Efficient Energy?

One of the Red Bull cars was heading east on the Turnpike this morning as I drove to Lawrence.  The energy drink retools Mini Coopers by adding their distinctive can on top of the car.  Hope they are fueling the Mini with Red Bull too.  The little car needs the extra kick in the tank since its aerodynamics have to be totally screwed with the top of a big round can smashing its way through the wind.  The car might be “cute” and a real advertising tool in their quest to joy juice every radical sport athlete in the world, but they surely are wasting a whole lot of gasoline with their cars.  Too bad caffeine can’t be burned for car fuel.

Snowy Friday

Potter Lake Area at KU Friday

Food For Thought

Laura and I stopped Wednesday night at the Qwik Shop at Bob Billings and Kasold after the KU women’s game.  All we wanted were two frosty-cold milks for the drive home to Topeka.  Instead, we got food for thought.

Getting out of our car, a woman yelled at us, “Can you help me?”  She was standing by her car at the gas pumps as she continued, “I need money for gas to get to Topeka because my sister is in the hospital.”  We picked up our pace and went inside.

Who hasn’t heard this?  Bus money for funeral trips, gas money for racing to hospitals, prescription money for sick children.  We have become calloused to such cries that I always worry I have become like those that walked to the other side of the road instead of the Good Samaritan that offered unconditional aid.

Inside we paid a young, college-age girl working alone in the convenience store.  She clearly had been crying.  “Did that woman yell for money from you,” she asked while choking back tears?  The clerk went on to explain the woman had come in almost demanding help.  “I used my own credit card and paid for a gallon of gas for her,” she continued.  We knew a gallon of gas would have easily gotten her to Topeka from west Lawrence.  As she told this story, I looked outside to see the woman driving away glaring at the three of us from her car as she passed by the main doors.  We expressed our concern and sorrow before heading on our own journey to Topeka.

Strangely, the next morning I picked up the paper to read about former Jefferson West and Iowa State basketball player Paul Shirley.  Shirley was in trouble with ESPN over his comments regarding Haiti and charity efforts to help the earthquake-stricken country.  Shirley had become something of local legend for a book he wrote detailing his brief career in the NBA.  His writing skills led to an ESPN column that has now been cancelled.

Shirley’s comments on a blog drew parallels between giving to Haiti and to others like the woman at the Qwik Shop. “I haven’t donated to Haitian relief effort for the same reason I don’t give money to homeless men on the street,” Shirley wrote. “I don’t think the guy with the sign that reads ‘Need You’re (sic) Help’ is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him.  If I use history as my guide, I don’t think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either.”  Shirley went on to blast the living conditions in Haiti that he believed led to such widespread disaster and death.

I disagree with Shirley that charitable efforts for Haiti are wasted.  Laura and I were happy to donate during KU’s recent fund-raising for the Red Cross.  Such agencies are on the ground helping and will be long after the media latest news cycle has moved on to the next headline grabber.  Only the fool-hearty would turn their backs on these selfless individuals and agencies.  Thankfully many have not.

Shirley went on to comment that poor living conditions and construction in Haiti were to blame for the high cost in lives.  “It is not outside the realm of imagination,” Shirley wrote, “ to think that the citizens of a country might be able to: A) avoid putting themselves into a situation that might result in such catastrophic loss of life, and B) provide for their own aid in the event of such a catastrophe.”

Having never been to Haiti, it is impossible to be sure of this comment, though I suspect solving these problems would be much harder than Shirley might like.  History has proved that the people of Haiti have been persecuted by scores of occupying nations and selfish leaders.  Their economy is awful.  I can only imagine how difficult life must be there in the best of times.

This past September, KU played football in El Paso.  Riding on one of the team buses from the airport along Interstate 10 to the team hotel, we could look out one side of the bus at El Paso and to other side Juarez, Mexico.  While El Paso would never rank as one of the prettiest cities in the United States, the view of Juarez was especially saddening for its hills were cluttered with nothing more than shacks clustered together for mile upon mile.  It doesn’t surprise me that Juarez has become the murder capital of the world.

Thinking back, I wonder now about the devastation that would result should the same size earthquake hit that area?  Surely, on the Mexican side of the border, we would be seeing Haitian-type photographs and videos.  El Paso would be better if only because the area is less populated and building standards far exceed those of Mexico.

