WHO issues influenza addendum: NOT "swine" flu

well, i'm sorry, but while doing a google image search for "policemen" and finding THIS photo, i forgot what i was going to do in the first place.

sorry about that, chief.

on the other hand, if YOU have an idea for a subject line or caption, leave it in the comments section.

MISSING: last seen outside shaker heights, ohio

faves

i can't help it; rainy days and coffee makes me want this back again. in lieu of the impossible, i've done some research and have discovered an old electric italian espresso maker. we are searching for a replacement cord, or will have one made. a review of the finished product awaits; but in the meantime, enjoy the beauty of design + function.

coffee, a cool coffee maker, a couple of my favorite beatles songs, and now, i'm off to drink javahhhh and re-read some harry potter.

bicycle jeopardy, the answer, "MADISON COUNTY"

....
....
the question: WHERE ISN'T THIS?

duffy strikes again

reprinted without permission, of course

thought for the day, week, month, year, lifetime

puberty

it's in the air; don't say i didn't warn you.
need evidence?

look at these little twigs, planted in the front yard of the orphanage back in november of '02 . . .

here they are in may of last year, in full spring beauty, along with my dwarf lilac bushes.

well, this year, my little twigs became adults. they have developed whirly-gigs. i think they're the autumn blaze maple equivalents of chest hair.

here, one of my little maples towers over the orphanage's station wagen, loaded with airplanes [the tree, not the volvo], waiting for takeoff on an upcoming windy day.

my tulip solitaire is looking mighty fine today, having survived the deluge of last weekend and the snow of a couple weeks ago. i have several more bulbs i plan to put in the bed next to this hardy harbinger of the spring yet to come.

all9yards IN THE NEWS!!

i know, i KNOW! alright already.

anyone who rides a bike has either been on the radio or on tv lately,

and we've taken it in the shorts from all sides,

still emerging with our dignity in tact [or so we think].

but ONE of us has managed to go FAR beyond the local or regional,

and has made it to NETWORK television, albeit late night.

in fact, it WAS late night, "late night with david letterman" wednesday night, when our own cat3 jerome "shrek" rewerts made a cameo appearance, in the always tough yet enviable position of following beyonce.

in my capacity of host of the kim west radio cycling show, wearing my investigative reporter's hat, i've uncovered a tape of his brief appearance.

lane should be pleased with such media splash for the green brand.

watch here:

earth day, 2009

in des moines: bike repair at moulton learning center...

Earth Day
Free, Minor Bike Tune-Up for 4th and 5th grade students
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
3:30 pm. (early out 1:20pm)
Return with your bike at 3:30pm
Minor repairs include:
Adjustments to handlebars, seats, chains – new chain installed, if required. Air in tires, new bicycle tubes or tires if needed.
FREE, MINOR BIKE REPAIR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2009
3:30pm
Moulton School

interested folks are welcome to stop by and help us fix bikes for these deserving kids.

.....

meanwhile, in iowa city:

30th century bicycle opens!!

congratulations steve, cody, and iowa city!!

stop by this weekend while in town for old capitol activities.

just south of the business district at 310 e. prentiss

elkhart time trial #1

chad and i drove out to elkhart yesterday afternoon to put up the signs and get ready for the first non-ross elkhart time trial. first rider off at 630, we figured we'd get 35 to 40 riders, and be back home at a reasonable hour.

last rider started at 744. we had 75 starts. unbelievable. minor glitches, little things to do next time we overlooked this time.

but 75 riders IN APRIL.

we had many first timers, and it was apparent that many of these had coaches who long have supported actually RACING. but more important, in my mind, was evidence that some long-time coaches seemed to have come around to the benefits of outdoor racing. we saw team kits last night that haven't seen a time trial in years, or so it seems.

i'll be damned.

of course, this doesn't mean anyone will see ME at a roller exhibition any time soon, or even in this lifetime.

results and other info about the 2009 elkhart time trial series can be found here. as just another helper, i want to thank the others who helped out: big-hand shrek, the robros [steve and scott, the turn-around boys], lane [surrogate shrek], dirty dick, steve reynolds [the dixie chopper guy], the elkhart city council, and chad who has and will continue to work his ass off to put on this great series. there are some great prizes, and will be some very fast times in the months to come. keep an eye on collier, reichhardt, and jerome. d-lip will come around, of course, and there are others who weren't out there last night who will show up as the weather gets warmer.

pressure and the law

i have been flooded with emails and copied in on emails to others regarding the flat-out failure of this woman, madison county attorney julie forsythe, to administer anything more than an immoral slap on the wrist to would-be killer john lynch for taunting, running over, and leaving for dead doug smith as he rode his bicycle with a group of other riders last saturday in madison county. but if you think I'VE gotten lots of emails, think of what SHE has received. here's what julie forsythe had to say about it:

Thank you for your email and let me say thank you for the tone of the email. You would not believe the number of angry, insulting emails I have received from the biking community. I do understand your concerns and I have researched other possible charges. However, it is not the policy of this office to discuss open cases. It is public record that the charges have been amended to enhance the penalties pursuant to Iowa Code 321.482A.

