i'm in love

i didn't see anyone

so it's not trespassing, right?

Palestine/Israel "is given over wholly to weeds. … We never saw a human being on the whole route." --Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad

Strangely enough Innocents Abroad was recently used to justify the "displacement" of Palestine's/Israel's previous occupants by the current regime there. I, for one, am not at all comfortable justifying imperialist enterprises and hence our nation's foreign policy on satire.

In response to an earlier response to his response to a nationally syndicated columnist, one recent writer to our local paper claims that before the Zionists settled in Palestine/Israel that the land was empty and not really "Palestine" anyway. To back up his claim he goes on to refer to not one, but three books: the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Bible and the Muslim "Bible" or Quran, "And this is the land the Jews returned to reclaim in accordance with the divine sanctioning of the Bible and the Quran!" WTF!?

No one ever settled an argument peacefully by relying on revealed truth.

The more I think about this the more I am sickened that this sort of argument is taken seriously by anyone. WTF!? Using ancient texts of "revealed truth" to justify the slaughter of countless thousands? WTF?! And both sides of are doing it.

It makes me want to puke.

my new ride

I might even get to ride it soon.

all they need are grocery stores

Developers can include bars, hotels
City approves deal for Stadium tract.

By MATTHEW LeBLANC of the Tribune’s staff

Published Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Despite objections from neighbors who don’t want bars and hotels near their homes, a local investment group has won city approval to build a major commercial development at the eastern terminus of Stadium Boulevard.

[more...]

First of all look at this map

Then ask, "What neighbors? The ones who live by highway 63? And they are worried about noise? Why did they move next to the highway?" It's their noise I have to listen to everyday as they drive in and out of town.

2nd of all...Of course there should be commercial development in a new residential area. Otherwise what you have is...oh hell what's it called? oh yeah, "sprawl" Like what the neighbors live in. Sprawlsville. Now all they need is a grocery store. Why aren't the neighbors demanding that? With that and bars nearby they won't ever have to drive again! No more DUIs either. That'd be living in the big city!

These people who move to the edge of a booming city then get upset when the city comes to them! WTF! They move to a sprawling subdivision and then drive their goddam cars, suvs and pick-em-up trucks and make the automobile traffic in the city that much worse for those of us who live in the city. You'd think they would be the most vocal and ardent supporters of walkable and dense cities. And if they don't live and work in the city...they damn well better be farmers. Then their wagons would be most welcome downtown at the farmer's market.

cx season is upon us!

I picked up a new (to me) bike the other day. A 2005 Redline Conquest. I am stoked about it but it's not yet rideable...needs a few parts. Anyone have any of these laying around?

9spd Right Brake/Shift Lever
9spd Rear Derailleur
9spd cassette (12-25?)
Chainrings (110)
Chain
Front Derailleur (unless I go with one chainring at first.)
Rear Cantilever brakes
Rear Brake Bosses

And possibly a pair of, whaddaya call 'em, "sissy levers"? top of the bar brake levers.

Watch out here I come!

Ashland residents take stock of new mailboxes

Morons to the left morons to the right. There is just so much wrong with this whole story.

As I am always telling Sam...Bad design is the bane of our existence. These guys had to really try hard to create such bad design. Good design would have been the easy way. Any ten-year old could have done better (like the one in the article for instance).

Althought it was hard to pick just one...my favorite line is

Attaching the boxes directly to houses wasn’t an option because that would require postal workers to walk through the neighborhood delivering mail.

Horrors!

some recent rides

www.RouteSlip.com
My heart rate chart looks like the profile of the Sapp Ride!

he's off

Sam is on his way to Japan. Endlich. Finally. What started over a year ago with me opening my big mouth is on its way to completion. I am really excited that he has this chance to go and am proud of him to be willing to go. His mother and I have been stressing over all the stuff he has to bring (not much really) and hoping that he will be able to keep track of it all. But I know we really needn't worry.

Last night we all went out to dinner and then had some ice cream at Sparky's. Sam just about sparked a family fight when he refused to share his food with the rest of us. " I didn't order what you have because I didn't want it!" Well! Some of us had ordered our food with reference to what everyone else had ordered and with the idea that we would all share. So his backing out of the unspoken contract was not met with applause and laughter.

