Physical Education Should Be Brought Back To Schools

Phys Ed was required when I was in school. From 7th grade through high school, every day we exercised the first ten minutes of class, then played the sport du jour. I guess that's why we had few overweight kids in class.

Besides being a healthy activity and the plethora of overweight and unhealthy kids of today it's fun. Back in the day, there were certain activities that weren't my cup of tea, but overall, I looked forward to it.

One of my main dislikes was dancing (required) in the gym. It's not that I didn't like dancing. What I disliked was the way we were matched up.The coaches just made the boys line up on one side of the gym and the girls on the other side. Then, the two lines would converge and voila, here's your partner.

It didn't take long for me to count down on the girls line to see who I'd be paired with. After a few "Aw, hell no!" thoughts and the appropriate jockeying for position, I was usually able to find a partner I liked. Unfortunately, the girls were also able to count  and I could also see a few "Aw, hell no!" looks from the other side.

Seventh grade left me a bit discouraged over games like basketball and volleyball, but between 7th and 8th grade, my growth spurt kicked in and by the end of the 8th grade, I had grown nearly ten inches. Suddenly, the two games I disliked became fun.

My favorite games were softball and touch football, because, quite frankly, I was a good player. I excelled at both games and a lot of players underestimated my ability, which usually left me with a great advantage.

I really don't know when physical education became no longer required in today's schools. Judging from the many children of today I see that are overweight and uncoordinated, I think that it should be re-introduced. It's healthy and would further the cause of sportsmanship and kids learning to play together. But, that's just me......

The News As I See It: JebBush participated in his first Spanish-language interview with Telemundo this week, where he said he's more optimistic than the other candidates. And you can tell he's optimistic, because he thinks speaking in Spanish will help him with Republicans.

According to today's child protection laws, most of the parents in my neighborhood would have been serving time. Then again, if these laws had been in effect in those days, a lot of their sons and daughters would be serving time today.

This Date In History: 1492; Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain. 1914 Germany declared war on France. 1923; Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as the 30th president of the United States, following the death of Warren G. Harding.

1949; The National Basketball Association was formed. 1958; The nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus became the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater. 1981; U.S. air traffic controllers went on strike.

1987; A 22-cent stamp honoring author William Faulkner was issued. Its first-day cancellation was held in Oxford, Mississippi, where Faulkner had served as postmaster from 1921 until his resignation in 1924 following accusations of negligence. 1987; The Iran-Contra hearings ended.

Picture Of The Day: Ah, the required (and dreaded) phys ed dance classes. The pairings could really make or break your day

Printable Things I Never Told You: 1) My buddy in snowy North Dakota said that after the thaw, his girlfriend finally shaved her legs. He said it was like taking a bulldozer to the rain forest. Birds flying out, villagers scattering. 2) Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach that person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks. 3) I used to be schizophrenic, but we're all right now. 4) There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves. 5) Ladies, the next time the local bar Bozo says, "So, ya wanna go back to my place?", tell him, "Well, I don't know. Will two people fit under a rock?".....and that's five !

Today's Horoscope: Leo - August 3rd: This week you're going to get a giddy feeling that you're going to be emotionally elevated to heights you've never before dreamed of being able to reach. The world will become your oyster, flowers will bloom in your presence, children will miraculously stop crying in your arms and dogs will quite their yappin' after midnight. Do me a favor and stop that yappin' dog first. He's driving me nuts!

Birthdays: Elisha Otis, inventor of the elevator 1811, Rupert Brooke, poet 1887, P. D. James, mystery novelist 1920, Tony Bennett, singer 1926, Martin Sheen, actor 1940, Martha Stewart, entrepreneur 1941.

The queen is missing two months of data

The AREA 51 Retirement Home Bar And Grill: A Texas cowboy and his bride ask the hotel desk clerk for a room, telling him they just got married that morning.

The clerk says, "Congratulations!" Looking at the cowboy, he asks, "Would you like the bridal then?" The cowboy says, "Naw, thanks, I reckon I'll just hold her by the ears 'til she gets the hang of it."

An old man goes to a wizard to ask him if he can remove a curse he has been living with for the last 40 years. The wizard says, "Maybe, but you will have to tell me the exact words that were used to put the curse on you."

The old man says without hesitation, "I now pronounce you man and wife."

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: A week after their marriage, the country newlyweds paid a visit to their doctor. The husband said, "I can't figure it out doc, and I'm really worried. My testicles are turning purple." The doctor said, "That's pretty unusual, let me examine you."

The doctor takes a look and sure enough, the husband's testicles are purple. The doctor turns to the wife. "Are you using the diaphragm that I prescribed?" The wife said, "Yes, I am." The doctor asked, "And what kind of jelly are you using with it?" The wife replied, "Grape."

The finals of the National Youth Poetry Contest last year came down to two finalists. Biff was going to one of the finest private schools in the nation. Tyrone was going into the 10th grade for the 3rd time.

The rules of the contest required each finalist to compose a four-line poem in one minute or less, and the poem had to contain the word "Timbuktu." Biff went first.

About thirty seconds after the clock started he jumped up and recited the following poem: "Slowly across the desert sand, Trekked the dusty caravan, Men on camels, two by two, Destination---Timbuktu." The audience went wild!

The clock started again and Tyrone sat in silent thought. Finally, in the last few seconds, he jumped and recited: "Tim and me, a-clubbin' went, Met three girls in a tenement, They was three, we was two, So I bucked one and Timbuktu"

That's it for today, my little persimmons. Remember, people are like mules. Some you stand in front of and coax them along with a carrot. Some you stand behind and kick them in the ass. The key to management is knowing which mules are which.

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More on Wednesday.

Stay Tuned !