About nine years ago I started flying as a way to blow off steam from the stresses of work. As with anything I do, once I got past the initial learning hurdles, I pursued the hobby very aggressively, eventually earning an instrument rating, a commercial certificate (land) and a private pilot certificate in seaplanes. (NB: […]
Depending on your level of reality or fantaticism, what I’m about to say will either be incredibly obvious or local sports heresy: the Mariners aren’t very good. Let’s look at some numbers: At 7 wins and 15 losses (with one postponed game), they’re on pace to win 53 games this year. Fifty-three. Team hitting is
USA Today writes on Princeton University’s effort to curb “grade inflation” by rationing As to, you know, “preserve academic integrity.” Grade inflation “correction” is based on the theory that people will naturally fit into a bell curve, and that a C (or maybe a B) should be average. If you accept that Princeton is a
My oldest has had a loose tooth for a few months. She’s been very worked up about this, despite coaching from one of her neighborhood friends and assurances from her parents (both of whom are over 30) that she’ll survive. Last night the tooth fell out. Our daughter was picking through dinner for the soft
I woke up too late to join the paceline practice with Cascade Bicycle Club. Instead, I went on a more local ride from North Bend to Snoqualmie Pass, the lowest way to cross from west to east over the Cascades. I parked at the “Factory Outlet” mall in North Bend, noting the “Bicyclists, Skateboards and
To help me get over my music “rut” the past few weeks, a fellow prankster sent me a copy of Hayseed Dixie’s A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC. My initial reaction to the concept of bluegrass renditions of hard rock involved spewing food at the monitor with laughter. However, once I cleaned the screen off, popped
Coca Cola announced a mid-calorie cola named C2, ostensibly to compete with Pepsi “Edge” and billed as a solution to the low-carb dieters who have been marooned on the distant asteroid where Diet Coke is unavailable. The timing of this is funny because I just finished reading Max(x) Barry’s Syrup, which spoofs marketing in the
Time to build more condos! I rode Tacoma Wheelmen’s Daffodil Classic again this year. The ride starts in Orting, WA, a town northwest of Mt. Rainier. Signs labeled “Volcano Evacuation Route” abound, though the routes don’t look like they’d be the easiest to follow. As Gardner noted, the infrequent, but highly-destructive mud flows have not
Daffodil Classic 2004 Read More »