Rocky Gap

Orange Rock

Mossy Stream

Rocky Top

Hill Country Landscape

Anvil Rock

Willpower is a predictor of life Success. Here's how it works.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2011/11/07/how-willpower...

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email

Does your employer EXPECT you to answer emails after work hours or do you do it willingly? 

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email
http://m.npr.org/story/144200222?url=/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/23/144200222/work-life-balance-vw-agrees-to-switch-off-after-hours-email&sc=tw&ft=1&f=1001

Saveur Magazine: Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

Homage to my homeland. ¡Feliz Navidad! 

Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

by Kathleen Squires Growing up in New Jersey, Christmas always meant snow, cozy fireplaces, chestnuts, and Santa Claus. But my idea of the holidays ch...

Source: http://goo.gl/mag/vm2L4

Shared via Google Currents

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!

Hack Your Productivity: A Time-Management Geek's 10-Minute Solution | Fast Company

How are you going to get more out of 2012?

http://www.fastcompany.com/1802627/your-most-productive-week-ever?partner=bes...

Article: Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices

Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/the_quest_for_efficiency_and.html

Article: Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated

Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated
http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/12/boost-your-career-with-social.html

Article: 11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year

11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year
http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebigenoughcompany/2011/12/15/11-expert-tips-on-how-to-set-life-and-business-changing-goals-for-the-new-year/

5 Ways to Prepare for a Potentially Contentious Meeting

Most of us don't like confrontation but the reality is that confrontation is sometimes part of life. When we are lucky enough to know it is coming (and I believe that most of the time you will know beforehand...but that is fodder for another post), there are a few things you can do to prepare that can make the encounter a little less heated and unpleasant. These strategies also make it more likely all parties come out with an outcome they can live with. 

1. Find out all you can about what's behind the unhappiness. Why might this meeting be confrontational? Is it just that the person you are about to meet is always a confrontational person or are there other issues that led to this? What has caused this rift in viewpoints? Might there be something that can be done prior to the meeting to ease some of the tension? Is it a misperception or misunderstanding or miscommunication (one of the biggest causes, by the way)? 

2. Become informed on the issues. Once you know more about what's causing the unpleasantness, research the issue(s) and know as much about it as possible. Information is power. If you go in uninformed, you are more likely to become defensive and make a tough situation worse. You weaken your bargaining position when they hold all the information. 

3. Know the players involved. Know everyone who will be in the meeting. Research them. What is their status in your organization? What meeting outcome will please them most? What meeting outcome will cause an impasse? How are they known to react to stress? How do they like to be approached? What compromise are they willing to consider (Hard to get this answer beforehand.)? The better you know those involved, the more you can play to their preferences. This may mean you have to give up status, use humility, ask forgiveness, and/or give praise depending on the person. Remember: everyone is coming in with a defensive stance. If you can be the one above the fray, you hold the position of strength. 

4. Run the scenarios. Most people come into these meetings with a rigid mind. They are fighting for their best option and they are not ready to consider other ideas. They know what it is you want and they are not prepared to let you have it. If you come in understanding the different scenarios represented around the table, you can be ready to find the best from each option. This puts you in the position to lead the final strategy. 

5. Prepare to compromise. In The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Stephen Covey's 4th Habit is "Think Win-Win." The premise here is that victory for the organization (office, program, donor, family, etc.) is greater than a victory for any one person. Come up with ideas on how both sides win and be courageous in putting those on the table. The final answer may not be yours, but you can start the "win-win" thought process and spark whatever the final answer becomes. 

Remember the clichés created around these situations: "Sometimes you have to lose the battle to win the war." "Pick your battles carefully." "Don't let your ego get in the way."

These meetings aren't much fun and they can induce great anxiety. However, if you follow these strategies while being the one in the room with the greatest self-awareness, an ego that doesn't bruise easily, lots of humility, composure, and professionalism, you can lead the way to "win-win" more often than not.  

What other strategies do you use prior, during, and after contentious meetings? 

 

7 Things Highly Productive People Do | Inc.com

http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/7-things-highly-productive-people-do.html

Any others you would add? 

Imagine What Colleges Could Do With Gamification. Look at What Ford Does.

http://www.joakimnilsson.com/case-studies/how-ford-social-energized-their-core-customer-base-with-badges/

We could give badges by graduation year, major, giving societies, sports teams, residence halls, cities (e.g., Dallas Alumni badge), states, clubs, fraternities/sororities, and more. They could be shared across social media platforms. 

I Don't Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore - Dan Pallotta

http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/12/i-dont-understand-what-anyone.html

I agree with Dan. When did we become so pretentious with all the jargon and business speak. 

