On the way to work, there was a 3 inch rain! Rain drops about 3 inches apart on the windshield. First rain since April, but I am sure it was not official. Just one cloud. But, hope for rain, but it will probably not rain until the Diamondbacks win, which will be never if they keep playing this badly....
Somehow, I feel like I am becoming a geezer. After my bike accident, I have used a cane. I feel like poking a young whipersnapper...
Monday, June 28, 2004
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Fucking vice president....
It is great that the vice president told the senator to go fuck himself. Truly something that a geezer would say. Today, dickie told people it made him feel better. There is something ironic about the people that say they are clean and pure telling other friendly politicians to do something that is physically impossible. Now, they will expect us to forgive him. Now they will try to blame it on the liberal politicians. Now they will make excuses for the geezers they nominated and elected. In truth, there should be no excuses. This was unexcusable to do publically, on the senate floor no less. It is one thing to say that to someone in private, but another to do it on a state occassion.
Ultimately, it just shows the hypocrisy of the republicans. Talk a mean line, but when it comes to every day life, they like to get down and dirty....
Ultimately, it just shows the hypocrisy of the republicans. Talk a mean line, but when it comes to every day life, they like to get down and dirty....
Friday, June 25, 2004
Geezers shouldn't get away with this!
As a bicyclist, I think geezers should drive smaller vehicles so they know they hit a bicyclist!
Sheriff says elderly man didn't know he struck bicyclist
Associated Press
BALSAM LAKE, Wis. - An elderly motorist accused of striking a Minnesota bicyclist and then leaving the scene apparently thought he hit a deer, the Polk County sheriff said.
Maria Pia Sass, 40, of Minneapolis, suffered critical head injuries when she was struck while riding her bike along a rural road June 18.
Investigators focused on the man as a suspect two days ago after deputies saw his sports utility vehicle had damage to its front.
Sheriff Ann Hraychuck said Thursday the 88-year-old man from Luck has poor vision and should not have been driving. His license was last renewed about two years ago.
"He thought he hit a deer. We don't have any reason to disbelieve him," she said.
Hraychuck said the hood of the man's sports utility vehicle popped up down the road from where Sass was struck. He stopped to close it, realized he struck something, backed up to look, but didn't see anything.
The sheriff said the man was not being held in jail. The department will turn the case over to prosecutors for possible charges once the investigation concludes.
Sass, an assistant public defender from Hennepin County, Minn., was in Wisconsin visiting relatives. She's hospitalized in St. Paul, Minn.
Sheriff says elderly man didn't know he struck bicyclist
Associated Press
BALSAM LAKE, Wis. - An elderly motorist accused of striking a Minnesota bicyclist and then leaving the scene apparently thought he hit a deer, the Polk County sheriff said.
Maria Pia Sass, 40, of Minneapolis, suffered critical head injuries when she was struck while riding her bike along a rural road June 18.
Investigators focused on the man as a suspect two days ago after deputies saw his sports utility vehicle had damage to its front.
Sheriff Ann Hraychuck said Thursday the 88-year-old man from Luck has poor vision and should not have been driving. His license was last renewed about two years ago.
"He thought he hit a deer. We don't have any reason to disbelieve him," she said.
Hraychuck said the hood of the man's sports utility vehicle popped up down the road from where Sass was struck. He stopped to close it, realized he struck something, backed up to look, but didn't see anything.
The sheriff said the man was not being held in jail. The department will turn the case over to prosecutors for possible charges once the investigation concludes.
Sass, an assistant public defender from Hennepin County, Minn., was in Wisconsin visiting relatives. She's hospitalized in St. Paul, Minn.
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Cow rides bicycle
Didn't know cows could ride, but this recent headline obviously implies that it is true!
Holstein native riding bicycle across U.S.
Holstein native riding bicycle across U.S.
Nekkid guys...
This is obviously a geezer. Other than waiting for the pizza delivery guy, why else would anyone answer the door nekkid. A guy ALWAYS scratches when they get up from a nap, so he should have noticed he was nekkid, don't you think?
Man robbed after answering the door nude
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Police say a Rapid City man was robbed early Monday after he answered the door in the nude. The man told police he had been sleeping unclothed before he answered a knock at the door. Assailants overpowered him, hit him on the head and ran out with his wallet and blue jeans.
The man chased after the assailants and fell down the stairs.
According to the police log, an officer checked out a report of a naked man lying by the stairs at a motel and found a trail of blood leading to the man's room.
Police Lt. David Walton said the man was taken by ambulance to Rapid City Regional Hospital where he was given stitches for a head wound and released.
Police found a pair of blue jeans in a parking lot. The report said an undisclosed number of suspects had taken the wallet.
Man robbed after answering the door nude
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Police say a Rapid City man was robbed early Monday after he answered the door in the nude. The man told police he had been sleeping unclothed before he answered a knock at the door. Assailants overpowered him, hit him on the head and ran out with his wallet and blue jeans.
The man chased after the assailants and fell down the stairs.
According to the police log, an officer checked out a report of a naked man lying by the stairs at a motel and found a trail of blood leading to the man's room.
Police Lt. David Walton said the man was taken by ambulance to Rapid City Regional Hospital where he was given stitches for a head wound and released.
Police found a pair of blue jeans in a parking lot. The report said an undisclosed number of suspects had taken the wallet.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Witches and geezers....
Those canucks know everything!
Vocab Rehab
David K. Barnhart
National Post
Monday, June 21, 2004
geezer Old folks have been called geezers since the 19th century. Quite often the expression is "old geezer" even though most people consider geezers old to begin with. Early geezers were usually women, and it was synonymous with witch. Nowadays, geezers come in both sexes, although the appellation usually seems to refer to men. The word comes ultimately from a English dialect word, guizer, meaning "queer character." Geezer in the 20th century began to apply to cowardice among boxers, to an alcoholic drink and then, as geezer or geeze, to small dose of narcotic drug. Geeze arose about the same time as a verb meaning "to inject heroin or the like."
Vocab Rehab
David K. Barnhart
National Post
Monday, June 21, 2004
geezer Old folks have been called geezers since the 19th century. Quite often the expression is "old geezer" even though most people consider geezers old to begin with. Early geezers were usually women, and it was synonymous with witch. Nowadays, geezers come in both sexes, although the appellation usually seems to refer to men. The word comes ultimately from a English dialect word, guizer, meaning "queer character." Geezer in the 20th century began to apply to cowardice among boxers, to an alcoholic drink and then, as geezer or geeze, to small dose of narcotic drug. Geeze arose about the same time as a verb meaning "to inject heroin or the like."
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Illinois whinners
When I was a young whippersnapper and lived in Wisconsin, we all complained about the Illinois people coming up and using us as their playground and dumping ground. We loved their money, but hated their visits. Kind of ironic that now Illinois is complaining about the Wisconsinites ruining their tranquility. Payback is a bitch....
Plan for Indian Casino Splits Illinois Town
By JO NAPOLITANO
YNWOOD, Ill. - A Wisconsin Indian tribe's proposal to build what would be the largest casino in Illinois - a windfall that the mayor and a local congressman are eager to have - is drawing ire from some local residents, who are organizing to oppose it.
Ann De Boer said the proposed casino would shatter her home's tranquillity. The casino, part of a sprawling entertainment complex to be built on 432 acres that now hold farms and single-family homes, would abut her three-acre property on two sides.
"It will bring in transient people, so you won't feel as safe," Ms. De Boer said on a recent afternoon. "We love it here. It's very peaceful. The casino will change all of that."
But Lynwood, a racially and economically diverse suburb of 8,000 people 28 miles south-southeast of Chicago, is hard up for jobs, and while some might prefer another employer, the entertainment complex is the only big business eager to come to town. The tribe that has proposed it promises 5,000 jobs, with an average annual salary of more than $45,000.
"We're struggling," Mayor Russell Melby said of Lynwood's financial status. "This would be a big economic engine for us."
The facility, proposed by the Ho-Chunk Nation, a tribe that has already built several casinos in Wisconsin, would include a water park, an 8,000-seat amphitheater, four restaurants, a nightclub, an Indian cultural center and a museum. But the most contentious part of the proposal is a 220,000-square-foot casino that would have 3,000 slot machines and 100 gambling tables. That would dwarf the state's nine riverboat casinos, which by law can accommodate only 1,200 gamblers each.
The Ho-Chunks, formerly known as the Winnebagos, are a sovereign nation based in Black River Falls, Wis., and as such they do not have to apply for a state gambling license or adhere to any state restrictions. Instead they must deal with the federal government, and they have already had some success.
Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., Democrat of Illinois, said he supported the plan and would submit a bill calling for the parcel to be placed in a federal trust. That would allow the Ho-Chunks to retain proprietary management of that land and to build a casino. If Congress approves Mr. Jackson's proposal, the tribe may then approach Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to work out the details.
If the governor rejects their request, the Ho-Chunks can appeal to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which would then determine whether the proposal was in the best interest of the tribe and the surrounding community. The tribe, which has already bought up almost all the land, is pursuing both routes.
A spokeswoman for the governor said he had not yet reviewed the Ho-Chunks' proposal.
Riverboat owners cringe at the notion of the Ho-Chunks competing for what is now their business.
The Ho-Chunk Nation would have tremendous advantages, they say. It would have no limit on the number of gambling positions, would not have to adhere to state regulations and would not pay taxes, allowing it to put more money into advertising and promotions, luring customers away from two nearby riverboats.
The Rev. Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, said he was troubled by the proposal for different reasons. Mr. Grey said he was worried about an increase in vice.
"I think they are in for a hard fight," he said. "This is an addictive product that has a cost to it. And who pays for that? The taxpayers."
Some local residents share Mr. Grey's concerns and have established a group called Citizens for Our Community. A recent group meeting drew some 700 people. Among them was Carl Smits, a 35-year-old farmer who lives four miles from the site of the proposed casino.
"It's bringing our youth into close proximity to gambling and setting them up to be gamblers when they grow older," Mr. Smits said in a telephone interview.
But Tom Vierk, 71, who owns a bowling alley here, said he welcomed the jobs that the casino would bring, and he dismissed claims that it would promote gambling addiction. After all, he said, there are several casinos nearby in Indiana; why not keep those dollars in Illinois?
"If you go to Indiana,'' Mr. Vierk said, "all you'll see are Illinois license plates."
Plan for Indian Casino Splits Illinois Town
By JO NAPOLITANO
YNWOOD, Ill. - A Wisconsin Indian tribe's proposal to build what would be the largest casino in Illinois - a windfall that the mayor and a local congressman are eager to have - is drawing ire from some local residents, who are organizing to oppose it.
Ann De Boer said the proposed casino would shatter her home's tranquillity. The casino, part of a sprawling entertainment complex to be built on 432 acres that now hold farms and single-family homes, would abut her three-acre property on two sides.
"It will bring in transient people, so you won't feel as safe," Ms. De Boer said on a recent afternoon. "We love it here. It's very peaceful. The casino will change all of that."
But Lynwood, a racially and economically diverse suburb of 8,000 people 28 miles south-southeast of Chicago, is hard up for jobs, and while some might prefer another employer, the entertainment complex is the only big business eager to come to town. The tribe that has proposed it promises 5,000 jobs, with an average annual salary of more than $45,000.
"We're struggling," Mayor Russell Melby said of Lynwood's financial status. "This would be a big economic engine for us."
