Joe Pa

As a college football fan, you knew that at some point, you were going to have to accept watching a Penn State game without Joe Paterno coaching the Nittney Lions.  As his teams rankings have waxed and waned over the last few years, it was looking more and more like Joe might finally be let go for decreasing ability...but then he got his team out to an 8-1 start and a top 20 ranking this year, claiming his 409th career victory, making him the all time leader in Division 1 Football.

45+ years as Head Coach at Penn State...5 undefeated seasons, the all time wins leader, and now, none of it is worth spit, according to the media.

In case you have been living under a rock, early this week the story broke that since 2009, former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been under investigation by a Grand Jury for various charges relating to child molestation.  Monday, he was arrested and charged on 40 counts, several of them felony level. 

Despite the fact that Sandusky officially retired in 1999, his 'contributions to the Penn State Program' were such that he was named a Coach Emeritus.  We learned this week that his unexpected retirement in 1999 may have been tied to an unreported molestation investigation.  But, he was still allowed to have an office, and have access to the Penn State Football teams facilities, including the locker rooms, which he used to impress kids going to his football camps.

The first nail was pounded into Paterno's coffin in 2002, when an Assistant Coach, then a graduate assistant, found Sandusky using the Penn State Football Teams showers to engage in 'anal intercourse' with a 10-year old boy.  Unsure of how to handle finding a coaching legend(Sandusky's defenses helped Penn State win two National Championships) the young man called his dad, who said 'you've got to let your boss know'.  Reporting to your boss that one of his best friends in a child molester CAN'T be easy.  Doing the Right Thing seldom is...but he did it.  Paterno then called his boss, Athletic Director Tim Curley.  Two weeks later, the Athletic Director AND University President met with the young grad assistant.  One can only guess what he was told...but there the trail goes cold.  No phone calls were ever made to the State Police...and that is where Joe Pa is feeling the wrath of The People.

One can't hold anything against Mike Mcqueary, the grad assistant who initially reported what he saw.  He screwed up all his courage to talk to his boss, and then was told by his bosses Boss and THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT to 'forget about it(at least one can assume that was how the conversation went').  I have very little anger in my heart at him for not going over the heads of the three people who could decide his future.   Now...I do have some anger that he didn't stove Sandusky's head in when he first saw things happening.

You walk into a locker room, and see a 50-year old man ENGAGED in a sex act with a 10-year old boy....and you don't hit him over the head with a locker room bench!?!?!?!??!  I think seeing something like that with my own eyes would cause me to come down with a bad case of The Boondock Saints...

Even back in 2002, Joe Pa didn't have the excuse that he was a wet behind the ears grad student.  Anyone who thinks Joe Pa couldn't have told the University President AND the Board of Regents to go take a fly leap doesn't understand major college sports.  He had a reliable eye-witness report of heinous wrong doing...most people, myself included, feel he should have done something more than call his boss.  He did all he was legally required to do...but, no one ever succeeded in life doing the minimum.  Why didn't he follow through and ask the Athletic Director what was going on a month later? 

Because he didn't want to.  I'm not sure if Joe Pa was in on the discussion about what to do with Sandusky(basically, they told him keep his nasty, perverted stuff off the main campus, but they did nothing to keep him from moving his football camps to the satellite campus in Erie, Pennsylvania.)  'We don't care who's lives you are ruining, as long as you don't ruin it here!'

Highly lame.  Who knows how many more lives this pervert may have scared between 2002 and now because these folks were worried about protecting the Penn State Brand. 

How's that brand looking now? 

Engineering

Felt the need to share this...it's floating around facebook today, and having spent the last week and a half up hunting, and seeing some serious attempts at 'Make it Work'. 

Election Day

Since Washington has gone to all mail in ballots, things just don't quite feel the same.  Last year, for the help of some friends and other Washington resident, I wrote my own opinion about some of the State wide ballot measures up for vote, but due to hunting and other things, I didn't get to that this year.  My adoring public complained(well, I got one text from a friend who said she was confused because I didn't tell her what to do).  While it is late, since things had to be in the mail today...here is how you should have voted if you are a Washington resident.

Senate Joint Resolution 8205 Concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.

