2011年8月23日星期二
Cops Ticketing Cyclists For Running Red Lights
NEW YORK (PIX11)—
"I'm a careful bicyclist. I stop when I need to stop," said JC Rodriguez, who has been riding a bicycle as his main mode of transportation in the city for the past three years.
However, according to the New York Police Department, that is not exactly true. At least, it wasn't on a couple of dates this year, when officers slapped the cyclist with fines for running red lights. "I was somewhat surprised," said Rodriguez, who admitted he ran the red light.
He was even more surprised to realize he's racked up a $1,500 tab with the DMV in bicycle violations. "It just seems to me the amount of fine for the offense is way out of balance," he said.
When we asked Rodriguez, "How do law enforcement officers protect our community if they can't enforce these kinds of laws?" Rodriguez responded, "I don't think the enforcement is going to stop people from running red lights."
That includes Rodriguez himself because, he says, the benefit of being a bicyclist is that he has the freedom to move about the city at his own pace and risk.
Now, it is not like Rodriguez feels like he's above the law, it is just that he says cyclists have their own rules of the road, ask any bicyclist, he says, so we did.
We stopped John who was riding by on his bicycle and asked him, "A green light goes yellow then red, what do you do?" and John answered, "Well, I look. If traffic is safe, I go." John also owes the DMV nearly $200 for running a red light, but it is not exactly going to change the way he rides. "Not absolutely," he said.
That is because the way they ride is not about getting caught, but about being safe. "The last thing I want to do is get in an accident. I have the most to lose," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is appealing all of his violations. His next court date is in September.
Krystal O'Mara turns bicycle parts into imaginative lighting fixtures
Her new business, called ReMain EcoDesign, was featured in the August issue of Entrepreneur magazine because of its unique niche in the home furnishings marketplace.
She uses rims, spokes, hubs — essentially the entire bicycle — to make hourglass coffee tables, imaginative lighting fixtures and chairs without backs.
“Not much goes to waste,” she said.
“I get some stuff here and there from bicycle shops, but then I knew a gentleman in Amarillo, and all he did was fix up bikes. He just had a lot of bike rims in storage. So I didn’t even have to really take apart that much when it came to the bike itself.”
She added, “I also have some old vintage bikes, and we’ll see where they go. Either I will get them fixed up and sell them or give them away — or, they will actually be used for the furnishings.”
O’Mara began her work in February 2010 by building a table for a silent auction at a bike race held to support cancer research.
Prior to that, she had a job in hotel sales in Lubbock. Now, she works in a barn on her grandfather’s farm southeast of Lorenzo.
Her products range widely in price. A simple light fixture sells for $15, but custom, large-scale lighting equipment is priced at $1,500.
“The tables generally range from about $175 to $450,” she said.
Contemplating her bicycle-parts furniture, she said, “I would say it is artistic, but it is very important to see that everything is functional. So, that kind of puts me more in the category of being a designer than an artist because functionality is very important.”
She has some one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture.
“I have one — it’s a coffee table — and the top of it is made out of cut-up bike treads. It kind of creates a tribal design.”
O’Mara wastes almost nothing — some of her tables consist of an elm tree trunk with a top set on nails as though balanced precariously.
Most of her bicycle parts are welded into place, but lighting fixtures are assisted by an epoxy material until she learns the art of brazing.
O’Mara, who has a 4-year-old son, said she had a purpose in giving up her sales career to begin a business.
2011年8月12日星期五
Montclair Crime: Burglary Arrests, Sexual Assault
On 7/28/11 at approximately 11:45 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Tichenor Place on a report of a burglary that had occurred. The victim told police that sometime between 8:00 AM and 11:00 PM on that date, someone had entered his residence. It appeared that entry to the residence was gained by removing an air conditioner from a first floor window. A chair was found outside the residence under this window, and it is assumed that the suspect used the chair to climb through the window.
It was reported that a Playstation 3 valued at $300, two wireless remote controls valued at $50 each, six bottles of cologne valued at a total of $300, and $2,220 in cash was stolen from the residence.
On 8/3/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Harrison Avenue on a report of a burglary. The victim told police that she left her residence that morning at approximately 8:30 AM. When she returned later that afternoon at 2:55 PM, she discovered that a side door to the residence was ajar. Upon entering the residence, she discovered that dresser drawers and bedroom doors opened. She then notified police.
The victim reported that a gold and diamond ring, valued at $2,000, a gold necklace, valued at $500, a pair of oval gold earrings, valued at $50, a gold and stainless steel wristwatch, valued at $1,000, a Nintendo Wii game console, valued at $300, Nintendo Wii game controllers valued at $100, a Playstation 3 game console, valued at $400, a Kindle electronic book reader, valued at $200, and a PSP handheld game unit, valued at $250, had been stolen from the residence. It is believed that the suspects gained entry through a basement window which was discovered open by police.
On 8/4/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, police were dispatched to another single-family residence on Harrison Avenue on a report of a burglary. The victim told police that she left the residence on that date at 12:30 PM and returned approximately two hours later to discover that her house had been entered. The victim stated that she left a basement window on the north side of the house slightly opened and when she returned home she discovered that the window had been fully opened.
The victim reported that a black Blackberry Storm cell phone, valued at $500, and a white 15” Apple MacBook Pro, valued at $1,799, had been stolen from the residence.
On 8/5/11 at approximately 11:20 AM, police responded to a single-family residence on High Street on a report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, police spoke to a neighbor who was tending to the residence. This neighbor stated that she was in a driveway when she observed a male standing near the area of the burglarized house in the area of High Street and Virginia Avenue. This male called out to the complainant, asking if she knew where Nishuane Park was. She provided directions to the male, who walked east on Virginia Avenue towards Enfield Avenue. The female believed that it was suspicious that the male walked in that direction after asking directions to the park. The complainant then entered the residence and discovered that a bedroom window had been opened and a lamp had been knocked over. The complainant immediately exited the house and saw that the male was at the corner of Enfield Avenue and Virginia Avenue. She called out to the pair, stating, “You better watch out, I’m calling the police.” The two males then fled south on Enfield Avenue.
While searching the area, detectives located a pair of sixteen year old West Orange males in the area of Samuel Street and Fremont Street in West Orange. Further investigation revealed that the pair had committed the burglary connected to this incident.
John Deere Road overpass gets new life
It’s been a boondoggle since birth.
When John Deere Road in Moline was widened in the late 1980s, the state put up $1 million for an overpass to safely deliver kids to the school on one side.
Even though the school closed before the overpass was built, the state went ahead with it. And it’s been an ugly thorn in our side ever since.
In 1993, a couple of kids dropped a bowling ball from the overpass, striking a vehicle below. Amazingly, no one was hurt. Before long, the secluded enclosure became a popular hideout for the pot and booze set, and graffiti was as commonplace as busted beer bottles.
Five years later, citing its uselessness and danger, the city council voted to close it. The city even placed cinder blocks in the openings on either side to keep out the riff-raff.
A year later, in 1999, the council again took up the matter of the overpass. Some people who lived near it told aldermen they’d sure like to be able to cross John Deere Road on foot without having to hoof it the two-blocks-or-so to the light at 7th Street.
It was again placed on the council agenda.
In a 6-to-2 vote, the overpass again was declared dangerous, seldom used and too expensive to maintain. It has been locked up tight ever since.
Here we are, a dozen years later, and a new crop of city officials say they’ve found a couple of reasons to reopen the overpass: give bicycles safe passage across six lanes of traffic and get rid of an eyesore that’s impossible to miss on one of the most-traveled roads in town.
For $90,990, the dark Plexiglas, broken in too many places to count, will be removed. New fencing will be placed on the sides and top, making it impossible to hurl anything of size onto the roadway below.
Ideally, the long-darkened passageway will have a new life as a bicycle bridge, connecting cyclists to bike trails throughout the city. The trails are only on paper, so far, but Mayor Don Welvaert said the city made strides earlier this year by adopting a trails program.
“The overpass was identified as one of two safe crossings of John Deere Expressway as part of that network,” he said.
The bridge was built to accommodate wheelchairs, so bicyclists can use the ramp, rather than having to carry their bikes up two-plus flights of steps. And getting rid of that ugly, broken Plexiglas will do wonders for the area’s looks.
For more than two decades, the overpass has been a frustrating reminder of wasted taxpayer money. Congratulations to Moline for what looks like a smart way to reverse that.
