The Goode Family

"King of the Hill" creator Mike Judge has developed a new series called "The Goode Family," which debuted last night (Wednesday, May 27) on ABC at 8 p.m. Central Time.
"The Goode Family" is Judge's way of making fun of environmental do-gooders, those people who feel guilty for using two-ply toilet paper and those people (my favorite) who are convinced that plastic bags are going to destroy the world.
(Plastic bags are not going to destroy the world. I know that disappoints most of you). It's OK. It's a harsh reality, but it's true. And here's another bit of news that will shock most: Organic foods are not any better for humans than regular foods. I have the science behind that one, because I spent my semester studying with a world renowned agricultural economist.
But that's neither here nor there. What is important is that Judge, who is one of my heroes for creating "King of the Hill," has developed "The Goode Family" just in time. It's en vogue right now to be environmentally conscious, to drive hybrid cars, to feel guilty for eating meat. The Goode family dog is forced by the family to eat a vegetarian diet. It's a great point of humor for the show that the other animals in the neighborhood seem to be disappearing .... the dog needs to get his daily protein requirements somewhere. He's not getting the protein requirements in the household, let's just put it that way.
So you should tune in. It's funny. Though the first episode was a little more jam-packed than I prefer, it's still a great way to put into perspective all the hype over environmentalism.
Now, I'm going to eat a steak!

Life's Moments

Tiffany Davis' graduation from college is nothing short of a miracle.

She graduated this past weekend from Five Towns College in Long Island, New York.

But few people know Tiffany's story. The woman pictured with her here is one of my life's heroes, Mae Fulkerson. Mae adopted Tiffany and her brother Shawn when they were toddlers. They were from a very abusive family and they had been very neglected and abused as children.

Congratulations, Tiffany (and Mae, for getting her to this point). We love you. This is your moment to shine.

Back in Action

It's been a long, tiring semester, but the semester ended last week and I finally have a chance to write again! I'm now 21 credit hours into my 32-hour master's program at the University of Oklahoma. But with Baby Olivia on the way, I'll sit out the fall semester!
We're so blessed; after 11 years of marriage and a long time trying, I am halfway through my pregnancy and doing well! We officially hit the halfway mark this week (20 weeks). In the medical world, a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks.
Olivia's ETA is Oct. 5. If she's like her father, she will arrive precisely on her due date. If she's like her mother, she'll sleep in a bit!
Thanks to everyone for their love and support!

"But he was so normal ..."

When someone goes on a shooting rampage, guess what becomes the defining action of his or her character?
Was it the fact that he or she brought flowers to little old Mrs. Hickendoopler down the street, once, when he or she was 11 years old?
No.
We are defined by our actions, and certain actions carry larger stigmas. For example, shooting a crapload of people across two counties in Alabama. Or being Chester the Molester.
Sorry, maybe I'm going to Hell for saying this, but Ned Flanders he is not.
So why do people feel the need to insist that this person who shot all these people "was so normal. He was so quiet."
He's not normal. He cannot function as a healthy individual in society.
But for those people who want to make excuses for him, invite him over for tea. See how that works for you.

When Governors Get it Wrong

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/11/stimulus.sanford/

South Carolina's Gov. Sanford has been an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration and its $800 billion stimulus package.
But to compare the United States economic situation with that of Zimbabwe shows a crucial misunderstanding on Sanford's part of economics and history.
He wants to scare people, and it's an ineffective tactic. Perhaps what he needs to do is find someone who can analyze numbers and put it in real terms where Jane and Joe Q. Public will understand the impact of borrowing against the future.

The Death of Dailies

In case you haven't heard, you should know that the Rocky Mountain News is scheduled to stop production, issuing its final edition on Friday. The news came fast from one of my colleagues in Ohio that the owner of the Willoughby (Ohio) News Herald and the Lorain (Ohio) Morning Journal has filed for bankruptcy.
I love nothing more than the feel of a newspaper. Sure, I am as much of a web news junkie as anyone in this Internet era, but I still love the feel of a paper and I know that dailies are one of the most critical components of a democratic society.
I wish more people would understand that and do more to help save the dailies.

Blame the Sheep

First it was cows, now it's sheep whose gas production is being blamed for global warming.
Check out the story at www.wsj.com
Oye vey.