Over the past 40 years, there have been different attempts to change the amount of time that someone must reside in Washington to be able to vote for President and Vice-President.  There are also other conflicting periods of time you must have lived in your county and precinct.  The State Supreme Court has basically overruled all of these extra restrictions, and basically resets the State Constitution to a 30-day residency requirement.  Sure...whatever...mostly because it removes some double-speak and other confusing wording from a Governing Document. 

Senate Joint Resolution 8206 Concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury. 

The State currently has a requirement that each fiscal year, 1% of revenue must be transferred to a 'Budget Stabilization Account'(rainy day fund).  This resolution requires that during years of 'Extraordinary Revenue Growth' this percentage needs to go up.  I voted yes, despite that fact that I think it will be 100-years before we see any 'Extraordinary Revenue Growth'.

Initiative Measure 1125 Concerning state expenditures on transportation.

This initiative adds some additional restrictions to how tolls are set, and used in the State of Washington.  It would require that tolls be set by the Legislature, and be project specific, and the revenues generated only be used for transportation projects.  One of the big things that requiring the legislature to set the tolls instead of the State Tolling Authority, is that the tolls must be Uniform and Consistent.  This comes into play because right now, there is a toll on the 520 Bridge into Seattle, and at peak travel hours it costs $3.50...down to free between 11PM and 5AM.  I'm voting yes.

Initiative Measure 1163 Concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people. 

This initiative is a complete Ponzi Scheme being almost 100% backed and funded by the SEIU.  Even the Seattle Times says so.  It would require the State of Washington to pay for training to Home Health Aides, and then let the SEIU monitor and charge for testing the workers.  NO!  Can't believe I agree with the Seattle Times.

Initiative Measure 1183 Concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).

This is the big one on the ballot this time around.  As everyone in the state has heard by now, Costco has donated 22 MILLION DOLLARS to passing this initiative, more than has ever been spent on any other initiative in state history.  Basically, this initiative will get The State out of the liquor sales business.  Right now, every bottle of alcohol in Washington passes through the States hands at one point or another.  Beer and Wine can then be sold in different retail outlets, but the hard stuff can only be sold in State Liquor Stores, at the State's Price(which is where Costco gets involved...they would rather be able to buy directly from distributors than having to go through the state...so would everyone else, including Safeway, Wal-Mart, and most restaurants.)  Me too...one of the few things I miss from The Packies in Connecticut was stuff going on sale, and price wars!  That doesn't happen in the Government Run Monopoly here in Washington.

Contrary to what the anti's are pushing here, hard alcohol still won't show up in Mini-marts.  The new law will require it to be sold either in liquor stores opened where there used to be State Stores, or retail sites of greater than 10,000 Square Feet. 


I am SOOOOOO looking forward to finding out what a handle of Crown Royal costs at Costco....

My God...it's full of stars...

Since I was unable to provide for my family by bringing home large chuncks of bloody meat, I felt compelled to provide for them other ways.  For breakfast, I whipped up plates of chocolate chip pancakes for the girls(and went the extra mile by putting whipped cream smiles on them). 

After cleaning up the breakfast mess, it was back into the kitchen.  The menu for dinner was potato soup, which calls for some type of bread product on the side.  My usual default 'dinner bread product' is Jiffy Corn Bread, but since it's Sunday, I couldn't justify not making something from scratch. 

I have this fear of yeast(the whole blooming thing is SOOOOOO complicated) and so if I'm making something from scratch, I usually make biscuits...baking soda and powder don't need blooming.  When I went to the cabinet this morning though, the unopened jar of yeast was staring at me.  Feeling guilty, I decided to finally tackle a bread recipe that required yeast. 

The recipe I decided to try comes from perhaps my 2nd favorite source after Alton Brown...Brigid over at Home on the Range. 



Rosemary Yeast Rolls with Sea Salt. 

An expert observer would point out that mine look different than her's.  True...I only have one 6-pack muffin pan, so I punted, and just formed the rolls into balls and placed them into a 9-inch round pan.  I refuse to believe this method of cooking affected the finished product, because if they were any better, my head would have exploded.

The ONLY negative about these rolls is that it took my soup longer to thicken up than I thought it would, and the rolls cooled to room temperature before we were ready to eat them.  Luckily, I had one shortly after they came out of the oven...had to make sure they were okay to give to my family!

You're looking in the wrong place...

