tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462231942669586532024-03-13T08:29:38.964-07:00Capitol SpaceCharlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-50094832656994774462013-10-15T08:48:00.000-07:002013-10-15T08:48:08.191-07:00Gone at 51
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Don’t waste another day” said our Engineering Director as
we filed out of Robert’s funeral mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
sudden heart attack prematurely took the life of one of NASA’s best engineers
last week and his stunned colleagues, a group not known for expressing emotions
well, exited the church with glazed looks on their faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>51 is too young for someone who appeared to
be in reasonably good health to die and for those of us of that age, his death
is yet another frank reminder of our own mortality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whenever I attend a funeral I cannot stop imagining myself
in a casket in front of the church, but fortunately these thoughts don’t
continue past the service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Robert
experienced yesterday awaits us all and the only thing we can control is what
we do beforehand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we want to be
remembered when our days are over?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
the priest said in his homily, Robert was known as a brilliant engineer, a “go
to” guy for propulsion issues, but also as a caring friend of many, and a
loving father to his four children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I drove away from church, the sun shined on a beautiful October
day, lawn mowers whirred, and cars passed in all directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life moves on just as it will when we die
despite our focus as the center of our own personal existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For an hour in church and maybe a few hours
afterward, we are motivated to take stock of our lives and to think about
making changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then life’s inertia
reappears and we fall back into our regular habits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Wood, in his book <u>Ordinary Lives,
Extraordinary Mission </u>argues that we become enslaved by our habits and
resist change because we don’t want to let go of what is comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So how do we change our lives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we break the habits that keep us from
leaving the legacy that we want?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prayerful
self-assessment followed by action is needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The time before our own funeral is getting shorter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll miss my friend Robert as will everyone
whose lives he touched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you Robert
for your life and for yesterday’s reminder to not waste another day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-35245110590474303822012-12-04T22:04:00.000-08:002012-12-04T22:04:24.591-08:00RG III and the Fiscal Cliff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSlNWuIlLa-npFmB_FLCpbwBbpgpzviTVg92Ma3kXdeRYpY4kogDGyINQSgmpzbYCbPT14GjWPCrCk4gyo-Rce-cbkqaP0WC8gKwhHfhE187mQFxxYYxkz_cGvYvylYIk4gHbgAx8F_tB/s1600/RG3+PIC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSlNWuIlLa-npFmB_FLCpbwBbpgpzviTVg92Ma3kXdeRYpY4kogDGyINQSgmpzbYCbPT14GjWPCrCk4gyo-Rce-cbkqaP0WC8gKwhHfhE187mQFxxYYxkz_cGvYvylYIk4gHbgAx8F_tB/s320/RG3+PIC.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The political polarization in Washington seems hopeless as
America heads toward the fiscal cliff that will be triggered by Congressional
inaction on January 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To avoid this
calamity, the country needs a negotiation facilitator who is respected,
admired, and liked by both Republicans and Democrats; someone who can sit
between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner and cajole them both
into a budget deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately for us,
that person exists and currently resides in our nation’s capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is none other than the superstar rookie
quarterback of the Washington Redskins, Robert Griffin III, aka RGIII.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Griffin legend continues to grow as he
has led his otherwise mediocre team to victory after victory in front of throngs
of DC fans, conservatives and liberals alike, who are head over heels in love
with the guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Griffin’s appeal is not
only for his extraordinary athletic ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is smart, articulate, grounded, and a leader as evidenced by his
teammates recently naming him captain despite being a 22 year old rookie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So how would a negotiation session with Obama, Boehner, and
RGIII go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obama:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s just
no deal without raising tax rates on the wealthy, those $250K per year or more rich
guys like John and me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII: “Prez, you’ve got to give Speak some credit for
putting additional revenue on the table. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s putting up with all kinds of static from
Grover because of it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all about
raising more money and higher tax rates are not the only way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your buddy Erskine Bowles even agrees with
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s accept Speak’s proposal to
limit income tax deductions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll take
a cue from poor old Mitt Romney and cap itemized deductions at $25K.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That should raise about $120B per year and
even though the middle class will pay some of it, rich people like Mitt will
pay a lot more.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obama:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That won’t
raise enough money.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then let’s
throw in some excise taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about
taxing bad behavior like using too much gasoline?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Federal gas tax is a paltry 18 cents per
gallon and has been unchanged since 1993. I paid $3.20 per gallon the other
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could increase it by 50 cents
and a gallon of gas would still cost less than 4 bucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would get us another $90B per year.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Boehner:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Increasing
taxes will hurt the economy and cost us jobs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s the
beauty of excise taxes Speak; you can choose not to pay them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think carpools and hybrids instead of Nissan
Armadas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we’re at it, we ought to
put an extra tax on fast food to offset health care costs and take some fat off
of America’s kids. Now let’s look at the spending side.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Boehner and Obama:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We
can’t cut Medicare for today’s seniors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Got to do it
guys. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raising the eligibility age from
65 to 67 seems reasonable since we’re living longer, but we’ve really got to
change the way seniors and all of us think about health care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people with comprehensive health insurance
don’t even know what medical care costs because they don’t pay out of pocket.
We’ve become addicted to health insurance. If we restructured Medicare with means
tests and higher deductibles, people would care about what their doctor charges
or what lab does their tests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Market
forces would lower costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reduced
cost of insurance would then free up some premium money that seniors could keep
in flexible health savings accounts that they could use to pay the deductibles
on routine care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the reduction
in administrative overhead if seniors paid doctors for office visits with debit
cards linked to their health savings accounts.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obama:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What about
investments in America?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s what
the stimulus was for Prez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s belt tightening
time now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Boehner:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now you’re
talking.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hold on
Speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already dealt with Medicare,
one of the big budget elephants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
we’ve got to work on Defense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speak’s
man Mitt proposed a 5% cut to all discretionary programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s fine but to make a dent we’ve got to
include the DOD in that cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now with
the Afghanistan war ending, can’t the DOD tighten up by 5% and still keep us
safe? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5% from DOD saves us $40B per year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5% from non-defense discretionary saves another
$25B.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Boehner and Obama:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
don’t like it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RGIII:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But can you
live with it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the definition of
compromise gentlemen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t solved
this $1 Trillion deficit, but we’ve got a good start and the plan is balanced
with spending cuts and revenue increases. This has been challenging, but now I’ve
got to head back to Landover for a really tough job, getting my 6-6 Redskins
into the playoffs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-24752878420690108122012-02-20T15:16:00.000-08:002012-02-20T15:16:41.762-08:00Pipp, Lin, and Davis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOplOAvpUqILEhTEq6ezhlhY-ie-kLf6lgjhmoLHkRa-fWoK3jdUIB4vNI9cB2uslM7oOZMHqN6qCq8m4EzLJJ0-9Hv9QeXbwQiyHuyT5bBUQ3CONGjV6DDIZbxO705Eo0DyZNoB5-STp/s1600/JLin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOplOAvpUqILEhTEq6ezhlhY-ie-kLf6lgjhmoLHkRa-fWoK3jdUIB4vNI9cB2uslM7oOZMHqN6qCq8m4EzLJJ0-9Hv9QeXbwQiyHuyT5bBUQ3CONGjV6DDIZbxO705Eo0DyZNoB5-STp/s320/JLin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Injuries occur in all sports and professional athletes fear recuperation time on the bench because of the legend of Wally Pipp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pipp was a solid first baseman for the New York Yankees who sat out a game in the middle of the 1925 season, supposedly due to a headache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His replacement that day, Lou Gehrig, then played 2130 consecutive games for the Yankees on the way to baseball immortality. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baron Davis, the injured point guard for the New York Knicks may be the latest re-incarnation of Wally Pipp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Davis’ injured back was healing and the Knicks languished with an 8-15 record, coach, Mike D’Antoni turned to seldom used guard Jeremy Lin, the last guy on the bench, for a spark in a Feb 4 game against the New Jersey Nets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lin responded with 25 points and the rest of the story is known as “<a href="http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=147059635&m=147065730">Linsanity</a>”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lin has started at point guard in the 8 games since, averaged 25 points per game, and the Knicks have won 7. So why was Lin on the bench in the first place?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well he certainly doesn’t fit the mold of the prototype NBA player. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 6’ 3” Lin is of Taiwanese descent, is a Harvard graduate, and looks like he should be running the Physics Lab instead of an NBA offense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His pro basketball career looked to be a short one until the injury to Davis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So will <a href="http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=147059635&m=147065730">Linsanity</a> continue or will opposing coaches figure out how to stop the Knicks’ new point guard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will Lin’s magic February be a feel good footnote in this NBA season or the birth of a great career?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will Baron Davis ever start another game for New York?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing is for sure; Jeremy Lin is a breath of fresh air and has given the NBA a needed charge of energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This blog is testimony to that since I normally don’t care about the NBA and now Lin has me reading box scores on the Knicks’ webpage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-66211985307454901372012-01-22T12:29:00.000-08:002012-01-22T20:58:11.106-08:00Joe Pa and the Bear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb3qgECnWuqMvn3PNVKOqFCnm01UIhC1Hj82dfCGPKL1SanDT4lEO2kMP_wffFsbkIBXOKNNeDHVJqn9n0PPnIZ8ISALqzLvQWH9iqCXTIXO5HqdOx_FQvj46whQP0mrcc7aepp4L9obB/s1600/paterno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb3qgECnWuqMvn3PNVKOqFCnm01UIhC1Hj82dfCGPKL1SanDT4lEO2kMP_wffFsbkIBXOKNNeDHVJqn9n0PPnIZ8ISALqzLvQWH9iqCXTIXO5HqdOx_FQvj46whQP0mrcc7aepp4L9obB/s1600/paterno.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">29 years ago Bear Bryant died 4 weeks after coaching his last football game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe Paterno died this morning 11 weeks after coaching his last game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two legendary college football coaches whose careers have been compared many times over the years now share one more trait; they couldn’t live without the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the dust has settled a bit from the awful November revelations of Jerry Sandusky’s alleged molestations of young boys, attitudes towards Paterno’s poor judgment in the matter have softened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it is still apparent that Paterno should have done more, his own admission of such as well as his failing health have caused the media to focus more on his “full body of work” at Penn State to capture his legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joe admitted that he didn’t know how to deal with Mike McQueary’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>report of what happened in the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>shower room,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and he settled for informing Penn State administrators thinking that they would have more expertise in dealing with the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have done more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have thought about future victims instead of potential embarrassment to the university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is obvious in retrospect, but given similar circumstances, how many of us would have behaved differently?