From Yahoo! Finance:
While most people tip at restaurants, many people are confused about how much they should shell out for other services -- or whether they should tip at all. Tipping, and determining how much to tip, depends on several factors including the quality, frequency and nature of the service rendered. According to Anna Post of the Emily Post Institute, customers should also consider the "length and strength" of their relationship with the service provider.
When it's your turn to tip, keep the following suggestions from the experts in mind.
Gas Attendants -- Suggested Tip: None
In certain states, full service is provided to every customer at the gas pump. But, regardless of how friendly and helpful your gas attendant may be, tipping authorities agree that no tip is necessary.
Shampoo Person -- Suggested Tip: $2
Before you make it to your stylist's chair, you will have a run-in with the shampoo boy or girl. Experts recommend a flat-rate tip for a shampoo, while a tip of 15-20% is recommended for the hairdresser.
Doorman -- Suggested Tip: $1 per Bag
The total amount due to the doorman depends on how many bags he or she helps you with; a tip of about $1 for each bag is reccomended. Hailing a cab is worth an additional dollar.
Skycaps (Airport Porter) -- Suggested Tip: $1 Per Bag
When you're at the airport, you really need to ensure that you keep baggage handlers on your good side. Don't skimp on tips here. The standard tip is equal to that of a doorman; however, the $1-per-bag rate doubles if the skycap takes your bags to the check-in counter.
Food Retailers and Coffee Shops -- Suggested Tip: None
Many smaller restaurants have tip jars located at the point of purchase, but according to tipping authorities, you shouldn't feel guilty for walking on by. Unlike most restaurant servers, employees behind the counter are typically paid at least minimum wage. That said, if you visit a place frequently and have a good relationship with the person behind the counter, adding a modest tip to the jar now and then is a nice way to say "thanks".
Bartenders -- Suggested Tip: 15-20% of Tab
If you choose not to go with the percentage of the tab method, your bartender's tip should be determined by the strength of what you are sipping. Soft drinks should carry a minimum tip of 50 cents per drink. Up the ante for mixed or other alcoholic drinks to about $1 per drink. (Does the expense of going out for drinks make you cringe?
Restaurant Servers -- Suggested Tip: 15% of Pretax Bill
Restaurant workers are part of a unique group, in that their minimum wage is $2.13 per hour. The low wage has been set since 1991, with the reasoning that tips will help bring workers up to, or above, minimum wage. So, tips for servers are not additional pay, they're how these workers makes a living!
Assuming you've received adequate service, the standard tip for servers is 15%; outstanding service should be rewarded with a 20% tip. Contrary to popular belief, bad service is no excuse to completely skip the tip. Even when the level of service is poor, experts recommend leaving no less than 10%.
Pizza Delivery -- Suggested Tip: 10% of Pretax Bill
Just like the precious cargo they carry, how much to tip the pizza guy is a hot topic. The Emily Post Institute suggests a tip of 10% of the pretax bill, with difficult deliveries earning the delivery person 15-20%. However, Tipthepizzaguy.com recommends a different set of guidelines, including a rate of 15% for normal service, 20% for excellent service and 10% or less for poor service.
Conclusion
Tipped employees often rely on gratuity for a substantial portion of their income. Since tipping is optional and how much to tip is debatable, the take-home pay of a tipped employee is often riddled with uncertainty. Regardless of the gray areas, remember that good service has value; tipping allows you to reward people who provide good service and helps to ensure that you and the service provider share a mutually beneficial relationship.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
High/Low Week 8 2010
The old ethical test goes something like "Would you have said the same thing about that person if they'd been in the room with you?" I can think of at least three separate occasions this week where I flunked that test. It's a sign of weakness to backbite or feast upon the perceived missteps of others, a weakness I'd done well to address in recent months but slid back into this week. There's always another option than to complain. It's funny how easy it is to watch a high school player blame the referees for his misfortunes, nodding to myself self-assuredly at how foolhardy that is, and then to whine internally about my insignificant challenges at the office. "Head up, mouth shut!"
Following another tough home loss in hoops on Wednesday, it was refreshing to see how close the team has become during practice the next day. The defeat seemed quickly forgotten, and in its place the players were laughing, playing and even wrestling with each other good-naturedly. Forty-six practices and twenty games have molded this team into a unit that enjoys being together, and even a part-timer like me feels like a welcome part of the family. I look forward to seeing how they do as sophomores.
My little free-throw shooting exercises are paying off. Today I hit ten in a row on three different occasions, including 15 in a row in one stretch.
Planner that she is, Mom drafted and sent me a copy of her will. It reads in conclusion: "I love and have always been very proud of my children. You have grown up to be special people who care about others. A Mother couldn't ask for more."
I recently heard someone answer the question "How are you?" with the response, "I'm living the dream." What a fantastic refrain. Is life great or what?
Following another tough home loss in hoops on Wednesday, it was refreshing to see how close the team has become during practice the next day. The defeat seemed quickly forgotten, and in its place the players were laughing, playing and even wrestling with each other good-naturedly. Forty-six practices and twenty games have molded this team into a unit that enjoys being together, and even a part-timer like me feels like a welcome part of the family. I look forward to seeing how they do as sophomores.
My little free-throw shooting exercises are paying off. Today I hit ten in a row on three different occasions, including 15 in a row in one stretch.
Planner that she is, Mom drafted and sent me a copy of her will. It reads in conclusion: "I love and have always been very proud of my children. You have grown up to be special people who care about others. A Mother couldn't ask for more."
I recently heard someone answer the question "How are you?" with the response, "I'm living the dream." What a fantastic refrain. Is life great or what?
The Crazies
The previews I read about this movie did a nice job about concealing the larger plot, so I'll extend the courtesy here. It begins with the death of a farmer shortly after he appears to lose his marbles, and a small town is quickly overcome with some kind of force that transforms folksy neighbors into disease-wracked killers.
I knew this would be one of those "look-away" movies for me. You know the moments - the close up shot, the dark room, the silence... and the fact that roughly two minutes have passed since something startling happened. So you listen peacefully for the explosion of dire music, wait ten seconds for the screams to fade, and then start watching again. Does wonders for the heart rate.
The interesting twist here, unlike "The Happening" in which the entire movie was spent trying to beat the mysterious force, "The Crazies" solves the riddle early enough to allow a different kind of enemy to emerge. And even though most every character who utters a line ends up meeting some gruesome finish, it ends with a small measure of satisfaction, even though the ending isn't completely happy.
So let your imagination run with that, find someone who doesn't mind being squeezed, and head toward the back row of a theater to wake yourself up with this one!
I knew this would be one of those "look-away" movies for me. You know the moments - the close up shot, the dark room, the silence... and the fact that roughly two minutes have passed since something startling happened. So you listen peacefully for the explosion of dire music, wait ten seconds for the screams to fade, and then start watching again. Does wonders for the heart rate.
The interesting twist here, unlike "The Happening" in which the entire movie was spent trying to beat the mysterious force, "The Crazies" solves the riddle early enough to allow a different kind of enemy to emerge. And even though most every character who utters a line ends up meeting some gruesome finish, it ends with a small measure of satisfaction, even though the ending isn't completely happy.
So let your imagination run with that, find someone who doesn't mind being squeezed, and head toward the back row of a theater to wake yourself up with this one!
The Parke Hotel
Our romantic 15-year anniversary evening was a pleasure at the modern Parke Hotel on the east side of town. The top-floor suite was complete with whirlpool tub and big screen high-def television. Stepping into that tub - oh, my! The relaxation was so overwhelming in contrast to the wintry whipping winds outside that I sat transfixed for a couple minutes. The T.V.'s closed captioning allowed us to enjoy an episode of TruTV's Forensic Files show while the jets massaged away.
There was a lounge with bar and live music just off the lobby, featuring a smooth-voiced singer this evening. We didn't hop into the pool ourselves, but it did appear to be making waves even in the late hours of the night. And the convenience nook filled with snacks for purchase at all hours of the day was a delightful surprise, seeming to buck the trend on my business travels.
The staff was helpful and upbeat. The beds were soft and comfortable. I wouldn't mind going back!
There was a lounge with bar and live music just off the lobby, featuring a smooth-voiced singer this evening. We didn't hop into the pool ourselves, but it did appear to be making waves even in the late hours of the night. And the convenience nook filled with snacks for purchase at all hours of the day was a delightful surprise, seeming to buck the trend on my business travels.
The staff was helpful and upbeat. The beds were soft and comfortable. I wouldn't mind going back!
Another Reason To Love Thy Enemy
"A common enemy brings opposing sides together faster than any other type of group cohesion technique." - David Lieberman
So why have marriage counselors not caught on to this? "Sorry guys, I was so sure hug therapy was going to do the trick for you. You know what the real problem is? Little Jimmy. Think about it, the crying, the spilled milk, the skinned knees. Who invited him anyway? It's time to bring him down. You can DO this!"
Or peace talks:
Flarfanian leader: "We may return your hostages, but we shall NEVER cede the river bank!"
United Fiefdom leader: "The hostages would rather perish than live without the river bank!"
