Baseball 2009

When I was younger, I loved to play baseball.  Growing up in the Midwest, it was something that most young boys did in the summer- starting with what they called “Pee Wee” League (there wasn’t anything called T-Ball back then), then on to Little League and then to Pony League.  The hard-core ball players went on to American Legion baseball, while the rest played some softball.  Or we did not play at all, and devoted our summers to fast cars and chasing girls.

I always try to watch the World Series.  I think it was my dad that turned me on to the World Series, as he would have it on our one and only TV during the fall when he was home.  We would gather around the old black and white TV and watch the game.   (more…)

Published in: on October 30, 2009 at 6:55 pm  Leave a Comment  

Foolish Move

Sometimes outstanding job performance just isn’t enough.  I guess one could ask Great Falls Airport Director Cynthia Schultz about that.

Today in the Great Falls Tribune, I read that the Great Falls Airport Authority (GFAA) has moved to terminate her contract and hire someone else, “under revised rules” as the Tribune reporter wrote.  The reporter also wrote that the board, “…took the action out of concern over the vague director’s contract, and that Schultz’s performance was not at issue.”  I wonder who wrote/approved “the vague director’s contract,” could it be GFAA?

In my opinion, terminating the Director’s contract was a very foolish move by the GFAA, and that’s putting it nicely.  (more…)

Published in: on October 28, 2009 at 6:36 pm  Comments (6)  

Little Shell: Denied

Although it started back in 1860s, the Federal Government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) today finally issued a decision about the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana.  The Little Shell had formally petitioned the government for Federal recognition, the latest time being in 1978.

Today, the BIA determined the Little Shell does not deserve Federal recognition.

That is just plain wrong in many ways.   (more…)

Published in: on October 27, 2009 at 6:28 pm  Comments (1)  

Voting

The 2009 Election season is upon us.  I remember the first time I voted, and I have hardly missed any elections (national, state, local, school board, mill levy, etc.) since then.

Now I get my ballots in the mail.  That gives me some extra time to examine the issues or the candidates before making a decision.  It also allows my family to discuss the issues while sitting around the kitchen table.  Plus, I don’t have to worry about going to the precinct to vote on Election Day.

I remember when I was serving in the military overseas, voting was difficult.  It was not that anyone was hindering me from voting, but being so far away and using the Postal Service to request the absentee ballot and getting it sent to me took weeks.   (more…)

Published in: on October 24, 2009 at 1:35 pm  Leave a Comment  

DO NOT DESTROY

Have you ever received one of those silly political questionnaires in the mail?  You know, the kind that has the questions leaning toward one particular party or candidate.

These are questionnaires that ask slanted questions like, “The Democrats hate guns, beat their dogs, and most of them use illegal drugs on Friday nights.  They are also against a missile defense system to protect the United States.  Do you support a missile defense system to keep you and your family from being vaporized?”   (more…)

Published in: on October 22, 2009 at 6:27 pm  Leave a Comment  

On Politicians, Football Coaches, and the Media

There’s not a politician who hasn’t been upset with reporting about their work, be it on TV or radio, in newspapers, magazines or even in blogs.  Politicians crave favorable coverage of their work.  It upsets them when they feel the reporter has not given them a good, or what they feel is a fair, story.

Apparently it’s the same way with football coaches, as you will read below.   (more…)

Published in: on October 20, 2009 at 6:23 pm  Leave a Comment  

Security of Entire Nation

I received an e-mail today from Congressman Denny Rehberg (I subscribe to updates from all my elected officials) telling me that he and several colleagues had written to Secretary of Defense Gates urging him to keep 450 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.  Malmstrom AFB, near Great Falls, Montana, has 150 of them.    (more…)

Published in: on October 19, 2009 at 6:16 pm  Leave a Comment  

Baucus Meets “The Rock Obama”

Montana’s own U.S. Senator Max Baucus has made it big.  A Saturday Night Live skit featured someone playing him last night.

Watch the skit HERE.

Basically, Barack Obama got angry about the healthcare bill and became “The Rock Obama.”  He made Max Baucus bark like a dog.  Then he threw Baucus out the window.

Funny stuff!

Published in: on October 18, 2009 at 11:50 am  Leave a Comment  

A New Leaf

Every NFL draft day former Great Falls, Montana, resident Ryan Leaf makes the news.  He was selected second in the 1998 draft behind Peyton Manning.  He was out of the National Football League by 2002.  Meanwhile, Peyton Manning continues to pile up the stats, a Super Bowl Trophy, not to mention three Most Valuable Player awards.

It would be very easy to “pile on” Ryan Leaf for his failure in the NFL, but you won’t find that in this commentary.   (more…)

Published in: on October 15, 2009 at 7:52 pm  Comments (2)  

Praise Thee Praise Me

On Tuesday, the Montana Democratic Party sent an e-mail from their chairman and several state legislators praising U.S. Senator Max Baucus for his work on the healthcare bill. (more…)

Published in: on October 14, 2009 at 9:34 pm  Leave a Comment  
« Older Entries