Author: craig_nehrkorn

Cruising through YouTube I stumbled across a series of postings by Fallon Taylor, world champion barrel racer and much more.  Wow, this lady is impressive!  Blessed with uncommonly good looks, an engaging speaking style and personality, insightful intelligence beyond her years, and drive to succeed she is a role model to be emulated by people of all ages!  My sons are grown but you can bet I will introduce my grandchildren to this guru for living and competing.  She has re-energized lessons that I learned along the way but have let go dormant.  And I must admit I am “crushing” on her a little – silly old man.

Ms. Taylor closes her posting with a signature sign off:

“Count your blessings,

Drink your protein,

Say thank you to Jesus.”

Sound advice for one and all.  

In today’s fast high-pressure world driven by obsessions to achieve and accumulate, too often we fail to take the time to “count” our blessings.  And we all have had blessings in our lives; we just forget sometimes.  And many of these blessings have been gifted to us by others to whom we should be gratefuland express our gratitude: parents, family, friends, teachers, mentors and more.

“Drink your protein” is a call to take care of your physical self.  As youth we are blessed with young bodies full of energy and life.  As we proceed through life our bodies take a beating.  Take care of your body and it will carry you farther into the future productively.

“Say thank you to Jesus” encourages us to take care of our spiritual and moral being.  Faith is a power that many of us fail to consider soon enough or intensely enough.  At the minute we are conceived we begin an unalterable journey to an afterlife.  One of the absolute laws of life.  The time between conception and death is not “all there is.” Best be prepared.

All of this calls for a “balanced life.”  Unfortunately, few of us live a balanced life.  The artificial demands created by society take control and drive us into very unbalanced lives seeking excess and failing to recognize what is profoundly important in life.  People and love are the essence of life.

Ms. Taylor offers lessons on winning and losing, the value of both and how to respond accordingly.  From watching her journey on the professional rodeo tour, we can pick up lessons on the importance of family, friends, and competitors.  She exudes humor and joy.  Clearly, she works hard to pass along the many favors and encouragements she has received since joining the Professional Rodeo Association at the age of 13.

I can now see the end of my journey through this life and am spending more time reflecting on the lessons I have learned through life; my successes, failures, and my continued potential to contribute to life. Fallon Taylor’s advice is sound – so pay attention.

1/16/21

The mob violence of January 6th still dominates news and our lives.  But I have yet to hear a satisfactory explanation of why this happened.  In my 69 years the ballot box has been the ultimate decider – majority rules – end of discussion.  Yet a predominantly white mob from all over the United States descended on Capitol grounds to overturn the facts of the 2020 presidential election ballot box.  

As individuals these mob participants arrived in D.C. via commercial and private jets and driving automobiles worth more than most people earn in a year.  They took up residence in expensive hotels.  They ate at fine restaurants.  They came dressed extravagantly in stone age costumes and military uniforms.  They came armed with military weapons, pipe bombs, and restraint tools for taking hostages.  They chanted “kill Pence.”  They erected gallowscomplete with a noose on grounds belonging to all the people.

Apparently, they were not poor, victims of racism, ageism, homophobia, or discriminated against in any obvious way.  Why were they so determined to overthrow a democratic government that for over 245 years has been the foundation on which they stood to advance to this level of quality of life?  And make no mistake, this was not about overturning one election, it was about overthrowing the most progressive democratic government that has ever existed. They attacked the Constitution of the United States! WHY?!• Why did a sitting President of the United States incite and cheer this mob action?• Why did duly elected senators and congressmen, all from one political party, support this hostile overthrow?• When did conspiracy theories become the foundation of governance?• What the hell is happening to MY and YOUR Country?• How do we get the United States of America back on the “high ground?”

Likely, power, greed, and egotistical motivation provided the stool to stand on, but it is still baffling to me. The World is anxiously awaiting the answers. The World need the United States of America on the high ground. My children and grandchildren need the United States of America on the high ground. How do we get back to the high ground and stay there? The World is waiting.

By JOHN M. BRODER and TOM ZELLER Jr.

WASHINGTON — The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is bad — no one would dispute it. But just how bad?

Some experts have been quick to predict apocalypse, painting grim pictures of 1,000 miles of irreplaceable wetlands and beaches at risk, fisheries damaged for seasons, fragile species wiped out and a region and an industry economically crippled for years.

President Obama has called the spill “a potentially unprecedented environmental disaster.” And some scientists have suggested that the oil might hitch a ride on the loop current in the gulf, bringing havoc to the Atlantic Coast.

Yet the Deepwater Horizon blowout is not unprecedented, nor is it yet among the worst oil accidents in history. And its ultimate impact will depend on a long list of interlinked variables, including the weather, ocean currents, the properties of the oil involved and the success or failure of the frantic efforts to stanch the flow and remediate its effects.

As one expert put it, this is the first inning of a nine-inning game. No one knows the final score.

Continue Reading on The New York Times