Mistakes God Made

Let's face it. Mankind, and the earth he inhabits, needs some upgrades, and, technology being what it is today, I thought I could help the Great Technetes in the design flaws. These suggestions should not be taken as criticism, I mean, seven days is not much time to get the cosmos up and running and oversights were inevitable. That being said, here are a few corrections that could be considered after this beta-test is over . . .

1. Earlids. Eyelids give the eyes a rest. My ears need a rest once in a while, too. What would be so hard about adding an insulated in-set roll-up door on the ears. When things get too noisy or annoying, "boom," just like closing your eyes the world is shut out.

2. Mosquitos. I don't care what anyone says, they have no redeeming value. Big mistake.

3. Free will. Free will should be granted in a probationary-type way. The more considerate you are the more freedom you have. The will should be put in a state of dormancy from ages 13 - 21. Persons who drive forty miles per hour in the passing lane should have there free will withdrawn as punishment until they learn how to drive.

4. Female protruding breasts. Okay, getting a little personal here, but if they didn't protrude I wouldn't be tempted to look at them. Just sayin' . . .

5. Natural disasters could have natural warning systems.

6.  Old men should not be able to dress themselves. Dress black socks, bright white legs, and Bermuda shorts are a offense to all that is Good.

7. Talking needs a time limit. A voice activated timer could be set for say ten minutes. Anyone that talks longer than that without interruption could have their vocal cords disengage. Teacher's would have to pause and let someone ask a question, preachers would have limits on their sermonizing.

8. The male specie needs an embarrassment meter hard wired into the brain. If you are drinking too much and acting stupid the embarrassment meter would shut down all activity. This would especially helpful to politicians, sports celebrities, and other numb-nuts who take pictures of themselves and send them as text messages.

9. Speaking of which, the whole male-female thing needs to be reconsidered. Adam was lonely, You added a partner and look what happened. Not Your best decision. Maybe You could add a third sex to act as the arbitrator of disputes and interpreter of each others actions. Think about it.

10. Last but not least, everyone wants to live on the beach or in the mountains and most of us have to settle for the flatlands. Add more beach and more mountains next time.

Most respectfully submitted,

Me.

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Technomics Top 50 Fastest Growing Restaurants.

Preface: I saw the link for the Technomics list on Bud Kennedy's (Fort Worth Star Telegram journalist)  Facebook post. He saw the list on Monkey Dish and they pulled it from research by Technomics. I have those links at the bottom of the post.

Also, after reading the list I should say: I need to get out more often. Of the 50 fastest growing restaurants which have annual sales of  25 - 50 million dollars, I have been to a whopping 9.

The restaurants I have visited from the 50 Fastest Growing Restaurants: (and my one word opinion following) are:

• Chop House . . . . Great
• El Fenix . . . . Bad
• Fuzzy's Tacos  . . . . Okay
• Menchies Frozen Yogurt . . . .  Good
• Capriatti's . . . . Okay
• Zoe's Kitchen . . . Good
• 221B Baker Street Pub & Grill . . . . Okay
• Rosa's Cafe . . . . Okay
• American Deli . . . . Okay

Also in the DFW area but places I have not been:

• Twin Peaks. . . . Like I say I definitely need to get out more often
• Tommy Bahama.

The question is:  How many have you tried? And, are ther any that you particulaly like or dislike?

See link for list: MonkeyDish

Bud Kennedy

"An Evening with Mozart" with Thomas Shivone

My youngest son is doing a benefit performance for a little educational, non-profit called the Walsingham Society, an organization to which my family and I are closely associated. He, the beautiful soprano, Megan Hamm, and accompanist Sonia Shin, will be doing duets and arias from "Mozart's Greatest Hits."

The performance is in Dallas, just north of downtown (west of Lemmon and north of Wycliff), at Church of the Holy Cross. Map and location here.

You are invited.

