After six weeks in Gulf Shores, Alabama, we are back home. We came back a day early so Leah and I could get our Covid-19 vaccines yesterday at the Big House. So far, no reaction to the vaccine.
I am not as good as I once was. I am not even as good once as I ever was. After driving 1,000 miles over two days and then getting my vaccine yesterday and doing my normal workout, I found myself emotionally and physically exhausted yesterday evening. Thus, I decided to forego the blog last night. I used to be able to make the trip in one setting and then go to the golf course and forego sleep for a day.
Speaking of last night, Michigan took it on the chin last night as Illinois routed them in all aspects of the game. What makes it worse, is that Illinois was without their best player, Ayo Dosunmu. I have to hand it to Michigan, their two loses for the year have been UGLY. With MSU twice in the next four days, Michigan needs to recover quickly if they want to win the B1G regular season championship.
I listened to current Secretary of Energy and former Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, on “The View” today. I am not sure I will ever forgive her for what she did to the finances of this state and then abandoning the state within a few weeks after leaving office. I hope someone is watching over her financial recommendations.
Governor Whitmer is taking heat in the media for the separation agreements she made with former DHS director, Robert Gordon, and former unemployment director, Steve Gray. They received $155,000 and $85,000 in the agreements, in return for their willingness to sign a confidentiality agreement. These type of agreements are somewhat common in the private sector, but they are relatively rare in the public sector, especially when taxpayer funds are used.
Bridge Magazine reported today, “As a state senator, Whitmer criticized then-Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, for keeping former Treasurer Andy Dillon on the payroll for two months in 2014 after he announced his resignation, a move the administration described as a transition for his successor. Whitmer blasted the arrangement after Dillon was seen on a Caribbean cruise during what was supposed to be his last week of taxpayer-funded work. “The governor needs to stop trying to cover this up and come clean about the sweetheart deals and cronyism that is rampant in the Department of Treasury,” Whitmer said at the time”. Bridge Magazine also reported that Michigan has a transparency problem. Michigan is one of just two states that fully exempts the governor’s office and legislators from public records requests. The state ranked last on ethics and transparency laws in a 2015 review by the Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity. How soon our politicans forget. It was the separation agreements that Kwame Kilpatrick and Robert Ficano negotiated with some of their employees that ultimately led to Kilpatrick’s and Ficano’s demise. I am not a fan of separation agreements, especially in the public sector.
Since I started my Orchids and Onions for the day, readers are now sending me recommendations. Today I am giving my Orchid of the Day to the undefeated Hope Women’s basketball team and their head coach Brian Morehouse. On their senior night, they were honoring the nine seniors on the team. Head Coach Brian Morehouse, not wanting to pick only 5 of the seniors to start the game, came up with a unique solution. He had all nine seniors introduced as starters and then sent them onto the court for the opening tip. As soon as the tip was completed, the refs gave Coach Morehouse and the Hope team a technical foul for having too many players on the court. Kalamazoo College shot the two free throws and Coach Morehouse removed four of the starters. Hope won the game easily Don’t you just love a good story like this. Thanks to Jack Hannon for sharing this story with me.
Quote of the Day: “It was the best technical and the best 2-0 deficit I have ever had in my coaching career.” Coach Morehouse of Hope College
Orchid of the Day: Coach Morehouse and the undefeated Hope College women’s basketball team.
Onion of the Day: Governor Whitmer, former governor Snyder and the state legislature for allowing our state to recieve such low grades for transparency.