The Argument from Personal Experience - Dancing with God

I adore this video if only because it calls out the lazy intellectualism that is the argument from personal experience for the existence of god. I say this not only as an atheist but as someone who has a minor in religious studies and studied Buddhism during my Fulbright. In other words, I'm an atheist, but not necessarily an anti-theist.

"Cristina" does a good job of exposing the broader implications of the argument form personal experience. She really gets rolling in the 2nd minute of the video but the whole thing is worth watching. Ultimately what I resent most about christianity and many of its believers is that at some point there is a disturbing willingness to check their rationalism at the door. In effect, the argument for the existence of god is that "Science can't explain everything" and therefore that space between what science can't explain and our existence in this world is where god exists. To me this is lazy precisely because whether you believe we were plopped here by a deity or evolved over millions of years, to deny the human need to question our experience and existence is to deny the most compelling ability that we as humans possess. Why would we have this brain if we were not meant to use it?

This is precisely why I love this passage from a book called, The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. It's a speech at the service for someone who has recently died. All of the characters being addressed have varying states of belief (or disbelief) but what I love is the way the priest's consideration of these beliefs begins with the understanding that we are meant to question god, and perhaps even "defeat" god in argument. It is the act of doing this that is part of the process of achieving transcendence, whether you believe that transcendence to be an evolutionary process or a spiritual one.

At this point in the book, a member of a party of travelers has just died unexpectedly and apparently without obvious cause, just as they have arrived at their destination. This is a brief speech from the priest presiding at the funeral of the deceased.

I've edited only for clarity:

"The voyage was not without reward for Alan [the deceased]...but we are left with the question, why would God bring him all this way, only to die now?"

"The Jewish sages tell us that the whole of the Torah, the entirety of the first five books of the Bible, is the name of God. With such a name, they ask, how much more is God? The Fathers of the Church tell us that God is Mystery and unknowable. God Himself, in Scripture, tells us, 'My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts'."

"It is the human condition to ask questions and to receive not plain answers. Perhaps this is because we can't understand the answers, because we are incapable of knowing God's ways and God's thoughts. We are, after all, only very clever tailless primates, doing the best we can, but limited. Perhaps we must all own up to being agnostic, unable to know the unknowable."

The Jewish sages also tell us that God dances when His children defeat Him in argument, when they stand on their feet and use their minds. So questions are worth asking. To ask them is a very fine kind of human behavior. If we keep demanding that God yield up His answers, perhaps some day we will understand them. And then we will be something more than clever apes, and we shall dance with God."

Happy Bastille Day!

I have mixed feelings about blind patriotism figuring it is a double-edged sword (read "my country right or wrong") but this scene always gets me. It has to be on the short list of greatest cinematic moments. It's probably not fair to call this an example of "blind" patriotism given the context. If you know the film Casablanca it's hard to not get caught up in the passion displayed here. If you haven't seen Casablanca...pause...are there really people who haven't seen Casablanca?

Verdi Descent

I finally got my "action mount" for my flip video camera so this a test vid from my ride in Verdi this past weekend.

Sunday Morning Music

From one of the greatest bicycle films of all time. It is simply impossible not to smile while listening to this song.

Stuck in Traffic

A new report from the Texas Transportation Institute finds that in 2007 Americans wasted an average of 36.1 hours stuck in traffic, down from the 2005 peak of 37.4 hours.

Collectively, the numbers are still large, of course. TTI figures congestion cost the economy $87 billion and was responsible for our squandering 3 billion gallons of gas and 4 billion hours of our time. The latter figure works out to 500,000 years.

Los Angeles came out worst among cities, with congestion costing drivers there an average of 72 hours a year. Washington DC was second (62 hours), followed by Atlanta (57), Houston (56) and San Francisco (55). Continue article....

While I suppose this stat is moving in the right direction it doesn't seem like we have much to be thankful for. When it comes to these kinds of unpleasant statistics associated with modern living I can't help but envision my tombstone adorned with numbers a personal tally of how I spent my life:

He spent 4,000 hours of his life idling in traffic
He spent 47,000 hours watching television
He spent 12,000 hours playing video games
He spent 18,000 hours taking quizzes on Facebook

Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away...