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, he didn’t hide it; he passed the problem up the line. So did McQueary. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We think of our heroes like Joe Paterno as being better than the rest of us in all respects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This event proves that while iconic football coaches like Paterno and Bryant are superior in one field, they can be extraordinarily human and average in other aspects of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paterno’s longevity was both legendary and controversial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was asked to retire in 2004 after consecutive losing seasons but refused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the past two seasons his frail appearance evoked more pity than adulation and the injury that he suffered this season when accidentally hit by a player during practice took him off the sidelines and may have accelerated his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An argument can be made that he was too old to coach in 2002 when as a 75 year old man, he faced a decision that would later turn out to be career and life defining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would a younger, more energetic Paterno, a man of unquestioned <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>integrity and honesty, have dealt with McQueary’s revelation in a more proactive way?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been said that Joe Paterno died of a broken heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a sense, his sudden death relieves him of the pain of watching the sordid Sandusky affair unfold in the courts later this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time does heal and Paterno’s legacy will be less tarnished as time moves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lesson that we can all learn is that public icons are no better than the rest of us outside of their field and we all have a responsibility to act when presented with the opportunity to stop a threat to society.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-78105507241643556142012-01-16T15:56:00.000-08:002012-01-16T15:56:09.645-08:00Tebowmania<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYXOB6xPxsqBAst2ZKLwAUxqV35btYoYZmAtKWHz8OzLJsN5eEm3fs3Y9N5vtt6eHvPqUrjdQVrJYOSpYx4j_kc_2Zu13r0epJ6wWaCsaK1ai8UofM6SI6Ic2Bz1XnbM7lcxCRHUjEeKs/s1600/tim_tebow--300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYXOB6xPxsqBAst2ZKLwAUxqV35btYoYZmAtKWHz8OzLJsN5eEm3fs3Y9N5vtt6eHvPqUrjdQVrJYOSpYx4j_kc_2Zu13r0epJ6wWaCsaK1ai8UofM6SI6Ic2Bz1XnbM7lcxCRHUjEeKs/s1600/tim_tebow--300x300.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that the Denver Broncos have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs, “Tebowmania” should subside, at least for a few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After watching Tim Tebow’s play since he took over as starting quarterback in mid-season, I have to agree with Mel Kiper and the other draft gurus who claimed two years ago that he did not have the skill set necessary to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet despite lousy mechanics, so-so arm strength, and poor accuracy, he actually led mediocre Denver to eight wins including a first round playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Was there divine intervention at work here? </span>And so the Tim Tebow mystique continues and the legend grows.<o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course Tebow is so newsworthy because of his unprecedented combination of athletic ability and evangelical Christian focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of all the athletes who have started a press conference by thanking their Lord and savior Jesus Christ, (and there have been too many), he is the most genuine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The media, who love to build up and then tear down heroes, are unlikely to find a skeleton in Tim’s closet, but you know they will look hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tebow’s evangelical work in prisons, with young people, and his habit of spending time with critically ill people before games is well documented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are admirable traits so why is he such a polarizing figure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">People who outwardly demonstrate such a strong, confident faith can be disconcerting to those of us who struggle with faith or who remain bewildered by the mysteries of God and the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.btea.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">The ministry of Bob Tebow</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, Tim’s father, is based on an extremely conservative, fundamentalist, Christian belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Tebows believe that the words of the Bible are inerrant, including the book of Genesis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They, like many other evangelicals, believe that salvation is only achieved through belief in Jesus Christ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a ministry that is very intolerant of other beliefs (Christian or otherwise) and is blatantly anti-Catholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to their </span><a href="http://www.btea.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">website</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, their ministry in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, has five major priorities; Evangelism, Church Planting, Pastor Training, an Orphanage, and the Training of the Next Generation of Evangelists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll give them credit for the orphanage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It must be very comforting to have such a strong and simplistic faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally I struggle with the contradiction between John 3:16 (salvation through faith alone) and the 25<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> chapter of Matthew (where Jesus instructs the Apostles to love their neighbor as the means to salvation).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can accept the book of Genesis as an inspirational story of God’s covenant with man, but I can’t accept the contradictions with evolution or cosmology that arise if one takes the creation account literally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also can’t accept that there is no place in Heaven for those who live their lives in accordance with <a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/passage.aspx?q=matthew+24;25">Matthew 25:31-46</a> whether they have ever heard of Jesus Christ or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I respect and admire Tim Tebow for his character and his virtue. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For at least a few months I won’t miss his press conferences with the obligatory reminders of his father’s religion.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-1433757507441461332011-12-07T16:24:00.000-08:002011-12-07T16:24:29.101-08:00Turning Into a Newt<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Has the Republican Party swung so far to the right that Newt Gingrich is now criticized as being too liberal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such were the accusations against the former House Speaker and 1990’s conservative standard bearer by several of his fellow Republican Presidential candidates in a recent debate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Newt garnered this criticism by taking a risk when answering a question on illegal immigration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of taking the easy, party line approach of expressing zero tolerance for those in this country illegally, he proposed that families who had been here for decades should be allowed to remain together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The repudiation was swift, particularly from Michelle Bachmann, a proclaimed evangelical Christian. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gingrich has been called many things, but holy is not one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A checkered past of three marriages, extra marital affairs, and ethics sanctions follows him so it is ironic that the candidate least likely to appeal to those looking for righteous Christian values would be the one who acted the most Christ like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can anyone intelligently read the Gospels and think that Jesus Christ would advocate deporting illegal parents of children who are US citizens?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Newt’s proposal, risky in the environment of a Republican debate, was pragmatic and reasonable, and he deserves credit for steering discussion on immigration away from the hard line position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aftermath?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has jumped in the polls and is now leading all the other candidates for the Republican nomination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">President Obama’s strategists are giddy with the thought of facing Gingrich in next fall’s election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, Newt’s campaign is poorly organized or financed relative to Romney’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has also found ways to alienate people and self-destruct in the past and is perceived as a much easier opponent to beat than Romney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Democrats should not rest easy however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gingrich’s intellect is a match for anyone and his willingness to take a risky, moderate position on immigration may be a sign of an older, wiser man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paraphrasing a line from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr8DIg3oHFI">Monty Python and theHoly Grail</a>, the Republican front runner has “turned into a Newt.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It remains to be seen whether he “gets better.”</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-44408251714282022552011-11-16T20:23:00.000-08:002011-11-16T20:23:55.116-08:00What I’ll Miss About DC<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The blog has been silent for a long time and if I have any readers left, you have probably guessed that my detail to Washington ended and I’ve returned home to north Alabama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been great coming back to my wife and my home and the foliage and football of October was like a welcome sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting a new job and returning to my pre-detail routine and life has suppressed the urge to write however and it’s hard to believe that I haven’t posted anything in two months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guilt finally got to me so here are my “top ten” things that I’ll miss about living in Washington in no particular order.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life without a car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Driving, especially filling my car with gas is now something I dislike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Commuting to work via the Metro and walking and biking everywhere is a healthier lifestyle and forces one’s mind to think differently.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Great restaurants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The culinary selection in my hometown has improved over the years, but I’ll miss the selection of wonderful ethnic restaurants that DC has to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Proximity to power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no denying the excitement of being right next to the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and walking the same streets as the people on the news.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Mount Vernon and Rock Creek Trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had many memorable runs and bike rides on these well maintained and scenic trails that offer great views of the city.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arlington Cemetery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Situated on a hillside overlooking DC from across the Potomac, the cemetery with its long rows of neat simple gravestones is a constant reminder of the price of freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Mall and Smithsonian museums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best things in Washington are free and the museums flanking the Mall are among the best in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Natural History and the National Gallery of Art are my favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Monuments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the monuments are inspiring, but the Lincoln Memorial at night is a must see for a visitor to Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Observing veterans visiting the War Memorials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having the opportunity to say “thank you” to an elderly WWII veteran in a wheel chair is a moving experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Professional sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although one could argue that the Crimson Tide football team is an exception, we don’t have professional sports in Alabama. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Becoming familiar with the Redskins, the Nationals, and DC United has given me some new teams to root for.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My colleagues at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve lived I’ve met good people and Washington was no exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll miss the friends that I made over the past year, but it’s nice to have an expanded network.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-22149889883715551722011-09-18T19:19:00.000-07:002011-09-18T19:19:40.147-07:00A Fine Irish Sunday Morning in DC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE0iLdznlrt-wHB4CzAidU8YoO1KCC7r0AKmXARQzsS3AJtVHSTcPltrwyG3jm6FNUnzMubQbcw3AYsY2djz_5cUnEAzQkrbG4Bpp7Nu5cyFmh0rUc7puFu1JZRvbRaY9ao9hEy7sBA6p/s1600/Fados.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE0iLdznlrt-wHB4CzAidU8YoO1KCC7r0AKmXARQzsS3AJtVHSTcPltrwyG3jm6FNUnzMubQbcw3AYsY2djz_5cUnEAzQkrbG4Bpp7Nu5cyFmh0rUc7puFu1JZRvbRaY9ao9hEy7sBA6p/s320/Fados.