My prayers go out to this victim and his family. I am forwarding all emails I receive to the Madison County Board of Supervisors to put them on notice of the public’s concerns regarding the safety of bicyclists. I suggest that if you have any idea on how to make the roads safer in our county that you contact the Board of Supervisors or contact your local Iowa State Legislators.

.....

apparently, she hasn't gotten the word that we are offended by her trite "cookie cutter" reply that must have been distributed at the annual county attorney's seminar at lake okiboji.

my suggestion? keep those cards and letters coming. if she thinks SHE'S been insulted, let her have an idea of how insulting it is to be run over, to be driven off the road, to be assaulted by angry motorists, to have cups of urine tossed at you, to be the victim of adeadly game of chicken by sick-shit drivers looking for thrills, AND TO THEN HAVE THE COPS AND PROSECUTORS FAIL TO ACT BECAUSE "IT'S THEIR WORD AGAINST YOURS!!!"

what the fuck does THAT tell us?

and YOU feel insulted, julie forsythe?

well, F*CK YOU!!

boo hoo hoo.

julie, try going to the funeral of a dead cyclist.

try going to visit a "lucky to be alive" friend in the ICU on easter morning surrounded by his wife, young daughter, and mother-in-law, trying to convince them that things will be okay, and that daddy WILL be fine again soon.

try going out to do the thing that you love, that keeps you sane, that keeps you young, healthy, vibrant and creative,

KNOWING THAT THE NEXT VEHICLE THAT APPROACHES MIGHT WELL BE A LOADED GUN WITH A BULLET THAT HAS YOUR NAME ON IT,

AND KNOWING THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WON'T DO A F*CKING THING ABOUT IT,

because the voters don't like having to slow down.

f*ck you,

and everyone like you,

and the car you drive, too.

julie, you do NOT understand our concerns.

how DARE you say that.

hot and windy

Did I mention windy. Because that pretty much discribes my ride yesterday. On occasion I ride to my in-laws house for special occasions. The ride is a long 160 miles. I think my best time is a little over 8 hours? Well my fitness this spring has been really good and I thought so what if the wind is blowing 20mph out of the southeast (which is the direction I have to ride to). Well after 55miles I started thinking this ride could take over 9 hours. By the time I got to the half way it was more like a ten hour day. At that point I called Kathleen my better half and said I'm gonna need a ride but not right away because I figured I could get at least a hundred miles. I got a slight reprieve from the 20mph headwind. It was a 10mph crosswind. When I reached the century mark I called again and said I think I can make it to Washington. That is around a 130 miles. I caught a draft off of a pick-up truck towing ammonia. It was going about 30mph and I needed a break from the constant wind. It only lasted for 3-4 miles but that was the best part of the ride. When I reached the 125 mark I was exhausted and just pulled over until Kathleen found me. I was bummed that I couldn't go any farther but the body said enough. Kathleen did buy me a strawberry malt which was very tasty.Today was a different story. I was fairly recovered from yesterdays ride. Did get a little red on my arms. Wind burn? The wind was still blowing out of the east so most of the ride was tail wind. I still had to go up all of the hills. Not quite as far either. I drove most of the way home and got out of the van around Grinnell.Tomorrow I'm going fishing with my daughter and getting a massage. Hopefully I will be recovered for the TNWC. No Wes this time but the ride will still be fast.

a wednesday night in des moines

brian duffy addresses approximately 500 cyclists on the west steps of the iowa capitol who had gathered to show support for strict--hell, ANY--enforcement of currently existing laws against motorists who run over, maim, kill, or otherwise assault bicyclists in general, and in the case of john lynch and doug smith, specifically.

brian duffy and ken sherman, chief instigator, enjoy a moment's rest

maria ruhtenberg, and emily smith, doug's daughter, address the crowd

senators joe bolkham [iowa city] and bill dotzler [waterloo] stepped out from the capitol where business was being conducted to speak to the cyclists. joe and bill, along with matt mccoy [des moines] are among the very few legislators who not only support bicyclists in the senate, they actually ride bikes AND, they "get it." we need more elected officials like joe, bill, and matt.

