RIP Sen. Edward M. Kennedy

President Obama's words noting the passing of Sen. Kennedy:

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.

In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.

For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Michael Prick

Up until I watched 60 minutes last evening I was on Michael Vick's side. (Click here for CBS link) After all second chances are the American way. He did his time now, let him rebuild his life or words to that affect I left on a CNN blog. The interview with Jim Brown was incredibly bad. One, Vick does not appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer which did not help things. Two, he has many handlers now and he obviously was told to play the contrite, I'm sorry and I found God while in prison cards. Instead, it came out that once he was in prison he realized there were great consequences to his actions, consequences that he almost found unbearable. It almost seemed that he was sorry that he went to prison more than anything else. I really did not get the feeling that he really, truly realizes the magnitude of what he willfully created, controlled and participated in. I just didn't believe that he even truly understood why he is a bad man. None of it came from the heart. He just seemed to badly parrot what he had been told to say. Not that what he had been told to say was bad. It was just that the delivery was not convincing. I did not believe him and as I said up until that point I had given him the benefit of the doubt. This was even after he had served his sentence. People come from different places, they get led astray blah, blah, blah, I excused. The man has served his time, indeed but, unfortunately I do not believe that he actually gets any of it. What to do, what to do? Perhaps as a condition of his or any one's release there should be that the convicted can articulate in his own words why he was punished.

I am embarrassed to have supported the jerk in any way.

Perseverance

Believe it or not I used to be an incredible whiner. I am about 100x better than I used to be. Now, don't confuse my life observations with actual whining. Whining is all inclusive of bitching and moaning with no real objective other than to perhaps be catered to or coddled like an infant. I've gotten better at seeing life in context by just looking around me. Submitted for your consideration...

Each and every morning since I have been amble I have taken the bus downtown at 7:45am. Up until about six months ago I used to see these two wonderful old gals on their way to the gym. They both were at least 80 years old and carried what looked to be very heavy gym bags. Four blocks from where I wait for the bus is an assisted living center which has a gym that I am assuming is open to the elderly public. I assume this in that the two woman always came from the opposite direction. Anyway, it was always nice to see them. They were up lifting. They always had broad smiles and very warm greetings. Then about six months ago I stopped seeing them. I wondered where they had gotten off to but, to avoid thinking the worst I just tucked them away in my mind somewhere.

Well, this morning I saw one of the women. I haven't used names here in that we have never properly introduced ourselves. As I waited for the bus in boredom I looked up and there was one of the women smiling as if greeting an old dear friend. "How are you this morning," she asked? I told her that I was, "just fine," and asked the same. I added that I had not seen her in a while. She then shared with me why we had not seen each other. She told me that her doctor discovered a large tumor on her right kidney in February. They had to remove the entire kidney she said. She also added that it had taken a lot out of her and that she had lost a great deal of weight. She told me that her doctor wanted her to gain a few pounds in that she was down several pounds. Even through eight child births she had never weighed more than 125 pounds she told me. This is why she was back into her gym routine. She had started back a couple weeks ago later in the day and had decided to return to her regular morning hours. What? You had a kidney removed six months ago, you are 80-85 years old, you walk a quarter of a mile to the gym with that adorable smile on your face! God Bless Her!

What do I have to whine about... nothing!

A Friday Pop Quiz

1) A man gave me his business card on Thursday. When I looked down at the card noticed…
a) He was an exotic dancer
b) The card was handwritten in very poor penmanship
c) The card was a hologram
d) He was a long lost relative

2) The same man…
a) Was selling office products
b) Was selling dinner coupon booklets
c) Wanted financial backing for a Rap group
d) Got a bit angry when I tried to let him down easy

3) I found a lost VISA card and…
a) Returned it to the issuing bank’s branch
b) Got a much needed massage unwittingly compliments of the cardholder
c) Dropped the card in the nearest mailbox
d) Left it on the ground

4) The woman I gave the card to at the Bank…
a) Thanked me and gave me a pen and pencil set
b) Chastised me for disturbing her
c) Offered me “free” checking
d) Directed me to the next window… please

5) On Tuesday I went to Physical Therapy and discovered…
a) I forgot my sneakers
b) That this was not the final visit
c) That I have five more sessions of torture
d) True Love

6) The answer to #5 above made me very pout-y
a) True
b) False

7) The woman on the bus had a Rose tattoo that looked like…
a) A very large plate of baked Ziti
b) A rose, silly
c) I couldn’t quite tell
d) A wound

8) This town has more babies and kids than you can shake a stick at
a) True
b) False

9) Question #8 is both politically incorrect and in very poor taste
a) False
b) Lighten the heck up

10) Have a good weekend
a) True
b) False

Answers:
1) B, 2) C & D, 3) A, 4) B, 5) B & C, 6) A, 7) A, 8) A, 9) B, 10) A

What's in a name?

It's sunny and very warm this morning. The perfect summer's day you might imagine. I just made my way back from one of those office supply stores. Since when did two legal pads cost six bucks? I guess I don't pay enough attention to such things. Moving right along...

As a joke I set up a group on FaceBook called My Name is Lester Bryant too. As I say it was just a joke in that I noticed about a dozen other people there with the same name from about the planet. I was interested in who might respond and how. There are actually around 250 Lester Bryant's in this country alone. I sent out invites to those with the same same to join the group. I got a response back from a gent in London with the same name who seemed pretty cool. The weirdly funny message came from a guy in the south with the same name as mine who wrote simply, "do i know u?" Wouldn't you remember if you knew someone with the same name as yours? I responded with, "of course not, sorry to have bothered you."