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Free Falling
We can combat the high gas prices
Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:00
When gasoline prices topped $4 per gallon this summer, many of us were tempted to just throw up our hands and say, “What are you gonna do?” The price of oil seemed to be controlled by a few speculators on the futures market and the big companies who turn crude into fuel.But, take heart. There are some things that can be done, and the recent drop in prices at the pump is the evidence.
For now, at least, Americans have shown that $4 is the tipping point, the price where we begin to think about the unthinkable—parking our gas guzzlers and pulling the bikes out of the attic.
But, lest we become too giddy over $3.55 petrol, we should remind ourselves that we were paying less than that a year ago, and all it will take is a sheik in...
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Europe adventure once in a lifetime
Written by Bob Woelk Tuesday, 08 July 2008 14:27
“When you fly, you are pretty well at the mercy of the airlines,” said the Transportation Security Administration worker at the Boston security gate. His comment followed my explanation of why our group of 31 travelers was a day late in leaving the United States.All it took was a brief thunderstorm in Dallas to cause a gigantic ripple in our connection to the plane that was leaving for Paris. Apparently, only one aircraft per day leaves Texas for Europe. And, it left without us.
Despite the well-documented slow start to our trip, the excursion Dustin Dalke and I led to France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria and Germany was a blast. What follows are some highlights from my journal of the journey.
We gathered in...
'Tis the season for random thoughts
Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 11 June 2008 06:29
Some random thoughts as spring turns to summer....Green. I know I’ve said it before, but June in Kansas can be best described by that single word. Everywhere I look, the overwhelming sensation I get is that the world is green and renewing itself.
Have you noticed traffic slowing down a bit on the Interstate highway system? I have. Trucks, at least, are not blowing by me at 80 mph anymore. I heard this week that the big three automakers in America—GM, Ford and Chrysler—have been taken by surprise by the trend toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Duh.
If there is a silver lining around this cloud of $4 gasoline, it is that business has begun to take notice that citizens are rethinking their gas guzzlers. GM has a...
The third time was the best time
Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 14 May 2008 10:00
An exhaltant Bob Woelk crosses the finish line at the Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City. I finished my third marathon a couple of weeks ago, and it turned out to be one of my best days to date—and, I’m not just speaking athletically.
I was hoping to finish the 26.2 miles in under four hours and 16 minutes. And, to be honest, I had my doubts. I had been hampered by a sore knee for the final two weeks leading up to the Oklahoma City event. Though I had trained consistently, I hadn’t done any extra work in preparation.
Actually, training for the 16 weeks up to the April 27 Memorial Marathon was as much fun as it could be. My running buddies were Anna Woods, local certified personal trainer, and...
Final Four isn't the final word, right?
Written by Bob Woelk Wednesday, 09 April 2008 09:52
As I compose this column Saturday, the Final Four basketball extravaganza has yet to begin. The front page of the Wichita Eagle carries this announcement: “To bring you results from tonight’s Kansas-North Carolina game, delivery of some Sunday newspapers may be delayed.”In addition, Saturday’s edition includes a higher-than-usual percentage of coverage of college basketball. There are feature stories, statistics, news from the NCAA tournament site in San Antonio and commentary. In Section A, not a word about casualties in the Iraqi war.
In all fairness, maybe nobody died in that skirmish thousands of miles away in the previous 24 hours. Maybe it was an unusually calm day. But I doubt it. The Final Four is uppermost in the minds...
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