among out-of-towners who came to des moines and took part were cody gieselman and steve goetzelman, owners of 30th century bicycle , a brand new bike shop opening april 22 [that's earth day, you non-hippies!]. never mind the crush of things to do to open a bike shop, they came to town to ride and show support. these folks get it, too, and they deserve your support. visit them when you go to the old capitol criterium next weekend. their shop is located at 310 east prentiss street. you might recall steve is one of the few cyclists ever to actually finish transiowa [back when it was a trans-iowa event], and who later went on to win some crazy 200 mile gravel road race in kansas. despite this, i still think he's a nice guy. he's the guy who painted the orphanage purple. cody is a hell of a talented artist, and a whiz-bang bike mechanic who can fix your three-speed hub quicker than you can spell sturmey-archer.

.....

photos by chris "mr. pinkie" maharry, who also gets it.

those who were there, and some who were not

a video from jeff...

by the way, where were the board members from the iowa bike coalition?

the plea was made for all cyclists to support the coalition,

but WHY SHOULD WE, when the board members don't support US?

it was a little apparent, mark and others, that you WERE NOT WITH US wednesday evening in des moines, and it is, once again, being duly noted.

let them know that you know.

passages

marilyn chambers and mark fidrych,
a couple of unique characters, joined--to my knowledge--only in their passings. marilyn for lending grace and credibility to porn in the early days, and mark, who gave quirky zaniness a boost in a game that has known some pretty bizarre folks over the years.
you made life fun.
sorry bout the short runs.

easter, 2009: the dead comes alive

i saw the grateful dead many times [i don't keep track of these silly numbers]. my official law school student photo shows me the monday after such a weekend of deadness, wearing a smoking skull t-shirt. i had no idea that these photos would be used by all future professors for seating chart identification. whatever, right?
.....
the times has a wonderful [and lengthy] article about the shows of the dead over the years. what follows is a tease, which closes with a link to the entire story, complete with some great illustrations. it's worth a read:
Bring Out Your Dead
By BEN RATLIFF
I WENT to a Phil Lesh concert in New York last fall, on the third night of a 14-night run. I sat next to a man who looked informed: he listened with familiarity and good humor and a touch of impatience, as if he wanted to fast-forward through certain parts.
“Seen any of the other shows?” I asked.
“I’ve been to every show since 1972,” he said. “In the New York area.”
His name was Jimmy . By his definition, “every show” meant every concert by the Grateful Dead, the San Francisco rock band, until the death of Jerry Garcia, its guitarist and singer in 1995, and then every subsequent show by Phil Lesh, the band’s bassist, who has led various touring bands with a sound much in the spirit of the Dead. We got to talking. I asked when he thought the Dead reached its peak, game to try out a half-formed argument for 1975, or thereabouts.
“Well, I agree with the people who say it was May 8, 1977,” he said.
Jimmy was jumping a level on me. There are at least five different levels to how fans talk about the Dead. The basement level concerns the band’s commercially released albums. This is how a lot of interested but inexpert people once talked about the Dead — myself included — in the early 1980s. I had a couple of skunky-sounding audience tapes, tinkling out distant brown scurf from Nassau Coliseum, but I was an unconnected kid. I listened to “Live/Dead,” “Europe ’72,” and “Anthem of the Sun” — all in the racks at Sam Goody.
The next level is periods or eras, the conversation I was prepared for. There was the aggressive, noisy, color-saturated improvising from 1968 to 1970; the gentler and more streamlined songwriting and arranging of ’72 and ’73; the spooky harmonies of 1975; the further mellowing and mild grooves that lay beyond. Next comes the level of the Dead’s best night: Jimmy’s level, one based on years of close listening to noncommercial live recordings, from the band’s own engineers or radio broadcasts or audience tapers. These began circulating in the early ’70s and became commonplace by the mid-1980s, after I had wandered off the trail.
After that comes particular songs within particular performances. (Some will say the “Dark Star” from Veneta, Ore., on Aug. 27, 1972, or the “Dancing in the Street” from Binghamton, N.Y., on May 2, 1970, encapsulates much of what they like about the Grateful Dead.) Beyond that is an area with much thinner air: here involving, say, audience versus soundboard tapes, the mixing biases of different engineers, techniques of customizing early cardioid microphones, and onward into the darkness of obsession.
In any case, once you get to Level 3, you have a sufficiently authoritative understanding of the Dead. Or so I thought.

