Greg LeMond swoops into Paris ahead of peloton on Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Rare moment of pro cycling chivalry, back in the day...

Scuba cat

scu·ba cat (skoo-buh kat)

n.

1. A cat that enjoys being in water.
2. A sopping-wet pussy.
3. Term of endearment.

interj.

1. Cry of warning to persons in a swimming pool who are in danger of being struck by airborne cat.
Origin(s): late-2000s, a scuba-diving calico featured on an episode of Discovery Channel's "How Stuff Works" show, with its own commercial.

Examples:

• "Chester hates getting wet! ... Yeah, he's no scuba cat."
• "Miss u Scuba Cat! Sending u lotsa luv & kitty kisses! home by 8PM! xoxo" (via text)
• "Heads-up! ... Scuba cat!!" (throws cat into pool)

LOST CAT

LOST CAT

Dark BROWN Tabby
Mystical YELLOW Eyes

On Friday July 20th our kitty “Cookie” – a medium-sized female indoor cat – escaped from our house at 5887 Keystone Drive and disappeared. Please help us find her! 

She is approximately 1-year old with a soft, medium-to-long fur coat that is very dark brown (with light brown stomach and neck and some tiger-striping). She has striking yellow eyes and tufts of extra-long fur in her ears and her on paws. Cookie is extremely timid and has both front and rear sets of claws. Her tail is bushy. If you think you’ve seen our cat, please contact us at any time. 

Use the contact form:

http://www.josephpapp.com/index.php/contact or 
http://goo.gl/0c9tR (short-URL)

2012 Tour de France stage 18 Dog Daze(d)

"Runners" and Dangerous Spectators during the Tour de France

I'm still rabidly anti-runner, especially when they're running alongside the riders on climbs that have crowd barriers on at least one of the two sides, and the majority of the fans remain respectfully and demurely behind the barrier(s), save for the moronical runner(s) who decide that the mountains of the Tour are really their stage - and not the riders' - for them to display their impressive skillz. Good though to see some riders fighting back at least, whacking the fools or (I imagine) in the case of the Italians at least, shouting "Vaffanculo!" And respect to Bauke Mollema, whose suave yet declarative response to a non-boorish female runner on stage 7 was ideal for the situation. While she definitely targeted the Rabobank rider, I'd classify her as a non-boor runner, as she was enthusiastic and seemingly positive, But, rider's rules, and as soon as she began to trot alongside #153, he gave her "The Hand" and she stopped dead in her tracks. Should be the model for future rider-runner interactions that don't require the closed-fist. Diagram below.

(original image here: http://twitpic.com/a5h9dp) 

The scenario begins evolving around 9:50, here: http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/t...illes/1457547/

I hold to my original contention, that it's better to drive motorcycles into/over all the obnoxious runners rather than permit these few (possibly) drunk, boorish fans to ruin the reputation of those who would run elegantly and respectfully alongside their heroes (or villains), w/o invading their personal space or screaming unintelligibly into the riders' ears.

(original image here: http://twitpic.com/a5gis3/full)

Here's an example of how to properly spectate in the mountains:

(No comment on the stationary (??) and senile old man on the left side of the road today who allegedly had a hand - or foot - in bringing down Sammy Sanchez and ruining his Tour and his Olympic title defense...)

See old guy in chair w/ a Basque upon him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a575kuPAIHU

Quoting Cyclingnews: "The crash took place in the 60th kilometre of racing on stage eight on a short uphill section, and initial reports say it was apparently caused by a elderly male spectator sitting at a table too far out in the road. Team-mate Jorge Azanza - who was mainly responsible for protecting Sánchez in the pack - tried to avoid the spectator, who was moving out of the way at speed, but instead ended up colliding with him, with Valverde slamming into Azanza and Sánchez crashing into the two Spaniards, and somersaulting into the tarmac. Valverde was able to continue, but Sánchez injuries were too serious for the 34-year-old to follow suit, and he abandoned in tears."

Website Update!

Once again using the old blog to update you on the new website - which disappeared from the Internet this week. Apparently the registrar decided unilaterally to delete or deactivate the domain. Hopefully it's sorted by the time you read this, and we can update you on France via the new site!

Meanwhile, we're still trying to convince the Poles to transfer www.joepapp.com back to our control, or at least stop holding the URL - and all joepapp.com email - hostage. Unbelievable that this has been going on for a year!

As for Joe, he's hanging in there and is trying to make the best of a tough situation.