Everyone made up before going to bed and after a short night we all got up and went to see him off. I have tried to track the progress of the airplanes via the web today. Frustrating in part because so far both flights have been at least an hour late. I don't envy the kids (and the teachers) having to hang out in O'Hare for an extra hour. Although you know they probably got a kick out of it. If I remember right, and it's been a long time, there are lot's of O'Hare Krishnas in the airport.

More to come...

story of issac

I forgot to mention this story. I think it's about the most repugnant in the entire Islamo-Judeo-Christian tradition. Just like ol' Abraham, people continue to hear the voice of their god commanding them to kill their children. Only now we call it mental illness. Where the hell was Sarah in all of this? She should be charged with child endangerment.
[updated 2:25p.m.]

all the more reason

A (presumably) Christian pastor here in Columbia has neatly summarized a few of the best arguments against Islamo-Judeo-Christianity. Thank you Pastor Dooley.

These include:

• "Jesus is a loving god, but definitely not a pacifist"
• "Jesus participated in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 and threatened Nineveh with the same in Jonah 3"
• " King David, a soldier acclaimed for killing tens of thousands"

critical mass

Much as I want to stick it to the cars and their drivers this is not a good idea. Hopefully, it's probably the same wankers who wobble on the sidewalk or on the wrong side of the street. At night. With no lights.

I am a critical mass. Critical mass will only be achieved when we get more responsible riders riding responsibly as they go about their daily business. Not by a bunch of folks clogging the roads.

Besides, the damn rules of the road are good for something. Everytime I go and do something I know I shouldn't, like ride up alongside the cars stopped at a light I just about get creamed by a driver who didn't know I was there. Better to wait in line than in triage.

tooth fairy?

Caution spoiler ahead!

Did you know that compared to 35 years ago, kids get 10 times the reward from the tooth fairy? I have talked with several parents and the consensus seems to be that the tooth fairy brings "about a buck" per tooth. I think I got a dime. Dang! you say? Consider that I remember buying gum and baseball cards and candy for a dime or quarter back then. So a dollar for a tooth seems to be about on target. 75 cents may be more equitable but can you imagine the trouble that would cause the tooth fairy? lugging around three heavy coins per kid when one lightweight crisp 1 dollar bill would do the same if not better?

That said, Nora lost a tooth last week. (If any kids if are reading this, stop. Now.)

After eating dinner and watching some World Cup at my brother-in-law's house we came home and crashed. Nora had the sense to put her tooth under her pillow before she hit the hay. Now...I usually stand in for the tooth fairy, delivering the booty early in the morning if not late at night, but this time the "tooth fairy" had no energy to stay up either and forgot to fish out the tooth and replace it with a dollar. However, after a few hours sleep, I did have the energy to ride early the next morning. Then, as I was finishing up my ride Bridget called and asked if I had replaced the tooth? No, I had not. As soon as I got home I went into Nora's room and looked at the scrunched up pillow and knew that, even though it was in a baggie, it would be difficult to find the tooth without disturbing her. I barely lifted the very edge of the pillow case just a bit but let go and it fall back down. I didn't really even move the pillow at all. Just as the pillow case touched the bed, a "sleeping" litte girl stretched out a hand and said, "Dollar!"

if i only had a pump

major props to the Perfessor!

I was out toodling around McBaine on my bike pretending i was Floyd Landis when I hit a little rock of some sort in the middle of the road. one or two seconds later i heard the dreaded, "phup, phup, phup, phup" as a the air in my tire followed the laws of physics and redistributed itself from a high pressure area to a low pressure area. my tire was flat in seconds. not to worry i told myself. pull the tube out. put the new tube in (checking the tire first for any sharp thingys). pump up tire. ride.

Not so simple. I learned the importance of pump maintenence this morning. Evidently one has to check the seals on one's pump periodically and lube them too. I haven't done that. I had no functioning pump. fortunately, i had a functioning phone. And double fortunate for me, Nathan Means was almost out of bed and willing to come haul my ass home. He said it was no big deal but we all know differently. He's on summer break. nothing to do but sleep ride and watch the Giro.