chillin'

this couple just might be on to something,

provided they keep their thermostat set at a modest 61F.

what sayest thou, mostly reverend?

read here.

easter, 2009: he is ridin'

good luck finding the golden egg, georgie

.....

other early morning easter thoughts:

--getting up at 400 am to follow a bike race online is much easier with really GOOD coffee, and a basket full of peeps [thanks, becky]

--the dogs love having a dry back yard again

--everyone needs to keep doug smith in their thoughts. doug, who was having his finest season yet, was run over yesterday by some old asshole in a truck who, having honked ceaselessly at the rolling rotation near winterset, passed and then cut in too soon, his anhydrous tank rolling over doug, and KEPT ON DRIVING!! after being stopped by a passing motorist, who is also a cyclist, he claimed [lying, of course] that he hadn't seen him.

WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU DRIVING THEN, SHITHEAD?

JESUS CHRIST!!!

what additional evidence does a prosecutor need?

what further proof is there that we do not need 5-foot laws,

but education AND enforcement?

--clearly, i need more coffee and peeps

my god! it's a wave of sanity!!

massachusetts, connecticut, iowa, and now vermont.

have the normal people returned to power?

my "love is in the air" wedding special offer continues:

half price for all same-sex couples!!

contact me today.

guns. WTF????

[note: this guy also loves his guitar hero rig. his mom's basement is looking good again, after he repainted.]

.....

just off the top of my head: 13 plus the shooter in binghamton, new york, because he felt that others made fun of his poor english; a dad kills his five kids and then himself in graham, washington, because his wife was going to leave him; some punk kills three pittsburgh policemen because his mom got pissed that his dog peed inside the house again.

JUST THE PAST FEW DAYS!!

.....

so tell me why we can't have gun control?

just reasonable registration and licensing requirements?

you sportsmen tell me that we cyclists should have to pay taxes and get a license, but you gun idiots who really DO kill people can't deal with even MINOR restrictions without having a cow? like you NEED a fucking arsenal? can you PLEASE show me why this is so?

my friend jeff had this posted on facebook today; i saw it upon my return from a lovely 4+ hour ride, during which we had HEADWIND the ENTIRE time. unbelievable, but sunny, nice and not too chilly. style council has always been a fave, but i had no idea the video had a cycling theme. back when the song came out, i had a, sony walkman? a cassette player. stuck it in the back pocket of my wool jerseys, and listened to this song--and the entire tape--over and over as i rode around mason city and the whole of north central iowa in the mid- and late-80s. thanks for reminding me, jeff!

enjoy this classic...

note: music begins at 0:30

widespread panic and mayhem seize iowa!!

these photos have just been received here at today's sermonette by area cell phone photographers, and were taken near downtown des moines, where the apocalypse appears--i repeat, appears--to be taking shape.

the above photo shows god, a regular on the local scene, with some sort of serpent, a variety not known to be native to central iowa.

this photo is said to be of the new iowa judicial building, where the iowa supreme court not two hours earlier announced in a unanimous ruling their belief that it is unconstitutional to ban same-sex marriages.

who, boy. it's not going to be a slow news day at kcci!

we at today's sermonette will keep you posted with the latest news and photos, and we appreciate those readers who supply us with the latest developments!

this just in from GOD!!

god, one of my 174+ friends on facebook, just wrote on my wall:

"mostly rev: i've been on a roll here lately, what with ted stevens, bloggo, sarah palin and mccain, rush, michael steele and, ahem, the "credit crunch," i thought i'd toss in another big one: "iowa comes out of the closet."

let's see how long it takes for the wingnuts to start coughing serious blood.

you still good for the standard wager?

--as ever, g."

.....

i tell you, despite all the things folks say, both pro and con, this god dude really IS okay. but you can never EVER take him seriously. jesus, what a sense of humor. guy cracks me up EVERY time. but that's cool, cuz i can get a good belly laugh from him, too, when i feel like it.

hooRAY for the iowa supreme court!!

