

Saturday Scramble and Othing Things

Picture: Small things that are blue

Saturday Manger's Scramble at 8 am this morning; skins match follows for those interested.

Other items:

-Irish play Michigan State, try to stop plethora of jokes about their efforts to win. (Not funny to Irish lovers...)
-Bonds to leave Giants? Team loyalty a thing of the past but maybe not really as baseball first a business.
-Netflix movie yesterday: a Denzel Washington flick - has he ever made a bad one? In this one he plays the bad guy: Training Day. A goodie but not a love story.
-A lady named Jennifer wondered who the Burnside was listed on the top of the Boyz East-West match play event scoreboard of the other day. She came in with Ray Crawford. Turns out she is Tony's sister. Ray's wife. Good to meet some of the opposition's family... (smile)

Okay. Got to get ready to mosey on over to the golf course. Bring your A game, your short game for sure.

Friday Follies: Congressional Condemnation, Israel, Race Demonstrations, etc.

Items of Note as I Peruse the News

-Senate roundly condemns anti war group for ad wondering if president's man is being fully truthful in testimony to congress. Brought to my mind the Terry Shiavo brouhaha of a few years ago, much ado about nothing. The group, MoveOn.org, expected to have a surge in donations for its cause with all the free air time.
-Israel takes out a nuclear site in Syria?! Holy Cow! That one went way under the radar.
-Race demonstrations and marches in a southern state? The Jena 6 trial taking us all back to the '60's. Wow...
-Here's a surprise: Baghdad housing market going low. What surprises me is that the sellers' are getting even half the appraised value, at least sometimes. Lots of movement in Iraq with all the sectarian violence and the war.

Other stuff:

-Weather continuing to be warm and dry.
-Diane off to play golf with Wilma.

Reminder:

Saturday's Manager's Scramble will start at 8am.

Okay. Time to hie myself away from the cyber world and go see about the goings on down the road and around the corner.

Fox, Butcher and Gray Win Big; Fox Big in Skins

Thursday Scramble

In this morning's scramble, Jim Fox, Jack Butcher and Joe Gray continually helped each other out around the course to shoot a five under and take the first place prize. The results:

1. Jim Fox, Jack Butcher, Joe Fray (-5)
2. Wayne Souerdike, Morris Cornelius, Richard Barber (-4)
3. Mike bird, Leroy Streepy, Diane Bird (-3)
4. Junior Byron, Dale DeLong, Pam Byron (-1)

Thursday Skins

Jim Fox, Mike Bird and Jack Butcher went out for a second nine and traded punches till in the end it was a matter of who could make or get the short putts. Jim got a skin on #2 with a nice sideways putt for birdie and then watched Mikey miss a short one; Mike got a skin on #6 with a beauty of a pitch shot that gave him a two foot putt for birdie; and then Jim repeated with a nice chip on #9 that gave him a gimme putt and then watched Mikey again miss a putt, this one looking good all the way till Jim willed it to turn at the hole. That rascally ball. Jack muttered something about a lesson as he walked back to his cart. Such fun.

Thursday Scramble and Skins

Today you might as well come on out and play some golf. The weather is still fine, dry and close to warm. Nine o'clock start for the scramble; we'll choose teams then. The skins, using one's handicap, will have a few wrinkles this time around: no strokes on par threes, no carryover of those lost strokes to other holes, and a maximum handicap of 18 (which converts to a twelve with the no strokes on the par three rule). Skin match starts right after the scramble is over, about eleven.

Bring any old game you want and lets have some fun with the crooked sticks and the little orbs and each other.

Wednesday's This and That - Not Golf Related

Recently I had a visitor to this blog, a good man, who sent me an email and suggested that I can the comments on the politicians and to leave political matters to politicians. He goes on to say:

Some of us get tired of you constantly downing our president or submitting articles that do. Sure he has made mistakes, but who hasn't. The thing that is going to hurt our country is people like you who continually criticize our government.

Hmmmm. Me bad. My apologies to all those who come to this blog and expect (or want) to see only items about golf or the golf course. For the moment, I'm not going to do that as the whole intent of this blog was to invite those who want to to come on in and see what's going on in my head not only in the golfing arena but also in several other areas of my life. Books, movies, family, politics, sports are some of those areas and I often react to something and share that reaction. As for politics, and especially presidential politics, that is of particular interest and especially these last several years when our current administration, those people whom we have hired to steer this ship of state of ours, have made such a mess of governing. Be quiet?! Egads! too many of us have been way too quiet; too many of us stood along the side of the road and pretended that that new suit of clothes was dazzling, was oh so beautiful. And now we pay the price, in blood and treasury, in denial of constitutional rights, in the degradation of government agencies and departments. Being quiet, for me, is not an option. I am sorry, rather, that it has taken me so long to speak up and out. Me bad, or mea culpa for the latin lovers out there.

With that said, I very much appreciate the email that this good man sent to me (and yes I do know him and golf with him and he really is a good man and a gentle man). He in his own way is speaking up, speaking out, expressing his view on something that he did not agree with nor appreciate. And that of course is part of what we consider our birthright, the freedom to speak, the freedom of speech.

With all that said, a warning: the following is not only a non golfing item but one having to do with politics at least in the sense that there is an organization out there interested in checking the truthiness of what politicians are saying.

With presidential politics starting to heat up, the WAPO has started it's own fact checker. The first of four in today's item has to do with a statement made by Fred Thompson that America has shed more blood for other people's liberty than any other country or combination of countries ever. WAPO's fact checker says no way and gives Fred a four Pinocchio award. The things we say... Hey, WAPO invites us to be part of the process (good for them):

Contact the Fact Checker

We rely on our readers to send us suggestions on topics to fact check and tips on erroneous claims by political candidates, interest groups and the media. If you have facts or documents that shed more light on a subject under discussion, or if you think we have made a mistake, let us know.

