Fun with photo apps!

Playing with some new (to me anyway) photo apps. Today's lunch looked fairly photogenic so figured why not. Red beans/w rice, shredded pork and jalapenos.

Tragedy in Boston.

I've always felt major sporting events are supposed to be places where competitors from across the globe, across the country or across town come together on a neutral playing field to test themselves. They test themselves against each other and often more importantly... against themselves. They work hard, they play hard and occasionally they even rest hard.  Simply put the vast majority of athletes at all levels tend to be idealistic, determined and gracious in either victory or defeat.

Unfortunately there are also those who express their "idealism" in a different way. Those who live their lives in a very dark and confusing place that most of us living in the civilized world can't even begin to imagine or understand. They're the out and out terrorists, the nut cases and other assorted crazies.

Tragically every so often a group of these crazy bastards get the idea that a major sporting event (probably in part exactly because of it's idealistic principles) would also be the perfect place to try and advance their political agenda. Shock value and prime time TV coverage are an irresistible combination to them. Witness the Black September terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics in '72, the political agendas that overshadowed the Berlin and Moscow Olympics, the act of a single garden variety crazy in Atlanta... and now Boston and it's marathon.

Just as tragically it's often only the athletes, their families and their supporters that pay the price of these senseless, cowardly and shameful acts. In the case of Boston, no one's even made any claim of responsibility or purpose. So what did they seek to achieve other than the murder and maiming of innocent people, all of who came to Boston and started the day with high hopes and aspirations?  We may never know. However, as has been proven time and again by people like Jesse Owens... the heart and spirit of the athlete will always triumph over assorted acts of evil, senseless violence and political extremism.

I believe Boston will come back stronger, inspired and determined not to let this become what the marathon is most remembered for. In fact I believe that on Patriot's day next year more runners than ever will toe the line in the most inspiring run of the marathon ever.  A celebration of the spirit of the athlete over the evil intent of the person or persons responsible for yesterday's tragedy.

And, winter continues....

Well winter continues to refuse to go away. This was the view out my windshield about 9:00a this morning. Spring, if this were a track meet you would have been disqualified for false starts!