Nobody Reads This and I Don’t Care

I just watched this movie.  Basically, it shows a bunch of men acting like they are twelve and plotting to keep a guy from being officially recognized as the Donkey Kong World Record holder.

It is 8am Sunday and have already done an idiotic thing.  I got in my truck this morning and went to take my wife some gas so she could get home.  US31 south of is still closed so I took 65 to 252 to US31.  So far so good.

Here is where it gets idiotic.  When I got to US31, I encountered a National Guards Man who was directing traffic. The road was closed north and south.  Another driver distracted the soldier and I took off north.  Everyone behind me followed me like a bunch of lemmings.  We got about a half mile up the road and I was stopped by water.  I made an attempt to cross and aborted.  Then I waited while some guys in another truck started across.  They were almost across when I made my second attempt.  I was barely moving and the water was splashing up on to the hood of my truck.  The water was tire deep and the current was pulling me.  As I was almost through I came across an area where the road has washed away.  I steered around it and made it out to my waiting wife.

Once we had put some gas in her car we went north on US31 to 252 West, north on 135, and across 144 to Franklin.  It was amazing to see where the water was running across the roads.

None of this would have been necessary if my wife had not decided that she would leave Edinburgh with no gas during flood conditions.  If she would have stayed put, she could have had dinner at a nice restaurant, stayed in a nice hotel, filled her car up, and drove home on I65 this morning.  I wish I knew what she was thinking and how she got her car through the same water that was tire deep on my truck.

Alright.  My wife is in a crappy motel south of town so I have some time on my hands.  US31 is closed.  I-65 is closed.  SR44 is partially gone.  Its hot.  So, I went exploring around town and took some pictures.  All of them have water in them.  I didn’t get any pictures of the poor military personel who job it it is to stand in the heat and humidity to keep me from driving in to deep water.  If you need some water, let me know.  I know were they have a lot of it.

Here is the link to my Flickr account.

What is Festivus?  Check Wikipedia.  It’s a Festivus for the rest of us.

I am categorizing this under “Useless Knowledge.”  In the spirit of useless knowledge check out Mental Floss magazine and Ken Jennings’ Wikipedia entry.  Oh look, we have the same middle name birth year.  He just has more money than me.

No school, no work.  It is a beautiful thing.

I am going to have to see this documentary. It is called 2 Million Minutes. It looks at the education system in the US, China, and India. The US school that is the focus is Carmel High School.

I believe one of the things that is hurting us as Americans is the downward spiral of discipline. I don’t think I have the discipline of my elders and I am afraid my children will be less disciplined than me. My Masters cohort is a highly internationalized unit. They come from India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, China, and other Asian countries. I was in a group with a man named Ajit. He has several degrees including a PHD and is a molecule designer at Lilly. I am sure that took more work than most Americans can comprehend.

Another issue we have is the cost of education. Other countries in the world are doing a better job of educating and they are doing it with less money. I think that the constant push for more money for eduction from the teachers union needs to be seen
for what it is…a money grab. Every time we look at the problems with education we come to the same conclusion. We need to spend more money. Here is a link to a study from 2001. The US spent $500 million on education. China and India both spent less than $100 million. I’m sure they have problem with their education systems, but they are producing some pretty desirable employees for that kind of money.

There has to be a better way.

Here is the long awaited Christmas list:

Christmas List

Books
The Complete Joy of Homebrewing
Anything by Jack Welch

Gift Certificates
Guitar Center
Fryes
MidwayUSA.com

Tools
Creeper
Tap and Die set
Set of 3/8″ swivels

Clothes
Can’t have enough Colts stuff
Velour Pants

Also, I have an Amazon Wish List.

It’s officially that time of year again.  A Christmas Story is on tonight and will be on at the Artcraft Theater next weekend after the courthouse lighting.  Good times!

In other news, I replaced some seals in the master bath shower.  It took three trips to Lowes and one to Menards and three hours.  Amazingly, it worked and is no longer leaking.

To whom it may concern,

I am working on my Christmas list.  Hopefully, it will be complete next weekend.

I won a “Major Award.” This is the third book I won from 800CEOREAD.com

This was the last contest they had. Time to get reading.

This is the roller coaster Courtney rode at Busch Gardens. Watch how they stop the car at the top just before the first drop.