Price-point for price; using that annoying rhetorical "right?" at the end of a sentence assuming everyone agrees with us; pretty much any acronym that's not scuba or radar; bandwidth for time or capacity; job creators for small business owners (OK,so that one is not used by EVERYBODY). 

8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays

 

		THERESE BORCHARD: 8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays
	Yes, the holidays do bring a magic and excitement to the month of December, but the stress, loneliness and blues pre-packaged with the festivities can be enough to drag one-fourth of us across the tenuous line from sanity to insanity.

 

VIDEO: David Attenborough - Wonderful World ((Publish 12:00 PM))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WHKRzkCOY&eurl=https%3A%2F%2Fplus.google.com%2Fhot&feature=player_embedded

2 minutes that will invigorate and inspire. Well worth your time. Enjoy! 

Article: 10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams

10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams
http://mashable.com/2011/12/02/team-strategy-infographic/

Dec 7 Remembrance: Orville Miller, Jr.

December 7 always reminds me of my grandfather. He was a 20-year-old Navy radioman in 1941 and annually he would recall to us receiving the Morse Code message that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor.
I always called him on December 7th to say hello and since his death nearly two years ago, I miss getting to make that call and hearing him say, "Hi, Karlie. How's everything?"
Gramp, I miss you.

Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity

Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity
http://thechrisvossshow.com/handbook-for-life-52-tips-for-happiness-and-productivity/

The Myth of Work-Life Balance

Thinking of the glorious life of the C-Suite. Perhaps you should read this first. 

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/the_myth_of_work-life_balance.html

Why smart managers tell stupid lies

http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/why-smart-managers-tell-stupid-lies/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=7e9214faa6-December_112_1_2011&utm_medium=email

Which nationality earns the most time off?

Which nationality earns the most time off?

http://usat.ly/t2UTuF

Article: 5 apps for finding your favorite TV shows

5 apps for finding your favorite TV shows
http://gigaom.com/video/five-apps-for-finding-tv-shows/

Herald Sun: Vienna the most-livable city, baghdad the least - survey

VIENNA has been judged to have the best living standard in the world, while seven other European cities were ranked in the top 10 of the annual Mercer 2011 Quality of Living survey.

The Mercer survey covers 221 cities, which are ranked against New York as the base city.

The Austrian capital, which also finished on top of the list in 2010, was followed in the 2011 rankings by Zurich, Auckland, Munich, Dusseldorf and Vancouver. Rounding out the top 10 were Frankfurt, Geneva, Bern and Copenhagen. ...

http://news360.com/article/35763559
Shared using News360 for the iPhone. Learn more at http://news360.com

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller

512-483-1211

http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo 

http://twitter.com/Karlmiller

http://about.me/Karlmiller 

Physorg.com: Eating fish reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk," said Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and cognitive skills. According to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease. In MCI, memory loss is present but to a lesser extent than in Alzheimer's disease. People with MCI often go on to develop Alzheimer's disease. ...

http://news360.com/article/35765354
Shared using News360 for the iPhone. Learn more at http://news360.com

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller

512-483-1211

http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo 

http://twitter.com/Karlmiller

http://about.me/Karlmiller 

Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Add to your attitude of gratitude

Entrepreneurial Tightrope: Add to your attitude of gratitude
http://usat.ly/txB6cf

Article: 21 Ways to Overcome Exercise Excuses

21 Ways to Overcome Exercise Excuses
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/overcome_exercise_excuses/index.php

Article: The Most Memorable Shots Of 2011

The Most Memorable Shots Of 2011
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/2011-09/photos-golf-shots-of-the-year#slide=1

Printer Creates iPhone-Sized Newspapers From Your Social Feeds

Printer Creates iPhone-Sized Newspapers From Your Social Feeds
[VIDEO]: http://on.mash.to/t6upGS

Sent from mobile

Karl Miller
512-483-1211
http://LinkedIn.com/in/karlmillerlugo
http://twitter.com/Karlmiller
http://about.me/Karlmiller

Experts: Texas Drought to Continue Through Spring — Water Supply

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-environmental-news/water-supply/texas-droug...:%20Subscriptions

Family plays key role in monitoring a child's weight

Family plays key role in monitoring a child's weight
http://usat.ly/sj6OPa

Add Panoramic Photo Tours To Any Website With TourWrist:

Add Panoramic Photo Tours To Any Website With TourWrist: http://on.mash.to/spQbNC

Article: J&D's Baconlube

J&D's Baconlube
http://uncrate.com/stuff/jds-baconlube/

‘Twine’ Foreshadows A Future Where All Objects Talk To The Internet

http://summify.com/story/TtA8WC7Xrzq8Er7S/techcrunch.com/2011/11/25/twine-foreshadows-a-future-where-all-objects-talk-to-the-internet/

Article: The Amazing History and the Strange Invention of the Bendy Straw

The Amazing History and the Strange Invention of the Bendy Straw
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/11/the-amazing-history-and-the-strange-invention-of-the-bendy-straw/248923/

Perception is Reality

A mentor told me early in my career that "perception is reality." So
much of what we hold as truth is actually our perception of it. As the
saying goes, "We don't see the world as it is. We see it as we are."

