I couldn't help but chime in a bit on the current health care debate that is sweeping across this nation. First of all, I must say that I am unable to fathom the extreme partisan climate in the U.S. political arena and just amazed that so many Americans view these situations with such a 'black and white' form of reasoning. Let me give you an example. I consider myself to be fairly conservative, but I am absolutely sickened to watch blowhards like Sean Hannity sound off on Fox News. It is almost laughable that this network prides itself on fair and balanced reporting. I don't think I've ever heard people like Hannity or Rush to judgment Limbaugh say anything positive about our current president. I now view their shows as purely entertainment, much in the same way that I view the show 'Saturday Night Live.' Instead of being part of the solution, these hate mongers just throw darts at the other side. I'm not a democrat, but at least this administration is trying to figure out some solutions for our health care issues. In truth, both sides are to blame and its not surprising that very little gets done in Washington these days. I am convinced that the sole objective of each side is not to make improvements in American life, but rather to focus on spending all of their time and energy working to defeat the ideas and agendas of their counterparts. We all want to blame the politicians, but guess who is electing these people. We are!! There needs to be more compromise and more politicians should be willing to vote across party lines. Otherwise, it becomes a puppet show. Those who do have the courage to vote differently are often bashed by their colleagues.
The Republicans had no answers or ideas to solve the healthcare mess for the last 8 years, but now they want to cripple the efforts of someone who is trying to make a difference. These are the same people that criticize the stimulus, even though we would probably be underwater without it. These are also the same people that want a balanced budget, but lower taxes. Isn't this a bit like having your cake and eating it too? Last time I checked, the U.S. was one of the lowest taxed nations in the world. Some countries like those in Scandinavia actually understand the importance of paying taxes. It is viewed as a part of the freedom we all enjoy. Conservative voters like to demonize the principles of socialism, as if America will go to hell in a hand basket if we allow things like government optioned health care. People in this country want things, but only if it doesn't pain them. When it starts to pain them, the Republicans scream and call it socialism. Last time I checked, most socialist nations have the highest life expectancy rates in the world, low infant mortality rates, a great track record in education, low cost health care for all, and more harmony in their society. This is in contrast to America ideals where we focus more money on hiring police officers and building more prisons to combat the ever increasing violence and crime in this nation. Call me a socialist, but I would rather spend more tax dollars to ensure that everyone has access to education, than spending my tax dollars on another methadone clinic or to build another prison.
This nation is the only wealthy and industrialized country in the world that doesn't ensure that all of its citizens have medical coverage. We also spend a greater percentage of our personal incomes on health care than other nation within the United Nations conglomerate. Yet, health care costs continue to stress households and it is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy in the country. Insurance companies can name their price for care and much needed prescription drugs causing an estimated 20,000 deaths a year due to people who neglect treatment or drugs because of costs. I wouldn't expect people like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck to understand this because they are entertainers and their 7 figure salaries insulate them from everyday realities. Sadly, we are spending around 15% of our GDP on health care and that quite interestingly, is the highest rate in the world.
Almost on cue, the opposing politicians of this whole debate began the great American practice of suing once this latest bill had passed. Oh the art of lawsuits! We are masters at this art and most of the rest of the world finds this to be rather amusing. Just out of curiousity, I decided to have a look at the yellow pages right as I finished the previous sentence. Guess who's mug is plastered on both the front and back cover. You got it.... two different ads for personal injury lawyers. My next experiment showed there to be 51 whopping pages of ads for lawyers in the yellow pages of my local phonebook. Restaurants were a distant second at 21 pages! I'm not trying to pick on attorneys, but we have a real problem in this nation with scapegoatitis. That simply means that somebody out there is surely to blame if things aren't going your way. If you do get in a tight spot, then a lawyer is sure to be close by to lend a helping hand. (for a small fee of course) Failure to accept responsibility is running wild in this land. Yesterday, I read that Dolphin running back Ronnie Brown was upset at police because they stopped him for failing to use a turn signal and then found out he was intoxicated. He was charged with a DUI. His take on the issue was he was stopped because he is black and he was driving an expensive car. Excuse me Mr. Brown, but two wrongs don't make a right. Instead of accepting responsibility for his behavior, he played the race card and neglected to point out that he had broken two laws. As a coach, I have seen these attitudes permeate into sports and it is a very sad state of affairs. Nonetheless, our government has set the bar high and initiated legislation to stop the health care bill.
