Larry Sheakley’s 5 TIPS for Entrepreneurs

I love lists, plain and simple. Maybe that is why I enjoy reading the USA Today so much as lists and graphs seem to be the "signature" of their newspaper. So I was reading Cincy magazine yesterday and there was a great piece about Larry Sheakley and his business. Here is a link to the article, but I share the following list with you all in the hopes that it will inspire and motivate, regardless of whether the entrepreneur is in the non-profit or for-profit environment. Larry Sheakley’s 5 TIPS for Entrepreneurs

1) Believe in yourself, and your decisions.

2) Always have older friends in your life for their experience and wisdom; always have younger friends in your life for their optimism and energy.

3) Question everything!

4) Remember that perception is not always reality.

5) Always remember that luck will play a part in your success, but hard work will play a bigger part.

More on the C5 Galaxy

As a follow up to my previous posting today, here is a picture of the C5 Galaxy that I mentioned we saw flying last night in and around Dayton and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Yes, they are that big. It was interesting to see them in the sky after having the chance to walk inside one at the Dayton Air Show just 5 days earlier. It is quite an amazing site whether on the ground or in the air.

Observations of a Visit to a Dayton Dragons game at Fifth Third Field

Last night, I set out with my father in law, Stuart Hodesh, for my first visit to Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio to see the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds) play host to the Peoria Chiefs (Chicago Cubs). It had been at least 16 years since I had been to a minor league game. Ironically, the last minor league game that I attended was a Peoria Chiefs game with my fellow West Campus RA's from ISU. If my memory serves me correct, this was in Peoria during the spring of 1991. I also want to say that they played the then Rockford Expos. A lot has changed in my life and in baseball since then. Here are some of my observations from last night's game:

• The best part of Fifth Third Field is that they serve Coca Cola products, unlike most baseball stadiums that have made the poor decision to serve the "other" beverage.
• The third base coaches and the camera operators on the field all were wearing batting helmets. I had never seen this before.
• The manager of the Dragons also served as the third base coach.
• We had far more leg room in our seats than any other stadium I have visited.
• The in between inning entertainment was a lot of fun. Especially the Celtic dancers.
• We had a beautiful evening with no humidity and I do not think I produced one bead of sweat. Most unusual for late July in Ohio.
• The game moves a lot quicker than the major leagues. The pitchers did not waste any time.
• There were only two umpires on the field, unlike 4 in the major leagues.
• The gift shop was very overpriced.
• Very few mobile food and beer vendors in the park.
• Parking was not that difficult to find, despite the fact that I had a VIP pass.
• I had to listen twice, but at one point, the organist played Hava Nagila to rev up the crowd.
• The food was not that expensive and was much more "friendly" to the Kosher crowd than I had thought.
• We were treated to a side show of watching C5 Galaxy transport planes come into Wright Patterson Air Force Base throughout the game. They are huge and at times just appear to be dangling in the sky.
• The Dragons have great uniforms, especially the caps. But I was not about to pay $33 for one.
• The people in the stands were very friendly and the park had a very warm and intimate feeling.

All in all, it was a lot of fun to take the drive up the road for a fun evening of baseball. I am very much looking forward to my next visit.

CNN: What are you thinking?

I was lying in bed last night watching Larry King. Larry was off and Joy Behar was the guest host. I can accept the fact that CNN has an intrinsic bias on politics and the election. But since when is Fran Drescher a political pundit? James Carville, ok. Paul Begala, ok. But a woman who has one of the most irritating voices on the planet? Oy vey. What on Earth makes Fran qualified to be a political analyst? What am I missing here folks?

An Important Quote from Ambassador Dan Gillerman on the Mideast Peace Process

Dan Gillerman is wrapping up his term as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations. There was a brief interview with him in the New York Times Magazine this past Sunday reflecting on his time at the UN. Gilerman made a great comment that I thought was worth sharing. Here it is:

"It’s nearly as if we live in a world where if Christians kill Muslims, it’s a crusade. If Jews kill Muslims, it’s a massacre. And when Muslims kill Muslims, it’s the Weather Channel. Nobody cares."

Gillerman is to be applauded for his five years of service to State of Israel in this role at the UN. It is a tough job, and he made the most of it. This quote was most poignant and most thought provoking. In addition, it makes a whole lot of sense.

Noah Lets Aaron Try a Big Boy Bed on For Size

Why is T. Boone Pickens Not Living at 1600?

After seeing and hearing all of the commercials about T.Boone Pickens' energy plan, I read The Pickens Plan. The man cuts through all of the crap, makes a whole lot of sense, and shows an understanding of what needs to be done to break our dependence on foreign oil . He is an independent thinker, and that is perhaps his greatest attribute. Like H. Ross Perot, he could have brought about fundamental change and actually produced results in DC. Though he may be older than even John McCain, he would be one awesome POTUS if he had the chance. If you care about our country,our environment, and like me are tired of seeing us spend billions on foreign oil, take a look at his plan. In addition to more drilling (done in an environmentally responsible manner,)I believe that this is a sound plan. I hope that you will be convinced as I was. It can be found at: pickensplan.com

Sign at New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Cincinnati

"Those who matter, judge me. Those who judge me, don't matter."

This church near our home always has great signs like this.

Understanding the meaning of a folded American Flag

Many of you have heard me talk about how emotional I get every time that I see the American flag folded into a triangle at a ceremony. It conveys a sense of dignity, and honor that make me so proud to be an American. This past weekend, I learned of the symbolism behind this ceremony, as presented by the National Flag Foundation. It happened to be listed in a catalog for flag enthusiasts. I hope that this will enlighten you as well so that the next time that you see this ritual (hopefully not at a funeral), you will be able to understand the meaning. Here is a quick synopsis:

There are twelve folds involved:

• The first fold stands for liberty.
• The second fold represents unity.
• The third fold stands for justice.
• The fourth fold symbolizes perseverance.
• The fifth fold represents hardiness.
• The sixth fold stands for valor.
• The seventh fold symbolizes purity.
• The eighth fold represents innocence.
• The ninth fold signifies sacrifice.
• The tenth fold stands for honor.
• The eleventh fold symbolizes independence.
• The twelfth fold represents truth.

Scenes from our Visit to the Vectren Dayton Air Show at DAY

Noah Learns Some of the Finer Points of Law Enforcement from the Ohio Highway Patrol