I know that there is lots of other stuff out there worth finding out about and commenting on, but for now that's it. I'm heading back to the golf course. Let the world turn as it may.

Wednesday Ho Hums

Middle of the work week (though for those in the golf business this is not the case) and the weather is fine and dandy. Big golf day for me yesterday what with the Boyz 18 hole event in the morning and the Denson scramble at 5pm. Eric, Pam and Diane took care of business. Nice that Dave Strange came through with an 'about-time' hole-in-one. Good going, Dave. Note that Doug Denson came away with win #2 in the Tuesday afternoon scramble; I was wishing it would be Tyler Kidwell. And don't you all think it's about time for a good soaking rain? If we were hosting a tennis event, we would have to declare it a clay court match vs a grass court match the way our fairways are looking. Greens are verry nice, as you all know.

Reminder to all of you who can get away tomorrow morning: a 9 o'clock nine hole scramble to kick things off and that followed by a nine hole handicapped skins match with the following stipulations: no strokes on par three's, no carryover of those lost strokes; maximum handicap of 18. Come join the fun and play in either one of the events or even both.

Time to mosey on over to the gc. Come on out and visit some.

Dave Strange Bags Another Hole-in-One

Dave Strange, one of Lakeview's seniors, played in and amongst the Tuesday Boyz this morning, and got himself a second hole-in-one for the year. His 5 wood shot off the tee at #3 hit the green, bounced once and then dropped into the cup. This is Dave's third career hole-in-one, second this year, and was witnessed by Mike Anderson, Albert Kavanaugh, Jim Fox and John Walker who were coming off of #5 while playing in the Tuesday Boyz final event of the season.

Denson, Potts, Allen and Parsons Get Scramble Win

Doug Denson, Greg Potts, Joe Allen and Keith Parsons shot an eight under to capture the Tuesday evening scramble this week. Greg Potts reported that the putting was the difference with Doug sinking a couple of long ones and he got one himself. Doug also chipped on in on #4. The results:

1. Doug Denson, Greg Potts, Joe Allen, Keith Parsons (-8)
2. Tyler Kidwell, Mike Bird, Devon Roach and Mark Jones (-7)
2. Dave Wininger, Larry Hembree, Curt Johnson and Joe Doyle (-7)
4. Mike Kidwell, Lee Wininger, Tony Wease and Jim Murphy (-6)
5. Weston Muessig, Trenton Kidwell, Kevin Byron, Buck Holland and Don Nolan (-4)

Note for next week's scramblers: Start time is 4:45 next Tuesday afternoon. The dark descendeth upon us...

Paper Trail for Votes, A No Brainer Yet...

from dKos:

"Paper trail" bill facing significant local opposition

by kos

Tue Sep 18, 2007 at 10:01:06 AM PDT

It ultimately comes down to "who will pay for the new voting machines"?

Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s leadership team is being put to the test over a major election bill that has significant opposition within the Democratic Party.

The bill (HR 811), due on the House floor this week, would require a paper record of every vote cast nationwide beginning in 2008.

Passing it would allow the leadership to tick a big item off the party’s to-do list: Correcting ballot-counting issues that may have contributed to their presidential losses in 2000 and 2004.

“The perception of our elections is at stake,” said Tanya Clay House of People for the American Way, which has been pressing for a law that makes sure every vote cast leaves a paper trail for recounts.

The bill’s backers say a new federal law should be expedited so that the 2008 elections do not produce results like the disputed 2006 congressional race in Florida’s 13th District, where Democrat Christine Jennings says malfunctioning electronic voting machines might have contributed to her loss.

But local and state governments are not eager to be forced to make expensive purchases, with little money expected from Washington. Currently, 27 states have paper-trail requirements.

The CBO has been unable to calculate just how much this would cost local governments -- a legitimate concern, but it's likely to be less than a few days of the Iraq War. Funny how we can't afford to secure our democracy at home because we're trying to impose it by the barrel of a gun elsewhere.

It really is a no brainer. Lets spend the money necessary now to get the voting part of electioneering right. We've been doing this stuff nor a long time and still can't seem to get it right. Me thinks the two major parties don't want to get it right. A doofus award to each of them.

Leaders Fall but West Squad Still Swamps East in Boyz Finale

Pictures: a. Phil Culver, Junior Byron, Tony Burnside; b. Al Kavanaugh, Mike Anderson, John Walker, Jim Fox; c. Jack Lents, Ken Graehler, Jack Williams, John Chapman; d. Scoreboard e. the West Squad.

Tony the Tiger Burnside and Phil em Culver, the leaders of the Tuesday Boyz West Squad that came to Lakeview this morning, fell in their match with Mike Bird and Junior Byron, .5 to 2.5, but it turned out it didn't matter a whit. Their support crew easily turned the tables and handed the East Squad a sound thumping taking sixteen of the twenty-one available points. With the exception of a tie between the Jack Butcher/Rex Hudson team and the Denny Pitts/Danny Thomas team, all the other matches were triumphs by the West golfers. Oh such misery for the East Squad who did some recruiting this year (bringing in John Walker from the Tuesday Men's League and getting Jim Fox to come up from Florida(!)) in an attempt to reverse the stinging defeats of the past two years. But to no avail. The West golfers found their East hosts to be extremely generous in their graciousness at making them feel at home at Lakeview. One might even say that they bent over backwards to ensure that their guests had a good time. Well, they did. People are already wondering if the West golfers will be as accommodating next year when the event moves to Country Oaks. Anyone care to guess?

Hole prize winners at the event were Garth Riffey, Calvin Guy, Mike Anderson, and Jack Butcher.