Yesterday I decided to revisit my commute from the last year and added a few miles with an offroad detour on my Gunnar Crosshairs. I'd always known that there was a family of wild horses near the main route to get to school. I frequently spotted them in the mornings (or spotted their "landmines"). I was a bit shocked while riding to find not a family, but a full herd of what must have been 50ish mustangs. Magnificent animals!


More images to look at on my flickr page (see link to the left).

A Bicycle Benefits Program For Nevada?

A quick visit to Salt Lake City reminded me what a great bicycling city, and great city in general, it is. While visiting the ever popular 9th and 9th district I noted a couple of nice bicycle friendly features. Notably the bicycle benefits program that some storefronts were touting. The Bicycle Benefits program (in case you weren’t aware):

"is a progressive bicycling program designed to reward individuals and businesses for their commitment to cleaner air, personal health, and the use of pedaling energy in order to create a more sustainable community. The program's continual growth decreases parking demand, increases helmet use, and improves cyclists' safety and health by putting more people on bikes."

I’m wondering why Nevada hasn’t become one of the states that has embraced this program that links bicycling with the economic infrastructure of its cities?

Bikes as Cockroaches

An interesting piece from the New York Times equating bicycles/bicyclists with econmic cockroaches...but in a good way. From the ruins of our increasingly lame car culture might rise a more humane and user-friendly transportation system. The article focuses mostly on Detroit.

Excerpts:

While bike enthusiasts in most urban areas continue to have to fight for their place on the streets, Detroit has the potential to become a new bicycle utopia. It’s a town just waiting to be taken. With well less than half its peak population, and free of anything resembling a hill, the city and its miles and miles of streets lie open and empty, beckoning. And lately, whether it’s because of the economy or the price of gas or just because it’s a nice thing to do, there are a lot more bikers out riding.

This budding culture brings some commerce with it. Down on the waterfront, and just three hundred yards or so from the headquarters of General Motors, my friends Kelli and Karen are in their second year running the Wheelhouse bike shop. One might think, given the economy, that starting a business in the D makes as much sense as stepping on a nail, but Kelli and Karen’s shop is thriving; their profits in May were double what they were a year ago.

Sunday Morning Music - Fountains of Wayne

I'm not sure anyone has a more encyclopedic knowledge of pop cliches than Fountains of Wayne. I mean that in a good way. All that I know is that they always sound like summer to me.

Bike Tour of Nevada - June 2009

Leaving Reno

Vital Stats:

Total miles: Approximately 400
Elevation gain: 14,000 PLUS
Six Days with one rest day in Austin
Route - Highway 50 from Reno to Baker, Nevada. Nights spent at Lahontan Reservoir, Cold Springs Station, Austin, Eureka, Ely, Great Basin National Park.
Gear: Rivendell Allrounder Bike with an extra 45 lbs. of gear

Intro: Because I had some issues with my phone charger and didn't want to use my phone battery up I didn't post much during the week of the tour so here is a recap of the ride after the fact. Little did I know I just couldn't find my charger because it was hiding from me in my camelback bag.

Day 1

Greg and I started our day with a coffee at Bibo Coffee Co. before heading up Geiger Grade to Virginia City, down six-mile canyon to highway 50, and then a mostly flat ride out to Lahontan Reservoir to camp. We expected Geiger to be the biggest pass of the trip in overall elevation gain. It’s not particularly steep averaging just over 5% for about 8 miles. It was a good first test with a fully loaded bike.


After cresting Geiger we stopped in V.C. and ate the first of what would be too many cheeseburgers across the state. Highway 50 doesn’t necessarily offer a lot of culinary options but it makes up for it in scenery.

Descending six-mile canyon

After descending six-mile canyon we hit highway 50 and started heading east. The traffic was heavier here than any other point. We also had some road construction to contend with. Apparently the road crews were putting in the rumble strips on the new tarmac and had closed a stretch of the highway to one-lane. We got to ride the opposite shoulder while the car traffic waited. It was a little weird to be riding down the highway the wrong way on the left-hand shoulder.

Lahontan Reservoir

Lahontan was a beautiful place to camp and we thought we were going to get some interesting weather. The storm missed us but not the winds which kept me up half the night. That and the mouse that liked to climb in between the rain tarp and mesh of my tent. I kept waking up with the silhouette of a mouse over my head. I think it wanted my trail mix.