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Evidence of soccer’s growing popularity in the US can be found in the number of big city bars that show broadcasts of games from around the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here in Washington, there are many soccer “watering holes” to choose from if you want to catch an EPL or a La Liga game and share the experience with kindred souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this particular Sunday, I decided to honor my Irish heritage by joining the patrons of <a href="http://fadoirishpub.com/washington/">Fado Irish Pub</a> which is located ironically, in Chinatown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The featured match was Chelsea vs Manchester United and I expected a decent crowd for the 11 AM start, but the sight that greeted me when I walked in the door was quite unexpected.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OzjrfZqqKH9bW38agFVLWjkU5Zk0RXYz9K7rCyTc-R58t7M5LbeQp4tYbsoW4ZXXqSMxoQbpfecKF4gCGdCFkR3Cl-e9ABI4RbxUe095REf1YrwblXRzPnbn7SkWFBh0_U_hgirrD1NA/s1600/St+Patricks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OzjrfZqqKH9bW38agFVLWjkU5Zk0RXYz9K7rCyTc-R58t7M5LbeQp4tYbsoW4ZXXqSMxoQbpfecKF4gCGdCFkR3Cl-e9ABI4RbxUe095REf1YrwblXRzPnbn7SkWFBh0_U_hgirrD1NA/s320/St+Patricks.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since this was Sunday, I could not bear the Catholic guilt of missing Mass in order to swig beer while hollering at the TV in a bar, so I found a church that was nearby <a href="http://fadoirishpub.com/washington/">Fado</a> and had a 10 AM Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not just any church, <a href="http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/">St. Patrick’s</a> is the oldest Catholic church in the District, having been established in 1794 to minister to the Irish stone masons who were building the US Capitol and the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The present stone structure has stood since 1884 just up the street from Ford’s Theatre, and there was a good crowd for the service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything happens quicker in DC than at home in Alabama, including worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The final verse of the recessional hymn finished at 10:45 AM and I headed for the pub with my conscience clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://fadoirishpub.com/washington/">Fado</a> is a classic Irish pub with dark wood dominating the décor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place was pretty full and raucous with about 2/3 of the crowd watching a big screen TV and cheering on either Dublin or Kerry in a Gaelic league soccer match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other third of the bar, were watching pre-game commentary for the Chelsea/Man U match and I found an empty seat at a table with two young EPL fans and a couple close to my age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just figured that the EPL game would be the featured event but as one of my tablemates explained, <a href="http://fadoirishpub.com/washington/">Fado</a> is not an Irish bar in name only (like most are) and it is frequented by Irish nationals who come to watch soccer and rugby and drink Guiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The minority of EPL viewers became a majority when the Gaelic league game ended and the crowd cheered and groaned after great plays and near misses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man U won the game as they almost always do and the guys wearing red “Rooney” shirts left happy after the final whistle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I was rooting for Chelsea, the company of my table mates, as well as a couple of Harp lagers and a sandwich, made for a fun time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The atmosphere in <a href="http://fadoirishpub.com/washington/">Fado</a>, is very similar to that of the couple of Glasgow pubs where I had the opportunity to watch some soccer with my son during my Scotland trip earlier this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For UK nationals who reside in or are visiting DC, these soccer pubs must be a nice taste of home. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks to the six hour time difference, the soccer activity for the day ended around 1 PM; just in time to catch the Redskins game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do love the autumn.</span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-10419365043644428752011-08-28T13:23:00.000-07:002011-08-28T13:30:04.995-07:00Manassas or Bull Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n100CPFAqI4yRzfjevmSRXtLI4BkZOlcWVmfFdQRxB7N5aSFoyZLKrsjOq5WZJnl-Y6yYLq0vhxQgKa9UEm1Xj617ba3lMHbuxDwchQJrha8QM1LRGMN6QVFjdm2oiTniMihc7sjFRt_/s1600/DSCN1226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n100CPFAqI4yRzfjevmSRXtLI4BkZOlcWVmfFdQRxB7N5aSFoyZLKrsjOq5WZJnl-Y6yYLq0vhxQgKa9UEm1Xj617ba3lMHbuxDwchQJrha8QM1LRGMN6QVFjdm2oiTniMihc7sjFRt_/s320/DSCN1226.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first organized battle of the Civil war was fought on rolling farm land near Manassas, VA on July 21, 1861.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Union army, led by General Irvin McDowell, proudly marched from Washington into the Virginia countryside with Richmond, the Confederate capital as their goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The betting line was that the Rebels would run in fear of the organized Union army and that the Southern insurrection would be squashed quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So confident were they of an easy victory by the Union army, the wealthy of Washington, including some members of Congress, actually came out to watch with picnic baskets and wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No doubt these were the ancestors of people who enjoy the “Jerry Springer Show” and “Jersey Shore. “ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However upsets happen in sports and wars and the first battle of Manassas showed both sides the realities of what they had gotten themselves into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt9lwAX-e4ZLaBdbKvL5ZPGWBrXkU0_iIPv0LDyJ5U5TS370OoG_TAkVRKHS2EyxcLMVrrbsSn0ee7mF9rMNNCyc5EW3LqkW15vWUYl7AXtLdR-UTy9ShD7lRkNLWsqroKo0Era4ltRVw/s1600/DSCN1225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt9lwAX-e4ZLaBdbKvL5ZPGWBrXkU0_iIPv0LDyJ5U5TS370OoG_TAkVRKHS2EyxcLMVrrbsSn0ee7mF9rMNNCyc5EW3LqkW15vWUYl7AXtLdR-UTy9ShD7lRkNLWsqroKo0Era4ltRVw/s320/DSCN1225.JPG" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Manassas, about 25 miles southwest of Washington, was a strategic point because it was the junction of two railway lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bull Run, a creek with steep banks was a natural barrier to the advancing army and the Confederates fortified all the crossing points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first shots were fired at the famous Stone Bridge over the creek, but this was only a diversionary tactic as McDowell ordered the bulk of the army to march north, around the Confederates’ left flank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the two sides engaged and while the Rebels did not run in fear as predicted, the superior numbers of McDowell’s force prevailed in pushing the Southerners backwards to the top of Henry Hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reinforcements from the Virginia army under the command of General Thomas J. Jackson arrived to join the battle and the afternoon reversed the outcome of the morning as the reinvigorated Confederates gained the upper hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jackson received his nickname “Stonewall” on this day in reference to his troops’ refusal to give up ground and the defeated Union army was forced to retreat back to Washington.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I jumped on an invitation from one of my friends to visit the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm">Manassas National Battlefield Park</a> and we spent the morning walking in the footsteps of Jackson, McDowell, and the 900 men who were killed that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cannons dot the battlefield and the park is ringed with split rail fencing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of the landscape is unchanged from 1861.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bull Run creek still meanders around the property and under the Stone Bridge where it all began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Visitor Center, on the top of Henry Hill, contains a small museum with weaponry of the day on display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A statue of Stonewall Jackson on horseback looks out over the battlefield outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judith Henry’s house still stands near the edge of the hill with her grave and those of her two children right outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Henry, then 85 years old and bedridden, refused to leave her home even though it was clear that the house would be right in the crossfire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was killed by artillery fire during the battle, the only civilian to die that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she made a good decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having lived to 85 in 1861, Judith had blown the life expectancy curve and probably wasn’t long for this world in her condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Millions of people now know about her and have seen her grave because of her decision to remain in her home.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgxS2RKeifpfK1h8gVbNB6YZpes1DLEfFonHMyZPr2D5p1nTeDA3pWqKat6W0s5XZYhsAQU4GKmZ4jkq5LuWp-GPbhgYfROrqBRDFTeibnsa_QZTjUHhvHRxa2O3a0a5VXLeXsI-CGDkX/s1600/DSCN1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgxS2RKeifpfK1h8gVbNB6YZpes1DLEfFonHMyZPr2D5p1nTeDA3pWqKat6W0s5XZYhsAQU4GKmZ4jkq5LuWp-GPbhgYfROrqBRDFTeibnsa_QZTjUHhvHRxa2O3a0a5VXLeXsI-CGDkX/s320/DSCN1227.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The battle was called “Bull Run” by the North and “Manassas” by the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fought primarily by inexperienced and naïve young men on both sides who had never seen war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The carnage showed both sides the horrible cost that the Civil War would exact on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A second battle was fought here 13 months later by experienced and more deadly soldiers in both blue and grey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3300 people died in the second battle of Manassas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The contradiction of the pastoral serenity of the park now with the horrors of the two battles ran through my mind as we walked among the cannons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manassas National Battlefield Park is beautifully kept by the National Park Service and I left with an important history lesson reinforced by personal experience.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-87718533557047602822011-08-23T18:28:00.000-07:002011-08-23T18:28:25.899-07:00Quakin' in DC<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At 2 PM the building shook and then again a few seconds later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People poured out of offices and cubes with disbelief on their faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first thought was earthquake, but that was quickly dismissed since this was DC, not LA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next, more horrifying explanation was a vibration in response to a nearby bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone finally found enough composure to command everyone to evacuate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We filed into the stairwell and then out into the street with confusion all around, and were joined by office workers from all the buildings in the vicinity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had this happened to every building?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked the 5 blocks to the National Mall to check on the Capitol and the monuments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, all were intact and there were no smoke columns anywhere within view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A police officer confirmed that an earthquake registering 5.8 on the Richter scale had just hit the city.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Californians would be unphased, but to a lifelong East Coaster, having the floor beneath you shake in an unnatural way with an uncomfortably large amplitude, is a scary experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fire trucks and police cars with sirens wailing sped by, but the fact that this event was caused by a natural phenomenon, not a terrorist, was a relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next set of fears then set in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How safe was my building?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the Metro?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to call it a day and head home, on foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My apartment in Arlington, Virginia is about 4 miles from work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small fear of being trapped underground kept me out of the Metro and the beautiful summer weather (80 degrees with low humidity) made a long walk attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made my way through southwest DC past hundreds of people waiting outside their offices for some direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many were walking like me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped and shared experiences with a woman standing outside her townhouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was an art collector and had many glass items that had fallen from shelves and broken during the quake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking along the southwest waterfront toward the Jefferson Memorial, many tourists passed in the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a story they had about their DC vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 14th St bridge behind Mr. Jefferson has a sidewalk that is protected from car traffic by a fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staying as far to the right as possible, I kept hearing “On your left” as cyclists passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was joined by many other walkers, unnaturally crossing the Potomac in ties, jackets, and dresses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Carefully negotiating our way across highway ramps, a few companions and I made our way toward the Pentagon parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, I found a way under an I-395 bridge and into my neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The walk cleared my head and allowed for rational thought to take over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no visible damage to any building or structure that I saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No cracks or evidence of falling debris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I arrived home, I felt safe in my apartment and a beer and an hour of local news put the event in perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The epicenter of the quake was about 80 miles away in rural Virginia and the quake had been felt as far away as Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Washington did not suffer any appreciable damage; except for a few broken spires on the National Cathedral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one was killed and very few were hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be more prepared for my next earthquake but I hope I never experience another one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a hurricane in the Bahamas right now heading for the southeast US with the potential for a whole lot more damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not worried about that storm however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess you fear what you’re not used to.