Useless information thread

[Sentinel]

Glory Days


One page: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critic...urrentPage=all

I had a grandfather who played the horses. That was about as close as anyone in my family got to competitive sports, unless you count mixed doubles. Sports, or, as my relatives used to put it, “that damn fool athletic stuff,” were not among our household enthusiasms. In general, we did not genuflect much before the temple of the body. Just the concept of exercise, the notion that a person should “work out” in order to “stay in shape,” would have been greeted with incomprehension. In shape to do what? Health we understood. We knew what made a person healthy: sleeping with the windows open and drinking three glasses of whole milk a day. It was pretty simple

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critic...#ixzz22CXFYUqU

[Mike Bulgakov]

I was driving from SFO to the East Bay this evening, and there was heavy traffic entering the Bay Bridge. I had to merge onto the lane on my left; when there was an opening, I turned on my turn signal and started to merge. A large BMW sedan accelerated very fast to block the merger in an extremely dangerous fashion.

I tried this again, and the next car accelerate to block me. On the third attempt, the car didn't accelerate. This happens all the time on California freeways, and in cities all over the world.

Shaving a few seconds from their drive seems to be more important than risking an accident for many people, which I find very irrational. I see no satisfaction or rational reason for cutting someone off from entering the lane they need.

[AlpineCadet]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

I was driving from SFO to the East Bay this evening, and there was heavy traffic entering the Bay Bridge. I had to merge onto the lane on my left; when there was an opening, I turned on my turn signal and started to merge. A large BMW sedan accelerated very fast to block the merger in an extremely dangerous fashion.

I tried this again, and the next car accelerate to block me. On the third attempt, the car didn't accelerate. This happens all the time on California freeways, and in cities all over the world.

Shaving a few seconds from their drive seems to be more important than risking an accident for many people, which I find very irrational. I see no satisfaction or rational reason for cutting someone off from entering the lane they need.

This happens often when drivers try to enter the freeway at a decellerating speed.

[Mike Bulgakov]

I realize this. I am talking about situations where you are on the freeway, traveling at the appropriate speed, and the driver in the lane next to you just doesn't want to let you in front. The use of the turn signal is what usually triggers the acceleration of the offending car.

[Rock Strongo]

I injured my knee about 2 hours ago, and I have to keep it stretched out for comfort. Since I have to take the train home, I have to have my shoes off and have both feet that frankly doesn't smell nice, on the seat opposite me. Wonder how many will sit next to me...

[Sentinel]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

I was driving from SFO to the East Bay this evening, and there was heavy traffic entering the Bay Bridge. I had to merge onto the lane on my left; when there was an opening, I turned on my turn signal and started to merge. A large BMW sedan accelerated very fast to block the merger in an extremely dangerous fashion.

I tried this again, and the next car accelerate to block me. On the third attempt, the car didn't accelerate. This happens all the time on California freeways, and in cities all over the world.

Shaving a few seconds from their drive seems to be more important than risking an accident for many people, which I find very irrational. I see no satisfaction or rational reason for cutting someone off from entering the lane they need.

Ah, Indians!!

BMW did you say? Definitely us Indians.

[Mike Bulgakov]

Originally Posted by Sentinel

Ah, Indians!!

BMW did you say? Definitely us Indians.

All I know is that the BMW had personalized plates that read "Senti" and that there was a bumper sticker with a circle around the number 17. Very mysterious.

[Rock Strongo]

I'm currently making chicken stock.

[Sentinel]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

All I know is that the BMW had personalized plates that read "Senti" and that there was a bumper sticker with a circle around the number 17. Very mysterious.

Suspicious!

Did you shoot at the tires ? Seems like the Aubergine Cartel who have kept the South-Asian tennis population in Aubergine addiction for centuries.

[Leelord337]

and other good ideas

[Gorecki]

*** aka 6-0 breathes!

[Sentinel]

What happened to 6-0 ???

Originally Posted by Leelord337

and other good ideas

18/28 was cool, the milk bottle one.

[Mike Bulgakov]

Originally Posted by Rock Strongo

I injured my knee about 2 hours ago, and I have to keep it stretched out for comfort. Since I have to take the train home, I have to have my shoes off and have both feet that frankly doesn't smell nice, on the seat opposite me. Wonder how many will sit next to me...

You have given me a good idea. Tomorrow, I will take BART from the Embarcadero Center to a stop in the East Bay during rush hour. When I have done this before, I take a train in the other direction to the Civic Center (the beginning of the rush hour crowd) to get a seat, before returning to my intended direction.

