- Gallup shows the president's job approval at 46%, while 47% disapprove.
- The oil spill will hurt Obama politically even though he had nothing do with it. The same way Bush had nothing to do with Katrina.
- Rand Paul is my favorite politician right now. Marco Rubio is my second favorite. Unlike Arlen Specter or Charlie Crist, both have clear convictions, know how to articulate them, and are generally not afraid to do so. And people are listening.
- Let's be honest: the economy is improving. This will likely help the president's numbers heading into the fall a little, but lots of folks are still going to be fed up with the debt, the overspending, the bailouts, and the unprecedented expansion of government's power and size. We are going the way of Greece and there are consequences when you continue to try to spend your way into prosperity with money you don't even have.
- McCain would have been just as bad a president as Obama. I am happy he lost because his victory would have further blurred the distinction between liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican. Whether it's justified yet or not, people are increasingly starting to favor the GOP again because of the consistency of their message. McCain would have immediately killed any chance of this happening and would have been an utter disaster as president.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Humpday Haiku
Twelve, fourteen, sixteen?
Big 10 wants bigger footprint.
Will lose Midwest feel.
What do you think the Big 10 will do? How will that affect the other conferences?
Big 10 wants bigger footprint.
Will lose Midwest feel.
What do you think the Big 10 will do? How will that affect the other conferences?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Rick's Victory
The pictures don't even do justice and that's probably a good thing since this is a PG-13 blog. Those who were there know what I'm talking about because these two were all over each other. I think the Atlanta police department could have arrested the girl for some form of harassment or sexual battery because she damn near violated Rick for a good hour or so at East Andrews.
Not sure what went down after these two climbed in a taxi and headed home but the scene in Buckhead Saturday Night was definitely one for the ages.
10 MORE MONTHS!
Fellowship tonight at Kevin Barry's, as always. Although, I don't think anyone made it out last month. JJH4 seems to be the glue that holds this thing together and he is back in town, so, I hope to see everyone tonight.
Also, BMBS officially supports the re-election of George Schwarz as Adjutant of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. We will be passing the hat at KB's tonight for donations to his campaign.
Also, BMBS officially supports the re-election of George Schwarz as Adjutant of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. We will be passing the hat at KB's tonight for donations to his campaign.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Au Revoir Region 2-AA
Basketball: Reg. Season Region Champs; State Sweet 16
Cross Country: Region Champs, 5th in State
Golf: Region Champs, State Runner-Up
Lacrosse: SCILL State Runner-Up
Soccer: Region Champs, State Elite 8
Swimming: Region Champs, State Runner-Up
Tennis: Region Champs, State Elite 8
Wrestling: Region Champs, 6th in State
2nd in State Directors Cup
10-6. Love you. Got to go. Sorry Schiv.
Cross Country: Region Champs, 5th in State
Golf: Region Champs, State Runner-Up
Lacrosse: SCILL State Runner-Up
Soccer: Region Champs, State Elite 8
Swimming: Region Champs, State Runner-Up
Tennis: Region Champs, State Elite 8
Wrestling: Region Champs, 6th in State
2nd in State Directors Cup
10-6. Love you. Got to go. Sorry Schiv.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Both of these sound fun. Who's going?
Bingo & Back to the 80s Night to benefit the Vic Mell/Jim Walsh Foundation
Saturday, May 15th at the Knights of Columbus #631
Bingo starts at 6:30, 80s night starts at 8:00
The money raised by the Vic Mell/Jim Walsh Foundation is used to support Benedictine students.
Saturday, May 15th at the Knights of Columbus #631
Bingo starts at 6:30, 80s night starts at 8:00
The money raised by the Vic Mell/Jim Walsh Foundation is used to support Benedictine students.
Third Thursday Happy Hour
Sponsored by the Benedictine Alumni Association
Thursday, May 20th from 5-7 PM
Loco's Grill & Pub Southside on White Bluff Road, just past Oglethorpe Mall
Come enjoy some cheap drinks and help your fellow alumni recall and embellish old BC stories!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Confessions of a Trumpet Player
I still feel really guilty about playing hooky to avoid the humiliation of jazz band's first performance freshman year. Sergeant Anderson deserved better. Had I only known I'd still catch just as much hell on the second performance anyway.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Friday, May 07, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Styrafoam Cup Award
On the way to work this morning, I decided that I was going to give out an award to the senior that I like the most. I named it the Styrafoam Cup Award because (a) I had an empty styrafoam cup on my desk and (b) the styrafoam cup is somewhat of an inside joke among BC alumni.
The winner of the 2010 Styrafoam Cup Award is Joseph Fender.
Also, someone drove a go-cart to school this morning.
Only at Benedictine...
The winner of the 2010 Styrafoam Cup Award is Joseph Fender.
Also, someone drove a go-cart to school this morning.
Only at Benedictine...
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
A Reponse to Snuffy
Snuffy from Wilmington Island, GA writes: What would make you more inclined to donate to (Benedictine Military School)? Give me some constructive criticism that I can pass along to our Advancement Office.
Snuffy, I realize you cannot be all things to all people, and that the same goes for BC. We aren't living in a perfect world and I am only one person, so my demands will seem unreasonable and may not be shared by many. But I would be far more likely to donate (and we are talking in the thousands, not hundreds) if the donation-seekers were to spell out clearly-written and clearly-definable goals for the school so that we have something to get behind, become invested in, and feel good about when things go right. So here would be my list of goals:
1. Move back to 5A/play Savannah schools in sports. I realize this has already happened but I felt like listing it because it was a major accomplishment that cost nothing, will yield plenty of dividends during the next few seasons, and can give us some momentum toward the accomplishment of the next few agenda items...
