Category: Current Issues

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First Lego League State Tournament

Well the State Tournament was today, ALL DAY LONG.  I had no idea what to expect but the kids were real pros because all of them had been in at least one competition before this one.  In fact, the team, or what was left of it from last year, won the best teamwork trophy the year before.  What an honor for them.

You have to remember these kids are 9 to 15 years old.  They’re learning how to do research because they had to do a presentation on something they learned about possibly solving or helping stop global warming.  They’re learning how to work together as a team.  They’re learning problem solving.  They’re learning to be cool under pressure and how to present an idea they have developed.  A lot of adults don’t have those skills and yet they are all very important skills to succeed in the world today.

They’re programing a robot that they themselves built usually from their own design.  That’s engineering. They’re not just ‘playing with Legos’, they’re building skills that will follow them through the rest of their lives and help them excel in what ever it is they decide to do. I learned so much from these kids, far more than they learned from me.  One main thing I learned is that I have to do more research into being a good coach because I really want these kids to do far better than they did this year.

This was a tough year for them.  They first of all lost their sponsor which was a local college and also meant they lost a place to practice.  The professor that started the team with the backing of the college, chose to pay himself so the team could go on.  They lost 5 team members, a coach and 3 mentors which had been the fathers of some of the kids that quit.  Then a local church donated a place for the kids to practice, and three mothers stepped up to coach the kids.  I came in as a mentor but only the last few weeks before the competition.

I wish I could have known about the team earlier.  The mother that coached these kids did a great job and we are all planning a much better year with meetings once a month, field trips for the kids, and anything else we can come up with to keep them interested and excited about what they do.  One mother is looking into food sponsors for the meetings.  If she can get one pizza place to donate pizza one month, I bet their competition will donate another one.  Pretty smart, huh?  I’ll let you know what we’re up to next.

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Lego League update

Well I am having a blast working with the kids on the First Lego League team.  Our competition is on December 3rd so we are running out of time.  It’s going great so far.  We have come up with a name for the team.  It’s I Bots.  I standing for Intelligent, Bots for the robotic Lego of course.  The logo is going to be a large eye with the eyeball being the earth instead of just a regular eyeball.  That is to symbolize us having an eye on our planet.  Pretty cool huh?  The kids came up with that.

I must admit, I am quite impressed with not only the ability of these kids but also with their ideas for the challenge.  It’s supposed to be about helping global warming.  We’re focusing on the use of Sorgum to make Ethanol to help with emissions to keep down global warming.  Pretty smart kids and something that I can see myself working with for many years.  I can’t wait for the competition.  I hope we do well, well I hope the kids do well because they have worked so hard.

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Veterans honored today as it should be

There have been several in both my white family and my Indian family that have served in the military in all branches.  I am very proud to honor each and every one of them on this day.  Sunday my wife and I went to all of the graves that are local to us and put flowers and American flags on each of them.  It’s a small gesture but a way to honor those that are no longer with us.

Each and every one of us needs to thank a veteran today for the sacrifice they and their families have made to serve our country.  Find a veteran, tell them ‘Thank You’ and make sure they know how much you appreciate them and their family.  If there’s an older veteran in your neighborhood, ask them if there’s something you can do for them on this day.  Maybe they need some help with something or their yard raked.  Whatever it is, give back to them for what they gave to us.

That’s just a suggestion of a way each of us can honor a Veteran.  It doesn’t matter what you do, just make sure to honor those that are gone and still living because without them, we would not have the freedoms we have today.  I’ll sure be doing something for the WWII Veteran in my neighborhood.  I do every year, all year long in fact.

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Tribal customs

Today is the day the citizens of the United States vote for their president.  Well did you know that the American Indians also vote for their leader?  Some tribes chose their Chief in other ways but usually a Chief is chosen by a vote.  They aren’t usually voted out though, unless they really do something that harms the tribe.

I don’t know of a single Chief within our tribe that was ever taken out as our Chief.  I have often wondered if we call the president the Commander and Chief because of the American Indians or does that term come from something else?  I need to see if I can find out how they came by that title.  If you already know, please let me know.