Update 10pm - the specifics:

The Results for the Best Ball - Scramble - Alternate Shot Format with East Team being listed first:

1. Mike Bird and Junior Byron (tie - win- win) vs Phil Culver and Tony Burnside
2. John Walker and Jim Fox vs Al Kavanaugh and Mike Anderson (win - win - win)
3. Jack Butcher and Rex Hudson (tie - loss - win) vs Denny Pitts and Danny Thomas
4. John Chapman and Jack Lents vs Ken Graehler and Jack Williams (win - tie - win)
5. Morris Cornelius and Dave Brown vs Calvin Guy and Garth Riffey (win - tie - win)
6. Ray Shaw and Charlie Sheetz vs CV Burgess and John Bloom (win - win- win)
7. Richard Swayze and Vic Wallace vs Jerry Robinson and Don Dayton (tie - win - win)

East Team 6 West Team 21

Johnny Woulda Loved It

Way back when I was a novice golfer, Johnny Jackson and Paul Perry took me under their wing and pretty much showed me the ropes, so much so that a couple of years later Ron Acuff would comment on my swing that it hardly came forward at all. Of course, it was a swing that I had learned watching Johnny and Paul, a swing that was more deliberate and accurate than zippy and distance oriented. Be that as it may, it was Johnny and Paul (and Diane who bought me a set of clubs when I turned fifty) that got me started on this winding and glorious road of golf. And it was Johnny who showed me how to have some fun while learning the game. Johnny was an endearing man, a favorite of many, not a mean bone in his body, a really good guy. And he had a sense of fun just for fun. On many an occasion when we were out there pounding our balls all over the place, he would throw out a challenge, a quarter if you can hit a ball, say off of #8 tee box, longer and more accurate than he could. Johnny was not long, nor was I for that matter; but longer than Johnny. He of course was betting on his nerves being steadier than mine, his accuracy being much better than mine. And sometimes he would take my quarter, more often not. Which was fine with him, he was doing it for the fun of it. Nowadays, his grandson carries on that tradition with me. That would be Larry Hembree and he too likes the fun of it though in this match up the tables are turned as I am the one betting on my nerves and my accuracy topping his youth and his power. One big difference though; Johnny would give me his quarter, and take my quarter, with a twinkle in his eye and a little smile. Larry would just as soon give me a poke in the eye as one of his quarters; and of course, when it is my quarter going to him, that is cause for some kind of celebration and a parade down Main Street. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but just a little one. In any case, Johnny would be pleased and proud that the game continues, and yes, just for the fun of it. Larry and I sure do enjoy the fun of the golf and also the reminders of the man who made his imprint on the two of us so many years ago.

Morning Morning Chatter: Good Golf, Oil and War, Boyz

At the course yesterday, recently reinvigorated golfer Karry Stoll got his first eagle, a chip in from about twenty feet at #4. And Tuesday Men's League champ John Foddrill was out late in the afternoon with new members Heath Sult (whose uncle, Paul, helped introduce me to golf at Lakeview in the early '90's) and Travis Bullock. They helped Mike Arvin and Scott Schutte turn out the lights.

In our nation's capital, Bob Woodward has a second WAPO article in the last week up about Alan Greenspan and his thoughts, this time on the need to secure oil reserves from Hussein; the headline: Greenspan: The Ouster of Hussein Crucial for Oil Security. Greenspan's thoughts were shared with Bush and Cheney and anybody else who cared to listen. Hmmmm, of course we all remember that that thought/suggestion was quickly and vehemently denied back then in the run up to the war (bloody mess) and after the invasion.

Back here in Loogootee, weather is lovely and I'm heading out to the golf course where golfing today will be superb. About time for another hole-in-one, isn't it?

And a reminder for those of you who can play in the morning: the Tuesday Boyz are having their East-West match play event; 18 holes of golf, best ball, scramble, alternate shot; starts at 8:30. Call and sign up. East squad is looking for ringers (smile).

Colts Avoid a Loss, Tiger Rolling, Movie Morning

The Colts just survived their struggle with the Titans, 22-20, but had a very good chance of losing after not killing the clock on their last possession. An all out rush kept Young from running four yards and another first down just outside of field goal range with less than twenty seconds. Oh boy, way too close.

Tiger on the other hand is 21 under for the tournament and is cruising after ten holes, up by four over Mark Calcavecchia. Ho hum kinda day; everybody waiting for the final bell.

Finished up a movie this morning, another Chinese one with subtitles, House of Flying Daggers. A love story and a lot of fun with all the flying daggers and flying people and flying bamboo. Gets a five for its sumptuousness and special effects.

Sunday Funnies Colts

Indy Star's Cyber Survey:

Cyber survey

Was Patriot’s coach Bill Belichick's penalty of a $500,000 fine and loss of draft choice sufficient for cheating?

Not surprising to see that 75% of the respondents think it was too light, me included. Not that we want the Patriots organization to hurt or anything...

Bob Kravitz weighs in here.

Go to golf course now. Back later. Go Tiger. Go Colts. Go Golf!

Saturday Wrap: IU starts 3-0, Irish 0-3; Tiger Super

College Football

Up in Ann Arbor this afternoon, something awfully good happened to the Wolverine football team, that squad that had started the year by being blown away at home by Appalachian State and Oregon. That something happened to be the hapless Irish who looked verrry bad in making the Michigan team look verrrry good. Going to be a pretty long year in South Bend if something dramatic doesn't happen. One thing for sure: makes my Saturday afternoons a lot more freer because I won't be sitting on the edge of my seat watching and listening to the Irish. Hey, they finished the last season in an embarrassing way; and they have started out this season in an equally embarrassing way. Terry Brennan, Gary Faust, Tom Davie are names that are associated with not so good Irish football teams. Lets not be adding another to that list.

Meanwhile, in Bloomington, the Hoosiers win big for the third time this year. Me thinks I'm backing the wrong horse.

Golf

Tiger was super today though not as good as Zach Johnson and Mark Calcavecchia. Tomorrow? Probably more of the same for Tiger but not for Zach and Mark.

