… raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside.
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This week, researchers published a study in the journal Health Affairs that found that as obesity rose 37 percent over the last decade, the cost of obesity to the nation has nearly doubled from $78.5 billion a year to $147 billion a year. Obesity now accounts for nearly 10 percent of all healthcare spending. The per capita cost of medical care for someone who is obese is $1,429 a year, 42 percent more than for the care of someone of normal weight.
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The money we now lose in just one year to obesity is five times the budget of Massachusetts. It is nearly 16 times what the federal government has made available to states from 1992 to 2008 for transportation enhancements such as bicycle and pedestrian paths.
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But just as Americans need him [Obama] to bluntly tell us we’re fat, Capitol Hill has to … support cities and suburbs in redesigning streets and parks to support people who want to cycle or go out for a run and children who want to play outside. In a crusade against fat, flabby politics will not do.
Continue reading “The big, fat truth about Americans”
A few things from the bike shop. (best of craigslist)
Whoo-hoo Seattle, the sun is out! Let’s discuss a few things before you fumble with swapping the unused ski rack for the unused bike rack on the Subaru.
So yes, you’ve noticed the sun is out, and hey!- maybe it would be cool to to some bike riding. Let’s keep in mind that the sun came out of all 600,000 of us, so for the most part, you’re not the only one who noticed. Please remember that when you walk into my shop on a bright, sunny Saturday morning. It will save you from looking like a complete *censored* that huffs "Why are there so many people here?"
Are we all on the same page now about it being sunny outside? Have we all figured out that we’re not the only clever people that feel sunny days are good for bike riding? Great. I want to kiss all of you on your forehead for sharing this moment with me. Put your vitamin D starved fingers in mine, and we’ll move on together to some pointers that will make life easier.
SOME POINTERS FOR THE PHONE:
– I don’t know what size of bike you need. The only thing that I can tell over the phone is that you sound fat. I don’t care how tall you are. I don’t care how long your inseam is. Don’t complain to me that you don’t want to come ALL THE WAY down to the bike shop to get fitted for a bike. I have two hundred bikes in my inventory. I will find one that fits you. Whether you come from the north or the south, my shop is downhill. Pretend you’re going to smell a fart, ball up, and roll your fat ass down here.
– Don’t get high and call me. Write it down, call me later. When I have four phone lines ringing, and a herdlet
of people waiting for help, I can’t deal with you sitting there "uuuuhhh"-ing and "uuummm"-ing while your brain tries to put together some cheeto-xbox-fixie conundrum. We didn’t get disconnected, I left you on hold to figure your shit out.
-I really do need to see your bike to know what is wrong with it. You’ve already figured out that when you car makes a noise, the mechanic needs to see it. When your TV goes blank, a technician needs to see it. I can tell you, if there is one thing I’ve learned from you *censored*ing squirrels, it’s that "doesn’t shift right" means your bike could need a slight cable adjustment, or you might just need to stop backing into it with the Subaru. Bring it in, I’ll let you know for sure.
– No, I don’t know how much a good bike costs. For some, spending $500 dollars is a kingly sum. For others, $500 won’t buy you one good wheel. You really need to have an idea of what you want, because every one of you raccoons "doesn’t want to spend too much".
Continue reading “A few things from the bike shop. (best of craigslist)”
75-year-old woman charged in hit-and-run
By Bonnie L. Cook – INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Lower Merion police filed charges today against a 75-year-old Villanova woman they said is responsible for a hit-and-run accident July 15 that injured a Bryn Mawr teenager.
Suzanne K. Lammers, 75, of the 1600 block of Hepburn Drive, was charged with causing an accident involving personal injury, a felony, and failure to stop and render assistance, a summary offense. The felony carries a minimum sentence of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Lammers was arraigned via video camera at the Police Administration Building in Ardmore; the charges were lodged with Magisterial District Court Justice Kathleen Valentine several blocks away.
Lammers was released after posting 10 percent of $50,000 cash bond. A preliminary hearing is set for 10 a.m. Thursday, Police Superintendent Michael J. McGrath said.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, the accident happened on New Gulph Road near Morris Avenue in Bryn Mawr. Andrew Mallee, 13, was riding his bicycle on New Gulph when he was struck by a car described by witnesses as a gold Volvo station wagon. Both the car and bike were heading west. The car didn’t stop, the affidavit said.
Mallee was treated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for head injuries, but is expected to make a full recovery, McGrath said.
Detectives working from an anonymous tip went to Lammers’ home Tuesday. She offered to show them her Volvo, parked in a garage, and said the car was damaged when she struck a deer.
"Mrs. Lammers stated she continued to travel west in order to turn around, and when she heard sirens, she decided that she should go home, because she was not sure what happened," the affidavit said.
Detectives who ran forensic tests on Lammers’ car said the damage matched the circumstances of the hit-and-run accident, according to the affidavit.
Continue reading “75-year-old woman charged in hit-and-run”