Category: Rev. Joe Dirt’s Ramblings

The unsolicited, unreasoned, uninformed, unapologetic opinions of Rev. Joe Dirt

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That noise you hear…

eagleOne of the courses I play regularly has a 417 yard dog-leg left par 4, as played from the white tees.  It is a very open hole so the wind affects the ball quite a bit.  About 200 yards from the green are two bunkers left of the fairway and one bunker right of the fairway.  If the wind is into me or still I just try to thread the needle between the two sets of bunkers.   If the wind is behind I attempt to carry the left set of bunkers as it leaves a short shot to the green.  Most of the time though when I do this my ball ends up in the rough, but I have a clear shot to the green.

Friday I caught the hole downwind, and I caught my tee shot well.  I might have tugged it just a bit.  Nevertheless I was in the fairway.  My handheld GPS unit told me I had about 130 yards to the front of the green.  There was a red flag on the pole indicating a front pin position.  I drew my trusty 8-iron from its scabbard.  I went through my pre-shot routine taking dead aim at the pin as there was room left and right.  I hit one of the straightest shots I had ever hit in my life. Continue reading “That noise you hear…”

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New Memphian B&B

There is a new B&B in Memphis, Veronica & Steve’s Bodacious B&B.  Now you are probably thinking B&B, Bed and craft beerBreakfast, and in most cases you would be correct.  However, in this case the B&B signifies Beer and Bed.  It is a new twist on an old favorite.

The proprietors, Veronica and Steve, run an establish full of down home cheer.  Veronica is a native Memphian.  Steve is a transplanted Canuck who brings his Canadian reserve and sensibilities to the establishment.  Veronica handles the domestic portion while Steve is brew master and master gardener.  Veronica has a ready smile, and is a fine conversationalist on a range of topics.  While we arrived somewhat late, this did not seem to faze her, and we were gracefully greeted.  She directed us to amply sized rooms with comfortable beds.  As in an old world B&B and some European hotels you share a bathroom.  This was not a problem, as long as we waited 15 minutes or so after our traveling partner had used the facilities.

Steve has the yard and gardens looking absolutely magnificent.  The stand of banana trees in the front yard is worthy of a Costa Rican plantation.  His vegetable gardens in back supply a variety of delectable treats.  While there, I tried two of his in-house craft beers.  Continue reading “New Memphian B&B”

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 3,124

…yeah I know you did not ask!

I feel sorry (among other things) for those men in societies that treat women as second class citizens, as property, as less than human.  How wonderful it is to have a co-equal partner to share the world’s joys and sorrows with.  I can only hope that if they had even an inkling of an idea of what a gift it is they would change their behavior.  However, social and religious pressures can be an amazing force for the status quo.

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Jog On, Young Father, Jog On

To the young father jogging pushing a jogging stroller with his small child therein:xxx

You looked at me sheepishly when I glanced your way as rode toward you on my bicycle. No need to do that, puff your chest out. How much more comfortable you must be in your skin than I was at the same age. You probably could not have gotten me to do that for love nor money as I erroneously thought it was not a manly activity.   It was my lost.

I am glad this generation of fathers does not have that hang up. What could be a more manly activity that participating in the care of your children.

Jog on, young father, jog on.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 3,470

…yeah I know you did not ask!

You know you are getting old when the young ladies start holding the door for you!!!

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Lawsuit Claims Obama Discriminated Against American Workers.

The CF continues.  Apparently the Obama administration is in bed with InfoSys.  To quote from the article from Computerworld in this link Court case offers a peek at how H-1B-fueled discrimination works :37.1784

“The passage of the Affordable Care Act brought with it a burst of IT spending and hiring. The District of Columbia, for instance, hired offshore outsourcing firm Infosys for $49.5 million to build its Healthcare Exchange.

The India-based Infosys brought in H-1B visa holders to work on the government project. And of the approximately 100 Infosys employees working on the healthcare project, only three were American, according to a civil lawsuit filed in federal court.”

Just to be clear the discrimination they are referring is against citizens of the United States in the IT field.

To quote from another article Lawsuit: Tech Company Hired to Build D.C. Obamacare Website Discriminated Against Americans Continue reading “Lawsuit Claims Obama Discriminated Against American Workers.”

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A Definition of Politics

I heard a really great definition of politics this morning on NPR, “Politics is about controlling the flow of money.”

Politics is, of course, about power. Frequently the flow of money is what it comes down to.  Those in power receive more resources or are taxed less, and those who are not in power receive fewer resources or more of the burden.

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From Wow to Ouch

flickr-3470761412-hdI am leaving the house for work, driving along suburban streets to get to the Interstate that takes me downtown.  In front of my pick-em-up truck appears a red tail hawk flying about eye level in the same direction of travel as myself. The hawk flies with me for a few second. It then veers off to the right, swooping up and disappears in a tree.  I thought, “Wow.”

I stop watching.

Suddenly, out of the corner of eye, I see the hawk drop out of the tree.  It is headed rapidly towards the ground. It has my attention again.  At about six to 12 inches from the deck it snags a small bird out of the air, rises with its prize, and disappears again.  I thought, “Ouch.”

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 1,232

…yeah I know you did not ask!

My morning routine when I first get to work is to go to the company gym.  There I fill my giant economy size cup with ice and water, check my blood pressure, and do a series of exercises for my arthritic shoulders.

This morning I am going through the exercises when a couple of BBW walked through the sliding doors into the gym.  I had not heard the beginning of the conversation, but one woman avowed loudly that, “She did not take it off.”

I so wanted to remark, “Sweetheart,  then you have never had me sweet talking you!”

Fortunately I remembered where I was at, work, and kept my mouth shut.