Thanks Nathan!

if i only had a brain

Went to Gentry Middle School Thursday night to watch Sam perform in a school program. He sang some songs with a choir but he (and we) was not as enthused about that as we (and he) were about the short scene from the Wizard of Oz he was to perform. He did quite well! He has never done any acting on stage before so we were all a bit nervous for him. But he seems like a natural. I have a few fotos but they didn't turn out that great and I haven't even downloaded them off the camera yet but I just might put up a picture of him singing. or if i get really ambitious and tech savvy a video clip of him as the Tin Woodsman.

As I write this it's raining outside and that means that most likely Nora's soccer game will be cancelled. That's sad but also a relief. She can sleep and we can relax around here. I took Friday off sick. I really am. Why else would I be up at 2am? The way I feel now I may not be in to work on Monday either.

Which also means that I haven't put nearly the miles in this month that I planned or hoped to. Approx. 100 less than last year. I take solace, though, in the fact that what I have done has been "better" and higher intensity than last year. And I have been running which I think is adding to my base fitness. blah blah...thanks for reading.

janes addiction anyone?

So I'm sittin' here at work listening to launchcast on my computer. Usually I listen to my own station but today I have been listening to "80s Alternative" All the best music so far has been stuff from 1984-1988. I know lots of folks like to make fun of the 80s music (and there was, like now, lots of crap) but overall these were the Golden years for music in my opinion. The Cure's "Standing on a Beach", All of R.E.M.'s music, Jane's Addiction, Eurythmics, Love & Rockets, I can't even begin to name them all. Butthole Surfers, Dead Kennedy's, there's two more. It was all so good.

It was all on the radio station at K-State; KSDB was a breath of fresh air after the stifling top-40 junk like REO Speedwagon and Journey. Even now I have a hard time listening to any radio station other than a college station. Fortunately, the station at MU is run a lot like KSDB used to be. It even has the same frequency that KSDB did. I don't know the djs or most of the songs they play but I do know they don't play any friggin' commercials. Can't stand the stuff. Once in a while I flip up the dial to KBXR to see what they are playing but usually it's a commercial so I hit the down dial as quick as I can.

But I digress...those years were great ones for music and for me. What a coincidence that these same years were also my under-grad days.

a good time was had by all

We spent Saturday night and Sunday morning out in the rural hinterlands of Boone County playing. I took quite some photos which mostly turned out pretty good. By the looks of the kids faces it appears that they had a great time.

I of course came home Saturday night to "take care of the dog." It just so happens that I was able to ride the Tour de la Haute Croute before I went back out Sunday morning. Funny how that works.

the hour run

I ran for an hour on Saturday... not a long time by marathon standards I know but it was a long time for me. I haven't run that long for maybe ten years. So far no problems with my knee but I am not running again until Wednesday and then for only half an hour. It felt great to run on the MKT and I want to do it again next Saturday, but maybe this time with a friend.

Speaking of friends, after running Saturday, I went with Sam and the neighbor, Dr. Foote, out to help a friend who had also been our milk man. His farm by Fayette had been totally destroyed in a tornado March 12. Not just the barn or milk shed or even the house but everything. Gone. Wiped out. We went out and with about a thousand other folks took down what was left standing (part of the house and parts of some sheds) put it into big piles and burned it. Amazingly only one cow died in the storm and fortunately no one in the family was hurt. They were in the basement and by the looks of the house that seems to have been a really good idea. They sure don't build 'em like they used to though. It was an old house and solid. man. I was on a crew that started tearing off the second story. That was one well built house. I had gone downstairs to fetch a wrench and started thinking about the amateurs such as myself who were working in such close quarters with large hammers. Getting nervous for Sam, who was still working up on the second floor having a grand time smashing walls with a hammer, I returned to the second floor solely then to get him down from there. I had no sooner reached the top of the stairs than I has hit in the head with a flying piece of lath and plaster. it was only a flesh wound and didn't bleed much but it certainly made getting my son out of there more urgent.