2011年8月9日星期二
Ogden officer hits boy, 13, on bicycle
someone to Weber County Jail and was driving south on Washington Boulevard.
As the officer approached the 7th Street intersection in the far right lane, vehicles were stopped in the inside lanes.
Burnett said the light was red initially, but as the officer approached, it turned green.
"As he was about to enter the intersection, a 13-year-old boy on a bike was struck who was going westbound," he said. "All indications are that the kid was crossing the crosswalk against the 'don't walk' sign."
The boy received scrapes and was taken to McKay-Dee Hospital as a precaution. Burnett said the officer was shaken over the incident.
Police searching for suspect in shooting on State Street bridge
As tourists and homeward-bound workers clogged the streets during Monday’s rush hour, a man pulled out a handgun on the State Street bridge over the Chicago River and shot another man in the head.
Late Monday, police were searching for the gunman and talking to the 29-year-old victim, who was listed in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Police had no information about a motive, but said there was no reason for people living and working in the area of the shooting to be concerned.
“We don’t believe this is a random event,” said Area 3 Police Cmdr. Gary Yamashiroya. “The victim was shot in extremely close vicinity by the offender.”
The victim was on the west side of the State Street bridge, walking to work, when the gunman approached from behind at 5:05 p.m. and shot him in the head, Yamashiroya said.
Police said they planned to review video surveillance from many cameras in the area.
Umbrella-wielding pedestrians were hurrying along Loop streets, seeking shelter from the threatening skies, when the shooting occurred.
Fifteen-year-old Sammeiso Lewis said he saw the shooting as he and several friends were headed to the H&M clothing store on State Street.
“We heard a gunshot — like ‘boom!’ ” Lewis said. “All we see is one man fall on the ground. And some lady and her husband came running across the street to come help the man. ... Everybody was just trying to put something over him.”
Lewis said the shooter and the victim were walking near each other. “And all you see is someone pull out a gun and shoot him,” Lewis said.
The shooter ran south across the bridge, and then headed east towards Wabash Avenue, Lewis said.
2011年8月5日星期五
Hike, bike and eat your fill of clams on Block Island
Reporting from Block Island, R.I.—
I am standing atop Clay Head, a 70-foot-high bluff, looking over miles and miles of open ocean on a clear summer morning. It is an ideal way to greet a day that will include hiking, biking, birding, skimming stones and eating my weight in fried clams. And I have to smile. Back home in St. Louis, my wife, Nancy, and I had told a friend that we were heading for three days on this glorious island.
Blank stare. "Block Island. Where is that?"
Exactly. And fine with me if Block keeps a low pro. For all its craggy grandeur, Block Island has never been etched into the nation's consciousness quite like its big sisters Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts.
This rough-hewn beauty sits alone in the Atlantic, 13 miles off Rhode Island and 14 miles from the eastern tip of Long Island. Somehow it's in the middle of everything. It's a half-day trip for about 21 million people. The only year-round ferry departs every morning from the mainland at Point Judith, R.I. There are also seasonal ferries from New London, Conn., Newport, R.I., and Montauk, N.Y.
For people traveling to the Northeast, a short trip to Block Island by ferry can be combined with other destinations, such as New York or Boston. One can easily see the whole island on foot in a day — no need for a car — but the best way to get around is by bicycle, for about $30 a day.
The island is less than 11 square miles, one them a salt pond. But no matter how many thousands of people spill off the ferries, it offers abundant space to be alone. It's a wonderland of rolling hills, dunes, hay fields, bluffs and beaches. A greenway of walking trails criss-crosses the island.
I am standing atop Clay Head, a 70-foot-high bluff, looking over miles and miles of open ocean on a clear summer morning. It is an ideal way to greet a day that will include hiking, biking, birding, skimming stones and eating my weight in fried clams. And I have to smile. Back home in St. Louis, my wife, Nancy, and I had told a friend that we were heading for three days on this glorious island.
Blank stare. "Block Island. Where is that?"
Exactly. And fine with me if Block keeps a low pro. For all its craggy grandeur, Block Island has never been etched into the nation's consciousness quite like its big sisters Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts.
This rough-hewn beauty sits alone in the Atlantic, 13 miles off Rhode Island and 14 miles from the eastern tip of Long Island. Somehow it's in the middle of everything. It's a half-day trip for about 21 million people. The only year-round ferry departs every morning from the mainland at Point Judith, R.I. There are also seasonal ferries from New London, Conn., Newport, R.I., and Montauk, N.Y.
For people traveling to the Northeast, a short trip to Block Island by ferry can be combined with other destinations, such as New York or Boston. One can easily see the whole island on foot in a day — no need for a car — but the best way to get around is by bicycle, for about $30 a day.
The island is less than 11 square miles, one them a salt pond. But no matter how many thousands of people spill off the ferries, it offers abundant space to be alone. It's a wonderland of rolling hills, dunes, hay fields, bluffs and beaches. A greenway of walking trails criss-crosses the island.
Dozens of volunteers pitch in for bike park
Dozens of volunteers pitch in for bike park
Several dozen children, teenagers, parents, and longtime bicyclists spent last weekend putting the finishing touches on mounds of dirt large and small at Elk Grove Park.
They shaped what will become Elk Grove’s first dirt bicycle park, which is set to open next month.
“We got to bring it to life and that’s what we’re all here to do,” bike park designer and consultant Nat Lopes of Hilride told a group of volunteer leaders on July 29.
The 2.4-acre facility replaced the Green Diamond softball field on Elk Grove Park’s western side along East Stockton Boulevard. The Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD) board agreed to spend $365,000 on the project last April.
The bike park’s 10,000 yards of dirt were donated from the Elk Grove Promenade mall site that sits across Highway 99 from the park. CSD Management Analyst Fred Bremerman earlier told the Citizen that donation would save the district between $150,000 to $200,000 in construction costs.
Local bicyclists typically have to travel to Folsom, south Sacramento or Roseville to use BMX bike parks. Some resorted to building their own dirt jumps in empty lots across Elk Grove.
Last year, BMX rider Matt Litton told the Citizen he usually has to take a bus or light rail to the BMX park near Power Inn Road in south Sacramento, a trip that his parents consider to be unsafe.
“It will be more convenient,” he said about a BMX park in Elk Grove.
Several local bicyclists contributed design ideas to CSD staff during several workshops.
Elk Grove Park’s future bike park is now roughly 40 percent completed, Bremerman said.
“This has been my headache, I mean, my love,” he joked.
A small hill sits at the center of the park for bicyclists to ride down from and travel on either a beginner course with small mounds and an advanced course with taller mounds and sharper turns.
Parent and bicyclist Frank Fines gave Lopes several ideas on how to make places in the bike park easier for riders to use. He later spent much time driving a Bobcat tractor in helping build the park last weekend.
“My expertise is landscaping so this stuff is kind of easy,” Fines said.
He mentioned that his 12-year-old daughter, Sienna has competed in national BMX events and now ranks fourth in the nation.
“We spend a lot of time in the dirt,” Fines said. “I’m just thinking of another park for my daughter to ride in.”
Keith CoBen, a local bicyclist and parent, spent four years trying to entice the CSD board to approve a bike park in Elk Grove. He was pleased with the outpouring of support last weekend.
”Throughout the weekend, curious onlookers were stopping by and looking at what was being done,” CoBen recalled. “The same goes for cars driving by and honking their approval.”
He mentioned that Sunstate Equipment donated special machinery that compacted the dirt and noted that three Bobcats were operating at once.
Several dozen children, teenagers, parents, and longtime bicyclists spent last weekend putting the finishing touches on mounds of dirt large and small at Elk Grove Park.
They shaped what will become Elk Grove’s first dirt bicycle park, which is set to open next month.
“We got to bring it to life and that’s what we’re all here to do,” bike park designer and consultant Nat Lopes of Hilride told a group of volunteer leaders on July 29.
The 2.4-acre facility replaced the Green Diamond softball field on Elk Grove Park’s western side along East Stockton Boulevard. The Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD) board agreed to spend $365,000 on the project last April.
The bike park’s 10,000 yards of dirt were donated from the Elk Grove Promenade mall site that sits across Highway 99 from the park. CSD Management Analyst Fred Bremerman earlier told the Citizen that donation would save the district between $150,000 to $200,000 in construction costs.
