Muddy Dash 2020

I did my first mud run today. The Muddy Dash in Houston.

If you haven't done one, I highly recommend it. It was a freaking blast.

I was a bit leery due to the cooler weather we've been having. Our start time was 11:00 a.m. and the sun was out all morning. Once I took that first plunge in the mud, it was no issue. My body adjusted rather quickly.

I learned quickly that sticking to the edges of the mud pits made getting out easier. The middle of the pits wore down quickly. Also sliding in is the butt first was the best way to enter. You do not want to dive head first as the pits are to shallow.

My next run is probably going to be the Houston Margarita 5K run.

China's Ambition

Hong Kong. Daryl Morey. The NBA. Uighurs. Communist Capitalism.

Daryl Morey's tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters set off a fire storm across China. Morey immediately deleted his tweet but the horse was out of the barn. China reacted swiftly. I'm not going to rehash everything since it is now well documented.

But it does bring up all sorts of dilemmas for those doing business there and what is more important? Money or certain values Americans hold dear?

It is all a result of wanting to break into the largest market in human history.

China allegedly tried to strong arm the NBA into either disciplining Morey or firing him. NBA commissioner Adam Silver replied that the United States values free speech and Morey will not be disciplined. SI.com's Mike McCann wrote an article on how China can attempt to affect NBA operations.

John Mauldin writes in his newsletter Thoughts from the Frontline on"China's Disturbing Vision." In his article, Mauldin alludes to documents that have been memoried holed that China wants to be the dominant world power by 2049. A quick web search didn't find them but it did lead me to other articles.

The Atlantic Council has an article titled "The World China Wants" and mentions the Belt and Road Initiative.

I started this entry to keep track of articles I find on the China's ambition and future. How will the Western World react? How about Russia? It's all important to know.

Links That May Only Interest Me 04-04-17

New technology could end costly crude oil pipeline blockages

Former OU Cheerleader Hooking

Wikipedia user 'Sk-Gorka' edited info about WH aide Sebastian Gorka's gun charge

A competitive Texas Senate primary would make it harder for Democrats to unseat Cruz

Links That May Only Interest Me

How Texas reacted to and benefited from World War II

We may have just witnessed the dawn of truly commercial spaceflight

Teenager Just Sold Her Virginity For £2 Million

She's disgustingly skinny. Needs to eat a sandwich or two.

Baker Hughes CEO’s $41M golden parachute jumped by 40 percent

Atlanta Police Department have found the arsonist responsible for the I-85 fire. pic.twitter.com/8yJYIwEC0Y

— Old Georgia Pics (@OldGeorgiaPics) March 31, 2017

38,000-Year-Old Decorated Bone from Crimea May Provide Insight into Neanderthal Cognition

Judicial Watch Tip Sheet

Liberal enclaves threaten conservative hegemony in the Lone Star State

Mike Pence breaks tie to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood

U.S. & South Korean troops are participating in exercise #FoalEagle. The annual event helps maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula. pic.twitter.com/XczjI2wSgk

— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) March 31, 2017

Transgender Children

The age to vote is 18.

The age to legally partake of tobacco products is 18.

The age to enlist in the military is 18.

The age to sign a legally binding contract is 18.

The age to legally drink is 21.

The age to legally consent to sex in Texas is 17.

The premise to the legal age of majority or consent is that at the legal age a person has the mental capacity to make a decision. While in reality and truth there are those under 18 that can make better decisions than those older. However the law makes a distinction to protect the vast majority who can't and also the enforce parental control.

So for whatever reason the liberal left wants to make an exception for transgender children.

Until the age of 18, a child shouldn't have a right to make such a life altering decision. A responsible parent should guide and inform a gender question child but shouldn't allow the child to make a final decision. It's a highly personal decision and the parents shouldn't let a child make the decision until an age of majority is reached.

Doctors who assist or inject life changing hormones into a child are in an ethical black area. It's not ethical for a doctor to assist in undermining a future adult's ability to choose. By the time the child is an adult and free to make a choice, the damage is already done.

I'm all for freedom of choice. I'm all for individual rights and keeping government out of personal decisions. I'm even against the argument that "it's for the children."

In fact I want to preserve freedom of choice by making a child wait until the age of consent to make the choice to transition to the opposite sex. Let the adult who's future lies ahead make the decision. Take the choice away from the parents and the unethical doctors.

Pay Gap?

There is back and forth on both sides about women earn less than men.

I can only speak from personal experience in the jobs I've had over the last twenty plus years. It's not true. In every position I've been in, women have been paid equal to or more than I have. Equal when we have the same experience or less. I've seen women start at the same level as me and broken barriers for workers, men and women, in how high they rise in the corporation.

It used to be accepted that when you started off in the position I hired into, you could expect to not rise more than one level into management. That barrier was broken...by a woman. As for pay, we all started at the same rate and progressed through the same pay scale. Once we hit management levels, we are pitted against each other for ranking and rating. Highest rank, which has been a woman, gets the biggest raise and so on down the line. Highest rated gets largest raise while lowest rated hopes to keep a job. It's vicious and it's hard but it is also fair.Women and men get scrutinized through the same lens.

Sex, race, sexual orientation, nationality or any other identity you want to insert has no bearing. If you are in place where such things matter then either you need to fight the system and prove why you are worth others are or move onto a place that treats everyone as equals and better than your current situation.

Nighty Night Sleep tight - Random Edition

Vampire Bats Feeding on humans in Brazil. Get that garlic out.

Bikers for Trump in Florida make their way to D.C. for the inauguration.

Bordering on Insecurity from the Texas Tribune: Headless Body Leads to Border Patrol Agent

Is Eagle Ford making a comeback? Higher oil prices leads to an increase of rig counts. (It's behind Houston Chronicle pay wall. Hint:Google entire title and you can read it for free.)

San Antonio Spurs fans are not some of God's brighter creatures. Super Spurs Fan paints butt on nose.

Kids take 31 years ago found, mother arrested. You'd think they are adults by now?

HEB CEO to spend $100 million on training for state educators.