MISSISSIPPI BURNING

"The rest of those who have gone before us will not steady the unrest of those who are to follow"

Mississippi, the last state to ratify the 13th Amendment, will also be the last state to rid itself of Confederate Insignia on its state flag.

BAD ASS SITE OF THE DAY

A friend posted an interesting link last year. I took the first test “How Rational Are You?”
I figured myself to be pretty rational. I was surprised to only score 28% rational. 
That means that 72% of you are more rational than I am!

I told one of my workmates about this. With my arms waving I screeched my complaint:
“They said I was only 28% Rational!”
He looked at me calmly and said “And this surprises you how?”
So I went over three of the questions with him, which he answered perfectly. This guy is so rational I cant believe I even LIKE him. But I do.
With so many people with so much time to kill I’ll provide the link to a pretty cool site. I’ve taken several of their tests, and a couple of their courses.
I just finished the one “How to spot a strong vs weak argument.” I did pretty well overall, and scored low on letting preconceived notions affect my ability to rank an argument.
Again, it’s a great site, not the usual “ What color Teddy Bear are you” kind of thing.

Here is the (click here) How Rational Are You Test. Let me know what you think.

CLEARER THINKING
Clearer Thinking’s mission is to close the gap between insights from research about human behavior and actions in the real world. We start with the best research we can find and perform our own original studies in order to build best-in-class, interactive tools and mini-courses that you can use to change your habits, make better decisions, and achieve your goals.

FEELING GOOD WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME

On his way to teach at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Kris Kristoferson stopped in Nashville and decided to stay and become a big ol’ country star. He pushed a broom at Columbia Record Studio and tried to write some songs. He had some success with “Sunday Morning Coming Down” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night” covered by Johnny Cash and someone else, cant quite recall.
A producer, Fred Foster noticed him and said “Ok, I’ll let you write some songs for me, but first I want to produce an album of you singing.”
Kristoferson said “But I caint sing, I sound like a Bullfrog” and Fred says “Do you want in this business or what?”
The record was a flop.
But Fred Called Kris up one day.

“I got a great idea for a song” he said.
“OK, what is it?” Kris asks.
“Me and Bobby Mcghee” says Fred.
“What?” says Kris.
“Me and Bobby Mcghee” says Fred.
“That’s it? Gee thanks” says Kris, and hangs up the phone.

A few months later Kris writes “Me and Bobby Mcghee”. He and Roger Miller record it, but it goes unnoticed.
Then Janis Joplin records it. The release comes after her death.
Fred Foster calls Kris one night.
“Man, have you heard Janis Joplins version of “Me and Bobby Mcgee”?
“No”
“You better be sitting down when you do”.
The rest is history. Janis made it her own, and Kris gave equal writing credit to Fred Foster, who had supplied the title.

YOU NEVER KNOW

My son just got to Alaska to work in the fishing industry. I have a cousin in Costa Rica that has worked a Sports Fishing boat for years.
He said “That’s the great thing about being on the water. You never know what the day will bring”

THE SHOPPING CART LITMUS TEST

Do you return the cart? What kind of person are you?
It's a pretty good indicator of my spiritual condition. When I'm feeling slovenly, and it's a dark November in my soul  I leave the cart. Wherever. I don't even look back. Just drag my sorry ass to the drivers seat and go.
But when I'm in tune with the universe, birds are chirping and the sun shining brightly, and people everywhere seem to shine, then it is my delight to return the shopping cart, whistling "Rhinestone Cowboy as I go. You should see the spring in my step as I do so.

THE LEAST RACIST PERSON I KNOW

Back about 1999 I was living off Lancaster Ave. Largely colored community. I had my kids for the weekend and I was taking them to the Children's Museum downtown. We were going to ride the bus. I’d never ridden the city bus before. It pulled up and we got on. Nothing but black people on this bus. I’m ushering the kids down the aisle. Looking for a seat and I see a Fort Worth cop sitting there, an empty seat in front of him. I ushered the kids into the empty seat and announced “Here we go kids, we’ll be safe here”.
I’m not sure if anyone other than the cop heard me, but I’m not known for being soft spoken. I didn’t even realize until later what I’d said and how it must have sounded. Any one that heard me must have thought “What kind of cracker we got here?”.
I like to think I’m one of the least racist people I know.
Race in America.  Its like a Greek Tragedy. The more you try to run from it, the more you run into it.

Somewhere there is an upside

I've learned two things:
1) I have got to stop touching everything all the time. Everywhere I go, everything I see, I have a need to touch it. I walked in a restaurant for an order pick up a few days ago and started to run my hand 50 feet down the counter to the register. No, Bulletholes! Stop!
2) I got to stop crowding people. When I step in line somewhere, I'm usually right on top of whoever is in line with me. When this is over I need to try to give them at least 18 inches.