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Two-Wide Trail
April 28, 2006Now that I've gotten full-steam back into cycling...another new and intresting development has started to chap my backside.
No...not the spandex.
People on the bike trail from Weeks Park to Lake Wichita.
Usually..I enjoy seeing fellow bikers or people using the trail. Maybe it's the big-city kid in me that understands the un-written rules that nobody here apparently gets.
So....here are some guidelines that follow to protect myself and others:
1. Don't ride bikes 2-wide on the freaking trail. I don't care how intersting your conversation is.
2. If you HAVE to ride 2-wide...don't do in on a blind curve (i.e. the stretch from the Lake Wichita dam to the park
3. Don't walk 4-wide on the trail...ever.
4. Don't let your kids ride on the left side of the trail. They can't get out of the way fast enough.
5. "PASS LEFT" means I'm going to pass you on the left...just like driving. It doesn't mean look backwards or move left.
Those 5 simple guidelines will probably save your life. Me crashing into you at 20 mph is going to hurt.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Spanish Star-Spangled Banner
I have no problem with hundreds or thousands of Hispanics taking to the streets in protest of the proposed Immigration Laws before the House.
Heck, you know me, I'd be right in the middle of them as a photojournalist...snapping away.
But this new development makes me just a tab uncomfortable. Picture this...hordes of hispanics, singing Francis Scott Key's "Star-Spangled Banner" in spanish.
Now....up north in Canada, folks in Quebec sing "O Canada" in their native french, and I think that's wierd too...but they're Canadians, and French is the official language of Quebec. That makes sense.
There is no place in America where Spanish is the official language. Now, if New Mexico or some state decides that is an avenue they want to persue...okay then. That's a different ball-game. I'm not sure that could/would ever happen, but you never know.
And of course...the guy behind modifying OUR national anthem is British.....just can't leave well enough alone.
CNN story about Spanish Star-Spangled Banner
Posted by Jason Palmer at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Who plays Monopoly anymore?
April 24, 2006In the days of gathering around the radios and the traditional family unit...the board game Monopoly may have reigned king.
But does anybody play anymore?
I know I haven't. Actually...I'm pretty sure that I never ever finished a game, ever.
Well, the good folks at Monopoly are introducing an updated version to match today's landmarks and famous streets...
Now, they've introduced themed Monopoly boards for years. Colleges, major cities and the like. And I just don't think this is going to work.
The biggest problem with bored, er, BOARD games is that kids are being given laptops in the first grade. Nobody plays board games anymore.
They're all too busy reading blogs.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
"What is Columbine?"
April 21, 2006That was one of the questions posed to me yesterday by a few students at Rider H.S. as I was out covering the bomb threat called into the school.
Two students asked me if I knew what today was (obviously refering to it being 4-20, the "Pot Day")...to which I relply it was the 7th anniversary of the Columbine shooting in Colorado.
Nothing but blank looks.
That's scares me. Granted, some of the kids in HS now were 7-8 when it happened, but that any kids don't know is a punch in the stomach.
Especially when something like this happens:
Now...with the popularity of MySpace and text messaging...students need to be educated about the dangers and warning signs of disgruntled kids.
Had this plot in Kansas have worked...it probably would have been even bloodier and more violent than Columbine. And kids NEED to be made aware of that fact.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Cross on a hill
April 20, 2006Before I get raked over the coals in your minds....know that I am a Christian.
But I agree with the city in taking down the cross from the top of the dirt hill in Lake Wichita Park and I think the responsible thing for the lady and her youth group to do is fess up to it.
I'm still not entirely sure which side of the fence I'm going to fall on this one.
Reguardless of the intention of the act, altering publicly owned property can't be allowed.
A bunch of the letters to the editors keep bringing up the First Amendment and the rights. I'm a huge freedom of speech fan, being a journalist.....
You can hang an effigy of the president on your porch, but you can't spray paint Bush underneath a stop sign. You can have as many crosses as you want in your front yard, but you can't put one in a city park.
I'm sorry....rules are rules. And I think the real lesson for those kids is to understand why it was wrong to do that.
All that being said.....you have to look no further than the Texas panhandle to see an example of what can be done on private property reguarding religious views.
The 190-ft. white cross near Groom, TX can be seen for 25 miles (probably more on a clear day). You definetly don't need binoculars to see it. The entire site is a monument to Jesus's death. It is the second-largest cross in the Western Hemisphere.
Right off of I-40...one of the busiest highways in the country. Talk about forcing your views on people. The closer you get, the more you can't ignore looking at it.
BUT....it was built on private property in 1995. Private land. People refer to it as the Groom Cross....but it's not in Groom. It's not on city-owned park land. That's why it's okay.