from msnbc.com:
Iowa gay marriage ban ruled unconstitutional
State supreme court says law violates rights of gays and lesbians
.....
Dawn, left, and Jen BarbouRoske, pictured with their two daughters, are plaintiffs in a challenge to Iowa's ban on same-sex marriage.
.....
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Supreme Court says the state's same-sex marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples, making it the third state where gay marriage is legal.
In a unanimous ruling issued Friday, the court upheld a 2007 Polk County District Court judge's ruling that the law was unconstitutional.
In 2005, Lambda Legal, a New York-based gay rights organization, sued on behalf of six gay and lesbian Iowa couples in Polk County who were denied marriage licenses. Some of their children are also listed as plaintiffs.
The case was appealed to the state Supreme Court in 2007, after Polk County District Court Judge Robert Hanson agreed with the plaintiffs and ruled that the ban was unconstitutional.
Hanson's ruling prompted nearly two dozen people to apply for marriage licenses in the county, Iowa's most populous and home to Des Moines. Only one couple, Sean and Tim McQuillan of Ames, managed to get married before Hanson stayed his decision the next day. Their marriage stands, but its validity could depend on whether the state's high court sides with the Polk County judge.
During oral arguments before the Supreme Court in December, Des Moines lawyer Dennis Johnson argued the ban violated his clients' due process and equal protection rights.
"We are suggesting that everybody be able to participate equally in an institution that has existed since the beginning of this state," Johnson said during arguments.
Separation of powers issue? Roger J. Kuhle, an assistant Polk County attorney, argued that the lower court's ruling for the plaintiffs violates the separation of powers and that the issue should be left to the Legislature.
"We are not here opposing the individual plaintiffs' sincerity. We are here because, in our view, the issue is one for the Legislature to decide as a matter of social policy," he told the seven-member Supreme Court.
During oral arguments, Chief Justice Marsha Ternus explained that the high court would determine whether the district court erred by finding that the same-sex marriage ban violated the state constitution, and whether it erred by not allowing the county's expert witness testimony.
The timing could be awkward for state lawmakers who are on track to end the legislative session in coming weeks.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, told reporters that it's "exceedingly unlikely" the Legislature would deal with the gay marriage issue this year, regardless of the court's ruling.
"This is the final step in a lengthy legal proceedings," said Gronstal. "We're going to wait and see that decision and review it before we take any action."
.....
this is VERY good news for all sentient beings. i am not surprised, given the proud history of the iowa court, as its legacy includes being in the forefront of defining, upholding and defending the civil rights of ALL citizens, which now includes race, sex, gender, and sexual orientation.
BRAVO!!!
.....
now if they would just do the same for bicyclists!
.....
BUSINESS FLASH!!
the orphanage, and the mostly reverend, is pleased to announce a special offer to all same-sex couples wishing to use the services of the mostly reverend: 50% OFF!!

book soon, don't delay. we'll travel to your special location.

for all the volunteers at the kollective

as it approaches its first birthday, i want to acknowledge and publicly thank all of you who have stepped up and helped make the des moines bicycle kollective the rousing success that it already has become.

still in its infancy, the many hundreds of you friends of iowa bicycling have joined in the vision of butts on bikes, of cyclists creating cyclists.

the kollective spirit that is developing and growing here is doing so because of the giving, caring, loving efforts of wonderful men and women of all ages and skill levels who recognize, believe, and UNDERSTAND that things won't really get better unless and until we MAKE it better.

to those who see that, thanks, and to those who don't, get off your asses and get involved:

VOLUNTEER.

this song's for all of us.

tomorrow

BREAKING NEWS!!

Tomorrow may be another landmark in Iowa’s long history of advancing civil and human rights. At 8:30 a.m., Friday, April 3, the Iowa Supreme Court will issue its ruling on whether gay or lesbian couples have the right to marry. In the interest of fairness, justice and equality, we hope for a positive ruling.

Supporters of equality are invited to attend one of four rallies planned for tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Iowa City and Davenport. The location for the Des Moines rally is Gateway Park at Grand Avenue and 13th Street in downtown.

Locations for the other rallies are still pending. Check One Iowa’s website (www.oneiowa.org) for details later this evening.

All along, this four-year legal struggle has been about making sure no loving, committed couple is denied the protections of civil marriage. This isn’t about being gay or straight. It is about being fair. As Iowans, we pride ourselves on our strong sense of community and fairness, and it’s only fair that any two loving individuals are able to take full responsibility for one another through the commitment of marriage. Full marriage equality is the only way to address the inequity identified by the lower court. Other options for recognizing committed gay or lesbian couples fall short and treat people as second-class citizens. Marriage strengthens families, and Iowa law should support committed couples who want to accept the responsibility that comes with marriage. It’s important to note that a favorable ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court would provide same-gender couples the opportunity to have a CIVIL marriage ceremony. The ruling has no impact on religious ceremonies. Churches, synagogues or mosques that don’t want to marry gay or lesbian couples won’t be required to do so.

Again, this is about CIVIL marriage, not RELIGIOUS marriage. In a society built on the separation of church and state, it’s very important that we understand that distinction.

see you there!!

april who's day?

damn! my training secrets have been revealed.