The Girls in Europe made it to Pisa and Rome. 3 had a long day ahead of her with her final destination being London.
Another great day here. The forecast of "possible rain showers" never developed. Busy here in the office, and my ride this evening will be shorter and later than originally planned.
Congrats to Trisha and John in the Great Northwest. Twin girls!
Dan Patrick has announced his departure from ESPN. I think that he has figured out that he has options, and he's going to take his time to decide where he can best meet his personal and professional goals. To an extent, he comes across to me as a guy who thinks he knows more stuff than his audience, and that he matters. He's been a long-time bosom buddy of Kieth Obermann, and Obermann has taken his shstick into the mainstream news area. I'm not saying that Patrick is jealous of Obermann, but I think he sees a friend who has taken his act a little further afield in a successful manner. Why not himself?
I was tempted to call in a contribution yesterday to the Jimmy V Foundation. ESPN Radio was broadcasting information all day on an auction that was being held in conjunction with The Espy Awards which were handed out last night (the show was taped for showing this coming Sunday). I elected not to do so, mostly because I was in my car and I didn't like the idea of giving my credit card number out over a cell phone. I checked the ESPN and Jimmy V Foundation websites today, and have still not made a contribution, although I may do so in the future.
My philosophical concern is on how much of the charity's income goes to it's donative intent. It's the same question that I have for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and NASCAR's Victory Junction Camp. The whole problem is that when an organization gets to a bigger size, to keep growing, they need to spend money on their own bureaucracy, which means some dollars never make it directly to fighting cancer. My guess is that anything above 80% is pretty good.
There were another couple of examples in recent news of the predatory nature of our media. A Louisiana Senator got busted for being on the list of a Washington madam, and he immediately became the opening joke on late-night TV. A more edgy item involved a Chicago TV reporter (who is an Iowa grad and did time at a CR station) who was caught on video, in a bikini top, and with her kids, at the home of the "person of interest" husband in a high profile wife disappearance case that she was investigating for her station. The bikini top sold the story and it has been an inferno in Chicago.
My pal Bill is headed down to the Lake of the Ozarks for a long weekend. I could use a long weekend myself.
My pal Roy and I had dinner last night at Exotic Thai. He was on his own for the evening and needed company. We then dropped by Crow Valley to chat up a couple of business friends. We're working a deal to sell one of his companies and the buyers are trying to renegotiate the price. Not nice. One of the bartenderess's was a cute girl whom I overheard mentioning that she went to Creighton. I asked her about that, and it turns out she had recognized me as 2 and 3's Dad. She knew 3's friend Kristen, and I then put one and one together to conclude that I was talking to the former gal pal of one Michael K.
Hope The Travelers are all ok.
Be careful out there.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Wednesday
4 had a very entertaining post today from Florence. www.trackingkch.blogspot.com She and 2 head to Rome tomorrow, and 3 begins her journey home from Pisa. 3 stops overnight in London, and then to C-town.
It's been a Top Ten day here today. Maybe 80 with no humidity. Lunch on the church steps at Golick's.
More later.
BCOT
It's been a Top Ten day here today. Maybe 80 with no humidity. Lunch on the church steps at Golick's.
More later.
BCOT
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Tuesday
The Road Show reported in from Florence. No casualties.
Major League Baseball's All-Star game is tonight in SF. It is impossible to pick up a paper, watch a TV baseball program, listen to a sports radio show, or view a sports Internet site without being deluged by Barry Bonds stories. The "Big Debate" is whether Bonds improved his home run prowess by taking steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. The media is just absolutely fixated on that story, particularly now that Bonds will likely soon break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.
The story basically bores me. I've never been a Bonds fan, and he is kind of the anti-example of fan friendliness, for the better of the game, and other altruistic elements. He is definitely not in that small group of people whom I would walk across the street to meet. I still like baseball, but I rarely will go out of my way to make sure that I can catch a game on the tube. I look more forward to the College WS than I do any of the regular season major league games. Of course, Erin does most of those games...:)
The Yellow Jersey made a big statement today by winning a long, mostly boring stage in Northern France. The peloton let a small break stay away for most of the day, and only a desperate push in the last few miles brought the race together in the last kilometer. With perfect timing, Cancellarra burst from the pack and unexpectedly stole the win. It was a case of him not needing the stage win to keep in yellow, but of him wanting to let the other riders know who was the boss. Cool.
The world is in order. My Russian cleaning lady is back!
I know a few of the guys who ponied up $3500 or so to play in tomorrow's Pro-Am Day at the Deere Classic. For their money, they get a few tickets to the tournament, some parking passes, and a long, painful round of golf with three other duffers and one pro whom they may never have heard of before. And some souvenir photos on the first tee. What a deal.
I need to get to the homestead. Lawn duty tonight. Maybe a short spin around DCC to stretch the legs.
BCOT.
Major League Baseball's All-Star game is tonight in SF. It is impossible to pick up a paper, watch a TV baseball program, listen to a sports radio show, or view a sports Internet site without being deluged by Barry Bonds stories. The "Big Debate" is whether Bonds improved his home run prowess by taking steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. The media is just absolutely fixated on that story, particularly now that Bonds will likely soon break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.
The story basically bores me. I've never been a Bonds fan, and he is kind of the anti-example of fan friendliness, for the better of the game, and other altruistic elements. He is definitely not in that small group of people whom I would walk across the street to meet. I still like baseball, but I rarely will go out of my way to make sure that I can catch a game on the tube. I look more forward to the College WS than I do any of the regular season major league games. Of course, Erin does most of those games...:)
The Yellow Jersey made a big statement today by winning a long, mostly boring stage in Northern France. The peloton let a small break stay away for most of the day, and only a desperate push in the last few miles brought the race together in the last kilometer. With perfect timing, Cancellarra burst from the pack and unexpectedly stole the win. It was a case of him not needing the stage win to keep in yellow, but of him wanting to let the other riders know who was the boss. Cool.
The world is in order. My Russian cleaning lady is back!
I know a few of the guys who ponied up $3500 or so to play in tomorrow's Pro-Am Day at the Deere Classic. For their money, they get a few tickets to the tournament, some parking passes, and a long, painful round of golf with three other duffers and one pro whom they may never have heard of before. And some souvenir photos on the first tee. What a deal.
I need to get to the homestead. Lawn duty tonight. Maybe a short spin around DCC to stretch the legs.
BCOT.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Monday
Computers in some parts of Europe seem to be hard to find. All's been quiet on that front.
There was a big crash near the end of today's 2nd stage of the TdF. It happened near the front of the peloton and left only a couple dozen riders to contest the finish. Since it happened within three clicks of the finish, there was no time lost by anyone, but there were some injuries, including a fractured thumb to one of Discovery's sprinter/domestiques (and he is now done for the Tour). The first week of the Tour can be very sketchy as the sprinters try to grab headlines while they can before the roads turn up. The Bigger Picture guys (known as "the GC riders", as in, General Classification) mainly try to stay out of harm's way on these days.