The facility, proposed by the Ho-Chunk Nation, a tribe that has already built several casinos in Wisconsin, would include a water park, an 8,000-seat amphitheater, four restaurants, a nightclub, an Indian cultural center and a museum. But the most contentious part of the proposal is a 220,000-square-foot casino that would have 3,000 slot machines and 100 gambling tables. That would dwarf the state's nine riverboat casinos, which by law can accommodate only 1,200 gamblers each.
The Ho-Chunks, formerly known as the Winnebagos, are a sovereign nation based in Black River Falls, Wis., and as such they do not have to apply for a state gambling license or adhere to any state restrictions. Instead they must deal with the federal government, and they have already had some success.
Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., Democrat of Illinois, said he supported the plan and would submit a bill calling for the parcel to be placed in a federal trust. That would allow the Ho-Chunks to retain proprietary management of that land and to build a casino. If Congress approves Mr. Jackson's proposal, the tribe may then approach Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to work out the details.
If the governor rejects their request, the Ho-Chunks can appeal to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which would then determine whether the proposal was in the best interest of the tribe and the surrounding community. The tribe, which has already bought up almost all the land, is pursuing both routes.
A spokeswoman for the governor said he had not yet reviewed the Ho-Chunks' proposal.
Riverboat owners cringe at the notion of the Ho-Chunks competing for what is now their business.
The Ho-Chunk Nation would have tremendous advantages, they say. It would have no limit on the number of gambling positions, would not have to adhere to state regulations and would not pay taxes, allowing it to put more money into advertising and promotions, luring customers away from two nearby riverboats.
The Rev. Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, said he was troubled by the proposal for different reasons. Mr. Grey said he was worried about an increase in vice.
"I think they are in for a hard fight," he said. "This is an addictive product that has a cost to it. And who pays for that? The taxpayers."
Some local residents share Mr. Grey's concerns and have established a group called Citizens for Our Community. A recent group meeting drew some 700 people. Among them was Carl Smits, a 35-year-old farmer who lives four miles from the site of the proposed casino.
"It's bringing our youth into close proximity to gambling and setting them up to be gamblers when they grow older," Mr. Smits said in a telephone interview.
But Tom Vierk, 71, who owns a bowling alley here, said he welcomed the jobs that the casino would bring, and he dismissed claims that it would promote gambling addiction. After all, he said, there are several casinos nearby in Indiana; why not keep those dollars in Illinois?
"If you go to Indiana,'' Mr. Vierk said, "all you'll see are Illinois license plates."
Friday, June 18, 2004
Cats on the ropes!
Wildcats have probably screwed up their chances in the college world series. Youngins pissing away a perfectly good opportunity. They should play for the Diamondbacks who pissed away a perfectly good opportunity to beat Tampa by losing....
2004 Division I Baseball College World Series Game 1: Georgia 8, Arizona 7
ERIC OLSON
Associated Press Writer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Joey Side hit a two-run single that capped a four-run fourth inning and Will Startup pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to give Georgia an 8-7 victory over Arizona in the College World Series on Friday.
The Bulldogs (44-21) advance to play Sunday against the winner of Friday's late matchup of Arkansas and Texas. Arizona (35-26-1) plays the Arkansas-Texas loser on Sunday.
Side drove in the go-ahead runs as Georgia turned a 6-3 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh when Jason Jacobs scored from third after Arizona catcher Nick Hundley threw into center field trying to pick off Jonathan Wyatt at second base.
Startup, the All-Southeastern Conference closer, came on in the seventh and struck out the side.
He ran into trouble in the eighth. Arizona made it 8-7 when Brad Boyer beat out a potential double-play grounder, allowing Hundley to score. Trevor Crowe then singled and Jeff Van Houten walked to load the bases.
Startup ran the count to 3-2 against Jordan Brown before Brown struck out swinging at a fastball.
``When you get into those situations, whatever happens, happens,' Startup said. ``How you react to it is how the team will react to it. He ended up swinging and missed. I knew my defense would have my back no matter what.'
Startup pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 11th save.
Johnny Dobbs (6-2) gave up two hits and no runs in 2 2-3 innings after Arizona had rocked Georgia starter Paul Lubrano for six runs on nine hits the first 3 1-3 innings.
Arizona starter Koley Kolberg (9-7) gave up 12 hits and eight runs, six earned, in 6 2-3 innings.
Georgia batted around in the fourth inning.
Josh Smith hit a bases-loaded, two-run single to pull the Bulldogs to 6-5, and then Side gave Georgia the lead with his single.
``We didn't play that well,' Arizona coach Andy Lopez said. ``We shot ourselves in the foot defensively. We did not play great baseball by any stretch of the imagination.'
Arizona had gone up 6-3 in the top of the fourth, batting around and scoring five times on six hits.
2004 Division I Baseball College World Series Game 1: Georgia 8, Arizona 7
ERIC OLSON
Associated Press Writer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Joey Side hit a two-run single that capped a four-run fourth inning and Will Startup pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to give Georgia an 8-7 victory over Arizona in the College World Series on Friday.
The Bulldogs (44-21) advance to play Sunday against the winner of Friday's late matchup of Arkansas and Texas. Arizona (35-26-1) plays the Arkansas-Texas loser on Sunday.
Side drove in the go-ahead runs as Georgia turned a 6-3 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh when Jason Jacobs scored from third after Arizona catcher Nick Hundley threw into center field trying to pick off Jonathan Wyatt at second base.
Startup, the All-Southeastern Conference closer, came on in the seventh and struck out the side.
He ran into trouble in the eighth. Arizona made it 8-7 when Brad Boyer beat out a potential double-play grounder, allowing Hundley to score. Trevor Crowe then singled and Jeff Van Houten walked to load the bases.
Startup ran the count to 3-2 against Jordan Brown before Brown struck out swinging at a fastball.
``When you get into those situations, whatever happens, happens,' Startup said. ``How you react to it is how the team will react to it. He ended up swinging and missed. I knew my defense would have my back no matter what.'
Startup pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 11th save.
Johnny Dobbs (6-2) gave up two hits and no runs in 2 2-3 innings after Arizona had rocked Georgia starter Paul Lubrano for six runs on nine hits the first 3 1-3 innings.
Arizona starter Koley Kolberg (9-7) gave up 12 hits and eight runs, six earned, in 6 2-3 innings.
Georgia batted around in the fourth inning.
Josh Smith hit a bases-loaded, two-run single to pull the Bulldogs to 6-5, and then Side gave Georgia the lead with his single.
``We didn't play that well,' Arizona coach Andy Lopez said. ``We shot ourselves in the foot defensively. We did not play great baseball by any stretch of the imagination.'
Arizona had gone up 6-3 in the top of the fourth, batting around and scoring five times on six hits.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Love Rat Clinton....
I wonder if Hillary is going to have this treatment done to bill before he goes on his book tour? Probably still would not work....
News in Science
News in Science - Love rat tamed with a single gene - 18/06/2004
[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1134804.htm]
Love rat tamed with a single gene
Richard Ingham
Agençe France-Presse
Friday, 18 June 2004
All it needs is a single gene to make the promiscuous meadow vole change its ways (Image: U.S. National Park Service)
Scientists have tweaked the genes of promiscuous male rodents, transforming them at a stroke into faithful, attentive and caring partners.
They changed the behaviour of the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, by implanting a single gene into its genome, and reported their results in the current issue of the journal Nature.
This playboy of the grasslands thinks nothing about mating with several females at one time and leaving them to rear his offspring while he wanders off in search of his next conquest.
But the meadow vole's cousin, the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a model of fidelity.
After mating, the male prairie vole sticks close to his partner, protects her jealously and looks after the little ones after they are born.
This is such a rare thing in nature, fewer than 5% of male mammals are monogamous, that the prairie vole has become a celebrity in biology labs.
Previous studies have shown that its brain is studded with receptors for the hormone vasopressin, which seems to encourage pair-bonding.
Intrigued by this, researchers led by Miranda Lim and Larry Young at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, implanted a gene for the V1a receptor in question in the brains of the promiscuous meadow voles.
They tucked the gene into a harmless virus that delivered the V1a gene to the ventral pallidum region of the voles' brains.
Lothario behaviour lost
What happened next was dramatic.
Once, the voles were Don Juans forever on the cruise. Now, they had a chosen partner, and would only ever mate with her.
Even when temptresses came by and flaunted their voley charms, the genetically-modified males only had eyes for that one partner.
The study theorises that when the modified meadow vole has sex, his brain release vasopressin, which is picked up by the V1a receptors.
They, in turn, unleash serotonin, a feel-good" hormone, to flood the brain.
Put together, it means the vole associates the feeling of reward when he has sex with this specific mate, and does not want to prejudice that sensation by having sex with others, according to this notion.
In a commentary in the same issue of the journal, U.S. anthropologist Melvin Konner, said the work helped strengthens theories that an "organic subculture", our genes and the chemicals they produce, lies at the root of the psychology of relationships.
That theory is bitterly contested by sociologists, who say social forces and environmental influences are the primary moulds that condition human bonds.
"We are a long way from a commitment pill, but perhaps closer to a neurology of romance," said Konner.
"We do not yet know if a similar system helps explain male attachment in non human primates, much less humans. But a medicine that might someday be offered to certain men is an interesting prospect."
News in Science
News in Science - Love rat tamed with a single gene - 18/06/2004
[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1134804.htm]
Love rat tamed with a single gene
Richard Ingham
Agençe France-Presse
Friday, 18 June 2004
All it needs is a single gene to make the promiscuous meadow vole change its ways (Image: U.S. National Park Service)
Scientists have tweaked the genes of promiscuous male rodents, transforming them at a stroke into faithful, attentive and caring partners.
They changed the behaviour of the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, by implanting a single gene into its genome, and reported their results in the current issue of the journal Nature.
This playboy of the grasslands thinks nothing about mating with several females at one time and leaving them to rear his offspring while he wanders off in search of his next conquest.
But the meadow vole's cousin, the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a model of fidelity.
After mating, the male prairie vole sticks close to his partner, protects her jealously and looks after the little ones after they are born.
This is such a rare thing in nature, fewer than 5% of male mammals are monogamous, that the prairie vole has become a celebrity in biology labs.
Previous studies have shown that its brain is studded with receptors for the hormone vasopressin, which seems to encourage pair-bonding.
Intrigued by this, researchers led by Miranda Lim and Larry Young at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, implanted a gene for the V1a receptor in question in the brains of the promiscuous meadow voles.
They tucked the gene into a harmless virus that delivered the V1a gene to the ventral pallidum region of the voles' brains.
Lothario behaviour lost
What happened next was dramatic.
Once, the voles were Don Juans forever on the cruise. Now, they had a chosen partner, and would only ever mate with her.
Even when temptresses came by and flaunted their voley charms, the genetically-modified males only had eyes for that one partner.
The study theorises that when the modified meadow vole has sex, his brain release vasopressin, which is picked up by the V1a receptors.
They, in turn, unleash serotonin, a feel-good" hormone, to flood the brain.
Put together, it means the vole associates the feeling of reward when he has sex with this specific mate, and does not want to prejudice that sensation by having sex with others, according to this notion.
In a commentary in the same issue of the journal, U.S. anthropologist Melvin Konner, said the work helped strengthens theories that an "organic subculture", our genes and the chemicals they produce, lies at the root of the psychology of relationships.
That theory is bitterly contested by sociologists, who say social forces and environmental influences are the primary moulds that condition human bonds.
"We are a long way from a commitment pill, but perhaps closer to a neurology of romance," said Konner.
"We do not yet know if a similar system helps explain male attachment in non human primates, much less humans. But a medicine that might someday be offered to certain men is an interesting prospect."
Monday, June 14, 2004
Hey, I LIKE my Rockports!