The kids had the right idea in doing this....they were just misguided about how and where.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Neighborhood Pit Bulls ARE dangerous
April 19, 2006Which comes first...the chicken or the egg?
Or in this case...the split-second judgment on a friendly pit bull or a dangerously violent one?
If you happen to run across one in your neighborhood...which are you going to choose?
The story in this morning's paper makes perfect sense. And this blog is not an attack against Roger Whatley or his home-grown pit bulls. He knows what he is talking about, that much is obvious.
Any dog can be made vicious. I have had enough animal safety training courses to know that. But in the spur of the moment, you have to make fast decisions that could or could not endanger your life.
Regardless if there is a dog-fighting ring in North Texas or not....Whatley and his dogs are in a vast minority of friendliness. A simple drive through some of the rougher parts of town and you will see countless pit bulls chained to trees in the front yards, pacing the fence line in the backyards or running around the neighborhood.
Do you want to take the chance that any of those dogs have been taken care of with the kind heart that Whatley's dogs have?
What makes Pit Bulls especially dangerous in my opinion is they are designed to deliver a crushing bite. Even Whatley's nice pit bulls have this genetic trait.
That being said...what makes dogs dangerous in general is post-traumatic stress disorder. Hyper-aggression as a result of mental stress from an event in their lives such as abuse.
Don't believe me? Ever seen a dog die from a broken heart after its playmate or owner died suddenly?
These pit bulls for the most part are dangerous as a result of their upbringing. But even the smallest event can trigger a dangerous and deadly reaction. Maybe separating it from its mother at an early age. That is what happens with non-professional breeders (and some professional ones). These puppies are ripped away from their mother, and despite the environment they grow up in....that alone could be the emotional trigger that turns these dogs into killers.
So it's a combination.....but if you see a pit bull, a breed known for it's aggression under stressful circumstances, facing off with you. Which should you assume?
Is he friendly....is he just posturing for aggression....or will he actually attack me.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
156 by June
April 18, 2006I know that Texas weather is unpredictable. I've lived here long enough to witness some pretty crazy weather.
But this is rediculous. 100+ in mid April? Suprising as that is...it's not the earliest in the year that we've ever hit 100.
But it's been a trend this year. 90+ in January....100+ in April. What on earth is summer going to be like?
Posted by Jason Palmer at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Should Racism be illegal?
April 13, 2006Came across this story on ESPN out of Brazil.
The short of it is a soccer player was arrested after calling an opponent a "monkey" on the pitch in Brazil.
Racism is a criminal offense in Brazil. He faces up to 3 years IN JAIL.......wow.
Soccer Player arrested for racism
Posted by Jason Palmer at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Another Myspace Black Eye
April 12, 2006I love MySpace. I've been on that site for about 2 years now...looooong before most of the 65 million profiles they have now.
But it seems like every week, there is another negative story about the uber-popular networking site...
here's another one.
Seven Parsippany students suspended for MySpace accounts
This story out of New Jersey. Apparently several students created a profile full of vulgar and violent comments towards other students and school faculty...including posting photos that were not authorized.
The kids were suspended for 5 days.
Just another glaring example of how things can spiral out of control when something catches on as a fad like wildfire.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Midland....The Final Chapter
April 08, 2006Finally rolled into WFalls about an hour ago without a single hitch or hiccup along the way.
Amazing.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 01:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Midland Part II
April 07, 2006well....RIder won, they're going to state.
Andy and I got his car "Fixed"....it was a bad battery. Go figure.
We're on our way home.....I think.
If you don't hear from me in 5-10 hours, something is wrong. Peaceout.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Midland Part 1
This is not good.
It is 10:17 a.m. At the moment...Andy's car is being towed to the Firestone Auto Repair shop. We are waiting for a rental car to show up to pick us up.
All of the makings of a very bad/long day, and we're almost 280 miles from home....in Midland, Texas.
It all started last night......
We just rolled into town when his car started acting up.
We were 1 exit from the hotel. The Plymouth had made it about 278 miles of a 280 trip, and the electronics systems started going goofy. Lghts and gauges flashing, then the lurching and dying of the engine on the side of the highway.....it was about midnight.
I literally push it off the highway down the exit ramp where we coast into a parking lot and juuuuuuust happen to catch a nice guy with jumper cables to see if we can revive the car.
Now, I'm no mechanic or anything....but I know a little. But it was dark out there, and didn't realize that we didn't have the cables hooked up right.
They started smoking almost instantly......it's about 12:10 a.m. I reach to pull them off the battery, and the cable literally melted away from the clamps.
After walking to the nearby 7-11 (about 2 blocks) and making it there about 2 minutes before the sweet old lady was going to lock the doors for the night....we had a new pair of cables.
