Golf - outside the ropes

A few thousand of us traipsed through the desert northwest of Tucson at a golf event the last few days. It was one of the Accenture World Golf Championships - this one was Match Play. Wednesday 64 of the worlds best played, 32 lost and went home, Thursday 32 became 16, Friday 16 became 8...get the story...



Sunday, there remained but 2 players for the $1,400,000 championship. Hunter Mahan, who I hear is building a 19,000 square foot "house" near Dallas, and the popular new young gun, Rory McIlroy. Mahan won. McIlroy came in second and had to settle for $600,000.



But, that's not the point. Golf is an amazing experience...as a player...and as a viewer. It's a terrific place to spend some time outdoors...and there is a little exercise to go along with it.

The pictures I've posted here were taken "illegally" with my camera phone - no cameras allowed during play...but the folks were pretty good about it. As you can see, it's not all grass, it's still desert with some enhancements. And letting the audience follow along, walking down the fairway after the championship group was a great thing. I didn't realize how short they cut the grass, and how spongy the turf.



Communities such as Tucson should say a special thanks to the folks seen here wearing the black blazers and white hats...The Conquistadores...community leaders who have organized and help come up with financing for a class event. They took over in 1966 from fledgling attempts since 1945. And it hasn't been easy. Through it all the community has stepped up. Click here to read more. That's great.

On the plane coming home I overheard a few other folks who, like me, had gone over to watch the tournament. That's economic development of the best kind.

Tucson is nervous they'll lose the tournament in a couple years. I hope not.

And, while the world golf tournament was going on, the Tucson Rodeo was underway and there was Major League Soccer (including Beckham who was spotted in town).

Tucson is fortunate to have a community that understands community pride and economic impact.

Here's more from the local newspaper.

Fly Fly Fly

Yesterday the USA recognized a monumental achievement.

John Glenn's orbital missions.

Since then we went to the moon, and built reusable spacecraft. One year ago this week I took this picture, the last flight of Space Shuttle Discovery prior to her retirement. Now, the USA has none of it's own manned spaceflight programs. If we want to go we have to hitch a ride with the Russians.






Here's the next step...and hopefully it's going to happen at Spaceport America in New Mexico sometime in the next 18 months.


There may be one small challenge, in New Mexico the greedy trial lawyers - the folks who make all of the money when someone sues on behalf of a client to has been "wronged" by an evil deed - have defeated proposals to provide some protection to the manufacturer of some parts of the flight equipment - as I understand it.

Meanwhile, some other states competing with New Mexico for future private space travel have agreed to the limited liability protection. They could take business away from New Mexico, and that would be a shame - just because some greedy trial lawyers - are hoping something goes wrong so they can sue the deep pockets, win the lawsuit, and then make enough from the settlement to buy their own private plane.

The Happy Warrior

It was my first exposure to big time politicos in my new job at Channel 7.

The Happy Warrior, Hubert Horatio Humphrey, came to town.

The credential process was nothing like it is now. I think somebody wanted a list of who might be close to the Veep and then they typed it on a blue card that had been stamped with a number. I'm not even sure why he was here.

In Albuquerque, we have an elementary school named for HHH. Don't know how that happened, I do hope there's a plaque inside to tell of his many contributions to our society.


More of HHH's contributions are outlined here in part of a documentary that features some comments from Bill Moyers.