May 1, 2012

1. I saw in this month’s SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN an article entitled “A Unified Physics?

New Efforts to Unite Quantum Mechanics with Einstein's Relativity.” Interesting–scientists, like people of religion, try to find a point of unity in the midst of intense personal belief.

2. Book reviews are being churned out across the planet about Robert Caro's new book PASSAGE TWO POWER. This is his fourth installment on the life of Lyndon Johnson. This volume covers a brief period: from 1958 through 1963, and concludes when Johnson becomes president after JFK’s assassination. I've got to admit I cannot wait to read it. Caro is 76. Here’s hoping he has the strength and good health to complete his work. There have been famous examples of biographers who were unable to do so. Two who come instantly to mind are Douglass Southall Freeman in his series on George Washington, and, more recently, William Manchester and his biography of Winston Churchill.

3. Guilty pleasure: I have now finished the first two seasons of the FX TV series JUSTIFIED. I checked out all of the DVDs from our local public library, which made it nice in that I did not have to use up my selections at Netflix. Timothy Olyphant always makes a great lawman, but in the second season, Jacksonville, Texas native Margot Martindale

steals the show. No wonder she won an Emmy. The series was intense enough to make the hours on the treadmill pass by rapidly.

4. All right, how many of you put money down that the Texas Rangers would be leading the Anaheim Angels of California by nine games by the end of April? On top of that, who would've imagined that Albert Pujols would not have a homerun in the entire month of April. Just for the record, he will start hitting soon. I feel confident that by season's end, he will have his fair share of home runs.

            b. It makes me nervous that the consensus of the experts of baseball is that the Rangers are MLB’s best team.

            c. I like it that the Cowboys traded up to select Morris Claiborne as the sixth pick in the draft. If the Cowboys secondary stays healthy, and they get good play out of their offense line play, they might have a shot to make a nice run in the playoffs.

            d. The Mavs are 0-2 in their series with Oklahoma City. This does not concern me because I have already written this year off. I hope they can make some healthy signings in the off-season.

            e. I used to be a huge fan of the Dallas Stars. Are they still a franchise?

            f. The Cleveland Browns did Colt McCoy a huge favor by drafting Brandon Weedon. Lacking a good offensive line and quality receivers, the Browns can fail offensively with Weedon for a while. Trent Richardson notwithstanding, Weedon (who is a few years older than McCoy) will not succeed until the other offensive needs of the Browns are met. By that time, it might be too late. McCoy, healthy and competitive, will be ready to lead the way.

5. I’ve never seen an episode of the TV show COMMUNITY, but from what I read, it sounds like another metaphor for the church as described by the New Testament.

*Thanks to Peter King for the inspiration for this blog's title.