A Few Interesting Links for the Day

Here are a few interesting links for you to check out today:

The Power of Watermelon - I found this linked from the Drudge Report. Here's another reason to have that watermelon for dessert over the 4th of July weekend.

What Exactly Does Retirement Mean? - I found this on ESPN.com. Apparently, Brett Favre has the itch to return. Favre has since gone on record to say that there are simply rumors. I want to believe him, but I have this feeling Favre isn't completely retired. Check some of the comments left by readers...they are priceless.

Another Step Toward Moving - I found this on EPSN.com. One more step has occurred to allow the Seattle Supersonics to move to Oklahoma City. From what I am reading, it looks like there is plenty of blame to go around. With the Bucks record recently and the iffy fan base, it makes you wonder if the Bucks may be the next team to move. Not a whole of players are excited to play in Milwaukee.

Big Break-Up - When you think of the contract that A-Rod is under, this could be a messy divorce if it comes to it.

Other News:

• The Neenah softball team lost last night. We lost 10-1. We could not string any hits together. Hopefully, a practice will be scheduled for Sunday or Monday. That would be very helpful.
• I continue to read for License to Preach school. I have gotten through five books or so and need to get started on some of the papers.
• Christa has gotten a lot of scrap booking done over the last few weeks.
  

One Dinner to Change the World

Since my Dad has been working during the week in Green Bay, Christa and I will meet him in Appleton to catch dinner. We have finally agreed on Tuesday evenings because it is the one weeknight that we don't have a softball game.

Our conversations together hit on major things that have been going on in our lives, with snippets of sports talk in there as well. Invariably as conversation makes its way into current events and politics, we usually talk about the state of the world and how we could make it a better place. No matter the topic, we usually boil it down to a few keys things:

1. We need term limits for politicians starting...well, now! Vote out all incumbents now and only allow people one term. "Politician" was not meant as a career. You were a public servant in addition to your chosen career. It is career politicians that have caused many of the problems that we are in.
2. People can't take responsibility for anything. That's why loads of people are in credit card debt. People sign for mortgages they can't afford and assume someone will bail them out. That's why nothing changes in government, but we aren't willing to make a difference.
3. The political issues between nations inside and outside of the middle east go beyond anyone's ability to talk or negotiate. Sadly, it will likely escalate to some kind of war where one side or the other will pretty much be wiped. It's hard to think of another realistic. scenario.

Perhaps in the future, I may expound on one of these areas.

Our dinners will soon be running out as my dad will be done with the traveling portion of his job and will likely be working for the company in the Milwaukee area.

Credit Card Debt

As I was driving back to Breese Hall last night, I heard on the radio a commercial about how you can consolidate your debt. Specifically, this company worked with credit card companies to consolidate credit card debt. The claims about savings that they were making seemed quite substantial.

To qualify for their services, you must have at least $10,000 of debt. Wow. I knew of someone who had $7,000 of debt, but I never realized people got themselves into debt to that amount.

Credit cards indeed have a corrupting power and obviously allow us to spend beyond our means.

A Market For Organs?

Happy New Year! It is the first post of 2007. I am hoping that with the residence halls opening today, my posting schedule will become a bit more regular. I have always found the concept of New Year's to be somewhat flawed; if you really think about it, the new year can start whenever you want it to start. But, I go along with convention.

I was reading my most recent edition of The American, and there was an article that outlined the idea of having a market for organ donation. The example used in the article was for kidneys. It explained how long the waiting list was and how often people go without a kidney because there aren't enough resources.

I encourage you to read the article and post your thoughts on the blog.