I wonder how we would all react when thousands upon thousands flooded American hospitals for emergency care in the midst of such a disaster only to find they do not have health insurance.  I can’t argue all the nuances the raging debate in Washington over health care, but I am so very sure of this.  We need universal health care.  For everyone arguing otherwise, I hope they will have their charity checks ready when such a disaster does strike the United States.

If you have read anything about Congressman Charlie Wilson or seen the movie Charlie Wilson’s War, you might remember some of the closing scenes of the outstanding movie.

Wilson is seen basking in the glow of one of the greatest covert actions in history, a program to organize and support The Afghan mujahideen in their resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan beginning in 1980.  Millions upon millions were directed to secretly arm the Afghans.  One of his key accomplices is a rogue CIA agent Gust Avrakotos.  Avrakotos comes to Wilson to warn that money was still needed to rebuild the country and its educational framework or even bigger problems would surely develop.

Wilson returned to Congress only to find his colleagues had moved on to other more glossy action than funding schools in Afganistan.  The movie closes with this Wilson quote.

“These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world…and then we fxxxed up the end game.”

As a country, we do seem to mess up the end game time after time.  We seem incapable of seeing beyond our own self-needs unless crisis strikes.  We are ready and willing to open our wallets and purses in times of crisis but fight with such zeal when we are asked to work together to bring about workable solutions to problems before they become crisis.

So where does that leave me and the woman wanting money?  Sadly, really nowhere.  I admit I am going to walk by almost every time.  I knew the money I would have given her would not have been used constructively.  We have made it easier to sit on a corner with a sign than to find real work.  Fortunately, there are many agencies here in the United States ready and willing to help, as is the Red Cross in Haiti right now.

What I have to do, just as we all must, is to help those ready and willing to work to not mess up the end games with my time, my money and my vote.  That is good food for thought.

JayRock

One of my more enjoyable assignments for the last five years at KU is the annual JayRock student-athlete talent show.  I might moan and groan about another night assignment, but I always have a great time.  Watching outstanding athletes perform is eye-opening, sometimes bizarre but always uproarious.  Various KU sports teams display their skits live  or on video.  Many are based on popular movies, games or videos of the day.  Last night’s show was heavy on references to The Hangover and the Miley Cirus video for her Party in the USA.

Softball's Winning Wizard of Oz

Yet, it was an old classic that was the runaway winner.  The KU softball team’s take on the Wizard of Oz was remarkable.  From costumes to their attention to the movie’s details took hours of practice and work.  I’ve always believed in having fun, so watching these tight performances says a lot to me about the camaraderie of a team, which, in turn, says a lot about how that team will perform on the field or court.  A team can practice all they want, but if they can’t have fun, can they really win?

Track & Field's Combined Dance Effort

No group epitomizes that belief more than men’s track and field.  They have been a dominant force in JayRock since its inception.  Whether it was dancing to A Million Ways in 2007 or taking Mike Tyson’s video game Punch Out live on stage, T&F, led by many distance runners, seemed almost unbeatable and threatened the very life of the JayRock event.  That worry led to what I believe is the greatest display in JayRock history, the two-part video show and dance titled Jayhawk Destiny in 2008.  Track & field came forward to announce they had decided not to compete.  Suddenly, they found inspiration in the words of KU academic guru and renowned self-motivator Paul Buskirk.  The video of them getting back together for another go followed by their soulful dance live was an instant classic.  Check it out here and here along with other performances on You Tube.

In recent years, the women of the pool have come on strong.  The swimmers and divers rocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller in 2008 and Weird Al’s Eat It parody of another Michael Jackson classic in 2009.  Believe me, swimmers need the calories and surely do know how to get them.  Funny how two sports that require lap after lap staring at a black line in a pool or logging massive miles on the road have led to such creative efforts.  It’s not like they don’t have time to develop great ideas in exercise-warped minds.

Lew Perkins and the Crowd

That is not to say all acts are great.  Some are downright embarrassing in a good way.  Just because an athlete displays amazing grace, power and skill in their sport or event, there is no guarantee they can dance, act or avoid stage fright.  People who compete in front of thousands can seem stiff and akward on a stage in front of their peers.  There are also the teams that are just out there.  They don’t seem to care how they look doing whatever they do.  Baseball is that team.