(tense staring, then eye darting, followed by uncomfortable shuffling of feet)
Flarfanian: "Those Krankizites sure have lots of river bank and plunderable villages, don't they?"
United Fiefdom: "Our armies will crush them into the dust of history!"
So why have marriage counselors not caught on to this? "Sorry guys, I was so sure hug therapy was going to do the trick for you. You know what the real problem is? Little Jimmy. Think about it, the crying, the spilled milk, the skinned knees. Who invited him anyway? It's time to bring him down. You can DO this!"
Or peace talks:
Flarfanian leader: "We may return your hostages, but we shall NEVER cede the river bank!"
United Fiefdom leader: "The hostages would rather perish than live without the river bank!"
(tense staring, then eye darting, followed by uncomfortable shuffling of feet)
Flarfanian: "Those Krankizites sure have lots of river bank and plunderable villages, don't they?"
United Fiefdom: "Our armies will crush them into the dust of history!"
Thursday, February 25, 2010
15 Year Anniversary
Fifteen years ago today I attended a Baptist Student Union dinner theater at ISU. The Saturday night amateur event featured various forms of karaoke and performing home made scripts that was charming in a family-style way. About a dozen students were earning proceeds to travel from home and minister to those less fortunate. Avanti's spaghetti was abundant. And for the first time, I met a pretty young girl from Goodfield as part of a blind date, a prelude to several thousand wonderful days since. As fate would have it, our old favorite "Forrest Gump" is playing on television tonight. All that's missing is a DQ blizzard! Tomorrow night we'll spend a luxurious evening together thanks to a winning silent auction bid for a hotel suite as part of - yes - another fund raiser. What could be better?
Out There
"If you think that the problem is 'out there,' that thought is the problem." - Norman Vincent Peale
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Simply Effective
"The most effective tool for influencing and leading can be summed up in one word: simplicity." - David Lieberman
"Leaders who impose elaborate strategies on people cause social reactions that undermine the structure of the organization because clever strategies strike a resonant chord in people and trigger their own cunning responses. i f leaders, instead, guide the organization with simplicity and directness, the inherent cleverness of the people will be disarmed." - Tao-te Ching
I get to wondering how much of the recent malaise of the country in these past several years could be soothed by an injection of good old-fashioned patriotism? Not the nation vs. nation kind, but the kind that feasts spiritually on the good fortune we have to be on this soil, in these times of unprecedented medical advancement, nutrition, technological productivity, and increasingly equal opportunity. Maybe someone just needs to step up and pen a few poems and songs about America, like they used to do when the nation was young. Or more recently, when Bruce Springsteen was young.
"Leaders who impose elaborate strategies on people cause social reactions that undermine the structure of the organization because clever strategies strike a resonant chord in people and trigger their own cunning responses. i f leaders, instead, guide the organization with simplicity and directness, the inherent cleverness of the people will be disarmed." - Tao-te Ching
I get to wondering how much of the recent malaise of the country in these past several years could be soothed by an injection of good old-fashioned patriotism? Not the nation vs. nation kind, but the kind that feasts spiritually on the good fortune we have to be on this soil, in these times of unprecedented medical advancement, nutrition, technological productivity, and increasingly equal opportunity. Maybe someone just needs to step up and pen a few poems and songs about America, like they used to do when the nation was young. Or more recently, when Bruce Springsteen was young.
Best Fast Food Fries In America
Saw this in Yahoo! Health and felt an overwhelming sense of pride:
"McDonald’s Small French Fries
230 calories
11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
160 mg sodium
Out of the big three fast food joints (Mickey D’s, Wendy’s, and BK), you’ll find the least caloric, least salty fries underneath the golden arches. The key to ordering a smart side dish is portion sizing—and McDonald’s has that under control."
"McDonald’s Small French Fries
230 calories
11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
160 mg sodium
Out of the big three fast food joints (Mickey D’s, Wendy’s, and BK), you’ll find the least caloric, least salty fries underneath the golden arches. The key to ordering a smart side dish is portion sizing—and McDonald’s has that under control."
Monday, February 22, 2010
With Malice Toward None
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations." - Abraham Lincoln
One Of The Gang
"When it is clear in their words and actions that leaders do not feel superior to those whom they lead, the people see themselves in their leaders and never tire of them." - Tao-te Ching
I think that's one of the reasons that I so rarely overrule those who report to me, if I can help myself. In most ways I'm no smarter or wiser than any of them.
It was interesting in the closing moments of our tough loss on Saturday. Struggling to hold a 1 point lead, the coach asked the players if we thought we should stick with our current offensive stalling pattern. The team agreed strongly - then turned the ball over and lost the game. And afterword, the locker room was quiet but not rebellious, and players apologized to their teammates. They took ownership for the loss, because they had been given ownership of the game. It made them stronger, even in defeat.
I think that's one of the reasons that I so rarely overrule those who report to me, if I can help myself. In most ways I'm no smarter or wiser than any of them.
It was interesting in the closing moments of our tough loss on Saturday. Struggling to hold a 1 point lead, the coach asked the players if we thought we should stick with our current offensive stalling pattern. The team agreed strongly - then turned the ball over and lost the game. And afterword, the locker room was quiet but not rebellious, and players apologized to their teammates. They took ownership for the loss, because they had been given ownership of the game. It made them stronger, even in defeat.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
High/Low Week 7 2010
This was a pressured week at work. I was committed to another round of multiple meetings to review employee performance, ran a monthly staff meeting for 15 people, and helped negotiate a settlement in a legal case involving a $5 million policy. The kicker was racing against a deadline to design the tax features of a new product that's fairly unlike anything we've done before. And sad to say, I lost my focus during one of the more controversial meetings and got a bit snippy with a co-worker, no doubt in part because I'd made an error or two along the way. It's so easy to place exaggerated significance on tiny things. Everything human is tiny in this universe. What matters isn't the result of yes or no, right or wrong, but the way we treat others en route. For some cockamamie reason, even though I saw the intensity of this week coming in advance, I got lost in myself. How much better would things have been had I just smiled from the learning, and found comfort in the bigger picture? We'll give it a fresh try this week!
This week's highlight may have been seeing one of our ballplayers who'd been struggling throughout the year, suddenly explode with a 26-point outburst that practically doubled his season's output. The ills of impatience, self-centeredness and victimized thinking that we all have (see above) can be triumphed over by a "head up, mouth shut" philosophy and determination to improve. Using the ears more than the mouth, he's grown. And he finally struck paydirt. I'm looking forward to his next step.
I was also glad that, despite the difficulties of the work week, my co-workers seemed to be in excellent spirits on Friday. So we must have made some measure of satisfactory progress through it all.
This week's highlight may have been seeing one of our ballplayers who'd been struggling throughout the year, suddenly explode with a 26-point outburst that practically doubled his season's output. The ills of impatience, self-centeredness and victimized thinking that we all have (see above) can be triumphed over by a "head up, mouth shut" philosophy and determination to improve. Using the ears more than the mouth, he's grown. And he finally struck paydirt. I'm looking forward to his next step.
I was also glad that, despite the difficulties of the work week, my co-workers seemed to be in excellent spirits on Friday. So we must have made some measure of satisfactory progress through it all.
Beside Yourself With Success
"Effective leadership means thinking in terms of the other person. You can motivate any action in anyone if you appeal to her desired, her needs, and her wants. But before you do, bear in mind that people do not care what you know until they know that you care." - David Lieberman
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A Heart Of Old
Couldn't help but laugh at sports humorist Bill Simmons' take on Tiger Woods' public statement from yesterday regarding his marital affairs:
"Whatever. I was going to leave it alone. After all, that had to have been a humiliating experience for the guy. But listening to talking heads praise that ludicrous speech pushed me over the edge. Someone actually said, 'It came from the heart.' It did? Was it C3PO's heart? I thought it seemed like an automated response from Microsoft's new 'Cheater's Confession' program."
"Whatever. I was going to leave it alone. After all, that had to have been a humiliating experience for the guy. But listening to talking heads praise that ludicrous speech pushed me over the edge. Someone actually said, 'It came from the heart.' It did? Was it C3PO's heart? I thought it seemed like an automated response from Microsoft's new 'Cheater's Confession' program."
Friday, February 19, 2010
Long Term Care
Today I applied for a long-term care policy for Dena and me. This is coverage that pays benefits of up to $180 per day tax-free (indexed to inflation) if we meet certain extreme conditions like an inability to feed oneself. Considering that even 3 months of that type of expense is more than $16,000, I'm satisfied that to cover us both costs about $1,700 per year (which of course can increase annually). It can't be cancelled as long as we keep paying premiums. And some day if one of us becomes so infirmed, the other won't have to struggle physically at our advanced age to manipulate, change, clean, etc. the other. That brings real peace of mind that if illness should overcome us, we won't have the additional mental burden of guilt that comes with exhausting the other through full-time care.