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-14111466170621641732011-08-20T13:47:00.000-07:002011-08-20T13:47:07.219-07:00Airline Seats <span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Americans get larger and airlines reduce flights to ensure full occupancy, air travel has gotten increasingly less comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My 155 lb body fits well in a standard airplane seat, but even I don’t have excess room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that is why you see concerned looks on the faces of seated passengers when a 300 lb<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>guy sweating through his business suit, toting an overstuffed rollerboard walks down the aisle looking for his seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those looks of concern then change to relief when Jumbo passes their row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone else gets the pleasure of being cozy with the slabs of beef that flow around the armrest constraining their already tight space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On a recent flight, I was tucked into my snug seat comfortably reading a newspaper when the guy in front of me decided to take a nap. Of course he reclined his seat the maximum amount possible, intruding into my space so much that I could easily count his hair roots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The paper got pushed into the never land where my progressive eyeglass lenses wouldn’t focus and I had about as much room as if I’d ridden out the flight in the toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have two suggestions, rather, pleas for the airlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, do not succumb to any pressure to increase the size of seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the risk of sounding cruel, obese people shouldn’t fly, especially on smaller planes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the flight attendant on a small plane asks people to move to the front or back to even out the weight distribution, it is clear that size matters, and grossly overweight people are not making flights safer for the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seats built for what used to be average size adults discourage the obese from getting on airplanes and that’s good for the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can’t fit in a standard seat, buy two tickets. Second, seats should be locked so that they don’t recline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting up straight is better for your back and must be safer since the flight attendant always makes us “return your seats to their full and upright positions” for takeoff and landing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My apologies to anyone whom I’ve offended with this post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to my engineering mind, all airplane passengers are not created equal and lighter ones are better, both for safety and for comfort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-79737296808312184902011-08-14T13:05:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:05:55.083-07:00Boston's History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qhLU19r4vf_e-zXlfBXObXi2Sxg3vXwYlDhplfsfee4U7-wY7UH6A20qgGzr7bmpu6jv5ShTXUEShtVgo-9tNfBRo4WDV00v2YTdDD_YDPJFuCJqhhd2MDkcG85h0SWlqV9wA2C7_QUu/s1600/Old+North+Church+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qhLU19r4vf_e-zXlfBXObXi2Sxg3vXwYlDhplfsfee4U7-wY7UH6A20qgGzr7bmpu6jv5ShTXUEShtVgo-9tNfBRo4WDV00v2YTdDD_YDPJFuCJqhhd2MDkcG85h0SWlqV9wA2C7_QUu/s320/Old+North+Church+2.JPG" width="240px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere…” is the opening verse of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem about the legendary American Revolutionary War hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the night of April 18, 1775 the British army prepared to march from Boston to Concord, MA to destroy a munitions depot that the Colonists had stocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two riders set out that night to warn the troops in Concord and anyone on the way that “The British were coming”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Waiting in Charlestown, on the other side of Boston Harbor, Paul Revere saw two lanterns shining in the belfry of Boston’s </span><a href="http://www.oldnorth.com/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Old North Church</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, the signal that the Redcoats were taking the shorter route, crossing the Charles River by ferry before starting their march.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William Dawes also rode out from Boston taking the longer land route and later joined Revere west of Lexington on the road to Concord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dawes and Revere then enlisted a third rider, Samuel Prescott to join them in alerting people in the towns along the way to Concord, but the three were arrested by a British patrol before reaching their destination. Dawes and Prescott escaped, but only Prescott succeeded in making it to Concord to warn the Colonial troops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revere never made it to Concord that night although Longfellow gives him the full credit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The true story of Paul Revere’s ride, as I just summarized was one of the many historical facts that I learned on a recent weekend trip to Boston with my wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With only a short time to see the city, we took a walk on the </span><a href="http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Freedom Trail</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, a terrific 2.5 mile walk through the history of our country’s birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A line of red bricks in the middle of the sidewalk marks the Trail and takes the follower to some of the most important locations in Revolutionary war time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Trail starts at Bunker Hill in Charlestown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A monument on the crest of the hill marks the spot where American colonists engaged the British Army in one of the early battles and a musket demonstration by a volunteer in Colonial uniform helps the imagination.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzNMDPMPFM3pr1pSJd5p9gqVGlsgsUUjeUG6eu0eOb0VjY0ui3Fp3lGRYeL_Zn1rcrQHeQHKetVDzXqgUcTqeXX939jfTor8y0UxEfKAiCuF4ifrMqngrRV-YNRCD-geRKwT_7puVeJKW/s1600/Ironsides3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzNMDPMPFM3pr1pSJd5p9gqVGlsgsUUjeUG6eu0eOb0VjY0ui3Fp3lGRYeL_Zn1rcrQHeQHKetVDzXqgUcTqeXX939jfTor8y0UxEfKAiCuF4ifrMqngrRV-YNRCD-geRKwT_7puVeJKW/s320/Ironsides3.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our next stop was the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides”, the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy that still sails our waters on ceremonial occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First used during the war of 1812, the undefeated ship is moored in Boston Harbor and active duty sailors give the public a great tour that explains the workings of the ship and how sea battles were fought 200 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crossing the Charles River into Boston proper, the Trail meanders through the North End neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> N</span>ow an Italian section with great local restaurants on every block, the North End is one of the oldest parts of Boston, and also contains Paul Revere’s house and the </span><a href="http://www.oldnorth.com/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Old North Church</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nameplates in the church identified which pews had been rented by the wealthier members of the congregation in 1775. Surprisingly, one of the pews was reserved for General Thomas Gage who was the commander of the British Army in New England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We think of war in terms of a clear cut battle between two sides with little in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However the nameplate was evidence that at least prior to the outbreak of the Revolution, the British worshipped with the locals on Sundays. Heading south through the city, the Trail passed historic places such as Faneuil Hall, the Quincy Market, the sight of the Boston Massacre, and the Old State House before ending at Boston Common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re able, seeing a city on foot is the best way and the Freedom Trail in Boston provides a great history lesson as well as good exercise.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R_CHiC4NvB8j50ctl0yG8wF9wec44wF6yy5trCess_Lb3_1kLKpxNzsqnth4o54XVpQ_RX8g2LXDrUPvyEvF6E84c9rzB4tNVOSzbXmAePpF9w7iUdd0TVdBo5rcWv5hcDm3Sw4JvZmk/s1600/Concord5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R_CHiC4NvB8j50ctl0yG8wF9wec44wF6yy5trCess_Lb3_1kLKpxNzsqnth4o54XVpQ_RX8g2LXDrUPvyEvF6E84c9rzB4tNVOSzbXmAePpF9w7iUdd0TVdBo5rcWv5hcDm3Sw4JvZmk/s320/Concord5.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The American Revolution actually began on a bridge in Concord on the morning of April 19, 1775 when an organized regiment of the Colonial army, having been warned of the British approach by Prescott, advanced and fired on the Redcoats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ensuing battle pushed the British all the way back to Lexington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reinforcements from towns and farms between Lexington and Concord joined the Colonists in the bloody battle that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that point, there was no turning back; America was at war with England and the next six years decided the fate of the two countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/mima/index.htm"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Minuteman National Park</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> encompasses the site of the old battle road between Concord and Lexington and there is a walking trail with markers of important events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A visitor center provides a very good presentation that ties all of the events together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Standing on the soil where history was made gives one a closer connection to the past and taking advantage of the history of Boston, our history, is something that a visitor should not miss.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-5112995410428957742011-07-31T09:33:00.000-07:002011-07-31T09:59:37.256-07:00Barcelona vs Manchester United<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAg7Zl3ST6cAO_7Tc4mbvTe7MyTd-BP407MrrIH_jy_DbDfq3c30_S2gLvilcomGUJvr4yqj6MqPrvmZgPFE5o16TDbNp8_IW6m9GqI5h72eXATTDI_d62hYYzPLmjMQMdu_swMb0tW3W/s1600/DSCN1216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAg7Zl3ST6cAO_7Tc4mbvTe7MyTd-BP407MrrIH_jy_DbDfq3c30_S2gLvilcomGUJvr4yqj6MqPrvmZgPFE5o16TDbNp8_IW6m9GqI5h72eXATTDI_d62hYYzPLmjMQMdu_swMb0tW3W/s320/DSCN1216.JPG" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steep ticket prices and metro cars packed like sardines didn’t dissuade 82,000 DC area soccer fans from taking advantage of the opportunity to see the best two soccer teams in the world play a “friendly” match at FedEx Field in Landover, Md on Saturday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to get a relatively “reasonably” priced ticket a few days before the game and was one of the 82K in attendance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fan behavior at this game was nothing like what I experienced at a DC United game earlier this year (</span><a href="http://charliewithacapitolc.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">See blog from May 22</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fans of both teams wearing team jerseys enthusiastically cheered and sang throughout the game and there was very little getting up for snacks during the course of play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps this game drew out the more sophisticated soccer fan, or maybe it was the price of the tickets that motivated everyone to see as much of the action as they could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Being a friendly game, many unfamiliar numbers dotted the field in the starting lineups for both teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lionel Messi, the consensus top player in the world, did not suit up for Barca since he needed rest from recent Argentina national team play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However stars like Andres Iniesta and David Villa played most of the game for the Spanish team and they were a joy to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Likewise, Man U’s most famous player, Wayne Rooney played the first half at his striker position and Portugese midfielder Nani was on the field for most of the match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My neighbor in the seat next to me was disappointed with the absence of all the superstars, but I wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the second stringers on these two clubs possess world class skill.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As in most games, Barca controlled the ball and time of possession with precision passing and trapping that looks even more impressive in person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>United’s defense was stout however, and few scoring opportunities were created.