A little bit of controversy at the NASCAR race on Saturday night in Daytona. The second place finisher, Kyle Busch, is the Hendrick driver who is getting the boot at the end of the season to clear space for Junior. He complained afterwards that the 24, 48 and 25, all current teammates, did nothing to help him get to the checkers even though he had the best car. He may have been right. But his public airing of his gripes about that race is an example of the kind of immaturity that likely lead to his release. Everybody knows that he can get a car down the road. But, like his older brother, it's often, "Ready, Fire, Aim."
This is the week of the John Deere Classic, the PGA tournament that is hosted on a course on the Illinois side here in the Quad Cities. Typically, they get only a couple of the true headliner players, but the event is well-supported in the community and Deere has given a multi-year commitment as the title-sponsor. I usually don't go over as I like to avoid the crowds, but my pal Pete will likely want to visit the music tent one evening. We'll see.
One of my local acquaintances started the concept of "Birdies for Charity" at this tournament 10-12 years ago when he was on the event's volunteer Board of Directors. Birdies for Charity is a fund-raising idea tied to the number of birdies made by all golfers over the four days of the tournament. Charitable organizations go out and solicit pledges from individuals and businesses for per-birdie contributions. People often give a nickle or dime per birdie, and they get a bill in the mail once the tournament is over and total birdies have been calculated. It may have started slow, but now dozens, if not hundreds, of local charities participate.
Birdies for Charity became so successful that other PGA events elected to copy the concept. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. My acquaintance gave out free advice to these other tournaments, and actually went down to Houston to help with the implementation of Birdies for Charity at their event. In another example of the curious twists in this screenplay that we call life, the chair for Houston's new Birdies for Charity committee was a single gal who, after a long-distance romance of a couple of years, is now married to my acquaintance.
It might be interesting to spend a little time evaluating the charitable aspects of the different major sporting organizations. There is a lot of money spent by the NBA, NFL and other pro sports on the "giving back" orientation of their organizations. It seems like every athlete who has signed a big contract has established his/her charitable foundation or the like. There have been stories about how some of these foundations never did any gifting, but rather served as straw men for family and friends.
Not all PGA golf tournaments are financially healthy. If they don't have a major corporate sponsor, they may not be able to keep the tournament alive. But if they do have solid finances, they can do a lot for their communities. It's an interesting dynamic. You need to be profitable to keep the tournament going. And if you are profitable, you have more money to give away.
It's kind of like parents and kids. But that's a different story.
Have a good evening (morning or day for those Over There).
Be careful out there.
There was a big crash near the end of today's 2nd stage of the TdF. It happened near the front of the peloton and left only a couple dozen riders to contest the finish. Since it happened within three clicks of the finish, there was no time lost by anyone, but there were some injuries, including a fractured thumb to one of Discovery's sprinter/domestiques (and he is now done for the Tour). The first week of the Tour can be very sketchy as the sprinters try to grab headlines while they can before the roads turn up. The Bigger Picture guys (known as "the GC riders", as in, General Classification) mainly try to stay out of harm's way on these days.
A little bit of controversy at the NASCAR race on Saturday night in Daytona. The second place finisher, Kyle Busch, is the Hendrick driver who is getting the boot at the end of the season to clear space for Junior. He complained afterwards that the 24, 48 and 25, all current teammates, did nothing to help him get to the checkers even though he had the best car. He may have been right. But his public airing of his gripes about that race is an example of the kind of immaturity that likely lead to his release. Everybody knows that he can get a car down the road. But, like his older brother, it's often, "Ready, Fire, Aim."
This is the week of the John Deere Classic, the PGA tournament that is hosted on a course on the Illinois side here in the Quad Cities. Typically, they get only a couple of the true headliner players, but the event is well-supported in the community and Deere has given a multi-year commitment as the title-sponsor. I usually don't go over as I like to avoid the crowds, but my pal Pete will likely want to visit the music tent one evening. We'll see.
One of my local acquaintances started the concept of "Birdies for Charity" at this tournament 10-12 years ago when he was on the event's volunteer Board of Directors. Birdies for Charity is a fund-raising idea tied to the number of birdies made by all golfers over the four days of the tournament. Charitable organizations go out and solicit pledges from individuals and businesses for per-birdie contributions. People often give a nickle or dime per birdie, and they get a bill in the mail once the tournament is over and total birdies have been calculated. It may have started slow, but now dozens, if not hundreds, of local charities participate.
Birdies for Charity became so successful that other PGA events elected to copy the concept. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. My acquaintance gave out free advice to these other tournaments, and actually went down to Houston to help with the implementation of Birdies for Charity at their event. In another example of the curious twists in this screenplay that we call life, the chair for Houston's new Birdies for Charity committee was a single gal who, after a long-distance romance of a couple of years, is now married to my acquaintance.
It might be interesting to spend a little time evaluating the charitable aspects of the different major sporting organizations. There is a lot of money spent by the NBA, NFL and other pro sports on the "giving back" orientation of their organizations. It seems like every athlete who has signed a big contract has established his/her charitable foundation or the like. There have been stories about how some of these foundations never did any gifting, but rather served as straw men for family and friends.
Not all PGA golf tournaments are financially healthy. If they don't have a major corporate sponsor, they may not be able to keep the tournament alive. But if they do have solid finances, they can do a lot for their communities. It's an interesting dynamic. You need to be profitable to keep the tournament going. And if you are profitable, you have more money to give away.
It's kind of like parents and kids. But that's a different story.
Have a good evening (morning or day for those Over There).
Be careful out there.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Sunday
Just checking in. Quiet from the Old Country for a couple of days.
I did 38 early this morning before the heat. But it was a little longer, and further North, than I had planned, and the trip home included the last 15 or so dead into a 10-12 mph Southerly breeze. Not fun. I also had my first incident of minor road-rage for the Summer from a frustrated pick-up driver. As though I was keeping him from his destination at 6:45AM.
Here's a little news. There's a channel on the satellite called RFDTV. Guess what it's about? I got hooked on a segment the other night as they went through the science of properly filling a ground silo.
For those with the interest, VS. channel (#151 on the dish) is carrying the Tour, somewhat live in the AM, and then package on tape in the evening.
Less than two weeks for 1.
My high school 40th year class reunion is the same weekend as the wedding. Maybe I'll make the fiftieth.
Have a great week.
BCOT
I did 38 early this morning before the heat. But it was a little longer, and further North, than I had planned, and the trip home included the last 15 or so dead into a 10-12 mph Southerly breeze. Not fun. I also had my first incident of minor road-rage for the Summer from a frustrated pick-up driver. As though I was keeping him from his destination at 6:45AM.
Here's a little news. There's a channel on the satellite called RFDTV. Guess what it's about? I got hooked on a segment the other night as they went through the science of properly filling a ground silo.
For those with the interest, VS. channel (#151 on the dish) is carrying the Tour, somewhat live in the AM, and then package on tape in the evening.
Less than two weeks for 1.
My high school 40th year class reunion is the same weekend as the wedding. Maybe I'll make the fiftieth.