Free Throws
After working out today I decided to shoot free throws until I made ten in a row. On the whole I think I shot about 70% and thankfully I didn't check the clock to see how long it took me. Funny how lifting pressure can increase one's performance - once I did hit the 10 mark I proceeded to make 16 in a row. Someone should try to beat that!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Cold War Negotiations Should Have Tried Wrestling
"Numerous studies overwhelmingly concur that there is no easier way to snap anyone out of a mode of thinking than to get him to move his body." - David Lieberman
What For?
All above chaos was breaking out. The waves were rising, rain was falling. Sands were approaching, the kind that could moor a boat trying desperately to stay on its course. The manager scampered about the deck in a growing panic, urging the girl's father to sign a paper that would end the madness of the excursion, relieving him of the pressure of responsibility. One of the deckhands even rushed to the side of the boat and yelled down.
Down below, Trudy Ederle was 12 hours into a 14 hour journey that, if succeeded, would make her not only the first woman to swim the English Channel, but the fastest human ever to accomplish the feat. And while the adults above board were fretting and visualizing failure, 19-year old Trudy was absolutely fine, singing songs in her head and enjoying the watery tumult around her.
"Come out, girl, come out of the water!" came the cry.
Where most of us would be bordering on exhaustion or delirium after so many hours of constant exertion in 60 degree waters and little food, Trudy couldn't help but smile.
"What for?" she called out, her voice clear and strong and pure, a bell cutting through the fog. "What for?"
Everyone stopped. They saw her smile and heard her voice and no one had an answer to her question. In the midst of such confusion, Trudy was all calm. The figures on deck looked at one another. The manager looked incredulous, his face flushed. The girl in the water was in better condition than anyone on the boat. Trudy turned back on her belly, laughed, took a deep breath, and looked ahead toward England. Soon, she was singing to herself again.
How are we doing against the swells of the day? Complaining and seeking the first opportunity to turn back, or turning ahead to continue the swim?
Down below, Trudy Ederle was 12 hours into a 14 hour journey that, if succeeded, would make her not only the first woman to swim the English Channel, but the fastest human ever to accomplish the feat. And while the adults above board were fretting and visualizing failure, 19-year old Trudy was absolutely fine, singing songs in her head and enjoying the watery tumult around her.
"Come out, girl, come out of the water!" came the cry.
Where most of us would be bordering on exhaustion or delirium after so many hours of constant exertion in 60 degree waters and little food, Trudy couldn't help but smile.
"What for?" she called out, her voice clear and strong and pure, a bell cutting through the fog. "What for?"
Everyone stopped. They saw her smile and heard her voice and no one had an answer to her question. In the midst of such confusion, Trudy was all calm. The figures on deck looked at one another. The manager looked incredulous, his face flushed. The girl in the water was in better condition than anyone on the boat. Trudy turned back on her belly, laughed, took a deep breath, and looked ahead toward England. Soon, she was singing to herself again.
How are we doing against the swells of the day? Complaining and seeking the first opportunity to turn back, or turning ahead to continue the swim?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Paparazzi Moment
Dena and I were lounging in the carryout section of Avanti's. Absent-mindedly we stared at a framed photo of the restaurant on a sunny day. Suddenly Dena leaned forward.
"Hey, is that... YOUR car?" she asked.
Sure enough, smack in the middle of the picture was my shiny red Saturn, which on that particular day had found a prime parking spot right by the main entrance.
I'd been thinking of selling it recently. Now all I have to do is find an Avanti's enthusiast and I can bump the price up $500 due to its celebrity status!
"Hey, is that... YOUR car?" she asked.
Sure enough, smack in the middle of the picture was my shiny red Saturn, which on that particular day had found a prime parking spot right by the main entrance.
I'd been thinking of selling it recently. Now all I have to do is find an Avanti's enthusiast and I can bump the price up $500 due to its celebrity status!
I Love You. Now Read This Post.
"It's been clearly established, through numerous studies, that you need to appeal to a person's emotions in your attempt to persuade. No matter how rational and logical your argument is, if you do not arouse emotions you will have great difficulty influencing him. Ninety percent of the decisions we make are based on emotion. We then use logic to justify our actions. If you appeal to someone on a strictly logical basis, you will have little chance of persuading him." - David Lieberman
As a numbers guy, I agree. Over reliance on logic comes easily to those blessed with it, and can derail the well-meaning ambitions of those who do. In my line of work, the personal needs of customers rule the day.
Suppose that a customer wishes to open an account, but is $100 short of the $30,000 limit required by the company. The customer pleas for an exception. Should it be granted?
Logicman: "No. Everyone must be treated equally. If we let $100 'exception' happen here, then doesn't that effectively reduce the limit to $29,900? When an exception is made because of being 'just barely' under the limit, there's no way to define 'just barely.' It becomes a logical slippery slope that eventually reduces the limit to zero."
Emotionman: "No. If we make an exception for this customer just because he happened to ask, how is that fair to the customer who obediently followed the rule? When we give special treatment to customers who push us, we are encouraging more of that type of behavior in our customer relationships in a way that just seems unhealthy. I can understand giving an exception if we made a mistake that hurt the customer in some way. What I can't get comfortable with is oiling the squeaky wheel. I feel like fairness means protecting all customers, rather than 'this' customer."
Which one did you buy?
As a numbers guy, I agree. Over reliance on logic comes easily to those blessed with it, and can derail the well-meaning ambitions of those who do. In my line of work, the personal needs of customers rule the day.
Suppose that a customer wishes to open an account, but is $100 short of the $30,000 limit required by the company. The customer pleas for an exception. Should it be granted?
Logicman: "No. Everyone must be treated equally. If we let $100 'exception' happen here, then doesn't that effectively reduce the limit to $29,900? When an exception is made because of being 'just barely' under the limit, there's no way to define 'just barely.' It becomes a logical slippery slope that eventually reduces the limit to zero."
Emotionman: "No. If we make an exception for this customer just because he happened to ask, how is that fair to the customer who obediently followed the rule? When we give special treatment to customers who push us, we are encouraging more of that type of behavior in our customer relationships in a way that just seems unhealthy. I can understand giving an exception if we made a mistake that hurt the customer in some way. What I can't get comfortable with is oiling the squeaky wheel. I feel like fairness means protecting all customers, rather than 'this' customer."
Which one did you buy?
Role Playing
It's a challenge to sit on the bench as a coach and give feedback to a player who's just been pulled from a game for reasons unknown to him. As an experiment, I offered to manage our post player rotation and laid out some pre-game plans, clearing them with him before each contest. I also shared that rotation with the players prior to the game, letting them know that conditions could change as the game went on. The confidence that they could make some mistakes as part of their growth without being removed could aid their development (or make them softer, depending on their attitude).
Often, the rotation did change in the course of the game, just not of my own making. Coach Goldman's gut instinct overruled mine, and multiple times I was instructed to bring players in at times that I otherwise wouldn't have. We won those games, and Coach has every right and more experience in picking the most victorious mix. There's nothing wrong with that style of management, because I've seen it work time and time again with other leaders. It's just a style that doesn't suit me well. My misunderstanding was in thinking that "managing the post rotation" meant that I had more extensive authority, so it created confusion for the players and some backtracking on multiple occasions for me after I would tell a player what was going to happen in the next few minutes, only to be overruled without discussion.
The heat of a game doesn't allow things to be planned like they are around a corporate conference table. But in the surge of jelling team chemistry, this arrangement was holding us back ever so slightly, and frustrating me at the same time since my approach as a supervisor is to rarely if ever overrule one of my managers. So it was an easy call to officially surrender the post rotation back to Coach, and continue to learn as I have throughout the season - by watching him run the show and cultivating that same quality gut feel that he's developed through trial and error. Pride and ego and conflict have no place on the bench, and the growth of the team and its players into men takes the front seat.
Often, the rotation did change in the course of the game, just not of my own making. Coach Goldman's gut instinct overruled mine, and multiple times I was instructed to bring players in at times that I otherwise wouldn't have. We won those games, and Coach has every right and more experience in picking the most victorious mix. There's nothing wrong with that style of management, because I've seen it work time and time again with other leaders. It's just a style that doesn't suit me well. My misunderstanding was in thinking that "managing the post rotation" meant that I had more extensive authority, so it created confusion for the players and some backtracking on multiple occasions for me after I would tell a player what was going to happen in the next few minutes, only to be overruled without discussion.
The heat of a game doesn't allow things to be planned like they are around a corporate conference table. But in the surge of jelling team chemistry, this arrangement was holding us back ever so slightly, and frustrating me at the same time since my approach as a supervisor is to rarely if ever overrule one of my managers. So it was an easy call to officially surrender the post rotation back to Coach, and continue to learn as I have throughout the season - by watching him run the show and cultivating that same quality gut feel that he's developed through trial and error. Pride and ego and conflict have no place on the bench, and the growth of the team and its players into men takes the front seat.
Fantasy Baseball 2010
I'm convinced that God created fantasy baseball specifically for Illinoisans to give them something to do between the Super Bowl and the spring thaw. With weather conditions hovering below the freezing mark nearly every day for a second straight winter, the blooming of fantasy magazines on February shelves warms the heart.