It was really great to see all the people there helping out and feeling that they owed the family a debt for providing such a service to us.

food

It's funny what goes through one's mind when one is bonking.

I took the day off and was going to ride for maybe 2 hours and then do some work around the house. I got out on the road and figgerd that, "Hell, it's my day off and I really could put off the work at home..." so I ended up riding for 3 and a half hours. Let me tell all you young'uns...You should bring lots of food with you when riding alone in the boonies for three hours.

Among other places I rode out to Easley and did the hill there 2x. Sheeit, They graded that hill steeper or something since last summer.

But that was all nice and fine cuz it came before the 2 hour mark. I realized then that it was not going to be easy getting home without food. I ate my one little granola bar an hour earlier, and let me tell you there ain't much out southwest of Columbia. I mean Sapp's a nice townlet and all but they don't have a Casey's or 7-11 or even an A&W. I rode up and down the main drag but didn't see a one.

Actually, I was only a little hungry as I headed back down Woodie Proctor (who was he anyway and why does his name sound like a medical procedure?) and I didn't feel any sense of dread at the coming miles. Meanwhile my wheels kept getting farther from home and somehow (and i didn't know this until later) I was drifting with the wind. As I started back up the home stretch toward town on KK I realized just how far I had come with the wind. As the crow flies it's maybe 10 miles from the intersection of K and KK but I wasn't flying. crawling is what it was. wobbling was how I was doing it. Every bump made my stomach hurt. I never felt that one before. a dried shriveled up bean rattling around in my gut. As I passed the various eateries, Upper Crust, Shakespeares, MFA, etc. They all sounded delicious and it was torture passing them but the thought of stopping to eat and then having to get back out ON the bike and IN the wind was too much to contemplate.

I started fantasizing about the food I was going to eat when I got home. Taking inventory of the fridge and freezer. How long would it take to fry up the frozen hamburger (too long). Wondering if my wife would miss the bratwurst we as a family have on the menu for wednesday night (she would). Sudying the most efficient way to get the most food in me with the least amount of work and time...,"I'll walk in, turn on the stove for coffee, mix some chocolate milk, while i drink it, I'll cut the bread for my sandwich, then while I drink my second glass of chocolate milk..." Thank god for tuna in a can.

I ate and ate some more...and then fell asleep.

What a GREAT day off!

Bill Napoli

What more politics!...Sheeit!

Really, I'm just helping out the Smart Bitches (their term not mine) google-bomb the bastard in South Dakota, Bill Napoli. He is one of the prime backers of South Dakota's new anti-abortion law. His description of a case of acceptable abortion consists of the following (from PBS Online NewsHour):

FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Napoli says most abortions are performed for what he calls "convenience." He insists that exceptions can be made for rape or incest under the provision that protects the mother's life. I asked him for a scenario in which an exception may be invoked.

BILL NAPOLI: A real-life description to me would be a rape victim, brutally raped, savaged. The girl was a virgin. She was religious. She planned on saving her virginity until she was married. She was brutalized and raped, sodomized as bad as you can possibly make it, and is impregnated. I mean, that girl could be so messed up, physically and psychologically, that carrying that child could very well threaten her life.

So there you have it...Just doing my part to piss off the radical right.

time flies

It's been a month since I wrote in this thing. There has been so much going on that I haven't had time to stop and write. I am still not sure where to start and of course now as I am writing nothing is coming to mind.

Nora is still playing soccer on Friday nights. Her team which was beaten 23-1 in their first game, held the last team to only a 2 or 3 point lead and they actually scored! Sam turned 13 Feb. 1 and seems to be really turning into a teenager. Fortunately he seems much more well adjusted than I was at his age (or now). We took him and 14 of his closest friends to a video game "store" where they played non-stop violent games for 2 solid hours on 11 foot screens. I can tell you that won't be happening often. This place has "lock-ins" on Friday nights where you start playing games 11pm Friday until 7am Saturday. Talk about a healthy lifestyle. 8 hours on a couch in the middle of the night sustained by pizza, soda and donuts. Crazy! One of Sam's friends has done this at least once. Not my kid.