Have a great week.
BCOT
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Saturday
The TdF is underway.
I have no big plans for the day or the weekend. Biking later and then some domestic things. It's supposed to be in the 90's and humid. Welcome to Summer. I've had to turn on the air at my house.
In her column today, Ellen Goodman lashed out at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, an arch-conservative and the only African-American on the high court. Justice Thomas had a very controversial approval hearing when he was appointed in the early '90's. Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee that conducted the hearings leaked information to the press surrounding sexual harassment claims of a former assistant named Anita Hill. He was approved by a narrow margin, but remains a lightening rod for critics of the overall Conservative drift of the Court. It is doubtful if a Caucasian could have withstood the rancor that permeated the Thomas hearings.
Several recent decisions from the Court have been seized upon by the media as concrete evidence that the Bush appointments of Roberts and Alito have shifted the judiciary's bias to the Right. Since most of the mainstream media carry their own bias to the Left, this shift is decried as a further erosion of the rights of the Common Man (or Woman). While some of the decisions can raise blood pressure on their own merits, I think most of the fear on the Left is that there will be a reversal of Roe v. Wade.
There's also been a lot of outcry these days for the Libby commutation. Bill and Hillary even called into a talk show at WHO in Des Moines when they were in Iowa campaigning this week to add their outrage to the cacophony. This is the ultimate of the Pot calling the Kettle black.
For the first time in my immediate family's history, I feel a bit isolated from the girls. With 1 five hours away, and the other three now an ocean and several time zones away, it's a little lonely.
Here's an example of applying rules to the detriment of the what's right. Qualifying for tonight's Pepsi 400 NASCAR race at Daytona was rained out after 40 of 54 cars had completed their attempts. Rather than take another hour this morning to allow the other cars to finish the process, NASCAR applied the standard rule of setting the line-up by year-to-date driver/owner standings. This had the result of sending a handful of cars home that had actually qualified pretty high, including the guy who was on the provisional pole.
This action from the same organization that has recently made up rules on the fly to penalize teams who've been messn' with small body modifications on the new COT (Car of Tomorrow). The 24 was about 30th on time, but is starting first because of points. It ain't right. And I'm a 24 fan.
There was an accident yesterday morning on I-80 near IC with a Suburban carrying Pleasant Valley HS softball players on their way to games in DM. A tire blew out and sent the vehicle across the median and into on-coming traffic. Coach Amy was able to steer back into the grass median, but the van flipped in the process. All but one girl were properly seat-belted, but that girl was thrown from the vehicle. No major injuries. Lucky, lucky kids. (How long will it take for an attorney to look at responsibility for the kid who wasn't in her seat belt?)
All from here. Have a great weekend.
Be careful out there.
I have no big plans for the day or the weekend. Biking later and then some domestic things. It's supposed to be in the 90's and humid. Welcome to Summer. I've had to turn on the air at my house.
In her column today, Ellen Goodman lashed out at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, an arch-conservative and the only African-American on the high court. Justice Thomas had a very controversial approval hearing when he was appointed in the early '90's. Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee that conducted the hearings leaked information to the press surrounding sexual harassment claims of a former assistant named Anita Hill. He was approved by a narrow margin, but remains a lightening rod for critics of the overall Conservative drift of the Court. It is doubtful if a Caucasian could have withstood the rancor that permeated the Thomas hearings.
Several recent decisions from the Court have been seized upon by the media as concrete evidence that the Bush appointments of Roberts and Alito have shifted the judiciary's bias to the Right. Since most of the mainstream media carry their own bias to the Left, this shift is decried as a further erosion of the rights of the Common Man (or Woman). While some of the decisions can raise blood pressure on their own merits, I think most of the fear on the Left is that there will be a reversal of Roe v. Wade.
There's also been a lot of outcry these days for the Libby commutation. Bill and Hillary even called into a talk show at WHO in Des Moines when they were in Iowa campaigning this week to add their outrage to the cacophony. This is the ultimate of the Pot calling the Kettle black.
For the first time in my immediate family's history, I feel a bit isolated from the girls. With 1 five hours away, and the other three now an ocean and several time zones away, it's a little lonely.
Here's an example of applying rules to the detriment of the what's right. Qualifying for tonight's Pepsi 400 NASCAR race at Daytona was rained out after 40 of 54 cars had completed their attempts. Rather than take another hour this morning to allow the other cars to finish the process, NASCAR applied the standard rule of setting the line-up by year-to-date driver/owner standings. This had the result of sending a handful of cars home that had actually qualified pretty high, including the guy who was on the provisional pole.
This action from the same organization that has recently made up rules on the fly to penalize teams who've been messn' with small body modifications on the new COT (Car of Tomorrow). The 24 was about 30th on time, but is starting first because of points. It ain't right. And I'm a 24 fan.
There was an accident yesterday morning on I-80 near IC with a Suburban carrying Pleasant Valley HS softball players on their way to games in DM. A tire blew out and sent the vehicle across the median and into on-coming traffic. Coach Amy was able to steer back into the grass median, but the van flipped in the process. All but one girl were properly seat-belted, but that girl was thrown from the vehicle. No major injuries. Lucky, lucky kids. (How long will it take for an attorney to look at responsibility for the kid who wasn't in her seat belt?)
All from here. Have a great weekend.
Be careful out there.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Thursday
Communication from Europe has improved. Sounds like a good trip so far. Now Berlin.
We had big rain early yesterday morning and the local creeks were all out of their banks. 3-5 inches throughout the area. Enough to kick my sump pump into frequent operation. But most of the holiday festivities went on with only minor problems. Lots of standing water in low places.
The TdF starts in London on Saturday. The first day of all the Grand Tours is a "Prologue", which is usually a fairly short, less than 10k, individual time trial. Saturday's is just short of 8k and ends at Buckingham Palace. The winner of that race wears the yellow jersey when the race starts the next day. The lead is usually just a couple of seconds, but the way the Tour works in the first week, that few second lead will often stand up for several stages.
The big news on the Tour this year is doping, doping, doping. I was in a conversation with someone today about why this seems to be such a big problem for cycling, and I think that much of it is the lack of centralized authority in the sport. The organizers of the three major Tours, Italy, France and Spain, are always at odds with the relatively newly organized Pro Tour people, and the cyclists themselves have their own union. Add in the provincialism that exists between countries and there are lots of moving parts looking for positions of authority.
I want to say that pro teams in the USA in say, the NBA or NASCAR, have the teams firmly under control, and they certainly have strong enforcement policies. But you have that cheatn' thing in NASCAR.
Europe also has cycling media vultures which don't really exist to the same degree in the US because pro cycling is a non-event here. Since cycling is so important in Europe (like soccer), there is a lot more interest in digging the dirt on the riders. It sells papers.
Speaking of sports media vultures, I have noticed this week that the mid-week falling of the 4th has caused numerous substitutions for the regular show hosts on ESPN and FSN radio. What is shocking to me is that these substitute hosts are so bad that they make the schleps for whom they are pinch-hitting look legitimate. Boy, is that tough to swallow.
