RIP Muhammad Ali

Who would have thought back in 1942 in a time severe persecution of African-Americans was unfortunately still strong in the USA, just thirteen years before the Montgomery Boycott, twenty-one years before Martin Luther King Jr. would march on Washington D.C., that Cassius Clay Jr. would be born to Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (named after a Republican and abolutionist) and Odessa O'Grady Clay in Louiville, KY?  It would have seemed so insignificant had this young child not grown up into an American hero and icon transcending every race, age, religion, and gender. 

He was subject to segregation.  He couldn't buy water at some stores.  He had to drink water from  water fountains marked 'Whites Only'.  He focused on his career of boxing and was good at it winning in his youth six Kentucky Golden Glove titles and Light Heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 summer Olympics US boxing team.  The US loved him.  I won't write more about his career for it is public record. 

A lot of people don't realize that Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) was Muslim.  He had converted.  Even in this last week he spoke against the bigotry forming in this country and even instigated by certain celebrities. 

I am not endorsing this website, but merely citing it for Ali's quote:
http://www.thepostgame.com/daily-take/201512/muhammad-ali-donald-trump-muslim-islam-violence-san-bernardino

The short lives of goldfish

My roommates and I are reviewing the last week in hopes of figuring out how we messed-up in taking care of our fish, granted they were won at a carnival.  Blacherd was always kind of sickly.  He swam and played with Orangrid in their Starbucks cup with ease. 

When we got home, we set aside water, added the drops to neutralize the chemicals in the water.  After 24 hours we gradually added water back from the cup to the bowl before adding the fish.  After three or four days Blacherd stopped eating in part because Orangrid blocked him from the food often pushing him away, and partly because he chose not to, it seemed. Blacherd would often look out the sides of the bowl.  He thought him a little narcissistic or depressed. He died last Friday. 

Orangrid continued to thrive eating like a prince and swimming gingerly.  We worried how being all alone would effect him.  After watching the cartoon, Nemo, we wondered if fish really do go crazy.  He didn't seem to be phased.  We knew we had to change his water, so we prepared, switched it, and re-added Orangrid back to his bowl.  The little guy was doing swell.  Last night he died.  We are all kind of scratching our heads and wondering what happened. 

Conclusion: As easy as it seems to raise goldfish, our hats are off to those of you who can do it. 

RIP

Blacherd & Orangrid