Kids' Appreciation Day

On September 25, the Minnesota Twins declared their last home game of the season "Kids' Appreciation Day". There were a lot of younger folk in the small crowd. As is normally now the case at all sporting events, prior to the beginning of play the US flag was raised by an honor guard of veterans, followed by the singing of the national anthem.



The Twins management missed a chance, however, in demonstrating something to the kids that they may not have considered. The Twins should have invited all the kids in attendance down on to the field and then over the loudspeaker explained to them that in the future a certain percentage of them would be sent to foreign countries where they would be tasked with killing the residents. They should have also pointed out that another percentage of the youngsters would be maimed or killed in this process.

Rather than celebrate the old timers' contribution, why not pay respect for a change to that which will be made by those in the future?  

Poll: Clinton, Trump in virtual dead heat on eve of first debate

Here we go again. Newspapers and the media in general are supposed to be capable of using language in a sensible manner. But they don't, as this headline in the Washington Post shows.


This is the actual reference:




We've had some primary elections and soon we'll have real elections. In the run-up to these elections we'll hear the results of little phony elections that candidates, parties and news organizations like to hold so they can pretend to predict the future. These phony elections are called polls and their results cause millions to be spent or withheld in individual races and provide endless fodder for commentators and pundits that analyze the supposed preferences of likely (maybe) voters and provide reasons why one candidate is sizzling and another flaming out. However, if the polls reveal that two candidates for a post have nearly the same potential support at the polls, those two are said to be in a "dead heat". A dead heat is a term from horse racing. It describes a race result where two or more horses have reached the finish wire at exactly the same instant. It doesn't have to be for first place. There are dead heats for second or third or other placings as well. In modern racing cameras are used to determine the placing of runners and the occurrence of a dead heat. The term is never used to describe the placing of the runners at any time during the race. While the race is being run, the horses could be neck and neck, or side by side or together but there is no dead heat until the race is completed. For this reason the use of the term "dead heat" in the typical political context is erroneous and stupid.

2016 National Sports Center Velodrome All-Star Team

Thursday, Sept. 8, was the final night of competition this year at velodrome in Blaine, Minnesota. We present the riders that were most impressive during the 2016 season.

 Ageless Dan Casper, world master's champion, had another remarkable season. Combined with junior Peter Moore to win the Minnesota Madison title.

Junior Anya Malarski,  Women's 17-18 International Omnium National Champion and, by a large margin, Minnesota women's track rider of the year.

Peter Moore is a junior national champion and one of the fastest riders on the track.

Veteran Linsey Hamilton dominated the women's sprint scene, just as she has for years. Once again she's on her way to the world's masters meet in the UK.

Bejamin Heintz used his ample speed to move up from the Cat 4 division to Cat 3 before the season was over.

Big Nate Brennaman turns a big chain ring.

Experienced road rider Peter Olejniczak ran away from his Cat 3 competition.

Laura Moreno spends her days at Quality Bike Parts in Bloomington, MN and Thursday nights orbiting the NSC Velodrome.

Sam Bramel owned the Cat 4 scene.

Elvis Lee was usually on the front end of Cat 3 tests.

Tim Mulrooney is another world master's champion headquartered in the Twin Cities.

Tiana Johnson, a force in the women's track peloton.

Personable Sarah Bonneville may have been the most improved rider of the year.

Another North Star Development junior with a big future, Rylski Bogdan.

Aggressive Nikki Munvez impressed fans from day one.

Alec Guggemos has created a spot for himself in the Cat 1/2 scene with some dynamic performances.

Francie Barbeau is a consistent Cat 4 competitor.

The cycling fans that regularly make their way up to the NSC Velodrome want to express their thanks to the riders for perhaps the best entertainment value in town. And a special thanks go out to the newer Cat 4 ladies that have added so much to the local track cycling scene. We hope to see you again next year.

California Cops Evade Prosecution For Prostitution and Sex With A Minor

The East Bay area of northern California has been rocked by the results of an investigation that has revealed a battalion of law enforcement officers involved in the sexual exploitation of a drug-addled teen-age girl. Nobody being prosecuted as of yet.  http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/09/07/oakland-mayor-schaaf-announces-four-police-officers-will-be-fired-following-investigation-into-sex-scandal/

Further east, cops involved in the beating of a restaurant customer over a decade ago are still hard at work protecting and serving the public even though they've been "fired" for their criminal activities.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-off-duty-chicago-police-beating-met-20160904-story.html