Happy 2006! I’m already having problems remembering to write that date — so this is no different than previous years. Tonight I’m enjoying the Rose Bowl game between USC and Texas. We’re at the end of the 3rd quarter with Texas setting up to kick a field goal to go ahead by two points. It’s been a good game and a fitting championship game. Since I’ve been going through a year-end cold / flu, I’ve had plenty of time to watch football games on TV. By the time tonight’s over I’ll have had all the football I want for several months.
Heather and Jaelene now have blogs (see the links on the right) and it’s been enjoyable reading what’s going on in their lives. Blogging isn’t for everyone, however, as it does take time out of a busy schedule. I often find that I have to remind myself to sit down and write in the blog. If there isn’t fresh content on a fairly regular basis, there’s no reason the come back and check out the site.
The fourth quarter has started in the Rose Bowl and Texas just missed a field goal so they’re still trailing by one point. This one likely will go down to the wire as a good championship game should.
In other news, the selection committee at Idaho State University has announced the four finalists for president of the university. I’m very interested in how this process will go. I’ve kind of picked my guess for who the frontrunner is. I’m not sure if I’ll ever know who that person was going into this final process. We’ll see.
The mine explosion tragedy in West Virginia is just awful. It looks to me like the company did not have a plan for how to deal with the public, families, and the press in the event of an underground disaster. If it was possible to handle the situation more poorly, I don’t know what that would be. Thirteen miners trapped about seven hundred feet below ground and about two miles from the mine entrance with limited survival capability. Many, many hours later when the rescue team finally digs through to the trapped miners, somehow the word gets out that twelve of the thirteen survived. The town and the families of the trapped miners begin a major celebration and all the major media report the miracle. However, the real story was that twelve had died and only one had survived. Within minutes of the wrong information getting out, company officials knew what the real story was. However, for some unfathomable reason, they waited for three more hours before breaking the news to the celebrating families and townspeople. Those folks were, as one would expect, devastated and very angry. Shoot — I’m angry! This is another news story worth watching and I’m sure it’ll be in the courts as well.
The new year is well underway. It doesn’t seem any different than the year it replaced. Happy New Year!