Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Bike to Work Week (BWW) is nationally recognized May 12-16, however, Carbon Footprints Without Borders does not recognize any perimeters placed on the reduction of one’s emission of greenhouse gases.
That said, I did participate in this year’s BWW for the first time, and I have been biking to work ever since. Yeah, yeah, I know; they got me. It was only a matter of time before the Johnson County bicycle community ensnared me from the world of the Motorist Muggles, although for the record, the abduction was consensual.During the first pedal-rotation of my journey, I made several rookie mistakes and imagine I will continue to make many more. With this in mind, I would like to impart some advice, hoping that you, dear reader and potential BWW convert, will not follow in my carbon footprints and make the same mistakes I did.
1. Preparation is the Key
This should go without saying, but I had to say it anyway. I will skip over the obvious (e.g., a bicycle) and focus on the two most important elements of biking attire: bike shorts and helmet. True, biking shorts may not be the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but on a pragmatic level they may one day save your life. Ask anyone who has ridden a day of RAGBRAI without biking shorts what I’m talking about, and you’ll find your answer. Better yet, ask their proctologist.
Wearing a helmet should be a no-brainer, but Americans have always harbored a libertarian streak and choose to ride without helmets, thus grasping the delusional reins of freedom’s last ride. Whenever one of my sons spots a bicyclist or motorcyclist not wearing a helmet, he asks: “Dad, why aren’t they wearing a helmet?”
This prompts my patented response: “Well, son, it appears they don’t have any investments to protect.”
2. Avoid Reading Online Comments Responding to Articles about Biking
I’m perplexed and shocked by how many people out there, especially in the anonymous abyss of cyberland, harbor deep-seeded animosity toward bikers. Reading these comments will only serve to exacerbate any fears a biker may have about being run over by a road-raged motorist, whose life may have been inconvenienced by having to temporarily slow down for a biker.
“Four Wheels Good, Two Wheels Bad!”
During BWW, Greg Beaumont, of West Des Moines, submitted the following editorial, “Bikes and Traffic Don’t Mix” to the Des Moines Register:
It’s another ill-conceived Bike to Work Week. We just returned from Phoenix, where they have an abundance of bike lanes. This helps a lot, but it’s still dangerous, particularly at intersections and driveways. In business portions of our metro without bike lanes, organizers have no business putting everyone at risk. Biking is great, but not on city streets during rush hours.
Jules 1965 wrote:
In the town where I live [Carroll}, I have to tell you there are some days I would just love to tap a bicyclists and hope they fall over.
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