Feds Spend $1.5 Million to Study Why Lesbians Are Fat
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/feds-spend-15-million-study-why-lesbians-are-fat
They just need to figure out how to get lesbians to ride bikes!
Brings to mind a study that the NTSB under Jill Claybrook did in the Carter administration. They decided that a motorcycle would be safer if it steered with the rear wheel and spent a huge amount of money having one built. Turns out it was safer because it was impossible to ride.
We’re are moments away before we are all in line at the DMV for licenses to ride bicycles. Just wait.
Have no fear, the Carl Rove/Jeb Bush/Mittens Romney wing of the republican party will come to the aid of the d’s and bail them out.
No that is just precious; it is hugh and series.
It's worse than waste.
It's the statists ladling out tax dollars to the politically faithful.
So be sure and give the occupant of the White House the answers! He hasn’t figured it out.
“Even the simplest models of a bicycle with a rigidly attached rider have yet to be completely understood,” the researchers wrote.”
These must all be the dorks who as kids, could never learn to ride without training wheels.
I understand it and it didn’t cost $300k...
Although I do think the idea of trying to come up with a ‘better’ bicycle (e.g. maybe more aerodynamic, easier on the lumbar spine of people with back problems etc.) is worthwhile, wouldn’t it make sense that the companies that make bicycles would be doing this design analysis. If you come up with something better, you sell more bikes (maybe). This just doesn’t seem like something the NSF should be funding.
Socialism Is Legal Plunder - Bastiat
BIG GOVERNMENT IS CRONY SOCIALISM
http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/
DEFUND, DISMANTLE, DEPOPULATE
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
live - free - republic
This just shows there’s nothing to cut out of the federal budget. Oh wait, never mind.
Although the average non-scientist might not see the purpose of such a study, there actually is a lot of value in understanding the physics of bicycle riding. Science and technology advances because scientists look at what seem to laypeople like simple processes and ask, “What is really happening here? What are the physical mechanisms behind this deceptively uncomplicated appearing process?”
By understanding such processes, we can, for example, help disabled people gain mobility. Engineers could even come up with a paradigm-shifting new bicycle design. I’m not thinking very imaginatively here—a physicist or engineer could, I am sure, come up with many other possibilities.
"THE HOMER"
The late John Campbell, former editor of ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION, once wrote that as a physics undergraduate he had been given the problem of solving the differential equations of a bicycle going around a turn. His comment was that he could solve them quicker on a bicycle than he could with pencil and paper.
We were wary of used bike websites, Craigslist, etc. as we did notice quite a few used bikes on websites and in want ads were offered as "For Sale. New bike. Ridden once. Best offer."
(What might this be trying to say to us?)
Then a friend from the UK, and an avid bike rider, came to visit and we wanted to show him the Keys and The Everglades. Searching for a suitable place to view The Everglades, I stumbled across the Shark River Valley bicycle trail. Lo and behold they rented bikes. Shazzam! We could try biking without buying and see if it was for us.
After about 100 yards, it was evident that we enjoyed riding bikes again. (Note: While it is true you never forget how to ride a bike, you do lose a LOT of your invulnerable attitude) Also, riding in my boxer shorts and cargo shorts for the 15.4 miles of the trail was a daunting task for me and I vowed to buy some appropriate clothing if we continued to ride in the future.(BTW - those bright shiny bike pants DO serve a purpose, i.e. ease the pain of numb-nuts and sweaty crotch syndrome) We all managed to complete the ride.
Next morning - WOW! I could not find a drugstore quick enough to procure some Gold Bond Medicated Powder!
Now 5,000 miles later, we again await the annual visit from our UK friend and our 5th Shark River Valley ride.
From painful experience, we found that bicycles are like shoes. A proper fit by a knowledgeable bike mechanic/salesperson makes a LOT of difference! I am 6'2" and my wife is 6' tall. Looking for more suitable bikes after using Wal-Mart specials the first year, we discovered a great bike shop where the owner took one look at us and said he had nothing on the floor that would fit us but he could put two bikes together in about an hour. We went to lunch, came back, rode the two he had assembled for us and were amazed at how much easier they were to ride for us.
With that in mind, I would have to opine that any study like this one, is about as useful as a study to find one brand of athletic footwear to fit every use, person and sport.
BTW, if you are a biker, you need to check out the Shark River Valley ride! Birds, gators, fish, turtles, deer, otter, hawks, eagles! And The Everglades is not a swamp. It is a river of grass flooded by the Shark River which is about 60 miles wide, two feet deep and crystal clear.