As always, Cross Country Cycle has the complete list of Michigan mountain biking events.
Lots of decisions to make. The holidays are upon us so that means time to get training again as soon as all the Christmas cookies are eaten.
Looking at the schedule I think I’ll probably hit a couple of the 6 hour events (Stony, Addison, Ithaca), and maybe the Boyne CPS race – the only one worth really driving for.
May only be temporarily, but for now I’m running it with uploads every 5 mins. Will disable at night so you don’t get blank pictures.
Oak Park Police Officer Mason Samborski, age 28, was killed in the line of duty around 12:30 am on December 28. Samborski is survived by his wife, Sarah, and his one-year-old daughter, Madeline.
A memorial fund has been established for the family. Checks written to the “Mason Samborski Memorial Fund” can be addressed to the Mason Samborski Memorial Fund, c/o 13600 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, MI 48237
Our finch feeder is almost always busy, especially now that the weather has turned cold. Here is a shot from this summer of the ubiquitous chickadee:
We get tons of Goldfinches, and though they are more colorful in the summer, this plump winter goldfinch is also pretty cute:
During the recent serious cold spell and heavy snow we got a flock of Juncos loading up on thistle seeds at our feeder. One would sit on the feeder knocking the seeds down to the ground where the rest would chow down as they prefer:
The only other variety I recall seeing on our porch is a woodpecker, nothing too exotic. Our recently added suet feeder so far has had no customers, but hopefully it will draw some soon.
Found on Copenhagen Cycle Chic:
Congratulations to Carrie and Nathan, proud new parents! Caitlin was born 10/29 weighing 5lbs, 1oz and 18.5 inches in length.
“Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion – when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing – when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors – when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you – when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice – you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that it does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.” ~Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged”
After contemplating all the thoughts I would like to write down with respect to politics and economics, I finally came to the conclusion that it would be a lot simpler (not to mention easier) to simply quote a much better writer than myself. It is interesting to note that much of the world was still under the Bretton-Woods quasi-gold standard currency system when Rand wrote this, although it is certainly conceivable she was more than well aware of the previous disastrous experiments in fiat currency. I particularly like her use of the word “doom” – my new favorite.
Caught Ben Folds tonight at the Fillmore in Detroit. Played all the new stuff from the just released album, didn’t get into the classics till closer to the end:
