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We made a huge mess as a country by over using, poorly using and not appreciating credit. We blinded ourselves and lied to ourselves into mortgages we knew we could marginally pay. We bet big and lost big. Privet industry was relied on to do the right thing and failed; now we have no option but to allow government intervention to stabiles and re-grow a healthy and more balanced economy. The recession has not affected me directly. I have been very blessed. I have friend that have not been so blessed. I am happy we are moving in the right direction and my son will inherit the blessings of a stronger more resilient economy to raise my grandchildren in.

There are many different causes for the start of a fire. People light a camp fire to help keep warm while they camp outdoors. Fires are also used to cook food and hot drinks, also to sterilize items such as infant or kids toys. Every year there are countless wildfires that not only cause people to lose their homes and belongings, but also take away from the natural beauty of the national parks and mountains. Before people leave their campsites, many sites absolutely insist that any trace of a camp fire be cleaned up and cleared away using large afff fire extinguishers. This helps to keep our planet safe.

Thursdays are generally my favorite day of the week. This one is no different. The bulk of my week in behind me, I am chatting with friends about the weekend upcoming and it’s activates. I run a therapy / assessment group on Fridays that I enjoy very much and I normally screen the patients on Thursday afternoon. I work for the Government and the Inspector General is here today so I am trying to lay low for the most part. I am writing this on my break so no Tax dollars were harmed in this writing! Lunch with co-workers was fun as usual today. The topic was college professors we have known that had affairs with students. Pretty Salacious stuff for a group of therapists. I have also been texting with my wife about our 18 month old son; he had a bad fever this morning from his 18 month shots yesterday.

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It is a wonder to me, that many modern coaches have abandoned the option.  The veer used to be a staple in every coaches playbook but now has been replaced with “pro-style” offenses that require the athletes to learn complex reads in order to experience success.  The veer is simple at its core; leave one defender unblocked, let him make a decision, and then choose the opposite option.  Perhaps it is the simplicity of the offense that scares coaches.  Maybe it is their own egos that cause them to devise complex schemes that will befuddle opposing teams.   However in confusing the opposing team, the offensive genius has likely baffled his own team.

I grew up in rural Minnesota and then moved around from state to state as my wife and I pursued our education and careers.  Thankfully our endeavors have returned us to my wonderful home state.  The North Star state is not for everyone, particularly those who have a hard time adjusting to cold weather, but for me, it is where I hope to spend the remainder of my years.   The lakes and parks are so plentiful; one could hike a lifetime and never cover the same ground twice.  The Twin Cities offer innumerable options for entertainment, dining or whatever might pique a person’s interest.  Minnesota is a wonderful balance of natural and urban life.

I look forward to casual day at my work simply because it allows me to actually be comfortable.  Rather than the usual shirt and tie straightjacket, today I robed myself in relaxed jeans, a t-shirt, and grey sweatshirt proudly displaying my favorite baseball team.  I have also recently discovered the unbelievable comfort of wool socks and I wear them as often as possible.  Today is no exception.  There is probably research that shows a person is less productive at work when wearing casual clothing, but I bet there is also research that states that a person is more productive when his/her morale is high.  And when I am wearing my denim and cotton, it makes me happy.

I had never been to the state fair until this year.   I was never disappointed as it came and went each year.  I did not understand the appeal of wading through roaring seas of people to look at farm animals.  Never once did I regret not boarding the rides on the midway, which were desperately groaned for a maintenance check.  However, after attending the fair, I now realize that the fun is not the animals, rides or carnival games.  Rather, it is the food.  I had my first taste of deep fried Twinkie at the state fair this summer and have been craving the sweet goodness ever since.  If I could have anything in the world right now, it would be that golden morsel covered in strawberries and powdered sugar.

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My father had won the tickets to the game at a raffle at his workplace.  Six tickets on lower level, first base side of the field.  These were perfect seats to catch a foul ball.  In the second inning, the leadoff batter skied a towering foul ball and everyone in our section stood as the ball neared.  Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as the ball reached its peak and started to descend.  I now realized the ball was headed right for my seat.  I reached as tall as I could with my hands and snagged the ball out of mid-air.  The crowd cheered as I proudly raised the ball in my soon to be bruised hand.  That ball currently sits on my desk now and when I look at it, I think of my father.

Growing up with three highly competitive brothers meant there was never a dull afternoon.  Whether we were outside playing the sport of the season or indoors playing video games, there was always someone to compete against.  Of all the games we played, I enjoyed our basketball games the most.  We would usually play a game called “21.”  My older brothers would usually allow me to score a few points, but the end result was never in doubt.  Often times, when my father would return home from work, he would stop and demonstrate his basketball acuity.   My siblings and I would quietly contain our laughter as his shots would sail over the backboard into our neighbor’s lawn.

There has been rapid urbanization in India in recent years. This has meant construction of buildings most of whom flout fire safety norms. Builders-Politicians-Criminals Nexus has emboldened greedy, shortsighted builders who get necessary safety clearances done without meeting the prescribed criteria. As a result, accidental fires in absence of a large wet chemical fire extinguisher and safety exits can cause grim tragedies leading to tremendous loss of lives and properties. Hence, civil society and media groups instead of just reacting to fire tragedies now need to become a lot more vocal and proactive on the issue. Citizen groups thus need to put sustained pressure on the authorities thereby compelling them to act against the wrongdoers.