The stock market is a great example. The ups and downs are so often
because on the public's perception to news or world events. It's not
based on any real economic verity.

This is another great example:

What's the value of a Penn State diploma now?
http://usat.ly/up3pO9

Time Saving Digital Tips, Tools and Techniques Used by the Pros

http://www.businessinsider.com/time-saving-digital-tips-tools-and-techniques-used-by-the-pros-2011-11

I love TED Talks. Here's yet another reason why. Charlie Todd: The shared experience of absurdity

http://www.ted.com/talks/charlie_todd_the_shared_experience_of_absurdity.html 

Check out more of their work here: http://improveverywhere.com/ 

This is so cool!: Magic Wall Lets You Race Against Olympic Marathoner Ryan Hall

Imagine running that pace for 26.2 miles. Heck, imagine running that pace for 1 mile!

Fly above the Earth with this incredible timelapse sequence [Video]

Article: Ten Ways to Become Better at Your Job Today

Ten Ways to Become Better at Your Job Today
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkl45elig/1-get-organized

(Sent from Flipboard)

10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence

10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-instantly-build-self-confidence/

Surfer breaks the world record riding a 90-foot wave

Surfer breaks the world record riding a 90-foot wave
http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/11/09/surfer-breaks-the-world-record-riding-a-90-foot-wave-video/

5 Ways for Universities to Use Tokkster

http://www.fastcompany.com/1793777/building-a-better-chat-room?partner=homepage_newsletter

With this new plug-in, you will be able to chat with customers live on your company webpages. This had my mind swimming with possibilities for both business and personal applications.

As a university fundraiser and past admissions officer, I immediately thought of 5 ways we could use this technology in higher education.

1. Admissions officers could chat with prospective students as they explore the college/university website.

2. Advisers could help students explore majors and class requirements while perusing deparmental webpages.

3. Fundraisers and alumni relations officers could hold chats around new faculty research, student accomplishment, community engagement articles. 

4. Professors could hold chats around websites being explored by a class. 

5. Administrators could hold live chats around major announcements while concurrently unveiling the webpage article.

No longer would you have to past the article into Twitter or Facebook or Google+ and hope your constituents saw it. You could have them "meet" you on the site where you could share the article and discuss it in real-time. You are able to share what's important and get immediate feedback. 

What other ideas do you have? What industry are you in and what could you do with this technology? How might you apply it personally? 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Family Light

Article: How Health and Lifestyle Choices Can Change Your Genetic Make-Up

How Health and Lifestyle Choices Can Change Your Genetic Make-Up
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/11/how-health-and-lifestyle-choices-can-change-your-genetic-make-up/247808/

VIDEO: How Did We Get to 7 Billion and What Now?

Another fantastic TED presentation by Hans Rosling

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html

Must See Video: This Will Change Photography Forever

Train Engineer Leads Passengers in Birthday Rap

This is a lot of fun. My wife thinks the rapper is so cute. 

It's or Its: A Review

Once again, friends- "Its" only has an apostrophe when being used as the contraction for "it is." When being used in the possessive, it remains "its" without the apostrophe. 
I see this grammatical error more than any other. "It's" everywhere: websites, articles, posts, titles, etc. Please put it out of "its" misery. 

What's In a Name in This Global Society

The name on my birth certificate is Karl Miller Lugo. It's based on Spanish naming customs where the first (paternal name) name is Miller and the second (maternal names) is Lugo. I would be called Senor Miller or Miller Lugo. 

That became problematic when I moved to the states at the age of 8 and everyone called me only Karl Lugo. It became so confusing, my grandparents actually changed my social security card to read Karl Miller and asked that Lugo be taken off my grade school lists. 

Fast forward 30 years and now the Hispanic community is the fastest growing segment in the United States population. You would think perhaps we would have this whole Spanish surname thing figured out yet. 