• Friday, July 15, 7:00 - 8:30 PM.
• Wine and hors d'ouevre following.
• Admission is free.
• There will be a donation urn prominently displayed somewhere for people who want to donate a nickel or two.

If you do come and we haven't met, please find me and say hello. That'll be the big, ugly guy nervously pacing at the back of the church. Not the urn.

Following are the details as described in the press release from Lovell-Fairchild Communications.

Thank you.

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"An Evening with Mozart"

Friday, July 15, at 7 p.m., award-winning opera singer Thomas Shivone, trained at Philadelphia’s famed Curtis Institute of Music, will perform from “Mozart’s Greatest Hits,” at Church of the Holy Cross. The evening is sponsored by The Walsingham Society.

Mr. Shivone, a 21-year-old native of Fort Worth, known for his rich and colored baritone, was the youngest vocalist to enter Philadelphia's Curtis Institute. He has performed more than twenty operas at Curtis and has sung professionally with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, with the Master Chorale of South Florida, and in locations around the world.

“Opera was the first popular music, the sitcoms of their time,” Shivone says, “and it’s coming back strongly.” And while seeing the Metropolitan opera on high-density theater screens is wonderful, Shivone said, nothing compares to the experience of hearing a well-trained voice—the music and the words—in person.

Shivone studies in New York City with Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, whose students are at major international opera houses, including New York's Metropolitan Opera. His coaches include Danielle Orlando, who for years worked with tenor Luciano Pavarotti as accompanist, judge, and artistic coordinator the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competitions. In 2006, Thomas won the National Public Radio’s “From the Top” competition and the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke award. He has performed Verdi’s “La Traviata” and Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” with the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

The Walsingham Society was formed by a league of graduates and friends of The College of St. Thomas More eager to extend the classical idea of education and culture. Copies of lectures also appear on the Walsingham web page: www.WalsinghamSociety.com

Future lectures include founding Walsingham Society member Mary Moorman Armstrong—an expert in the relationship between religion and law in modern culture, and a consultant on the documentary film As We Forgive, Rwanda (2008). A cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Law, Mary also holds a Masters of Art in Religion from Yale University. She currently is a doctoral candidate and lecturer in systematic theology at Southern Methodist University.

For more information, call Brinton Smith at 817-925-5658 or visit the Walsingham website.

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As Kingfishers Catch Fire, Dragonflies Draw Flame

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves -- goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying What I do is me: for that I came.

.

I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is --
Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

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More hamburger news: Consumer Reports says In N Out better than . . .

I don't want to take anything away from the June 30, 2011 Consumer Reports report that In-N-Out is better than a McDonald's -- but it does solicit a kind of, "okay so what else is new" response.

In case that's not enough to rock your world: Chipotle, according to Consumer Reports readers, is better than Taco Bell. Sherlock Holmes step aside.

Here are snippets from Consumer Reports:

"With high marks for food, service, value and speed, In-N-Out Burger topped the burger chart in Consumer Reports' first-ever major ratings of fast food restaurants. McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's all ranked lower."

"Consumer Reports readers made over 98,000 visits to 53 fast food chains, and found that Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s and Taco Bell offered uninspiring food and so-so service. While In-N-Out Burger was the top-ranked burger chain, other restaurants also did well in their categories."

"Chick-fil-A topped KFC and all other chicken chains, with high scores for food, value, speed, and the politeness of its staff."

"Chipotle Mexican Grill beat out 8 other Mexican food chains, including Taco Bell."

Here are the Consumer Reports' top fast food restaurants for overall value, my comments in parentheses: 

• In-N-Out Burger .... (have never been, can't wait to try 7th Street's)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill ....(food always lukewarm when served . . . which I do not like)
• Chick-fil-A .... (too many smiling white people. .. makes me nervous.)
• Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza .... (have never been but wouldn't go anywhere named Take N Bake)

For fast food restaurant enthusiasts, of which I am one (if I might be serious for a moment), the report is pretty interesting: Consumer Reports.

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