qngkoniydsz

The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Violence

I happen to live near the one of the tragic "school shootings" of the recent past, and I've seen how the grief, anger, heartache and turmoil have impacted our community. It has brought home that a general abhorrence of violence is not enough. While I'm sure others will have different, and perhaps wiser, suggestions about how to reduce violence, here are my Top 10 Ways to Reduce Violence. If you can improve them, I welcome your feedback, but I suspect it may be more important and more useful if you write a letter to your local newspaper or school board. Together, we can reduce and perhaps eliminate violence.

1. Disconnect anger from violence. I am convinced that human beings get angry, and that anger at injustice is often justified. There is healthy anger that insists, "There has to be a better way!" I shutter when I hear parents tell children, "You shouldn't be angry." Tell them instead, "You're feelings are OK, you can be angry, but you may not hit or hurt others."

2. See the connection between the love of violence and violence itself. Fascination with brutality, guns and bombs, war and evil must increase the chances for violent behavior. I can't prove that, it just seems likely to me.

3. See the connection between all levels of violence. Insults and taunting, humiliation and shaming are forms of violence. When we treat people badly, it should not surprise us when they seek a way to "get even."

4. Take all violence seriously. Playground bullies and sibling rivalries do not have to be accepted as part of life, at least not when children are getting hurt. Kids squabbling over "my toy" is one thing; hitting or pulling hair or knocking each other down is something else. We do not have to accept it as normal behavior.

5. Take troubled, angry people seriously. We talk about needing more early intervention with troubled kids, and I agree. But people of all ages get trapped in situations they can't handle, with emotions they don't know how to express. Domestic violence, violence among co-workers and among children should always be treated as a serious matter. Hitting and hurting, and threatening to hurt, are not OK.

6. Deal with the availability of guns. Knives, cars, and a thousand other things also kill people, but guns have a unique place in the American imagination. Of course, they also have a place in the rich tradition of hunting and target shooting. I don't have all the answers, but hunting seems different than having military-style weapons available in millions of homes across the country. There must be a better system.

7. Acknowledge the connection between violent images and violent behavior. I abhor censorship, so this is a tough one. But if 30-second images can sell us lipstick and Buicks, and change the way we vote, it seems likely that hours and hours of explosions, shootings, fights and mayhem may also influence behavior. To be blunt, I am particularly troubled by the violence in video games and the number of violent "action adventure" movies we support as a culture. Something strange is going on!

8. Acknowledge the connection between sports and violent behavior. Again, sports is a sacred icon in American culture, but it seems that sports have been separated from athletics. Instead of every child participating in gym class and competing in intramural sports, we have a culture of super-hero super-stars who are virtually above the law. Hockey, basketball, football and other sports all tolerate behavior that would result in arrest for assault outside the sports arena. Competition and fitness are valuable; organized violence is not acceptable!

9. Acknowledge the connection between language and violence. Business uses the language of the battlefield, and sports is full of encouragement to "get out there and kill", "massacre them", and "beat their brains out". Our legal system is based on the idea of lawyer's doing battle. While hiring a representative to fight with words instead of clubs was a huge step forward in the middle ages, perhaps our society is ready for an even higher level of conflict resolution.

10. See the violence in ourselves. Sometimes I find myself so angry I "daydream" about violence, or "really showing them". I hear jokes that use the phrase, "Just shoot the bastards!" I know if "looks could kill" or if cutting statements actually drew blood, I'd be in deep trouble. Violence is not just someone else's problem. I must work for peace, love and improved conflict resolution in my own life. How about you?

posted by xtrx @ 11:49 PM 0 comments

Ten Tips For Effective Angling

I also like to call this list ten things my Dad taught me about fishing. Fishing has always been an important part of my life. My Dad used to take me fishing all the time, in fact, take a kid fishing was a rule he lived by. He showed me how to fish, the best bait to use while fishing, and methods to catch more fish. Sure this list isnt everything you need to know about fishing but using these basic techniques will insure you to have a good day fishing.

1. Always set the hook properly. Make sure your fish is hooked before you start reeling.

2. Keep steady pressure on the fish. Dont give the fish a chance to spit out the lure or bait. Keep your line taut with no slack and keep the rod tip out of the water. You need to keep reeling to make sure the pressure is steady and the line is straight out to the fish.

3. Make sure your line is not wrapped around the tip of the rod. If it becomes twisted around the rod you will not be able to control your reeling and it may break the line.

4. The jig is one of most effective fish catching lures to use. Jigs are good for fishing from the shoreline to deep water. They can be used on farm ponds, lakes, and rivers. Jigs will catch everything from bluegills, crappies and perch to walleyes, smallmouth bass and northern pike. My Dads favorite was using a feathered jig tipped with a mealworm. We caught all kind of fish with that in all kinds of water.