One year, baseball dragged trash cans, marshmallows and some soda onto the stage.  They stuffed their faces with the spongy confection and washed it down with soda until each one puked into the trash cans.  Last one barfing was the winner.  Now, that is talent worth pursuing.  Last night, they showed off their baseball bodies and suggestive dance skills in a hilarious video to the Cyrus song Party in the USA that proved they certainly are not self-conscious and earned them a third place trophy behind softball and the combined efforts of both men’s and women’s track & field.

Track Rapper Bruce Tyner (aka Mista Versatile)

There are two forces behind this hilarious night.  The first is the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  SAAC works to involve teams and individual student-athletes in the life of their community.  They work with Special Olympians, reading programs with elementary students, local law enforcement outreach and the Haskell Indian Nations University.  They learn that being involved can also be great fun.  The second force behind this is SAAC’s leader Mike Harrity.  He has one of the best job at KU because everyone involved in SAAC loves Mike.  He’s like their cruise director.  Commitment is the core of SAAC but the wrapping is pure fun.

Last night’s JayRock was another great example of why college athletics needs such fun.  The people seem so young and so alive.  They have kept this old man young in heart and mind for many years now.  Thanks.  Bravo.

Happy Birthday, Uncle John

My Aunt and Uncle in a Lincoln Sports Bar

Today, join with me in celebration of  my Uncle John’s 84th birthday.  Along with my Aunt Shirley, the two have been so wonderful to me, to Laura and my daughters.  I hope as Laura and I age, we can be as active and enjoy life as much as those two.  They always amaze us.  On our last visit, they wanted to take us to a place they had recently discovered for dinner.  It turned out to be a sports bar.  The thought of the two of them walking into a sport bar still amazes us.

To get to that sports bar meant we rode in John’s car which has been a thrill since I was little.  John still can flat fly.  We buzzed along streets and whipped through the parking lot before snapping sharply into a parking spot.  The first time I took Laura to meet John and Shirley, I warned her that a trip with John would be exhilarating.  John came through.  He had her sitting in the back seat amazed that a man of his age could drive that confidently.  Long ago I asked him about cruising speeds.  I’ve always remembered his reply.  ”Driving quickly allows me to get out of trouble quickly,” he said.  How can you argue with that simple logic?  About a year ago, my aunt informed me that John had been in a very bad auto accident but had suffered only minor injuries.  I was sure age had finally caught up with him.  How wrong I was.  The other driver, a young man with no license or insurance was completely at fault and tried to run from the scene only to be caught by the police.

John and I share a great love for white automobiles.  John favored a white Pontiac and usually had the latest model.  My cars have almost always been white, and I have been accused of being compulsive about them as I am sure John has been.  Funny how neither of us drive white cars right now.  Mine is a black “beater” Honda in which we haul Rocket and our bikes.  John has a sweet Cadillac and Buick.  Who says we can’t change.

I have always enjoyed my time with John.  John had the connection for tickets to Nebraska football.  Though never a crazed fan, he always wants to confirm I am still a diehard Husker fan despite my years at KU.  They both take great pride in the fact Turner Gill is now the KU coach.  The Gill family lived just blocks away from them during Gill’s time as an assistant at Nebraska.  In my first meeting with the Gill’s I spoke about their connection to my relatives.  The Gill’s beamed when I mentioned the Rolling Hills area of Lincoln.  My aunt and uncle built one of the first homes in the south Lincoln development after they married 38 years ago.  It still looks as though it was built recently.  When I told John and Shirley about my conversation with the Gill’s, you could sense the pride in their voices.

Their love for Laura is so endearing.  They warmed to her immediately and have always made her feel so at ease.  As any man should, I won’t mention Shirley’s age.  She is younger than John by a bit as is Laura younger than me. John likes to tell me how that is a real positive.  I completely agree.  We both wish we could get to Lincoln more often to see them both.

We didn’t get to wish John a Happy Birthday until tonight.  They had all sorts of activities related to the birthday to fill their day.  As I told him then and say again now.  Happy Birthday, John.  Thank you for all you have done for me and for all of us.  God bless and keep you, and may He grant you many, many more birthdays.  We love you both.