2. Pledge that next year's tuition increase will not rise above inflation (3-4%). Make whatever cuts are necessary to ensure this happens. Easier said than done, right? I don't know. Any other reputable business lays off people when revenue drops. I'm just not sure that has happened at ol' Seawright Drive. I certainly want Snuffy to keep his job though, so let's ensure he stays or gets promoted. Just make sure we don't have teachers sitting around teaching classes of 5-10 kids in them because that is unjustified.
3. Pledge to reduce the gap between what it costs to educate a BC student and what the average BC student/family pays for in tuition by 20% by next year. Or just give the alumni the assurance that something is being done to restrain/reduce this ever-widening gap. Capital campaigns and scholarships for the truly needy are certainly justified but donations should not be used to subsidize the broad swath of middle class kids that attend the school. Reduce the price tag across the board and make all but the bottom 15% of income-earning parents of students pay it.
4. Communicate unequivocally and emphatically that the JROTC program is never going away. Father Frank does this in his talks at alumni meetings, so it just needs to be written down and enunciated to the alumni base at large, some of whom may have fears that it's not staying given there was a motion some years back to do away with it. Just to be clear, if they ever did away with military I would never donate another nickel to BC. Just sayin'.
5. Bring the donkey back at the football games next season. Why not?
6. Update everyone on how successful the administration has been in achieving the above agenda items one year from now. Simple enough.
I know you're probably thinking, "Pat, we're already doing some or most of these things." Great, then communicate it to us! And I don't mean you personally, because it's not your responsibility - you are the admissions guy and are already doing a bang-up job. But just have the administration give me/us/whoever else agrees with me a few agenda items we can get behind so that we can feel truly pumped up about and invested in an outcome that can be measured. Talk about them in the Banner, the Cadence, the Guidon, and all those other little spontaneous, randomly-created .pdf's that Pam girl sends out when she feels like it.
I never donate money at church because I usually have no idea where that money is going or for what purpose. And I don't feel a shred of guilt because of it either. But I will always buy Warren Buffet's stock because he has a clear vision and every quarter he lays out 4-5 challenging but acheivable goals for where his company is going and where he wants it to be 3-5 years from now. BC should be no different!!
C/LTC Holland, '01
Snuffy, I realize you cannot be all things to all people, and that the same goes for BC. We aren't living in a perfect world and I am only one person, so my demands will seem unreasonable and may not be shared by many. But I would be far more likely to donate (and we are talking in the thousands, not hundreds) if the donation-seekers were to spell out clearly-written and clearly-definable goals for the school so that we have something to get behind, become invested in, and feel good about when things go right. So here would be my list of goals:
1. Move back to 5A/play Savannah schools in sports. I realize this has already happened but I felt like listing it because it was a major accomplishment that cost nothing, will yield plenty of dividends during the next few seasons, and can give us some momentum toward the accomplishment of the next few agenda items...
2. Pledge that next year's tuition increase will not rise above inflation (3-4%). Make whatever cuts are necessary to ensure this happens. Easier said than done, right? I don't know. Any other reputable business lays off people when revenue drops. I'm just not sure that has happened at ol' Seawright Drive. I certainly want Snuffy to keep his job though, so let's ensure he stays or gets promoted. Just make sure we don't have teachers sitting around teaching classes of 5-10 kids in them because that is unjustified.
3. Pledge to reduce the gap between what it costs to educate a BC student and what the average BC student/family pays for in tuition by 20% by next year. Or just give the alumni the assurance that something is being done to restrain/reduce this ever-widening gap. Capital campaigns and scholarships for the truly needy are certainly justified but donations should not be used to subsidize the broad swath of middle class kids that attend the school. Reduce the price tag across the board and make all but the bottom 15% of income-earning parents of students pay it.
4. Communicate unequivocally and emphatically that the JROTC program is never going away. Father Frank does this in his talks at alumni meetings, so it just needs to be written down and enunciated to the alumni base at large, some of whom may have fears that it's not staying given there was a motion some years back to do away with it. Just to be clear, if they ever did away with military I would never donate another nickel to BC. Just sayin'.
5. Bring the donkey back at the football games next season. Why not?
6. Update everyone on how successful the administration has been in achieving the above agenda items one year from now. Simple enough.
I know you're probably thinking, "Pat, we're already doing some or most of these things." Great, then communicate it to us! And I don't mean you personally, because it's not your responsibility - you are the admissions guy and are already doing a bang-up job. But just have the administration give me/us/whoever else agrees with me a few agenda items we can get behind so that we can feel truly pumped up about and invested in an outcome that can be measured. Talk about them in the Banner, the Cadence, the Guidon, and all those other little spontaneous, randomly-created .pdf's that Pam girl sends out when she feels like it.
I never donate money at church because I usually have no idea where that money is going or for what purpose. And I don't feel a shred of guilt because of it either. But I will always buy Warren Buffet's stock because he has a clear vision and every quarter he lays out 4-5 challenging but acheivable goals for where his company is going and where he wants it to be 3-5 years from now. BC should be no different!!
C/LTC Holland, '01
Monday, May 03, 2010
Halfway There...
The first week in May marks the halfway point in the football off-season. August practices can't get here soon enough. Hopefully the Braves can keep turning it around to give me something to pay attention to until then. How they are only 3.5 games back right now is beyond me.
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