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Happy Halloween

The one thing I miss now is getting my kids all dressed up for Halloween and taking them out Trick-or-Treating.  That was so much fun.  I always dressed up too.  Guess what I went as, an Indian Chief, what else?  My oldest daughter was Pocahontas one year and then the youngest was when she could wear the costume.  My sons preferred to be the cowboys instead of Indians when they were little.

I really miss all of that.  I guess I’ll have to just hand out the candy and wait for grandchildren to take out Trick-or-Treating but I’m not in a hurry.  Did you kids hear that?  I’M NOT IN A HURRY!!!!

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Lego League

I have been volunteering with a local Lego League.  Have you heard about them?  They use the Lego Mindstorm NXT which is robotic Lego’s.  You can go to their web site at usfirst.org and check them out if you are interested in what they’re all about.  Each year they have a challenge that has to do with the environment.  Last year it was alternative sources of fuel.  This year the challenge is on global warming and what you can do in your community to help.

There is a state competition in December and the team that wins there, goes on to Atlanta to participate in the World competition.  There will be teams from China, Germany and many other countries.  I absolutely love working with these kids.  These are our future engineers.  Not only do they win trophies, but they also can get schlorships to some pretty impressive colleges just because of their involvement with this so I feel very blessed to be a part of it.

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Stock market woes

Well it seems we are not the only country having problems with our stock markets going lower and lower.  It seems that stock markets all over the world are falling.  Could this be the beginning of a global depression?  Unfortunately it looks like possibly the beginning of a depression for us again if something isn’t done soon.

Sure I am very aware that every time we have a presidential election, especially when it is two candidates that haven’t either been vice president or was the president running for reelection, the economy slows down quite a bit but this is more than ‘slowing down’ it seems like to me.  No one is sure of what the future president will do so it’s almost like the economy is holding it’s breath like a frightened child.  Please get out there and vote no matter who you choose.  I’m not pushing one candidate over another but if you want your voice heard, you have to vote.

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North Carolina Outer Banks

My adoptive father used to take me to the North Carolina Outer Banks when I was growing up every fall for a fishing trip.  It was and still is, one of the best places to go fishing on the coast.  It has a lot of history along with it.  The numerous shipwrecks in this dangerous stretch of ocean earned North Carolina’s Outer Banks the reputation as the “the graveyard of the Atlantic,” not the infamous pirate Blackbeard, who met his end here.  Coastal erosion and increased risk of damage from storm surges are the real threats facing the area now.

We used to put up tents and camp on the beach while we fished but you can’t do that now in an attempt to keep human erosion from adding to the threat already facing the beaches.  It’s a shame that things have to change like they do and when they do, it’s not usually for the better.  I guess it’s all a part of life like everything else.

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Meet Brutus

I received this from a friend of mine by email.  I thought it was interesting and important enough that I wanted to share it with you.  Animals are very important us as human beings and here’s part of the reason why. They don’t call a dog mans best friend for no reason.

Now meet Brutus!!!  Brutus is a GOOD boy!!!!

The K9 below is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord. He’s huge – part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he’s slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn’t stop, but he did. Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq . His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant ‘go away but come back and find me’. The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door and another guard at another door. He then jumped against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped. He’s the first K9 to receive this honor. If he knows you’re ok, he’s a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats.
K-9 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner

Thought you’d find this interesting. Talk about animal intelligence and bonding with humans!

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Historic sites and State Parks closing

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s office announced layoffs of up to 450 state employees and the closure of 25 historic sites and state parks. Fourteen state historic sites are scheduled to be closed October 1. Eleven state parks are slated for closure November 1.

Among these sites to be closed is the Black Hawk State Historic Site, in Rock Island, Illinois, which occupies much of the historic site of the village of Saukenuk. This was the home of a band of Native Americans of the Sauk nation. It includes the John Hauberg Museum of Native American Life. The state park is located on a 150-foot bluff overlooking the Rock River in western Illinois. It is most famous for being the birth place of the Sauk warrior Black Hawk. The disputed cession of this area to the U.S. Government was the catalyst for the Black Hawk War.

There is already so much of the Native American way of life gone forever and now this?  Why can’t the white man see what they are doing to OUR countries deep rooted heritage?  We all are now Native Americans and these things must be kept to teach our young of the way of life of Our nation.  Our nation we ALL call America which is made up of many tribes from all over the world.