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nani opened the scoring for the English side after 22 minutes when he found room on the left wing and shot the ball between the keeper’s legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one goal lead held until halftime and Barcelona increased the pressure as the second half began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My son and I shared several texts during the game and he pointed out Barca midfielder Thiago who is only 20 years old as a player to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several minutes later, making my son look clairvoyant, Thiago evened the score with a bullet into the upper 90 from about 25 yards out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The partisan crowd (about 60-40 for the Spanish team) in the stadium erupted and the game opened up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A midfield mistake by Barca at the 76 minute mark resulted in an intercepted pass and Man U had a 2 on 1 break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom Cleverly fed Michael Owen who barely remained onside and the striker put the Red Devils up with a classy chip over the onrushing keeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2-1 score held to the end and while the victory pales in importance to their loss to Barcelona in May’s European Champions’ League final, it should give the English club some confidence as it prepares for the upcoming EPL season and next year’s Champions league campaign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Watching these two great teams live was definitely worth the effort and it’s good that the emergence of soccer as more of a mainstream sport in America now provides opportunities for soccer fans to occasionally see the world’s best players without traveling overseas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sellout crowd in the home of the Redskins doesn’t hurt either.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-601322041408597962011-07-25T17:12:00.000-07:002011-07-25T17:12:39.248-07:00The Shuttle's Legacy, Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiulFxvka8o3PznQQp3gRoC1MfXfU-5AYHUekZ19YkkWADbxn4u4Ys-cY9Ve-Cc3mzVQMG3zigQ0ErBMi71ZEXiqT0PVbULuoF549VW-ArqISkmWuBKsdgSPQAfz7LKLUZ924G3WhJRyv0/s1600/Shuttle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiulFxvka8o3PznQQp3gRoC1MfXfU-5AYHUekZ19YkkWADbxn4u4Ys-cY9Ve-Cc3mzVQMG3zigQ0ErBMi71ZEXiqT0PVbULuoF549VW-ArqISkmWuBKsdgSPQAfz7LKLUZ924G3WhJRyv0/s320/Shuttle3.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what’s next for NASA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the Orbiters, the path is clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discovery will be displayed in the National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Endeavor will reside in the California Science Center in Los Angeles, and Atlantis will be at the Kennedy Space Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enterprise, the early Orbiter test vehicle, will be displayed on the retired Intrepid aircraft carrier that is docked in New York harbor. The path forward for NASA’s human exploration program is not so clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current policy, which relies on commercial companies to develop human rated launch vehicles, means that NASA will depend on Russia to ferry astronauts to and from the Space Station for the next few years at a minimum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If US companies are successful in developing this capability, then NASA can pay them for astronaut rides to the Station and eliminate the dependence on Russia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The risk with this approach is that if the commercial companies cannot make money, they will do what all companies do; stop and do something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there needs to be another reason to travel to low earth orbit, another market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Space tourism is a very limited market right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To date, 7 civilians have paid between $25 and $35M for “vacations” in space courtesy of the entrepreneurial Russian Space Agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If US companies can reduce the price for a ride to space to a level where it is affordable for the very rich instead of the incredibly rich, then tourism may be a viable future market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NASA cannot be the only customer for commercial launch services if this model is to work.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The very important but less publicized science side of NASA will continue on largely unaffected by the Shuttle’s retirement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are currently 84 active NASA science missions in phases from formulation through extended operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These missions fall into 4 categories: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Astrophysics, and Planetary Science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hubble telescope, launched in 1990, that recently provided us with images from a 13.2 billion year old galaxy, is one of those missions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Orbiting satellites with instruments pointed towards Earth collect data on weather, the water cycle, and atmospheric changes among other objectives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Opportunity rover that has been rolling along the surface of Mars for 7 years looking for signs of life is another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opportunity will be joined next year by a larger rover, the Mars Science Lab, that is scheduled for launch in November, 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Science mission spacecraft which are launched on expendable launch vehicles provided by companies like United Launch Alliance and Orbital Sciences Corp., can travel longer and farther than manned missions because there are no human physiological restrictions.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The signature moments in the manned space program have been “firsts”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alan Shepard was the first American in space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neil Armstrong, the first human to step on the Moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Shuttle was the first reusable space plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the next “first” for NASA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A return to the Moon would not be a “first”, but establishing a permanently occupied lunar base like the Space Station might be considered so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sending an astronaut to Mars would be a huge “first”, but the distance and time involved (7 months one way) may be impractical with current propulsion technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps we should focus on an asteroid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recently selected NASA planetary science mission called OSIRIS-ReX will send a spacecraft to asteroid “1999 RQ36” in 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This asteroid is of particular interest because its orbit is close to that of the Earth and there is a 1 in 1800 chance of it colliding with our planet in the year 2182.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To avoid a fate like that of the dinosaurs, learning more about this dangerous little neighbor is a good idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly a manned mission could augment what is learned about the asteroid from OSIRIS-ReX and enable us to safely alter the asteroid’s orbit sometime in the future.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzaBIxzSF5Bxnv9z7GCrUmz1tD5xd96Xg_bC0yESPDBpTyHewI32BPEIeP733rLVj8hlgvGF3ulhdF1oNYmw7h-7v0sp7TBEPYjAiJf9r7BM8Q0yANeWXTPMEoRGz1isBERRu1Z7Y5oxA/s1600/Shuttle7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzaBIxzSF5Bxnv9z7GCrUmz1tD5xd96Xg_bC0yESPDBpTyHewI32BPEIeP733rLVj8hlgvGF3ulhdF1oNYmw7h-7v0sp7TBEPYjAiJf9r7BM8Q0yANeWXTPMEoRGz1isBERRu1Z7Y5oxA/s320/Shuttle7.jpg" t$="true" width="224px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scientific value of these and other potential missions and their cost need to be evaluated by NASA, Congress, and ultimately the American people in the next decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no easy answers and in a time of large deficits, any new government program must make a compelling case for funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mankind and the US economy have benefited from our investment in NASA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking on the challenge of solving difficult problems has led to some of our greatest achievements as well as germinated new products and markets (cell phones, GPS devices, improved medical imaging equipment, cordless power tools, memory foam, etc.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difficulty now is deciding what that next challenge should be.</span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-14779797061412042712011-07-21T19:32:00.000-07:002011-07-21T19:32:05.620-07:00The Shuttle's Legacy, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CVhKB2NlfgC2B8cHlzGiaUASmf1U4tSz9lI7uRA6svRDK6Zcme5gOeAn5km1DmutDuTdbVbzock4flmr_n2-PtdT5Wqx5hLXYwSp0nmdDJGiCEetw5hK16J_Ljlpn8y7tKB285pEhTSp/s1600/sts130-s-046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CVhKB2NlfgC2B8cHlzGiaUASmf1U4tSz9lI7uRA6svRDK6Zcme5gOeAn5km1DmutDuTdbVbzock4flmr_n2-PtdT5Wqx5hLXYwSp0nmdDJGiCEetw5hK16J_Ljlpn8y7tKB285pEhTSp/s320/sts130-s-046.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Congratulations to the Atlantis crew and all members of the Space Shuttle team on this morning's safe landing at the Kennedy Space Center.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part 2</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although the optimistic flight rate was never achieved; the most flights in one year was 9 in 1985, the Shuttle did provide regular access to low earth orbit and it enabled <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>construction of the International Space Station which has been continuously occupied since 2000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also proved out the concept of re-usability with the External Tank being the only element that is not recovered and refurbished after a mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Shuttle also brought the Hubble Space Telescope to orbit, saved the observatory with the first servicing mission in 1993, and kept it functional with 4 subsequent repair missions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The program opened up avenues of cooperation between the United States, the European Union, Russia, Canada, the Middle East, and Japan as astronauts from many different countries flew together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That international cooperation continued on the space station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond the technological achievements, both the Shuttle and Space Station programs became effective diplomatic tools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the period from 1986-2003, 87 successful missions were flown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The redesigned SRB field joint worked perfectly and a number of other upgrades were phased in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SSME fuel and oxidizer turbopumps were redesigned to achieve better structural durability and thermal margins and the ET material was changed to a new Aluminum-Lithium alloy with higher strength than the baseline aluminum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allowed for a lighter tank and the 7500 Lbs savings equated to an almost equal amount of additional payload performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Achieving additional payload performance was key because the decision to locate the Space Station at an orbital inclination angle of 51.6 degrees with the Equator (necessary in order to accommodate Russian launches from Kazakhstan), meant that the Shuttle could not fly an optimal performance trajectory to the Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">February 1, 2003 brought the second great tragedy to the program as the orbiter Columbia, the first to fly into space in 1981, broke apart during atmospheric reentry over Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cause of the failure, a cracked wing leading edge due to foam shed from the ET during launch, is still troubling because the failure mode was not intuitively apparent, even after it happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ET foam insulation is very light, almost the consistency of Styrofoam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the failure investigation, testing proved that the foam, when moving at a high velocity, could fatally damage even the tough carbon composite leading edge of the wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wing breach on Columbia allowed super hot gas into the interior of the vehicle which precipitated its destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inherent in the practice of Engineering is the making of assumptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When designing a system and deciding what tests need to be run on that system, engineers must determine what the most likely failure modes are and focus their attention on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judgment and experience are critical in this process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is impractical to test every possible scenario so intuition as to the sensitivity of the system guides the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike in the Challenger failure, it was not intuitive that very lightweight foam shedding from the ET during launch could fatally damage the Orbiter wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Testing and the deaths of 8 astronauts proved otherwise.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The decision to include the Russians in the Space Station program allowed American astronauts to continue flying to the Station during the 32 months that the Shuttle was grounded after Columbia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shuttles resumed flying in 2006 with better process controls in place to limit the amount of foam shed from the ET during launch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note that NASA and the ET prime contractor, Lockheed Martin were unable to completely prevent foam from shedding during flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The foam application process control improvements were the best that could be done, and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin judged the risk to be acceptable to resume flights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>22 successful flights later, most of them used to complete construction of the International Space Station, and Atlantis has now concluded her mission, the 135<sup>th</sup> and final flight of the Shuttle program.</span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-59057892502201580182011-07-19T18:02:00.000-07:002011-07-19T18:16:09.694-07:00The Shuttle's Legacy, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClh10kdIcLctc_kj3cd2wlrSDIZtuczfpNrYvrG1m07ugS64uJl7a6vvHbydTkhHis7AWR7KwFqpnrY0boSTABTF8lF9NQB6suGVIljXHGLjyAU4Rz7b7JWXytuGf4bILq9YYtYRHMSb2/s1600/sts130-s-038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClh10kdIcLctc_kj3cd2wlrSDIZtuczfpNrYvrG1m07ugS64uJl7a6vvHbydTkhHis7AWR7KwFqpnrY0boSTABTF8lF9NQB6suGVIljXHGLjyAU4Rz7b7JWXytuGf4bILq9YYtYRHMSb2/s320/sts130-s-038.jpg" t$="true" width="214px" /></a></div>This is the first in a three part series of blogs to celebrate the final flight of the Space Shuttle and the end of an historic NASA program.