Charging the battery, and getting the wounded car started was easy...getting it to the hotel wasn't. We had to pull over and jump the car again before we made it.
Left yesterday at 6 p.m. from Wichita Falls, and the head finally hit the pillow about 1:30 a.m.
I think there's a soccer game somewhere we have to cover in about 3 hours.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Happy Masters
April 06, 2006So I'm sitting in the office today, and Lee Anderson yells across the way "Hey Rookie,"
(my nickname there...even though I'm not a rookie, won Newsroom Rookie of the Year last year....nor am I the youngest photographer on staff)
"Hey Rookie, you've gotta come see this."
Normally, most people would pass on that offer, but I think the world of Lee and came over quickly.
He says "I was sitting over here and thought I was missing the Masters on USA and turned over just in time to see Happy GIlmore beating the crap out of that alligator."
That's right...before television coverage of one of the most revered golf tournaments in the world, USA was showing Adam Sandler's "Happy Gilmore"...maybe the funniest golf movie behind Caddyshack.
Happy Gilmore...then, the Masters on USA.
Freaking Brilliant.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Life Goal #9 and #12....accomplished.
April 04, 2006Attend a Texas Rangers opening day baseball game........shoot a Texas Rangers baseball game for the newspaper.
Done.
This was kind of a birthday present from my boss. Not sure if he knew about it being my birthday, or my life goals list for that matter.....either way, wow I had fun.
More later after I get some sleep.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 12:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
27 years
April 03, 2006Well, it's here.
My birthday.
I am 27 years old.
Sunday wasn't a very good day for me. The day before a birthday never is anymore. I don't look forward to them.
The awful truth that I'm getting older and do not have somebody to get older with me is a weight on my shoulders that is almost to much to bear sometimes. Feels like a nail being driven into my rib cage.
Probably shouldn't be writing about it, a watched pot never boils right. It just strikes a particular poignant moment with me today.
I am going to be able to cross off one of my lifelong goals today on my list. I actually have a list. Getting to not only attend, but take photos at a Texas Rangers season opener has been a dream of mine for a very long time.
I can't tell you how excited I'm going to be in a few hours....that's the problem.
What good is child-like joy if you don't have somebody to share it with.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
23 Miles
April 02, 2006To a lot of very talented and dedicated cyclists in Wichita Falls....this isn't going to sound like much.
I rode 23 miles Saturday from my apartment on Harrison to the Weeks Park trail then on to Memorial Stadium and back. That is a huge accomplishment.
23 Miles....not because I've never done that before. I have. But becuse I remember in vivid detail the last time that happened, and it's taken me almost 12 years to do it again.
When I was 15, I was a bigtime cyclist. My dad and I rode in the Hotter-N-Hell 100 a couple of times, and going 30-40 miles every other day was nothing to me. Fort Worth has a wonderful trail system that goes for miles along the Trinity River.
But the last time I rode more than 20 miles wasn't along the Trinity River. It was down Dirk's Road as it descends from the Benbrook Lake dam. My dad was riding in front of me, and didn't see it happen.
A car came up behind me on this steep, winding road and gently bumped me into the gravel shoulder. How I wasn't seriously injured remains a miracle. I didn't even break any bones.
The car didn't stop, the guy driving behind him saw the whole thing and said it was pretty spectacular. I don't remember much of the wreck itself, I hit my head...the quarter-sized hole in the helmet proved that much.
I remember opening my eyes in a cloud of dust, my bike about 20 yards further down the hill. I looked at my wrist and just say blood. I thought I'd sliced it open. When I realized it was from a gash in my elbow, it wasn't any better honestly.
I was bleeding from several places, road rash everywhere, and my dad was nowhere in sight. He didn't see it happen and rode on down the hill. A good samaritan stopped and was trying to help me when my dad finally had turned around and came back up. He was mad (probably because I made him climb the hill again, it wasn't fun).
Since nothing appeared to be broken and the bike appeared to be in working order, my dad refused to let the guy drive me home or to the hospital, and made me get back on my bike. The last speed registered on my bike computer was 37 mph. I hit the deck at 37 mph, and he made me ride the last 2 miles home.
Mom was beside herself. I don't remember if my dad ever appologized to me, even to this day. The wreck, and having to pedal home, put me over the edge. I was done. I didn't think I'd ever get back on a bike. I didn't want to.
I bought a cheap mountain bike about 6 years later, took a spill the first time I took it out and gave it away for free. I knew that wouldn't be able to do it anymore. I was scared. I still am.
But my good friends and roommates convinced me to get another bike last year and start riding with them. I knew it would be a good workout, and thought, what the heck.
Several months later, I found myself paying for a bike that brand new cost about $1700, a 2004 Trek 2200. A few minor adjustments and additions, and I'm on my way back.
23 miles is just the start.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