This year there is a glut of top-tier pitching talent in the major leagues, meaning that I'm less likely to draft them as early as I have in prior years since some good bargains can be had in the tail rounds.
Also, this year Jack and I will be trying to enter the same league. He's never played the game before, and it ought to be a fun family bonding experience to match up over the course of the summer. To accomplish this, I've actually created my own league and invited him to join it. Eventually I'd open it up to the world at large, such that random people could fill out the standings until we get the 12 teams customary.
Last week I cozied up in the La-Z-Boy with a trio of magazines and started evaluating statistics like Warren Buffett may do with his stock prospectuses. Soon comes the step of pre-draft ranking the players, hoping that I'll find an "underpriced" value out there who overperforms his peers. And in a couple months (April 4, to be exact) hopefully another dash from the starting gun to a repeat victory performance of recent years.
This year there is a glut of top-tier pitching talent in the major leagues, meaning that I'm less likely to draft them as early as I have in prior years since some good bargains can be had in the tail rounds.
Also, this year Jack and I will be trying to enter the same league. He's never played the game before, and it ought to be a fun family bonding experience to match up over the course of the summer. To accomplish this, I've actually created my own league and invited him to join it. Eventually I'd open it up to the world at large, such that random people could fill out the standings until we get the 12 teams customary.
Last week I cozied up in the La-Z-Boy with a trio of magazines and started evaluating statistics like Warren Buffett may do with his stock prospectuses. Soon comes the step of pre-draft ranking the players, hoping that I'll find an "underpriced" value out there who overperforms his peers. And in a couple months (April 4, to be exact) hopefully another dash from the starting gun to a repeat victory performance of recent years.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A League Not My Own
I got a call at work from an acquaintance through my coaching at NCHS. The adult basketball team he plays on was desperate for players and trying to avoid forfeit.
This was my first time playing in any sort of league in about five years. I was shorter than, well, their entire team. And our team consisted of at least two other players who were also playing for the first time this season (which I learned was the last regular season game).
In a way, we won the game, and in a way, I played well. I boxed out so well that the refs were sliding compliments to me on the side, especially when I drew their star player into a foul by coming over my back. There were my two steals. My turnover-free offense. My dozen screens, a couple of which sprung my teammates for shots that they made wide open.
However, they had one Brian Crabtree, 6'7" forward who starred for the Illinois Wesleyan national championship team years ago. His thirty or so points from under the hoop and beyond the three point line, several rebounds, blocked shots and assists to unguarded teammates (due to our need to double team him) was enough to give them the 11-point win. And I missed my one shot.
I did get an invitation to return for the postseason tournament. So I got that going for me. Which is nice.
This was my first time playing in any sort of league in about five years. I was shorter than, well, their entire team. And our team consisted of at least two other players who were also playing for the first time this season (which I learned was the last regular season game).
In a way, we won the game, and in a way, I played well. I boxed out so well that the refs were sliding compliments to me on the side, especially when I drew their star player into a foul by coming over my back. There were my two steals. My turnover-free offense. My dozen screens, a couple of which sprung my teammates for shots that they made wide open.
However, they had one Brian Crabtree, 6'7" forward who starred for the Illinois Wesleyan national championship team years ago. His thirty or so points from under the hoop and beyond the three point line, several rebounds, blocked shots and assists to unguarded teammates (due to our need to double team him) was enough to give them the 11-point win. And I missed my one shot.
I did get an invitation to return for the postseason tournament. So I got that going for me. Which is nice.
Best Stroke
"I just did the best I could, and I never thought of winning. I guess I swim as easily as I breathe or walk. And I truly think it ought to be just as natural for everybody. The scientists say we were all water animals to begin with, then why shouldn't we go back, now and then, to our first home - the ocean?" - Trudy Ederle, 1926 swimming champion and first woman to swim the English Channel
It speaks to the power of passion and self-control that this mostly-deaf woman could develop into one of America's first female sports celebrities. Not through ego, or the will to be the best, but to do her best. And to do what she loved, with the enthusiasm that burned easily for hour upon hour of practice, until fate led her to inspire the nation.
It speaks to the power of passion and self-control that this mostly-deaf woman could develop into one of America's first female sports celebrities. Not through ego, or the will to be the best, but to do her best. And to do what she loved, with the enthusiasm that burned easily for hour upon hour of practice, until fate led her to inspire the nation.
NCHS Tips Urbana In Rematch
We kicked off the Champaign Central 8-team tourney by squaring off against Urbana. We were ranked #3, but coincidentally due to a weather cancellation Urbana had been our most recent opponent in conference play as well. And they dealt us our worst defeat of the season, a 17-point drubbing on the strength of 22 3rd quarter points.
I missed that game, but I picked a great one to be at this time. We made some starting lineup shifts that put a cool-headed group on the floor. We patiently passed the ball around and inside. We scrapped around the basket, grabbed offensive boards, and put them in the hole.
Yet, we were losing for 2/3 of the game, including heading into the final quarter. The three-point deficit stayed that way even until the final minute. That's when Zane Noonan stepped up and, after the lead was cut to two, drilled two clutch free throws with just over half a minute left. Seconds later, he stole a pass into the low post. Finally, after a time out, he drove the baseline and scooped a shot with just enough oomph to make it into the hoop. Three seconds later we were the highest remaining seed in the tournament, with the top two having each lost their games.
From the bench it was great to see the demeanor of the team remain poised. Two of our most disruptive players were not in the gym, a great message of team chemistry to the rest. Players held their ground defensively, boxed out well. Talked strategy on the bench. And of course, delivered when they had to.
Next weekend are the final two rounds, at 11:00 and 2:30/4:30 depending on the result of the first game. We'll see how far our newfound depth and teamwork can take us!
I missed that game, but I picked a great one to be at this time. We made some starting lineup shifts that put a cool-headed group on the floor. We patiently passed the ball around and inside. We scrapped around the basket, grabbed offensive boards, and put them in the hole.
Yet, we were losing for 2/3 of the game, including heading into the final quarter. The three-point deficit stayed that way even until the final minute. That's when Zane Noonan stepped up and, after the lead was cut to two, drilled two clutch free throws with just over half a minute left. Seconds later, he stole a pass into the low post. Finally, after a time out, he drove the baseline and scooped a shot with just enough oomph to make it into the hoop. Three seconds later we were the highest remaining seed in the tournament, with the top two having each lost their games.
From the bench it was great to see the demeanor of the team remain poised. Two of our most disruptive players were not in the gym, a great message of team chemistry to the rest. Players held their ground defensively, boxed out well. Talked strategy on the bench. And of course, delivered when they had to.
Next weekend are the final two rounds, at 11:00 and 2:30/4:30 depending on the result of the first game. We'll see how far our newfound depth and teamwork can take us!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
High/Low Week 6 2010
While it's as much of a credit to Dena as due to any personal accomplishment, I'm glad to say that I don't recall any moments at home this week where irritation got the best of me. Granted I'm thirty years older now, but it's been one of my lifelong tendencies to treat least respectfully those who are closest to me. Jack caught the brunt of that when we were kids... any any week where some false air of supremacy or entitlement fails to conquer me is one worth treasuring.
I would say that I let my guard down a little too much at work though. We have a job opening in our unit, and one fellow named Ted asked about it. Two of us set up a time to answer any questions about the job that he might have. And when he walked in, I called him "Tom." Now it's common that the most beautiful sound in the world is that of one's own name. Is there any greater gesture of indifference or insignificance than for someone not to take the time to master even your name? It was a shame, because he's an impressive candidate for the skills we need, and if that simple mistake ends up tipping the scales in the wrong direction - such is fate.
I also got loose-tongued during a meeting to evaluate employees. Hidden Bloggers know my affection for facilitating conversations, and I'm really in my element in leading a discussion on proper performance ratings ("calibrations," as they say) for three dozen employees. And I let it go to my head, slipping out a couple of comments that showed bias that didn't help the conversation. Later, I raised my voice in a way that was too domineering. People do what people see - I need to keep the process ahead of any personal opinion of mine, and keep an easy peace about me. In those few moments, I lost it.
It's a high moment whenever I reflect on how deeply fortunate we are. It happened to hit me while taking a hot bath while recovering from a healthy run of playing basketball and a quick meal. Here I sat, with a practically unlimited supply of water. Of soap and fresh clothes. Of time to exercise. Of food and drink. Of shelter from the elements. Of materials to read. I've the gifts of health, and companionship, and freedom. Athletic, musical, and intellectual abilities. And positive role models aplenty.
I was pleased to see that we can likely rent an SUV with plenty of room to bring fun stuff down to Hatteras for vacation this summer. The rates are about half as affordable as our usual flying excursions in recent years, even factoring in gas costs. For an economy car guy like me, getting there in comparative cruise-control, CD-player, 6-cylinder enriched style is a vacation from the norm for me all by itself!
I would say that I let my guard down a little too much at work though. We have a job opening in our unit, and one fellow named Ted asked about it. Two of us set up a time to answer any questions about the job that he might have. And when he walked in, I called him "Tom." Now it's common that the most beautiful sound in the world is that of one's own name. Is there any greater gesture of indifference or insignificance than for someone not to take the time to master even your name? It was a shame, because he's an impressive candidate for the skills we need, and if that simple mistake ends up tipping the scales in the wrong direction - such is fate.