Practicality in pants is more important than the image. As long as you don't pull your pants up to your nipples, I don't think you are a geezer. Just practical, and with a warranty like this, I might buy a pair of these pants too!
This is the first time I have ever seen the comment about boxer shorts. I never met anyone that complained about my tidy whities....
TILLEY PANTS UNLEASH MY INNER GEEZER
By PHILIPPE DEVOS
Saturday, June 12, 2004 - Page L4
On life's journey from newborn to corpse, man passes several sartorial milestones: that first pair of pull-up underwear signalling the end of your potty years, your first necktie that doesn't clip on, your first pair of boxer shorts, which come shortly after your first thoughts of how you might look to another person before having sex (although actually having sex with another person may be years away).
Not too long ago, I crossed another such landmark, but far earlier than I'd imagined.
I was preparing for a two-month trip to West Africa and needed the perfect pair of travel pants. I wanted a breathable, easy-to-wash, quick-drying pair of zip-offs.
A troll of all the outdoor equipment stores in Toronto turned up several pairs, but I always came out of the change room looking as if I should start gathering animals two-by-two. They were all too short for my 37-inch inseam.
So three weeks before my 29th birthday, I unleashed my inner geezer about 30 years early: I bought a pair of pants from Tilley Endurables, a company that since 1980 has being outfitting travellers with more common sense than fashion sense and, ever so practically, sells all its pants unhemmed.
I walked into the Tilley store on Toronto's Queens Quay with a sure gait, my shoulders back and my head high -- the same veneer of confidence I use to hide my latent Christian shame when I buy personal lubricant or rent X-rated movies.
The store sound system was playing golden oldies -- Elvis, I think -- and a few of the customers checking out the fast-drying underwear were old enough to have been scandalized rather than tantalized when the King got the music world all shook up.
I took an olive-green pair of pants into the change room. Slipping a limb into each leg, I could feel my arteries harden, my prostate swell.
When I pulled them up, they didn't stop at my hips where I usually wear my pants, but fit best pulled all the way up to the waist, the way I remember my grandpa wearing his trousers. Although they were flat-fronted, they were cut generously between the hips to make room for the pelvic paunch I'm sure I'll sport by the time I'm making withdrawals from my RRSP rather than deposits.
But they fit. They were snug but comfortable at the top and there was ample room at the bottom for a hem. I took two pairs.
As I handed over my credit card and sealed my fate, the sales woman horrified me with details of the lifetime warranty: Rip a seam and they'll repair it; rip the material and they'll replace it; burn them in a vain attempt to reclaim your youth and they'll send you a new pair.
The warranty seemed a life sentence as my future became vividly clear from the colour snapshots behind the counter. There was a rotund man dressed in Tilley from head to toe, looking like a modern-day Stanley next to a Masai tribesman. There was an aging man in a wet suit and scuba gear at the bottom of some sea with a trademark Tilley hat on his head. There was a couple with a priest in a chapel on their wedding day. The bride wore khaki and so did the groom, the newlyweds matching perfectly in identical hats.
Tilley says their clothes are "suitable for nearly any occasion, from the toughest expedition to lunch in a fine restaurant." I'm guessing "any occasion" for most wearers does not include a throbbing Dakar nightclub at 3 a.m. on a Saturday, where my Tilley pants and I tried to match dance moves with Senegal's hippest, dressed more for a video shoot than an African safari.
But my wild Dakar weekend notwithstanding, the Tilleys were the perfect pants for my trip. They kept me cool in the 40-plus heat of Sahara desert dunes and warm on chilly nights trekking over the Bandiagara escarpment. They dried in no time after I waded through the Fateme River to cross from Mali into Senegal. They hid the dirt of dust storms. When I did occasionally wash them, some cold water and a bar of soap was all I needed. Whether hung to dry on a thorny shrub or a hotel hanger, they always looked pressed and starched.
I'm back in Canada now and my Tilleys are safely tucked away in the back of my closet. They haven't yet replaced the fashionable jeans and designer dress pants of my regular wardrobe, but I'm getting my cholesterol checked just to be sure no lasting damage has been done.
Philippe Devos, a news copy editor at The Globe and Mail, is resisting the urge to buy a pair of Rockport shoes.
This is the first time I have ever seen the comment about boxer shorts. I never met anyone that complained about my tidy whities....
TILLEY PANTS UNLEASH MY INNER GEEZER
By PHILIPPE DEVOS
Saturday, June 12, 2004 - Page L4
On life's journey from newborn to corpse, man passes several sartorial milestones: that first pair of pull-up underwear signalling the end of your potty years, your first necktie that doesn't clip on, your first pair of boxer shorts, which come shortly after your first thoughts of how you might look to another person before having sex (although actually having sex with another person may be years away).
Not too long ago, I crossed another such landmark, but far earlier than I'd imagined.
I was preparing for a two-month trip to West Africa and needed the perfect pair of travel pants. I wanted a breathable, easy-to-wash, quick-drying pair of zip-offs.
A troll of all the outdoor equipment stores in Toronto turned up several pairs, but I always came out of the change room looking as if I should start gathering animals two-by-two. They were all too short for my 37-inch inseam.
So three weeks before my 29th birthday, I unleashed my inner geezer about 30 years early: I bought a pair of pants from Tilley Endurables, a company that since 1980 has being outfitting travellers with more common sense than fashion sense and, ever so practically, sells all its pants unhemmed.
I walked into the Tilley store on Toronto's Queens Quay with a sure gait, my shoulders back and my head high -- the same veneer of confidence I use to hide my latent Christian shame when I buy personal lubricant or rent X-rated movies.
The store sound system was playing golden oldies -- Elvis, I think -- and a few of the customers checking out the fast-drying underwear were old enough to have been scandalized rather than tantalized when the King got the music world all shook up.
I took an olive-green pair of pants into the change room. Slipping a limb into each leg, I could feel my arteries harden, my prostate swell.
When I pulled them up, they didn't stop at my hips where I usually wear my pants, but fit best pulled all the way up to the waist, the way I remember my grandpa wearing his trousers. Although they were flat-fronted, they were cut generously between the hips to make room for the pelvic paunch I'm sure I'll sport by the time I'm making withdrawals from my RRSP rather than deposits.
But they fit. They were snug but comfortable at the top and there was ample room at the bottom for a hem. I took two pairs.
As I handed over my credit card and sealed my fate, the sales woman horrified me with details of the lifetime warranty: Rip a seam and they'll repair it; rip the material and they'll replace it; burn them in a vain attempt to reclaim your youth and they'll send you a new pair.
The warranty seemed a life sentence as my future became vividly clear from the colour snapshots behind the counter. There was a rotund man dressed in Tilley from head to toe, looking like a modern-day Stanley next to a Masai tribesman. There was an aging man in a wet suit and scuba gear at the bottom of some sea with a trademark Tilley hat on his head. There was a couple with a priest in a chapel on their wedding day. The bride wore khaki and so did the groom, the newlyweds matching perfectly in identical hats.
Tilley says their clothes are "suitable for nearly any occasion, from the toughest expedition to lunch in a fine restaurant." I'm guessing "any occasion" for most wearers does not include a throbbing Dakar nightclub at 3 a.m. on a Saturday, where my Tilley pants and I tried to match dance moves with Senegal's hippest, dressed more for a video shoot than an African safari.
But my wild Dakar weekend notwithstanding, the Tilleys were the perfect pants for my trip. They kept me cool in the 40-plus heat of Sahara desert dunes and warm on chilly nights trekking over the Bandiagara escarpment. They dried in no time after I waded through the Fateme River to cross from Mali into Senegal. They hid the dirt of dust storms. When I did occasionally wash them, some cold water and a bar of soap was all I needed. Whether hung to dry on a thorny shrub or a hotel hanger, they always looked pressed and starched.
I'm back in Canada now and my Tilleys are safely tucked away in the back of my closet. They haven't yet replaced the fashionable jeans and designer dress pants of my regular wardrobe, but I'm getting my cholesterol checked just to be sure no lasting damage has been done.
Philippe Devos, a news copy editor at The Globe and Mail, is resisting the urge to buy a pair of Rockport shoes.
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Geezers love bent bikes....easy on the prostate
June 13, 2004, 12:18AM
'Bent' bikes easy on older riders
By DAN LEWERENZ
Associated Press
RECUMBENT RULES OF THUMB
The recumbent market runs the gamut from high-end touring bicycles to grown-up tricycles to tandems. Some things to keep in mind when considering a recumbent bike:
·Try before you buy. There is wide variety in the recumbent market. Some seats are level, others are reclined; some use standard bicycles wheels, others use one or more smaller wheels; steering can be either above or below the seat. Each of these factors can affect the feel of the bike, so it's best to try a variety to see which fits you best.
·Don't let it throw you. Riding recumbent is not "just like riding a bike." Because of the dramatic difference in design, the balance is different, and tends to be a bit squirrely for first-time riders. And because the steering systems and wheel bases are different on recumbents, they can seem twitchy at first. "I thought I was going to just hop on and ride like I'd always done," said Bob Strosnider, 73, of Winchester, Ky. "I almost ran over a whole crowd of people." Most people, however, are able to adjust after riding for a few minutes. Strosnider now rides 15 to 20 miles two to three times a week, with an additional 30- to 40-mile ride on the weekend.
·Watch your speed. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cruising 40 mph downhill in what is essentially a recliner -- and riders who want to can easily hit 40 mph or faster. But new recumbent riders should make sure they're familiar with the bike's braking, steering and balance before speeding off.
-- ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The first time Rob Gentry saw a friend riding an odd-looking contraption known as a recumbent bike, he laughed. But not for long.
"After I got done making fun of it," Gentry said, "I found I really liked it."
It wasn't just the comfortable ride Gentry liked, but also the panoramic view and the bike's speed. Now, barely five years after buying his first "bent," Gentry is not only riding recumbent, he's doing a brisk businesses selling recumbents -- and only recumbents -- from his central Pennsylvania bike shop.
More and more baby boomers who want to stay physically active are turning to recumbents to ease the strain on their shoulders, arms, backs and knees. As a consequence, sales are rising for these laid-back bikes -- known as "bents" to those who ride them.
Not that there's a recumbent revolution under way. Recumbent specialists estimate that these bikes make up just 1 percent of bicycle sales; Mike Gamstetter, editor-in-chief of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, said it's probably less than that.
But even those dedicated to their upright touring bikes say they're seeing more recumbents on the road.
"It's definitely been a growing segment of the market, although it's still pretty small," said Mike Deme, editor of Adventure Cyclist magazine.
Chris and Jane Webb of Cleveland are typical recumbent riders. Chris bought his recumbent when riding upright was no longer comfortable; Jane bought one so they could ride together. The couple and their 13-year-old son, Matt, came to State College in May for a recumbent rally sponsored by Gentry's shop, Recumbent Bike Riders Inc.
Bob Strosnider, 73, of Winchester, Ky., who also came up for the rally, said prostate trouble aggravated by his bicycle seat almost forced him to give up bicycling. But since buying his RANS Rocket two years ago, Strosnider has been able to ride 60 to 100 miles per week without any problems.
"It's really been great for me, because there's no way I would be riding today if I hadn't switched bikes," Strosnider said.
Among the benefits of bents:
· Comfort. With a full-size seat in a reclined position, the bikes put far less strain on the tailbone. And because the rider isn't leaning over the handlebars, there is no strain on shoulders, arms, wrists or back.
Rich Pinto, who works in research and development for Florida-based recumbent maker Bacchetta, said that's why so many middle-age and older riders are attracted to recumbents.