Even Craig Wilson gets the week off? I mean, USA Today isn't published on the 4th, and he wasn't in today's paper. Maybe he hadn't had the chance to read my earlier stuff to author a piece this week.
My ride yesterday was too long. 41 miles. I had intended to do 25-30, but got caught by a detour on Utica Ridge, and my choice around the detour wasn't too bright. It was hot and windy, and not much fun.
The choice of wine for the wedding is a work in progress. I need to have another chat with the caterer. One of the whites (the pinot grigio) is ok, but the chardonnay failed the taste test. More on this tomorrow. The great part of buying wine at a restaurant is that you get to pay about three times the price that the same exact bottle costs at Hy Vee. Pretty soon, you'll have people selling bottled water.
Bill and Hillary were in Iowa campaigning for four days. Somehow, I missed them.
Have a great evening. (Or "day", depending on when you might be reading this!)
Be careful out there.
We had big rain early yesterday morning and the local creeks were all out of their banks. 3-5 inches throughout the area. Enough to kick my sump pump into frequent operation. But most of the holiday festivities went on with only minor problems. Lots of standing water in low places.
The TdF starts in London on Saturday. The first day of all the Grand Tours is a "Prologue", which is usually a fairly short, less than 10k, individual time trial. Saturday's is just short of 8k and ends at Buckingham Palace. The winner of that race wears the yellow jersey when the race starts the next day. The lead is usually just a couple of seconds, but the way the Tour works in the first week, that few second lead will often stand up for several stages.
The big news on the Tour this year is doping, doping, doping. I was in a conversation with someone today about why this seems to be such a big problem for cycling, and I think that much of it is the lack of centralized authority in the sport. The organizers of the three major Tours, Italy, France and Spain, are always at odds with the relatively newly organized Pro Tour people, and the cyclists themselves have their own union. Add in the provincialism that exists between countries and there are lots of moving parts looking for positions of authority.
I want to say that pro teams in the USA in say, the NBA or NASCAR, have the teams firmly under control, and they certainly have strong enforcement policies. But you have that cheatn' thing in NASCAR.
Europe also has cycling media vultures which don't really exist to the same degree in the US because pro cycling is a non-event here. Since cycling is so important in Europe (like soccer), there is a lot more interest in digging the dirt on the riders. It sells papers.
Speaking of sports media vultures, I have noticed this week that the mid-week falling of the 4th has caused numerous substitutions for the regular show hosts on ESPN and FSN radio. What is shocking to me is that these substitute hosts are so bad that they make the schleps for whom they are pinch-hitting look legitimate. Boy, is that tough to swallow.
Even Craig Wilson gets the week off? I mean, USA Today isn't published on the 4th, and he wasn't in today's paper. Maybe he hadn't had the chance to read my earlier stuff to author a piece this week.
My ride yesterday was too long. 41 miles. I had intended to do 25-30, but got caught by a detour on Utica Ridge, and my choice around the detour wasn't too bright. It was hot and windy, and not much fun.
The choice of wine for the wedding is a work in progress. I need to have another chat with the caterer. One of the whites (the pinot grigio) is ok, but the chardonnay failed the taste test. More on this tomorrow. The great part of buying wine at a restaurant is that you get to pay about three times the price that the same exact bottle costs at Hy Vee. Pretty soon, you'll have people selling bottled water.
Bill and Hillary were in Iowa campaigning for four days. Somehow, I missed them.
Have a great evening. (Or "day", depending on when you might be reading this!)
Be careful out there.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Wednesday
I received a brief email from 3 this AM. Sounds like they had a good first day on their tour of Paris.
Happy 4th to all.
BCOT
Happy 4th to all.
BCOT
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Tuesday PM
We have yet to receive news today from across the pond.
The trip to see 1 was brief, but enjoyable. We did Sunday dinner at a sports bar near my hotel, and then had the meeting on Monday AM with the reception caterer. The reception place is very nice and should fit our needs without exception.
The wedding hotel is also a nice place. It has the key component to an H clan gathering: a nice bar. Good location. Minutes from the reception site. Minutes from the airport and the Mall of America.
My drive home was a little exciting. A plastic cowling under the front bumper came loose while I was barreling down the road and scared the bejesus out of me. Luckily, I was near an exit, and then near a GM dealer where I was able to get the thing riveted back on in short order. The failure actually traces it's way back to last year's Twin Cities marathon when I was run up onto a center curb by a gal who was clueless at the time. That incident cracked some of the plastic around the front driver's side wheel well and, I think, some of this cowling. In any event, I lost an hour or so of drive time, and $75, but it could have been worse.
Another little item of excitement on the trip was my inadvertent conversion to the metric system on my instrumentation. After my fill-up in southern Minnesota, I decided that I would check my gas mileage on that tank, so I worked the digital keys on the dash to get a trip-odometer to zero, and took off down the road. As I got up to speed and readied to set the cruise control, I looked at the odometer and it said 125! Oops! Obviously, I had hit an extra click on the dial and had changed the readings from mph to kph. And I couldn't go back unless the gear shift was in "Park".
So I spent the last hour on the interstate constantly running the kph to mph conversion in my mind. Then when I stopped at the hotel, I forgot all about it and had the same disconnect when I fired up the car on Monday morning. I made the fix before heading back to Iowa, but it was a little interesting in the meantime.
My pal Pete called me around 8 last night, after I had arrived home and had a bite to eat, and we met up at Gov's for a cocktail, he by bike, and me by Margret. Several familiar faces there, including 4's friend Ashley from Northwestern. I spoke with her briefly as we left, and complimented her on her ESPN screen time last month when NW was at the college World Series.
It was great to return to my bed. The hotel accommodations were nice, but left me a little achy. Those aches were compounded by too much drive time.
So I'm headed out to put on some mileage. My delayed arrival home last night has me down on the weekly mileage.
Be careful out there.
The trip to see 1 was brief, but enjoyable. We did Sunday dinner at a sports bar near my hotel, and then had the meeting on Monday AM with the reception caterer. The reception place is very nice and should fit our needs without exception.
The wedding hotel is also a nice place. It has the key component to an H clan gathering: a nice bar. Good location. Minutes from the reception site. Minutes from the airport and the Mall of America.
My drive home was a little exciting. A plastic cowling under the front bumper came loose while I was barreling down the road and scared the bejesus out of me. Luckily, I was near an exit, and then near a GM dealer where I was able to get the thing riveted back on in short order. The failure actually traces it's way back to last year's Twin Cities marathon when I was run up onto a center curb by a gal who was clueless at the time. That incident cracked some of the plastic around the front driver's side wheel well and, I think, some of this cowling. In any event, I lost an hour or so of drive time, and $75, but it could have been worse.
Another little item of excitement on the trip was my inadvertent conversion to the metric system on my instrumentation. After my fill-up in southern Minnesota, I decided that I would check my gas mileage on that tank, so I worked the digital keys on the dash to get a trip-odometer to zero, and took off down the road. As I got up to speed and readied to set the cruise control, I looked at the odometer and it said 125! Oops! Obviously, I had hit an extra click on the dial and had changed the readings from mph to kph. And I couldn't go back unless the gear shift was in "Park".
