What On Earth?-Column #27, August 2004

Ah, here we are in August. It's the time when most of us are getting ready for another school year. And we all know what to expect this year on those menus: PLENTY OF HEALTHY FOOD, but I would recommend to the principals who want take out those vending machines: If you're thinking about this as a way to keep kids fit, THINK AGAIN. You'll need those vending machines for those quick snacks, as will your students. Plus, you can use the money from the machines for more useful things like more musical instruments, or new programs, and so forth. Just remember to remind your kids to watch what they eat. You don't have to remind me. I'm eating healthy, and you should, too.

Now, I would like to take a moment and talk about last month's Democratic National Convention. As usual, we kept the Republican-bashing to a minimum, and John Kerry accepted his nomination for the Presidency, with a salute, and these words: "I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty!" Yes, he is. HIS duty is to do everything in his power to unseat Bush, and OUR duty is to help him do just that. And we sent the country a message, and it's the same one John Kerry's been sending all year: "I have a message for the influence peddlers, for the polluters, the HMOs, the big drug companies that get in the way, the big oil and the special interests who now call the White House their home: We're coming, you're going, and don't let the door hit you on the way out!" Again, that's why I encourage you to vote DEMOCRAT this year, instead of REPUBLICAN. We've seen way too much damage from the Republicans in all 3 branches of our government, but this year, that's about to change. As a matter of fact, this year's election is ALL ABOUT CHANGE. Change in our government, change in our leadership, change in every area and aspect of this country, so that it'll be liked again by all who visit it. As they say, "Change is the only constant in the universe." And there will be plenty more changes coming later this year, so watch for those. As he said time and time again, "America can do better, and HELP IS ON THE WAY." It IS indeed, and we CAN do better. How can we do better? Well, the important thing to remember is to vote, and most importantly, if you haven't done so yet, REGISTER TO VOTE. It's the ONLY way that we will see a Left-Wing, Blue US Map this year (Red=Republican States, Blue=Democrat States; Left-Wing=Democrats, Right-Wing=Republicans). The Republicans have run this country into the RED (also a slang word for Debt, as in, "Red Ink."). Well, this year, we will run the country into the BLUE! We will provide opportunities of all kinds of people throughout the USA. Kerry even pointed to some of the US Flags in Boston's FleetCenter, home of the Democratic National Convention, but he pointed to the BIG one above him and said, "You see that flag up there? We call her Old Glory. The stars and stripes forever. I fought under that flag, as did so many of you here and all across our country. That flag flew from the gun turret right behind my head. It was shot through and through and tattered, but it never ceased to wave in the wind. It draped the caskets of men I served with and friends I grew up with. For us, that flag is the most powerful symbol of who we are and what we believe in. Our strength. Our diversity. Our love of country. All that makes America both great and good. That flag doesn't belong to any president. It doesn't belong to any ideology and it doesn't belong to any political party. It belongs to all the American people." And how do we ensure that it belongs to the American people? By waving it. And not just waving it, but also displaying it (as in hanging it on your windows, or hanging it outside your door, or even sticking it in your lawn for people to see as the they walk by, and so forth). And also most importantly, VALUING IT.

But THIS month, it's the Republicans' turn, and their convention is held in the Big Apple, New York City, this year. And, just like when Kerry accepted his nomination, once Bush accepts HIS, he's got to stop spending and raising. And ousting him is not as easy as you think it is, is it? No way.

And while we're on the topic of Politics, the Senate unanimously voted against Bush's proposed Federal Marriage Amendment banning gay marriage. It's a victory for those who want to protect the Constitution from Bush. Not easy, is it? Nope.

