More than just a costly mistake.

Out here in Aggieland, home of Texas A&M University, we have a bit of an embarrassment on our hands.  Now  TAMU is known for its military history and a creed that in the first sentence states, an Aggie does not lie....

So you can see how this might piss some folks off when the number 3 man at the university, the Senior Vice President of Administration, is found to not only lied about having a Masters, but a PhD.  But wait....and here is where the fun begins....he told students - Corp of Cadets no less - that he was an ex-Navy SEAL.

Oh the poor man....he made a "costly mistake."  A 'mistake' me says! How do they define a mistake?

1. a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
2. identify incorrectly
3. an understanding of something that is not correct
4. err
5. error 

OK, so 1 and 3 apply, 2, 4, and 5 do not since he knew what he was stating was incorrect.  So he did, in deed, make a' mistake'.  What else did he do while he made that 'mistake'? (oh the list could go on and on about the damage his 'mistake' caused, but we're just going to look at one incident):

Kemos mentored prospective SEALs, told detailed stories about his supposed exploits during his time with the elite fighting unit, and in April even spoke at a dinner for cadets about ethical dilemmas he faced while he was a SEAL.

At some point I just can't give the guy any benefit of the doubt.  At some point it moves past a mistake into something else entirely.  How does one talk about "ethical dilemmas he faced" when he is -at that very moment - being unethical?  Didn't the guy see the irony in this?  If he did see it why did he continue, if he did not, then how did he get where he is?

I mean, at some time didn't he understand what was taking place because of his own actions?  I mean he is described as "extremely knowledgeable" a "problem solver" and a "competent guy."  He must have had something going for him to allow the smart people at TAMU to promote him to a $300K job as the number 3 guy.

So what does this say....I mean if you look at it from a distance?  You don't need an advanced degree to be good at your job and a lie can move your forward quicker than honesty.  Oh, c'mon Jeff, the guy just lost his job!  He is now disgraced and all that stuff.  Yeah....that is true, but for one year he made as much money as an honest janitorial worker makes in 12 years.  For most of my coworkers - educated, competent, problem solvers as well, it will take us 5 to 6 years to make that.

Now, by choice, I have decided to live by a different set of standards which has cost me.  Honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior has not paid off - I know this - and I accept this.  And if I had it to do all over I would have adopted these core values earlier in my life, not later as I did.  What I have received is beyond any monetary reward or career boost that could ever be offered.  I do not live a life of irony through my choice of behavior.  I can look my kids in the eye and tell them what you see is exactly what I am.

What makes me tick - or - use the word "ponder" in a sentence.

I read an interesting article in today's Sunday paper, The Eagle, called "A global teacher of 1,516 free lessons and counting"

This guy, Sal Khan, makes YouTube videos on all sorts of different topics such as math, history and science.

In the article he is quoted as follows:

I just ponder things until they're clear.

I have always said something similar to that about myself.  The question to ask about anybody is what makes them tick.  Most people tick to the status quo - what they think should be their motivation.  For most it's the pursuit of wealth or material objects, others it's their religion, or kids, or prestige and status.  For others, like me, it's none of that.  What makes us tick is something different, that is, we march to the beat of a completely different drummer.

When I went back for my Masters the usual reason most people figured was to help my career - you know, the pursuit of wealth.  Although that's a factor, that's not the real reason.  Nor was the desire to prove something about myself or to correct mistakes I made in my youth (although that was the motivator).

Instead it was really just my curiosity.  I like to understand things for no other reason than to understand them.  And for this reason, when or if I am ever asked to describe myself in one sentence, I will tell them:

I am curious; I ponder things until I can understand them.

So Sorry....Not!

Yea, one of my least favorite people - Bill Byrne, Texas A&M's Athletic Director - was in the news.....again.

Seems everyone has an opinion on the Aggies leaving or staying with the Big 12 and one of them upset our highly paid AD with their comments.  From the Eagle: A profane e-mail to Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne prompted him to respond with an angry voice mail.

"Someone who has the guts to write something like that needs to have his [expletive] kicked," the 65-year-old Byrne said in the call, which was posted on Youtube.com. Byrne later issued a 1,700-word statement defending the Aggies' decision to stay in the Big 12 and apologized for the outburst.