I also got loose-tongued during a meeting to evaluate employees. Hidden Bloggers know my affection for facilitating conversations, and I'm really in my element in leading a discussion on proper performance ratings ("calibrations," as they say) for three dozen employees. And I let it go to my head, slipping out a couple of comments that showed bias that didn't help the conversation. Later, I raised my voice in a way that was too domineering. People do what people see - I need to keep the process ahead of any personal opinion of mine, and keep an easy peace about me. In those few moments, I lost it.
It's a high moment whenever I reflect on how deeply fortunate we are. It happened to hit me while taking a hot bath while recovering from a healthy run of playing basketball and a quick meal. Here I sat, with a practically unlimited supply of water. Of soap and fresh clothes. Of time to exercise. Of food and drink. Of shelter from the elements. Of materials to read. I've the gifts of health, and companionship, and freedom. Athletic, musical, and intellectual abilities. And positive role models aplenty.
I was pleased to see that we can likely rent an SUV with plenty of room to bring fun stuff down to Hatteras for vacation this summer. The rates are about half as affordable as our usual flying excursions in recent years, even factoring in gas costs. For an economy car guy like me, getting there in comparative cruise-control, CD-player, 6-cylinder enriched style is a vacation from the norm for me all by itself!
6 Easy Slim Down Strategies
From the Internet... I'm glad to say that 5 of 6 of these are habits... and I like to think that the one about T.V. is somewhat offset by the fact that I exercise over an hour a day...
Losing weight is about a series of small steps--one less dessert here, an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical there--plus smart lifestyle moves that continually inch you closer to your goals. But like any change, try to do everything at once and you could wind up feeling deprived and deflated (and not in the good way). So instead of vowing to cut calories AND exercise 7 days a week AND forsake ice cream and pizza for the rest of your life, start out with a few of these research-proven tricks that can help you drop pounds. Once you've mastered one, add in another; before you know it you'll see results on the scale--no drastic changes required.
1) Weigh yourself daily
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular weight loss programs, but some studies show that daily weighing can be key to lasting weight loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to skip dessert.
2) Keep TV viewing under 2 hours a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day. Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
3) Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy a piece of fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, Ph.D., an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese. The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, he says, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
5) Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may also speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, M.D., of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to 8 glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
6) Stick to an 8-hour workday
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol. Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and cook a healthy dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Losing weight is about a series of small steps--one less dessert here, an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical there--plus smart lifestyle moves that continually inch you closer to your goals. But like any change, try to do everything at once and you could wind up feeling deprived and deflated (and not in the good way). So instead of vowing to cut calories AND exercise 7 days a week AND forsake ice cream and pizza for the rest of your life, start out with a few of these research-proven tricks that can help you drop pounds. Once you've mastered one, add in another; before you know it you'll see results on the scale--no drastic changes required.
1) Weigh yourself daily
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular weight loss programs, but some studies show that daily weighing can be key to lasting weight loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to skip dessert.
2) Keep TV viewing under 2 hours a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day. Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
3) Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy a piece of fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, Ph.D., an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese. The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, he says, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
5) Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may also speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, M.D., of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to 8 glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
6) Stick to an 8-hour workday
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol. Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and cook a healthy dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Being In Love
Someone once asked me how you know if you love someone.
Tonight I walked up the stairs and saw above me the fluorescent glow of an unseen television, escaping through the bedroom door and cast against the walls of the hallway. When I reached the top and peered around the corner, I could see Dena bundled up in comfy clothes and snuggled up under a blanket in the darkened bedroom.
"I'm still awake," came her voice weakly but with a touch of smile, unconditionally happy to see me. For the past couple of days she's been battling a cold that bedded her until 10 this morning and has sent her back at 7 tonight. Like any other adversity before her, she's attacked it with workaholism. Her Sunday afternoon was spent combing through the minutiae of a technical manual the size of a brick, getting ahead of a busy week of work, and doing several loads of laundry. And when I arrived home from the gym today, I found a Valentine's Day card and one of my favorite movies (Disney's Enchanted) awaiting me on my desk.
And now, having dosed herself with Nyquil so that she can be up to embrace the sunrise and be sunlight for the world tomorrow, she was ready to say good night. I reached over her, kissing her forehead softly above those artistic half-glasses that capture so well the difference she's been for me. Her creative eyes and wandering spirit have colored and brightened not only my home, but my days and nights. Her servant heart, physical resilience, and thoughtful support have inspired vitality in all the right parts of our marriage. We're good for each other. And as I slipped downstairs and pondered for just an instant how it would be if this were the last time our eyes ever met, I knew from that profound sense of sadness how much I love her.
Tonight I walked up the stairs and saw above me the fluorescent glow of an unseen television, escaping through the bedroom door and cast against the walls of the hallway. When I reached the top and peered around the corner, I could see Dena bundled up in comfy clothes and snuggled up under a blanket in the darkened bedroom.
"I'm still awake," came her voice weakly but with a touch of smile, unconditionally happy to see me. For the past couple of days she's been battling a cold that bedded her until 10 this morning and has sent her back at 7 tonight. Like any other adversity before her, she's attacked it with workaholism. Her Sunday afternoon was spent combing through the minutiae of a technical manual the size of a brick, getting ahead of a busy week of work, and doing several loads of laundry. And when I arrived home from the gym today, I found a Valentine's Day card and one of my favorite movies (Disney's Enchanted) awaiting me on my desk.
And now, having dosed herself with Nyquil so that she can be up to embrace the sunrise and be sunlight for the world tomorrow, she was ready to say good night. I reached over her, kissing her forehead softly above those artistic half-glasses that capture so well the difference she's been for me. Her creative eyes and wandering spirit have colored and brightened not only my home, but my days and nights. Her servant heart, physical resilience, and thoughtful support have inspired vitality in all the right parts of our marriage. We're good for each other. And as I slipped downstairs and pondered for just an instant how it would be if this were the last time our eyes ever met, I knew from that profound sense of sadness how much I love her.
Rickey On Schizophrenia
Rickey Henderson was asked why he often refers to himself in the third person: "Do I talk to myself? No I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?"
Rickey On Investing
The Yankees issued Rickey Henderson a $1 million bonus check. Three months later, an internal audit showed the chack hadn't been cashed. A low-level Yankees employee called Handerson and asked if there was a problem with the check. Henderson replied, "I'm just waiting for the money market rates to go up."
Rickey On Team Greatness
Rickey Henderson played for nine teams in his career and a reporter once asked which one was his favorite. "Oakland," Henderson said. "They have a very colorful uniform."
Rickey On Music
A teammate asked Rickey Henderson if he owned the then-popular Garth Brooks album No Fences. Henderson replied, "Rickey doesn't have albums. Rickey has CDs."
The Cheapest Ticket In Town
Boston Red Sox officials reported that the morning after the Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games in the 2004 World Series, Rickey Henderson called the Red Sox front office trying to get tickets to Game 6.
Rickey On Drugs
In 2002 former baseball Houston All-Star Ken Caminiti told a reporter that he thought 50% of major leaguers were taking steroids. Asked if it was an accurate representation, Henderson replied, "Well, Rickey's not one of them, so that's 49 percent right there."
Any Way You Say It, It's Been A Long Time
Baseball's stolen base king Rickey Henderson was boarding the team bus and looking for a seat. A teammate said "You have tenure, sit wherever you want." Henderson replied, "Ten years? Rickey's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
The International Language
"The [Montreal] Expos fans discovered 'boo' is pronounced the same in French as it is in English." - Harry Caray
Wheel Get One
No more lagging, this time I'm going to buy something ahead of the technology curve!
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary
Making A Heart
Found on the Internet. I ♥ it!
This should work in any Windows word processor, text editor, browser or email client.
1. Make sure your keyboard is in NumLock mode.
2. Hold down the ALT key and enter the number on the numeric keypad. (Note that many laptops have a blue FN key that changes a set of keys, also with blue numbers on them and usually in the 7-8-9-U-I-O area, into a numeric keypad.)
for ☺ 1
for ☻ 2
for ♥ 3 <===
for ♦ 4
for ♣ 5
for ♠ 6
for • 7
for ◘ 8
for ○ 9
for ◙ 10
for ♂ 11
for ♀ 12
for ♪ 13
for ♫ 14
for ☼ 15
for ► 16
for ◄ 17
for ↕ 18
for ‼ 19
for ¶ 20
for § 21
for ▬ 22
for ↨ 23
for ↑ 24
for ↓ 25
for → 26
for ← 27
for ∟ 28
for ↔ 29
for ▲ 30
for ▼ 31
Hope that helps.
This should work in any Windows word processor, text editor, browser or email client.