Bird, Boyd, Wininger (Lee) and Sheetz (Cam) Win Scramble

Scramble

The Mike Bird Team used birdies on seven of the nine holes, missing #3 and #9, to win this week's version of the Saturday scramble. The results:

1. Mike Bird, Jon Boyd, Lee Wininger, Cam Sheetz (-7)
2. Mike Kidwell, Tyler Walton, Tony Wease, Karry Stoll (-5)
2. Doug Denson, Larry Hembree, Joe Allen (-5)
4. Trenton Kidwell, Greg Potts, Curt Johnson (-4)

Sharpshooters for the day: Jon Boyd, Mike Kidwell, Mike Kidwell, Lee Wininger

Skin Match:

Players: Mike Bird, Larry Hembree, Curt Johnson, Tyler Walton
Skins: Mike Bird (#2 birdie), Larry Hembree (#3 par, #5 net eagle, #7 par, #8 net birdie)

Brrrrrr, Temperatures in the Mid Forties

Brrrr, and to think we just had that record setting heat wave. My oh my, how the times do change.

Scramble coming up in just a bit. It's going be a lovely day with a high of just 67. Forget the ways of the world and come on out and play.

More Follies - Tiger Sterling

I bet Tiger was fun to watch today, especially his front nine (second round) in which he opened with three pars and then went birdie for the next five and then the improbable 70 foot bumping putt on #9 for eagle. Twenty-eight for the front; thirty-five for the back; sixty-three for the day. Not too shabby. Leads Woody Austin by three, Phil by seven.

Told Eric earlier I was going to watch golf Saturday (which is why I wanted the big mower today - brought it home and did the lawn) and he wondered about my watching the Irish versus the Wolverines which may turn out to be a pretty good game as both teams are just a little hungry for something positive to happen after their zero and two starts... The new Irish qb might be fun to watch but probably not as much fun as watching the mastery of Tiger.

Reminder: Manager's Saturday Scramble starts at 8 tomorrow morning; skin match follows.

Friday Follies, Tiger and Elizabeth

A few things before I head to the golf course:

-Tiger is rolling, finishing his first round this morning; birdied the 12th to go to five under (make that six under through 14), closing in on the leader Tim Clark who is at eight under.

-Netflix movie last night, Elizabeth. Excellent story dealing with the ascension to power of the young woman who would rule England for 45 some years and take it from being a itsy-bitsy, insignificant country to the most powerful in the world. Very enjoyable and gets a rating of four from me.

Okay, now I'm outta here.

Strong Condemnation of Efforts Since 9/11

From Firedoglake and Scarecrow: (yes it's worth reading and there is no need for me to comment, just weep.)

What Should Have Followed 9/11

By: Scarecrow

Keith Olbermann’s coverage (video here) of the commemoration of 9/11 reminded us of what might have been, had we had genuine leaders that fateful day.

On September 11, 2007, the nation should have been able to congratulate itself that the people who planned and organized the mass murders of US citizens six years earlier had been brought to justice. Instead, we saw videos of al Qaeda’s leaders taunting us and threatening to attack again.

We should have been able to point with pride to an exemplary system of justice set up to bring the 9/11 perpetrators to justice. Instead, we have been shamed by policies that authorized torture, kidnapping, and rendition; shamed by Abu Ghraib, by Guantanamo, and by the Military Commissions Act; and shamed by the fact that not one of the Administration lawyers who approved these shameful practices was ever fired, disciplined or disbarred — though all should have been.

The nation should have been able to focus its mourning exclusively on the 3,000 Americans people who were murdered that day, but instead we now mourn another 3770 3776 (and still counting) additional dead Americans plus nearly 28,000 wounded, plus tens/hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties — men, women and children killed, wounded or brutalized in an unnecessary war because our dishonest President and his crazed Vice President chose to fabricate a linkage between the leaders of Iraq and the perpetrators of 9/11 while hyping the dangers of WMD that never existed. Not one person has been held accountable for these massive deceptions or the unspeakable suffering they caused.

Americans should have been assured that we had, through our courageous and principled response to 9/11, earned the decent respect for the opinions of mankind. We should have set the model for an enlightened approach that focused as much on discouraging the rise of religious extremism and its causes as on stopping those already committed to violence. Instead we find ourselves despised for our post-9/11 policies and blamed for the resurgence of al Qaeda and violent extremism that now confronts a dozen allies.

We should have been able to come together, united as a country and proud of having survived 9/11 with renewed honor and respect for each other, for the rule of law, for the freedoms that have attracted so many generations to our land. But instead we are deeply divided, our constitutional government under siege, our privacy rights routinely violated, and the rule of law disregarded by our Executive.

We were still in mourning on September 11, 2007, because we have an Administration that has wasted much of the last six years making things worse instead of redeeming our future. We still grieve, but the Bush/Cheney regime has managed to push the original 9/11 tragedy out of the top spot of the losses for which our nation grieves.

Team Skins Results and Boyz Preview

Today's Team Skins Game:

The teams (combined handicap in parens):
1. Wake/Norris (34)
2. Swayze/Wallace (20)
3. Byron/Byron (17)
4. Cornelius/Sheetz (23)
5. Chapman/Elliott (20)
6. D. Bird/Butcher (16)
7. K.Hudson/Lents (14)
8. M.Bird/R.Hudson (9)
9. Anderson/Kavanaugh (8)

The Skins:
#2 with a net score of 7: Swayze/Wallace
#3 with a net score of 4: Wake/Norris
#5 with a net score of 6: Wake/Norris
#7 with a net score of 4: Swayze/Wallace
#8 with a net score of 6: K.Hudson/Lents
#9 with a net score of 4: Swayze/Wallace

Following the nine hole skin match, eight golfers went out in a preview of next Tuesday's match play event involving teams from Loogootee (the East squad) and Montgomery/Washington (the West Squad). The format:

This is a match play event and low score on each hole is worth one point, with half points for ties. Three parts, Best Ball, Scramble, Alternate Shot, each part worth one point (follow this link to learn more about match play):

How Matches are Scored at Match Play

At root, match play scoring is very simple: Golfers compete hole by hole, and the golfer (or team) who wins the most holes wins the match.