Fog Warning

I can’t remember a period of time this long with this much fog.  I shot this phone photo while out riding late this afternoon.  Every ride right now leaves my bike and me sopping and filthy.  Nevertheless, it is great to be out riding again, and the murky mist makes the solitary miles very special.  The warm air masses we have hanging over the cold, snow covered ground has caused the advection fog.  It looks as though we are in for another foggy day tomorrow.  I’ve got lights front and back blinking away.  So, keep your car lights on, slow down, be careful and watch out for cyclists, please.

Ted Juneau and Haskell Basketball on ESPN.com

Just a few miles from the famed Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, an old friend Ted Juneau is doing all he can to bring a wonderful basketball experience to the members of the Haskell Indian Nations University team.  It has been my privilege to know Ted since the early  70’s.  He and I became friends during his time working as an assistant to Willie Nicklin at Topeka High.  He went on to coach state championship teams in boys’ and girls’ basketball during his career in Topeka and Lawrence.

I always remember what he said to one of his winning teams in the locker room after the title game.  I had been given the permission to photograph the celebration before Ted called his team together and said to them, “In 10 or 20 years, I don’t want any of you to come back and tell me this was the greatest day of your life.”  Even in that joyous moment, Ted was thinking beyond basketball towards the full and rich lives he hoped each of his players would live.

ESPN.com today ran a feature on the Haskell team and Ted’s role with these young players known to few outside the campus in the city where KU basketball reigns supreme.  Once again, I was given the privilege of photographing Ted and the team for the story.  Watching Ted in action again more than made up for the fact my name was initially spelled “Jed Jacobsohn” on the lead photo and “Jed Jacobsen” on rest.  As every photographer laments often, “Editors!”

Please take the time to read Dana O’Neil’s stories.  I hope you also will enjoy the pictures, but that really doesn’t matter on this one.  I truly enjoyed my time with the wonderful players on the Haskell team and the fine man shaping their lives for the better.

Story links here and here.

Trading Places

Martin Luther fan Matt Barkley

USC quarterback Matt  Barkley was featured in the daily Sporting News web pages Monday.  While not a USC fan (except for the Song Girls), it was great to see who the young QB would like to trade places with for a day.  None other than Martin Luther.  From one Luther fan to another, outstanding choice.  Check it out here.

By the way, the Sporting News web pages have won me over.  Extremely well done and very detailed.  They are delivered daily by e-mail at no cost.  Very worth a daily look.  You can read all about Barkley’s new head coach, the job-jumping, Lane Kiffen, in Wednesday’s edition.

Sledding

Laura and Rocket

Some photos from our late Thursday sledding at Stateland and Quinton Heights.  Too much powder at Stateland to get much speed, but we flew down and flew high on runs at Quniton Heights together.  We had no chance photographing those dual runs.  Years ago, Laura and a friend both broke their ankles doubling up on an inner tube ride through some trees in Oregon.  Laura still has a plate in the ankle.  Getting her out to the big hill was huge.  It is really hard to beat Quinton Heights for fun, especially when it is dark and the crowds die down.

Very Bad Self Portrait & Jeff Skeleton Run

Rocket Deep in Snow & Laura Thawing Out

Conundrums

Phog Alllen Covered in Snow

I’ve been facing some conundrums of late.  None of these dilemmas are critical.  None are earth-shattering.  Yet, they do pose difficult questions that leave me in a quandary.

The first involves my daughter Kelly.  The puzzle she presents is balancing the fact I am her father and in some ways her career consultant as she continues to pursue career-building political jobs.  I admit I blew this one recently.  Laura Kelly’s announcement that she was dropping her pursuit of the 2nd District Congressional seat was a major body blow for Kelly.  (There are too many Kelly’s here.  Laura Kelly here forward will be refered to as LK.)  Kelly had been working for LK only two weeks when she was informed of the decision two days before the formal announcement.

The phone call came from Kelly at a difficult time.  I was trying to get a bike ride in before the second round of heavy snows hit.  I was pushing the limits of temperatures, since when leaving the house it was only 19 degrees.  When Kelly called I pulled out my phone to tell her I would call her back after ride.  Instead, she just spewed forth with all the disappointment she was feeling at that moment.