So I spent the last hour on the interstate constantly running the kph to mph conversion in my mind. Then when I stopped at the hotel, I forgot all about it and had the same disconnect when I fired up the car on Monday morning. I made the fix before heading back to Iowa, but it was a little interesting in the meantime.
My pal Pete called me around 8 last night, after I had arrived home and had a bite to eat, and we met up at Gov's for a cocktail, he by bike, and me by Margret. Several familiar faces there, including 4's friend Ashley from Northwestern. I spoke with her briefly as we left, and complimented her on her ESPN screen time last month when NW was at the college World Series.
It was great to return to my bed. The hotel accommodations were nice, but left me a little achy. Those aches were compounded by too much drive time.
So I'm headed out to put on some mileage. My delayed arrival home last night has me down on the weekly mileage.
Be careful out there.
Tuesday
2,3, and 4 have connected in gay Paree. We'll be anxious to hear the travel stories as it was a long day Sunday/Monday for them to meet up.
My trip North was a success. More on that later.
BCOT
My trip North was a success. More on that later.
BCOT
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Sunday
Just a few lines today.
I'm headed North to spend the evening with 1 and to meet with the reception people in the AM. Back tomorrow evening.
Just talked with 2 in Oklahoma. She's awaiting the first leg of her flight to Paris. Mom headed back in to C-town with 3 late this AM for 3's departure later this evening. And we talked with 4 in Madrid as she awaits her train for Paris.
I guess you could say that the fam has a lot of moving parts today.
I worked the Kid's Triathlon in Bettendorf last night. A fun event. They must have had around 150 kids ages 7-14. Lots of volunteers. I have some ideas on how to improve the flow in and out of the transition area next year.
Adult beverages on the deck at Gov's afterwards. Saw several acquaintances.
Great day here. I got out for a short ride before seeing 3 off. But my mileage is down a little from where I think I need to be, so I'll probably do a ride when I get home tomorrow. I really don't have a goal in mind right now. But if I don't push the conditioning a little, I won't be able to do a longer ride if I find one that looks interesting.
Enjoy the day.
Be careful out there.
I'm headed North to spend the evening with 1 and to meet with the reception people in the AM. Back tomorrow evening.
Just talked with 2 in Oklahoma. She's awaiting the first leg of her flight to Paris. Mom headed back in to C-town with 3 late this AM for 3's departure later this evening. And we talked with 4 in Madrid as she awaits her train for Paris.
I guess you could say that the fam has a lot of moving parts today.
I worked the Kid's Triathlon in Bettendorf last night. A fun event. They must have had around 150 kids ages 7-14. Lots of volunteers. I have some ideas on how to improve the flow in and out of the transition area next year.
Adult beverages on the deck at Gov's afterwards. Saw several acquaintances.
Great day here. I got out for a short ride before seeing 3 off. But my mileage is down a little from where I think I need to be, so I'll probably do a ride when I get home tomorrow. I really don't have a goal in mind right now. But if I don't push the conditioning a little, I won't be able to do a longer ride if I find one that looks interesting.
Enjoy the day.
Be careful out there.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Saturday
Busy day here. Domestic chores. Bike. Volunteering at the Kid's Tri in Bettendorf this evening.
I'll check back in later.
BCOT
I'll check back in later.
BCOT
Friday, June 29, 2007
Friday
No blog today.
Talked to 4. She's done with school. And very anxious to meet up with her sisters.
2 and 4 are in the middle of wedding weekends with friends.
And 1 is trying to finalize her head count. Life is good.
Be careful out there.
Talked to 4. She's done with school. And very anxious to meet up with her sisters.
2 and 4 are in the middle of wedding weekends with friends.
And 1 is trying to finalize her head count. Life is good.
Be careful out there.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday
2 got off to Norman this AM. No problems.
I really like the alarm feature of my cell phone. On the rare occasion like this morning when I need an alarm, it's just easier to put it in the phone than to work my bed-side clock/radio.
Clemens couldn't record a strikeout last night in a shutout loss to the Orioles. Is he done? Glavin got #297 and Maddux #340 yesterday. How good are they?
Good luck to 4 as she wraps up her stay in Seville. Toughen up that internal constitution, Girl, to handle that trip to Paris!
I'm leaving a little early today to do another 20 miler. Coming home from a ride at 5:30 is a lot better than heading out at 4:45. People are just a little nuttier, and less patient, trying to get to their destination before 5PM.
Have a great evening.
Be careful out there.
I really like the alarm feature of my cell phone. On the rare occasion like this morning when I need an alarm, it's just easier to put it in the phone than to work my bed-side clock/radio.
Clemens couldn't record a strikeout last night in a shutout loss to the Orioles. Is he done? Glavin got #297 and Maddux #340 yesterday. How good are they?
Good luck to 4 as she wraps up her stay in Seville. Toughen up that internal constitution, Girl, to handle that trip to Paris!
I'm leaving a little early today to do another 20 miler. Coming home from a ride at 5:30 is a lot better than heading out at 4:45. People are just a little nuttier, and less patient, trying to get to their destination before 5PM.
Have a great evening.
Be careful out there.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Wednesday
Lunch with 3 today at Kelly's on 53rd Street. Their lunch platter of chicken strips feed two.
Good-bye din-din tonight for 2 at Granite City. She has a six bells flight tomorrow AM to Oklahoma for a weekend wedding of a college friend. And then she's off to Paris on Sunday. I'm her cab driver tomorrow at 0430.
Some rain here this afternoon to break the heat. Sounds like they could use the precipitation in Tahoe.
Discovery announced their TdF team today. A couple of surprises as two veterans were left off the squad in lieu of a couple of younger riders. Given the turmoil in the professional peloton right now, the sheen is off the prize.
Craig Wilson's lament today was the disinterest that he has for waiting in line. For anything. The subject was prompted by stories of people camping out at Best Buy or Radio Shack to buy the new iPhone. If my Google search function for 4000 Days was operational, I bet we could find previous comments from this author about my own disdain for lines. Everybody is stealing my material.
USA Today has been running stories all week about families taking care of aging parents and the issues that thusly develop. And the decisions that have to be made. Been there. Done that. No worries here. My pal Bill has a Power of Attorney to run me over with a truck.
There was a very odd, and sad, story in the local paper today about a veteran teacher at a local high school who caught the gambling bug. Somehow the school got tipped off and she was dismissed. Turns out she had dipped into a small extra curricular activities account which she controlled to the tune of $1500+ over a period of years. Most of the embezzlement came in the form of withdrawals from an ATM on the local riverboat.
Here's another example of how greedy the credit card companies are by their own fine print. I made an error in my on-line banking procedure and a scheduled payment was not made to Chase in early May. Ring up the $29 late fee, plus interest on my next statement. (I think that I paid the overdue balance even before I got that next statement.) I paid the additional amount to cover the whole "new" balance as soon as I got that next statement rather than wait until the statement due date in early June.
