Geezer Americans Turning to Bikes

First bikes, then e-bikes for the remaining slackers like me? One can only hope. :)

If they're selling in rough weather and road North Dakota, it must be going on elsewhere too.

Gas Prices Knock Bicycle Sales, Repairs Into Higher Gear - AP - 12 May 08

""Everyone that comes in the shop is talking about the gas prices," said Barry Dahl, who opened Barry's Bikes in Bismarck in April. He sold more than 50 bicycles in the first month, double the projections in his business plan. Teacher Joyce McCusker of Herndon, Va., owns a bicycle for the first time in years. She bought it last month and uses it to make the eight-mile trip home from work. A friend drives her pickup to take McCusker's daughter home from school."

"Rocky Schell, owner of Val's Cycle in Minot, said this may be one of the best years in the history of the shop, started by his father in 1960. It's seeing a spike in the number of tuneups and repairs, which had been declining for the past 15 years. Schell said he's also selling lots of bike trailers designed to haul children — customers are using them for groceries instead.

A big percentage of Schell's customers haven't been on a bike in decades. 'I'm seeing more people my age or older coming in,' said Schell, 51. 'The college-age kids to 30-year-olds aren't the ones coming in. They still want to drive.'"

Geezer Americans Turning to Bikes

First bikes, then e-bikes for the remaining slackers like me? One can only hope. :)

If they're selling in rough weather and road North Dakota, it must be going on elsewhere too.

Gas Prices Knock Bicycle Sales, Repairs Into Higher Gear - AP - 12 May 08

""Everyone that comes in the shop is talking about the gas prices," said Barry Dahl, who opened Barry's Bikes in Bismarck in April. He sold more than 50 bicycles in the first month, double the projections in his business plan. Teacher Joyce McCusker of Herndon, Va., owns a bicycle for the first time in years. She bought it last month and uses it to make the eight-mile trip home from work. A friend drives her pickup to take McCusker's daughter home from school."

"Rocky Schell, owner of Val's Cycle in Minot, said this may be one of the best years in the history of the shop, started by his father in 1960. It's seeing a spike in the number of tuneups and repairs, which had been declining for the past 15 years. Schell said he's also selling lots of bike trailers designed to haul children — customers are using them for groceries instead.

A big percentage of Schell's customers haven't been on a bike in decades. 'I'm seeing more people my age or older coming in,' said Schell, 51. 'The college-age kids to 30-year-olds aren't the ones coming in. They still want to drive.'"

What's Next? A Resurgence in the Klan?

I guess some folks aren't done with this racist crp yet. Especially if they think they can win an election off it. I'm reminded of Jesse Helm's race against Harvey Gantt in 1990 where he successfully used the Dick Morris inspired "Hands" ad to get back into office. The more things change, the more they remain the same. A bit more on the ad from Helm's Wikipedia entry:

"Helms' 1990 victory has been partially credited to a late-running television commercial that urged white voters to reject Gantt because of the Democratic candidate's support for affirmative action programs. The ad showed a white man's hands ripping up a rejection notice from a company that had not hired him due to affirmative action policies that had given the job to 'less qualified minority'. The ad was the brainchild of Dick Morris, who in the 1990's would become a key political adviser to President Bill Clinton. "

Morris was the guy who came up with the "triangulation" strategy that Clinton used to toss the rest of the Democratic Party along with their traditional policies under the bus to keep his sorry ass in office. Again from the Wikipedia entry on that strategy:

"Morris advocated a set of policies that were different from the traditional policies of the Democratic Party. The idea Clinton used behind some of these policies was to be 'more Republican than the Republicans.' These policies included welfare reform, tax cuts for the middle class and balanced budgets. One of the most widely cited capstones of Clinton's triangulation strategy was when, in his 1996 State of the Union Address, Clinton declared that the 'Era of Big Government is over.'"

"Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has been referred to as 'Mrs. Triangulation' for her call for dramatic increases in the military budget and for receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from corporate lobbyists."

Republicans Use Obama as Weapon in House Contest in Mississippi - NY Times - 13 May 08

"Former Gov. William Winter, a Democrat, expressed shock at the current campaign.

“I am appalled that this blatant appeal to racial prejudice is still being employed,” said Mr. Winter, who lost the 1967 governor’s race after his segregationist opponent circulated handbills showing blacks listening to one of his speeches. Mr. Winter went on to win the governor’s office 12 years later. 'I had thought we had gotten past that,' Mr. Winter said. 'That was a tactic that was used against me in the 1960s.'