In a rather humorous side note, VP Joe Biden dropped the F bomb yesterday when introducing the president at a news conference. It is no secret that Biden can be a loose cannon at times, but this clearly demonstrates just how passionate this debate has become.
Here is my prediction for the future of U.S. politics. The divisiveness will continue and reach new levels. More radical behavior will come to the surface as has been witnessed in the last few days. Most telling of all will be the propensity of voters to yo yo back and forth (this has already begun) between electing democratic and republican leaders, and in doing so, think that one group or the other will provide the answers to all of our nations ills. In truth, working to solve our nations problems will take time, cooperation, and some sense of sacrifice. In my opinion, the average American voter doesn't have the stomach for any of the three principles I just mentioned. We want things our way, we want them easy, and we want them yesterday. I would welcome any politician who would stray from ripping the other side, but instead focus on offering the country a dose of reality therapy and some practical ways to get things done. I'm not interested in rah-rah speeches by people who have to write on their hand to remember what they believe in. Instead, we will see more movements sprout up across the nation like the Tea Party. Some of these will gain in popularity, but probably lack the necessary momentum to change the landscape of American politics anytime soon.
Whew! I'm glad I got all that off my chest now. I like to stir the pot from time to time. Make no mistake about it though, I am proud to call this great land home. I have served once in the armed forces and I would gladly do it again if needed to protect all the rights I have and the opportunity I have to speak my mind freely. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and see what Vice President Biden will say next.
Lights out.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
A little vodka, a little beer
I remembered that I still needed to post the rest of my pictures from my spring camp trip to Finland and Sweden, so here they are. I spent a considerable amount of time in Stockholm during my journey. Each time I visit this city, I find more things to like about it. I have visited many of the well known sites including both the National and the Vasa Museum. I've checked out the shopping scene at the famous NK, walked the streets of Gamla Stan in the Old Town district, and even toured part of the Royal Palace. As I prepared to leave Stockholm a few weeks ago, it dawned on me that I still hadn't visited one of the largest tourist attractions in the city.
With only a few hours to spare, I looked at my map and headed out in search of the Absolut Icebar. The Absolut Icebar is located in the Nordic Sea Hotel near the Central Station in Stockholm. This unique establishment opened in 2002 and now ice bars have sprouted up in other European cities like Oslo, London, and Copenhagen. The entire bar is completely made of ice including the walls, artwork, stools, counter, and even the drinking glasses. The ice is shipped in from the Torne River which lies up north on the border between Sweden and Finland. For about 25 U.S. dollars, you can "chill out" for a while in this establishment and enjoy one complimentary cocktail. A few dollars less will get you some time in the bar and a non-alcoholic drink. The temp. in the bar is kept at a constant of -5 degrees celsius, which is roughly the average temp. of a spring day in North Dakota. (true story!) Before entering the bar, an attendant will set you up with a warm cape and some gloves to match. I kept the cape on, but opted to remove the gloves because I wanted to see how quickly the warmth of my hand would begin to melt my glass. (have I ever mentioned that it doesn't take much to amuse me?) There wasn't much of a crowd when I visited the icebar, but the place is often packed during the summer months, and reservations are generally recommended. This is indeed a very 'cool' thing to do if you ever find yourself in Stockholm, even if the bartender gives you the cold shoulder. (ok, I promise no more frosty jokes)
Since I'm on sort of an alcohol theme here, I thought it would be appropriate to post a truly classic picture that I took at my grandparents house this past weekend in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. My grandfather has kept a can of Billy Beer in his fridge for the past 33 years and I felt it was deserving of some attention on the blog. I'm not really sure why the beer has been in his fridge for more than 3 decades, but it just seems worth talking about. For those of you who don't know the meaning of Billy Beer, let me do a little explaining. The beer was named for Billy Carter, the colorful and sometimes outlandish younger brother of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. Billy was a hard drinking good ol' boy from Georgia, who was never shy around the cameras. It has been reported that he once urinated on an airport runway while the press and photographers looked on. Millions of cans of Billy Beer were brewed back around 1977, but the beer never became a mainstream hit. In fact, Billy lost money on the whole deal and the venture is said to have wiped out much of his finances. In any case, now you know a little more about this infamous can of beer.