Local bicyclists typically have to travel to Folsom, south Sacramento or Roseville to use BMX bike parks. Some resorted to building their own dirt jumps in empty lots across Elk Grove.
Last year, BMX rider Matt Litton told the Citizen he usually has to take a bus or light rail to the BMX park near Power Inn Road in south Sacramento, a trip that his parents consider to be unsafe.
“It will be more convenient,” he said about a BMX park in Elk Grove.
Several local bicyclists contributed design ideas to CSD staff during several workshops.
Elk Grove Park’s future bike park is now roughly 40 percent completed, Bremerman said.
“This has been my headache, I mean, my love,” he joked.
A small hill sits at the center of the park for bicyclists to ride down from and travel on either a beginner course with small mounds and an advanced course with taller mounds and sharper turns.
Parent and bicyclist Frank Fines gave Lopes several ideas on how to make places in the bike park easier for riders to use. He later spent much time driving a Bobcat tractor in helping build the park last weekend.
“My expertise is landscaping so this stuff is kind of easy,” Fines said.
He mentioned that his 12-year-old daughter, Sienna has competed in national BMX events and now ranks fourth in the nation.
“We spend a lot of time in the dirt,” Fines said. “I’m just thinking of another park for my daughter to ride in.”
Keith CoBen, a local bicyclist and parent, spent four years trying to entice the CSD board to approve a bike park in Elk Grove. He was pleased with the outpouring of support last weekend.
”Throughout the weekend, curious onlookers were stopping by and looking at what was being done,” CoBen recalled. “The same goes for cars driving by and honking their approval.”
He mentioned that Sunstate Equipment donated special machinery that compacted the dirt and noted that three Bobcats were operating at once.
2011年8月2日星期二
SafetyPuck a bright idea that keeps stranded drivers safe
SafetyPuck a bright idea that keeps stranded drivers safe
The new 9-in-1 SafetyPuck warning light ($39.95) fits in the palm of your hand and is shaped like a hockey puck. It has ridges and 16 LED lights inside of itself to provide you with a bunch of illumination patterns, including a flashing arrow.
The bright orange pucks are magnetic on one side. That's so you can attach them to your vehicle without harming it. Pucks also can be placed in the road to tell oncoming drivers you're there, so they can either help you or give you a wide berth. The puck runs on a charge for five to nine hours.
The lights flash or flicker and can go from pulsing to swirling. Our favorite on the test puck was the flashlight beam because it's bold and bright.
SafetyBright says in promotional materials that the puck can function from 20 degrees below zero to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It is sturdy. The company claimed the puck could be run over by a car and not be damaged, according to manufacturer test results. We did it on a lark and found the claim to be true. The puck survived being run over by a BMW 525i with flying colors.
The puck can also be taken onto boats because it floats. Although we only tested a sample puck on the road at night, it looks like it would be a great emergency beacon to have with you on a lake if you like to go boating.
The SafetyPuck comes with a rechargeable battery. It can be charged via a home electrical outlet or in a lighter adapter in vehicles.
The manufacturer is offering the SafetyPuck (SafetyBright.com) for a limited time for $37.95, with free shipping. SafetyBright's 9-in-1 SafetyPuck is a creative way to keep you or your wife and children safe, especially if you family drives at night and your car has been acting up lately. The price is right for peace of mind, if you need it.
The new 9-in-1 SafetyPuck warning light ($39.95) fits in the palm of your hand and is shaped like a hockey puck. It has ridges and 16 LED lights inside of itself to provide you with a bunch of illumination patterns, including a flashing arrow.
The bright orange pucks are magnetic on one side. That's so you can attach them to your vehicle without harming it. Pucks also can be placed in the road to tell oncoming drivers you're there, so they can either help you or give you a wide berth. The puck runs on a charge for five to nine hours.
The lights flash or flicker and can go from pulsing to swirling. Our favorite on the test puck was the flashlight beam because it's bold and bright.
SafetyBright says in promotional materials that the puck can function from 20 degrees below zero to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It is sturdy. The company claimed the puck could be run over by a car and not be damaged, according to manufacturer test results. We did it on a lark and found the claim to be true. The puck survived being run over by a BMW 525i with flying colors.
The puck can also be taken onto boats because it floats. Although we only tested a sample puck on the road at night, it looks like it would be a great emergency beacon to have with you on a lake if you like to go boating.
The SafetyPuck comes with a rechargeable battery. It can be charged via a home electrical outlet or in a lighter adapter in vehicles.
The manufacturer is offering the SafetyPuck (SafetyBright.com) for a limited time for $37.95, with free shipping. SafetyBright's 9-in-1 SafetyPuck is a creative way to keep you or your wife and children safe, especially if you family drives at night and your car has been acting up lately. The price is right for peace of mind, if you need it.
Bicycle Safety: What You Need to Know
Biking in traffic isn't as treacherous as it might seem. Cyclists rarely get mowed down by motorists from behind -- a common fear -- and in fact, most accidents don't involve motor vehicles at all.
The more common threats are often found where you might least expect them: on car-free paths filled with distracted pedestrians, dog walkers, in-line skaters and cyclists with varying skill levels.
Still, when bike riders do collide with a car, it's often serious. In 2009, 630 U.S. cyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles, according to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) (bicyclinginfo.org). Meanwhile, more than 500,000 cycling accidents result in a trip to the emergency room each year.
Common sense is your best defense when riding the roads:
Don't ride drunk. One-third of all cycling fatalities involved a legally intoxicated cyclist, according to cycling attorney and cyclist Bob Mionske.
Ride with traffic -- never against it -- as close as possible to the right.
Don't ride with headphones. Hearing the "click" of a car door could save you.
If you're still feeling anxious but want to reap the benefits of an efficient, inexpensive and healthy mode of transportation, here are some ways to reduce your risk of an accident:
The more common threats are often found where you might least expect them: on car-free paths filled with distracted pedestrians, dog walkers, in-line skaters and cyclists with varying skill levels.
Still, when bike riders do collide with a car, it's often serious. In 2009, 630 U.S. cyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles, according to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) (bicyclinginfo.org). Meanwhile, more than 500,000 cycling accidents result in a trip to the emergency room each year.
Common sense is your best defense when riding the roads:
Don't ride drunk. One-third of all cycling fatalities involved a legally intoxicated cyclist, according to cycling attorney and cyclist Bob Mionske.
Ride with traffic -- never against it -- as close as possible to the right.
Don't ride with headphones. Hearing the "click" of a car door could save you.
If you're still feeling anxious but want to reap the benefits of an efficient, inexpensive and healthy mode of transportation, here are some ways to reduce your risk of an accident:
2011年7月27日星期三
Wednesday's Sentinel police log
? Crystal Grillo, 25, of Mt. Holly Springs was cited with disorderly conduct and harassment after police said she yelled at a woman and poured a drink on her at a home improvement store in the 1000 block of South Hanover Street at 11:45 a.m. June 25.
Police said Grillo accused the woman of stealing her ex-boyfriend.
? Cap blocks were knocked off the top of a block wall that goes around the front of a property in the 900 block of North Pitt Street between 11 a.m. July 16 and 2:30 p.m. July 23.
The property is rented, and the current tenants were out of town.
The estimated cost of repairs is $600.
? Scott Shover, 53, no fixed address, was charged with public drunkenness July 26.
Police received a report that Shover had fallen near the intersection of East Mulberry Avenue and North East Street at 8:52 p.m. July 23. When police arrived, he was sitting on the curb.
Emergency crews cleared Shover medically before police took him to the police station and kept him in a holding cell until he was sober.
Shover was also charged with public drunkenness on July 21 for a July 19 incident.
State police at Carlisle (249-2121)
? Sarah A. Fry, 78, of Carlisle suffered minor injuries when her 2003 Chevy Venture crashed into a tree near the intersection of Route 641 and Carlton Avenue in South Middleton Township at 4:45 p.m. July 24.
Fry was traveling on Route 641 and began to turn right onto Carlton Avenue when she became distracted.
Police said Fry continued to turn the vehicle and it went off the west side of the road and hit the tree.
The Venture had to be towed.
? Lloyd Alton Rowe, 55, of Newville was charged with public drunkenness after police said he was seen walking in the eastbound lane of Roxbury Road in Upper Mifflin Township while intoxicated at 8:40 p.m. July 23.