I don't hold out much hope after opening up my iPhone news apps this morning to see the Argentinian president's name listed differently in almost every article: 

Kirchner

Fernandez

Fernandez de Kirchner 

Since the Miami Herald and the LA Times have some of the largest Hispanic readerships in the US and they both went with Fernandez or Fernandez de Kirchner, I recommend we go with one of those. Sorry, New York Times and Christian Science Monitor. 

And if we can't figure out Spanish surnames, imagine what we're doing to surnames from other nationalities. 

We certainly had no idea how to spell Gaddafi, or Kadafi, or Qaddafi, or...

 

Top 10+ TED Videos On Education & Learning

TED keeps me company on my daily rush-hour commutes. 

http://gettingsmart.com/news/2011/10/top-10-ted-videos-on-education-learning/

7 Little Things That Make Life Effortless

Love this post written by Leo Babauta.

 

http://zenhabits.net/glide/?utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website

 

An artist named Kaziah Hancock paints portraits of fallen soldiers free of charge for their families as part of Project Compassion.

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/video/?bcrefid=866157386#/Portraits+of++the+Fallen/51748824001

Replace your existing wall outlets with one including two extra USB charging ports

Everything's USB Powered Anyway, right?

• Supplies up to 2.1 Amps through each USB Port!
• Made for US 110v only households only

 

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/e81a/?cpg=cj&CJURL=&cpg=...

Because You Never Know When You'll Have to Escape From Wrist-Binding Zip Ties

 

 

Idea for the US Postal Service

USPS, while it's my belief that any governmental agency who has to advertise on TV should be privatized, I am the son of a USPS retiree. In that regard, I have a difficult time watching you go extinct. 

Here's one idea you might consider to help you regain some of the clients you've lost in this digital era.

The basic premise is this: you charge me less than the cost of a regular letter so I can send a hard copy card, IMMEDIATELY (almost), to anyone in the US.

Here's how it works:

• I start by going to the USPS website and telling you what kind of letter or card I am writing (e.g., thank you card, birthday card, love letter, etc.).
• I upload my message and choose from a list of card or letter (paper) options.
• I provide you the address of the recipient and you send my completed card electronically to the post office in that town.
• That post office prints it on the paper/card I chose, puts it in an envelope, and delivers it to the address within a few hours. 
• I get charged for the cost of the paper and envelope, a stamp price less than the regular price of a stamp (since I'm not actually mailing it), and a few cents for the cost of the printing. 

Sure, we give up a little privacy, but for a generation that posts everything in their lives on Facebook, I don't think that's an issue. And this way your clients get what they want: the uniqueness of sending a hard copy letter/card with the immediacy of email...well, almost as fast. 

I wish you all the best in your fight for survival. 

 

He's "the fastest man on no legs."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/sport/olympics-pistorius-london-2012/index.html...

“God, Grades, Then Touchdowns”: 6th Grader Is Too Good At Football, So There’s A Special Rule For Him

http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/demias-jimerson/

My Five Parents

As I watched today's 9/11 10-year anniversay memorial shows, I was most touched by the stories of children who lost a parent. Some still children and others now adults told stories of a lost parent they either remember well or in some cases never met. I thought back to the show "My Three Sons," where a widower raises his three sons with the help of his father-in-law. The boys in that story lost a mom but they gained an extra father. In later episodes, the dad remarries and they gain a stepmother. That same story, certainly in a less comedic fashion, has played out for many of these 9/11 families. 

It reminded how lucky I was to have had three fathers and two mothers growing up.

My "blood" father, while haunted by demons that made traditional family life impossible, was a good dad in my memories. Note, I'm not saying he was a good man or a good husband, but he showed me love when I was with him. While I've only seen him a handful of times in the past 36 years, when we get together it's friendly and even warm. 

My mom became a single parent of two when they divorced. Not until I became a parent myself did I truly realize what it meant for her at 26-years-old to become a single mom. While many of us might dread the thought of moving in with our in-laws, I can understand why she sacrificed to do just that for us. So it was that we, like in the "My Three Sons" storyline, were also raised by my mom's in-laws. 

My grandmother, my second mom, and my grandfather, my second dad, took us in just as they entered their retirement years. Imagine working all your life, raising your own three kids, preparing to spend your golden years enjoying the fruits of your labor, and instead you take in two pre-teen boys to help raise. For the next 8 years we would live with my grandparents while my mom went back to school with the dream of creating a new life for herself and her kids. 

My stepfather, my third dad in the chronological sequence of this post, loved my mom so much he married her twice. He came into our lives as I was entering my teens. Thank goodness for his patience and his respect for my mom, because Lord knows I did not make it easy for him. Once again, I was blessed with another great role model in my life. While he may be a step-dad in the fact we're not blood relatives, he's only a "step" in the fact he's a step-above as a father. I now call him my dad. 