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the Space Shuttle Atlantis lands on or near July 21, it will mark the end of a chapter in the story of NASA, a very long chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>135 flights, 30 years and 3 months ago the chapter began with the successful launch of Columbia with astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen aboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched that launch from the parking lot of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center where several months before I began my career as a Mechanical Systems Engineer for United Space Boosters, a Shuttle contractor at the launch site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Shuttle was the first launch vehicle that NASA flew with a crew onboard without a test flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also the first crewed launch vehicle to utilize solid fueled rockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until that time, solid rockets were not considered safe for human flight because they cannot be throttled. Once they are lit, they burn until the fuel is expended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything had to work that day and most things did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A number of insulating tiles came off the Orbiter during liftoff, but fortunately not enough to compromise the safety of the astronauts during the severe thermal environment experienced during reentry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additional knowledge was gained with each flight, and over the course of the program, design changes were made to all of the primary Shuttle elements, the Orbiter, the External Tank (ET), and the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB), to increase the safety or the performance of the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The redesign of the SRB field joints came too late however to prevent the loss of the Challenger and her crew on January 28, 1986. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The loss of Challenger was a psychological blow to everyone who worked on the Shuttle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the program’s initial objectives was to provide routine access to space and eventually to an orbiting space station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between 25 and 60 missions per year were envisioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 1986 it was recognized that the flight rate was never going to be that high, but after 24 successful flights, space missions were looking more and more routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Challenger changed that mindset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trip into space requires an enormous amount of potential energy and anytime you are dealing with that much power, there are significant risks involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 1986, no Shuttle flight was considered routine by people working on the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect, the Challenger failure was very preventable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SRB field joint “O” ring seals had not been tested at low temperatures like that present on launch day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cold “O” rings allowed hot gas to escape which led to the breakup of the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The redesign of the joint, which added heaters as well as an additional seal, was accomplished during the 33 month stand down of the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a very busy period for engineers as NASA re-certified the entire vehicle, not just the SRBs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NASA hired many new engineers during this period including myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With 30 years of flight and around 10 years of development prior, some engineers spent the majority of their careers working on the Shuttle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most, like me worked on it for several years before moving to other programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the privilege of working on the SRB project for the first 10 years of my career, both from the contractor side as well as the NASA side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later on, as an engineering manager, I played a role, albeit less direct,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the other Shuttle elements managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) and the External Tank. </span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-46143502919489917442011-07-12T18:57:00.000-07:002011-07-12T18:57:27.439-07:00A Child's Hand<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 19:14</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3LU13Q0huqgg4UMwuBn2F7kpThAJuDQI7ypvqQBYUtuGdGyiefJ7tvO_W-pyYfEFwPMJ_CHDmlgwYKOf1aZJMsdpuuEkYfYIkGDO5HepMDRF8-epEkI2BiPs6U7igPBWTKXz9cWhUb6u/s1600/Shrine1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3LU13Q0huqgg4UMwuBn2F7kpThAJuDQI7ypvqQBYUtuGdGyiefJ7tvO_W-pyYfEFwPMJ_CHDmlgwYKOf1aZJMsdpuuEkYfYIkGDO5HepMDRF8-epEkI2BiPs6U7igPBWTKXz9cWhUb6u/s320/Shrine1.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus’ message rang loud and clear at Sunday Mass at the </span><a href="http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home.htm"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> in Northeast DC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter was visiting me and we were capping off a great “Daddy/Daughter” weekend with worship at the largest Catholic Church in America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been to the Basilica several times and the congregation there is a mix of ethnicities and races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many in attendance were visitors like us, some having traveled very long distances, but there was also a sizable contingent of people from the surrounding neighborhoods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Basilica may be a national pilgrimage site, but it’s also a church for the locals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Lord’s Prayer is a particularly reverent time of Mass for me, and the commonly followed practice of holding hands with those next to you brings a greater sense of community and fellowship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At home in the South, most everyone in church holds hands during the prayer, but that’s not true in DC nor, I suspect, in most big cities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guarded shell that people in the city develop to get them through a Metro commute or a phalanx of panhandlers carries over into areas of life where it shouldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter and I held hands however and I reached out my empty hand into the space next to me in a customary gesture of openness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7eLPQ90NqWH1LmZ8d_HRl9YXZTVnn4sKEpHyU5rAWMByGeXUb5YLFhNpAM6YoWBMBZe5cUbu0DeP6sXgHjwoqWsCjG9Mx0iT5XN8EySezOnz_k7IIH3VxBj3XWqrADWu7S8_euxcQ7GI/s1600/Shrine2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7eLPQ90NqWH1LmZ8d_HRl9YXZTVnn4sKEpHyU5rAWMByGeXUb5YLFhNpAM6YoWBMBZe5cUbu0DeP6sXgHjwoqWsCjG9Mx0iT5XN8EySezOnz_k7IIH3VxBj3XWqrADWu7S8_euxcQ7GI/s320/Shrine2.JPG" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I closed my eyes and prayed the Our Father, I felt a gentle tug on my finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little African American girl, about two years old, who was in the pew in front of us had reached out to hold my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother and grandmother saw this and we all smiled with the common knowledge that a child’s purity transcends differences among people and is something to be treasured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This little angel made me feel closer to God that Sunday and I hope she had the same effect on her mother and grandmother and my daughter too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus was right about the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only we could be more like them in matters of faith or in our relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3LU13Q0huqgg4UMwuBn2F7kpThAJuDQI7ypvqQBYUtuGdGyiefJ7tvO_W-pyYfEFwPMJ_CHDmlgwYKOf1aZJMsdpuuEkYfYIkGDO5HepMDRF8-epEkI2BiPs6U7igPBWTKXz9cWhUb6u/s1600/Shrine1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-2744466127491526912011-06-27T18:07:00.000-07:002011-06-27T18:07:18.161-07:00Capitol Steps Times 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, the best things that Washington, DC has to offer are free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smithsonian museums, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the monuments, and bike trails along the Potomac don’t cost a red cent to enjoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This summer I’ve become aware of another freebie, evening concerts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the past month I’ve been treated to concerts by the US Navy and US Army bands on separate evenings on the west steps of the Capitol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting on the steps with the Capitol dome behind you and the expanse of the National Mall in front with the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial lined up in the distance, while listening to the Battle Hymn of the Republic is a special experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This past weekend my daughter paid me a visit and she, a close friend of hers, and I got to hear the Army band in that venue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However that was not the only “Capitol Steps” experience to be had that weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night after the Army band concert, my daughter and I took in a performance of the musical parody troupe of the same name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Capitol Steps perform each Friday and Saturday night at a theater in the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center which is just a few blocks from the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Steps have been performing since 1981 and if you like political comedy, they will not disappoint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one in power is spared being made fun of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the two hour show, we saw musical numbers that poked fun at President Obama, Sarah Palin, Hilary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Boehner, Anthony Wiener (that one is just too easy), the TSA, the Supreme Court, the Tea Party and many others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the show we attended was recorded for broadcast on National Public Radio on July 4.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really can’t do the troupe justice by trying to describe the humorous lyrics in print, but you have to trust me, hearing duets by Michelle Bachman/Sarah Palin and Sonia Sotomayor/Ruth Ginsberg will make you laugh out loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The musical numbers are very current and they have a never ending supply of material in Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Capitol Steps travel around the country and if they come to your area, you won’t regret seeing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their </span><a href="http://www.capsteps.com/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">home page</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> provides details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a sampling of some of their songs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anthony Wiener: </span><a href="http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/weiner-itsybitsy.mp3"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/weiner-itsybitsy.mp3</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obama on Osama: </span><a href="http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/osama-underthesea.mp3"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.capsteps.com/sounds/osama-underthesea.mp3</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kim Jong Il:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/CapitolSteps#p/u/19/tsP6m7_GVVI"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://www.youtube.com/user/CapitolSteps#p/u/19/tsP6m7_GVVI</span></a></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-53411282801866210112011-06-20T20:38:00.000-07:002011-06-20T20:46:42.100-07:00Roars for Rory<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They say that the crowd roar at a US Open is unlike that of any other tournament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the chance to hear that roar this weekend at Congressional Country Club, and the experience was truly special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory McIlroy, the 22 year old phenom from Northern Ireland, the lad who blew the Masters two months ago with a final round of 80, entered the final day with an almost unprecedented 8 shot lead on the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory had a chance Sunday to destroy a major championship field like Tiger Woods did in the 2000 US Open, or to collapse again like he did at Augusta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The US Open, one of golf’s four major championships, is truly “open” in that anyone with a 1.4 handicap index or better may try to qualify for a spot in the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every player who tees it up in the Open has to play their way in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The big guns qualify through various criteria; world golf ranking, high finishes in majors, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Journeyman tour pros have to qualify along with amateurs through a series of local and sectional tournaments for the remaining spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So while the tournament is almost always won by a top player, there is a chance for a regular guy with a great golf game to compete with the best for the trophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guys like Bud Cauley, formerly a member of the University of Alabama golf team, who made his professional debut memorable by making the cut and cashing his first check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick Cantlay, a 19 year old freshman at UCLA, not only made the cut, but played in a late group on Sunday after finishing three rounds at one under par.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His final score of even par would have earned him about $97,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However Patrick is an amateur so he had to be content with earning the admiration of the golf world for his excellent play.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My son joined me in DC this weekend and we spent 19 wonderful hours Saturday and Sunday walking the course, watching great golf, and relishing the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were one of many father/son pairings sharing the day together and it doesn’t get much better than this for a golfer on Father’s Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t forget it and knowing my son, he won’t either.