"It's baby boomers who want to work out, with all of the benefits, but none of the pain," Pinto said.
· The view. The rider is reclined with his head up, not leaning over the front of the bike looking down.
"My first reaction was how well you could see," said Deme, who tried out a recumbent a couple of years ago when his magazine did a special issue on the bikes. "It's really like riding around in chair. It took a little getting used to, but I liked it."
· Speed. Because of their aerodynamic design, the rider has a much smaller wind profile -- so much smaller that international racing officials banned bents back in 1934.
"They do hold all the speed records," Deme said.
Sam Blevins, 34, bought his first one four years ago after seeing a friend's wife riding one.
"I saw how fast she was going -- a woman who hadn't been on a bicycle in 15 years was keeping up with us, and we were not weak cyclists. I was amazed," said Blevins, who now manages St. Louis Recumbent Bicycles, a recumbent-only store in Maryville, Ill. Blevins said the biggest obstacle he has to overcome with potential buyers is image. "It just looks weird," he said.
The second hurdle is price. "A lot of people still think a bike is something you get at Wal-Mart for $80. There's nothing like that in the recumbent world, and there won't be until someone starts mass-producing recumbents," he said.
Pinto says the average recumbent sale is about $1,300, with prices ranging from about $500 up to $7,000 for high-end trikes.
'Bent' bikes easy on older riders
By DAN LEWERENZ
Associated Press
RECUMBENT RULES OF THUMB
The recumbent market runs the gamut from high-end touring bicycles to grown-up tricycles to tandems. Some things to keep in mind when considering a recumbent bike:
·Try before you buy. There is wide variety in the recumbent market. Some seats are level, others are reclined; some use standard bicycles wheels, others use one or more smaller wheels; steering can be either above or below the seat. Each of these factors can affect the feel of the bike, so it's best to try a variety to see which fits you best.
·Don't let it throw you. Riding recumbent is not "just like riding a bike." Because of the dramatic difference in design, the balance is different, and tends to be a bit squirrely for first-time riders. And because the steering systems and wheel bases are different on recumbents, they can seem twitchy at first. "I thought I was going to just hop on and ride like I'd always done," said Bob Strosnider, 73, of Winchester, Ky. "I almost ran over a whole crowd of people." Most people, however, are able to adjust after riding for a few minutes. Strosnider now rides 15 to 20 miles two to three times a week, with an additional 30- to 40-mile ride on the weekend.
·Watch your speed. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cruising 40 mph downhill in what is essentially a recliner -- and riders who want to can easily hit 40 mph or faster. But new recumbent riders should make sure they're familiar with the bike's braking, steering and balance before speeding off.
-- ASSOCIATED PRESS
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The first time Rob Gentry saw a friend riding an odd-looking contraption known as a recumbent bike, he laughed. But not for long.
"After I got done making fun of it," Gentry said, "I found I really liked it."
It wasn't just the comfortable ride Gentry liked, but also the panoramic view and the bike's speed. Now, barely five years after buying his first "bent," Gentry is not only riding recumbent, he's doing a brisk businesses selling recumbents -- and only recumbents -- from his central Pennsylvania bike shop.
More and more baby boomers who want to stay physically active are turning to recumbents to ease the strain on their shoulders, arms, backs and knees. As a consequence, sales are rising for these laid-back bikes -- known as "bents" to those who ride them.
Not that there's a recumbent revolution under way. Recumbent specialists estimate that these bikes make up just 1 percent of bicycle sales; Mike Gamstetter, editor-in-chief of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, said it's probably less than that.
But even those dedicated to their upright touring bikes say they're seeing more recumbents on the road.
"It's definitely been a growing segment of the market, although it's still pretty small," said Mike Deme, editor of Adventure Cyclist magazine.
Chris and Jane Webb of Cleveland are typical recumbent riders. Chris bought his recumbent when riding upright was no longer comfortable; Jane bought one so they could ride together. The couple and their 13-year-old son, Matt, came to State College in May for a recumbent rally sponsored by Gentry's shop, Recumbent Bike Riders Inc.
Bob Strosnider, 73, of Winchester, Ky., who also came up for the rally, said prostate trouble aggravated by his bicycle seat almost forced him to give up bicycling. But since buying his RANS Rocket two years ago, Strosnider has been able to ride 60 to 100 miles per week without any problems.
"It's really been great for me, because there's no way I would be riding today if I hadn't switched bikes," Strosnider said.
Among the benefits of bents:
· Comfort. With a full-size seat in a reclined position, the bikes put far less strain on the tailbone. And because the rider isn't leaning over the handlebars, there is no strain on shoulders, arms, wrists or back.
Rich Pinto, who works in research and development for Florida-based recumbent maker Bacchetta, said that's why so many middle-age and older riders are attracted to recumbents.
"It's baby boomers who want to work out, with all of the benefits, but none of the pain," Pinto said.
· The view. The rider is reclined with his head up, not leaning over the front of the bike looking down.
"My first reaction was how well you could see," said Deme, who tried out a recumbent a couple of years ago when his magazine did a special issue on the bikes. "It's really like riding around in chair. It took a little getting used to, but I liked it."
· Speed. Because of their aerodynamic design, the rider has a much smaller wind profile -- so much smaller that international racing officials banned bents back in 1934.
"They do hold all the speed records," Deme said.
Sam Blevins, 34, bought his first one four years ago after seeing a friend's wife riding one.
"I saw how fast she was going -- a woman who hadn't been on a bicycle in 15 years was keeping up with us, and we were not weak cyclists. I was amazed," said Blevins, who now manages St. Louis Recumbent Bicycles, a recumbent-only store in Maryville, Ill. Blevins said the biggest obstacle he has to overcome with potential buyers is image. "It just looks weird," he said.
The second hurdle is price. "A lot of people still think a bike is something you get at Wal-Mart for $80. There's nothing like that in the recumbent world, and there won't be until someone starts mass-producing recumbents," he said.
Pinto says the average recumbent sale is about $1,300, with prices ranging from about $500 up to $7,000 for high-end trikes.
What Reagan did...
Now that everyone has waxed poetic about Reagan, let's see what is his legacy:
1) The American family is dependent on two incomes. Before Reagan, someone could stay home with the kids. Reagan created the economic need for both partners to work and kids were left to fend for themselves...
2) Union busting. Business could treat employees however they wanted with no consequences. Union busting was encouraged
3) Trained insurgents in Afganistan to fight the Russians. After Russia left, cut off the insurgents. Good training resulted in some guy names Osama....
4) Sold arms to Iran to kill Iraqis
5) Probably sold biological weapons to Iraq to kill Iranians and Kurds. Hey, we need to know if they are effective.
6) A large number of indictments for his administration and prison time for many staff members...
A great American.....still dead....
1) The American family is dependent on two incomes. Before Reagan, someone could stay home with the kids. Reagan created the economic need for both partners to work and kids were left to fend for themselves...
2) Union busting. Business could treat employees however they wanted with no consequences. Union busting was encouraged
3) Trained insurgents in Afganistan to fight the Russians. After Russia left, cut off the insurgents. Good training resulted in some guy names Osama....
4) Sold arms to Iran to kill Iraqis
5) Probably sold biological weapons to Iraq to kill Iranians and Kurds. Hey, we need to know if they are effective.
6) A large number of indictments for his administration and prison time for many staff members...
A great American.....still dead....
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Reagan still dead!
Do you think there is anything in the casket? What if Reagan did not need the flight miles, so they sent an empty casket to Washington for the ceremony? Who would know? Just us....
Or, perhaps, this is Reagan's plan to smuggle arms into the Capitol. During this period the arms are being exchanged for money for Nancy....
Still Iran-Contra....
Maybe I am becoming an old coot....
Or, perhaps, this is Reagan's plan to smuggle arms into the Capitol. During this period the arms are being exchanged for money for Nancy....
Still Iran-Contra....
Maybe I am becoming an old coot....
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Go Geezers Go!
Look at these geezer bicyclists! Yeah geezers!
9 June, 2004
Pedalers evade fuel hikes with 2-wheeled commutes
By Sue Halena
shalena@stcloudtimes.com
PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Jan Peterson's car broke down almost two years ago, she decided to bicycle 10 miles to and from her job at Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Eventually, she got the car fixed. But by then, she was hooked on biking -- so hooked that she got rid of the car.
Peterson cycles mainly for health reasons. This summer, there's an added benefit: She and other biking commuters don't have to worry about gasoline climbing to $2 a gallon.
"I'm aware that we're saving money, not only in gasoline but also in wear and tear on the car," said Ted Sherarts, 70, who has biked to work for 18 years.
Local shops say more customers are buying commuter bikes this summer. Manufacturers make it easier, with models and accessories -- even laptop cases -- that are designed for the ride to work. The St. Cloud-area bus system helps cyclists escape rain or snow, and bike-rack use is growing 8 percent a year.
Whether they're after exercise, pleasure or environmental benefits, bicyclists also are reducing their transportation costs.
A good commuter bike, helmet and lock cost about $500. Based on the tax-deductible rate of 37.5 cents a mile, a 10-mile car commute costs $900 in a year with 240 work days. AAA says it costs 56 cents a mile to operate a car -- or $1,344 in the 240-day scenario.
Gradually, the St. Cloud area is adding bike lanes and off-road trails that encourage two-wheeled commuting. Some riders say the area needs more safe options for bikes and more drivers who are attentive to bicycle traffic. Others say drivers are accommodating.
In 2003, 1.12 percent of crashes reported to the St. Cloud Police Department involved bicycles. Nationwide, bicyclists made up 2 percent of people injured in traffic crashes in 2002.
Bicyclists accounted for 2 percent of traffic fatalities nationwide and 1.1 percent of the total in Minnesota in 2002, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
o license needed
Driving is not an option for Gillian Lee. She grew up in England, where gasoline costs two or three times as high as the U.S. price. She wasn't interested in getting a driver's license or a car.
For the 11 years Lee has lived in St. Cloud, she has relied on a bicycle to go first to classes at St. Cloud State University and more recently to her job. Lee is an administrative assistant at Resource Training & Solutions. She pedals seven miles round trip every work day.
"I love it," she said. "It's much more sociable, really."
She rides throughout the winter, sometimes throwing her bicycle on the bus or in her husband's van when snow is heavy. The van is a recent addition; she and her husband had only bicycles until last year.
Lee, 41, shops for groceries daily and takes them home in her bike basket and string bags. "You can take a fair amount on this bicycle," she said. "If you can chew gum, you can do this."
Lee rides a Raleigh cross-bike, a hybrid between a mountain bike and a racing bike. Manufacturers are making hybrid bikes with lighter tread so they roll faster on pavement, Granite City Schwinn worker Chris Tacl said.
So far, Lee has had no mishaps -- she chooses her routes and watches cars carefully. "I drive pretty defensively, I'll say that."
Multiple motivations
Lee met Peterson, another year-round rider, when both used the Metrobus bike racks.
Peterson appreciates the bus option. She's used the bus for part of her commute this summer to avoid a stretch of major road construction on Minnesota Highway 23.
Peterson, in her late 50s, found that bicycling reduced her problems with varicose veins and left her feeling better in general. "I wouldn't want to give it up now for health reasons."
Biking commuters have a host of reasons for riding:
Mike McGuire has biked eight miles round trip to his St. Cloud Hospital job for 14 years. He likes getting exercise without spending time and money at a fitness club.
McGuire, a computer systems analyst, rides until snow gets heavy and starts up again in March. McGuire, 51, says he generally can reach work just as fast by bike as he can in the car.