33 year old can of Billy Beer
Beautiful spring day in PA
Cheers from the Absolut Icebar in Stockholm, Sweden
The House Drink-- lots of vodka and very little juice
Freddy the Bartender getting ready for happy hour
Freddy's arsenal
Swedish version of "Cliff" and "Norm" talking about the pros of universal health care
A colorful view of the ice
Glasses are washed and ready
A look behind the counter
Freddy is ready for business
Main entrance to the Absolut Icebar
Lights out.
With only a few hours to spare, I looked at my map and headed out in search of the Absolut Icebar. The Absolut Icebar is located in the Nordic Sea Hotel near the Central Station in Stockholm. This unique establishment opened in 2002 and now ice bars have sprouted up in other European cities like Oslo, London, and Copenhagen. The entire bar is completely made of ice including the walls, artwork, stools, counter, and even the drinking glasses. The ice is shipped in from the Torne River which lies up north on the border between Sweden and Finland. For about 25 U.S. dollars, you can "chill out" for a while in this establishment and enjoy one complimentary cocktail. A few dollars less will get you some time in the bar and a non-alcoholic drink. The temp. in the bar is kept at a constant of -5 degrees celsius, which is roughly the average temp. of a spring day in North Dakota. (true story!) Before entering the bar, an attendant will set you up with a warm cape and some gloves to match. I kept the cape on, but opted to remove the gloves because I wanted to see how quickly the warmth of my hand would begin to melt my glass. (have I ever mentioned that it doesn't take much to amuse me?) There wasn't much of a crowd when I visited the icebar, but the place is often packed during the summer months, and reservations are generally recommended. This is indeed a very 'cool' thing to do if you ever find yourself in Stockholm, even if the bartender gives you the cold shoulder. (ok, I promise no more frosty jokes)
Since I'm on sort of an alcohol theme here, I thought it would be appropriate to post a truly classic picture that I took at my grandparents house this past weekend in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. My grandfather has kept a can of Billy Beer in his fridge for the past 33 years and I felt it was deserving of some attention on the blog. I'm not really sure why the beer has been in his fridge for more than 3 decades, but it just seems worth talking about. For those of you who don't know the meaning of Billy Beer, let me do a little explaining. The beer was named for Billy Carter, the colorful and sometimes outlandish younger brother of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. Billy was a hard drinking good ol' boy from Georgia, who was never shy around the cameras. It has been reported that he once urinated on an airport runway while the press and photographers looked on. Millions of cans of Billy Beer were brewed back around 1977, but the beer never became a mainstream hit. In fact, Billy lost money on the whole deal and the venture is said to have wiped out much of his finances. In any case, now you know a little more about this infamous can of beer.
33 year old can of Billy Beer
Beautiful spring day in PA
Cheers from the Absolut Icebar in Stockholm, Sweden
The House Drink-- lots of vodka and very little juice
Freddy the Bartender getting ready for happy hour
Freddy's arsenal
Swedish version of "Cliff" and "Norm" talking about the pros of universal health care
A colorful view of the ice
Glasses are washed and ready
A look behind the counter
Freddy is ready for business
Main entrance to the Absolut Icebar
Lights out.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Spring Camp in Finland
I just returned from Finland and our spring camp with the Crocodiles. There were a few bumps along the road, but that is something I have learned to accept when traveling so far away from home. My first little bump came in Amsterdam as I learned my flight on to Stockholm would be delayed due to electrical problems with the plane. The maintenance crew made quick work of the problem and changed out a part from another plane. Soon, we were in the air and on our way to Stockholm. I was greeted in Stockholm by a severe blizzard and near white out conditions and soon learned from the locals that the city was experiencing one of its worst winters in some 30 years. I did some sightseeing in Stockholm, but things were a bit limited due to the heavy snow and slippery walking conditions. Later that evening, I took the bus back out to my plane and spent the night. I say plane, because that is where I spent my first night on the road. I often look for unique and unusual places to stay when I'm traveling and the Jumbo Hostel just off the grounds of the Arlanda International Airport in Stockholm fit the bill. This 747 was flown commercially from 1976 until 2002 and it now serves as a hostel for travelers in this wonderful city. I rented out one of their 4 person rooms, which was certainly a bit cozy with 4 people. However, the price was right at 35 euros and the location is very convenient to the airport. There are 25 rooms in the converted hotel including a cockpit suite for the more adventurous traveler. I summoned the front desk attendant for a quick tour and she was kind enough to take me around for a look at the conference room, black box suite, cafe, and aforementioned cockpit room. This was truly a unique and affordable way to spend the night and as it turned out, I spent a second night there on my way out a week later.