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunday’s atmosphere was exciting and a little tense as most of the crowd was getting nervous for McIlroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found a spot in the bleachers behind the practice range about an hour before the final group teed off and the crowd erupted with applause as Rory walked onto the range to warm up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed almost too loose to me as he laughed and joked with his agent and caddy in between towering iron shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t fathom how a 22 year old can deal with the pressure he was under with thousands of spectators watching from the perimeter of each hole and millions more on TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a 9 handicap and I don’t think I could have made contact with the ball on the first tee in that situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we pay money to see these pros because they can perform under pressure, sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory answered all the questions by birdying the first hole, and generally played flawless golf for the rest of the round. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To avoid the crowd following the final group, we staked out a spot on the 11<sup>th</sup> fairway near where the players hit their second shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ESPN radio earpieces (a nice free perk from the tournament) kept us up to date on McIlroy’s progress and he made it through the front nine two under par.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We heard the first great roar from the crowd surrounding the 10<sup>th</sup> hole when Y.E. Yang, McIlroy’s playing partner hit his tee shot on the par 3 about 4 feet from the hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gimme birdie would bring Yang within 7 shots of the lead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then Rory countered with a shot that landed behind the hole and spun back to less than a foot away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roar from the crowd on 10, the US Open roar, signaled that Rory had effectively iced the tournament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cheers followed McIlroy up the 11<sup>th</sup> fairway where we watched him hit a perfect 300 yard drive and a long iron to the safe side of the green to set up a par.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five more pars along with a birdie and a bogey and Rory McIlroy finished off his masterpiece of a final round 69.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 8 stroke margin of victory was the most in a US Open since Woods’ epic performance in 2000.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now the inevitable comparisons with Tiger begin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McIlroy will never have to answer questions about the Masters collapse again, but the media will speculate as to whether he is the next “Tiger”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing is for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory McIlroy is great golfer and at 22, is poised to become the number one player in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also seems like a genuinely nice young man and is gracious in every interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the best of a contingent of foreign players who are currently dominating world golf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It used to be that golf fans in this country rooted against non-Americans, especially in “our Open”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we’ve gotten used to the great foreign players over the years and now can embrace them the way we do American champions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone at Congressional was rooting against McIlroy this past weekend, they were doing it quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deafening roars clearly identified the people’s choice and the way he answered the call made the 111<sup>th</sup> US Open an historic tournament and a great memory for a father and a son.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-65826662800315998582011-06-11T09:10:00.000-07:002011-06-11T09:10:55.416-07:00The Age of Aquarius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C2Y42_7wfvIgb1USdsDmjRMTM9nxyWV5wHqKZLVyeUQn55Uk_CoERKHSoSmPMU-U0jRowhJJ7wfRN5_-c_3fnGDsQmESo-NBIeQkMjtgH1BKqAyWoDwAD7TAAxj2eyyFV3-89PkMPRMC/s1600/AquariusLaunch1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C2Y42_7wfvIgb1USdsDmjRMTM9nxyWV5wHqKZLVyeUQn55Uk_CoERKHSoSmPMU-U0jRowhJJ7wfRN5_-c_3fnGDsQmESo-NBIeQkMjtgH1BKqAyWoDwAD7TAAxj2eyyFV3-89PkMPRMC/s320/AquariusLaunch1A.jpg" t8="true" width="210px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NASA got a needed shot in the arm Friday morning at 7:20 AM Pacific time when a Delta II rocket carrying the <a href="http://aquarius.nasa.gov/">Aquarius</a> spacecraft was successfully launched into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The recent failures of two Earth science missions due to launch vehicle defects added to the tension before the launch, but the Delta II performed nominally and we now have a satellite that will spend the next three years measuring the surface salinity of the world’s oceans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ocean salinity is affected by rainfall, evaporation, freezing or melting ice, river discharge, currents, and a host of other parameters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://aquarius.nasa.gov/">Aquarius</a> will provide a complete map of the salinity variation in the Earth’s oceans each month and enable better understanding of the world’s fresh water cycle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fresh water, the most essential ingredient for human life, is often taken for granted, but shouldn’t be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you ever think about where our water comes from and how much control we have over the source?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People in drought prone areas do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be discomforting to realize that our source of fresh water, mountain snow melt and rain that moves downhill filling rivers, is completely dependent on relatively consistent weather patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for control, we have none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Earth giveth and can also taketh away. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ve certainly experienced a wild weather year so far and debate continues as to how our energy consumption habits may or may not affect the world’s weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we damaging the Earth by continuing to burn hydrocarbons at current rates?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The late comedian George Carlin used to say in one of his routines that “</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">the planet will be just fine</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">” and “when the planet is done with us, it will flick us off like a dog shakes off a flea”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Earth has experienced trauma in its 4.5 billion year history that makes whatever damage we may be doing now look insignificant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider the asteroid that hit the Earth around 60 million years ago and wiped out the dinosaurs by changing the weather and killing off their vegetative food sources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hiroshima’s and Nagasaki’s explosions were no more than a firecracker compared to the bang caused by the asteroid.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Current theory suggests that the moon was created by a glancing asteroid blow that caused Earthen material to be ejected into space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gravity caused the material to collapse on itself and formed the moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think our best bomb shelters would protect us from an event like that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However neither of these events killed the Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our planet recovered after a few million years, but things were not the same as they were before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Earth evolved and so did species that were able to adapt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good thing for us since we may have never arrived if the dinosaurs had remained on the top of the food chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So while we don’t need to worry about destroying the planet, we do have to worry about destroying the delicate balance of conditions that enable us to live on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Earth heats up too much and it quits raining and snowing where we expect it, all the political arguments that get us so stirred up will seem like tempests in teapots compared to the calamity that will ensue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s hoping that Aquarius will help us understand our precious water cycle better and provide solid science to guide future public policy.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-39166165632378736822011-06-02T18:47:00.000-07:002011-06-02T18:47:20.154-07:00The Other Washington Monument<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCen8kpHysLD0embCWrpUh6HSb9STE5BsEBDHHz_P5a56a2J9d-2hL8TLRYlbYsnX9_StGoHCULqm0sYZXeshX-387xOg6RurqL2QbpD4dpoUP8z4kEA-kK4GWRUrd846bI0mWMxEbATOl/s1600/GWMemorial.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCen8kpHysLD0embCWrpUh6HSb9STE5BsEBDHHz_P5a56a2J9d-2hL8TLRYlbYsnX9_StGoHCULqm0sYZXeshX-387xOg6RurqL2QbpD4dpoUP8z4kEA-kK4GWRUrd846bI0mWMxEbATOl/s320/GWMemorial.png" t8="true" width="317px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyone who has sat on the left side of an airplane on final approach from the south into Washington DC’s Reagan National airport has seen a tower just beyond Old Town Alexandria and probably wondered, what is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the </span><a href="http://gwmemorial.org/index.php"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">George Washington Masonic Memorial</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, the other Washington monument in this area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much an edifice to honor Freemasonry as the nation’s first President, the Memorial is an imposing structure set on hill about a mile and a half from the Potomac River and the heart of Old Town.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since I’ve seen the Memorial many times from the plane, a visit has been on my list of things to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climbing the hill on my bicycle was a challenge, but I was rewarded with a beautiful view of Alexandria and the Potomac River beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hillside below the structure contains a well cared for garden with a massive rock and gravel Masonic symbol at the center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Entry into the Memorial is free; at least the first two floors, and inside a large bronze statue of George eyes you from the end of a large hall flanked by 40 ft. tall columns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sculpture depicts George wearing his Masonic apron and medallion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murals depicting Washington at prominent events cover the walls on either side of the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The floor below contains a number of rooms with exhibits of Masonic history such as stones from the White House, tools of masons, and tributes to famous members of the brotherhood such as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Jackson, and Harry Truman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One room contains photos of officers of the Alexandria Lodge, dating from the present all the way back to George Washington.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Memorial is worth a visit; it will take no more than an hour, and is very close to the King St. Metro station. If you are in good walking shape, the trek down King St to the Potomac River will offer you an abundance of pubs, open air restaurants, and shops lining the most prominent cobblestone street of Old Town Alexandria. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-46401932900102379022011-05-22T19:02:00.000-07:002011-05-22T19:02:21.431-07:00Soccer Fans: EPL vs MLS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj0QlHCO21crZD6qGHt4OqX9Ne52GvSW6c-C-ik7agHHjnyCyCXXmaw9FAQi52jFAOb6V9D9NvCMRaxj2CcC6y-vLHyLPvTXN4iXIi4ioT2aPnp49PaoYAeTapKEJFIGZCVuphDZNBx7E/s1600/Scotland_England+2011+107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj0QlHCO21crZD6qGHt4OqX9Ne52GvSW6c-C-ik7agHHjnyCyCXXmaw9FAQi52jFAOb6V9D9NvCMRaxj2CcC6y-vLHyLPvTXN4iXIi4ioT2aPnp49PaoYAeTapKEJFIGZCVuphDZNBx7E/s320/Scotland_England+2011+107.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The US Major League Soccer (MLS) has come a long way since its inception 15 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It provides a league for young American talent to improve their skills while playing with and against past their prime stars from Europe and South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The league also has a significant number of Latin American players and Spanish speakers comprise a big part of the fan base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While stadiums are far from filled, the MLS has carved out a niche in the US sports market and appears stable. The English Premier League (EPL) on the other hand is the most popular soccer league in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teams that are comprised of the best (and highest paid) players in the world entertain packed stadiums and English fans are incredibly loyal to their teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When people compare the two leagues, quality of play is normally the topic of discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The speed of play and skill level is certainly better in the EPL, but to me, the most striking difference is the behavior of the fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During my recent trip to London, I had the opportunity to see an EPL game live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The match pitted West Ham, an East London club against Aston Villa from Birmingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>West Ham’s stadium, a small, old structure tucked into a neighborhood, reminded me of Wrigley Field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stands were full even though both teams were near the bottom of the standings, and everyone knew their soccer and was glued to the action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fans applauded good passes and creative plays, part of the reason why high scores are not necessary for a game to be exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a section of “over exuberant” fans who stood during the whole game and screamed obscenities at Aston Villa, but they were confined to one section behind the goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if a ticket in that section comes with a warning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In contrast, I recently saw an MLS game between FC Dallas and DC United that was played at old RFK stadium here in Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The game was pretty good and both teams had a few excellent players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A contingent of Latino fans in one corner entertained the stadium, and mostly themselves with songs accompanied by a drum beat throughout the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The music and singing did add to the experience, and this is reflective of fan behavior in Central and South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Latinos cared about their home team and this was evident in their songs. There were also other people like me, fans of the sport who were most interested in paying close attention to action on the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However a third group showed up shortly before half time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This group of mostly twenty-somethings paid very little attention to the game, were constantly making runs to the concession stand, and treated the game like a social event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the risk of sounding like a soccer snob, which I probably am, no one in England would have paid $32 to show up for half a game and then not pay attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think some of baseball mentality has crept into MLS spectators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baseball is a slow game with interrupted action and it’s OK to miss a few outs or even an inning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like a sports soap opera where nothing changes quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s usually a buildup to a game changing play and it doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye like it does in soccer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now MLS needs every paying customer that it can get so these nouveau fans are welcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wish they would take the time to learn the game and appreciate its nuances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching soccer is like drinking dry red wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to acquire a taste for it, but once you do, you will appreciate and enjoy a game for the skill of the players, regardless of the number of goals scored.