? An unknown vehicle tried to pass a 2000 Ford Focus on the shoulder of Interstate 81 in South Middleton Township and hit its front bumper at 10:14 p.m. July 23.
The Focus was traveling in the right southbound lane near mile marker 47 when the other vehicle tried to pass it.
The Focus sustained minor scrapes to its front bumper from the contact.
The driver of the other vehicle did not stop to leave information.
No one was injured.
Police said Grillo accused the woman of stealing her ex-boyfriend.
? Cap blocks were knocked off the top of a block wall that goes around the front of a property in the 900 block of North Pitt Street between 11 a.m. July 16 and 2:30 p.m. July 23.
The property is rented, and the current tenants were out of town.
The estimated cost of repairs is $600.
? Scott Shover, 53, no fixed address, was charged with public drunkenness July 26.
Police received a report that Shover had fallen near the intersection of East Mulberry Avenue and North East Street at 8:52 p.m. July 23. When police arrived, he was sitting on the curb.
Emergency crews cleared Shover medically before police took him to the police station and kept him in a holding cell until he was sober.
Shover was also charged with public drunkenness on July 21 for a July 19 incident.
State police at Carlisle (249-2121)
? Sarah A. Fry, 78, of Carlisle suffered minor injuries when her 2003 Chevy Venture crashed into a tree near the intersection of Route 641 and Carlton Avenue in South Middleton Township at 4:45 p.m. July 24.
Fry was traveling on Route 641 and began to turn right onto Carlton Avenue when she became distracted.
Police said Fry continued to turn the vehicle and it went off the west side of the road and hit the tree.
The Venture had to be towed.
? Lloyd Alton Rowe, 55, of Newville was charged with public drunkenness after police said he was seen walking in the eastbound lane of Roxbury Road in Upper Mifflin Township while intoxicated at 8:40 p.m. July 23.
? An unknown vehicle tried to pass a 2000 Ford Focus on the shoulder of Interstate 81 in South Middleton Township and hit its front bumper at 10:14 p.m. July 23.
The Focus was traveling in the right southbound lane near mile marker 47 when the other vehicle tried to pass it.
The Focus sustained minor scrapes to its front bumper from the contact.
The driver of the other vehicle did not stop to leave information.
No one was injured.
Crime Time: Robbery, Car Break-in, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
A Shorewood woman jogging on the Oak Leaf Trail about 5:45 p.m. Thursday was stopped by two men who tried to grab an Apple iPhone strapped to the jogger's arm.
The men, ages 51 and 64 and both from Milwaukee, fled emptyhanded after the woman screamed. The men fled on bicycles northbound on the bike path. Police caught up with them a short time later, at Culvers, 1325 E. Capitol Dr.
Also in the police report:
* A resident in the 4100 block of North Farwell Avenue made a citizen’s arrest Thursday after observing a 17-year-old Milwaukee boy who looked suspicious, in light of a recent burglary. A search of a police database revealed the teen had a warrant for this arrest through the Milwaukee County Sherriff’s Department. Police later found a colored pipe, which the Milwaukee teen said he used to smoke marijuana, police say.
* A Port Washington woman came into the Shorewood police station Thursday to report a stolen credit card and $23 in cash from her unlocked car. The vehicle was parked in the 2600 block of East Jarvis Street at the time.
* After a 20-year-old Milwaukee woman attempted to pay for $338 in groceries from Pick ‘n Save, 4145 N. Oakland Ave., with a closed checking account, her friend, a 20-year-old Milwaukee man, walked out with two cartons of cigarettes on Sunday, police say. Police later found the two driving on North Pierce Street on Milwaukee’s east side. The Milwaukee man was arrested for retail theft.
* While police were clearing empty beer cans from privately-owned lakefront Monday, a red pickup parked on North Lake Drive with an open case of the same beer in the cab was observed. Police cited a 20-year-old Milwaukee man for underage drinking.
* A $500 Townie girl’s bicycle was reported stolen Sunday from the front of the Walgreens, 4081 N. Oakland Ave.
* Around $50 in cash was reported stolen Sunday from a cash box behind the counter of the Milwaukee Yoga Center, 3514 N. Oakland Ave.
The men, ages 51 and 64 and both from Milwaukee, fled emptyhanded after the woman screamed. The men fled on bicycles northbound on the bike path. Police caught up with them a short time later, at Culvers, 1325 E. Capitol Dr.
Also in the police report:
* A resident in the 4100 block of North Farwell Avenue made a citizen’s arrest Thursday after observing a 17-year-old Milwaukee boy who looked suspicious, in light of a recent burglary. A search of a police database revealed the teen had a warrant for this arrest through the Milwaukee County Sherriff’s Department. Police later found a colored pipe, which the Milwaukee teen said he used to smoke marijuana, police say.
* A Port Washington woman came into the Shorewood police station Thursday to report a stolen credit card and $23 in cash from her unlocked car. The vehicle was parked in the 2600 block of East Jarvis Street at the time.
* After a 20-year-old Milwaukee woman attempted to pay for $338 in groceries from Pick ‘n Save, 4145 N. Oakland Ave., with a closed checking account, her friend, a 20-year-old Milwaukee man, walked out with two cartons of cigarettes on Sunday, police say. Police later found the two driving on North Pierce Street on Milwaukee’s east side. The Milwaukee man was arrested for retail theft.
* While police were clearing empty beer cans from privately-owned lakefront Monday, a red pickup parked on North Lake Drive with an open case of the same beer in the cab was observed. Police cited a 20-year-old Milwaukee man for underage drinking.
* A $500 Townie girl’s bicycle was reported stolen Sunday from the front of the Walgreens, 4081 N. Oakland Ave.
* Around $50 in cash was reported stolen Sunday from a cash box behind the counter of the Milwaukee Yoga Center, 3514 N. Oakland Ave.
2011年7月18日星期一
True Blood 'Im Alive and On Fire' Season4 Episode4
Who would win in the battle for the death: The actual dirty, old toy that's haunting Hoyt in addition to Jessica or even the Marie Osmond Adora Belle Freida Fright Doll that Tommy and Maxine were finding out about on that shopping siphon?
Joking out, is there a connection between your old doll that Hoyt in addition to Jessica can't seem to get rid of, and Mrs. Fortenberry's fixation at dolls? Actually, as a great deal as your woman dislikes Jessica, something informs me the woman's not bright enough to engage in the kind of psychological warfare that consists of repeatedly forcing an old doll for a person. So we'll abandon that puzzle as unsolved at the moment. In the actual meantime, the creepy doll was given as a gift to Arleen's fresh baby, who took for the thing alternatively well and has nonetheless to pull its mind off.
Moving forward to far more pressing matters…
I realize I'm any vampire, Snookie!
Eric understands he's some sort of vampire and she has a vague memory regarding being mentally invaded in addition to emptied with a coven involving witches. Besides that, he's some sort of blank state. Sookie's in the deal of trying to figure out what related to him which is letting your ex boyfriend stay on her/his residence.
This point with Eric is just a good set-up for the romantic romance between your ex and Sookie. There's excessive bad bloodstream between Sookie and Eric for any two to jump proper believable romance together. It wouldn't help make sense regarding her to help suddenly forget about that the girl hates your ex and tumble for him or her over night time. But Eric's kind of like any lost doggy, now. Exactly what makes him or her sneaky in addition to evil is definitely gone. While he's clearly taken an curiosity about Sookie's perfume, I'm thinking at some time Sookie's about to stop thinking about him as being the evil Eric that's been trying to get her bloodstream and as a possible romantic solution. Eric being lower than the Eric she's half-despised/half-desired makes him a viable option for any new vampire boyfriend, if just temporarily.
Killing Sookie's fairy godmother could possibly throw any wrench in this idea however. When Claudette showed as much as try to help lure Sookie out, taking credit internet promotion behind-the-scenes into a of Sookie's near-death activities, Eric pounced at her as well as drank your girlfriend dry. Considering Sookie were being in the process of telling Claudette to have lost, I'm contemplating she could possibly find the idea in their self to forgive Eric to get his very little slip-up.
Pam's determined ascertain a route to get Eric backside. She crossed a range when your woman threatened Sookie even though, prompting Eric to throw her surrounding the room in addition to inspire any laugh-worthy second as Pam acquired up as well as returned to stay the conversation inside a much politer strengthen. Amnesia or even not, Eric's still her manufacturer and this individual still phone calls the photos.