Morning Camp at Lahontan (tree swing at no extra charge)

Day 2 - Lahontan Reservoir to Cold Springs Station

The next morning we opted to forgo a real camp breakfast and ride the 20 miles into Fallon to eat. We loaded up on calories and left Jerry’s diner ready to get into the “real” Nevada landscape. We weren’t disappointed. After Fallon we stopped off at Grimes Petroglyphs for a quick walk and got buzzed by some “top gun” pilots from the Fallon Air Base.

Grimes Petroglyphs

Then it was down the road until we came to the Salt Flats and Sand Mountain. These are some of the features that make Nevada so beautiful. I think maybe people who know NV can often take these landscapes for granted because we ran into other cyclists who were struck by the stark beauty.

Salt Flats and Sand Mountain (below)

We were less impressed with the evidence of Mormon crickets that started to show up on the tarmac. Around the time we hit Middlegate (and had another Cheeseburger) we were seeing and hearing the huge crickets all over and Greg managed to take a few out with his fat pasela touring tires.

Mormon Cricket

After Middlegate we rode on to our final destination of Cold Springs Station, a private RV campground with huge solar panels. The family who runs the campground were having a birthday party and we were treated to a pretty impressive fireworks display after dinner. I didn’t expect a shower that night but I was pretty happy to have one.


Day 3 - Cold Springs Station to Austin

We broke camp and were about to ride on to Austin when I realized that the head of the bolt for my rear rack had popped off leaving part of my rack precariously perched on a thin piece of metal. Since the majority of the load I was carrying was in the rear I was a bit worried about it working loose. Never underestimate the power of a zip-tie. The zip-tie kept the road vibration from working the bolt out of the frame and we safely road the 50ish miles into Austin. The final climb was the first time that I had to use my granny gear on the trip.

All hail the mighty zip-tie!

Austin is a small town that receives a lot of motorcycle traffic. It's quite scenic but doesn't offer many services. We opted to take a rest day in town if only to wait for the True Value hardware store to open and replace the bolt that had broken on my rack. It also gave us a chance to hike up to Stokes Castle and down a few beers at the local watering hole, The International.

Stokes Castle

Day 4 - Austin to Eureka

The beginning of the 4th day greeted us with climbing out of Austin since it is perched half way up one of the steepest climbs of the trip. Much of the day was spent riding across one of the more desolate stretches of Highway 50 and some beautiful peaks. We also ran into a group of 4 cyclists that we were to leapfrog several times over the course of the next few days. Katherine, Ross, Drew and Tony are riding across the U.S. on their way to Connecticut for the Lea Foundation. They are raising awareness for the fight against Leukemia. After arriving in Eureka we had a nice Chinese dinner with them.

Greg on the open road

Unlike Austin, which seems like it is barely hanging on as a town, Eureka felt like a thriving metropolis with a brand new Fire Department building and, of course, the famous Opera House. We settled down for a night in the Jackson Hotel and prepared for the next day.

Pretty self-explanatory

Day 5 - Eureka to Ely

Day 5 was in many ways to be the most challenging because of the lack of services along the route and the 4 passes we had ahead of us. It was also epic because of the incredible views going up and over the mountains. It was approximately 78 miles without any services. The most challenging thing about the day was looking at the Adventure Cycling map of the route and expecting a nice descent into Ely and instead facing a hot slog with a headwind over the last 15 miles when we were both tired and ready for a break.

I seem awfully happy considering how many passes I rode over today.

I'm not sure precisely what Harry Reid has done to piss off so many Ely residents but these signs were everywhere. Ironically Senator Reid's name also appears on the "walk of fame" outside one of their nicer hotels in old downtown area.

Not really very clever

That night we relaxed with a beer and our friends heading to Connecticut.

Our friends cycling across the U.S. for Lea's Foundation

Day 6 - Ely to Baker and Great Basin National Park

About to descend Connors Pass (ominous clouds and 40 mph winds ahead)

The final day proved to be in many ways the most fun of he entire trip because of the scenery and also because we had our first dose of "weather." Up to that point the days had been typical with clear skies and highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s. As we left Ely we could see some clouds heading our way and as we reached the Connors Pass the storm hit. I had tailwinds pushing me down the mountain and paused at Majors Junction to wait for Greg. Even though we had gusts of up to 40 mph and rain on the horizon we kept descending and crossed Spring Valley quickly. I hit speeds of 55 mph which matched the fastest speed I have ever reached on a bike from descending Monitor Pass a few years ago on the Death Ride. Unfortunately, I was only able to get a photo of my computer as I hit 50 mph.


