not really ski related
August 31, 2006
This is a great story:
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=890537I know, it's not ski-related. But as a former Wilson Bridge commuter, all I can say is this guy has just won a great, great honor. Not quite like receiving the Medal of Honor but not that far off.
What a great contest!
That said, I was reminded reading the "comments" section of the story why I'm glad to not be living in DC anymore.
Nothing to do with that "not really ski related" post but another "not really ski related" one covered currently be the Parson's Advocate; Cannaan Valley Institute's proposed move from Tucker County because the Tucker County Commision wants them to pay taxes on their land even though they are a non-profit institution. It's a tragic shame that the Tucker County Commision has no clue what is good for the county and wants to push out a great community based non-profit organization over a pissing match. CVI is one of the few organizations in the area that are on the up and up and providing quality jobs to good people and providing a great service to the area as well as bringing lots of money to the county, not to mention the great work they do. Instead of being one of the first great employers and 20th century agencies in Tucker County the Tucker County Commision would like to see them be the last apparently(yes I know it's the 21st century but things are a little behind up here). This is just another example of the backwards thinking of Tucker County Commision. With all inevitable future growth in the County you would think these people on the County Commision would look toward the future of the County, development, and the agencies that are providing quality jobs for the community and get over their own egos!
I'm with you Tucker....I spent 6 hours stuck 5 cars back from the Bridge as the police tried to talk a guy out of jumping from the sucker! Hell, we used to jump from places higher than the bridge for fun!What a joke...we were yelling for the guy to JUMP so we could get on with our life. They eventually fired off one of those nets that actually pushed him overboard anyway. The backup at the bridge slowly backed up the rest of the city & caused GRIDLOCK.....That was when I decided to move to the carolinas....I should write the guy & thank him now that I think about it!
I head this guy interviewd on 103.5. That doesn't sound like the toughest commute across the bridge. Yes 2 hours is a lot but surely there was somebody worse.
Possibly, but why not just be happy for the guy? Why do DC folks grouse so much when someone else has some good luck? Is it really that hard to just say "good for him"?
What we really need is a soap-box message board, where we can vent. Mountain Masher, I imagine, would own that board.
Another non-ski-related subject, but yet oh-so-ski related. Milwaukee has been voted America's drunkest town:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/24/national/main1932266.shtmlI've had Milwaukee's Best. You'd think the town that produced that swill would be a hotbed of prohibitionists. Needless to say, I'm going to do what I can to take that honor away from Milwaukee as quickly as possible (the drunkest town part, not the Milwaukee's Best is Bad Beer part), and given that it's a Friday night...
Good for him.
Tucker:
There's more to the CVI story. Congressman Alan Mollohan established CVI and Mountain Made to create more sustainable jobs in Tucker County and encourage sustainable tourism. From my reading of this NYT article:
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40A12FF3B5B0C7B8EDDAD0894DE404482
the problem is that these enterprises were primarily funded with Federal money and may be in violation of house ethics policies. The FBI has been involved in investigating the issue. I don't think any violations were uncovered but the whole scandal has hurt CVI and I suspect caused some of its funding to dry up. Do you have any more news on this issue? The CVI land forms a wilderness buffer for the Wildlife Refuge so many folks, myself included, do not want to see it sold and developed.
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What we really need is a soap-box message board, where we can vent. Mountain Masher, I imagine, would own that board.
Another non-ski-related subject, but yet oh-so-ski related. Milwaukee has been voted America's drunkest town:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/24/national/main1932266.shtml
I've had Milwaukee's Best. You'd think the town that produced that swill would be a hotbed of prohibitionists. Needless to say, I'm going to do what I can to take that honor away from Milwaukee as quickly as possible (the drunkest town part, not the Milwaukee's Best is Bad Beer part), and given that it's a Friday night...
It's not Friday night yet. Try and hold off just a few more hours...oh wait, I forgot. You work for the government and it's Friday afternoon. Why don't you pop one open for me while you're at it. 
Hey we're not government, we're a private entity just like the post office but with plenty of psychological help available.
"GOOD FOR HIM"
I'm not knocking the guy and I don't begrudge him the opportunity. I just made a statement that surely there was someone with a worse commute. They only received 321 entries (or so) for this contest. I guess the people who had worse commutes are still stuck on the old bridge and couldn't send in an entry.
Oh there was most likely a worse commute. Hopefully the bridge will be vacated of those with worse commutes when this guy blows it up.
bump...
This is actually somewhat ski related. The temps here in KC have taken a turn downward. Highs in the upper 70s to low 80s for the next 7-10 days, and overnight lows around 60. This is, believe it or not, about 20 degrees cooler than it was two weeks ago. Hints of autumn are definitely in the air!
We must be the only people who get stoked over the slightest hint of autumn arriving, even if we tend to think it's coming faster than what it is.
Hey Jimmy, here's another sign that winter can't be far away... it's time to being the Hokie/Mountaineer trash talk.
Heh heh heh .
This probably shows a bit more of the WVian in me... but everytime I hear/see the "Enter Sandman" Entrance, I think of the ECW wrestler 'Sandman' and his entrance coming down through the seats with the fans and the whole place singing along.
Hrm, I wonder if I can either be a wrestler or a 27 year old college freshman playing football....
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Hrm, I wonder if I can either be a wrestler or a 27 year old college freshman playing football....
Now you're really thinking. That's how to get the girls 
Visions of Happy Gilmore are dancing through my head.... but I think Brad said one time that he's 6 foot four, so maybe there's a chance. Plus being from West Virginia and all, he probably does his fair share of pig wrasslin'
. (really, Brad, you can tell me to lay off anytime, but ever since the discussion about cousins dating it's been too tempting)
Make that 6'5".
Heck I even run through the fields on the old farm roads to chasing that lovely 15 year old cous.... ERRR I mean stay in shape. Yeah, stay in shape.
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Visions of Happy Gilmore are dancing through my head.... but I think Brad said one time that he's 6 foot four, so maybe there's a chance. Plus being from West Virginia and all, he probably does his fair share of pig wrasslin' . (really, Brad, you can tell me to lay off anytime, but ever since the discussion about cousins dating it's been too tempting)