Business-Friend Together with Benefits
I favor King Costs. He's considerably less broody and in certain ways, far more friendly, despite required to occasionally fit vampires to death.
A part of Bill's career as Queen of Louisianna is dealing with the problems caused by other vampires. I remember a period of time when your dog was on the other side of your table and, after eliminating a vampire, he had been forced in making a new vampire (Jessica). A death for any death seemed as a fair penalty back then. Bill's solution to law enforcement is usually much harsher. 2 video of your vampire feeding with a human manufactured its approach onto Facebook, Bill sentenced that vampire to help death. Perhaps inside a post-Russell planet, he would've gotten a slap for the wrist. Loss of fangs for a time might've straightened which vampire available, but using the PR troubles occurring, harsher measures need to be taken.
Bill took time out from judgment the state to provide Jessica advice when she admitted to feeding at another people. He urged your girlfriend to concede what your woman did to Hoyt. Jessica required the guidance, but whenever Hoyt got upset, your woman glamoured your ex to undo the confession.
The past we spotted of Bill, he appeared to be bedding Portia, their business close friend who offered a causal, sexual relationship. Strangely enough enough, Bill declined to take advantage of her whilst he was sex with your girlfriend. Perhaps that's too finer for him or her, or possibly he just has no fascination with her continue. He likewise said chiseled out that there seems to be no means he can love the woman. "One needs a young heart to take the start that appreciate requires among us. And my heart, like some other part regarding me, is not anymore young. "
Is usually he telling he never loved Sookie? I don't assume. I assume he have and I believe he nonetheless does.
Joking out, is there a connection between your old doll that Hoyt in addition to Jessica can't seem to get rid of, and Mrs. Fortenberry's fixation at dolls? Actually, as a great deal as your woman dislikes Jessica, something informs me the woman's not bright enough to engage in the kind of psychological warfare that consists of repeatedly forcing an old doll for a person. So we'll abandon that puzzle as unsolved at the moment. In the actual meantime, the creepy doll was given as a gift to Arleen's fresh baby, who took for the thing alternatively well and has nonetheless to pull its mind off.
Moving forward to far more pressing matters…
I realize I'm any vampire, Snookie!
Eric understands he's some sort of vampire and she has a vague memory regarding being mentally invaded in addition to emptied with a coven involving witches. Besides that, he's some sort of blank state. Sookie's in the deal of trying to figure out what related to him which is letting your ex boyfriend stay on her/his residence.
This point with Eric is just a good set-up for the romantic romance between your ex and Sookie. There's excessive bad bloodstream between Sookie and Eric for any two to jump proper believable romance together. It wouldn't help make sense regarding her to help suddenly forget about that the girl hates your ex and tumble for him or her over night time. But Eric's kind of like any lost doggy, now. Exactly what makes him or her sneaky in addition to evil is definitely gone. While he's clearly taken an curiosity about Sookie's perfume, I'm thinking at some time Sookie's about to stop thinking about him as being the evil Eric that's been trying to get her bloodstream and as a possible romantic solution. Eric being lower than the Eric she's half-despised/half-desired makes him a viable option for any new vampire boyfriend, if just temporarily.
Killing Sookie's fairy godmother could possibly throw any wrench in this idea however. When Claudette showed as much as try to help lure Sookie out, taking credit internet promotion behind-the-scenes into a of Sookie's near-death activities, Eric pounced at her as well as drank your girlfriend dry. Considering Sookie were being in the process of telling Claudette to have lost, I'm contemplating she could possibly find the idea in their self to forgive Eric to get his very little slip-up.
Pam's determined ascertain a route to get Eric backside. She crossed a range when your woman threatened Sookie even though, prompting Eric to throw her surrounding the room in addition to inspire any laugh-worthy second as Pam acquired up as well as returned to stay the conversation inside a much politer strengthen. Amnesia or even not, Eric's still her manufacturer and this individual still phone calls the photos.
Business-Friend Together with Benefits
I favor King Costs. He's considerably less broody and in certain ways, far more friendly, despite required to occasionally fit vampires to death.
A part of Bill's career as Queen of Louisianna is dealing with the problems caused by other vampires. I remember a period of time when your dog was on the other side of your table and, after eliminating a vampire, he had been forced in making a new vampire (Jessica). A death for any death seemed as a fair penalty back then. Bill's solution to law enforcement is usually much harsher. 2 video of your vampire feeding with a human manufactured its approach onto Facebook, Bill sentenced that vampire to help death. Perhaps inside a post-Russell planet, he would've gotten a slap for the wrist. Loss of fangs for a time might've straightened which vampire available, but using the PR troubles occurring, harsher measures need to be taken.
Bill took time out from judgment the state to provide Jessica advice when she admitted to feeding at another people. He urged your girlfriend to concede what your woman did to Hoyt. Jessica required the guidance, but whenever Hoyt got upset, your woman glamoured your ex to undo the confession.
The past we spotted of Bill, he appeared to be bedding Portia, their business close friend who offered a causal, sexual relationship. Strangely enough enough, Bill declined to take advantage of her whilst he was sex with your girlfriend. Perhaps that's too finer for him or her, or possibly he just has no fascination with her continue. He likewise said chiseled out that there seems to be no means he can love the woman. "One needs a young heart to take the start that appreciate requires among us. And my heart, like some other part regarding me, is not anymore young. "
Is usually he telling he never loved Sookie? I don't assume. I assume he have and I believe he nonetheless does.
Serious Witch
Marnie wasn't knowledgeable that your woman gave Eric amnesia. All your woman knew appeared to be that the girl was used for the conduit with regard to something in addition to she desires another quality. When she was on your own, she minimize her wrist numerous times, offering your girlfriend blood as a sacrifice in exchange for a lot more power. The actual begging didn't work, but your woman didn't view the mysterious-looking person sitting inside the room by using her. I'm thinking she'll possibly be getting your girlfriend wish in no time, though your woman might must pay for the idea with a lot more than just a couple drops associated with blood.
Lafayette's justifiably uneasy over exactly what might happen to your ex boyfriend, Jesus as well as Tara in the event that Eric becomes a hold of them. Lafayette's been to the receiving ending of Eric's wrath in addition to he wants nothing related to whatever abuse Marnie obtains for exactly what she did for the vampire. When he or she tries to locate Eric to help sort the relationship out, Pam virtually kills him or her, but is actually stopped simply by Tara in addition to Jesus. It seems like they're all for the same internet page in trying to smooth this specific situation over and obtain Eric returning to normal in the event it usually means none analysts dying in the deal.
Ghost The father
Jason's in the process of being turned into a werepanther or perhaps what Crystal's people are calling your "Ghost The father, " which can be part with their legends. Following being drugged together with Mexican Viagra, Crystal got her approach with your ex boyfriend while your girlfriend whole family watched in addition to Jason screamed in her in which she wasn't worth every one of the trouble she's brought about him.
With other announcement
Tommy's gonna sell Mrs. Fortenberry's house to some man looking to optain the propane lease rights. He described the swindle to their brother nonetheless Sam result it along, telling him or her he better tell Hoyt's new mother what this individual was as much as. Something tells me Hoyt isn't gonna do in which.
Lafayette's justifiably uneasy over exactly what might happen to your ex boyfriend, Jesus as well as Tara in the event that Eric becomes a hold of them. Lafayette's been to the receiving ending of Eric's wrath in addition to he wants nothing related to whatever abuse Marnie obtains for exactly what she did for the vampire. When he or she tries to locate Eric to help sort the relationship out, Pam virtually kills him or her, but is actually stopped simply by Tara in addition to Jesus. It seems like they're all for the same internet page in trying to smooth this specific situation over and obtain Eric returning to normal in the event it usually means none analysts dying in the deal.
Ghost The father
Jason's in the process of being turned into a werepanther or perhaps what Crystal's people are calling your "Ghost The father, " which can be part with their legends. Following being drugged together with Mexican Viagra, Crystal got her approach with your ex boyfriend while your girlfriend whole family watched in addition to Jason screamed in her in which she wasn't worth every one of the trouble she's brought about him.
With other announcement
Tommy's gonna sell Mrs. Fortenberry's house to some man looking to optain the propane lease rights. He described the swindle to their brother nonetheless Sam result it along, telling him or her he better tell Hoyt's new mother what this individual was as much as. Something tells me Hoyt isn't gonna do in which.