Now, for a little bit of history. We all know how shocked the sports world was when Nancy Kerrigan was attacked in January 1994. Well, we fast-forward 7 more months to August 1994, where the sports world was even more shocked than the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. This was also the year when the Major League Baseball system went on strike. Yes, I am serious, the players actually WENT ON STRIKE. And we all know the big reason why, and it's the same reason why many other employees go on strike: "WE'RE NOT BEING PAID FAIRLY, AND/OR NOT PAID ENOUGH!" And, with that Baseball Strike, came the shutdown of the rest of the season, and, to make matters worse, the World Series, too. In 2002, we almost had another strike, but we were able to come to terms with MLB commissioner Bud Selig. Now, here we are, 10 years after that day in sports infamy. Our players are being paid fairly now, and we see a World Series on the horizon.

Speaking of baseball, the AL won the All-Star Game again this year, which means they've got home field advantage in this year's World Series. However, debate is still going around on whether players should be tested for steroids. That's a tough question, that'll take time to answer.

As for football, training camp is underway, and this year, the Cowboys are in Oxnard, California; to, you guessed it, get away from the scorching Texas heat. And with Bill Parcells in his second season as head coach, it won't be long before the Cowboys head back to the Super Bowl. And, it IS hard to do that without the Triplets (Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin). But this is a NEW Dallas Cowboys team, with players that played under the Big Tuna during his coaching tenures with the Giants and Jets. But Bill Parcells is a great coach. Not only is he a great coach, he's a legendary coach, just as legendary as the man who inspired him to coach, the late Tom Landry, who died in March 2000 of leukemia at age 75.

Speaking of sports, this month, the sports world will unite as we celebrate the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; where it all began in 1896, and was celebrated 100 years later in 1996 at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia; where the US Women's Gymnastics Team, led by Shannon Miller and Kerri Strug (the gymnast who broke her ankle on the first vault, but was able to make a comeback on the second vault), won its first Olympic Gold. The team was dubbed the "Magnificent Seven," since there were seven magnificent gymnasts on the team, led by coach Bela Karolyi, who himself was a gymnast before coming to coaching. And 10 years ago, the Winter Olympics came to Lillehammer, Norway; and Nancy Kerrigan, who was attacked a month prior, won the Silver, Oksana Baiul won Gold. And, 1994 was also the first year that we would no longer have the Summer AND Winter Games in the same year. A vote in 1986 by the International Olympic Committee changed the schedule, so that every 2 years, we would alternate between the Summer and Winter Games. The final year of the Summer and Winter Games held in the same year occured in 1992, with the Winter Games held in Albertville, France; and the Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain; home of IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. And, as you may expect this year, Iraq and Afghanistan WILL be represented this year, even with our forces duking it out with the militants. And 20 years ago in 1984, after the Winter Games in Sarajevo, came the Summer Games in LA, where, as you may have expected, the boycott was the big issue. But the biggest Medalist, to no one's surprise, was gymnast MARY LOU RETTON, who won the Gold in the Women's All-Around Final, and just like Olga Korbut in the 1972 Games in Munich, and Nadia Comaneci in the 1976 Games in Montreal, you could expect Perfect 10's all around from her.

Now, one year ago this month, the world awoke to the sounds of gunfire in Iraq, and by the time it was all over, Saddam Hussein's two sons, Uday and Qusay, were killed. And we know what happened to their dad 4 months later. And trust me, even with the new interim government now in place, it's not going to be easy knocking off these militants/insurgents. It just won't be easy. The violence continues to escalate, as does the number of US Troop casualties, beheadings of foreign hostages, etc.

Also, one year ago this month, the city of Dallas shocked the city's black community by firing Police Chief TERRELL BOLTON (successor of retired chief BEN CLICK). Dallas Mayor LAURA MILLER and City Manager TED BENAVIDES said the firing came as the crime rate was on the increase again. However, the black community was OUTRAGED, and protested the firing. And it continues, even with David Kunkle in his 3rd month as the new Dallas Police Chief, who previously was Arlington's Police Chief.

Well, that wraps up another look at the current events. Next month, as usual, is the 4th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, and next month in my column, you will pick up more info I've been learning about the 2001 attack, as well as the predecessor attack of 1993. Until then, this is John Lee saying "Go HOME!