Bruce Lake keeps his six-mile round trip interesting by alternating between a mountain bike and a three-wheel bike with a basket for bulky paperwork. The human resources manager at Electrolux Home Products rides about eight months a year.
"It's a lot more peaceful than driving a car to work," said Lake, 52.
Dr. Chris Wenner, 32, calls his bike "an old-fashioned single speed" -- a model that works well for a leisurely six-mile round trip. He started pedaling to work when he lived in Colorado and continued after getting his job in January at Mid-Minnesota Family Practice Center.
"The biggest motivation is for environmental reasons," Wenner said. "It certainly is an added benefit to commuting on a bicycle, not having to pay as much in gasoline prices."
Wenner uses a car for winter, rainy days and late-night emergency calls.
Sherarts, an art professor at St. Cloud State, started cycling to work after he bought a house a mile and a half from campus.
This spring, Sherarts sold his 12-year-old Mazda. It had logged 38,000 miles -- not the 144,000 to 180,000 miles most cars would travel in 12 years.
"I'm conscious that I'm not adding to the pollution, but I'm also aware that when I go to work on a bicycle, I'm often there before people who were driving," he said.
And, he said, there's plenty of parking space at the bike racks.
Bicycle safety tips
Bicycling accidents often happen close to home and usually because of a fall, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The academy offers these tips:
- Always wear a helmet that fits snugly and does not obstruct your vision.
- Use a bicycle that is the right size.
- Make sure the bicycle is well-maintained.
- Avoid biking at night. If you must, make sure you have a working headlight visible for 500 feet and rear reflectors.
- Ride with traffic and be aware of traffic around you. Obey traffic laws.
- Avoid loose clothing and use appropriate footwear.
9 June, 2004
Pedalers evade fuel hikes with 2-wheeled commutes
By Sue Halena
shalena@stcloudtimes.com
PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Jan Peterson's car broke down almost two years ago, she decided to bicycle 10 miles to and from her job at Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Eventually, she got the car fixed. But by then, she was hooked on biking -- so hooked that she got rid of the car.
Peterson cycles mainly for health reasons. This summer, there's an added benefit: She and other biking commuters don't have to worry about gasoline climbing to $2 a gallon.
"I'm aware that we're saving money, not only in gasoline but also in wear and tear on the car," said Ted Sherarts, 70, who has biked to work for 18 years.
Local shops say more customers are buying commuter bikes this summer. Manufacturers make it easier, with models and accessories -- even laptop cases -- that are designed for the ride to work. The St. Cloud-area bus system helps cyclists escape rain or snow, and bike-rack use is growing 8 percent a year.
Whether they're after exercise, pleasure or environmental benefits, bicyclists also are reducing their transportation costs.
A good commuter bike, helmet and lock cost about $500. Based on the tax-deductible rate of 37.5 cents a mile, a 10-mile car commute costs $900 in a year with 240 work days. AAA says it costs 56 cents a mile to operate a car -- or $1,344 in the 240-day scenario.
Gradually, the St. Cloud area is adding bike lanes and off-road trails that encourage two-wheeled commuting. Some riders say the area needs more safe options for bikes and more drivers who are attentive to bicycle traffic. Others say drivers are accommodating.
In 2003, 1.12 percent of crashes reported to the St. Cloud Police Department involved bicycles. Nationwide, bicyclists made up 2 percent of people injured in traffic crashes in 2002.
Bicyclists accounted for 2 percent of traffic fatalities nationwide and 1.1 percent of the total in Minnesota in 2002, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
o license needed
Driving is not an option for Gillian Lee. She grew up in England, where gasoline costs two or three times as high as the U.S. price. She wasn't interested in getting a driver's license or a car.
For the 11 years Lee has lived in St. Cloud, she has relied on a bicycle to go first to classes at St. Cloud State University and more recently to her job. Lee is an administrative assistant at Resource Training & Solutions. She pedals seven miles round trip every work day.
"I love it," she said. "It's much more sociable, really."
She rides throughout the winter, sometimes throwing her bicycle on the bus or in her husband's van when snow is heavy. The van is a recent addition; she and her husband had only bicycles until last year.
Lee, 41, shops for groceries daily and takes them home in her bike basket and string bags. "You can take a fair amount on this bicycle," she said. "If you can chew gum, you can do this."
Lee rides a Raleigh cross-bike, a hybrid between a mountain bike and a racing bike. Manufacturers are making hybrid bikes with lighter tread so they roll faster on pavement, Granite City Schwinn worker Chris Tacl said.
So far, Lee has had no mishaps -- she chooses her routes and watches cars carefully. "I drive pretty defensively, I'll say that."
Multiple motivations
Lee met Peterson, another year-round rider, when both used the Metrobus bike racks.
Peterson appreciates the bus option. She's used the bus for part of her commute this summer to avoid a stretch of major road construction on Minnesota Highway 23.
Peterson, in her late 50s, found that bicycling reduced her problems with varicose veins and left her feeling better in general. "I wouldn't want to give it up now for health reasons."
Biking commuters have a host of reasons for riding:
Mike McGuire has biked eight miles round trip to his St. Cloud Hospital job for 14 years. He likes getting exercise without spending time and money at a fitness club.
McGuire, a computer systems analyst, rides until snow gets heavy and starts up again in March. McGuire, 51, says he generally can reach work just as fast by bike as he can in the car.
Bruce Lake keeps his six-mile round trip interesting by alternating between a mountain bike and a three-wheel bike with a basket for bulky paperwork. The human resources manager at Electrolux Home Products rides about eight months a year.
"It's a lot more peaceful than driving a car to work," said Lake, 52.
Dr. Chris Wenner, 32, calls his bike "an old-fashioned single speed" -- a model that works well for a leisurely six-mile round trip. He started pedaling to work when he lived in Colorado and continued after getting his job in January at Mid-Minnesota Family Practice Center.
"The biggest motivation is for environmental reasons," Wenner said. "It certainly is an added benefit to commuting on a bicycle, not having to pay as much in gasoline prices."
Wenner uses a car for winter, rainy days and late-night emergency calls.
Sherarts, an art professor at St. Cloud State, started cycling to work after he bought a house a mile and a half from campus.
This spring, Sherarts sold his 12-year-old Mazda. It had logged 38,000 miles -- not the 144,000 to 180,000 miles most cars would travel in 12 years.
"I'm conscious that I'm not adding to the pollution, but I'm also aware that when I go to work on a bicycle, I'm often there before people who were driving," he said.
And, he said, there's plenty of parking space at the bike racks.
Bicycle safety tips
Bicycling accidents often happen close to home and usually because of a fall, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The academy offers these tips:
- Always wear a helmet that fits snugly and does not obstruct your vision.
- Use a bicycle that is the right size.
- Make sure the bicycle is well-maintained.
- Avoid biking at night. If you must, make sure you have a working headlight visible for 500 feet and rear reflectors.
- Ride with traffic and be aware of traffic around you. Obey traffic laws.
- Avoid loose clothing and use appropriate footwear.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Did they hit him with their canes?
Sounds like something the geezer patrol would do!
Child hit by car; onlookers then attack driver
A young girl riding her bike was hit by a car Monday night, and witnesses at the scene then confronted the driver.
Police told News 2 that the 8-year-old was struck as she rode a bicycle on Southside Avenue near Downtown last night. Fortunately, she wasn't critically injured.
Police say the driver of the car got out to check on her and was assaulted by several angry onlookers. Both the girl and the driver had to be taken to the hospital. Authorities say charges may be filed against those responsible for the assault.
News 2 This Morning
Child hit by car; onlookers then attack driver
A young girl riding her bike was hit by a car Monday night, and witnesses at the scene then confronted the driver.
Police told News 2 that the 8-year-old was struck as she rode a bicycle on Southside Avenue near Downtown last night. Fortunately, she wasn't critically injured.
Police say the driver of the car got out to check on her and was assaulted by several angry onlookers. Both the girl and the driver had to be taken to the hospital. Authorities say charges may be filed against those responsible for the assault.
News 2 This Morning
Monday, June 07, 2004
geezers from wisconsin
I was once from Wisconsin, so it is nice to see other geezers from there...
Pilots thrill audience
Passion for flying, safety ensures pilots’ long careers
BY CHARLIE MATHEWS
Herald Times Reporter
MANITOWOC — Another day of perfect weather Sunday helped veteran performers Fowler Cary Jr. and John Mohr entertain tens of thousands at the 2004 Manitowoc County Airshow.
Cary and Mohr are both in their 50s, do about a dozen air shows each year, and believe in a safety-first attitude.
But while Mohr’s single-engine 1943 Stearman PT-17 propeller plane will burn about five gallons of fuel during a 12-minute routine, Cary’s 1958 T-33 Thunderbird jet will go through 250 gallons at $2.90 a gallon in the same amount of time.
They do share a joy for coming to Manitowoc’s extravaganza —Cary from South Carolina and Mohr from Minnesota —and that is why they have performed at 11 of the 12 local air shows staged since 1993.
“I knew I’d love this show the first time I came,” Fowler said in his Southern drawl. “The folks out here had their own beer brats on the grill,” said the performer, whose girth may have contributed to his nickname, “Big Dog.”
His Thunderbird screamed through the skies around the Manitowoc County Airport, not quite as fast and loud as the U.S. Air Force F-15’s but Fowler still cut a sleek figure.
The Manitowoc show is the farthest north the investment adviser by day flies to, as far west as Wichita, south to the Caribbean and east to Boston.
Mohr, a commercial pilot for Northwestern Airlines, has taken his blue and yellow Stock Stearman overseas to Thailand and Europe as well as to all corners of the United States.
With 25 years as an air show professional, he began flying at age 5, taught by his father while on his lap, soloed at 14, built and flew his first helicopter at 17.
Mohr has won his avocation’s highest awards for showmanship as he takes his biplane through such maneuvers as barrel rolls, hammerheads or stall turns, reverse Cuban eights, square loops and inverted passes, waving to the crowd while upside down.
“Yes, I’m a better pilot now. Practice and experience do make better. I do many of the same maneuvers but lower than I used to and the show is tighter with less time between them,” said the admirer of the barnstormers of the 1930s.
“I’m always looking to do things spectators will get a thrill out of and new things nobody else in the air show business is doing,” Mohr said.
Part of Mohr’s performances include a transfer act involving a partner going from a helicopter to an airplane after the chopper “lands” momentarily on the wing of the plane.
“I’ve gotten to enjoy the Manitowoc show and the people involved. I love the water nearby and we bring our seaplane over here,” Mohr said of an interest he shares with Airshow co-founder and producer Curt Drumm.
Both pilots stressed their priority on safety. “One of the first things you learn is to always have a plan B, C and D and work on the rest. You want redundancy,” Cary said. “With an old geezer like me, 500-plus air shows, you’re safer in my jet than if you were to drive the L.A. freeways the next month.”
“‘Plan your flight. Fly your plan,’” Mohr said. “When flying in front of crowd, you get hyped up, get ‘show fever.’ You need to make sure you go with what you’ve practiced.”
The two pilots plan to get through the 2004 air show season safely and be back in Manitowoc next June.
Pilots thrill audience
Passion for flying, safety ensures pilots’ long careers
BY CHARLIE MATHEWS
Herald Times Reporter
MANITOWOC — Another day of perfect weather Sunday helped veteran performers Fowler Cary Jr. and John Mohr entertain tens of thousands at the 2004 Manitowoc County Airshow.
Cary and Mohr are both in their 50s, do about a dozen air shows each year, and believe in a safety-first attitude.