Here is where I blew it.  First, I made the mistake of asking her what she would do now that LK had withdrawn.  Not good.  I was immediately blasted by Kelly for not being compassionate enough.  As she said, “Can’t you just be a Dad right now?”  Second, I was beginning to freeze.  I had pulled over when I realized this call was serious.  As the call went on, the sweat inside my layers began to get icy.  I was starting to freeze and had to get going.  Telling her that was not met with understanding.  After hanging up, I turned back for home and rode with a chill in my body, but more importantely, a very cold heart.

It is very hard to always make the right decisions when it comes to Kelly’s career.  She has done things I never thought possible at her age.  She thoughtfully plots her every career move.  It becomes too easy at times to forget how young she is and how her heart has not been scarred and calloused enough to withstand such bad news.  I need to trust in her and let her work through this, but the father in me wishes I could make it all happen for her now.

Another conundrum is somehow making all this snow and brutal cold work for me, for Laura and for Rocket.  I have never been good riding indoors with my bike on a wind trainer.  The lack of visual stimulation kills me. I worry about ruining my bike.  I just don’t think a carbon fiber frame was meant to be clamped into a wind trainer.  Fortunately, I can ride a spinning bike at KU, but no rocking iPod music can make up for the fact it is not the road.  Kilometers click off at a rapid pace that years ago might have fooled me into believing this kind of riding will translate well to real road riding.  Darn it that it won’t.

We can’t really run right now.  Neither of us want to run on streets and our trails are all covered deep in snow with no signs of it changing soon.  That leaves us plodding along through deep snow so that Rocket can get exercise.  However, the snow is getting deep enough that even Rocket struggles with the drifts.  What we need are snow shoes.  But, from the moment the credit card is swiped, the snow would stop, temperatures would soar and we’d back in business.  Now, that really is a conundrum.  For warmer temps, the cost sacrifice might be worth it.

Sherron Collins After Close Call

KU almost got knocked off last night.  Sherron Colllins had a huge career day.  I was very proud of the photograph I made of Collins leaping to high five fans as he left the court with the scoreboard in the picture.  I have received some kind comments on it.  It actually took some thought to make that image.  So, what’s the dilemma?  It’s taking full credit for the photo.  Laura actually mentioned to me some games ago that fans lean over that scoreboard after games and thought it might make a good photograph.  I filed that away in my mind for a future tighter conference game.  After Collins came to the rescue to preserve KU’s national leading 51-game homecourt winning streak, it was time to make that image.  Thanks, Laura.

Speaking of Laura.  When it comes to driving, Laura’s confidence verges on arrogance  She has reason to be so confident.  When we were dating, she showed off her skills with a controlled power slide into a parking lot off 21st Street on a snowy night.  That confidence also makes her one of the worst side-seat drivers ever.  I am a good driver too, but I don’t mind riding shotgun.  The difficult problem last night was who was driving home from Lawrence after the game.  I decided it better to let Laura drive.  The Subaru is her main car, and I could ride along more at ease than she could sitting next to me.  She is very good at the wheel as she proved last night.

Outside of the snow plows creating whiteouts three times and big rigs blazing along at speeds beyond sanity, the trip home was much better than expected.  That leads to the final question we are often asked.  Is driving as much as we do worth price we pay?  Oh, yeah.  Turnpike crews never cease to amaze me how quickly they clean off the road.  As soon as the K-Tag gate goes up, the roads are always well paved  and quickly cleaned.  We cruise the back roads as often as time permits, but in times like this, nothing beats KTA for the sweet black top.

Finally, there is no conundrum on this one.  There is absolutely no possible health benefit that is not compromised by the dangers of shoveling snow.  Ridiculous.  Never will the sanity of someone buying a snow plow be questioned.  I can’t afford one, but I don’t care if someone buys one to clean only a small strip of sidewalk.  Shoveling snow is absolutely no fun.

My big worry is that after shoveling our area today, I used a chipper to dig down through three inches of rock hard, packed snow in our alley and never touched pavement.  I only found the ice that had built up after the first big snow fall began to thaw and freeze over and over again.  Boy, this is going to be one long, cold winter and a very messy spring.