1. Best Ball: players play own ball; best score of the two players is the team score with low score on the hole earning one point.
2. Scramble: players each hit and choose best ball till in the cup; each player hits a ball from each stop till ball is in the cup.
3. Alternating Shot: players decide who will hit the first tee shot and alternate till ball is in the cup; alternate shot from first shot on first hole of match till last shot on last hole of match.

Today Mike Anderson and Al Kavanaugh (West) ran all over Mike Bird and Morris Cornelius (East) to win their match 2 points to zero; one point awarded for each match of the three with Anderson and Kavanaugh winning the Best Ball and the Scramble and then tying the Alternate Shot when Mike Anderson chipped in for birdie on #9. In the other foursome, Jack Lents and Rex Hudson, on loan to the West, lost to Jack Butcher and Ken Hudson (East) on the Best Ball, then tied them in the Scramble. They then won the Alternate Shot evening their match. Thus the West won a two to zero win over the East (this was corrected from an earlier version when Jack Butcher came out to see how those guys beat them on the Best Ball; turns out they hadn't - I just misunderstood Jack Lents and Rex Hudson, who, this time, did not correct my error - the rascals). (I think we have the West right where we want them, thinking that we are going to be easy prey next Tuesday...)

Next Tuesday should be a whale of a match.

Fed Ex Cup and More

Here's a breakdown on the possibilities for winning the Cup (from CBS Sports):

If Woods wins this week: Tiger fulfills the common prediction and takes home the inaugural FedExCup with loads of points to spare.

If Stricker wins this week: If the dark horse can pull off his second victory of the playoffs, he would clinch the FedExCup even if Woods finishes solo second.

If Mickelson wins this week: Mickelson's second playoff win would get him the Cup only if Woods finishes in a tie for second or lower. A Mickelson win and a solo second-place finish by Woods would give Tiger the Cup by a razor-thin margin of 20 points.

So, as the author goes on to say, they pretty much need an off week for Tiger.

Meanwhile, locally we already have two teams rearing to go in the Team Skin Game scheduled to tee off here in less than two hours. The old pros, Bob Norris and Clyde Wake, are teamed up; and right there with them are Richard Swayze and Vic Wallace. Remember, you can make up your own team or get partnered just before we start.

Prize Distribution lists for both the Tuesday Men's League and the Thursday Senior League have been posted in the clubhouse.

Expect the rest of the world is managing somehow without us. Or maybe it's true that we all have our part to play and that we are playing our part to perfection, or at least good enough so that this old Earth keeps moving down the interstellar road deeper and deeper into the dark. (Just remember, good things do happen in the dark...)

Movie and News

Netflix movie night, this time Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. Full of blood and gore, running, chasing, sacrifice, death. Not a love story. We both enjoyed it.

And after the movie I watched way more than I really wanted to see of the General (Petraeus) and the Ambassador (Crocker) spinning tales on PBS' News Hour. What a crock. Would somebody please start the parade so that the little boy in the front can say to anyone who cares to listen that the king is wearing no clothes? I wish somebody would do a side by side of Petraeus and Westmoreland just so we could see how the times they really haven't changed that much when it comes to the stories our government tells the people.

More This and That: The Fed Ex Cup

The Fed Ex Cup

-Your favorite to win the cup is ___________________.
-I would expect that the odds on favorite is Tiger. Does he win the event in Atlanta as well?
-Stricker and Baddeley stumbled last Sunday afternoon, not a good time to stumble.
-Phil now has the added pressure of trying to repeat his performance of two weeks ago.
-Even if Phil wins the event, if Tiger comes in 2nd, he gets the Cup. Of course Tiger would no doubt refuse it if he doesn't get the win, right?
-If I have this right, Thursday and Friday play is on the Golf Channel. Which one of you stay at home guys with the Golf Channel is having a party tomorrow afternoon? Maybe we can run a long cable from your house to the golf course. Maybe Uncle Buck's or The Cabin have the Golf Channel. Or the K of C or the Legion or the VFW.
-Tiger and Steve Stricker last twosome off the tee box at 2:10 tomorrow. Let me see, that would be fast time.

BTW, I showed up in French Lick an hour early yesterday - by mistake. The starter sent me out to play a few holes on the back nine. Classy.

Wednesday's This and That

Pictures: At the French Lick Hill Course - George, Mike and Joe somewhere in #15 fairway; me at #16, trying to match Joe's shot that stopped two foot from the pin.

Another reminder: Tomorrow morning, the Senior League is hosting a nine hole two person team skin game. As with the skin match of three weeks ago, participants will carry their existing handicap into the game. Golfers will play their own ball and the team score will be the sum of the net score of each golfer. Low net team score on each hole wins a skin. Those who play can make their own team or be matched with another golfer prior to play in the morning.


Cool this morning. And I gotta get myself to the golf course where grass is greening and golf is the game.

Tuesday Boyz East West Challenge Reminder

Note from Mike Anderson:

The EAST/WEST CHALLENGE Cup will take place next Tuesday 18 Sept with a tee
time of 8:30 (at Lakeview Golf Course). The East is wanting revenge from last years defeat. See you all there! The format is the same as the last year - two man teams vs two man
teams with 1 point for best ball in holes 1 thru 6, 1 point for scramble in
holes 7 thru 12 and (1 point for) alternating shot in holes 13 thru 18.

Note from Mike Bird:

The players are a loose configuration of those playing the majority of their golf at Montgomery and those playing at Lakeview golf course. East squad is looking for additional players to aid in evening the score. Contact Junior Byron or Mike Bird for additional information and/or to sign up.

