In this section we will direct your attention to news items, perhaps not covered nationally, concerning science and sports stories. Also, we've included links to other informative sites on the web.
Amateur Radio Obituaries
1st Gannett newspaper in USA
Charlton Heston at Harvard - Take a moment and read this speech.
Lynn Montrose - What happened to the Roman Empire?
Ogden S. Manware - He says "Start Getting Smart"
Ham/SWL Educational Material
Motorsports:
NASCAR & Motorsports Forums
NASCAR "State of the Union"
NASCAR: New National Passtime
Glossary of NASCAR & Motorsports Sponsorship Websites
On The Medical Front: Prostate Cancer Research Experiments.
Syracuse, NY - The Bryant-Cardelli study completed in 1988 revealed the most important secrets to human longevity.
987 people of age 100 and beyond were studied to determine if any personal lifestyle habits were common among the group. Women were more easily located than men, as the group was comprised of 819 women and 168 men supporting all previous known statistical facts that women live longer than men.
When a similarity in personal history exceeded 50% among the group, it was considered common for 100 year old people.
Thus, commonalities were found to be:
(1) Came from or resided in small communities most of their life.
(2) Drank at least one cup of coffee several times weekly.
(3) Ate small amounts of nuts daily.
(4) Lifetime nonsmokers.
(5) Maintained strong religious beliefs.
(6) Never subscribed to vegetarian diets.
(7) Received no more than one invasive surgical procedure.
(8) Hard work: Farming, logging, cattle management, etc.
(9) Consumed small amounts of alcohol at least once weekly.
(10) No college or university attendance.
Findings were obtained through medical records, history files and interviews with each person studied as well as with any friends and relatives.
National Institutes of Health
National Library of Medicine
Association of Cancer Online Resources
American Lung Association
American Academy of Pediatrics
Internet Traffic Already High Enough!
New York, NY - - Spokesmen for both Microsoft and AOL deny any involvement in the proliferation of Internet E-mail traffic via on-line chain-letters nor offering a cash bonus for any such activities.
Raymond Tellis, Internet services watchdog, states "Even giants like Microsoft and AOL would fall into financial ruins if they perpetuated anything of this nature."
Miami, FL - - Miami police arrested Walter Robinson after he stole a set of $15,000 golf clubs during the Doral Ryder Open, then tried to sell them for $5 each to Raymond Floyd, whom he apparently did not recognize as one of Florida's most famous golfers and who immediately notified the authorities.
I read a book about America's stupidest criminals," said Scott Smith, director of security at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, "and he has to be one of them."
New York, NY - - If Muhammad Ali's daughter, Laila, wins her first professional fight, she could become one of boxing's biggest draws, and that's why her opponent hasn't been announced yet. Writer, Bob Lacey, says "The promoters are still trying to find out if Chuck Wepner has a daughter."
Canton, Ohio - - Catfish Hunter, who died recently of Lou Gehrig's disease at the age of 53, said at his induction into the Basball Hall of Fame in 1987:
"My three brothers taught me how to throw strikes, and thanks to them I gave up 379 home runs in the big leagues."
Hunter said of Yankees teammate Reggie Jackson:
He'd give you the shirt off his back.... Of course, he'd call a press conference to announce it." Asked whether he'd ever tasted one of Jackson's Reggie Bars, Hunter said: "I unwrapped it and it told me how good it was."
ESPN - - Pete Sampras, who was ranked 48th in ESPN's ranking of the top 50 athletes of the 20th century, asked ESPN's Dan Patrick about No. 35, Secretariat: "How could a horse be ahead of me?"
Said Patrick: "Why don't you try carrying Andre Agassi on your back and play a match, and then you'll get an idea what Secretariat did."
Philadelphia, PA - - Gene Hart, the longtime voice of the Philadelphia Flyers who died recently at the age of 68, was mourned by many in that city.