I received my newest Chase statement this week, and even though the prior balance was paid in full by the early June due date, actually, by May 20th or so, they dinged me for another $5.13 of interest. I intuited that they were charging through the date of that second payment, because they always offset payments against the newest purchases, so that they can continue to charge interest on the "overdue" balance. But I wanted to have the calculation explained, so I called.
Naturally, you have to do the automated decision-tree procedure before you can get to a live body. My "live body" had no clue, saying at one point that once you had a late payment, they charged interest on even purchases for the next two months. I said, "Fine. Cancel my card." She said, "Let me get you a supervisor."
The supervisor tried to be nice, and to educate me, but I put her on the defensive by describing what the service rep had said. So we agreed that she would credit the additional interest on the latest statement and I would keep the card.
Make payments on time or you will be paying interest forever. Not to mention those credit score things. Throw away all those credit card applications that keep coming in the mail.
Gotta go.
Be careful out there.
Good-bye din-din tonight for 2 at Granite City. She has a six bells flight tomorrow AM to Oklahoma for a weekend wedding of a college friend. And then she's off to Paris on Sunday. I'm her cab driver tomorrow at 0430.
Some rain here this afternoon to break the heat. Sounds like they could use the precipitation in Tahoe.
Discovery announced their TdF team today. A couple of surprises as two veterans were left off the squad in lieu of a couple of younger riders. Given the turmoil in the professional peloton right now, the sheen is off the prize.
Craig Wilson's lament today was the disinterest that he has for waiting in line. For anything. The subject was prompted by stories of people camping out at Best Buy or Radio Shack to buy the new iPhone. If my Google search function for 4000 Days was operational, I bet we could find previous comments from this author about my own disdain for lines. Everybody is stealing my material.
USA Today has been running stories all week about families taking care of aging parents and the issues that thusly develop. And the decisions that have to be made. Been there. Done that. No worries here. My pal Bill has a Power of Attorney to run me over with a truck.
There was a very odd, and sad, story in the local paper today about a veteran teacher at a local high school who caught the gambling bug. Somehow the school got tipped off and she was dismissed. Turns out she had dipped into a small extra curricular activities account which she controlled to the tune of $1500+ over a period of years. Most of the embezzlement came in the form of withdrawals from an ATM on the local riverboat.
Here's another example of how greedy the credit card companies are by their own fine print. I made an error in my on-line banking procedure and a scheduled payment was not made to Chase in early May. Ring up the $29 late fee, plus interest on my next statement. (I think that I paid the overdue balance even before I got that next statement.) I paid the additional amount to cover the whole "new" balance as soon as I got that next statement rather than wait until the statement due date in early June.
I received my newest Chase statement this week, and even though the prior balance was paid in full by the early June due date, actually, by May 20th or so, they dinged me for another $5.13 of interest. I intuited that they were charging through the date of that second payment, because they always offset payments against the newest purchases, so that they can continue to charge interest on the "overdue" balance. But I wanted to have the calculation explained, so I called.
Naturally, you have to do the automated decision-tree procedure before you can get to a live body. My "live body" had no clue, saying at one point that once you had a late payment, they charged interest on even purchases for the next two months. I said, "Fine. Cancel my card." She said, "Let me get you a supervisor."
The supervisor tried to be nice, and to educate me, but I put her on the defensive by describing what the service rep had said. So we agreed that she would credit the additional interest on the latest statement and I would keep the card.
Make payments on time or you will be paying interest forever. Not to mention those credit score things. Throw away all those credit card applications that keep coming in the mail.
Gotta go.
Be careful out there.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tuesday
Another hot one here. I need to get out and do a 20 miler.
4 had another enjoyable entry. In the Air Force, when I was coming to the end of my tour in Korea, I literally counted hours in the last week until my departure flight. I sense that 4 has that same anxious feeling to move on to more interesting and appealing stuff.
I got the phone bill for my cell today, which has the charges for 3 and 4 as well. My costs, including a few calls to Spain, were within $10 of normal. The fee on 3 and 4 was actually less than normal since 4's phone is on a counter at Mom's. 3's on my nickel for another month and then she gets the privilege of supporting a phone provider of her choice (or her company's choice).
Uncle Phil says that all the fires in the news are on the South side of Lake Tahoe. Nothing close to his place at this time. But it is very dry out there. It's always a danger.
On Two Wheels, the bike shop on Kimberly Road just West of the office where I bought my first couple of bikes many years ago, has converted to The Trek Bike Shop. I knew that they were doing a remodel, and somebody at the Criterium last month said that they were changing to a Trek store. But I didn't realize that they were essentially becoming exclusively a Trek dealer. Walking in, you get the feel of a Nike store. Lots of open space. Nice stuff. On the expensive side of things. Very little clutter. Hardly any non-Trek merchandise. Modern marketing.
The owner of that shop was a compatriot of Greg Lemond's on the U.S. National team 25 years ago. The same guy is the racer highlighted in my Criterium Financial marketing materials. That picture was taken a couple of years ago in the same Criterium that I now sponsor. It's a small world.
The Taurus is experiencing another new driver this week. With 3's car parked in Minnesota, she's "renting" the T for a few days. It's a handy extra car to have around for in-town transportation. (I wanted to give my pal Pete the needle last weekend when I counted five cars at his house, but at least he had four drivers. I've got three cars myself. So the math silenced my comments before they were made.)
Stay cool. Enjoy the evening.
Be careful out there.
4 had another enjoyable entry. In the Air Force, when I was coming to the end of my tour in Korea, I literally counted hours in the last week until my departure flight. I sense that 4 has that same anxious feeling to move on to more interesting and appealing stuff.
I got the phone bill for my cell today, which has the charges for 3 and 4 as well. My costs, including a few calls to Spain, were within $10 of normal. The fee on 3 and 4 was actually less than normal since 4's phone is on a counter at Mom's. 3's on my nickel for another month and then she gets the privilege of supporting a phone provider of her choice (or her company's choice).
Uncle Phil says that all the fires in the news are on the South side of Lake Tahoe. Nothing close to his place at this time. But it is very dry out there. It's always a danger.
On Two Wheels, the bike shop on Kimberly Road just West of the office where I bought my first couple of bikes many years ago, has converted to The Trek Bike Shop. I knew that they were doing a remodel, and somebody at the Criterium last month said that they were changing to a Trek store. But I didn't realize that they were essentially becoming exclusively a Trek dealer. Walking in, you get the feel of a Nike store. Lots of open space. Nice stuff. On the expensive side of things. Very little clutter. Hardly any non-Trek merchandise. Modern marketing.
The owner of that shop was a compatriot of Greg Lemond's on the U.S. National team 25 years ago. The same guy is the racer highlighted in my Criterium Financial marketing materials. That picture was taken a couple of years ago in the same Criterium that I now sponsor. It's a small world.