But while Mohr’s single-engine 1943 Stearman PT-17 propeller plane will burn about five gallons of fuel during a 12-minute routine, Cary’s 1958 T-33 Thunderbird jet will go through 250 gallons at $2.90 a gallon in the same amount of time.
They do share a joy for coming to Manitowoc’s extravaganza —Cary from South Carolina and Mohr from Minnesota —and that is why they have performed at 11 of the 12 local air shows staged since 1993.
“I knew I’d love this show the first time I came,” Fowler said in his Southern drawl. “The folks out here had their own beer brats on the grill,” said the performer, whose girth may have contributed to his nickname, “Big Dog.”
His Thunderbird screamed through the skies around the Manitowoc County Airport, not quite as fast and loud as the U.S. Air Force F-15’s but Fowler still cut a sleek figure.
The Manitowoc show is the farthest north the investment adviser by day flies to, as far west as Wichita, south to the Caribbean and east to Boston.
Mohr, a commercial pilot for Northwestern Airlines, has taken his blue and yellow Stock Stearman overseas to Thailand and Europe as well as to all corners of the United States.
With 25 years as an air show professional, he began flying at age 5, taught by his father while on his lap, soloed at 14, built and flew his first helicopter at 17.
Mohr has won his avocation’s highest awards for showmanship as he takes his biplane through such maneuvers as barrel rolls, hammerheads or stall turns, reverse Cuban eights, square loops and inverted passes, waving to the crowd while upside down.
“Yes, I’m a better pilot now. Practice and experience do make better. I do many of the same maneuvers but lower than I used to and the show is tighter with less time between them,” said the admirer of the barnstormers of the 1930s.
“I’m always looking to do things spectators will get a thrill out of and new things nobody else in the air show business is doing,” Mohr said.
Part of Mohr’s performances include a transfer act involving a partner going from a helicopter to an airplane after the chopper “lands” momentarily on the wing of the plane.
“I’ve gotten to enjoy the Manitowoc show and the people involved. I love the water nearby and we bring our seaplane over here,” Mohr said of an interest he shares with Airshow co-founder and producer Curt Drumm.
Both pilots stressed their priority on safety. “One of the first things you learn is to always have a plan B, C and D and work on the rest. You want redundancy,” Cary said. “With an old geezer like me, 500-plus air shows, you’re safer in my jet than if you were to drive the L.A. freeways the next month.”
“‘Plan your flight. Fly your plan,’” Mohr said. “When flying in front of crowd, you get hyped up, get ‘show fever.’ You need to make sure you go with what you’ve practiced.”
The two pilots plan to get through the 2004 air show season safely and be back in Manitowoc next June.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
good ol days
Hey, I remember a lot of this stuff....
Remember 'good ol' days' to escape bad new ones
By Jim Monday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few years ago when my grandchildren, Christy and Zach Lerman, were in their early teens, I started a childhood story at a family gathering, meaning to make a certain point.
Christy jumped in and said, "Papa's gonna tell another one of those 'I walked three miles to school in deep snow' stories." And, of course Zach -- and some of the other members of the family -- chimed in, giving me a hard time.
I think that was the time I began to feel like an old geezer.
Of course they were teasing me, but I really did walk more than a mile in deep snow when we lived in Michigan, and I once got caught in a blizzard as I walked home. My dad came to my rescue, walking to meet me to guide me home.
I'm wondering what the generations of Christy and Zach, and even Christy's baby girl, Cora Grace Hunter, will say about their "good old days" when they become senior citizens. It would be interesting to know how they will remember their growing-up years.
I suppose each generation feels their younger years are the most special, but the current generation has so much more to face than we did in our youth. They can't escape the multitude of events that are happening in our nation and around the world -- the wars, the famines, the drugs.
Perhaps that's the reason I reminisce quite often, to escape the murder and mayhem that we face every day here at home or around the world.
While youngsters snigger at our stories of the past, we oldsters had some good stuff going on and were fortunate not to have as many problems to face as youngsters do today.
Someone has said that everyone makes fun of us who were kids in the 1950s or earlier. Twenty-somethings shudder and say, "Eeeeew!"
But those days had some good values and ideas to offer to the world. Here's a few things compiled from our less complicated way of life "way back" in our younger days.
In 1953, the U.S. population was less than 150 million. Yet you knew more people then, and knew them better.
The average annual salary was under $3,000. Yet our parents could put some of it away for a rainy day and still live a decent life.
A loaf of bread cost about 15 cents (I personally remember when my dad sold bread for five cents). And it was safe for a 5-year-old to skate to the store and buy one.
We didn't have a television set in the Monday household until I was out of high school. Prime-time television meant "I Love Lucy," "Ozzie and Harriet," "Gunsmoke" and "Lassie," so nobody ever heard of ratings or filters.
We didn't have air-conditioning, so the windows stayed up and at night the breeze was very soothing.
You loved to climb into a fresh bed because sheets were dried on the clothesline. In the wintertime, those fortunate enough to own an old featherbed, snuggled in it for warmth. However, if you slept on one in the summer, you could sweat to death.
People generally lived in the same hometown with their relatives. So "child care" meant grandparents or aunts and uncles.
Parents were respected, their rules were law and children respected that.
My dad's little country store was a kind of rural town hall. Many folks dropped by daily to catch up on community events and gossip, as well as buying a few groceries. The store even offered light lunches, with an old-time "baloney" sandwich being a well-liked feature.
The compiled list of our "good old days," also pointed out that we are the folk who "can still remember Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Sky King, Little Lulu comics, Brenda Starr, Howdy Doody and The Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow Knows, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk as well as the sound of a real mower on Saturday morning, and summers filled with bike rides, playing cowboy, playing hide-and-seek and kick-the-can and "Simon Says," baseball games, amateur shows at the local theater before the Saturday matinee, bowling and visits to the pool and wax lips and bubblegum cigars."
Was it really that long ago?
Remember 'good ol' days' to escape bad new ones
By Jim Monday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few years ago when my grandchildren, Christy and Zach Lerman, were in their early teens, I started a childhood story at a family gathering, meaning to make a certain point.
Christy jumped in and said, "Papa's gonna tell another one of those 'I walked three miles to school in deep snow' stories." And, of course Zach -- and some of the other members of the family -- chimed in, giving me a hard time.
I think that was the time I began to feel like an old geezer.
Of course they were teasing me, but I really did walk more than a mile in deep snow when we lived in Michigan, and I once got caught in a blizzard as I walked home. My dad came to my rescue, walking to meet me to guide me home.
I'm wondering what the generations of Christy and Zach, and even Christy's baby girl, Cora Grace Hunter, will say about their "good old days" when they become senior citizens. It would be interesting to know how they will remember their growing-up years.
I suppose each generation feels their younger years are the most special, but the current generation has so much more to face than we did in our youth. They can't escape the multitude of events that are happening in our nation and around the world -- the wars, the famines, the drugs.
Perhaps that's the reason I reminisce quite often, to escape the murder and mayhem that we face every day here at home or around the world.
While youngsters snigger at our stories of the past, we oldsters had some good stuff going on and were fortunate not to have as many problems to face as youngsters do today.
Someone has said that everyone makes fun of us who were kids in the 1950s or earlier. Twenty-somethings shudder and say, "Eeeeew!"
But those days had some good values and ideas to offer to the world. Here's a few things compiled from our less complicated way of life "way back" in our younger days.
In 1953, the U.S. population was less than 150 million. Yet you knew more people then, and knew them better.
The average annual salary was under $3,000. Yet our parents could put some of it away for a rainy day and still live a decent life.
A loaf of bread cost about 15 cents (I personally remember when my dad sold bread for five cents). And it was safe for a 5-year-old to skate to the store and buy one.
We didn't have a television set in the Monday household until I was out of high school. Prime-time television meant "I Love Lucy," "Ozzie and Harriet," "Gunsmoke" and "Lassie," so nobody ever heard of ratings or filters.
We didn't have air-conditioning, so the windows stayed up and at night the breeze was very soothing.
You loved to climb into a fresh bed because sheets were dried on the clothesline. In the wintertime, those fortunate enough to own an old featherbed, snuggled in it for warmth. However, if you slept on one in the summer, you could sweat to death.
People generally lived in the same hometown with their relatives. So "child care" meant grandparents or aunts and uncles.
Parents were respected, their rules were law and children respected that.
My dad's little country store was a kind of rural town hall. Many folks dropped by daily to catch up on community events and gossip, as well as buying a few groceries. The store even offered light lunches, with an old-time "baloney" sandwich being a well-liked feature.
The compiled list of our "good old days," also pointed out that we are the folk who "can still remember Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Sky King, Little Lulu comics, Brenda Starr, Howdy Doody and The Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow Knows, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk as well as the sound of a real mower on Saturday morning, and summers filled with bike rides, playing cowboy, playing hide-and-seek and kick-the-can and "Simon Says," baseball games, amateur shows at the local theater before the Saturday matinee, bowling and visits to the pool and wax lips and bubblegum cigars."
Was it really that long ago?
Friday, June 04, 2004
Cosmic Justice?
Note that he died from falling off of a stolen bike?
Australian man's bicycle obsession
Sydney - Police suggest a bicycle enthusiast became a little obsessed with his hobby later in life after discovering 435 bikes in his house after his death.
Police in the Victorian city of Geelong found every room in Ken James' three-bedroom house stacked to the rafters with bikes which he had collected, and some that he had probably stolen, during his 64 years.
"He bought bikes, he traded bikes, but we think towards the last 10 to 15 years, when it became almost like an obsession with him, he started to steal bikes," senior constable Kevin Warburton told the Age newspaper.
It took police seven days to remove the bikes along with hundreds of frames, wheels and other parts from James' house and have invited anyone who thinks they can still identify their lost bike to contact them.
James died after hitting his head when he fell off a bike.
Australian man's bicycle obsession
Sydney - Police suggest a bicycle enthusiast became a little obsessed with his hobby later in life after discovering 435 bikes in his house after his death.
Police in the Victorian city of Geelong found every room in Ken James' three-bedroom house stacked to the rafters with bikes which he had collected, and some that he had probably stolen, during his 64 years.
"He bought bikes, he traded bikes, but we think towards the last 10 to 15 years, when it became almost like an obsession with him, he started to steal bikes," senior constable Kevin Warburton told the Age newspaper.
It took police seven days to remove the bikes along with hundreds of frames, wheels and other parts from James' house and have invited anyone who thinks they can still identify their lost bike to contact them.
James died after hitting his head when he fell off a bike.
Mimes rule!
Now, don't you think that mimes would have a real advantage since they have the little box around them? The balls would bounce off the box without hitting the mimes!
Mime sports: Reality TV, largely starring unknowns, has spread to sports through golf shows on CBS and The Golf Channel and planned boxing shows on NBC and Fox. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, will get a reality show on ABC. And an ESPN reality show this fall will let contestants win sports prizes for friends by getting in shark tanks.
But the Game Show Network's Extreme Dodgeball, debuting June 15, might be the most inventive. This dodgeball — although hyped as "Raging Ball" — seems more conventional than extreme. But its casting breaks new ground in made-for-TV sports: Squads, grouped by occupation, include sumo wrestlers, weightlifters, jockeys and mimes.
Mime sports: Reality TV, largely starring unknowns, has spread to sports through golf shows on CBS and The Golf Channel and planned boxing shows on NBC and Fox. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, will get a reality show on ABC. And an ESPN reality show this fall will let contestants win sports prizes for friends by getting in shark tanks.
