Where Have I Failed?

[Overlay]

My son sent me an e-mail from college with a link to a story about all the goings-on concerning the commemoration of Barbaro in connection with the running of this year's Derby. His only comment was, "Meanwhile, in Baghdad...". Taking this in the most optimistic light possible, I told him I wasn't sure whether the race would be simulcast in Iraq or not. (Has the Ivy League undone eighteen years in less than two?)

[PaceAdvantage]

Don't be offended if this thread winds up in off-topic. I am interested in hearing follow-ups nonetheless.

[JustRalph]

(Has the Ivy League undone eighteen years in less than two?)

wouldn't surprise me a bit............

[betovernetcapper]

Perhaps it's not you
http://men.msn.com/articlemh.aspx?cp-documentid=4725722&GT1=9311&wa=wsignin1.0

[Overlay]

Perhaps it's not you
http://men.msn.com/articlemh.aspx?cp-documentid=4725722&GT1=9311&wa=wsignin1.0

I already started a thread ("Who's Your Daddy?") in Off-Topic based on that article. Besides which, that would fire up the old "Nature vs. Nurture" debate, wouldn't it? After all, regardless of his parentage, he lived with a horseplayer for eighteen years.

[Greyfox]

You're not alone.
The U.S. Government has been spending about $ 163 million dollars in the sexual abstinence movement. Prez GW wants to up that another $ 28 million dollars this year
bringing abstinence program funding up to $ 191 million dollars.
As part of the program, fathers across the U.S. take their daughter's to
"Purity Balls."
At these dances the young girls stand in a circle and pledge that they will remain chaste until marriage.
Has it worked? Well,.... according to Mathematica Policy Research Inc.
the answer in a nutshell is NO!
Mathematica says:
"A recent study of four abstinence education programs, conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., finds that the programs had no effect on the sexual abstinence of youth. But it also finds that youth in these programs were no more likely to have unprotected sex, a concern that has been raised by some critics of these programs."
A report of Mathematica's findings is at:
http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/abstinencereport.asp

[alysheba88]

Know this will probably offend many but am sick and tired of the Barbaro stuff as well. 95-99% of people had never even heard of the horse at this time last year and he is treated like a fallen head of state. Enough already. I am anticipating this years Derby coverage being 90% Barbaro driven.

[skate]

ill go one more, to 89.



oh oh oh, imust say, im also tired of the "head of state" crap also.

[highnote]

Fathers taking their daughters to Purity Balls?

I sure am glad my kids are boys.

They should call them "Purity Parties", though. Why did they have to use the word "Balls". :faint:

[46zilzal]

Hormones, natural drives, youth. Result? people are going to "hook up" as often as they can. Been that way since time began and will be that way long after we are gone.

May as well tell the tides not to shift daily.

[Greyfox]

Fathers taking their daughters to Purity Balls?

:faint:
Right swetyejohn.
and
Right on 46z
"Hormones, natural drives, youth."

She said:" Sorry, I stood in a circle and made a pledge at a Purity Ball."
He said: "Ah. Come on. I could also pledge you some purty big balls."
She said: "Sorry, I've already been with Papa at a purty big ball."
He said: "Maybe...but it'll just be me thumb and just your bum."
She said:" Okay. But... just me bum."
...
She said: "Err...That's not me bum."
He said: And.... "That's not me thumb.":lol:

And $191 million a yeart in the budget? :lol: Boyz will be boyz.


What are Purity Balls?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purity_Ball


.

[saratoga guy]

Er, getting back to the original post...

I'd be more concerned if he looked at the Derby hype and responded the way he did.

Heck, I'm a racing fan and I'm Barbaro'd-out. I think it was during the Florida Derby broadcast that NBC aired a promo for the Barbaro special -- but it wasn't labeled as such beforehand. It just ran. And it looked like another Barbaro "update" -- and my first thought was "Yeeesh, are we going to have to hear about Barbaro on every friggin' network telecast of a big race?"

There was a syndicated article this week about the Barbaro party at Delaware Park and the organizer said, "I can't let Barbaro go. I won't let Barbaro go."

I have to admit -- I'm on a different wavelength than the folks who remain interested in this story.

[highnote]

I kind of had to laugh. I was watching the hockey playoffs on NBC and the Barbaro special was supposed to air after the game.