2011年7月15日星期五
Cyclist killed by car while riding on A34
A “NATURAL roamer” who travelled the country on his bicycle was hit by a car and killed on the A34.
Motorists were shocked to see Alistair Bettis pedalling along the southbound carriageway near Pear Tree in the dark, an inquest heard yesterday.
Witnesses said they struggled to make out the 59-year-old as he cycled on the edge of the slow lane in the dark, although one driver said he may have been carrying a red LED bike light.
Nicola Gibson, who was travelling south on the dual carriageway having left work in Summertown, told Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas Gardiner she had no time to react after the cyclist veered into the inside lane.
The motorist, who was travelling well below the speed limit, struck Mr Bettis as he was 1.7 metres inside the carriageway, crash investigator Andrew Evans said.
Ms Gibson, who was exonerated by Mr Gardiner, said: “About a second before the impact I could see him. (It was) not until my dipped headlights saw the back of his tyre, and I just put the emergency brakes on.
“He seemed like he was right in front of the passenger side.”
The incident took place at about 7.15pm on November 30. The cyclist, of no fixed address, died of multiple injuries.
Mr Bettis’ brother George said: “He was a natural roamer.”
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.
Motorists were shocked to see Alistair Bettis pedalling along the southbound carriageway near Pear Tree in the dark, an inquest heard yesterday.
Witnesses said they struggled to make out the 59-year-old as he cycled on the edge of the slow lane in the dark, although one driver said he may have been carrying a red LED bike light.
Nicola Gibson, who was travelling south on the dual carriageway having left work in Summertown, told Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas Gardiner she had no time to react after the cyclist veered into the inside lane.
The motorist, who was travelling well below the speed limit, struck Mr Bettis as he was 1.7 metres inside the carriageway, crash investigator Andrew Evans said.
Ms Gibson, who was exonerated by Mr Gardiner, said: “About a second before the impact I could see him. (It was) not until my dipped headlights saw the back of his tyre, and I just put the emergency brakes on.
“He seemed like he was right in front of the passenger side.”
The incident took place at about 7.15pm on November 30. The cyclist, of no fixed address, died of multiple injuries.
Mr Bettis’ brother George said: “He was a natural roamer.”
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.
Newspaper articles are commenting on the euphoria
Newspaper articles are commenting on the euphoria that Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York is experiencing with the passing of that state’s homosexual marriage law.
In one article, a writer asked Cuomo about his opposition to the Catholic Church’s teachings on same-sex marriage, and he joked, “Throughout my entire political life the tension with the church has come up time and time again.” Gov. Cuomo, a Catholic, always has demonstrated his disregard for the teaching of the church when voting on important moral issues.
In fact, any real grassroots effort by the so-called “conservative politicians” in New York to kill the bill apparently was neutralized by Cuomo and his political thugs with promises of money and other perks. This aggressive move by Cuomo and other supporters of the bill was even recognized by the liberal New York Times, which clearly campaigned for the law’s approval. On June 25, under the headline “Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces,” Michael Barbaro wrote a long and detailed analysis on how the approval of same-sex marriage was made possible. He explains the role played by millionaire contributors to the Republican Party who supported the law, and the intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the political parties that worked together to derail any legitimate opposition to the bill.
This explains why with polls showing 59 percent of New Yorkers against “same-sex marriage,” it still managed to pass. When voting on this important moral issue, these Catholic conservative politicians denied the principle of morality that “good must be done, and evil must be avoided.” This became even more evident since the “key vote” that enabled the law’s approval was that of a Catholic senator, Mark Grisanti.
Maureen Dowd commented in one of her columns that Gov. Cuomo has had a picture of “St. Thomas More” hanging on the wall of his office. What a contradiction!
For those who don’t know St. Thomas More as the “Lord Chancellor of England” during the reign of King Henry the VIII, he publicly defended the teachings of the Catholic Church by firmly opposing the king’s designs in regard to divorce and papal supremacy; for this, the king sentenced him to death.
In one article, a writer asked Cuomo about his opposition to the Catholic Church’s teachings on same-sex marriage, and he joked, “Throughout my entire political life the tension with the church has come up time and time again.” Gov. Cuomo, a Catholic, always has demonstrated his disregard for the teaching of the church when voting on important moral issues.
In fact, any real grassroots effort by the so-called “conservative politicians” in New York to kill the bill apparently was neutralized by Cuomo and his political thugs with promises of money and other perks. This aggressive move by Cuomo and other supporters of the bill was even recognized by the liberal New York Times, which clearly campaigned for the law’s approval. On June 25, under the headline “Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces,” Michael Barbaro wrote a long and detailed analysis on how the approval of same-sex marriage was made possible. He explains the role played by millionaire contributors to the Republican Party who supported the law, and the intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the political parties that worked together to derail any legitimate opposition to the bill.
This explains why with polls showing 59 percent of New Yorkers against “same-sex marriage,” it still managed to pass. When voting on this important moral issue, these Catholic conservative politicians denied the principle of morality that “good must be done, and evil must be avoided.” This became even more evident since the “key vote” that enabled the law’s approval was that of a Catholic senator, Mark Grisanti.
Maureen Dowd commented in one of her columns that Gov. Cuomo has had a picture of “St. Thomas More” hanging on the wall of his office. What a contradiction!
For those who don’t know St. Thomas More as the “Lord Chancellor of England” during the reign of King Henry the VIII, he publicly defended the teachings of the Catholic Church by firmly opposing the king’s designs in regard to divorce and papal supremacy; for this, the king sentenced him to death.
French race can’t beat Tour de Howard
In the spirit of the Tour de France bicycle race, I arose early Sunday morning and rode my own Tour de Howard Gnesen. Almost all of us who ride identify in some small way with the world’s most prestigious cycling event going on now in France.
The Tour de Howard Gnesen is somewhat less challenging, at least the stage that runs north from Homecroft School to the turnaround at Normanna Road and back.
My chances looked good Sunday. I saw no other riders, which is often the case when I ride the Tour de Howard.
The Tour de Howard takes a rider through the quiet Minnesota countryside, past tidy yards, rural daycare centers and the occasional antique tractor. A sign at the end of one drive says, “Farm Fresh Eggs, $3.00.”
I am free to observe all of this because, unlike Tour de France riders, I am not bothered by a hundred other riders traveling wheel to wheel and handlebar to handlebar.
The only sound I hear is that of air passing through the nubby tires of my 10-year-old mountain bike. On the downhills, the air passing over those nubs makes a singing sound and provides the illusion of speed.
When one is leading a stage of the Tour de Howard, as I was on Sunday, he faces the inevitable questions about drugs. And unlike many Tour de France riders, I think it’s best to be up front about it. Yes, I use drugs. Every day, I throw down some high-blood-pressure medication and an aspirin. There. It’s out there. Run that in your French tabloids. I have nothing to hide.
Beyond drugs, the Tour de Howard has other similarities to the Tour de France. The northern Minnesota countryside is flush with the violet shafts of lupine. Those fields of lavender in the region of Provence, France, have nothing on us. Also, there were two dead bunny rabbits along the road, which must happen occasionally in the Tour de France.
Unlike the Tour de France, however, crowds were light on this early Sunday stage of the Tour de Howard. I saw one sweat-soaked runner and an older guy going to the mailbox for his newspaper. They did not seem caught up in the Tour de Howard. Perhaps their cheers were drowned out by the sound of the nubbins on my tires.
At the turn-around, I took a hit from my water bottle. It would be nice to have a sponsor’s vehicle pull alongside and hand me my high-powered feed. But then, I have no sponsors.
Then it was back to the relentless grind, the insane climbs and the flirting-with-death descents that make the Tour de Howard the spectacle it is. I cranked up the final climb to my home and wilted in the saddle.
The yellow dog, lying in her kennel, raised her head as if to say, “Did you go somewhere?”
I’ve grown accustomed to that kind of adulation as leader of the Tour de Howard.
SAM COOK is a Duluth News Tribune columnist and outdoors writer. Reach him at (218) 723-5332 or scook@duluthnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at “samcookoutdoors.”
The Tour de Howard Gnesen is somewhat less challenging, at least the stage that runs north from Homecroft School to the turnaround at Normanna Road and back.
My chances looked good Sunday. I saw no other riders, which is often the case when I ride the Tour de Howard.