Now we all lose our tempers, but someone making the salary that Mr. Byrne's makes should have learned over 45 years of being an adult how to keep it to himself.  But stuff happens and people lash out, so if an apology was needed, it's good to see that he owned up to it.  Well at least that's what the paper says he did.

"After reading over 200 similar e-mails the other night, I finally had one set me off and I called the writer. I'm a very competitive person and like many of you, I was raised not to back down when challenged. I've also got a bit of an Irish temper which came across in my voicemail. I regretted what I said as soon as I hung up. I should have been above that, and I made a mistake. For those of you who were offended by my response, I apologize, and I assure you that it will not happen again," Byrne wrote.

You see, it's not an apology when you state "for those of you who were offended."  You either did the offense or you did not.  How I feel about it has nothing to do with whether or not an apology is appropriate.  If you were truly sorry for your actions you would have just said "....and I made a mistake for which I apologize.

By this statement you are not sorry, only sorry that it ended up on YouTube.  It is tantamount to when as a kid your mom tells you to apologize to your brother for hitting him.  I'm sorry comes out of your mouth but without your mom standing behind you - or YouTube in this case - an apology would never had been forthcoming.

And that's why you are still one of my least favorite people.  Consider this a challenge to your not-so-sincere hands-caught-in-the-cookie-jar apology.  I'm calling you on it.

Lost...really

I took some time off to watch back to back episodes of Lost based on the recommendation of both my boys.  Seems I did not give it enough time after turning it off six years ago after the episode where they shoot the polar bear.

Yea, I hate dumbed down crap that gets produced.  Lost wasn't one of these shows, but that polar bear kept me from sticking with it.

Well I finished all 130 something episodes and I really liked it.  Still waiting to discuss with my boys the ending and not sure I really liked the way they concluded it.

But the journey.....now that was worth all those hours watching.

Note to all writers and producers - put out a product that you would want to watch (that's what the Lost people did) not a product you think I want to watch.

Sauron kept a 'watchful eye' as well

So full page ad in the Nation's Newspaper - USA Today:

Shouldn't we expect better from the "Humane Society"?

This from a group called HumaneWatch.org with the tag line:

"Keeping a watchful eye on the Humane Society of the United States"

Interesting me thinks to myself, I don't know a lot about either group, but I do know the Humane Society does a lot of good work.  Apparently, according to the folks at HumaneWatch.org they"

[g]ive less than one-half of one percent of its $100 million budget to hands-on pet shelters and the wealthy animal rights group has socked away over $8.5 million of American's donations in its own pension fund.

Wow, someone is sure upset with the Humane Society.  I wonder what this HumaneWatch.org group is all about......  Ahhhh....yea, that explains it HumaneWatch.org is operated by Richard Berman a Washington-based lobbyist. According to Wikipedia:

Through his public affairs firm Berman and Company, Berman runs several industry-funded non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom and the Center for Union Facts. Berman's companies have run numerous media campaigns downplaying the dangers of obesity, smoking, mad cow disease and drunk driving, as well as criticizing the minimum wage.  60 Minutes has called him "the booze and food industries' weapon of mass destruction,"and his nickname (from both friends and enemies) is "Dr. Evil", an alias in which he takes pride.

Here is something to remember kids, this guy does not do this stuff because he is against it.  He would probably be against mom and apple pie if somebody cut him a check.  The question is who is paying him to smear an organization that does a lot of good?  My guess is the big guys who slaughter a bunch of pigs, cattle, and chickens along with the guys that use the meat.

As a meat eater I understand that there is a best way and a not good way to raise and slaughter animals.  I thought Food Inc. did a pretty good job laying out their take on this industry although one cannot feed 300 million people without some type of assembly line slaughter, so compromises need to be made.  This "watchful eye" shenanigan is not honest nor will it change my opinion.

BTW: What is a "Hands-on pet shelter"?

Note to the businesses that fund dickwads like Berman.  If I find out you did, I will make sure not to set foot in your store or buy your product.  So ask yourself if it's worth the cost to be dishonest even if you pay someone else to do the dirty work.

So the New York Times - you know the liberal loving biased main-stream media outlet - catches Connecticut Attorney General and Democratic Senate Candidate Richard Blumenthal in a lie about his Vietnam War participation.

Now it's not the lie that gets my goat - you know - grinds my gears, it's how, when called out on it, they lie even more.  Had he said "You are correct, I should never have said that - should never had implied that, it does a disservice to my fellow Marines who fought over there, I apologize" he may have survived it.

