Best. Beer. Ever. March 16, 2010
Posted by walterknitty in PSA, Uncategorized.add a comment
Sunday I was over at M’s for brunch, laundry, and cards. Instead of going home, I stayed the night. M twisted my arm by saying he’d put my laundry in his car, pick me up from work, and drop me off at home.
Gay boyfriends who provide laundry service deserve a tip. After dropping off my laundry we went to the pub around the corner where I can say with absolute sincerity that I had one of the best beers ever.
See this? This is my happy beer face.
The beer is Black IPA from Hopworks right here in Portland. That’s right, Black IPA. It looks like a porter or a stout but has the same bite and citrusy smell as an IPA. Sometimes IPA’s can be very hoppy but this combination really mellows out the harshness of the hops. It is the best of both worlds.
Two pints up!
Bicycle Safety and Biking in a Skirt June 22, 2009
Posted by walterknitty in PSA.1 comment so far
Sorry about the absence. I’ve been overly focused on Iran for the last week. Today, 40 of the 86 clerics who choose the next Ayatollah have signed a letter disputing last Friday’s election results. At least 50 cities recorded more votes than people which added up to an additional 3 million votes. Moussavi has called for a general strike starting with the Petroleum industry. The state newspaper in Iran said 457 people were arrested Saturday.
I’ve been obsessed. I get up in the morning and if I have time before jumping on my bike check the Huffington Post live blog of events in Iran. I check that, the NY Times live blog, The Guardian live blog, and Andrew Sullivan after I get to work to see if there have been any major developments I might have missed.
The people protesting in the streets are incredibly brave.
Today, it’s time to get away from that for a little bit. I’ve been riding my bike nearly every day this month. Lets have a talk about bicycle safety.
I’m very lucky. Here in Portland we have the Springwater Corridor and Eastbank Esplanade. I can pedal to work without having to worry about traffic. There is only a mile to a mile and a half where I have to watch for cars. Not everyone is lucky to live in a city that is so bicycle friendly.
I do a fair amount of riding in the street too. I’ve seen a lot of crazy things: Cyclists weaving in and out of traffic, blowing stop lights, darting in front of cars. Motorists trying to run cyclists into parked cars, opening their car door right in front of a cyclist, cursing out cyclists . . .
I’ve been cursed/flipped off a few times and I swear it’s always the same kind of person: overweight, balding, greying, middle aged male, driving a vehicle that looks too small for them. The best was last summer. I was on my way to work (I leave pretty early, usually about 6) riding as closed to a lane of parked cars as I could get. Other cars were going around me. I signal to get into the left lane (it’s a turning lane and I have to turn on the next block to get into the bike lane). There is a car right behind me, riding my ass. I get into the next lane and the middle aged, overweight, balding, greying man driving a PT Cruiser lays on his horn and gives me the finger. I get up to the stop light, he’s in the lane next to me. He rolls down his window and starts cursing me out “You fucking bitch! You stupid fucking bitch! Dont you know you’re only going 5 mph you stupid fucking bitch!” The light turns green and for all the things I want to say to him as he speeds off (maybe if you rode your bicycle you’d be less grouchy, maybe if you ate more veggies you’d be less grouchy, sorry you didnt get laid this morning) , the one thing I do say is “Have a nice day!” and wave.
Never curse out someone in a car who is cursing you out. The car is much bigger than you and there is nothing between you, the car, and the pavement.
With that in mind, here are some bicycle safety tips:
1. There is nothing between you, the pavement, and cars. If you fall, or get hit you will get hurt. You are squishy. You are covered in skin, not Teflon or Kevlar. Skin may be the largest organ on the body, but it is fragile.
2. Wear a helmet. Even if you dont like it (I dont like wearing my helmet). Why should you wear a helmet? See rule 1.
3. If you are in the street you must obey all traffic laws as if you were a car. This means stopping at stop signs, street lights, for pedestrians (even if you have the right of way). Signal, signal, signal! Yes, you can be ticketed just as a car can, for not obeying the rules of the rode. With the economic downturn cities are looking for new revenue streams. Save yourself the hassle of a ticket.
4. Flashing lights. Flashing lights on the front and rear make you easier to see. Why are flashing lights important? See Rule 1.
5. Dont take unnecessary risks. Dont weave in and out of traffic and dont try to beat stale yellow lights. See Rule 1.
6. Try to make eye contact with another driver, especially if you are turning. If you make eye contact with the driver then you know they see you and there is less of a chance of confusion ending with getting squished.
7. Give cars the right of way. See Rule 1.
8. For heaven’s sake, DO NOT take roads you know are going to be busy. If you’re on a bike and the traffic around you is going 45-55, the chances of getting squished really go up. (Rule 1. Remember Rule 1.) I had a friend who was biking from another city to downtown Portland. He took probably one of the busiest roads he could take to get there. Cars were whizzing by at 55 mph or so and he wondered why he almost got squished a few times. All I could say was “I cant believe you rode down Barbur Blvd! No wonder you almost got squished”
9. If at all possible, use bike lanes or take bike paths to go for a ride or to get to where you’re going. (Ties in with #8)
10. Cars do not always look for or see bicycles. Be extra aware for cars and drivers cutting in front of you, opening doors, etc. Not all motorists are retards (only Californians). Even though Portland is bicycle friendly, I do not expect motorists to see me and ride my bike that way.
It’s true. You can ride a bike in a skirt. I dont own a pair of shorts, I dont know how this happened but it did. In the last month I’ve learned a fair amount about riding in a skirt, what length is best, and what fabrics are best for not showing the world your underwear.