Well, the game went into double overtime so they had to bump the Barbaro special to CNBC until Friday night at 9.

Not exactly a great slot.

[Pgh. Gere]

I'm in favor of the selling of commerative items where some of the proceeds go to the New Bolton Center. I feel the same as Saratoga Guy with regards to the networks "coverage" of the story. Always seem to me to be more about people sending flowers and cards etc. Wish the focus was more about what Barbaro accomplished on the track. Opportunity to show viewers how thorobreds are amazing athletes, how both the horse and jockey do risk their lives every time they go out on to the track.

Read the article in this Sunday's NY Times about Nobiz Like Shobiz and his owner. Gives the number of foals that were born in '04, the number that have actually made it to the races, and the number that were nominated to the Deby and ofcourse only 20 make it. Helps you appreciated how hard it is to actually get there, let alone win it. Barbaro did it and in convincing fashion. This accomplishment seems to get lost in all the shots of flowers and cards. Seems the focus is all on people's reactions and not Barbaro.

It's also annoying that some of the airtime spent rehashing what happened, takes away from focusing on the horses and connections that are in this year's crop. I'm sure it will happen this Saturday. That time could be spent reviewing the prep races, maybe analyzing the race that's about to happen. Dare I say it, showing the odds and exacta will pays. The probable pace scenario or how the track has been playing during the day.
Overlay- I wouldn't be too worried, your son's comment seems typical of a young man. He'll return to his senses and share his dad's love for this great game. And remember Beyer, Ragozin , Axthelm were all Ivy Leaguers.

[ryesteve]

Prez GW wants to up that another $ 28 million dollars this year bringing abstinence program funding up to $ 191 million dollars
Apparently I was way ahead of my time... I never got laid in high school, but I never even got a dime for it!

[Greyfox]

I never got laid in high school,

Lots of action from Mrs. Thumb and her four daughters eh.:lol:
Betcha made up for it since. :lol:
Betcha Playboy mags were "handy?":lol:

There's some interesting posts on this thread.
Overlay thinks that he influenced his son past age 6. Sorry. Once his son hit school Overlay's influence was only secondary to the teachers and peer groups. If Overlay went wrong it was in the first 6 years.
The Prez thinks putting money for chastity will make it so.
The sad thing is it's public money. Public money is no value "pubicly.":lol:
People who don't want to hear another word about Barbaro are discussing Barbaro.:lol:

[cj's dad]

My son sent me an e-mail from college with a link to a story about all the goings-on concerning the commemoration of Barbaro in connection with the running of this year's Derby. His only comment was, "Meanwhile, in Baghdad...". Taking this in the most optimistic light possible, I told him I wasn't sure whether the race would be simulcast in Iraq or not. (Has the Ivy League undone eighteen years in less than two?)

Your son is attending a bastion of left wing idealogy !! Ask him what he would have us do. Should we stay home and worry about things over which we have little or no control? During times of stress, such as a death of a loved one or national tragedy, most of us seek out a diversion. And more importantly, no matter what, life goes on. I am proud of our troops for doing their jobs as they are required to do and would hope that the public in general would stop whining and back our sons and daughters. I am sick and tired of this b------t slogan that people support our troops yet whine at every opportunity about Iraq. My father was a WWII vet as a US Navy Seabee and saw combat. My step-dad was US Army Armored Division in Europe and later North Africa and saw combat. My mom never has anything but honor and respect in her heart when she speaks of both. Last thought regarding your son- ask him to spend more time reading of this countries history and less time in philosophy class.

[karlskorner]

Well said.

[highnote]

Apparently I was way ahead of my time... I never got laid in high school, but I never even got a dime for it!


I got laid in high school, but had to pay for it. :D :liar:

[Greyfox]

Overlay, I think that it's heart warming that your son writes you.
Consider what one man's son wrote to him and the reply back.:lol:

"Dear Dad,
$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can`t think of anything I need, $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.
Love,
Your $on
The Reply:

Dear Son,
I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.
Love,
Dad

[betovernetcapper]

I got laid in high school, but had to pay for it. :D :liar:
One way or another you always pay for it.

On the subject of abstinence, my nephew who completed 2 tours in Iraq, told me that young women would engage in anal sex prior to marriage, so they would still be virgins.