But Nooooooooo, that would be too honest.

Blumenthal - you got caught - red handed - fabricating a story of how you "served in Vietnam."  This statement was not "misspoken" you knew at the time and all the other times that you had not served "in" Vietnam.  You served "during" but not "in". These two words are not confused by anyone "unintentionally."

Anyone who received deferments knows they did not serve "in" Vietnam.  These were not "misplaced words", a verbal faux pa, or a Freudian slip of the tongue. You lied.

It is good that you take "full responsibility" for what you said, only you don't want to admit that you lied when you really know you did.  If there is one thing worst than a fabricator of real life experience it is one that lies about it when they are caught.

OK, so let's give you the benefit of the doubt - you used the wrong words.  Well that just means you are really dumb for not knowing the difference and how those that served might take offense to someone seeking credit for that same effort.

Note to people wanting to lead me:  Don't pretend to be something you are not, and if you are not smart enough to grasp these really simple concepts, do us a favor and stay home.  



 

I love America - Let's Bomb Iran

An interesting (to say the least) fight is going on for the minds and hearts of our Texas Youth.  The Neo/Ultra-conservative movement, which seems to get more and more wrapped up in it's own ever increasing hyperbole, wants to revise American history they think has been corrupted.  What conclusion one draws is as important as knowing the facts, and currently, to their way of thinking, students are forced to listen to biased information leading them to conclude........what?

The 'what' is what I don't get.  I got through public school and college without coming to the conclusion that America is bad.  The conclusion I did come up with was that people do bad things and if you do not have checks and balances they will continue to do bad things.  But the neocons, this new wave of "we are right-our God is awesome-America is the best!" thinking individuals that took up the call to run for public office, seem to believe their rhetoric and underestimate the harm they will cause as they try to rectify what they perceive is our history written by folks obsessed with oppression.

Right after Iran took the hostages my sisters and I went to a big patriotic rally at the L.A. Coliseum.  It was about half full if I recall correctly.  We heard rousing speeches, heard patriotic music, and got to buy a lot of stuff - which I still have - including a bumper sticker that I proudly displayed at my work space describing my very Christian sentiments:  "Let's Bomb Iran."

You see back then I really loved America, loved it enough to want to turn every man woman and child in Iran into glass.  I understood Iranians to be the folks that took my fellow Americans hostage.  Nothing more and nothing less.  If they had to die to preserve my country's honor and to pay for their misdeed, well so be it.

What I did not understand at the time was why this whole event took place.  You see I had nothing to compare and contrast, no background, no understanding of what motivated my new enemy.  All I knew was I loved America and they had just spat on the country I loved.  Plus they were not Christians, so that made them even more evil.

When you see yourself as perfect, it's hard to understand why anyone would have a problem with you.  My God, we are America, look at how many people want to move here - from Iran even!  How could anyone have problems with us if we are good, God fearing, and stand on the side of justice for all?

Well we are all those things and we are not those things.  When we do things for the right reason we should be proud and when we do it for the wrong reason, like keeping a Shaw in power the people did not want, then we deserve the criticism and yes, the outrage that leads to the taking of hostages.  What is important here is to understand the dynamics in play so that we learn form them and - if we are smart - don't repeat them.

So how does McLeroy and his neocon cohorts think this point in history should be taught?  Apparently if one discusses the anger of Iranians over the U.S.'s role it is seen as being apologetic.  The thinking appears to be that we played no role in these malcontents behavior, and even if we did - it was done for purely sound reasons of National Security - the taking of hostages is clearly reprehensible and deserves no discussion as to why.

There is a danger in not wanting to evaluate equally all the pieces in play.  It is hard to accept that - yes, you did start the fire.  What is important is to understand the dynamics and move past and forward in a manner that is both aware of them and able to overcome or avoid them, lest history repeat itself.

I too love America for all it has provided me and I want to make sure that what it has to offer in the future is real and not based on a patriotic duty to ignore, forget, not mention, justify, mislead, condone, or avoid what has taken place in the past to get us to this point in time..

Iranians, I apologize for wanting you all to die.  Now that I know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth it is much easier for me to realize that I was wrong.  I'm still pissed as hell that you did it, but at least I understand why.