My second glitch of the trip was traveling on the Viking Line ferry over to Finland. I have traveled on these ships before during the summer and the experience is actually quite good. The Viking Line ships are equipped with great restaurants, casinos, night clubs, shopping, live music, etc.... The journey is quite long as you travel through the Baltic Sea over to the port cities of either Turku or Helsinki, Finland. The trip lasts between 14 and 17 hours depending on what city you are traveling to. The ships are equipped with comfortable sleeping cabins, so it isn't very taxing to travel on these floating resorts. In any case, the sea was full of ice and these ships began to get stuck the day after I arrived in Finland. Two ferries collided at one point as the winds and ice battered these large boats. Ferry service was suspended as ice breakers came to rescue the ships and clear a path in the sea. My return trip was cancelled, so I had to adjust my schedule and travel on a night ship once a thin path was cleared by the ice breakers.
I had a very limited stay in Helsinki, but I was amazed at the amount of snow in Finland. The harbor was unrecognizable and full of ice packs and copious amounts of white powder. My time in Seinajoki lasted about 5 days and we had some valuable time together as a team. I saw great improvement in our younger players and was encouraged by the addition of Pontus Bondeson to our football team. Pontus played his college ball at Duke and he brings a great attitude, size, strength, and tremendous skill to our interior line. Maybe most impressive of all, he is very coachable and has a great passion for the game. I also had a nice stay at Mika's house. He and his girlfriend Leena have made me feel at home both times I have stayed with them over the last few years. The Tuokko family had me over for dinner on Sunday and my stomach is still grateful for that wonderful meal. Timo's wife Mari made this delicious roasted meat dish with broccoli and Finnish potatoes. There was also the usual selection of Finnish desserts and sweet rolls. It was also nice to see their kids and take back a few things they made for my kids. I had a chance to catch up with our team president Jari and my friend and fellow coaching partner Eero Martinmaki. Jari is now the team president and he has a great vision for growing this team. Eero has a very good mind for coaching football and he brings a lot of good ideas to the table. Despite the harsh weather, the trip to Seinajoki was very worthwhile. In some respects, it felt like returning to my home away from home. I was able to meet many of our new players and put in some of our base offensive and defensive plays. I am hopeful that this time will pay dividends when we start our season in May.
The trip home was less eventful, but still worth reporting. The trip across the Baltic went fine even though the ice was still thick. I had a great day sightseeing in Stockholm on the back end of the trip. The skies were clear and the sun was out. A feeling of spring was certainly alive in the air. I spent the day walking around Old Town and exploring the National Museum. The museum had some works on display from the great Dutch painters Peter Paul Reubens and Anthony Van Dyck. There were also some works from Monet, el Greco, and even a handful of Rembrandts. After another night at the Jumbo Hostel, I began my long journey home. The last bump in the road was a mechanical problem in Detroit after a 5 hour layover!!! This time it was pressurization problems in the cockpit and I was just about ready to start walking home. I was nearly stranded for the night there, but the airline located another aircraft for us after another short delay. I finally made it home after a 26 hour travel day and lots of adventure along the way. Soon, it will be time to book the next flights and head back over for our second summer of American football in Finland.