The rain hit us as we started the base of the climb up to Sacramento Pass. The wet and the relief from the sun was welcome. We also had some great views of Wheeler Peak.

Spring Valley

and I thought this was the last real climb of the day...I was so wrong

From Sacramento Pass we descended into Baker, Nevada, a little hamlet with lots of personality. Unlike many of the other little towns we passed through on our way across the state, Baker includes some more interesting culinary delights. Silver Jack's was selling some decent wine and brie. Unfortunately for us we had what was to be our most challenging climb ahead of us from Baker up into Great Basin National Park and into our final campsite. The steepest pitch of the climb was probably around 8% which isn't terrible but with a fully loaded bike and over 8 miles in can get a bit tiring. If that wasn't enough the last 3 miles of the climb was on a dirt road with a headwind and stinging rain in our faces and thunder and lightning around us. No complaints because the camp was beautiful and the kind of rides that challenge you as a cyclist make for some of your best memories after they are done.

Baker, Nevada

On the way out of Baker we saw the little spot where my sister-in-law and her husband are refurbishing a train car to turn into a Bakery. What better place to open a bakery than in Baker, Nevada.

Finally, the entrance to the park

Greg muscling it up the steepest climb of the tour with rain, a head wind, dirt, and lightning in the distance.

We passed this sign on the way up to the camp site...beware vicious man-eating marmots!

After the night spent in Great Basin National Park we unloaded the bikes and took a spin to the Visitor Center and a tour of Lehman Caves.

In the end I don't know that I could have asked for much better of an experience riding across Nevada. It was beautiful, desolate, and pretty much everything I could have hoped for. I did realize that while I liked the loaded touring experience for a week-long trip I don't think I have much interest in a bike ride across America. Smaller trips seem ideally suited for this type of riding. Perhaps a the red rock loop down near Bryce and Zion is in my future.

Looking "Normal" on a Bike

It's a long way from Schpantz but here is an interesting article on the latest in cycling fashion. It's not quite the Rapha mentality but I can appreciate the sentiment.

"...the intersection of street fashion and bicycling certainly signals a swing in the pendulum from the days when bikers aspired to look like Lance Armstrong. Now, it seems, the hot new thing in cycling is to look like yourself."

Sunday Morning Music - In My Dreams

One of my favorite tracks from the new Eels record. Even prettier with the piano.

Where does federal funding for bicycle projects come from anyway?

I came across this interesting overview of bicycle project funding and thought it worth passing along. It's a good primer of the various ways that bicycling can be supported by funding in communities no matter where they are in the U.S.

Excerpt:

There's a common perception that funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects comes just from local and state revenue streams. Although local funding is certainly important, it's no longer the only game in town. Since 1990, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has followed a new transportation strategy that has sought to increase the number of people walking and bicycling. Between 1992 and 2004, the federal government spent $3.17 billion on 10,012 pedestrian or bicycle projects, according to a recently published analysis led by a researcher from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Where does all that money actually come from? The bulk of it funnels through the federal Department of Transportation via an agency called the Federal Highway Administration. Although the Federal Highway Administration has focused historically on funding highways, DOT's major shift in strategy in 1990 resulted in a marked move toward a more multi-modal approach, according to the authors of the new analysis.

Bike Tour Across Nevada

Stokes Castle in Austin

Bike Tour Across Nevada

Dispatch from the road...

First night we'll be camping at Lahontan Reservoir. Should be about a 60 mile day. Not long but we had to get up and over Geiger with our big touring rigs. That granny gear is finally getting put to good use.

Bike Tour Across Nevada - Big Rig

Took the Rivendell out for a test spin. Everything looks and feels good. No weird rattles or shimmies as we embark on our bike tour across Nevada today. The first day will take us up Geiger Grade which will be the first real test with the 40 extra pounds of gear and water that I'll be carrying. Check back for updates and dispatches from Highway 50.

Lance Rumors and The Nevada City Classic

These are not my legs (damnit!)

Rumors have been flying the last couple of days about Lance Armstrong riding the NV City Classic this Sunday but I finally got confirmation today. Head over the hill to see some great racing action on Sunday. I've loved every time I've gone over. As mentioned before I'll be heading the opposite way on Highway 50 on my own bike tour. I'm sorry I'll miss him, (and maybe Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer as well?) but I've seen them ride in Europe before so no complaints.