I learned a lot from my five parents. Some unique to each one while other lessons were shared among them. I like to think that my open-mindedness comes from the fact that I was exposed to different view points born of experiences ranging from the Great Depression to the turbulence of the 60's. Having parents whose age range spanned two generations gave my brother and me an expanded view of the world and life. We even saw some of those viewpoints change over the years and we adapted and grew with them. 

I lost the first of my five parents a couple of years ago. His death was certainly not as tragic as anything the 9/11 families had to endure. Yet, I know how much I miss him. I pray for the 9/11 families and their continued healing. Please know that you inspire me, you remind me to be grateful for the now, and you motivate me to not leave the important things unsaid and deeds undone. 

 

Bottling The Past: Using Nostalgia To Connect With Customers

http://www.fastcompany.com/1775388/nostalgia-hendricks-gin?partner=homepage_newsletter

Some important thoughts in here for university alumni relations and development professionals.

How are using nostalgia to our advantage? Are there stories and photos on the college website that take people back to shared experiences? Are we asking "nostalgic" questions when meeting with alumni? Are we creating nostalgia in our programming?

Would love to hear/see some of the ways you are using nostalgia-inducers in your marketing and outreach. Please share with us.

 

Nice guys earn less, study finds

http://www.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/08/16/money.and.meanness/index.html?&hpt...

Great! This doesn't bode well for a guy who's regularly told, "You're such a nice guy." While I tend to agree, I paid close attention to this statement in the article:

 "A company full of people in agreement would have a hard time establishing or maintaining any kind of hierarchy," he said. "Someone has to differentiate themselves from the pack, and being 'disagreeable' seems like a way to accomplish that. I don't think it's fair to associate disagreeableness with meanness, though."

 In other words, you can disagree in a nice way, at least, in a professional and cordial manner.

Groupthink is rarely good. There should be some disagreement. Thing is, some bosses like agreeable people. They want everyone to agree with them. When that happens, nothing new or different ever happens. You have to choose your battles wisely and make sure you know your bosses style. Disagreement can get you ahead, but it can also mark you as a troublemaker and get you fired. You want to find a balance. You don’t ALWAYS want to be the one who disagrees. 

You want to disagree when it truly matters to the company. When your understanding of/passion for the enterprise's mission makes you question decisions being suggested or made, speak up. Also look at those around the table. Do you see signs that others may feel as you do? You may be able to ally yourself with people who will disagree with you, so you aren’t the only person making a stand. If it’s important enough, there are even cases when you go around your boss with your disagreement. This can be workplace suicide but if it works, you can get noticed by others and move ahead of a boss who may be holding you back.

 It’s a battlefield out there, my friends. But you can kill with kindness when done right. 

New Run Training Shoes

Starting back into endurance fitness training this week. Needed new running shoes. These Saucony Grid Flex were on the sale rack for under $40. Score!

New Run Training Shoes

Starting back into endurance fitness training this week. Needed new running shoes. These Saucony Grid Flex were on the sale rack for under $40. Score!

Parents Face Sticker Shock at Enrollment–in Public Schools

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/08/08/01mct_ilfees.h31.html?tkn=UMWF9Ft6%2F%2F8vF%2BdEuxON2wcHsAF2SQ4N3QD%2F&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

There is no such thing as a FREE public education anymore. Even in higher education, so-called state "supported" universities are now state "assisted" universities/colleges with no more than 12% of their budgets being made up of public tax dollars. When nearly 90% of the funding comes from sources outside of the public tax base, how can it be called public? It's quasi-public at best.

I can tell you that my parents could not have afforded $800 in school "fees" without severe economic hardship. We have already priced out many from a higher education. We are now pricing them out of elementary school.

Even private schools are tacking on fees on top of already exorbitant tuition payments.

As a fundraiser, I don't see how this can be sustainable. Fundraising was used to enhance education. Today it's being used to maintain basic education. We need private dollars to help pay the bills. Forget about strategic planning and a vision for "what could be." We can't support what we have, much less what we want to have.

This is the beginning. Where does it end? The system is broken and it needs transformation of the kind that will require pain and sacrifice. Are we willing to go through the short-term pain for the long-term gain? I'm afraid we are not and I worry greatly about the consequences for our lack of both discipline and courage.

San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site

See the full gallery on Posterous

Jennifer is conducting a training at a UHS facility near Houston. I took some days off so the kids and I could accompany her and tour Houston-area sites. This is where we went this morning, in addition to the Battleship Texas.

Today's Lunch View

El Paso and Ciudad Juarez

El Paso and Ciudad Juarez

Juarez