By the time I return to the Embarcadero Center, I am guaranteed to have someone take a seat next to me. I think I will take off my shoes at the Civic Center, and tell anyone that want the seat next to me that I hurt my knee and need to keep it stretched. I think I will bring a small pillow to further insure my comfortable ride home!

Thanks, Rock!

[Mike Bulgakov]

Originally Posted by Sentinel

Suspicious!

Did you shoot at the tires ? Seems like the Aubergine Cartel who have kept the South-Asian tennis population in Aubergine addiction for centuries.

Sentinel, with your help, we are closing in on the infamous Indian Aubergine Cartel members. We were once closing in on a Greek connection to the operation, but she went underground.

We are worried that there is a mole in our operation. Also, the kingpin is known as "Dog Feeder" within the cartel. This is very cryptic and we can't figure out the meaning.

Sentinel, can you try to identify the mole and learn the identity of "Dog Feeder"?

[Sentinel]

Interesting article about Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon project and how he nearly killed himself training/competing


During its early years, the Oregon Project drew skeptical attention for utilizing technological innovations such as the Nike Altitude House (designed to emulate the naturally occurring low-oxygen levels in countries like Kenya and Ethiopia that have dominated long-distance races) and anti-gravity treadmills (legitimate training machines that ... well, sound pretty weird).

Gradually the emphasis shifted away from sci-fi technology to focus more on scientific training methods. Many of these methods were based on lessons Salazar learned from his own career, which was cut short by health problems exacerbated by his intense take-no-prisoners, I'd-rather-die-than-get-beat approach to training, conditioning and racing.

The language is not an exaggeration. In 1978, the 19-year-old Salazar pushed himself so hard in the Falmouth Road Race at Cape Cod that he collapsed from heatstroke after finishing in 10th place and received last rites from a priest in a nearby hospital before recovering.

Four years later, while edging out Dick Beardsley in a grueling Boston Marathon still known as "The Duel in the Sun," Salazar again seemingly pushed himself beyond the limits of human endurance. After winning the race in record time, he was dragged immediately to the medical tent, where he was given four liters of water intravenously for dehydration.

At the time, Salazar pooh-poohed media claims that he was flirting with death, but eventually he came to understand the toll that race and others were taking on his health. Following years of disappointing performances and failed comeback attempts, it wasn't until 1994 -- two years after his last Olympic trials marathon attempt, when he dropped out after just seven miles with a sore Achilles tendon -- that Salazar was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma that had reduced his lung capacity to less than 70 percent of what it should have been.

The final evidence of the damage done by those early over-the-top performances came on June 30, 2007, when Salazar collapsed from a heart attack while on the Nike campus and his heart stopped beating for 14 minutes. He was saved by what he later described as "a humbling, mind-blowing combination of science and grace," not the least of which was the presence nearby of Doug Douglass, a former UO football player and an emergency room doctor who was volunteering at a high school football camp on the Nike campus at the time.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/in...ike_deliv.html

[Sentinel]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

Sentinel, with your help, we are closing in on the infamous Indian Aubergine Cartel members. We were once closing in on a Greek connection to the operation, but she went underground.

We are worried that there is a mole in our operation. Also, the kingpin is known as "Dog Feeder" within the cartel. This is very cryptic and we can't figure out the meaning.

Sentinel, can you try to identify the mole and learn the identity of "Dog Feeder"?

As yet know nothing about Dog Feeder but we have an undercover cop (code-named "Homeless Cat") who has infiltrated the cartel and is closing in on Dog Feeder. Can't reveal more to you since your unit is leaking like a broken boat.

I have some idea about the mole -- he has a weakness for whipped cream and women. Together, somehow.

[Sentinel]

Comparing top women's marathoners.

Article puts Catherine Ndereba on top.



By Philip Hersh

Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania was assured of a noteworthy place in marathon history on Aug. 17, 2008 in Beijing.

She became the oldest Olympic marathon champion of either gender.

And I am a big believer that performances in championships are more significant than times in assessing an athlete's place in history -- especially in the marathon, where course profiles and weather conditions have so much impact.

But does that mean Tomescu-Dita is one of the top women's marathoners in history?

Not in my mind.

I already said in a blog at the Beijing Olympics that Kenya's Catherine Ndereba is No. 1 after winning her second silver medal. The question then was to rank her in comparison with England's Paula Radcliffe, a DNF at the 2004 Olympics and 23rd in 2008.