5. Make sure to use your drag and that it is working properly. Using the drag will help you maintain control over the fish.

6. Cast your bait near structure whenever you can. If you can, bring along a contour map of the body of water youre fishing. Fish like to hang around logs, rocks and docks whether the structure is under the water or sticking out of the water. Casting next to a weed bed should produce fish also.

7. Try to use live bait that is matched to what the fish usually feed on. If you present the fish with what theyre looking for you are much more likely to catch fish.

8. Take care of your fishing equipment. Keep your hooks sharp and ready to hook the big one. Change your line frequently to prevent breakage. Keep your reel oiled so that it turns easily.

9. Start fishing on the bottom and work your way to the surface. Once you catch a fish, try to keep your bait at that depth and just move around until you find where they are hiding. Keep moving until you start catching fish. Keep repeating the procedure. Bluegill, perch, crappie, white bass and black bass are all schooling fish. This means that there is more than one fish swimming around. Once you find them, you will usually catch a bunch.

10. Always keep your bait moving. Jig it, pop it, reel it. Whatever it takes to make it look alive. Fish love live bait.

Hope these tips offer you as many good fishing days as I have had.

posted by xtrx @ 11:01 AM 0 comments

McCarthy a Brutal Hire for the Packers!

Sometimes I just don't get it !!!

As offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers last year, Mike McCarthy's offense finished 32nd and dead last in the NFL. How bad was it ??? That offense finished 32nd in passing, 22nd in rushing, and was 30th overal in points going eight games of a sixteen game schedule without an offensive touchdown.

As quarterback coach of the Packers during Ray Rhodes short-lived and ill-fated 1999 regime, McCarthy guided Bret Favre to his second worst season as a professional with the future HOFer throwing 24 pics to just 23 touchdowns. Favre's 74.7 QB rating was was only supraceeded by his 1993 sopomore season rating of 72.2 and this year's train-wreck of 70.9 yet this week Mike McCarthy was brought back to Green Bay and hired as the 14th Head Coach in arguably the most storied franchise in NFL history.

The Packers had to know that this was a controversial hire as the McCarthy news conference seemed to be more of a damage control preemptive rather than a celebration of the man that was going to restore tarnished lustre and return Green Bay to the promised land.

McCarthy was lauded for his past accomplishments, particularly his work with the Saints spanning 2000-2004. During that time, the Saints established 25 team and 10 individual marks. Joe Horn who caught 437 passes for 6289 yards and 45 TD's during McCarthy's tenure. New Orleans led the NFL in points (432) and toucdowns (49) during the 2002 season.

McCarthy's prior work with the Kansas City was also cited. As quarterback coach of the Chiefs between '95-'98, the combo of Gannon, Grbac, and Bono threw an AFC low 52 interceptions over that four year period. Huh ??? Whupdidoo !!!

In his year with Favre, Bret did throw for 4,091 yards but the Packers were just seventh in passing and ninth overall in total offense.

At the press conference it was also brought up that McCarthy had spent most of last year mentoring the leagues first overall draft pick, Alex Smith - possibly an inference that Aaron Rodgers would be in good hands if Favre decides to call it a career.

Alex Smith's season by any standards was an unmitigated disaster! Smith's numbers were horrific - 84-165 (50.9%) for 875 yards and a 1/11 TD/INT ratio. Granted, Smith had little to work but based on his freshman year, he's well on his way to becoming a bust in the proportions of Tony Mandrich and Ryan Leaf.

McCarthy becomes the youngest coach in the NFL, three months younger than John Gruden. He inherits a a young (26.04 years at season end, 3d in NFL) team that is filled with uncertainties like the health of Javon Walker and Ahman Green and the return of Brett Favre.

Mike McCarthy was a surprisingly desperate hire from a surprisingly desperate franchise. The Packers had been to the playoffs five of the six years under Mike Sherman and while the talent level of the team has fallen appreciably due primarily to poor drafts, the whole Packer post-season shakeup wreaks of panic!

McCarthy's coaching background:

1987-88, Fort Hays State - Graduate Assistant
1989-91, Univ. of Pittsburgh - Quarterbacks
1992, Univ. of Pittsburgh - Wide Receivers
1993-94, Kansas City Chiefs - Offensive Assistant/Quality Control
1995-98, Kansas City Chiefs - Quarterbacks
1999, Green Bay Packers - Quarterbacks
2000-04, New Orleans Saints - Offensive Coordinator
2005, San Francisco 49ers - Offensive Coordinator
2006, Green Bay Packers - Head Coach

posted by xtrx @ 8:39 AM 0 comments