The Tour de Howard takes a rider through the quiet Minnesota countryside, past tidy yards, rural daycare centers and the occasional antique tractor. A sign at the end of one drive says, “Farm Fresh Eggs, $3.00.”
I am free to observe all of this because, unlike Tour de France riders, I am not bothered by a hundred other riders traveling wheel to wheel and handlebar to handlebar.
The only sound I hear is that of air passing through the nubby tires of my 10-year-old mountain bike. On the downhills, the air passing over those nubs makes a singing sound and provides the illusion of speed.
When one is leading a stage of the Tour de Howard, as I was on Sunday, he faces the inevitable questions about drugs. And unlike many Tour de France riders, I think it’s best to be up front about it. Yes, I use drugs. Every day, I throw down some high-blood-pressure medication and an aspirin. There. It’s out there. Run that in your French tabloids. I have nothing to hide.
Beyond drugs, the Tour de Howard has other similarities to the Tour de France. The northern Minnesota countryside is flush with the violet shafts of lupine. Those fields of lavender in the region of Provence, France, have nothing on us. Also, there were two dead bunny rabbits along the road, which must happen occasionally in the Tour de France.
Unlike the Tour de France, however, crowds were light on this early Sunday stage of the Tour de Howard. I saw one sweat-soaked runner and an older guy going to the mailbox for his newspaper. They did not seem caught up in the Tour de Howard. Perhaps their cheers were drowned out by the sound of the nubbins on my tires.
At the turn-around, I took a hit from my water bottle. It would be nice to have a sponsor’s vehicle pull alongside and hand me my high-powered feed. But then, I have no sponsors.
Then it was back to the relentless grind, the insane climbs and the flirting-with-death descents that make the Tour de Howard the spectacle it is. I cranked up the final climb to my home and wilted in the saddle.
The yellow dog, lying in her kennel, raised her head as if to say, “Did you go somewhere?”
I’ve grown accustomed to that kind of adulation as leader of the Tour de Howard.
SAM COOK is a Duluth News Tribune columnist and outdoors writer. Reach him at (218) 723-5332 or scook@duluthnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at “samcookoutdoors.”
2011年7月12日星期二
2011 Star Stratoliner Deluxe Comparison
Since the debut of the Roadliner in 2006, Star has made the most of the Art Deco platform by expanding the ‘Liner family to the Stratoliner, Stratoliner S, and in 2010 jumping into the bagger game with the Stratoliner Deluxe. Using the same basic frame and engine, the Deluxe gets the basic bagger treatment with a fork-mounted fairing and matching hard bags. However, some of the luxury features such as cruise control were left out of the mix. Could the Star’s massive engine make up for its lack of creature comforts in this showdown?
A very stout 1854cc, pushrod V-Twin propels the Stratoliner and is hands down the performer in this shootout. Twist the right grip and you are immediately greeted with a surge of torque that outpaces the competition with a quickness. It’s not even really a fair fight as the undersquare engine destroyed the Kawasaki and Harley on the MotoUSA dyno with almost 20 more horsepower at 86.79 hp at 4400 rpm. And the hits just kept coming with a 111.21 lb-ft of torque at 2300 rpm, besting the other baggers by 25 lb-ft.
“When it came time to dial in some power the Star was the bad-boy. It feels like a Twin and accelerates like a big-bore,” says our Editorial Director Ken Hutchison. “No surprise as it’s the biggest engine in the bunch and as they say – there’s no replacement for displacement. In our roll-on tests in the real world, the Star didn’t feel like it had the most bottom end, but it came on like gangbusters and dusted the other bikes every time.”
Our straight-line testing backs up Hutch’s assessment with a 0-60 mph time that was over a second quicker than the Vaquero at 4.60 seconds. The Stratoliner Deluxe accelerated through the quarter mile in a time of 13.85 seconds with a speed of 98.17 mph. Very impressive considering the Star also recorded the best fuel economy of 44.1 mpg, however the smallest tank of 4.5 gallons shortens the range to the worst of the trio at just shy of 200 miles.
With that much motor, the brakes had better be solid to haul the 811-pound bagger back down to earth after you get a little happy with the right wrist. The dual 298mm front rotors mated with monoblock calipers deliver great feel, though modulation could stand to be a bit stronger. At the rear the 320mm disc brake locks up easily making pulling out a consistent number in the 60-0 mph braking test problematic. The best number we could achieve was 141.55 feet with just a slight chirp from the rear tire, besting the Vaquero by a couple of feet but still 13 feet further than the ABS-equipped Harley.
A very stout 1854cc, pushrod V-Twin propels the Stratoliner and is hands down the performer in this shootout. Twist the right grip and you are immediately greeted with a surge of torque that outpaces the competition with a quickness. It’s not even really a fair fight as the undersquare engine destroyed the Kawasaki and Harley on the MotoUSA dyno with almost 20 more horsepower at 86.79 hp at 4400 rpm. And the hits just kept coming with a 111.21 lb-ft of torque at 2300 rpm, besting the other baggers by 25 lb-ft.
“When it came time to dial in some power the Star was the bad-boy. It feels like a Twin and accelerates like a big-bore,” says our Editorial Director Ken Hutchison. “No surprise as it’s the biggest engine in the bunch and as they say – there’s no replacement for displacement. In our roll-on tests in the real world, the Star didn’t feel like it had the most bottom end, but it came on like gangbusters and dusted the other bikes every time.”
Our straight-line testing backs up Hutch’s assessment with a 0-60 mph time that was over a second quicker than the Vaquero at 4.60 seconds. The Stratoliner Deluxe accelerated through the quarter mile in a time of 13.85 seconds with a speed of 98.17 mph. Very impressive considering the Star also recorded the best fuel economy of 44.1 mpg, however the smallest tank of 4.5 gallons shortens the range to the worst of the trio at just shy of 200 miles.
With that much motor, the brakes had better be solid to haul the 811-pound bagger back down to earth after you get a little happy with the right wrist. The dual 298mm front rotors mated with monoblock calipers deliver great feel, though modulation could stand to be a bit stronger. At the rear the 320mm disc brake locks up easily making pulling out a consistent number in the 60-0 mph braking test problematic. The best number we could achieve was 141.55 feet with just a slight chirp from the rear tire, besting the Vaquero by a couple of feet but still 13 feet further than the ABS-equipped Harley.
Outdoors with Jim Collins: Bike glow safety light
One of the most fun things that Linda and I enjoy is riding our trail bikes. Often we ride around our little Alba Borough in between trips. Safety is the number one priority since a cyclist has no protection other than a helmet if hit by any type of vehicle.
Bike Glow Safety Light gives one much needed protection when riding during the low light hours of early morning or near dusk in the evening. According to Bicyclesafe.com, high visibility from the side is critical for safe cycling in low-light conditions because the most common vehicle-to-bicycle collision scenario is a vehicle hitting a cyclist from the right or left side perpendicular to the bicycle.
The Bike Glow Safety Light is a completely waterproof, battery operated, light system that is wrapped around the frame of a bicycle. Unlike pedal reflectors that can only be seen when a vehicle is directly behind or traveling directly toward a bicycle rider, the Bike Glow illuminates a bike so brightly that it can be seen from any direction at greater distances.
Bike Glow Safety Light is a ten-foot flexible light tube that uses electroluminescent technology and bright colors for increased visibility from the side. The flexible tube provides multiple points of visibility for cyclists from all angles, and the new waterproof unit can be used in any weather condition.
Bike Glow is easily installed on a bicycle by wrapping the light around the frame and securing it in place with the accompanying attachment ties. The battery unit is attached with a secure Velcro strap either under the seat, on the side of the frame or even the handlebars depending on user preference. The lights can be set for constant illumination, slow flashing or fast flashing modes depending on user preference.
Bike Glow is powered by 2-AA batteries in the power unit. One set of batteries provide Bike Glow Safety Light users with 120 hours of protection when set to a flashing mode, and 50 hours when set for constant illumination. The entire system weighs only 2 ounces. This product is adaptable to any size bicycle, including children's size bikes
This product is brand new and I have not found it in two local bike shops yet, but as a courtesy I have contacted both shops and given them the information. The product sells for $24.95 and comes in a variety of colors. You can get this unit by going online at http://www.bikeglow.com/. One can never be too visible on a bike.
