Friday, January 23, 2009

In the news today

1) While I still think Australia has the funniest town names (e.g., Woodenbong, Mullumbimby, Pallamallawa, Wee Waa, Blackbutt, Tittybong, Wagga Wagga, Woolloomooloo, Woy Woy, Humpty Doo, etc.), and even Switzerland had its fair share, I was pleasantly surprised to see that England has its own fun names. I really can't imagine having to tell people you live on Butt Hole Road.

2) Seeing this awful story about a local woman killed by a stray tire reminded me of when something similar happened to me. It was the early '90s, and I was riding down with a friend from L.A. to San Diego. Somewhere around San Clemente, a tire flew off of a car going in the opposite direction, bounced over the median, and smashed into her hood and windshield (we were probably going about 60 mph). The windshield was smashed in but somehow held together so we were able to finish the drive down, but in retrospect it's a miracle we weren't hurt or killed. Instead of smashing completely through the windshield, the tire caught just enough of the frame around the windshield on the driver's side that it bounced off. Had it hit just a few inches toward the driver's side, it probably would have been disastrous. Yikes.