A Day's Worth of Golfing

First it was French Lick with the Mike Kidwell Outing. Played with Mike himself along with Joe Allen and George Templin. The format was nine hole scramble and then nine hole Texas scramble where we choose the best drive and then play our own ball in from there counting the best two scores as the team score. In the end we ended up with winning two skins, one on either side. Mike promises to send the results and I'll post them once received. The French Lick course itself was beautiful; still some renovation going on but verrrry nice and verrrry difficult. Only level places on the golf course are the tee boxes so you had better get used to hitting down hill or side hill or up hill. Fun greens - it would take several plays to get a hint of how to play them.

Second course on the menu was the Lakeview Golf Course and the first of the post Tuesday Men's League scrambles. Nineteen showed up for the fun. The results (I think I have them right...):

1. Tyler Kidwell, Doug Denson, John Foddrill, Buck Holland (-6)
2. Mike Bird, Trenton Kidwell, Joe Allen, Don Nolan (-5)
3. Dave Wininger, Greg Potts, George Templin, Joe Doyle (-4)
4. Junior Byron, Eric Ackerman, Brent Courter, Jim Murphy (-3)
4. Terry Butcher, Curt Johnson, Tom Holt (-3)

Diane wondered if I had had enough golf for the day. Hmmm, I said no but I think maybe that was plenty, at least for today. Maybe more tomorrow.

French Lick Hill - Once the Best in the Area

That is what I thought just a few years back. But with the casino coming to town and the expected renovation, the Hill course slipped a lot. Sultan's Run moved to the top in my book. Well, today, I get to go back and see what the Hill looks like after renovation. I know the pricing has increased substantially. Have the grounds and the clubhouse and the service increased in an equal measure? Gonna find out.

The Iraqi Mess

What Iraqis Think

Kevin Drum links to a summary of a poll on how Iraqis themselves think and feel about security and the surge. An eyeopener; the blue bar in the graph on the right is the "worse" category, as in "security in the areas where surge forces were sent" is worse according to the respondents. Do go read the blog for commentary.

What Mikey Thinks

War is ______ (if you guess correctly what Mikey thinks, pick up a free piece of candy the next time you're in the clubhouse; I'll have Diane stock up an extra supply).

Americans want us out; Iraqis want us out. What's the hold up? Giving people what they want is not a bad policy, especially when the People is the Boss.

The Body Count

General Petraeus used a graph today which shows a dramatic drop in the number of deaths in Iraq in 2007. That would be fantastic but is it true? TPM here has the General Petraeus graph along with two other graphs from different sources. Guess what - they tell entirely different stories. Reminds me of the blog I read just the other day where somebody was saying how "body counts" have become the in thing again although this time in the opposite direction - remember Vietnam where the generals wanted higher and higher body counts to prove their success? now the generals want lower body counts to do the same thing. We know for sure now that it was all a pack of lies coming from Vietnam. Any guesses on the truthiness of today's military body counters?

Got to get away from this topic; it's a rage inducer for me.

Tuesday Boyz Schedule Change

The Boyz are at Country Oaks tomorrow and are starting a little earlier than usual. Tee times at 8:10, 8:20, maybe 8:30. So arrive a little early.

Monday and the Weather is Fine

Should be a great day for golf and other outside activities. Yesterday wasn't too bad; Diane got out and did some gardening, something she has avoided with the heat of these last several weeks.

Of note around and about:

-Mike Kidwell French Lick Outing tomorrow morning and I'm not sure of the times - my google calendar shows me gone at 8:30 so first tee time around 9:45 our time, 10:45 FL time. I'll be there.
-Doug Denson Scramble at Lakeview tomorrow starting at 5pm rather than 4:30.

Gotta get going. More later.

Sunday Wrap, Tiger and Cultural Exports

Question of the Day

Asked by Karry Stoll: How much do players pay to enter a PGA event? Hmmm. I know that they have to pay some pretty serious money to go to Q School, but once they have their card, do they pay anything other than their expenses in getting to and staying at the event? I would think no entry fee but don't know for sure. Anybody? Maybe Kevin Johnson knows and can direct us to a web site...

Other Stuff of the Day

-Tiger brilliant in win at the BMW Championship. Fun watching not only him but Stricker, Baddeley, Clark, all of whom had moments of superior golfing skills on display. But Tiger was brilliant for eighteen holes today and a real joy to watch.

-Watched most of America at a Crossroads: The Anti-Americans on WTIU out of Bloomington early this afternoon and thought about my questions the other day on movies and learning about different countries by watching their movies. How about watching their tv programs? What do Europeans learn about America when they watch The Jerry Springer Show? What do we learn about Americans when we watch Jerry Springer (I don't mind admitting that I was appalled when I first heard about this show; still am). Or the endless police/cop shows that fill the airwaves, like CSI? Or game shows? Maybe foreigners come to realize that we have diverse interests, probably just like them. There's probably a book out there that explores these questions. Might be a good winter read.

That's enough for today. Diane's already headed south (with Harry Potter). Tomorrow's another day.

Sunday Funnies and

LPGA Golf

In NW Arkansas where there is much rain and wet, so much so that the ladies' golf this week has been shortened to 18 holes and spectators have been banned from the concluding holes to be played today. At the moment, an amateur is leading, Stacy Lewis, and if she holds onto her lead, she'll be the first amateur since JoAnne Carner did it in 1969. Hmmm, the espn.com leaderboard says the first round is complete so that means Stacy Lewis is the winner. Cool beans for the Univ. of Arkansas star.

Update: It is over but the LPGA has declared it not an official event. Sorry, Stacy. Of course, word is that they could have played a second eighteen today (rain has stopped, course is playable), but LPGA won't back off its decision made on Saturday. Bad decision, or at least one made too early, me thinks.