1. Skirt length: I’ve found that knee-length or just above the knee is best. The skirt is long enough to hide your underwear (or your neither regions if you’re not wearing underwear). But it’s not so long that it’ll get caught in the tires, gears, or chain.
2. Material: Cottons, linen, etc all work fine. A skirt that is a tad on the heavy side is nice, it prevents the wind from blowing your skirt up around your waist and showing the world your yellow underwear, or your nice fresh Brazilian wax if you dont wear underwear. One of my favourite skirts is thin cotton with a thin cotton or muslin underskirt. It’s great for summer. Not so great for riding. I have to keep pulling it down so no one can see my yellow underwear.
That’s really all there is to riding in a skirt. Mini skirts and tight skirts dont work. I have ridden a bike in a min skirt, but not since I was 11. If your skirt is too tight you wont be able to pedal easily.
That concludes your PSA for today. Keep calm, carry on, be safe on your bike, and with these simple tips you wont have to show anyone your yellow underwear if you dont want to.
Not worried. Or your PSA for today April 28, 2009
Posted by walterknitty in PSA.2 comments
At the risk of provoking the Universe, I’m going to say this out loud. I am not the least bit worried about swine flu. Lots of people get sick from the flu every year. Some people die, most people recover.
Lets talk about the flu today. It’s a slow day at work and other than having cast on the left panel of the Sylvi jacket and contemplating another project (a nice summer top. I have the book at home. Not sure how ”French” it is but there are some cute patterns that involve no seaming) I’ve got nothing.
Influenza is a normal part of being human and yes, it sucks ass. In micro-biology we learned that pigs, and ducks (or fowl) are vectors for the disease before it spreads to humans. With global travel easily available the flu can quickly spread from one country to another.
The flu is a virus and spreads through human to human contact, through coughing, sneezing, and contact with other bodily fluids. Unsanitary conditions can help spread the disease. Other mitigating factors such as poverty (and everything that goes along with that such as poor nutrition), having an already compromised immune system (ie. HIV, AIDS) or having a weak immune system (being very young or very old) can have a direct impact on how successfully your body is able to fight off the flu. Sometimes in healthy people the immune system overreacts and makes you more sick than you otherwise would be.
Wearing a surgical mask does not do anything to prevent you from getting sick. Virus’ are tiny. Very tiny. Virus’ easily flit and float through holes in the fabric of surgical masks right into your mouth and nose. It may have a psychological effect of making people feel better and looking scary on the TV news but other than that does nothing.
The flu shot. I’m fully prepared to take whatever criticism may come my way from this next bit. Just an FYI. Unless you are in an at risk group (very young, very old, immuno-suppressed, or on medications that suppress your immune system) the shot is unnecessary. Even if you are in an at risk group be aware that the flu vaccine is giving you live bits of virus. Creepy eh? That’s why it’s not recommended for anyone under 2 or over 50. The thing about the flu shot is it’s a guess. It’s a vaccine against the strains we think are going to be prevalent in a given year. It may engender some immunity against similar strains, but if the prevalent strain is not one included in the vaccine and is not similar, you’ve got no immunity. I admit for the record that I am very afraid of needles and refuse to get any more shots than absolutely necessary. Because the flu vaccine contains live virus bits it can make you sick. Flu vaccines are offered at the law firm every Nov/Dec. If I had to guess, I’d say about a quarter of the people who get the shot get sick. Some get sick enough to stay home, some only get sick enough to feel crappy.
If you get sick from the flu, asking your doctor for anti-biotics isnt going to do you any good. A post on the over use of anti-biotics in the US and in industrialized farming will have to wait for another day. The flu is caused by a virus and anti-biotics are no good against a virus. They only work with bacterial infections. Same thing goes for the common cold. It’s a virus too. Anti-biotics will do you no good. They’ll only kill off your own internal flora which actually help your immune system do it’s job.
Oh, if you get sick from the flu, for God’s sake, stay the fuck home. That is if you can. I understand not everyone has this luxury. If you work for a company that does not offer sick time (about 50% of companies dont) you have to make a decision about staying home, loosing pay, the possibility of not being able to make your bills at the end of the month, and going to work. Other companies make you get a Dr.’s note if you’re out for more than two consecutive days. Some companies do both and to add insult to injury count your missed time against you when your performance review comes up and any missed time can effect your raise. I’ve been through this many times and It. Totally. Sucks. Ass. All that being said, if you can stay home, stay home. We all may have leaned the importance of sharing in kindergarten, sharing chocolate is one thing. Everyone likes that kind of sharing. Sharing the flu is another. That kind of sharing is not the way to win friends and influence people. If you work with people who come to work sick, wash your hands, drink lots of fluids, and if you desk share with someone who is sick wiping down the keyboard/computer/phone/desk with alcohol (not the drinking kind) may help some.
If you’re worried about swine flu, read this. Someone posted this in the Yarn Harlot’s comments section today. Hopefully it’ll take the fear right out of ya.
If you take away one small bit of comfort today, know that part of the reason we’re seeing cases in the US isnt necessarily because of an increase in the actual # of flu cases. Increased testing, scrutiny, and awareness is going to result in a supposed increase in the # of cases of swine flu. The # of deaths in Mexico attributed to swine flu (what 160 or so now) is only a guess. Many of the bodies of people who have died havent been tested. Bottom line, we dont know if these people died from swine flu or not. Besides, here in the US thousands of people die of the flu every flu season and it doesnt get reported in the news. It’s the flu. When I was a kid it wasnt unusual during flu season to have half or more of the class out with the flu. To quote Douglas Adams: “Dont Panic”
That concludes your PSA for today boys and girls. Go home and wash your hands.
