Riding the Sippo Valley Trail

After it looked like there was no more threat of rain, Wendi and I decided to take a ride on the Sippo Valley Trail, which, depending on how you look at it, either starts or terminates in Dalton, Ohio.

Instead of turning back once we reached the Stark County line, we decided to ride on the crushed limestone for a while. The Wayne County portion of the trail is paved, while the Stark side is not.

The ride was not too bad, though there were some spots that were a little soft due to the earlier rains. As we enjoyed the beautiful country side, we spotted the cows in a pasture, along with a horse. So, we decided to snap a photo for posterity.

We ended up riding 6.4 miles, averaging 9 mph.

Biking on the Sippo Valley Trail

Wendi and I rode about 12 miles today on the Sippo Valley Trail from Dalton, Ohio, to the Stark County line. The Dalton/Wayne County side is paved and very nice. The Stark County side is crushed limestone. We rode on the Stark Count portion once, though we have been on the Dalton trail a number of times.

It took us about 1:10 minutes to ride the 12 miles. The paved trail is only 3 miles long between Dalton and Stark County, so we went there and back twice. Afterward, we ate sandwiches on a picnic table at the Village Green Park in Dalton. Very enjoyable day.

The first time Wendi and I went out this year was for a 3-mile ride through Secrest Arboretum on the campus of Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster. It will be good to see how we handle the hills this time. It was very difficult for me the first time out. We rode one, big loop. I hope we can do three big loops for a 9-mile ride.

Obama's first 100 days in photos

Check out President Barack Obama's first 100 days through photographs from the White House's collection posted on Flickr here. I really appreciate Pete Souza's photos.

Obama's body language

What you see here is U.S. President Barack Obama talking with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Do you think, based on their postures and facial expressions, this is a good meeting? a tense encounter? an uneasy experience? an uncomfortable setting?

Seems like it is a good meeting to me.

Now, compare it to Obama's meeting earlier this year with Republicans. While the image is an "editorial cartoon," the photo is a real White House image. This is how he reacted to questions from Republicans.

I will leave it up to you to decide who our president's friends are.

Snapshot of Obama presidency

Each week, our friends at WhiteHouse.gov bring us a photo of President Barack Obama sitting amid a makeshift stage in order to shoot the president's weekly video message. I believe this photo, more than the others, serves as a metaphor for the Obama presidency.

March Madness: Stemming greed, shared prosperity

Look at these two screen shots from the White House Web site carefully. This tells you all you need to know about what President Barack H. Obama plans to do to those who have wealth ... those earning more than $250,000 annually.

Be prepared to lose a portion of what you have worked hard for. What that portion will be is anybody's guess, but it would not surprise me if it were substantial.

Look at the terms: Helping Small Business, Stemming Greed; or Sustained Growth, Shared Prosperity. This should scare you.

Could not this government be considered greedy by reaching deeper into our pockets to extract more cash to pay for their pet projects and programs? What exactly is greed?

Also, what is "shared prosperity"? To me, it seems that he will take from me to give to you so that we can all be equal financially.

This is somewhat alarming.

Check out this video to hear Milton Friedman talk about capitalism and greed.

Congratulations to the Schaaf family

Congratulations to Bryan and Becky Schaaf on the birth of their son, Ward, who came into the world at 4:45 a.m. (I believe that would be 9:45 a.m. in Newcastle on the Tyne) Wednesday, March 11, 2009, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 21 inches long. Daddy Schaaf undoubtedly wants young Ward to follow in his steps as a goalkeeper in soccer (or football as it is known everywhere else on the globe). (Thanks to Mike Plant for the phrase: He's a keeper.)

European Football - Parry Grip...

How important is Ohio?

Seems like Ohio is very important. After all, our governor, Ted Strickland, a Democrat (seen in the red tie in the center of the photo), watched President Barack Obama's address with first lady Michelle Obama -- this despite Strickland campaigning heavily for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

You better go in debt -- or else!

Listening to President Barack Obama's address before a joint session of Congress Tuesday conjured up thoughts of a tag line from a rent-to-own company: "Because we all deserve nice stuff."

Those companies are willing to let those who cannot afford "nice" stuff pay an arm-and-a-leg for the privilege of renting that stuff with the hopes of one day owning that stuff. So, instead of saving your money for 13 weeks to buy something, take possession of it now and pay for it 26 weeks.

I had hoped to hear a good, clear message from President Obama. Instead, what I heard was a conflicting speech.

Obama said if we do not take care of the "credit crisis" and restart lending, then the recovery would be choked off before it begins. He added that the flow of credit was the lifeblood of the economy. Without lending, people cannot afford to buy homes or cars.

His solution is to create a lending fund for new autos, college educations and small businesses.

Think about what he said: This country does not thrive or revive unless you and I go in debt.

Listen to this from Proverbs 22:7: The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (NIV).

According to Obama, this economy in the land of the free does not move without debt, yet at the same time, we are not truly free as long as we are in debt.

I am sorry, didn't we get into this mess because of borrowing? Are we now supposed to get out of this mess by borrowing?

What is the definition of insanity? Isn't it doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

When Obama talked about the new lending fund, he received a standing ovation. With leaders like this who are willing to trade long-term financial peace for some short-term relief, we are never going to get out of this mess.

Obama promised change, and now he is delivering.

p.s. I did not hear all of his speech, but I did appreciate the fact that the President said he is going to cut some federal programs.

Meet the new tone, same as the old tone

President Barack Obama promised transparency in his administration, and who would have thought he would be as transparent as he was when he listened to a question from a member of the Republican caucus during talks about the stimulus package. Now I am not a psychologist, but let's have fun and use Mr. Obama's facial expression as a sort of political Rorschach Test. What do you see? Bipartisanship? Reaching across the aisle? Disagreeing without being disagreeable? Or, is it something else?

Boccieri making an early impression

David Griffin, president of Tekfor USA in Wooster, talked with Mayor Bob Breneman and U.S. Rep. John Boccieri Monday about the possibility of the auto parts manufacturer increasing output in the second half of 2009 and into 2010 -- this in a recession. Boccieri took some heat in his race for the 16th Congressional House seat because he did not live in the district at the time. He since moved to Alliance. However, he has been in Wooster so much, I wouldn't be surprised if Breneman handed him a city income tax form. Boccieri talked to business leaders at Rotary Monday, then visited Griffin and his staff at Tekfor before heading out to Will-Burt in Orrville later in the day. He plans on speaking about alternative energy during the Ohio Grape and Wine Conference at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center on Tuesday and with some university presidents Thursday at The College of Wooster.

Stop! In the name of love

While my president and I don't always see eye-to-eye on policies, I do enjoy the work of his photographer, Pete Souza. Interestingly enough, Souza was the photographer for Ronald Reagan during his second term (I didn't know it). I truly believe when Barack Obama returns to private life, Souza's work will be an incredible and valuable chapter in the story of this historic presidency.

Lights, camera, (wrong) action

Happy 200th, Abe

White House photo by Pete Souza, words by Abraham Lincoln.


It was 200 years ago today our greatest president was born. Happy 200th to Abraham Lincoln.

Stimulus plan mulligan, redo

White House photo by Pete Souza, text and touches by Bobby.

One is the loneliest number ...

White House photo by Pete Souza, text by Bobby.