He was ready to abandon his dream of making a major league team.

He and his wife had traveled all the way to Inchon, South Korea while hoping he’d get noticed.

After two years of pitching down there, no one showed any interest in him.

His wife, however, persuaded him to continue pitching in Inchon.

Another two years went by.

Finally, he was called up by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The rest is history.

Last Saturday night, in game 2 of the World Series, he struck out 9, gave no walks and only 3 hits.

The Diamondbacks won 9 to 1.

Yes, some dreams DO come true!

When two scientists went looking for fossil fuels beneath the ground of northeastern France, they did not expect to discover something which could supercharge the effort to tackle the climate crisis.

Jacques Pironon and Phillipe De Donato, both directors of research at France’s National Centre of Scientific Research, were using a “world first” specialized probe, able to analyze gases dissolved in the water of rock formations deep underground.

As the probe went deeper, the concentration of hydrogen ticked up. At 1,100 meters down it was 14%, at 1,250 meters it was 20%.

That could make it one of the largest deposits of “white hydrogen” ever discovered, Pironon said. The find has helped fuel an already feverish interest in the gas.

When hydrogen burns, it puts off water, making it a climate friendly source of fuel. (CNN)

One of two men missing at sea for nearly two weeks was found alive on Thursday by a Canadian fishing boat in a life raft in Canadian waters.

It was approximately 70 miles northwest of Cape Flattery, Washington, according to US Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier.

“The fact that he was in this life raft for multiple days, and still maintained hope, and was eventually found by a more or less random fishing boat was incredible and just a miraculous thing.”

“The Ocean is a very vast place. He was floating in the middle of nowhere.

A lot of times, it is pretty infrequent to have a vessel passing by.” (CNN)

We must live with hope!

When Adele debuted her 2011 single “Someone Like You,” her bittersweet ballad resonated with millions worldwide.

More than a decade later, it remains one of her most popular tunes.

Her artistry, as well as that of many others who have mastered the art of tugging at our heartstrings with slow and emotional beats, has a way of managing the emotional pain of heartbreak and loss.

There is no doubt that music can soothe the soul for some, and it turns out that it could also be a temporary soother for physical pain.

Listening to favorite songs could reduce people’s perception of pain, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research.

And the most effective pain relievers were found to be melancholy songs detailing bittersweet and emotional experiences.  (CNN)

Hopefully, for those who suffer from emotional and/or physical pain, this may be a temporary source of relief.

Yep.

None of his friends wanted to celebrate his birthday.

All they could think of was costumes and trick or treating.

So, he told me his birthday brought him bad luck.

He was a co-captain of a high school football team of which I was an assistant coach

This Halloween he’ll be 28 years old.

He has had a hard life thus far.

I’ve invited some of the guys from our team to surprise him at a restaurant this Saturday.

It may be the first birthday party he’s ever had.

Maybe his luck will change.

If not Saturday, when?

If you feel lonely, you’re actually in good company.

Nearly 1 in 4 adults across the world have reported feeling very or fairly lonely, a new Meta-Gallup survey has found.

The new survey, taken across 142 countries, found 24% of people age 15 and older self-reported feeling very or fairly lonely in response to the question, “How lonely do you feel?”

The survey also found that the rates of loneliness were highest in young adults, with 27% of young adults ages 19 to 29 reporting feeling very or fairly lonely.

The lowest rates were found in older adults.

Only 17% of people age 65 and older reported feeling lonely. (CNN)

I’m amazed.

I thought the older folks were the loneliest.

Rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison had a game to remember as the Minnesota Vikings stunned the San Francisco 49ers 22-17 on Monday.

The 21-year-old finished the game at US Bank Stadium with an impressive stat line, seven catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including one particularly memorable moment.

He took the ball away from a would-be interception.

We all know what it’s like to be a rookie.

We’re filled with excitement and apprehension.

My first day as a rookie salesman at IBM was memorable.

The suit I wore was not nearly as expensive as those worn by other salesmen.

One of them came up to me and said, “Nice suit, where do you get it shined?”

60 years later, I’m still embarrassed!

Are you a diminisher or an illuminator?

A diminisher is a person who makes others feel small or unimportant.

An illuminator is a person who makes others feel good about themselves.

I have not read this book yet, but I saw an interview with its author, David Brooks.

A diminisher shows little or no interest in another person.

An illuminator, however, does just the opposite.

He or she asks questions and shows a genuine interest in learning about the other person.

Knowing that someone really wants to know you has the effect of raising your self esteem.

So, I’m going to buy his book and learn how I can be an ILLUMINATOR!

Stay tuned!

Let’s first admit they won’t ever go away.

They’re here to stay in some form.

I think one of the biggest “GOODS” is the ability to reach someone quickly in an emergency,

One of the “BADS” is the constant scammers.

Another GOOD is the magic of Facetime.

Another BAD is that we seem to pay more and more for the privilege.

Another GOOD is that they are portable and enable you to talk, text, send email and access apps of your choosing.

Another BAD if you lose a phone is the loss of passwords and other private content.

Another GOOD is that it is easier to keep in touch with loved ones.

HOWEVER, ARE WE ADDICTED?

Money needed to fund two wars & the U.S. Gov’t and no takers!

We now have the unenviable position of having children running our country.

They play a daily game of tallying political points instead of serving America!

Meanwhile, our adversaries are watching a great country that’s not so great.

It’s really demoralizing to watch our leaders who won’t lead.

Does our gov’t reflect our society?

In a 1838 speech, Abraham Lincoln said “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected?” “If it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us!”