Books

Have picked up one of Diane's books, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner which I have read and enjoyed. Set in Afghanistan and spanning the last thirty years, it should give me a glimpse of the life and times of people in an unsettled part of the world, unsettled because of invading armies and dogmatic religious fanatics and ruthless talibans.

Weather

A little steamy but overcast and we had some more rain last night. Grass is growing again.

And the golfers are out there enjoying the rather nice conditions. Eric is in the clubhouse now; Pam later; I'll be wandering around. So it goes at the moment.

Saturday Wrap with Tiger and the Irish and a Book on Vietnam

Big League Sports

-Tiger one behind but sharp in play today just west of Chicago. Stricker going to win another? He's is in a zone.
-Irish football not so sharp in the Nittany Lions' Den, lose 31-10.. Maybe next week when they face the hapless Michigan Woverines who lost again today, again at home. Unheard of. Battle of the twice beatens.
-Tiny Justine Henin wins the US Tennis Open. Watched a little of it this evening; been forever since I've watched any tennis, maybe not since the '70's. Holy Cow!

Books

-Finish Robert Templer's Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam. Been working on this book for the better part of a year. It's one of those books with lots of information, facts, theories, explanations and suggestions about a country going through a major renovation in its way of life. This was published in 1998 with Vietnam changing rapidly in the ever expanding market economies of Southeast Asia. Expect it is much changed, with even more capitalism, more individual freedom, less of a rigid Communistic government in the nine years since. Well worth the time and effort if you have an interest in Vietnam, or maybe nations recovering from war with the United States. It took Vietnam a full twenty-five years to get on its feet after it cast off the armies of China, France, and the United States. Wonder how long it's going to take Iraq to fully recover from it's 21st century fight with the invading armies of the United States? Maybe far less since it has the advantage of having a whole bunch of stuff to export to a world very desirous of its black liquid wealth.

-Ready to pick up another book; know Diane has several but most of them are fiction which is okay for me but only every now and then. Will have to look around.

Kidwell Team Makes It Two in a Row with Scramble Win

Mike Kidwell's scramble team did it again for the second time in September with a 6 under and a win on the cards in this morning's nine hole Manager's Scramble. The results:

1. Mike Kidwell, Derek Gilbertson, Joe Allen, Joe Doyle (-6)
2. Dave Wininger, Larry Hembree, Tom Holt, Morris Cornelius (-6)
3. Junior Byron, Wayne Souerdike, Tony Wease, Lee Wininger (-5)
4. Mike Bird, Curt Johnson, Karry Stoll, Bryant Trambaugh (-3)

Sharpshooters: Junior Byron, Joe Allen, Lee Wininger, Curt Johnson

Saturday Skins:
Players: Mike Bird, Larry Hembree, Curt Johnson, Tony Wease.
Skins: Mike Bird (#4 birdie, #5 net birdie); Larry Hembree (#6 net birdie); Curt Johnson (#8 net birdie).

Weather: Overcast with Chance of Rain: Nice

Chance of rain but not much yet in these two days of overcast and lowered temperatures. Still nice - the back of the heat wave has been broken. Things should be peachy keen for this morning's scramble and skins. Come join the fun.

Friday Wrap, Movie, Tiger and the Irish

Reminder: Saturday Manager's Scramble starts at 8am tomorrow morning.

Movie: watched this movie this afternoon, Temptress Moon, and enjoyed it very much though it does end badly, sadly. Chinese, subtitles.

Continue to be intrigued by foreign movies and more specifically Far East and Southeast Asian movies. And I do wonder if part of that is a curiosity about that part of the world. And if that is true, what am I learning from these movies about them? Which leads me to the question, what Hollywood movies would you put on a list of ten that are uniquely descriptive of our way of life, our culture, who we are, for those people in the far reaches of the world who are curious about America? Gangster movies? Westerns? Musicals? Of course, maybe Hollywood movies have no close relation with the reality of our society. But I find that hard to believe as I think Hollywood somehow reflects and copies who and what we are. Got any suggestions?

Other stuff:

-Tiger one back at the end of day two.
-Eric passed on Jerome Bettis comments: Irish will be very lucky to win two of their first six. Clausen will be the quarterback.
-World turns and continues to travel through space to God knows where.

Colts Win Big, Tiger Playing Well

Picture: Party's over. Seniors head home after final scheduled event yesterday.

Pro Sports

-Colts very impressive in easy win over the Saints. I love that swarming defense. Sure was a lot of hoopla in Indy getting the NFL season started. Something new that the NFL is doing? Or mostly a continuing of the celebration by Indy and the Colts?

-Tiger three back heading into day 2. Here Jaime Diaz talks about what Tiger owes the Tour. If you guessed just about nothing, you agree with Jaime. And I do.

-Oh oh... Brewers tie Cubbies for 1st place in division. Come on, Cubs, no faltering now. Rev it up and get the job done. Nothing less than a world series banner blowing in the winds at Wrigley is acceptable.

War: Iraq and Vietnam

-Larry's piece on his Uncle Jim in this week's Loogootee Tribune is very touching. Jim Hembree killed in action in Vietnam on September 6, 1967. First in Martin County to fall in that far away place, that far away war, that has come to take so much space in thinking and feeling for many of us over the years.

-WAPO's top story talks about how Petraeus is open to pull out a brigade next spring. Hey guy, we want them all coming home, not just 3500.


Heading to the golf course. A little more rain during the night but not anything to hoot about yet. The cool is cool though.