Tour de Nez 2009 and a Bicycle Tour Across Nevada

The Tour de Nez is almost upon us and I can't help but feel a bit sad. This will be the first year in a decade or so that I won't be able to attend. This year's event looks like a great line up of events and it's especially heartening that Friday includes the much missed downtown criterium (last year it was at the Grand Sierra Resort). The GSR course was fine but it lacked the charm of seeing cyclists take over the downtown of Reno.



Instead of the Tour de Nez I'll be packing up my touring bike and heading on a trip across Nevada along highway 50 with a friend. The trip will take us from our doorsteps to Great Basin National Park near Baker, Nevada. I may continue on to Utah (Cedar City or St. George) depending on timing. I'll post updates periodically and have a full ride report when I get back. No doubt I'll have plenty of video/photos/and stories to tell.

Carbo Loading the Dutch Way

The beerbike.co.uk rentals seats up to 22 people, including a nondrinking driver. A two-hour tour on the weekend costs about $34 per person, including beer. The bike is pitched on the website as “de biggest beer bike in the world with 30 liters of beer on board.”

Most Beautiful Music I've Ever Heard - #9

"For a minute there I lost myself..."

It's hard to believe that it has been 12 years since OK Computer came out. I'm hard pressed to think of an album that has more of an impact on me. Unlike obvious "best ever album" picks this collection still resonates a timelessness unlike Nevermind or Sgt. Pepper which, though great, seem thoroughly linked to the time they came out. People use the words like "distopian" when talking about OKC which is fair but what strikes me is how gorgeous and lush the production is. You can see the influence of this album all over the place from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to MGMT.

I can't help but love that this album only slowly found its audience. Reportedly it took over a year for it to go platinum and it was that year of discovery that partially makes OK Computer so close to my heart. I've played it thousands of times and still feel like I notice something new each time.

There are plenty of soaring moments spread throughout but none more noteworthy than final couple of minutes of Karma Police. It's the emotional highpoint of the album. Unfortunately the studio/video version is disabled on youtube but you can view it here. Below is a worthy live performance.

Never Underestimate the Importance of Staying Hydrated

Car Free Broadway

The recent Tony Awards reminded me that I have been remiss in commenting on the recent "Car Free Broadway" developments in New York City. All it takes is a quick comparison of the two photos posted here at the NY Times site to see what a difference a nicely designed street makes.

Imagine narrow European-style roadways shared by pedestrians, cyclists and cars, all traveling at low speeds. Sidewalks made of recycled rubber in different colors under sleek energy-efficient lamps. Mini-islands jutting into the street, topped by trees and landscaping, designed to further slow traffic and add a dash of green.

Continue...

Cycle Chic

Charleston might give Copenhagen a run for it's money.

Sunday Morning Music - Peter Murphy

In honor of his show last night.

Fenders Schmenders and a Bike Commute Challenge Wrapup

This year has been anxiety ridden in more ways than one. After getting "voluntarily transferred" (how's that for a euphemism) out of my amazing school because teacher allocations went down I've been feeling pretty bitter. Luckily I've been picked up in the district at another great school but no matter how good it is it's a bitter pill to not be in control of one's fate as far as your career goes. Never mind that there were questionable teachers with seniority that got to stay. I have some harrowing tales to tell of incompetence in a system that rewards based on seniority and nothing else. For folks who think seniority is the only way to fairly determine who gets to stay in a situation like what I just went through...well, I can't help but think of the 3 teachers who were tied for seniority and had to draw cards for the two positions available. It left me wondering why we go through the hours of an evaluation process every year.

All this is to say that the last couple of weeks have been a challenge as far as putting in the final miles to reach my 2,400 mile bike commute goal. I felt like I had to be ready to leave work in interview mode in case I got a call about a job. It came down to the last day of finals week and a perfectly timed downpour in the afternoon ride home. Wednesday's storm would have been too much for any fenders so I was soaked through by the time I got home but it was warm enough that it didn't matter. There's something to be said for riding in "weather" that makes a ride epic. It was a good end to the year even if it was officially the last ride of my era at Damonte Ranch High School.

Final mileage tally: 2,404 miles during the 2008-2009 academic year. My new commute for next year will be about half of what I had last year but instead of being mostly flat it will be mostly uphill in the morning and downhill on the way home. Maybe that will help my climbing legs next year!