[Greyfox]

One way or another you always pay for it.
.
Paying for "it?"
Does the name Deborah Jeane Palfrey mean anything to you guys?
Hope not. But her little list has 10,000 to 15,000 names on it.
(Any posters to this site sweating yet?)

It must have meant something to Randall Tobias at the State department though. He resigned on Friday.
Of course there was no sex. He was just getting massaged.:lol:

Rumor has it that on May 4 th, ABC's 20/20 will be carrying it's report on her names list.
The Washington Post had an interesting article on this yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801192_pf.html

[Greyfox]

(Has the Ivy League undone eighteen years in less than two?)

Sorry Overlay, I didn't want your thread to get too far off topic.
Your son in an Ivy league school will be getting an opportunity for a good education. His attitude and energy towards his studies will be a key determinant on his success, not necessarily the fact that he is in an Ivy league school.
One of my favorite writers, Malcolm Gladwell of Blink fame,
wrote an article that you might be interested in. It was published in the New Yorker and is on his website.

http://www.gladwell.com/2005/2005_10_10_a_admissions.html

[Overlay]

Your son is attending a bastion of left wing idealogy !! Ask him what he would have us do. Should we stay home and worry about things over which we have little or no control? During times of stress, such as a death of a loved one or national tragedy, most of us seek out a diversion. And more importantly, no matter what, life goes on. I am proud of our troops for doing their jobs as they are required to do and would hope that the public in general would stop whining and back our sons and daughters. I am sick and tired of this b------t slogan that people support our troops yet whine at every opportunity about Iraq. My father was a WWII vet as a US Navy Seabee and saw combat. My step-dad was US Army Armored Division in Europe and later North Africa and saw combat. My mom never has anything but honor and respect in her heart when she speaks of both. Last thought regarding your son- ask him to spend more time reading of this countries history and less time in philosophy class.

I share your views. Your post reminds me of one of the commentaries toward the end of Ken Burns' series on the Civil War (delivered, if I recall, by the late Shelby Foote) where he said that, as terrible as the war was, and as many lives as it cost, the North had fought it with (as he put it) one hand tied behind its back, and he ticked off a long list of other activities and scientific or cultural advances unrelated to the war and unaffected by it that had gone in the North on while the conflict was being fought. From knowing my son, I didn't take his comment to be disparaging of our troops or the war effort (although I can see how you could construe it that way). To me, he was just comparing the outpouring of emotion and printer's ink over Barbaro on a scale of relative importance in his eyes with the current and future implications of what's happening in Southwest Asia. He's got a pretty good head on his shoulders, and I look for him to emerge ideologically unscathed from his exposure to the Ivy League perspective.

[46zilzal]

Why has the open-mindedness of a university education become labelled as left wing? Is exlcusive unto itself.

It is a time of discover and learnnig to decide for oneself.

[GameTheory]

Why has the open-mindedness of a university education become labelled as left wing? Is exlcusive unto itself.

It is a time of discover and learnnig to decide for oneself.Because a university education is now anything but open-minded, and is highly left-wing, that's why. "Learning how to decide for oneself" -- are you joking? Try challenging some of these professors with a non-liberal view and watch your grades drop.

You posted an example yourself the other day to do with Gonzales at Harvard. Now find an example of a liberal or Democrat being heckled at a university.

You were a student decades ago, correct? Maybe, just maybe everything is not the same as it was these many years later? There is very very little open-mindedness and less debate going on at college campuses these days...

[Greyfox]

[QUOTE=GameTheory]. Now find an example of a liberal or Democrat being heckled at a university.

QUOTE]

Hillary - Roosevelt University
Hubby Bill- Pace University

[46zilzal]

You posted an example yourself the other day to do with Gonzales at Harvard. Now find an example of a liberal or Democrat being heckled at a university.

.

Gonzo is a crook. He would have been heckled at any institution no matter.

[JustRalph]

Gonzo is a crook.

Would you like to outline the laws broken by Gonzales? How can you call him a crook?

[PaceAdvantage]

How can you call him a crook?

Easy. The boy has no scruples. He'll call anyone even remotely related to the (R) a crook as easily as Elvis used to fry up some bananas....