The Taurus is experiencing another new driver this week. With 3's car parked in Minnesota, she's "renting" the T for a few days. It's a handy extra car to have around for in-town transportation. (I wanted to give my pal Pete the needle last weekend when I counted five cars at his house, but at least he had four drivers. I've got three cars myself. So the math silenced my comments before they were made.)
Stay cool. Enjoy the evening.
Be careful out there.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday
4 gets the award for Most Newsy comment on the blog.
Knowing absolutely nothing about those in play, I had told my pal Roy that my money was on the woman candidate once the finalists were announced.
1A sent me an article last week from a fitness mag about some specialty travel outfits that led tours of the Tour de France for average riders. I've looked previously at those deals, and they tend to be very expensive. My preference is to go on a combination riding/wining trip in Northern Italy, checking out the Dolomites and Tuscany. 2 and I have talked about such a trip. A small group could make it fun. But a bigger organized tour group would be too much for me to handle, I think. We'll see. I need to save my shekels.
The Indy cars had a so-so day in Newton. Open-wheeled cars on that configuration of a track makes for an iffy proposition. I think they had trouble finding room to pass, with a majority of the cars crashing. By the end of the race, only 10 cars were still running. (Part of the problem may have been the tire composition and wing set-ups mandated by the IRL mucky-mucks.) The paper also said that the parking process for the fans was not so good. Still, for the first time for a big race, in Newton, Iowa!, it had to be considered an overall success. They'll run a better operation next time.
The backyard neighbor of my next door neighbor put in a wooden privacy fence last month, and it's already showing signs of disrepair. Bowing out in spots. Loose boards. My next door neighbor and I were chatting last night, and he said that the guy hired it done, but used the guy who had the cheapest bid. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.
Anthony Edwards' backseat character (Goose) in Top Gun, cautioned pilot Tom Cruise (Maverick) as he started an unusual move in one of their simulated air-combat missions, to remember that the manufacturer of their high-tech fighter plane was the low-bidder.
If government bureaucrats and politicians always want the cheapest price, why aren't they all driving Yugo's?
4's comment was much better than anything I can do today. So I'm off to take a spin in Margret.
Be careful out there.
Knowing absolutely nothing about those in play, I had told my pal Roy that my money was on the woman candidate once the finalists were announced.
1A sent me an article last week from a fitness mag about some specialty travel outfits that led tours of the Tour de France for average riders. I've looked previously at those deals, and they tend to be very expensive. My preference is to go on a combination riding/wining trip in Northern Italy, checking out the Dolomites and Tuscany. 2 and I have talked about such a trip. A small group could make it fun. But a bigger organized tour group would be too much for me to handle, I think. We'll see. I need to save my shekels.
The Indy cars had a so-so day in Newton. Open-wheeled cars on that configuration of a track makes for an iffy proposition. I think they had trouble finding room to pass, with a majority of the cars crashing. By the end of the race, only 10 cars were still running. (Part of the problem may have been the tire composition and wing set-ups mandated by the IRL mucky-mucks.) The paper also said that the parking process for the fans was not so good. Still, for the first time for a big race, in Newton, Iowa!, it had to be considered an overall success. They'll run a better operation next time.
The backyard neighbor of my next door neighbor put in a wooden privacy fence last month, and it's already showing signs of disrepair. Bowing out in spots. Loose boards. My next door neighbor and I were chatting last night, and he said that the guy hired it done, but used the guy who had the cheapest bid. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.
Anthony Edwards' backseat character (Goose) in Top Gun, cautioned pilot Tom Cruise (Maverick) as he started an unusual move in one of their simulated air-combat missions, to remember that the manufacturer of their high-tech fighter plane was the low-bidder.
If government bureaucrats and politicians always want the cheapest price, why aren't they all driving Yugo's?
4's comment was much better than anything I can do today. So I'm off to take a spin in Margret.
Be careful out there.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Sunday
Midday Sunday. Got the DeWitt ride in this AM. My pal Pete brought along a couple more guys so there were four of us. I was by far the slowest. But it was a very good ride. Little wind. Not too hot. Good company.
Domestic chores this afternoon. Maybe the park bench job.
The 24 and the 48 both failed pre-race inspection Friday for the California road race. They had tweaked the front wheel-wells in a manner that NASCAR didn't like. Both cars were later modified to comply, but they have to start from the rear of the field. A top-ten finish from there would be a good result. It ain't cheat'n if you don't get caught.
I think this is Aunt Martha's birthday and anniversary week. So Happy Days to her!
A distant cousin (who obviously has too much time on her hands) called Uncle Phil last week with the news that she had found Margret's (not misspelled...just code-speak) name on The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, a website sponsored by the state, I think, that catalogs payments due to un-located persons. Why she might have been punching in Margret's name is a mystery. As are the refunds shown on the site. I have a task ahead to file the claims. Retired folks just don't have enough to do.
4 encountered an airport delay yesterday for her weekend visit to Barcelona, and the trip was scrubbed. She has certainly run into some travel issues this Summer.
My substitute Russian cleaning lady called and is back on schedule for this week. Life is good.
One of the guys who joined us for the ride this morning had a bike with a "custom" frame that was made specifically for him. The bike company is in Waterford, Wisconsin, a town just southwest of Milwaukee. He said that it took them two hours to measure him for the bike. Apparently, he had been having some shoulder problems, and the measuring process determined that the length of his arms required an adjustment to how high the handlebars/headset should be set on the front fork. Interesting. Even good bike shops don't always get the "fit" right for riders.
In another example of a small world, Waterford is the location where I bought Margret.
The business of "fitting" an athlete to his/her equipment applies to virtually all sports. "The shoes" is a big one, regardless of the sport. (If you have bad shoes, poor results and injury usually follow.) Bats and gloves in baseball. Clubs in golf. (I was amazed at the difference properly sized clubs made in my golf game.) Ski's. The list goes on.
Oregon State needs one more win to be champs at the CWS. I was glad to see North Carolina go to the black (or navy?) shirts yesterday with just hi-lites of "Carolina blue". I don't mind "Carolina blue" on their basketball uniforms, but it looks like the stuff of a softball beer league on a baseball uniform.
The cashier policy at the new Hy Vee is to "card" anyone who buys alcohol. You are required to show your ID so the cashier can input your birth month into the computer. I think that it's a great idea. It takes the element of choice/judgement out of the equation for the kids running the registers.
Relatedly, I don't even try to cash a check or make a deposit at our local Wells Fargo locations with out handing over my debit card and driver's license. It's not exactly their procedures, but the nitwits behind the glass can't remember my face or name from one day to the next. Every time they call me "Paul", it reinforces my opinion that they have no clue who I am.
Enough already. Have a great day.
Be careful out there.
Domestic chores this afternoon. Maybe the park bench job.
The 24 and the 48 both failed pre-race inspection Friday for the California road race. They had tweaked the front wheel-wells in a manner that NASCAR didn't like. Both cars were later modified to comply, but they have to start from the rear of the field. A top-ten finish from there would be a good result. It ain't cheat'n if you don't get caught.
I think this is Aunt Martha's birthday and anniversary week. So Happy Days to her!
