Travel

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
- St. Augustine

I've been to 20-some countries and 42 US states. Although my desire to see the world has diminished somewhat - only because I really like being home - I still appreciate the things that can be learned from experiencing new countries and cultures. A trip to Costa Rica about 6 years ago reminded me of how good we have it here. Costa Rica is a country blessed with a warm climate, lots of rain, beaches and mountains. It is also a country that is beset by crime and low wages. One could be perfectly happy there because the climate is agreeable (except during the summer months, but I could say the same about Ohio), housing and food costs are relatively low, and you can fish anywhere and anytime you like. But there are bars in the windows, and it was for good reason that the rental car agent told us to be sure to lock the car, even if we were only going to be away from it for one minute.

Economic well-being is only one facet of a complacent life, but the reality is that where there is poverty, there is crime. Theft is essentially accepted in some places. Jealousy and envy are powerful motivators.

Much of my foreign travel has been to the European continent, where things are stable and predictable. Canada is much the same way. Mexico, on the other hand, is beautiful but with a curse: everyone - and I do mean EVERYONE - is trying to separate you from your money. That might also be the case in Europe and the US, but the attempt to fleece you is not so blatant. And I can walk down the sidewalk in any city in the US (except Las Vegas) without people trying blatantly to rip me off.

I'd love to see the pyramids, Ayers Rock, the South Pole and Mauna Kea. I'd also like to play Pebble Beach and St. Andrew's. The Kremlin would be worth a trip to Russia. But if I spend the rest of my days in Ohio, it won't be a huge disappointment. I have learned enough to know that there is no place like home.

Travels last year took me to Foxborough, Massachusetts, Toronto, Canada and Las Vegas, Nevada. Toronto was all I expected it to be. It's a vibrant international city, and I'm told it's the largest city in the world in which more than half of its inhabitants are not native. Two things disappointed me about Toronto: it is expensive, and there are panhandlers everywhere you look. The airport was also a disappointment. When they recommend that you show up two hours before your flight, they are assuming that the check-in process and American customs will go smoothly. I'd recommend three hours.

Toronto is home to what used to be the tallest man-made structure in the world, the CN Tower. It dwarfs the building around it. Cities like Cleveland, Ohio could learn something from Toronto. The lake front has been beautifully developed, with marinas, walking/biking trails, and beaches.

Toronto is also home to the largest HDTV in North America (not counting the screens that can be found in football stadiums around the country). That TV hangs on a wall at the Real Sports bar, next door to the Air Canada Arena where the Toronto Maple Leafs play hockey. The Hall of Fame Game was being played in Canton, Ohio while we were there, and here is a picture of the 37-foot screen. It helps to stand about a hundred feet away to watch this television.



If only one didn't have to pay five bucks apiece for beer while watching this TV...

Sports

My boss sent this one - a look at the last century in sports. Crank up the volume and enjoy.

Traffic Signs

The summer driving season is winding down, but I'm hoping the Department of Transportation will post signs like this one every few miles along the highways of Ohio before next summer.



Or better yet, take the bus!

Believe Half of What You See...

..and apparently, none of what you hear.

I saw this on an educational channel a week or so ago, and it took me until now to find it on YouTube. This is fascinating - you know what the man is saying, but you hear it differently.

No wonder there are so many disagreements among us. Maybe we hear what we want to hear and disregard the rest? Or maybe we aren't hearing what we think we are hearing at all...reminds me of Washington, DC. Listen to me, but get it in writing!

It's known as the McGurk Effect. Watch....this!

Better Late Than Never

I am way behind, but I love the logic of this guy from the British Isles. Is that you, Yorky???

What do a jar of mayonnaise, a bag of flour, and Jello have in common?

All of them can be blown up by fireworks!

Appropriate for this Independence day weekend - check out the images from a high-speed camera.

Here's the link to the rest of the story.

My Work Here Is Done

I don't mean the Blogosphere when I say "here," rather I mean the Statehouse.

About four years ago, I started work on what would ultimately become House Bill 95, and I am happy to say that it is now the law of the land. Since last November, many people put in a lot of work toward getting this enacted, and I was one of the busiest ones. The Governor signed it on June 2, so I hope to be much less busy and occupied with legislation for a while, and more occupied with things like the farm and this blog.



I'm pretty sure I went somewhere to celebrate right after this picture was taken. All that lobbying can make a man thirsty!



Also since November, my eyes have not improved. I still see double, I still have a blind spot, and I still have a lot of distortion in my left eye. But there is good news: the ophthalmologist ran some tests on me about 10 days ago, and he is convinced that the double vision can be fixed. The apparent cause of this is muscle damage that occurred when they blocked the nerves to my eye for the surgery. Essentially, my eye is not situated properly within the orb, and by tweaking some of the muscles, they can orient it properly. The blind spot is permanent, but I'll happily endure another surgery to get rid of this double vision.

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It was a very wet spring around here. It was the wettest April ever, and May wasn't much better. That caused some problems at Wyndanwood, which I'll describe in a later post. Once the rains slowed down, it immediately turned hot and humid, and I do not care at all for that kind of weather. We've also had a lot of severe weather due to the heat and humidity. The most recent was on Tuesday - I was working out at the farm, and as I started back for home, I heard the weather warnings. It seems we had a severe thunderstorm right before I got home. As I was unloading the truck, I walked by my flower bed and noticed that some of my irises were lying flat on the ground. Here is what I saw:



The mulch was still smoldering, so I doused it with water. This was obviously caused by a lightning strike. Note the charred ends of the iris stems. They say if you live long enough, you'll see everything, and this was a new one for me.

Happy Birthday, Chuck Norris

Today is the 71st birthday of the legendary Chuck Norris.

If you haven't studied Norrisology, you might be surprised to learn that Chuck Norris has accomplished much more than just starring in a bunch of B-rated movies and one of the worst TV shows ever created: Walker, Texas Ranger.

Here are some Chuck Norris facts...

Chuck Norris counted to infinity...twice.

When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he's not pushing himself up - he's pushing the world down.

Chuck Norris wasn't born - he just got tired of wearing his mother,

The "Black Eyed Peas" used to be known simply as "The Peas" - until they met Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

Chuck Norris made a Happy Meal cry.

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the possibility of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the earth a billion years ago - and it's still spinning.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars - and that's why there are no signs of life on Mars.

Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.


Happy birthday, Chuck!