Let’s start with the quote this week. I like quotes!
Now Hear This
If you’re ever tempted to look outside for approval, realize you’ve compromised your integrity. - Epectitus
The April Garden
I sowed beans this week. The temperature was in the eighties. The next few days, we’re expected to be in the fifties and sixties. This should be the last of the cool weather for a few months. Beans are smart. They like warm weather, so we’ll see.
A History Lesson
It’s baseball season. For that reason, a story about one of the greatest American pastimes. If you know baseball at any level, chances are you’ve heard of Pete Rose. Rose happens to be one of my favorite players of all time, but he’s banned from baseball for life. Although his statistics argue for his skills, chances are slim that Rose will end up in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I will let you research the accusations, if you’re so inclined.
In 1920, eight Chicago White Sox were determined to have bet on baseball. Among those players was “Shoeless” Joe Jackson - considered to be one of the best hitters in the game. The Sox were facing the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. The players were approached by bookies and offered a lucrative “buyout.” If they didn’t play up to their potential, subsequently allowing the Reds to win, they would be “rewarded” handsomely.
Once the commissioner caught wind of the scandal, a grand jury was summoned. After the trial, which included some conflicting statements, the players were exonerated. However, the judge (who was also the acting MLB commissioner) banned all eight players from the game, citing “a crime against baseball.” The White Sox quickly were deemed “The Black Sox.”
These are not the only times gambling and Major League Baseball have been at odds, but they might be the most known.
What Do You Know?
The “Information Age” has led to some great advancement for our society. We have cellular phones wherever we go. Computers are graded based upon their speed. And sadly, we can read a book, without turning a page.
Technology is not all good, however. Social media would have us believe we’re in “community” with others, simply by liking or commenting on their post/page. Employers are turning to digitized applications, in order to decide who and who is not serious about employment.
In my opinion, technology has resulted in a less productive society. Hear me out, if you will. If someone submits an application online and simply waits for a phone call, they are less likely to proactively look for a job. (We actually had to show up and shake someone’s hand.) As for work ethic, customer service, and longevity, they are in the past. For what it’s worth, I know I sound like the “get off my lawn” guy. But as much as I like my technology, I’m not a fan of some of the results.
Information You May Not Find Useful
Messages from your brain travel along your nerves at up to 200 miles per hour.
I wonder who put a radar on that priceless info. Ha! That guy must make a ton.
Let’s do it again next week. Now find a church and worship. Appreciate you reading!