One of the many Stockholm city parks
Looking out towards the Royal Palace
Grand Hotel in Stockholm--- spent a free night here in summer of 2009
The spring thaw has started in the harbor
Stockholm residents seem very active even during this harsh winter
Stockholm is a city surrounded by water
Groma Lund amusement park--- as featured in the tv show the "Amazing Race"
one of the stately residences in the archipelago
multi-colored buildings dot this part of the waterfront
South African band performing on the Viking Line ship
Photo of the hostel taken as I wait for my bus to head to the airport
front desk of the Jumbo Hostel
the grand entrance leading to the front of the hotel
a Ball State alumnus (that's me) standing in the snack bar
Why not try some airline food?
the Board Room on the Jumbo Hostel--- notice the airline seats
the Cockpit Suite
my 4 room flat
looking down the hallway from my room
another look at my room
snow was coming down hard when I first arrived
Looks like a Maryland and Notre Dame fan in Finland
my favorite pizza in the world-- Sofram Pizza Ravintola-- Seinajoki, Finland
got to have some salad with my pizza at Soframs
Helsinki Cathedral
standing on the top deck of the Viking Line as we depart Stockholm and head for Helsinki
view of the icy harbor
looks like a road, but it's really the bow of the ship as we cut a path through the icy Baltic waters
view of one of the 57 bridges in Stockholm that looks out towards the Grand Hotel
this young sentry was guarding the Royal Palace and trying hard to stay warm
the Old Town district located in the historical Gamla Stan section of the city
Lights out.
My second glitch of the trip was traveling on the Viking Line ferry over to Finland. I have traveled on these ships before during the summer and the experience is actually quite good. The Viking Line ships are equipped with great restaurants, casinos, night clubs, shopping, live music, etc.... The journey is quite long as you travel through the Baltic Sea over to the port cities of either Turku or Helsinki, Finland. The trip lasts between 14 and 17 hours depending on what city you are traveling to. The ships are equipped with comfortable sleeping cabins, so it isn't very taxing to travel on these floating resorts. In any case, the sea was full of ice and these ships began to get stuck the day after I arrived in Finland. Two ferries collided at one point as the winds and ice battered these large boats. Ferry service was suspended as ice breakers came to rescue the ships and clear a path in the sea. My return trip was cancelled, so I had to adjust my schedule and travel on a night ship once a thin path was cleared by the ice breakers.
I had a very limited stay in Helsinki, but I was amazed at the amount of snow in Finland. The harbor was unrecognizable and full of ice packs and copious amounts of white powder. My time in Seinajoki lasted about 5 days and we had some valuable time together as a team. I saw great improvement in our younger players and was encouraged by the addition of Pontus Bondeson to our football team. Pontus played his college ball at Duke and he brings a great attitude, size, strength, and tremendous skill to our interior line. Maybe most impressive of all, he is very coachable and has a great passion for the game. I also had a nice stay at Mika's house. He and his girlfriend Leena have made me feel at home both times I have stayed with them over the last few years. The Tuokko family had me over for dinner on Sunday and my stomach is still grateful for that wonderful meal. Timo's wife Mari made this delicious roasted meat dish with broccoli and Finnish potatoes. There was also the usual selection of Finnish desserts and sweet rolls. It was also nice to see their kids and take back a few things they made for my kids. I had a chance to catch up with our team president Jari and my friend and fellow coaching partner Eero Martinmaki. Jari is now the team president and he has a great vision for growing this team. Eero has a very good mind for coaching football and he brings a lot of good ideas to the table. Despite the harsh weather, the trip to Seinajoki was very worthwhile. In some respects, it felt like returning to my home away from home. I was able to meet many of our new players and put in some of our base offensive and defensive plays. I am hopeful that this time will pay dividends when we start our season in May.
The trip home was less eventful, but still worth reporting. The trip across the Baltic went fine even though the ice was still thick. I had a great day sightseeing in Stockholm on the back end of the trip. The skies were clear and the sun was out. A feeling of spring was certainly alive in the air. I spent the day walking around Old Town and exploring the National Museum. The museum had some works on display from the great Dutch painters Peter Paul Reubens and Anthony Van Dyck. There were also some works from Monet, el Greco, and even a handful of Rembrandts. After another night at the Jumbo Hostel, I began my long journey home. The last bump in the road was a mechanical problem in Detroit after a 5 hour layover!!! This time it was pressurization problems in the cockpit and I was just about ready to start walking home. I was nearly stranded for the night there, but the airline located another aircraft for us after another short delay. I finally made it home after a 26 hour travel day and lots of adventure along the way. Soon, it will be time to book the next flights and head back over for our second summer of American football in Finland.