Now, since we all had so much fun after I put Michael Phelps sixth in my rankings of all-time great Olympians in all sports (and then moved him to 4th after his 8 gold medals in Beijing), let's give rankings another go as everyone gears up for the 2008 Chicago Marathon.

(One caveat: Because there were no championship marathons for women until the early 1980s, it was impossible to rank any of the standout pioneer female marathoners, like Jacqueline Hansen of the U.S. and Chantal Langlace of France, each of whom set two world records in the 1970s.)

Ten greatest women marathoners:

1. Catherine Ndereba, Kenya. Two Olympic silver medals. Two world titles and a second place. Four Boston Marathon titles. One world record. Second fastest woman ever.

2. Grete Waitz, Norway. World title. Olympic silver. Four world records, including first under 2 hours, 30 minutes. Nine New York Marathon victories.

3. Paula Radcliffe, England. Three fastest times in history. Two world records. Best time is four minutes faster than anyone else's. One world title, in meet record time. Wins in Chicago, New York (2) and London (3).

4. Joan Benoit S_a_muelson, U.S. Winner of first Olympic marathon. World record. U.S. record from 1985 Chicago win that lasted 18 years. Won Boston twice -- four years apart. Like Waitz, an icon for female runners. Beat Waitz and Rosa Mota (No. 5) of Portugal in 1984 Olympics. Beat Mota and Norway's Ingrid Kristiansen (No. 8 ) in 1985 Chicago race.

5. Rosa Mota, Portugal. Olympic gold and bronze medals. World champion. Three-time European champion. Three Boston and two Chicago wins.

6. Lidia Simon, Romania. Olympic silver. Gold and two bronzes at world championships. Three-time winner of Osaka Women's Marathon, world's premier female-only marathon. Competed in four Olympics, with a sixth in her debut (1996) and an 8th in 2008.

7. Katrin Dorre, Germany: Olympic and world bronze medalist. Four wins at Osaka over 13-year span. Three wins in London and in Tokyo women's marathon. Won big-city marathons 18 years apart.

8. Ingrid Kristiansen, Norway. Set world record in 1985 that lasted 13 years. Won London four times, Boston twice, Chicago and New York once each. Fourth in 1984 Olympics.

9. Valentina Yegorova, Russia. Olympic gold and silver in an otherwise solid but unremarkable career.

10. Naoko Takahashi, Japan. Olympic champion. Asian Games champion. First woman under 2:20.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/...ntina-tom.html

[Mike Bulgakov]

Originally Posted by Sentinel

As yet know nothing about Dog Feeder but we have an undercover cop (code-named "Homeless Cat") who has infiltrated the cartel and is closing in on Dog Feeder. Can't reveal more to you since your unit is leaking like a broken boat.

I have some idea about the mole -- he has a weakness for whipped cream and women. Together, somehow.

Sentinel, we have full confidence in your operation and the brave work of the officer code named "Homeless Cat." You are on track to breaking the Indian Aubergine Cartel (IAC). We are sure that your organization will diligently work towards catching the mysterious kingpin known as "Dog Feeder" within the cartel. We will hand over the operation to you.

[Sentinel]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

Sentinel, we have full confidence in your operation and the brave work of the officer code named "Homeless Cat." You are on track to breaking the Indian Aubergine Cartel (IAC). We are sure that your organization will diligently work towards catching the mysterious kingpin known as "Dog Feeder" within the cartel. We will hand over the operation to you.

We are on the verge of abandoning that covert operation since there are too many politicians involved. One Senator Bullworth, and someone code-named Horse's *** Whisperer. The US Govt could fall if we continue with this investigation. We'll just never ever know why the Bistro's stocks of Aubergine Parmigiana made by Chef ILC keep mysteriously vanishing.

[Senator Jay Bullworth]

Gentlemen,
Gentlemen:

Aware of your on-going investigation - STOP - Have had no direct contact with Aubergine Cartel - STOP - No US Gov compromise involved - all avenues secured - STOP -

Advisory: Swedish agent has directed U.S. operative to commence "Operation Lindburger" on SFO-BART system - STOP - Sources have detected a mole in your organization - STOP - 'Plant' goes by name of 'Egg' - STOP - Aforementioned operative in Greece has resurfaced in Italy under name of Aubergine Melogena - STOP - Melogena (F) is fruit co. cover for noted hitman Barry Cuda, a/k/a the 'Guinea Squash' - STOP - will be in touch - END -






Oh Janet! ... Jill!! ... - DON'T STOP -