On to summer and a bike ride across Nevada scheduled for late June!

Not The Best Idea

Some of the greatest ideas that humanity has ever come up with have emerged from France. This is not one of them:

Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by scores of guards on bicycles, in the first penal version of the Tour de France, authorities said Monday.

The 196 prisoners will cycle in a pack and breakaway sprints will not be allowed. They will be accompanied by 124 guards and prison sports instructors. There will be no ranking, the idea being to foster values like teamwork and effort.

"It's a kind of escape for us, a chance to break away from the daily reality of prison," said Daniel, a 48-year-old prisoner in the western city of Nantes, at the official launch of the event. His last name was not given.

"If we behave well, we might be able to get released earlier, on probation," he told reporters.

The prisoners' Tour de France will take them 2,300 km (1,400 miles) around the country, starting in the northern city of Lille on June 4 and stopping in 17 towns, each of which has a prison. However, participants will sleep in hotels.

The finish line will be in Paris, following Tour de France tradition.

"This project aims to help these men reintegrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem," said Sylvie Marion of the prison authorities.

"We want to show them that with some training, you can achieve your goals and start a new life," she said.

Sunday Morning Music - Fiona Apple

It's too bad she's so pretty. Maybe she wouldn't be dismissed so easily as a musical artist by some folks.

Some Inspiration I Can Understand

It's a good sign when the Eels are looking back to Souljacker as a touchstone for their upcoming album, Hombre Lobo. Of course, being inspired by your massive beard is a pretty good start as well. From Billboard:

Eels Ready Beard-Inspired Album

May 21, 2009 10:01 AM ET

Gary Graff, Detroit

The Eels' E says his beard inspired the wolf-man style character that voices his songs on the group's new "Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire," which comes out June 2.

"I had been working on some other music and was brushing my teeth one morning and looked in the mirror and saw this werewolf looking back at me," E (ne Mark Oliver Everett) tells Billboard.com. "I said, 'Y'know, the music I'm working on doesn't suit this beard.' I was about to cut it off, and then I said, 'Why don't I work on some music that suits the beard, and I'll keep it.

"So I'm now at the point where facial hair inspires my music. You've got to start somewhere..."

Continued here...

The Flying Scotsman Rises From The Ashes

If you haven't heard of Graeme Obree shame on you. He famously set the world hour record using parts that included bits from his washing machine. He also had the governing body for cycling ban the type of bikes he used when he broke the record (twice). Now he is attempting the record again. You've gotta love the tenacity. And look at the size of that chainring!

If you want to know more about Obree a good place to start is the Flying Scotsman, the film based on his book that chronicles his challenges to the world hour record but also captures his battle with depression that have plagued him throughout his life. It's not just a good bicycling film it's a good film period.

The Illogical George Will

I've wondered for years how George Will gets away with some of the absurd and illogical arguments he has made over the years. It's as if he gets a free pass because he wears a bow-tie and can cite baseball stats from a century ago. His recent screed about Ray LaHood, smart-growth, Portland, etc. in Newsweek caught the attention of a lot of cyclists and people who understand that the modern American suburban landscape is not just an eyesore but profoundly "petrogluttonous." I've been putting off writing a post about it and now I've gone and waited too long. Richard Risenberg of The New Colonist has done a much better job of poking at Will's inane logic so I'll suggest you go visit his response here.

A couple of choice excerpts:

Never mind that a ton of concrete releases a ton of CO2 just in its manufacture and transport (how many tons do you see in the picture?); no matter that those idling cars are using oil and emitting fumes for nothing; no matter the hours of life being wasted on that road: just think of how much that road cost, and how much watershed it replaced, of how many tax-paying and happy homes could be on that land, or tax-paying and productive business, or schools, or libraries, or parks, or....

George, you're not only just plain wrong, you aren't very conservative either: the suburbs are anti-family and anti-community; Portland style development nurtures both, and uses tax money more efficiently, especially in making it easier for people to move freely about.

Most Beautiful Music I've Ever Heard - #10

I'm hard pressed to think of a better bit of pop confection than this song.

When Real Men Were Skinny Italians With Shaved Legs

A great profile of one the best rivalries in sports history from the NY Times.

“In Italy the rivalry of Coppi-Bartali is a religion"....continue....