St. Jacob's Church-- Stockholm, Sweden
One of the many Stockholm city parks
Looking out towards the Royal Palace
Grand Hotel in Stockholm--- spent a free night here in summer of 2009
The spring thaw has started in the harbor
Stockholm residents seem very active even during this harsh winter
Stockholm is a city surrounded by water
Groma Lund amusement park--- as featured in the tv show the "Amazing Race"
one of the stately residences in the archipelago
multi-colored buildings dot this part of the waterfront
South African band performing on the Viking Line ship
Photo of the hostel taken as I wait for my bus to head to the airport
front desk of the Jumbo Hostel
the grand entrance leading to the front of the hotel
a Ball State alumnus (that's me) standing in the snack bar
Why not try some airline food?
the Board Room on the Jumbo Hostel--- notice the airline seats
the Cockpit Suite
my 4 room flat
looking down the hallway from my room
another look at my room
snow was coming down hard when I first arrived
Looks like a Maryland and Notre Dame fan in Finland
my favorite pizza in the world-- Sofram Pizza Ravintola-- Seinajoki, Finland
got to have some salad with my pizza at Soframs
Helsinki Cathedral
standing on the top deck of the Viking Line as we depart Stockholm and head for Helsinki
view of the icy harbor
looks like a road, but it's really the bow of the ship as we cut a path through the icy Baltic waters
view of one of the 57 bridges in Stockholm that looks out towards the Grand Hotel
this young sentry was guarding the Royal Palace and trying hard to stay warm
the Old Town district located in the historical Gamla Stan section of the city
Lights out.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Back in Suomi
I arrived back in Finland on Wednesday morning after a few blizzard filled days in Stockholm and an icy 17 hour trip across the Baltic Sea. I found out later that my Viking Line ship was one of the last ones to make it across before boats started freezing in the ice packed waters. Ice breaker vessels have been working hard to clear a path in the sea, so it should be an interesting trip back over to Stockholm.
My trip back to Seinajoki was like returning to a home away from home. It was great to see the management and veteran players once again and meet some new faces along the way. I even felt a few jitters as I jogged out onto the field to begin the first practices of the 5 day camp. After a few drills, it was like I had never left. The players responded very well in the camp and our attendance reached 30 players for the Saturday meetings and two a day practices.
In truth, we have lost a few guys to retirement, but there are some promising young players who are looking to step in and get the job done. I was reintroduced to the Finnish tradition of "sauna" on Wednesday night and then again at a team function/dinner on Friday night. I definitely missed this slice of Finnish life. There is nothing better than sweating out some stress while sitting in a hot sauna on a cold winter night in Scandinavia
Most of my time here has been focused on football and the meetings and practices that are associated with a camp experience. However, I did have some time to go to dinner with some friends and talk about our anticipation for the summer of 2010.
Now, it is time to head home and cross the icy Baltic waters once again. In just 7 weeks, it will be time to repack the suitcase and prepare for my return.
Lights out.
My trip back to Seinajoki was like returning to a home away from home. It was great to see the management and veteran players once again and meet some new faces along the way. I even felt a few jitters as I jogged out onto the field to begin the first practices of the 5 day camp. After a few drills, it was like I had never left. The players responded very well in the camp and our attendance reached 30 players for the Saturday meetings and two a day practices.
In truth, we have lost a few guys to retirement, but there are some promising young players who are looking to step in and get the job done. I was reintroduced to the Finnish tradition of "sauna" on Wednesday night and then again at a team function/dinner on Friday night. I definitely missed this slice of Finnish life. There is nothing better than sweating out some stress while sitting in a hot sauna on a cold winter night in Scandinavia
Most of my time here has been focused on football and the meetings and practices that are associated with a camp experience. However, I did have some time to go to dinner with some friends and talk about our anticipation for the summer of 2010.
Now, it is time to head home and cross the icy Baltic waters once again. In just 7 weeks, it will be time to repack the suitcase and prepare for my return.
Lights out.
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