1. Make sure your keyboard is in NumLock mode.
2. Hold down the ALT key and enter the number on the numeric keypad. (Note that many laptops have a blue FN key that changes a set of keys, also with blue numbers on them and usually in the 7-8-9-U-I-O area, into a numeric keypad.)
for ☺ 1
for ☻ 2
for ♥ 3 <===
for ♦ 4
for ♣ 5
for ♠ 6
for • 7
for ◘ 8
for ○ 9
for ◙ 10
for ♂ 11
for ♀ 12
for ♪ 13
for ♫ 14
for ☼ 15
for ► 16
for ◄ 17
for ↕ 18
for ‼ 19
for ¶ 20
for § 21
for ▬ 22
for ↨ 23
for ↑ 24
for ↓ 25
for → 26
for ← 27
for ∟ 28
for ↔ 29
for ▲ 30
for ▼ 31
Hope that helps.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
"Lose Two Pounds An Hour" Diet
Stepping on the scale after playing 2 1/2 hours of basketball yesterday revealed that I'd lost five pounds during that time. What a great plan! But the body really prefers more gradual loss. Despite pounding down glasses of water the rest of the day, I lapsed into a sluggish mid-afternoon nap, drifted through most of the evening, and woke up this morning thinking it was Monday. Fortunately, I get another chance tomorrow!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
High/Low Week 5 2010
I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with a low point for the week, how nice is that? This week I ran on less sleep than usual, beginning with election day and then careening a couple of days later into a 3 a.m. sleep time that left me blearier than usual for work the next day. Yet despite the fertile ground for crankiness, I really don't think that I ever caved the way I had a couple of times recently.
In fact, at one point I recognized a symptom of crankiness late one night. One of the condo neighbors sent a note which demanded that I provide some information as treasurer and, until such time, was withholding exactly $2 from the monthly fee. Since she had no right to withhold payment, the irritation was there. Should I respond within my authority, assessing the $5 late charge and explaining where her rights ended? Nah. Some hills aren't worth dying on. $2 isn't worth compromising a relationship over, especially since she's an elderly woman who probably gains a sense of control in life this way. But my initial reaction was darker. And realizing that my mental trip wire was a bit tighter than usual, I let Dena know objectively what my mood was when I got downstairs. That way it heads off the potential for my making mountains out of molehills against the nicest person in McLean County!
Twice this week parents of the basketball team contacted me to talk about the team. There have been some struggles in chemistry lately despite the 10-4 record. And in my younger days I jumped almost eagerly into these types of discussions. There's no downside, right? I have no real authority on the team, so I can just be a listening ear, being the "good coach" and gaining short-term popularity by blaming the head coach. Of course you see the terrible irony of that behavior. But the temptation is powerful, and in both cases I beat it. First, I notified Coach Goldman that I'd been contacted and asked him what his philosophy was on the right way to respond. As I expected, the philosophy was to encourage the parents to work directly with him. And to the degree that, as a reasonable adult, I honored the parents' desire to speak to me, I also relayed the contents to him. And throughout, amid the natural instinct to promote their own children or point out the shortcomings in others, we kept focus on the true goal: To create an environment where parents, coaches and players support each other in the development of teamwork, whether or not it results in wins on the basketball court.
It was also affirming again this week on the basketball court, where I played for 2 1/2 hours (the longest in years), to hear one guy call me a "beast" and another guy with more girth than me mutter to his teammate how surprised he was that I was stronger than him. More and more, while lifting weights, these comments and visions fill my mind to push me to greater growth.
In fact, at one point I recognized a symptom of crankiness late one night. One of the condo neighbors sent a note which demanded that I provide some information as treasurer and, until such time, was withholding exactly $2 from the monthly fee. Since she had no right to withhold payment, the irritation was there. Should I respond within my authority, assessing the $5 late charge and explaining where her rights ended? Nah. Some hills aren't worth dying on. $2 isn't worth compromising a relationship over, especially since she's an elderly woman who probably gains a sense of control in life this way. But my initial reaction was darker. And realizing that my mental trip wire was a bit tighter than usual, I let Dena know objectively what my mood was when I got downstairs. That way it heads off the potential for my making mountains out of molehills against the nicest person in McLean County!
Twice this week parents of the basketball team contacted me to talk about the team. There have been some struggles in chemistry lately despite the 10-4 record. And in my younger days I jumped almost eagerly into these types of discussions. There's no downside, right? I have no real authority on the team, so I can just be a listening ear, being the "good coach" and gaining short-term popularity by blaming the head coach. Of course you see the terrible irony of that behavior. But the temptation is powerful, and in both cases I beat it. First, I notified Coach Goldman that I'd been contacted and asked him what his philosophy was on the right way to respond. As I expected, the philosophy was to encourage the parents to work directly with him. And to the degree that, as a reasonable adult, I honored the parents' desire to speak to me, I also relayed the contents to him. And throughout, amid the natural instinct to promote their own children or point out the shortcomings in others, we kept focus on the true goal: To create an environment where parents, coaches and players support each other in the development of teamwork, whether or not it results in wins on the basketball court.
It was also affirming again this week on the basketball court, where I played for 2 1/2 hours (the longest in years), to hear one guy call me a "beast" and another guy with more girth than me mutter to his teammate how surprised he was that I was stronger than him. More and more, while lifting weights, these comments and visions fill my mind to push me to greater growth.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Anonymous Winners
"It’s not about physical skills. It goes far beyond that. When I first came here, McCloskey [the GM] took a lot of heat for drafting a small guy. But he knew the only way our team would rise to the top would be by mental skills, not size or talent… every player wants more minutes…more shots. And it kills them. Our team has been up at the Championship level four years now. We could have easily self-destructed.
It’s hard not to be selfish. The art of winning is complicated by statistics, which for us becomes money. Well, you gotta fight that, find a way around it. And I think we have. If we win this, we’ll be the first team in history to win it without a single player averaging 20 points. First team. Ever. We got 12 guys who are totally committed to winning. Every night we found a different person to win it for us.
Look at our team statistically. We’re one of the worst teams in the league. So now you have to find a new formula to judge basketball. There were a lot of times I had my doubts about this approach, because all you kept telling me it could never be done this way. Statistically, it made me look horrible. But I kept looking at the won-loss record and how we kept improving and I kept saying to myself, ‘Isiah, you’re doin’ the right thing, so be stubborn, and one day people will find a different way to judge a player. They won’t just pick up the newspaper and say, oh, this guy was 9 for 12 with 8 rebounds so he was the best player in the game.’ Lots of times, on our team, you can’t tell who the best player in the game was. ‘Cause everybody did something good. That’s what makes us so good. The other team has to worry about stopping eight or nine people instead of two or three. It’s the only way to win. The only way to win. That’s the way the game was invented. But there’s more to that. You also got to create an environment that won’t accept losing.”
- Isiah Thomas
It’s hard not to be selfish. The art of winning is complicated by statistics, which for us becomes money. Well, you gotta fight that, find a way around it. And I think we have. If we win this, we’ll be the first team in history to win it without a single player averaging 20 points. First team. Ever. We got 12 guys who are totally committed to winning. Every night we found a different person to win it for us.
Look at our team statistically. We’re one of the worst teams in the league. So now you have to find a new formula to judge basketball. There were a lot of times I had my doubts about this approach, because all you kept telling me it could never be done this way. Statistically, it made me look horrible. But I kept looking at the won-loss record and how we kept improving and I kept saying to myself, ‘Isiah, you’re doin’ the right thing, so be stubborn, and one day people will find a different way to judge a player. They won’t just pick up the newspaper and say, oh, this guy was 9 for 12 with 8 rebounds so he was the best player in the game.’ Lots of times, on our team, you can’t tell who the best player in the game was. ‘Cause everybody did something good. That’s what makes us so good. The other team has to worry about stopping eight or nine people instead of two or three. It’s the only way to win. The only way to win. That’s the way the game was invented. But there’s more to that. You also got to create an environment that won’t accept losing.”
- Isiah Thomas
The Legend Of QWERTY
From the Internet:
It is not really accurate that the keys on a QWERTY keyboard are set out based on how much letters are used. It is an old format that dates back to the 1870's. It was created by a gentleman named Christopher Latham Scholes, a newspaper editor who sought to arrange a keyboard in a way that keys on a typewriter keyboard would not jam. Typewriter letters were arranged on big metal bars that would jam up on early models because they would strike against each other if they were in close proximity to each other.
To that end, Scholes actually arranged the keys based on LESS probable word combinations, not most probable. So, for example, in typing the word "the", although the T, H, and E are fairly close to one another, they are arranged so that on an old typewriter, the metal bars that held the inked letter, that would strike the page, would not smack into one another and cause jams.
The popular theory behind QWERTY is that the English language makes the most use of the letters in the middle of the "home row" and less use of the letters at the ends of the keyboard. That is not exactly true. The wisdom behind the QWERTY keyboard was to actually SEPARATE letters that frequently appear together in words, so that their keys would not hit against each other and cause keys to jam. After many years, people got so used to the QWERTY keyboard that we have yet to change over from it, although superior typing models have been introduced.
