Barack on Fox and the Ironman Rolls Through

I'm not a Barack Obama supporter but neither am I a John McCain supporter. I watched Obama on Fox News Sunday yesterday in an interview with Chris Wallace. It was an interview he was reluctant to do. He shouldn't have been as I thought he only helped himself. I watched McCain one week earlier in an interview with Tim Russert on Meet the Press. He wasn't impressive and came across as a man well past his prime. I don't see how McCain could possibly win the election. My guess is Obama will be our next president.



The last thing our country needs is another Clinton or Bush in the White House. Let's get rid of the Ted Stevens' and Teddy Kennedys' and the like while we're at it. I say term limits for all!

The job of Senator or Congressman was never meant to be a full-time position. It was intended for individuals from the masses to step forward and represent the people then go back to their lives. That was the one thing I admired about Paul Wellstone when he first ran for office in the early '90s. He pledged to only serve two terms if elected. He too succumbed to the lure of power and died in a plane crash while seeking a third term.

I'm not going to talk about the lousy weather anymore. Just the good weather. My co-worker Tim has the market cornered about the winter which won't end. I've told him to stop blogging about it but I don't think he will. Tim is actually a frustrated weatherman and only opted for life as an air traffic controller because he loves to play video games. What better video game than ATC?

I was driving into work yesterday past Lakeville North high school when I noticed that the parking lot was overflowing and cars were parked all up and down the side streets. I tried to recall an event which the parking lot couldn't accommodate and then I saw the cyclists. It was the last Sunday in April and the Ironman was back in town. There were cyclists everywhere as they put the finishing touches on their ride.

The riders run the gamut from young kids and the more unfit riders doing the 30-mile course to the more serious sort hammering home as fast as they can through 100 miles although it's not a race.

I haven't done the Ironman since 1981. Back then it began from Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis and went out west toward Buffalo. I remember seeing yard signs along the way from people protesting the ride due to the trouble it created for vehicle traffic along the route. The venue was changed ten years ago to my hometown of Lakeville. I haven't heard any negative talk about the large number of riders (approximately 4000) but then I haven't ridden the new route. Maybe the signs are along the current route as well.

I suppose the reason I don't do the ride is that it's common for me to go out and do the distance on my own so why do I want to pay $45 for the support when I don't need it? I understand it's a fundraiser for Hostelling International and I'm sure that's a good thing but that's not enough to lure me in. I know that some cyclists ride along and don't pay (referred to as 'outlaws') but neither do they use the support provided. I see nothing wrong with that. Maybe I'll do that one of these years just for fun.

We've got a pair of ducks hanging around the neighborhood for the past few weeks. They were in our backyard for several hours one day last week just hanging around and picking at some spilled seed under our bird feeder. A little later I noticed another male duck shadowing the pair but he was keeping his distance. Today when I was out walking Toby and Allie I saw the same trio a few blocks away but this time they were close together. It's odd as there are some ponds nearby but they seem to prefer dry land. It would be nice if the other male is able to find his own mate as I'm sure the original pair is going to soon want some alone time to start their family.