May Blog Entries

05/28/06

I'm a Catholic University sports alumnus, and I am appalled!

I've gotten so many calls & emails from friends who know I went to CUA, curious to hear my thoughts on the Women's Lacrosse Team's porno photos from the BadJokes.com web site.  I am appalled! Disgusted! and terribly disappointed.  What are they thinking? what kind of parents raised these girls? do they know they will have to dodge the repurcussions of this for the rest of their working lives?? 

 Granted, the rules were different when I was there - the drinking age in Washington, D.C. was 18, after all.  But really, the friends of a drinker kept an eye on their peers, and dragged anyone out of control back to the dorm to throw them into bed.  Now it seems that the girls egg each other on!

 Catholic U certanly had drinking issues to deal with in those days, but alot of the drinking was contained on campus.  To think these girls on the lacrosse team could take behavior like this OFF campus really begs the question: how much control can the administration HAVE on kids who behave this way off campus??

I truly hope they do some expelling -- the message has to be sent fast and forcefull! this is unacceptable...and will only get worse as the years go by if they don't act on it right now.

05/25/06

Today I had the pleasure of watching one of my younger clients give a 30 minute speech to members of her Senior Class at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin.  Alle, age 17, gave her presentation on getting her pilot's license, and the upgrades in technology pilots have been lucky enough to experience these past few years.  She looked fabulous, and wore her Grandfather's "wings" he earned during World War II. (he was there to watch the presentation, along with Alle's Grandmother, Mother and Father).

Alle did an exemplary job on her speech - presenting a great deal of technical information with poise, humour and a relaxed aire.  She did a job that would make any teacher proud.  I wish her well on her journey...

 to University of Texas (Austin) and beyond!!!!

05/20/06

Pun for All!

Pun Pun Pun! 

For the first time ever, I finally made it to the O.Henry Museum's annual Pun-Off! and boy was it great! Some incredibly creative compilations of curious communication.  And good humour, too.

For more see www.punpunpun.com

05/06/06

Great Speeches, continued! Tonight was the District 55 International Speech Contest for Toastmasters, and myself along with 5 others from our local club went down to New Braunfels to support our friend and contestant - Scotty Burch.  Though there was some stiff competition, Scotty came out the winner, while he touched the judges hearts with his lovely story of the emotion and friendships his parents had made over the years through contact with the family's "Dynamic 88" convertable. 

Oddly, one contestant chose to use the contest as a sort of "conversion" tactic, as he served a heavy dose of cruisading to those attending.  As Toastmasters is certainly not the place to convert others to Christianity, he didn't place in the contest. Let's hope he learns what great things his speaking skills could accomplish without pushing religion on the masses!

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05/03/06

Longtime TV host Louis Rukeyser dead at 73

Louis Rukeyser is the reason I got into finance.  Every Friday night we used to watch Wall $treet Week on PBS while eating dinner on tv trays - and let me tell you, my family was an "eat at the dining room table" kind of family!  But Rukeyser taught us about money, and his first few minutes were like an educated person's stand-up comedy.  I never forgave PBS when they were stupid enough to get rid of him because he was "old". Don't they realize "old" people donate to PBS?? How short-sighted they were.

Rukeyser was witty and yet simple at the same time - he made issues that others thought were difficult to understand, easy!  He was probably the catalyst for many more financial people besides me. 

Sadly, one of my goals in life was to "be on Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser" -- time to replace that.  Maybe I should change the goal to "be the next Louis Rukeyser" - heaven knows there is NO ONE on t.v. even remotely like him.

Rest in peace, Mr. Rukeyser.
 

For full obit, click below:

   http://www.susanbaughman.com/Louis-Rukeyser-Obit.asp