It is not really accurate that the keys on a QWERTY keyboard are set out based on how much letters are used. It is an old format that dates back to the 1870's. It was created by a gentleman named Christopher Latham Scholes, a newspaper editor who sought to arrange a keyboard in a way that keys on a typewriter keyboard would not jam. Typewriter letters were arranged on big metal bars that would jam up on early models because they would strike against each other if they were in close proximity to each other.
To that end, Scholes actually arranged the keys based on LESS probable word combinations, not most probable. So, for example, in typing the word "the", although the T, H, and E are fairly close to one another, they are arranged so that on an old typewriter, the metal bars that held the inked letter, that would strike the page, would not smack into one another and cause jams.
The popular theory behind QWERTY is that the English language makes the most use of the letters in the middle of the "home row" and less use of the letters at the ends of the keyboard. That is not exactly true. The wisdom behind the QWERTY keyboard was to actually SEPARATE letters that frequently appear together in words, so that their keys would not hit against each other and cause keys to jam. After many years, people got so used to the QWERTY keyboard that we have yet to change over from it, although superior typing models have been introduced.
Gone With The Passing Of The Wind
Tonight we attended a fabulous fund raiser for the Penguin Project, which gives handicapped children a chance to act in a play.
The 200-person event was hosted in a ballroom of the new Mariott hotel in uptown Normal, just a stone's throw away from the hotel's restaurant that we dined in last week. The food was just as delicious as before, even more so in fact. Juicy steak chops, chicken breasts and potatoes, finished off by a slice of cake so rich that I may be giving Dena chocolate kisses for a week.
This was a murder mystery dinner theater featuring two professional actors and a couple of costume changes. Various guests had also been handed scripts with modest speaking parts and, in the case of the person playing the pregnant woman, a few props. The plot itself was adequate, and the mystery somewhat less than riveting, but the actors were fun and much appreciated for traveling such a long way.
Dinner was served during the intermission, and 50/50 tickets were sold up to a $591 pot. It was also a good time to peruse the twenty or so silent auction items, including a 12-seater suite for the men's NCAA basketball championship game. But we passed the time bonding with our good friends Rosann Diedrich, Julie Marcy, and Chad and Miranda Kemp.
I'm sure that the event raised plenty of money for the fortunate children. And I'm especially happy for Dena, whose graphic design skills were put to maximum use in designing the program and coordinating various other niceties. What a terrific use of life, and exciting way to kick off the weekend!
The 200-person event was hosted in a ballroom of the new Mariott hotel in uptown Normal, just a stone's throw away from the hotel's restaurant that we dined in last week. The food was just as delicious as before, even more so in fact. Juicy steak chops, chicken breasts and potatoes, finished off by a slice of cake so rich that I may be giving Dena chocolate kisses for a week.
This was a murder mystery dinner theater featuring two professional actors and a couple of costume changes. Various guests had also been handed scripts with modest speaking parts and, in the case of the person playing the pregnant woman, a few props. The plot itself was adequate, and the mystery somewhat less than riveting, but the actors were fun and much appreciated for traveling such a long way.
Dinner was served during the intermission, and 50/50 tickets were sold up to a $591 pot. It was also a good time to peruse the twenty or so silent auction items, including a 12-seater suite for the men's NCAA basketball championship game. But we passed the time bonding with our good friends Rosann Diedrich, Julie Marcy, and Chad and Miranda Kemp.
I'm sure that the event raised plenty of money for the fortunate children. And I'm especially happy for Dena, whose graphic design skills were put to maximum use in designing the program and coordinating various other niceties. What a terrific use of life, and exciting way to kick off the weekend!
Dr. Friendly on Sports
Dr. Friendly is a non-certified medical amateur, whose advice column appears exclusively in Hidden Blog.
Dear Dr. Friendly,
My son's lacrosse coach is such a first class bum!
All Timmy's life he's been the go-to guy on his teams. His skills with that stick-thing are better than anyone else. When he gets the ball in that scoopy part of the stick-thing, no one can get it away from him. He may be a little slow, sure, but he's going to grow out of that, any coach can see that. Come on. Sure, he only catches a few passes in the games that are thrown his way, and when he whips the little ball toward the net-man it usually bounces off someone's head or into the stands. Who's perfect?
He always gotten more playing time than his buddy Skip. And now Skip's on the senior team. And Timmy's on the bench, whining and complaining. And why not? His teammates chew him out all the time. Can't Coach Monkeybrains see Timmy's leadership skills? Every day it gets harder for him to put on that facemasked helmet and matching shorts with the same joy that he used to. If the coach isn't careful, he's gonna lose him, and have to find someone else to replace those two goals and one assist. How do you get through to a guy who just doesn't see the obvious?
Driven Dad
Dear Dad,
If I knew, I'd write a longer response. Winners change themselves. Losers try to change others.
Dear Dr. Friendly,
My son's lacrosse coach is such a first class bum!
All Timmy's life he's been the go-to guy on his teams. His skills with that stick-thing are better than anyone else. When he gets the ball in that scoopy part of the stick-thing, no one can get it away from him. He may be a little slow, sure, but he's going to grow out of that, any coach can see that. Come on. Sure, he only catches a few passes in the games that are thrown his way, and when he whips the little ball toward the net-man it usually bounces off someone's head or into the stands. Who's perfect?
He always gotten more playing time than his buddy Skip. And now Skip's on the senior team. And Timmy's on the bench, whining and complaining. And why not? His teammates chew him out all the time. Can't Coach Monkeybrains see Timmy's leadership skills? Every day it gets harder for him to put on that facemasked helmet and matching shorts with the same joy that he used to. If the coach isn't careful, he's gonna lose him, and have to find someone else to replace those two goals and one assist. How do you get through to a guy who just doesn't see the obvious?
Driven Dad
Dear Dad,
If I knew, I'd write a longer response. Winners change themselves. Losers try to change others.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
SAC 30th Year Reunion
I'm hoping that my ISU Facebook friends will see this one and let me know if they're going. This just in via e-mail, from one of my favorite clubs during my ISU days:
------------------------------
30th Anniversary Student Alumni Council Reunion
Save the date: Saturday, April 24–Sunday, April 25, 2010
A lot has changed and yet stayed the same since the founding of Student Alumni Council (SAC) in 1979. Please join us for a weekend of memories and fun with SAC alumni and current members. We hope you and your family will be able to join us.
Formal invitation and schedule of events to follow.
------------------------------
30th Anniversary Student Alumni Council Reunion
Save the date: Saturday, April 24–Sunday, April 25, 2010
A lot has changed and yet stayed the same since the founding of Student Alumni Council (SAC) in 1979. Please join us for a weekend of memories and fun with SAC alumni and current members. We hope you and your family will be able to join us.
Formal invitation and schedule of events to follow.
Election Judging
The primary elections were yesterday, and with it the increasingly familiar 16-hour work day that is election judging.
This was my third time manning the tables for my home precinct Normal 04, over at New Beginnings Church (which has changed in name just about every time I've been there and, incidentally, is the church where Dena and I were married).
The day usually kicks off with a 4 a.m. wake-up. Hidden Bloggers are shocked that I would do anything which includes this requirement, as my idea of sleeping in is 11:00 a.m. and of early rising is 7:00. But the sense of serving country (not for free, mind you, but $145 - a bit under ten bucks an hour) and the variety from the normal work week are enough to raise me with groggy enthusiasm.
I'm starting to understand why people do this for decades, especially in a fairly sleepy precinct like ours. The small fellowship hall houses two precincts' polling places, including Normal 05. Out of 784 listed eligible voters from our precinct, 206 made the trip to see us. That overall pace of one voter every five minutes plays out in reality as stretches of librarian quiet and three or four bursts of grocery store bustle around breakfast, lunch and dinner. It allows plenty of time to do some private reading/paperwork, to bond with fellow judges, and possibly even to take a step out of the room for a midday power nap.
The first hour is a dash of foggy-brained efficiency, clearing our eyes when the doors open at 5 a.m. to squint at the twenty-step checklist and prepare all stations for the polls to open. Of the five judges, one verifies the voter's name against a list, two more obtain voter signature and record their presence (including, for primaries, which party's ballot they'd like to complete). A fourth provides and explains the ballot and voting process.
The fifth judge's spot is usually the easiest - check to make sure the ballot is real and not snuck in somehow, and then assist (i.e. watch) the voter slide it into the automatic counting machine. But a new law this year was determined to prevent people from accidentally failing to vote for all the positions being contested. As a result, the voting machine initially rejects any ballot unless all races have been voted for. This had the desired effect of saving about 1% of voters from the outrage of not having their carelessness double-checked. Another 75% of voters actively chose to skip a race because there's only one candidate, or because neither candidate for Assistant to the 83rd District Council Chairman's Manicurist decided to do any campaigning. These folks gained a tiny and momentary psychological feeling of abject failure as the ballot disappeared smoothly into the slot and then spit out like tobasco from a toddler. In the next instant the election judge assured in a soothing voice (or for the hundredth voter, a blister-tongued rasp) that everything was fine as long as the skips were intentional. Unbeknownst to the voter, the judge also enjoyed a shuffle-sized electric mini-shock while re-inserting it. This might explain the absence of the nap.