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-90570498232788414272011-05-14T08:34:00.000-07:002011-05-14T08:39:22.978-07:00Osama, Obama, and the SEALs<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The death of Osama bin Laden provided a rare unifying moment among Republicans and Democrats in the fractious, partisan, political environment that we find ourselves in each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a very small part of me that feels awkward about celebrating someone’s death, but mainly I believe that he had it coming and the world is a much better place with Osama “sleeping with the fishes” as Don Corleone would say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reputation of the Navy SEALs, already known as the elite among Special Forces units, has been further enhanced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon reflection two weeks later, the brilliance of the operation is striking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The SEALs obviously did a great job pulling off this very dangerous mission without losing a man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They improvised when the helicopter went down outside the compound wall and had the presence to collect the central computer files of Al Queda after securing the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After hearing the initial reports of the raid I was puzzled by two things; the burial at sea and the care taken in the preparation of the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I wondered, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was this monster treated with such regard? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it seems like that was exactly the right thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By following Islamic custom in preparing Osama’s body, the US sent a message to the world that we are not at war with Muslims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are at war with a dangerous fringe element of that faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that most of the Islamic world is pleased that Osama is dead and we need the help of mainstream Muslims to defeat terrorism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disposing of the body at sea was also in retrospect, brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now there is no body for any of his supporters to dig up for the purposes of proclaiming his martyrdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also there is no physical evidence for any publicity hungry lawyer to use to fabricate a human rights claim against the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is enough photographic, eye witness, and circumstantial evidence to prove bin Laden’s death and with his body now shark feed, he has vanished along with hopefully, his legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>President Obama also was right to not release the death photos to the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it would have been perversely satisfying to see what kind of humor the Photoshop artists would have come up with, keeping the pictures private accelerates bin Laden’s transition to historical oblivion and shows respect to mainstream Muslims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The most surprising aspect of the raid is that the President approved it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was an extremely dangerous operation and any number of things could have gone terribly wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We live in an age of instant global communication and the fact that someone in the Abbotbad neighborhood twittered during the event proves that outside communication was possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In years past, cutting the phone lines was sufficient, but no more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The compound was a short distance from the Pakistani military academy and we gambled that if the Pakistani army heard about it, they would not be able to respond quickly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suppose we were wrong and a firefight between the SEALs and Pakistan, an ally, resulted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would Obama have explained that international incident?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The President, in his 60 Minutes interview last Sunday, admitted that they were only 55% certain that it was bin Laden in the compound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very surprising that Obama, who is deliberate and cautious, approved the mission with those odds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But approve it he did and the gamble paid off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone connected with the operation from the President, the Secretary of State, the National Security staff, the military brass, and especially the SEALs deserve all the praise they have received.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will probably be the high water mark of the Obama presidency but the approval rating bump will not carry over to the 2012 election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ask George Bush Sr., who experienced a similar victory in the first Iraq war about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kudos to the US for pulling off a major victory against Al Qaeda and for terminating a killer who lived too long.</span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-65349621935047279422011-05-08T14:20:00.000-07:002011-05-08T14:20:07.159-07:00Tornados and Floods<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mother Nature ravaged the South in the past two weeks with killer tornados from Mississippi to Virginia and record flooding along the Mississippi river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa, AL garnered much national attention and hit home with me as well since my son is a student at the nearby University of Alabama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He picked a good semester to study abroad however, and was not threatened by the storm from his dorm in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my knowledge, none of his friends were hurt, however several trees fell on the off campus house of two of his buddies and they escaped injury by riding out the twister in a storm shelter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tornados are a fact of life in the Midwest and the South and many occur each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They usually hit farm land and lightly populated areas because most of the US land is lightly populated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the statistics decide that it is time for a tornado to touch down in a large town like Tuscaloosa, the destruction can be extreme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a tornado “watch” is announced in north Alabama it means that weather conditions are favorable for tornado formation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We go about our normal business with maybe a heightened awareness of changing weather conditions, but without fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a tornado or a funnel cloud is actually spotted, the watch becomes a warning and sirens sound which means “get to a shelter”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doppler radar and other weather forecasting technology are good at locating and tracking the path of storms and we can tell from the TV news which part of the county is threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should fear the tornado warning more and always go to a shelter, but the localized nature of these storms means that most of the time, they are just close calls.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m sure that anyone who has lived through being in the path of one of these storms must fear them more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over 200 people were killed in Alabama during this latest tornado outbreak and many are still missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My prayers are with all those who were affected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also going to get into the basement faster the next time I hear the storm siren go off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446223194266958653.post-7826617138316241252011-04-30T07:23:00.000-07:002011-04-30T07:23:16.087-07:00The Royal Wedding<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-L1qMHLjZBQTUXD7WSC62EAIF496IH04BSsIBK6ILGhxRgOh1S6Cj0we4V3JdEljZh1grbDuO_ZGr9Trh5BzpZ2Os_rfW7dfE_qnWqhAzZiTEqyBD0XvNcqJL1GzJOoi1FSSeouGyzbQ/s1600/Scotland_England+2011+067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-L1qMHLjZBQTUXD7WSC62EAIF496IH04BSsIBK6ILGhxRgOh1S6Cj0we4V3JdEljZh1grbDuO_ZGr9Trh5BzpZ2Os_rfW7dfE_qnWqhAzZiTEqyBD0XvNcqJL1GzJOoi1FSSeouGyzbQ/s320/Scotland_England+2011+067.jpg" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prince William and Princess Catherine have been married for over 24 hours now and the 2 billion people around the globe who watched the wedding on TV can now return to their normal lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are we so fascinated with the British royal family?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This family, which is anachronistic in a modern western democratic country, has no real governmental authority, but is showered with riches by the British people, and is the continual focus of the British press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet the British love them for they are the living symbol of their country’s history and culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what a rich, old culture it is as Queen Elizabeth can trace her lineage back to the year 757 AD!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A TV commentator said the other day that the royal family is a bargain since they cost each British citizen only a pound a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having the power to attract the attention of 2 billion people is no small feat.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recent royal marriages have not turned out well. The broken unions of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson and Prince Charles/Princess Diana are the most prominent examples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However William and Kate look like two nice, well adjusted young people and in contrast with her late mother-in-law, Kate, who has “dated” William for six years should know what she is getting herself into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William also seems better grounded than his father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is commendable that he currently serves his country as a Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor Charles, forever in the on deck circle, has waited longer to become a monarch than anyone else in history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the looks of his mother, he’s got a lot longer to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you see the 85 year old queen hop up those steps at Buckingham Palace?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother lived to be 101 and I wouldn’t be surprised if Elizabeth is on the throne for another two decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There has been speculation in America that the queen may appoint William as the heir apparent instead of her son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This theory is appealing because William is so much more popular than his father and the picture of King William and Queen Catherine is so much more attractive than that of King Charles and Queen Camilla!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I posed this question to our bus driver and tour guide two weeks ago while on a day trip to southeastern England out of London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their strong opinion was that Charles would be the next king despite the popularity of the young couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Traditions do not break easily in England and there is nothing more traditional than the royal family.</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsqsXEKKB_bDIFfUCw8f56m9qYlhsGKQ_Ob42uS5AGiqbjXoi2UHq-XXEoJ_TpFkWcQ_t7QaFBASTUKrfWAxIE0sTuA91LfNghb2ERn1yMnE-3-i6EbwdJ_fSrAVc3mmccasi6_JsTvZO/s1600/Scotland_England+2011+075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsqsXEKKB_bDIFfUCw8f56m9qYlhsGKQ_Ob42uS5AGiqbjXoi2UHq-XXEoJ_TpFkWcQ_t7QaFBASTUKrfWAxIE0sTuA91LfNghb2ERn1yMnE-3-i6EbwdJ_fSrAVc3mmccasi6_JsTvZO/s320/Scotland_England+2011+075.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I admit to being one of the 2 billion who watched part of the royal wedding yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having been in London recently and having seen the primary locations up close (pictures of Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey are shown), made the event even more enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We Americans live in a very young country and we go to places like England to experience cultures that are much older and steeped in history than our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The British monarchy is the embodiment of that ancient culture, and with the wedding of the future king and queen, it looks to be on solid footing.</span></span></div>Charlie with a Capitol Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15996265178164973208noreply@blogger.com0