Bike Glow Safety Light gives one much needed protection when riding during the low light hours of early morning or near dusk in the evening. According to Bicyclesafe.com, high visibility from the side is critical for safe cycling in low-light conditions because the most common vehicle-to-bicycle collision scenario is a vehicle hitting a cyclist from the right or left side perpendicular to the bicycle.
The Bike Glow Safety Light is a completely waterproof, battery operated, light system that is wrapped around the frame of a bicycle. Unlike pedal reflectors that can only be seen when a vehicle is directly behind or traveling directly toward a bicycle rider, the Bike Glow illuminates a bike so brightly that it can be seen from any direction at greater distances.
Bike Glow Safety Light is a ten-foot flexible light tube that uses electroluminescent technology and bright colors for increased visibility from the side. The flexible tube provides multiple points of visibility for cyclists from all angles, and the new waterproof unit can be used in any weather condition.
Bike Glow is easily installed on a bicycle by wrapping the light around the frame and securing it in place with the accompanying attachment ties. The battery unit is attached with a secure Velcro strap either under the seat, on the side of the frame or even the handlebars depending on user preference. The lights can be set for constant illumination, slow flashing or fast flashing modes depending on user preference.
Bike Glow is powered by 2-AA batteries in the power unit. One set of batteries provide Bike Glow Safety Light users with 120 hours of protection when set to a flashing mode, and 50 hours when set for constant illumination. The entire system weighs only 2 ounces. This product is adaptable to any size bicycle, including children's size bikes
This product is brand new and I have not found it in two local bike shops yet, but as a courtesy I have contacted both shops and given them the information. The product sells for $24.95 and comes in a variety of colors. You can get this unit by going online at http://www.bikeglow.com/. One can never be too visible on a bike.
2011年7月8日星期五
Respected technology experiences for new Audi A8L W12
"There is heaven, on Earth" is well-known poem, in this beautiful paradise to experience the whole new generation of Audi's latest flagship A8L W12, this is undoubtedly the best against the background of the surrounding scenery. Over the previous generation flagship model, the new 6.3L W12 FSI petrol engine, power, torque, 100 km speed and pollutant emissions, etc., have been greatly improved. What specifically is the performance, let us continue to back and see.
Audi A8L W12 Audi models in the family represents the flagship of the flagship, so in appearance, and 3.0T models have somewhat different. View of its front face, the most prominent is its unique full-LED headlamp group, although the shape and shade are no different from ordinary version of the model, but the teardrop shape of daytime running lights is more sharp than the 3.0T model , hem acute angle smaller, inward melodies of lights line the upper corner of headlights approaching from afar, this is more like two fangs of the beast, so that people who shudder at the front.
This is not the only group W12 model light changes, the original 3.0T models use multi-lens structure is replaced with LED lights sources, which not only represents the identity of the car's extraordinary conceit, is also to show off U.S. technology The best results to show to everyone without reservation.
W12 models grille arrogant, although the overall grid dimensions and low and consistent with the same model used within 8 banner chrome, but also in the network adds a layer of hollow interior decoration net, in front of their banner-style decoration of 8 are double-bone design, which makes the front W12 perspective from which to show off the past have always been brilliant. W12 badge inlaid with models placed in the low "quattro" position, compared to other parts of the front face significant changes in the W12 badge number is somewhat low-key and ordinary.
Fog will be spun off separately Audi has always been the way the recent generations, a new generation of Audi A8L is to retain its traditional position in the case be transferred to the group headlights, fog lights installed and the original area is the new Audi A8L ACC and Audi Pre sense of radar systems. Compared to the 3.0T model, top with the outer edge of W12 in the region increased the chrome trim, interior trim and two banners by the increase of three, the effect is to make the front more Yong Rong Huagui. But such a large area, are frequently added chrome trim, which adds a little visual repetition.
W12 body side front door in addition to an increase of W12 first badge, the biggest change comes as its exclusive 20-inch oversized wheels up. Size 265/40 R20 tires with 3 large-size bone five-spoke sport wheels, so that this generation of top models suddenly A8L adds a lot of vitality. In comparison, both models or 6.3L 3.0T models, the new generation Audi A8 wheels have abandoned the previous model of the generosity of the spoke design, which is easy to see, the designer of the Audi A8L younger vision is comprehensive.
Audi A8L W12 is basically retains the low end of the design with the version of the style, but will be ranked on both sides of the tail into the rear bumper of a vehicle to the rear looks more complete unified, of course, this approach at the same level Hao car has been commonplace.
Speaking of luxury cars, naturally can not just stop at the detail work, especially towards the rear passengers, interior courtesy is not large enough, large enough that this level models need to consider the issue.
Vehicle length 5267mm, width 1949mm, the new Audi A8L high 1460mm wheelbase 3122mm, wheelbase parameters even if this did not account for it before any competing products cheaper, but the rear head, shoulder, leg and foot space are the advantages of the new A8L, which the right of the "boss seat" even more so.
Is lying almost in the car, in the quiet enjoyment of the visual and auditory personalized services, reaching from the central armrest of the refrigerator after being wrapped round and round in the body of cold drinks, at this moment, the vehicle close to 40 degrees high temperature did not have any impact on you, you just need to taste the wine, so that one person's exclusive music surround you in the ear, to fully enjoy the mobile palace-like beautiful journey.
Audi A8L W12 Audi models in the family represents the flagship of the flagship, so in appearance, and 3.0T models have somewhat different. View of its front face, the most prominent is its unique full-LED headlamp group, although the shape and shade are no different from ordinary version of the model, but the teardrop shape of daytime running lights is more sharp than the 3.0T model , hem acute angle smaller, inward melodies of lights line the upper corner of headlights approaching from afar, this is more like two fangs of the beast, so that people who shudder at the front.
This is not the only group W12 model light changes, the original 3.0T models use multi-lens structure is replaced with LED lights sources, which not only represents the identity of the car's extraordinary conceit, is also to show off U.S. technology The best results to show to everyone without reservation.
W12 models grille arrogant, although the overall grid dimensions and low and consistent with the same model used within 8 banner chrome, but also in the network adds a layer of hollow interior decoration net, in front of their banner-style decoration of 8 are double-bone design, which makes the front W12 perspective from which to show off the past have always been brilliant. W12 badge inlaid with models placed in the low "quattro" position, compared to other parts of the front face significant changes in the W12 badge number is somewhat low-key and ordinary.
Fog will be spun off separately Audi has always been the way the recent generations, a new generation of Audi A8L is to retain its traditional position in the case be transferred to the group headlights, fog lights installed and the original area is the new Audi A8L ACC and Audi Pre sense of radar systems. Compared to the 3.0T model, top with the outer edge of W12 in the region increased the chrome trim, interior trim and two banners by the increase of three, the effect is to make the front more Yong Rong Huagui. But such a large area, are frequently added chrome trim, which adds a little visual repetition.
W12 body side front door in addition to an increase of W12 first badge, the biggest change comes as its exclusive 20-inch oversized wheels up. Size 265/40 R20 tires with 3 large-size bone five-spoke sport wheels, so that this generation of top models suddenly A8L adds a lot of vitality. In comparison, both models or 6.3L 3.0T models, the new generation Audi A8 wheels have abandoned the previous model of the generosity of the spoke design, which is easy to see, the designer of the Audi A8L younger vision is comprehensive.
Audi A8L W12 is basically retains the low end of the design with the version of the style, but will be ranked on both sides of the tail into the rear bumper of a vehicle to the rear looks more complete unified, of course, this approach at the same level Hao car has been commonplace.
Speaking of luxury cars, naturally can not just stop at the detail work, especially towards the rear passengers, interior courtesy is not large enough, large enough that this level models need to consider the issue.
Vehicle length 5267mm, width 1949mm, the new Audi A8L high 1460mm wheelbase 3122mm, wheelbase parameters even if this did not account for it before any competing products cheaper, but the rear head, shoulder, leg and foot space are the advantages of the new A8L, which the right of the "boss seat" even more so.
Is lying almost in the car, in the quiet enjoyment of the visual and auditory personalized services, reaching from the central armrest of the refrigerator after being wrapped round and round in the body of cold drinks, at this moment, the vehicle close to 40 degrees high temperature did not have any impact on you, you just need to taste the wine, so that one person's exclusive music surround you in the ear, to fully enjoy the mobile palace-like beautiful journey.
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