This was Dena's first time as a judge, and she was assigned to work a different precinct. We both volunteered (as two judges must, from each precinct, one Democrat and one Republican) to drive the ballots to headquarters. The atmosphere in the waiting area, after depositing our materials and waiting for the collection team to inventory everything, had the festivity of a post-game tailgate. Slap-happy election judges from all across the county and age spectrum babbled like kindergartners munching on snacks during the last day of school. That unwinding time gave Dena and I time to trade stories of the fun day. At last the cheery and, by nature of her job, intensely popular woman stepped up front and announced which precincts were free to leave for the day. And two American patriots sped home for an early 10:00 bedtime!
This was my third time manning the tables for my home precinct Normal 04, over at New Beginnings Church (which has changed in name just about every time I've been there and, incidentally, is the church where Dena and I were married).
The day usually kicks off with a 4 a.m. wake-up. Hidden Bloggers are shocked that I would do anything which includes this requirement, as my idea of sleeping in is 11:00 a.m. and of early rising is 7:00. But the sense of serving country (not for free, mind you, but $145 - a bit under ten bucks an hour) and the variety from the normal work week are enough to raise me with groggy enthusiasm.
I'm starting to understand why people do this for decades, especially in a fairly sleepy precinct like ours. The small fellowship hall houses two precincts' polling places, including Normal 05. Out of 784 listed eligible voters from our precinct, 206 made the trip to see us. That overall pace of one voter every five minutes plays out in reality as stretches of librarian quiet and three or four bursts of grocery store bustle around breakfast, lunch and dinner. It allows plenty of time to do some private reading/paperwork, to bond with fellow judges, and possibly even to take a step out of the room for a midday power nap.
The first hour is a dash of foggy-brained efficiency, clearing our eyes when the doors open at 5 a.m. to squint at the twenty-step checklist and prepare all stations for the polls to open. Of the five judges, one verifies the voter's name against a list, two more obtain voter signature and record their presence (including, for primaries, which party's ballot they'd like to complete). A fourth provides and explains the ballot and voting process.
The fifth judge's spot is usually the easiest - check to make sure the ballot is real and not snuck in somehow, and then assist (i.e. watch) the voter slide it into the automatic counting machine. But a new law this year was determined to prevent people from accidentally failing to vote for all the positions being contested. As a result, the voting machine initially rejects any ballot unless all races have been voted for. This had the desired effect of saving about 1% of voters from the outrage of not having their carelessness double-checked. Another 75% of voters actively chose to skip a race because there's only one candidate, or because neither candidate for Assistant to the 83rd District Council Chairman's Manicurist decided to do any campaigning. These folks gained a tiny and momentary psychological feeling of abject failure as the ballot disappeared smoothly into the slot and then spit out like tobasco from a toddler. In the next instant the election judge assured in a soothing voice (or for the hundredth voter, a blister-tongued rasp) that everything was fine as long as the skips were intentional. Unbeknownst to the voter, the judge also enjoyed a shuffle-sized electric mini-shock while re-inserting it. This might explain the absence of the nap.
This was Dena's first time as a judge, and she was assigned to work a different precinct. We both volunteered (as two judges must, from each precinct, one Democrat and one Republican) to drive the ballots to headquarters. The atmosphere in the waiting area, after depositing our materials and waiting for the collection team to inventory everything, had the festivity of a post-game tailgate. Slap-happy election judges from all across the county and age spectrum babbled like kindergartners munching on snacks during the last day of school. That unwinding time gave Dena and I time to trade stories of the fun day. At last the cheery and, by nature of her job, intensely popular woman stepped up front and announced which precincts were free to leave for the day. And two American patriots sped home for an early 10:00 bedtime!
German Man Saved On Frozen Sea By Webcam Watcher
BERLIN – Watch the sunset, save a life.
A woman admiring the sunset on a tourist webcam in northern Germany spotted a man who was lost on the frozen North Sea and probably saved his life by alerting authorities, police said Wednesday.
The man had climbed over pack ice off the coast to photograph a sunset near the town of St. Peter-Ording, then became disoriented on the ice, Husum police spokeswoman Kristin Stielow said.
Unable to locate the beach, the man began using his camera to flash for help. That got the attention of a woman hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in southern Germany who was watching the sunset over the sea on her computer.
The woman contacted police, who located the man's signals and guided him into shore by flashing their car lights. Officers then lectured him on the dangers of trekking on the ice.
Police would not identify the man or the woman who spotted him. Stielow said he was a German tourist in his forties.
She said locals are well aware of the risk of disorientation as darkness falls and the beach becomes hard to identify, but vivid sunsets over frozen landscapes often draw people away from the shore.
At the time the man lost his bearings, the air temperature was below freezing. He could have frozen to death or fallen through the ice, Stielow added.
St. Peter-Ording is popular tourist destination known for its beaches and sailing, and the local tourism board runs a Web site with a webcam. The board, however, said images from the webcam are routinely erased and the dramatic flashes from the man's camera were not saved before the story came to light.
A woman admiring the sunset on a tourist webcam in northern Germany spotted a man who was lost on the frozen North Sea and probably saved his life by alerting authorities, police said Wednesday.
The man had climbed over pack ice off the coast to photograph a sunset near the town of St. Peter-Ording, then became disoriented on the ice, Husum police spokeswoman Kristin Stielow said.
Unable to locate the beach, the man began using his camera to flash for help. That got the attention of a woman hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in southern Germany who was watching the sunset over the sea on her computer.
The woman contacted police, who located the man's signals and guided him into shore by flashing their car lights. Officers then lectured him on the dangers of trekking on the ice.
Police would not identify the man or the woman who spotted him. Stielow said he was a German tourist in his forties.
She said locals are well aware of the risk of disorientation as darkness falls and the beach becomes hard to identify, but vivid sunsets over frozen landscapes often draw people away from the shore.
At the time the man lost his bearings, the air temperature was below freezing. He could have frozen to death or fallen through the ice, Stielow added.
St. Peter-Ording is popular tourist destination known for its beaches and sailing, and the local tourism board runs a Web site with a webcam. The board, however, said images from the webcam are routinely erased and the dramatic flashes from the man's camera were not saved before the story came to light.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Healthy Adults Sleep Less As They Age: Study
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Healthy older adults need less sleep than their younger counterparts and, even with less sleep under their nightcaps, are less likely to feel tired during the day, a study published Monday showed.
The time spent actually sleeping out of eight hours in bed declined progressively and significantly with age, the study published in SLEEP, the official journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, said.
Older adults, aged 66-83, slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults (40-55 years), who slept 23 minutes less than young adults aged 20-30, the study said.
The older adults woke up significantly more often and spent more time awake after initial sleep onset than younger adults.
Deep, or slow-wave sleep, thought to be the most restorative phase of sleep, decreased with age, the study said.
But although older adults slept less deeply and less overall, and their sleep was less continuous than their younger counterparts', they also showed less need for a quick kip during the day.
The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Centre of the University of Surrey in England and involved 110 healthy adults without sleep disorders or complaints.
Forty-four of the participants were young, 35 middle-aged and 31 older adults.
They slept normally one night, the baseline night, then had two nigths where their sleep was interrupted, followed by one recovery night.
During the baseline night, younger adults spent an average of 433.5 minutes asleep compared to around 410 minutes for middle aged adults and 390 for older adults.
On the same night, the younger adults had 118.4 minutes of deep sleep, compared to 85.3 minutes for middle-aged adults and 84.2 minutes for older adults.
But when asked to lie in a comfortable position on a bed during the day and try to fall asleep, young adults nodded off in an average of 8.7 minutes, compared with nearly 12 minutes for middle-aged adults and just over 14 minutes for older adults.
The time spent actually sleeping out of eight hours in bed declined progressively and significantly with age, the study published in SLEEP, the official journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, said.
Older adults, aged 66-83, slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults (40-55 years), who slept 23 minutes less than young adults aged 20-30, the study said.
The older adults woke up significantly more often and spent more time awake after initial sleep onset than younger adults.
Deep, or slow-wave sleep, thought to be the most restorative phase of sleep, decreased with age, the study said.
But although older adults slept less deeply and less overall, and their sleep was less continuous than their younger counterparts', they also showed less need for a quick kip during the day.
The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Centre of the University of Surrey in England and involved 110 healthy adults without sleep disorders or complaints.
Forty-four of the participants were young, 35 middle-aged and 31 older adults.
They slept normally one night, the baseline night, then had two nigths where their sleep was interrupted, followed by one recovery night.
During the baseline night, younger adults spent an average of 433.5 minutes asleep compared to around 410 minutes for middle aged adults and 390 for older adults.
On the same night, the younger adults had 118.4 minutes of deep sleep, compared to 85.3 minutes for middle-aged adults and 84.2 minutes for older adults.
But when asked to lie in a comfortable position on a bed during the day and try to fall asleep, young adults nodded off in an average of 8.7 minutes, compared with nearly 12 minutes for middle-aged adults and just over 14 minutes for older adults.
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