The chairman of the University of Mississippi’s department of public policy leadership, Robert J. Haws, said he had also noted the use of race in the contest. “Does this reflect a certain level of desperation?” he asked. Dr. Haws also said he had detected a 'real reaction from people I know, Republicans' against the ads."

Guess we'll see if they are a significant bunch or not.

( Cut to the Morris-Helm's "Hands" ad . . . )

What's Next? A Resurgence in the Klan?

I guess some folks aren't done with this racist crp yet. Especially if they think they can win an election off it. I'm reminded of Jesse Helm's race against Harvey Gantt in 1990 where he successfully used the Dick Morris inspired "Hands" ad to get back into office. The more things change, the more they remain the same. A bit more on the ad from Helm's Wikipedia entry:

"Helms' 1990 victory has been partially credited to a late-running television commercial that urged white voters to reject Gantt because of the Democratic candidate's support for affirmative action programs. The ad showed a white man's hands ripping up a rejection notice from a company that had not hired him due to affirmative action policies that had given the job to 'less qualified minority'. The ad was the brainchild of Dick Morris, who in the 1990's would become a key political adviser to President Bill Clinton. "

Morris was the guy who came up with the "triangulation" strategy that Clinton used to toss the rest of the Democratic Party along with their traditional policies under the bus to keep his sorry ass in office. Again from the Wikipedia entry on that strategy:

"Morris advocated a set of policies that were different from the traditional policies of the Democratic Party. The idea Clinton used behind some of these policies was to be 'more Republican than the Republicans.' These policies included welfare reform, tax cuts for the middle class and balanced budgets. One of the most widely cited capstones of Clinton's triangulation strategy was when, in his 1996 State of the Union Address, Clinton declared that the 'Era of Big Government is over.'"

"Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has been referred to as 'Mrs. Triangulation' for her call for dramatic increases in the military budget and for receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from corporate lobbyists."

Republicans Use Obama as Weapon in House Contest in Mississippi - NY Times - 13 May 08

"Former Gov. William Winter, a Democrat, expressed shock at the current campaign.

“I am appalled that this blatant appeal to racial prejudice is still being employed,” said Mr. Winter, who lost the 1967 governor’s race after his segregationist opponent circulated handbills showing blacks listening to one of his speeches. Mr. Winter went on to win the governor’s office 12 years later. 'I had thought we had gotten past that,' Mr. Winter said. 'That was a tactic that was used against me in the 1960s.'

The chairman of the University of Mississippi’s department of public policy leadership, Robert J. Haws, said he had also noted the use of race in the contest. “Does this reflect a certain level of desperation?” he asked. Dr. Haws also said he had detected a 'real reaction from people I know, Republicans' against the ads."

Guess we'll see if they are a significant bunch or not.

( Cut to the Morris-Helm's "Hands" ad . . . )

What is it with Georgia Politicians?

Cynthia McKinney looks to be the Green Party presidential candidate and now Bob Barr will be tag-teaming the other first tier third party spot as the Libertarian candidate. Both are former U.S. Representatives from Georgia. Barr's entry into the race could be a nice gift for Obama depending on how the race goes.

Bob Barr, A Former GOP Congressman, is Running for President as a Libertarian - LA Times - 13 Mar 08

"Saying that both the Republican and Democratic parties had 'bought into a system of running a charity called the United States of America,' Barr criticized programs that used public funds to educate children of illegal immigrants and maintain foreign military bases 'that have no more efficacy in the 21st century.'

"The federal government needs to get away from the notion that simply because we have all this money in the treasury -- or we can borrow more money -- that we can provide all these services," he said. 'That is not responsible government.'"

"Jennifer E. Duffy of Cook Political Report said of Barr: 'I think he is only a threat if he gets on the ballot in a decent number of battleground states.'"

What is it with Georgia Politicians?

Cynthia McKinney looks to be the Green Party presidential candidate and now Bob Barr will be tag-teaming the other first tier third party spot as the Libertarian candidate. Both are former U.S. Representatives from Georgia. Barr's entry into the race could be a nice gift for Obama depending on how the race goes.

Bob Barr, A Former GOP Congressman, is Running for President as a Libertarian - LA Times - 13 Mar 08

"Saying that both the Republican and Democratic parties had 'bought into a system of running a charity called the United States of America,' Barr criticized programs that used public funds to educate children of illegal immigrants and maintain foreign military bases 'that have no more efficacy in the 21st century.'

"The federal government needs to get away from the notion that simply because we have all this money in the treasury -- or we can borrow more money -- that we can provide all these services," he said. 'That is not responsible government.'"

"Jennifer E. Duffy of Cook Political Report said of Barr: 'I think he is only a threat if he gets on the ballot in a decent number of battleground states.'"