But the Game Show Network's Extreme Dodgeball, debuting June 15, might be the most inventive. This dodgeball — although hyped as "Raging Ball" — seems more conventional than extreme. But its casting breaks new ground in made-for-TV sports: Squads, grouped by occupation, include sumo wrestlers, weightlifters, jockeys and mimes.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
I can relate
MAN, 76, BADLY HURT IN FALL FROM BICYCLE
Published on 03/06/2004
By Nick Griffiths
AN ELDERLY Carlisle cyclist is in hospital with serious head injuries after falling from his bicycle when it clipped a kerb.
Terry Johnston, 76, of Morton, is being treated in Newcastle after hitting his head and breaking his leg when he plunged from his cycle on the A66 at the weekend.
Mr Johnston, an experienced cyclist who is the oldest member of the Carlisle-based Border City Wheelers Club, crashed near Braithwaite, Keswick, on Sunday.
The father-of-six was taking part in a Bank Holiday club race from Cockermouth to Keswick when the accident happened.
He was wearing a helmet at the time of the smash.
Other cyclists came to the aid of Mr Johnston, who is a grandfather, after his fall at 9.30am.
Police and paramedics attended and Mr Johnston was taken by ambulance to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.
But despite being conscious, he was heavily concussed and he was later transferred to Newcastle General Hospital. He was in the hospital’s high dependency unit today.
His partner Evelyn Pagan said: “It has been a nightmare. He has got very bad bruising and swelling of the brain.”
Club secretary Carol Westmorland said the thoughts of everyone associated with the Border City Wheelers were with Mr Johnston and his family.
“Terry is a big part of the Border City Wheelers,” she said.
“He has been a member of the club for many years.
“It goes without saying that we wish him all the best.”
MAN, 76, BADLY HURT IN FALL FROM BICYCLE
Published on 03/06/2004
By Nick Griffiths
AN ELDERLY Carlisle cyclist is in hospital with serious head injuries after falling from his bicycle when it clipped a kerb.
Terry Johnston, 76, of Morton, is being treated in Newcastle after hitting his head and breaking his leg when he plunged from his cycle on the A66 at the weekend.
Mr Johnston, an experienced cyclist who is the oldest member of the Carlisle-based Border City Wheelers Club, crashed near Braithwaite, Keswick, on Sunday.
The father-of-six was taking part in a Bank Holiday club race from Cockermouth to Keswick when the accident happened.
He was wearing a helmet at the time of the smash.
Other cyclists came to the aid of Mr Johnston, who is a grandfather, after his fall at 9.30am.
Police and paramedics attended and Mr Johnston was taken by ambulance to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.
But despite being conscious, he was heavily concussed and he was later transferred to Newcastle General Hospital. He was in the hospital’s high dependency unit today.
His partner Evelyn Pagan said: “It has been a nightmare. He has got very bad bruising and swelling of the brain.”
Club secretary Carol Westmorland said the thoughts of everyone associated with the Border City Wheelers were with Mr Johnston and his family.
“Terry is a big part of the Border City Wheelers,” she said.
“He has been a member of the club for many years.
“It goes without saying that we wish him all the best.”
Another geezer reaching out and touching someone...
Woman's leg falls hip-deep into grave
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — Hazel Felton did not have a near-death experience over the weekend, but she did have one foot in the grave — literally. Felton was cleaning up around family graves Sunday at Kenai Cemetery when her dog Boo Boo's leash became entangled in a wooden cross beside a nearby headstone. When she stepped onto the grave to get a better angle to free the terrier's leash, the ground collapsed under her foot.
"I put one leg in past my hip bone. That's about 34 inches," Felton said.
Planting her foot nearly a yard deep in an old grave understandably disturbed Felton, and she got herself out fast.
"I just shot outta there like a light," she said. "It just creeped me out."
Equally creepy for Felton is the fact she was named after the daughter of the man whose grave she fell into. Warder Showalter's daughter Hazel, who died shortly before Felton was born, was a good friend of Felton's mother.
Felton, who was uninjured in the mishap, called the Showalter family to let them know what happened. After hearing the story, Adeline Chaffin found humor in the incident.
"I ask Hazel, 'Were you playing footsie with my dad?'" Chaffin said.
Chaffin and her husband were concerned someone else might fall into the grave, so the couple went out to the cemetery the next day to see the hole for themselves and put up some safety measures.
Chaffin, whose father was buried in the cemetery in 1983, saw no reason to get upset over the incident.
"It's just one of those things that happens in life," she said.
Bob Frates, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation, which maintains the cemetery, has never had a grave collapse before. His department routinely compacts the earth over a new grave and allows it time to settle before adding more soil and compacting again, if necessary.
Frates speculated the delayed settling of the Showalter plot may have been due to a wood coffin that held out far longer than usual before collapsing. Whatever settling is going to occur usually occurs within the first year, he said.
Woman's leg falls hip-deep into grave
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — Hazel Felton did not have a near-death experience over the weekend, but she did have one foot in the grave — literally. Felton was cleaning up around family graves Sunday at Kenai Cemetery when her dog Boo Boo's leash became entangled in a wooden cross beside a nearby headstone. When she stepped onto the grave to get a better angle to free the terrier's leash, the ground collapsed under her foot.
"I put one leg in past my hip bone. That's about 34 inches," Felton said.
Planting her foot nearly a yard deep in an old grave understandably disturbed Felton, and she got herself out fast.
"I just shot outta there like a light," she said. "It just creeped me out."
Equally creepy for Felton is the fact she was named after the daughter of the man whose grave she fell into. Warder Showalter's daughter Hazel, who died shortly before Felton was born, was a good friend of Felton's mother.
Felton, who was uninjured in the mishap, called the Showalter family to let them know what happened. After hearing the story, Adeline Chaffin found humor in the incident.
"I ask Hazel, 'Were you playing footsie with my dad?'" Chaffin said.
Chaffin and her husband were concerned someone else might fall into the grave, so the couple went out to the cemetery the next day to see the hole for themselves and put up some safety measures.
Chaffin, whose father was buried in the cemetery in 1983, saw no reason to get upset over the incident.
"It's just one of those things that happens in life," she said.
Bob Frates, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation, which maintains the cemetery, has never had a grave collapse before. His department routinely compacts the earth over a new grave and allows it time to settle before adding more soil and compacting again, if necessary.
Frates speculated the delayed settling of the Showalter plot may have been due to a wood coffin that held out far longer than usual before collapsing. Whatever settling is going to occur usually occurs within the first year, he said.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
If this is a geezer at 36, what does it make me at 54?
Old geezer of 36 debut in the ring
UNION-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
June 2, 2004
When heavyweight Joe Riley steps into the ring Friday night in Newburgh, N.Y., he'll be making his pro debut at an age when most prizefighters are contemplating retirement.
"Everybody says, 'You're 36. You're too old.' I don't feel it at all," Riley told The Associated Press. But he acknowledged being a little nervous about boxing in front of a hometown crowd, and then laughed about the pressure.
Classic Quote
"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."
–Muhammad Ali
"All my brother keeps telling me is, 'All you have to do is win. You have too many people looking at you,'" said Riley, who works at his brother's furniture store.
Promoters hope the heavyweight who grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and played football at Ulster Community College will help fill the 2,715 seats at Poughkeepsie's Mid-Hudson Civic Center.
Riley was the 1998 New York State Golden Gloves superheavyweight champion and stands to make $700 for his first match. He's scheduled to go four rounds with Anthony Attah a Nigerian who is 1-2-1 in four bouts.
"I look at it like this, nothing to lose and everything to gain," Riley said. "From where I came from to where I'm at now, life doesn't get any better."
Trivia time
Who is the oldest boxer to hold the heavyweight title?
Boxing feats
A few boxing records according to guinnessworldrecords.com:
Highest earner: Oscar de la Hoya had estimated earnings of $43.5 million in 1999, according to the 2000 Forbes Celebrity 100 list.
Longest reign: Joe Louis was champion for 11 years and 252 days, from June 22, 1937, until his retirement in 1949.
Most knockouts: 145 (129 in professional bouts), by Archie Moore.
Youngest heavyweight champion: Mike Tyson was 20 years, 144 days old when he beat Trevor Berbick to win the WBC heavyweight title at Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 1986.
All-Star surprises
Mia Hamm's husband, Nomar Garciaparra, led American League shortstops with 412,742 All-Star votes, reported AP. The Boston Red Sox star has not played a game all season after being sidelined by an Achilles' tendon injury . . . Despite BALCO chants, San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds has the second-highest vote total at any position in either league with 647,183. For a complete list of All-Star voting, see Scoreboard on D8.
Trivia answer
At 45, George Foreman defeated Michael Moorer in 1994 to regain the title.
Old geezer of 36 debut in the ring
UNION-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
June 2, 2004
When heavyweight Joe Riley steps into the ring Friday night in Newburgh, N.Y., he'll be making his pro debut at an age when most prizefighters are contemplating retirement.
"Everybody says, 'You're 36. You're too old.' I don't feel it at all," Riley told The Associated Press. But he acknowledged being a little nervous about boxing in front of a hometown crowd, and then laughed about the pressure.
Classic Quote
"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."
–Muhammad Ali
"All my brother keeps telling me is, 'All you have to do is win. You have too many people looking at you,'" said Riley, who works at his brother's furniture store.
Promoters hope the heavyweight who grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and played football at Ulster Community College will help fill the 2,715 seats at Poughkeepsie's Mid-Hudson Civic Center.
Riley was the 1998 New York State Golden Gloves superheavyweight champion and stands to make $700 for his first match. He's scheduled to go four rounds with Anthony Attah a Nigerian who is 1-2-1 in four bouts.
"I look at it like this, nothing to lose and everything to gain," Riley said. "From where I came from to where I'm at now, life doesn't get any better."
Trivia time
Who is the oldest boxer to hold the heavyweight title?
Boxing feats
A few boxing records according to guinnessworldrecords.com:
Highest earner: Oscar de la Hoya had estimated earnings of $43.5 million in 1999, according to the 2000 Forbes Celebrity 100 list.
Longest reign: Joe Louis was champion for 11 years and 252 days, from June 22, 1937, until his retirement in 1949.
Most knockouts: 145 (129 in professional bouts), by Archie Moore.
Youngest heavyweight champion: Mike Tyson was 20 years, 144 days old when he beat Trevor Berbick to win the WBC heavyweight title at Las Vegas on Nov. 22, 1986.
All-Star surprises
Mia Hamm's husband, Nomar Garciaparra, led American League shortstops with 412,742 All-Star votes, reported AP. The Boston Red Sox star has not played a game all season after being sidelined by an Achilles' tendon injury . . . Despite BALCO chants, San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds has the second-highest vote total at any position in either league with 647,183. For a complete list of All-Star voting, see Scoreboard on D8.
Trivia answer
At 45, George Foreman defeated Michael Moorer in 1994 to regain the title.
I see the average family size in the United States is 3.14 which is PI. Do you think this is a coincidence? Not....