A distant cousin (who obviously has too much time on her hands) called Uncle Phil last week with the news that she had found Margret's (not misspelled...just code-speak) name on The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, a website sponsored by the state, I think, that catalogs payments due to un-located persons. Why she might have been punching in Margret's name is a mystery. As are the refunds shown on the site. I have a task ahead to file the claims. Retired folks just don't have enough to do.
4 encountered an airport delay yesterday for her weekend visit to Barcelona, and the trip was scrubbed. She has certainly run into some travel issues this Summer.
My substitute Russian cleaning lady called and is back on schedule for this week. Life is good.
One of the guys who joined us for the ride this morning had a bike with a "custom" frame that was made specifically for him. The bike company is in Waterford, Wisconsin, a town just southwest of Milwaukee. He said that it took them two hours to measure him for the bike. Apparently, he had been having some shoulder problems, and the measuring process determined that the length of his arms required an adjustment to how high the handlebars/headset should be set on the front fork. Interesting. Even good bike shops don't always get the "fit" right for riders.
In another example of a small world, Waterford is the location where I bought Margret.
The business of "fitting" an athlete to his/her equipment applies to virtually all sports. "The shoes" is a big one, regardless of the sport. (If you have bad shoes, poor results and injury usually follow.) Bats and gloves in baseball. Clubs in golf. (I was amazed at the difference properly sized clubs made in my golf game.) Ski's. The list goes on.
Oregon State needs one more win to be champs at the CWS. I was glad to see North Carolina go to the black (or navy?) shirts yesterday with just hi-lites of "Carolina blue". I don't mind "Carolina blue" on their basketball uniforms, but it looks like the stuff of a softball beer league on a baseball uniform.
The cashier policy at the new Hy Vee is to "card" anyone who buys alcohol. You are required to show your ID so the cashier can input your birth month into the computer. I think that it's a great idea. It takes the element of choice/judgement out of the equation for the kids running the registers.
Relatedly, I don't even try to cash a check or make a deposit at our local Wells Fargo locations with out handing over my debit card and driver's license. It's not exactly their procedures, but the nitwits behind the glass can't remember my face or name from one day to the next. Every time they call me "Paul", it reinforces my opinion that they have no clue who I am.
Enough already. Have a great day.
Be careful out there.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Friday
Hello Summer!
Lots of stories in the papers this week about the Summer Solstice, including midnight baseball in Alaska. These are wonderful days with all the daylight. Now it's the slow march to the shorter days.
Hope the get-together in Minnesota goes well. Drive safe.
The Indy cars are over in Newton, Iowa for the first major race at the new track this weekend. The track is a 3/4 mile oval with a road-course also cut into the venue. The Indy cars will run the oval. Danica Patrick and all the names of the recent Indy 500 are there for the event. This is open-wheel racing compared to the stock cars of NASCAR. (The track is not too far away from the I-80 motel that we would stay at when we made the trips to Adventureland.) The owners dream for a major NASCAR race, but they'll be lucky to get the Busch cars for a weekend.
I see where Tim Floyd has offered a basketball scholarship to USC to an Illinois kid who just got done with 8th grade. I guess this is the second year that he has made such an offer. I always liked Floyd, but this sounds fishy at best.
We had a tree service come in and do some thinning out of damaged trees on the West side of our office park. The combination of age, disease, and storms had brought on the need. The owner of the business said that they had stopped providing service on the Illinois side for fear of bringing the ash bore into Iowa. That's an insect that has been destroying ash trees in states East of here. And will likely be in Iowa in a year or so. Mom has three ash trees in her back yard. The cynic in me puts the over/under on her getting the ash bores at four years.
A couple of yahoos on ESPN radio, Mike & Mike In The Morning, had the one Mike payoff his NCAA basketball bet to the other Mike yesterday by milking a cow on the show. You can imagine the hype and the double entendres for the event. From a dairyman's perspective, my reaction is, "So what?" Just another example of why sports talk radio guys are only a centimeter or so above slugs in the genus system. (The fact that one of the Mike's is an ND grad gets them no points. He probably took the same Underwater Basket Weaving classes that they serve up for the student/athletes in IC).
Genus was not misspelled above. Actually, in the sentence as presented, it could be genus or genius, and the gist would be the same. Think about it.
Speaking of sports, it appears the a D-1 baseball player can change schools and not have to sit out a year for the transfer. There was a least one player in this year's College World Series who was there last year on a different team. I know that they have issues with the modest number of scholarships that each school can have (11.5, I think), but unlimited transfers is a bit risky. Where the NCAA is involved, rules do not have to make sense.
Off for the evening. Maybe a little ride and then some Tuscan red.
Be careful out there.
Lots of stories in the papers this week about the Summer Solstice, including midnight baseball in Alaska. These are wonderful days with all the daylight. Now it's the slow march to the shorter days.
Hope the get-together in Minnesota goes well. Drive safe.
The Indy cars are over in Newton, Iowa for the first major race at the new track this weekend. The track is a 3/4 mile oval with a road-course also cut into the venue. The Indy cars will run the oval. Danica Patrick and all the names of the recent Indy 500 are there for the event. This is open-wheel racing compared to the stock cars of NASCAR. (The track is not too far away from the I-80 motel that we would stay at when we made the trips to Adventureland.) The owners dream for a major NASCAR race, but they'll be lucky to get the Busch cars for a weekend.
I see where Tim Floyd has offered a basketball scholarship to USC to an Illinois kid who just got done with 8th grade. I guess this is the second year that he has made such an offer. I always liked Floyd, but this sounds fishy at best.
We had a tree service come in and do some thinning out of damaged trees on the West side of our office park. The combination of age, disease, and storms had brought on the need. The owner of the business said that they had stopped providing service on the Illinois side for fear of bringing the ash bore into Iowa. That's an insect that has been destroying ash trees in states East of here. And will likely be in Iowa in a year or so. Mom has three ash trees in her back yard. The cynic in me puts the over/under on her getting the ash bores at four years.
A couple of yahoos on ESPN radio, Mike & Mike In The Morning, had the one Mike payoff his NCAA basketball bet to the other Mike yesterday by milking a cow on the show. You can imagine the hype and the double entendres for the event. From a dairyman's perspective, my reaction is, "So what?" Just another example of why sports talk radio guys are only a centimeter or so above slugs in the genus system. (The fact that one of the Mike's is an ND grad gets them no points. He probably took the same Underwater Basket Weaving classes that they serve up for the student/athletes in IC).
Genus was not misspelled above. Actually, in the sentence as presented, it could be genus or genius, and the gist would be the same. Think about it.
Speaking of sports, it appears the a D-1 baseball player can change schools and not have to sit out a year for the transfer. There was a least one player in this year's College World Series who was there last year on a different team. I know that they have issues with the modest number of scholarships that each school can have (11.5, I think), but unlimited transfers is a bit risky. Where the NCAA is involved, rules do not have to make sense.
Off for the evening. Maybe a little ride and then some Tuscan red.
Be careful out there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