Bird, Trinkle/Lents, Brown, Potts and Bird Triumph

With rain coming down in drips and drabs and not a single player heading for the clubhouse, the second nine holes of the Senior Individual Flighted Tournament was finished this morning. The welcome showers did dampen a few scores but for the most part just added an element of long awaited wetness to an already drama filled day. In the end, after lead changes and ups and downs galore around the golf course, the winners were finally determined. To wit: In the A Flight, Mike Bird fought off the challenges of Al Kavanaugh (who actually tied for the lead after a birdie on #8), Mike Anderson (who got to within one stroke of the lead after a birdie on #4) and Jack Butcher (who also tied for the lead after his par on #6) to come out on top with a score of 74. In the B flight, Jack Lents and Dave Trinkle came from behind to catch and pass Rex Hudson and share of the trophy with scores of 78. In C Flight, Dave Brown shot a sterling 38 on the second nine to catch and pass Wayne Pearl by two strokes with a final total of 81. In the D Flight, Sam Potts hung on as Walt Bowens collapsed to beat Ray Shaw by three strokes, Sam finishing with a core of 92. And finally, in E Flight, Diane Bird fired her best ever nine hole round with a 43 to finish at 91 and gain a skinny one stoke victory over Pam Byron. In the end, three of the number one seeds prevailed and were joined by a number two seed (Diane Bird) and a number three seed (Sam Potts). Sharpshooters for the day were John Walker on both #3 and #8. Jack Lents on #7, and Charlie Sheetz on #9. All the scores are posted on the Senior League's web page.

Day for Seniors to Shine

And we come to the last official event in the Senior League's calendar for the year 2007. Second nine holes of the flighted tournament; preceded by a putting contest, followed by a luncheon. Bring your A game along with your dish of goodies. Looks like we will get a bit of cloud cover and not so difficult heat. And do stay hydrated, we are still in the oven of this drought with the heat wave on top.

Mystery Golfer Richard Swayze

Richard Swayze, long time golfer, Community League guru, super Senior League sub and one of our June 2nd Mystery Golfers, then and now. If I remember rightly, Richard served in France in the early to mid '50's. That would be the then. The now picture is from this spring on a cool day at the golf course when he was playing golf with Jack Lents and Jim Bateman, probably a league event.

Wednesday Wrap, Tooth Fixed

Yes I did go to Bloomington this morning and sit around most of the morning while good Dr. Spires and his lovely assistant, Andrea, kept me company. And just because of their company, I am feeling much better tonight - still hesitant to chew on my right side as it is a little tender. But for the most part, back to normal and I still have my tooth.

Part of the afternoon was spent watching a movie with Diane: Wilde. Story of Oscar Wilde, prolific writer who was put in jail for his homosexuality. Died young, only forty years old, and if we are to believe the movie, because his health was ruined by the hard labor he was forced to do as a jailbird. Give the movie a rating of three mostly because of the man to man love scenes - my preference is man-woman or woman-woman. It did spark an interest to learn more about Oscar Wilde though, not only for the wild life he lead but also, and mostly so, because of his writing.

At the golf course this evening; played nine holes with Diane, getting ready for tomorrow. Also put together the pairings for tomorrow's 2nd nine holes of the senior flighted tournament. The low four scores in each flight are paired together - let them duke it out for the trophy. Of course, a fifth or sixth place golfer, or lower, may sneak in there and steal it from all of them. Don't forget, we start at nine with a putting contest and play is followed by a pitch-in luncheon.

Still hot; still brown. We need some rain. Do a rain dance before you go to bed tonight. Or, better yet, we'll do it as a group sometime tomorrow morning... (smile)

Early Wednesday Morning Notes on Tuesday Play

It's still dark up here on our little hill just south of the golf course, just north of the east-west version of St. Mary's road. Won't be for long before dawn's rosy glow will be rising in the east.

Notes on Tuesday Men:

-John Walker showed up with a magic putter yesterday and played darn good ball otherwise as well to post a 34, his best ever, and take the B Flight trophy. He also closed with two birdies, got the low score of the tournament and the low score of the day. Big feather in the cap to JW.
-Another John, Big John Foddrill, fired a second consecutive league 38 (after another weekend of playing with the boys) and walked off with the crown in the Individual standings and in the E Flight. He destroyed his competition the last two weeks of the season. Sometimes more golf is good for you, wouldn't you say, John?
-Junior Byron cussed and moaned with the placement of the tee blocks at #9 after he and Kevin made a shambles of that hole with a doulbe and a triple bogie. Still, his 36 was good enough to get him a share of the A Flight title with Phil Eyler, each of them firing 71's for the 18 holes.
-Chris Hogan got himself an eagle on #4 but couldn't stand prosperity so he followed that with a quadruple bogie on #5. Three shots out of bounds from the tee. Chris... Still managed to blow out the competition in the F Flight, taking the crown by three strokes with an 82.
-Steven Downey had himself a birdie run on #2, #3, and #4, should have continued it on #5 and #6, and then paid the price with a bogie-double bogie finish. Still finished with a 36...
-Keith Parsons and Bill Carrico calmly went about their business, shot matching 47's, and smoked the competition in the Team race. Keith also finished second in the Individual race and took the G Flight crown. Pretty good for a guy who had to take a year's sabbatical with a bum back.
-Tony Wease, Mr. Consistency, shot a second consecutive 40 to whip up on the competition in C Flight. His 80 won by three over John Drake.
-Tracy Rayhill and Jay Breeden played pretty consistently over the last two weeks as well, a couple of 40's for Tracy, a 39 and a 41 for Jay. Their 80's gave them a share of the C Flight trophy, just nipping a foursome with 81's (Albertson, Gilley, Johnson, and Jay's dad, Mike).

And of course there is the long drive competition which was finally won by Tyler Kidwell but not without some stiff competition during the final minutes of the day and the season as Dave Wininger and Dad Mike Kidwell knocked the ball silley on #6 as well. Approximate distance of Tyler's drive: 317 yards; Dave and Mike's: 300 yards.

Super season, guys. It was a lot of fun watching you duke it out week in and week out. Next week Doug Denson starts his Tuesday evening scrambles, this year with a start time of 5pm.

Rosy glow in the east...