Average Household Size and Family Size, 1990-2000
Average Household Size Average Family Size Lake County Cities or Villages
1990 Census 2000 Census 1990 Census 2000 Census
Antioch 2.73 2.72 3.24 3.20
Bannockburn 3.06 2.96 3.22 3.11
Barrington * 2.68 2.70 3.12 3.20
Barrington Hills * 3.07 2.83 3.22 3.10
Beach Park 2.86 2.77 3.26 3.21
Buffalo Grove * 2.73 2.72 3.22 3.23
Deer Park* 3.22 3.14 3.34 3.31
Deerfield * 2.92 2.81 3.20 3.21
Fox Lake * 2.30 2.27 2.94 2.98
Fox River Grove* n/a 2.90 n/a 3.34
Fox River Valley Garden * 2.82 2.67 3.23 2.99
Grayslake 2.55 2.84 3.06 3.31
Green Oaks 3.21 3.26 3.38 3.44
Gurnee 2.56 2.71 3.05 3.25
Hainesville 3.53 3.04 3.73 3.33
Hawthorn Woods 3.37 3.28 3.47 3.39
Highland Park 2.73 2.71 3.06 3.09
Highwood 2.58 2.60 3.19 3.31
Indian Creek 2.84 2.95 3.24 3.10
Island Lake * 2.82 2.87 3.21 3.31
Kildeer 3.23 3.21 3.37 3.34
Lake Barrington 2.45 2.33 2.80 2.80
Lake Bluff 2.70 2.86 3.04 3.21
Lake Forest 2.83 2.78 3.19 3.17
Lake Villa 2.65 2.81 3.22 3.20
Lake Zurich 3.10 3.12 3.36 3.42
Lakemoor* 2.74 2.75 3.22 3.24
Libertyville 2.84 2.73 3.29 3.24
Lincolnshire 2.93 2.75 3.12 3.03
Lindenhurst 3.22 2.93 3.42 3.27
Long Grove 3.35 3.26 3.48 3.42
Mettawa 2.90 2.68 3.12 2.96
Mundelein 2.95 3.12 3.31 3.52
North Barrington 2.96 2.91 3.14 3.10
North Chicago 3.10 3.09 3.57 3.64
Old Mill Creek 2.92 2.56 3.05 3.09
Park City 2.39 2.55 3.09 3.31
Riverwoods 3.03 2.93 3.16 3.13
Round Lake 2.72 2.88 3.20 3.28
Round Lake Beach 3.33 3.50 3.69 3.83
Round Lake Heights 3.49 3.17 3.78 3.49
Round Lake Park 3.13 2.83 3.56 3.29
Third Lake 3.10 3.14 3.34 3.39
Tower Lakes 3.14 2.92 3.29 3.18
Vernon Hills 2.61 2.66 3.16 3.24
Volo n/a 3.08 n/a 3.33
Wadsworth 3.14 2.98 3.36 3.24
Wauconda 2.61 2.58 3.13 3.16
Waukegan 2.75 3.09 3.34 3.68
Winthrop Harbor 3.03 2.81 3.33 3.17
Zion 2.95 2.96 3.43 3.44
Lake County 2.85 2.88 3.27 3.33
State of Illinois 2.65 2.63 3.23 3.23
United States 2.63 2.59 3.16 3.14
*Represents the whole village including areas outside Lake County.
Average Household Size and Family Size, 1990-2000
Average Household Size Average Family Size Lake County Cities or Villages
1990 Census 2000 Census 1990 Census 2000 Census
Antioch 2.73 2.72 3.24 3.20
Bannockburn 3.06 2.96 3.22 3.11
Barrington * 2.68 2.70 3.12 3.20
Barrington Hills * 3.07 2.83 3.22 3.10
Beach Park 2.86 2.77 3.26 3.21
Buffalo Grove * 2.73 2.72 3.22 3.23
Deer Park* 3.22 3.14 3.34 3.31
Deerfield * 2.92 2.81 3.20 3.21
Fox Lake * 2.30 2.27 2.94 2.98
Fox River Grove* n/a 2.90 n/a 3.34
Fox River Valley Garden * 2.82 2.67 3.23 2.99
Grayslake 2.55 2.84 3.06 3.31
Green Oaks 3.21 3.26 3.38 3.44
Gurnee 2.56 2.71 3.05 3.25
Hainesville 3.53 3.04 3.73 3.33
Hawthorn Woods 3.37 3.28 3.47 3.39
Highland Park 2.73 2.71 3.06 3.09
Highwood 2.58 2.60 3.19 3.31
Indian Creek 2.84 2.95 3.24 3.10
Island Lake * 2.82 2.87 3.21 3.31
Kildeer 3.23 3.21 3.37 3.34
Lake Barrington 2.45 2.33 2.80 2.80
Lake Bluff 2.70 2.86 3.04 3.21
Lake Forest 2.83 2.78 3.19 3.17
Lake Villa 2.65 2.81 3.22 3.20
Lake Zurich 3.10 3.12 3.36 3.42
Lakemoor* 2.74 2.75 3.22 3.24
Libertyville 2.84 2.73 3.29 3.24
Lincolnshire 2.93 2.75 3.12 3.03
Lindenhurst 3.22 2.93 3.42 3.27
Long Grove 3.35 3.26 3.48 3.42
Mettawa 2.90 2.68 3.12 2.96
Mundelein 2.95 3.12 3.31 3.52
North Barrington 2.96 2.91 3.14 3.10
North Chicago 3.10 3.09 3.57 3.64
Old Mill Creek 2.92 2.56 3.05 3.09
Park City 2.39 2.55 3.09 3.31
Riverwoods 3.03 2.93 3.16 3.13
Round Lake 2.72 2.88 3.20 3.28
Round Lake Beach 3.33 3.50 3.69 3.83
Round Lake Heights 3.49 3.17 3.78 3.49
Round Lake Park 3.13 2.83 3.56 3.29
Third Lake 3.10 3.14 3.34 3.39
Tower Lakes 3.14 2.92 3.29 3.18
Vernon Hills 2.61 2.66 3.16 3.24
Volo n/a 3.08 n/a 3.33
Wadsworth 3.14 2.98 3.36 3.24
Wauconda 2.61 2.58 3.13 3.16
Waukegan 2.75 3.09 3.34 3.68
Winthrop Harbor 3.03 2.81 3.33 3.17
Zion 2.95 2.96 3.43 3.44
Lake County 2.85 2.88 3.27 3.33
State of Illinois 2.65 2.63 3.23 3.23
United States 2.63 2.59 3.16 3.14
*Represents the whole village including areas outside Lake County.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Why men don't like going to the doctor....
They should wear bolos instead...
Study: Doctors' ties provide nesting ground for germs
JERUSALEM (AP) — Your doctor's necktie may be hazardous to your health.
That's the conclusion of a new study by an American medical student who found that while neckties may look nice, they also provide a convenient nesting ground for germs.
Steven Nurkin, who is completing his medical studies at Israel's Technion University, said he came up with the idea for the study while doing an elective course at New York Hospital Queens.
Nurkin, used to the casual open-collar atmosphere at Israeli hospitals, immediately noticed that his American colleagues wore ties.
"While examining patients, they would lean over, and their neckties would swing onto the bedding or onto the patient. Often it got coughed on or came into contact with a variety of other things," said Nurkin, 27, a native of Brooklyn.
Although the doctors would wash their hands after treating patients, they would also fix their ties after drying off, potentially re-exposing them to well-known hospital bugs, Nurkin said. The fact that neckties are rarely washed adds to the potential risk, he said.
Nurkin examined 42 ties of doctors and clinical workers at the New York hospital and found that 20 of them — or 48% — carried at least one infectious microbe.
In comparison, he examined the ties of 10 security guards who don't come into direct contact with patients. Only one of the ties carried a disease-causing microorganism.
"A clinician's necktie provides little benefit to patient care," the study concludes. "This study brings into question whether wearing a necktie is in the best interest of our patients."
Nurkin said the study did not find direct evidence that ties can cause infections, but it showed the potential risk.
"The necktie is almost on the front lines of treating patients with infectious diseases," he said.
Nurkin, the lead author of the study, presented his research last week to a conference of the American Society of Microbiology in New Orleans.
However, Dr. James J. Rahal, director of the infectious disease section at New York Hospital Queens, cautioned against reading too much into the study.
He said there was no evidence that ties present any additional health risk, noting that all the bacteria found in the study were common and easily treated by antibiotics.
"These are not dangerous ties," he said. "These are not organisms we consider dangerous in the hospital. These were the organisms that are normally found in our environment."
Israel Steiner, a professor of neurobiology and expert in infections of the nervous system at Hebrew University, agreed that any additional risk by neckties is probably minimal. He said that doctors' clothes, medical equipment and jewelry are all exposed to germs.
"Basically, I don't think this adds to the risk of infections in hospitals," said Steiner, who conceded that he is one of the few Israeli physicians to wear a tie.
Steiner said a better study might have been a comparison of doctors' ties with other articles of clothing they wear. He said a good follow-up would be to ask a group of well-dressed doctors to work without ties for two weeks and see whether there was a change in the overall risk of infection.
Nurkin said the study was meant to raise awareness of a potential risk and help provide better quality care. Possible solutions for the problem include wearing bow ties or tie clasps, using disinfectant or even a "necktie prophylactic."
"We also can imitate the doctors in Israel, who rarely wear neckties," he said.
They should wear bolos instead...
Study: Doctors' ties provide nesting ground for germs
JERUSALEM (AP) — Your doctor's necktie may be hazardous to your health.
That's the conclusion of a new study by an American medical student who found that while neckties may look nice, they also provide a convenient nesting ground for germs.
Steven Nurkin, who is completing his medical studies at Israel's Technion University, said he came up with the idea for the study while doing an elective course at New York Hospital Queens.
Nurkin, used to the casual open-collar atmosphere at Israeli hospitals, immediately noticed that his American colleagues wore ties.
"While examining patients, they would lean over, and their neckties would swing onto the bedding or onto the patient. Often it got coughed on or came into contact with a variety of other things," said Nurkin, 27, a native of Brooklyn.
Although the doctors would wash their hands after treating patients, they would also fix their ties after drying off, potentially re-exposing them to well-known hospital bugs, Nurkin said. The fact that neckties are rarely washed adds to the potential risk, he said.
Nurkin examined 42 ties of doctors and clinical workers at the New York hospital and found that 20 of them — or 48% — carried at least one infectious microbe.
In comparison, he examined the ties of 10 security guards who don't come into direct contact with patients. Only one of the ties carried a disease-causing microorganism.
"A clinician's necktie provides little benefit to patient care," the study concludes. "This study brings into question whether wearing a necktie is in the best interest of our patients."
Nurkin said the study did not find direct evidence that ties can cause infections, but it showed the potential risk.
"The necktie is almost on the front lines of treating patients with infectious diseases," he said.
Nurkin, the lead author of the study, presented his research last week to a conference of the American Society of Microbiology in New Orleans.
However, Dr. James J. Rahal, director of the infectious disease section at New York Hospital Queens, cautioned against reading too much into the study.
He said there was no evidence that ties present any additional health risk, noting that all the bacteria found in the study were common and easily treated by antibiotics.
"These are not dangerous ties," he said. "These are not organisms we consider dangerous in the hospital. These were the organisms that are normally found in our environment."
Israel Steiner, a professor of neurobiology and expert in infections of the nervous system at Hebrew University, agreed that any additional risk by neckties is probably minimal. He said that doctors' clothes, medical equipment and jewelry are all exposed to germs.
"Basically, I don't think this adds to the risk of infections in hospitals," said Steiner, who conceded that he is one of the few Israeli physicians to wear a tie.
Steiner said a better study might have been a comparison of doctors' ties with other articles of clothing they wear. He said a good follow-up would be to ask a group of well-dressed doctors to work without ties for two weeks and see whether there was a change in the overall risk of infection.
Nurkin said the study was meant to raise awareness of a potential risk and help provide better quality care. Possible solutions for the problem include wearing bow ties or tie clasps, using disinfectant or even a "necktie prophylactic."
"We also can imitate the doctors in Israel, who rarely wear neckties," he said.
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