Rhubarb Report 078

Breaking news: the US government is back in operation. I have trouble at times deciding if that is a good thing or a bad thing these days. But suffice it to say that we are back to "business as usual" - it's the "as usual" that is the most problematic aspect of that phrase.

It's been a bit of a crazy October for me. Between my 25th college reunion and a speaking engagement at an annual conference, I have found myself out of town for about a third of the month. That's enough to keep me feeling a little out of sync. I am looking forward to November, though with it comes a time change and the realization that the sun sets a whole lot earlier in wintertime.

Onwards to Episode 078 of the Rhubarb Report!

1. I have been in a state of shock for the past two weeks since the University of Texas football team defeated the Oklahoma Sooners. I will admit, I fully expected a let-down against TCU. The Horned Frogs are down this year, but we are yet to truly establish if the Horns are making progress of their own.

It would appear that they didn't fade over the course of the past two weeks. After a rain delay lasting over 3 hours, the Horns got a solid victory and have stumbled, bumbled, and perhaps even fumbled their way into a tie with Baylor at the top of the Big 12 conference. With Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Baylor still on the schedule, one would have to conclude that their destiny is still soundly under their own control. Isn't it amazing what happens when your defense shows up?

2. The Formula One world championship was decided this weekend in India, with Sebastian Vettel becoming only the third person to win four consecutive world championships. Yawn. Though I can't deny his skill, he has certainly been in the right place at the right time with the right funding throughout his short career. He has also won most of his races from the front, rarely battling through the field to take a hard-fought win like a Nigel Mansell, Gilles Villeneuve, or Michael Schumacher for that matter.

What makes this more disappointing is that the world championship has been decided prior to the F1 race in Austin in three weeks. I was hoping the title would come down to some drama in Austin ...

3. Finally, just a few thoughts on the game that is politics. It is highly disappointing that our society has come to accept that we must "pay to be heard" by our legislators. It is one thing to have money in politics, but it is another to consider it not only acceptable behavior, but mandatory, in our culture.

I think the founding fathers must really be rolling in their graves these days. I can't put words into their mouths, of course, but I just don't see "influence peddling" having been high on the list of the qualities necessary for a sustainable and successful republic. More on this in a future post, but suffice it to say that we need a return to some traditional values - like a legislator doing what is right for his/her constituents, not those with the biggest pocketbooks.

Photo credits: Wikipedia

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