Affordable Healthcare

An oldie, but a goodie...

sellouts

Well they finally sold their souls to the almighty dollar. As of today, FC Dallas for the first time in club history, has a jersey sponsor.

Advocare.

I don't even know what Advocare is.

American soccer fans can be idiots. Many have craved jersey sponsorships for years because it makes MLS seem more European. But jersey sponsorships are one European phenomenon we shouldn't have tried to emulate here in the U.S..

Now, when you wear your team's jersey you simply become a walking billboard wearing a coporate logo.

Guess I won't be buying another FCD jersey for awhile, if ever. This is the type of thing that has jaded me on sports in recent years. It's all about brands, marketing and logos. If I was a stronger person I'd give up all sports immediately. It's all so corrupt. And it's a complete waste of time. I know this. But I continue to watch anyway. What a loser.

photos: Top - The new home FCD jersey with the Advocare logo. Lower - Me wearing last year's logoless away FCD jersey at the former Pizza Hut Park (which ironically dropped their sponsorship last January) now called FC Dallas Stadium.

Rest in Peace, Colin

One of the most tragic things a teacher can experience is when one of their students leaves this world way too soon. Last night I paid my final respects to Colin Robinson. Colin just graduated high school a few weeks ago. He and some friends were spending some time together for the last time before they went their separate ways to college and beyond. They were swimming in a lake. Colin began to have trouble breathing and soon disappeared. The other young men searched frantically to no avail. Colin's body was found several hours later. No alcohol or drugs were involved.

Colin was one of the nicest young men I've ever had the pleasure to teach. I taught him in World History and in summer school government and economics. He was one of the most respectful students I've come across. His faith was always apparent but never judgemental. He was a talented musician, singer and athlete. He was a great student in my classes. He had no pretentions. He was friendly to everyone. He had so much promise. No one could ever say a bad thing about this young man. Great great kid and he will be missed.

Rest in Peace, Colin. 1994-2012

photo: Colin is in the center with the Superman t-shirt.

What Were You Doing?

That photo of an iPad on yesterday's post is ridiculous. Massive. Couldn't control the size on the iPad  (maybe that was their evil intent). And the Blogger app for iPads/iPhones looks like it was crafted for the Apple II E (circa 1988). It looks like I will not be blogging via iPad, at least until I can find a nice blogging app.

Ever wonder what other people are doing RIGHT NOW? I find that happening to me occasionally. Walking out of LOWES today at about 4:30 pm I wondered what so-and-so was doing at that instant. Weird.

Tomorrow JDW will entertain the masses with a song at Central Church.

This is a test

Okay. I won an iPad last week from my school district. 100 teachers were selected from essays that we wrote discussing how we'd use the thing in our classroom. So now I'm experimenting with blogging on the thing. I'm skeptical to say the least. So if this post looks weird you'll know why. I've only had it four days but I feel the iPad is slowly robbing me of my humanity. I'm addicted. Beware of school districts bearing gifts.

SLC 2012

Just back from the AP World History Essay Grading.

This year our venue moved from its five-year home at Colorado State University in Fort Collins to the Great Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City Utah. I was a bit trepidatious about going to SLC because FoCo was such a great experience. But I enjoyed my stay in Salt Lake. It's always good to see the Wolfpack and I made quite a few new friends this year as well.

The College Board doesn't do anything second class. My and my roomate (yes, no more private dorm rooms) were booked in the Grand America Hotel. I was surprised to see it's a Five Diamond hotel. It was one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in. Rumor was Liam Neeson checked in while we were there. Wouldn't surprise me.

SLC is very clean and easy to get around. There's a lot more eateries, bars and restaurants to hang out and talk in. They have a free downtown light rail system and two great urban shopping centers.

I have to admit I was a bit unnerved by the LDS Temple complex. I was fine until I saw all the big murals of stories from the Book of Mormon. To see this rubbish presented as truth caused me to have shivers. But the complex was pretty amazing. Amazingly weird. Sorry if I offend folks. I'm pretty tolerant. But Joseph Smith is recent enough figure in history to know that he was a fraud. And Brigham Young, dozens of wives and complicit in the coverup of the Mountain Meadow Massacre...sorry. That's not a religion, it's a cult.

Anyway, SLC is a great city and I certainly hope to be invited back next year. Oh and I have a new favorite African country.