If you were hoping to find a review on the terminal effects of Hornady's new Superperformance in .35 Whelen, I'm afraid you have come to the wrong place.  One would have to observe said effects by shooting an elk to be able to review them. 

Enough self pity.  I saw elk every day I was out hunting, they just weren't legal spike's.  The fact that roughly 66.7% of the elk I saw were from the relative warmth and comfort of the seat of my truck, vs. the 33.3% I saw sitting in the woods and hills is frustrating, but is not a sign that I am bad hunter(I hope).  I put in far more effort this year than I have in any previous year, and the fact that NO ONE shot a spike(and only two of my fellow hunters even reported SEEING one) means the problem is not likely me. 

I guess it is good news that I can't blame myself.  It's not like I missed...that would be tough to live down.  I can live safe in my delusion that I am a crack shot. 

A major change is needed.  This spring I will look hard at what my chances are of being selected for a cow tag using modern firearm vs. muzzle-loader.  I don't want to make a hasty decision, but right now I am thinking there is a 75% I will be muzzle-loading next year, at a minimum for deer, but quite possibly for both deer and elk.

The only real reluctance to switch methods comes from my fellow hunters.  These are guys that I have hunted with for 5 years, and worked with longer than that.  Only 2 of the 7 are interested in switching to muzzle-loading.  Not only will my possible switch create a possible skism in the group, but umm...I'm kind of a moocher*.  The fact that all these guys have the tents and trailers has meant I have become very spoiled. 

I will not get to sleep in this kind of luxury if I go on my own...

Or have these kinds of cooking facilities:

Sigh. 

I might have to actually spend some of my own money if I go hunting next year!

*Clarification...I help pay(more than)my share of money for food, beer, gas for the generator's and propane...I'm not a total leach.  It just hasn't made sense for me to buy my own trailer or wall tent yet..and until the house sells, I probably won't be able to.

One last chance...

Heading back up to the hills to spend a last two and half days elk hunting.  At this point, I am more likely to find Big Foot than a spike bull elk, but...what the heck...it's better than going to work!

Damn, I've got an amazing wife for letting me waste four weekends in row chasing animals that don't exist...silly woman... falling for stories about buck deer and bull elk...

Touch and Go...

Taking a 48-hour break from hunting to come home and play daddy.  Modern firearm elk season always seems to coincide with Halloween, with the result being I have not been involved with taking my kids Trick-or-Treating for 4 years.  Halloween is a tough day to miss, because it is one of the few days when your kids are ALWAYS going to smile.  How often do you have that guarantee?

There is certainly no guarantee with hunting, which is why it is called hunting, and not killing.  In two and half days of elk hunting, I had seen about 6 cows, which is more than some of fellow hunters had seen, and less than others.  Only one guy had seen a spike, and that was at about 800 yards and opening with a group of 12-13 cows. 

Without going into to too much detail...I am frustrated.  I have been going out of my way this hunting season to Do the Right Thing...walk further and deeper into the bush than my fellow hunters.  From driving by various other camps, I would guess the group I go hunting with is fairly typical. Roughly 50% of the guys I hunt with are not as into the hunting as they are into drinking beer and complaining about their 'Old Ladies'.  Since I have zero grounds for complaints about my wife(she is certainly no 'Old Lady'), I am looking to bring home some meat.  Between guns, ammo, tags, and camping costs, it's too expensive of a hobby not to take seriously. 

An example of my frustration: Sunday afternoon, a few of us where working a series of ridges where our friend Dave had reported seeing his spike.  Shortly after 3, one of my friends heard a jeep driving up the road, which was just one ridge away.  About 120 yards past his position, it stopped.  He said he almost pooped his pants when the gun fired.  These two guys driving by in their jeep has killed the spike we had been looking for about 70 yards off the road.

Grrrrrr.

Still, it's hard to be all that frustrated when you can eat your morning pop-tart looking at this:

Mission accomplished by supporting Halloween, I decided to save my leave balance by working Tuesday and Wednesday, before heading back up to the hills Wednesday night.  I will then hunt Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning before we break camp.  

Work was tough today, and it will be even tougher tomorrow.  Even a rainy day up in the mountains has it's bright side.  I might not write about hunting as well as Brigid, but luckily, a picture is worth a thousand words.