In 1985, as he was lying on the operating room table awaiting heart bypass surgery, Hart asked the doctor to pause so he could set the stage. And, in his booming voice: "Live, From the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania it's time for... bypass surgery! And now let's go down to gurneyside and Dr. Clark Hargrove..."
Seattle, WA - - The Chinese food concession stand at Seattle's new Safeco Field is called "The Intentional Wok." Reminds us of a popular cookbook available in the Orient called "101 Ways to Wok your Dog."
New Jersey would not license Philadelphia welterweight Charles Young for a bout in Atlantic City recently.
A CAT scan revealed that Young has a 9 millimeter slug embedded in his skull. Apparently Young never mentioned it - must have slipped his mind.
On the heels of Dr. J's admission that he is the father of tennis star Alexandra Stevenson, sports column contributor John Anderson says "Shawn Kemp has released a statement that, despite numerous rumors to the contrary, he is not the father of the U.S. women's soccer team."
Denver, CO - - Woody Paige of the Denver Post says there's a slight chance of a shark attack during next summer's Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
"I would say the triathlon is safe," says Dr. John Paxon of the Australian Museum, "but you can never, never say never in biology because something sometimes breaks the rule." Says Paige: "As in, 'We're going to need a bigger boat.'"
So far this season, the Montreal Expos are averaging 8,800 fans for each home game.
"8,800 fans?" says comedy writer Jerry Perisho. "At any given moment of a Colorado Rockies game, there are that many fans just standing at the urinals."
In his book "Golf For Dummies," CBS golf commentator Gary McCord says:
"In golf you get to think about what you are doing for much too long. Thinking strangles the soul and suffocates the mind.
Golf would be much easier if the ball moved a little and you were on skates."
In the first five races of the season, Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon had already won $2,619,361.
According to Car & Driver magazine, fellow driver Darrell Waltrip said: "The other day I asked Jeff if he had change for a hundred." Jeff said, "Darrell, that is change."
Randall "Tex" Cobb wins a $10.7 million judgement against Sports Illustrated.
Cobb, a former world ranked heavyweight boxer who fought several world champions, won the judgement in a libel suit after Sports Illustrated reported that he helped fix a 1992 fight against Sonny Barch. Says Michael Ventre of MSNBC: "I would be wary of any story that suggests somebody would bother to fix a Cobb-Barch fight. Even gamblers have standards, too, you know."
Dennis Rodman Flopping Around Again!
Dennis Rodman just signed a contract with World Championship Wrestling. "Instead of skipping practice," says sports fan Bob Lacey. "he'll now be missing rehearsal."
"Hopefully, World Championship Wrestling is clever enough to call its rehearsals 'dress rehearsals,'" says wrestling fan Jack Bourla. "Rodman would never miss one of those."
New York City - Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack, a Swede, knew nothing about baseball before coming to Shea Stadium on June 1st to throw out the first ball at the Mets-Reds game, according to Sports Illustrated. Awed by a routine Pokey Reese fly ball during batting practice. Brack asked: "Do they ever hit one over the blue wall?"
Middletown, CT - - Holy Cow, he's back! Well, sort of.
Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who had abruptly retired from broadcasting following a scheduling controversy, makes a one-day return to do play-by-play and commentary for the Wesleyan's game against archrival Williams.
The broadcast will be carried on the Wesleyan student radio station, WESU-FM.
The 81-year-old Rizzuto was talked into it by his granddaughter, Jennifer Congregane, a Wesleyan sophomore.
He said he will approach the college game the same way he handled the Yankees' broadcasts for 40 years - with no preparation.
I never prepared for a game in my life, I hate statistics," he said. "I'd rather just talk about whatever I want to talk about. Get a little bit of baseball in there, a few recipes and somebody's birthday and I've done my job."
NASCAR Continues to Draw Other Professionals
Gynecologist, Dr. Darlene Richardson, had first been exposed to NASCAR when she attended last years Brickyard 400. And, soon decided to get involved like Dr. Jerry Punch, who himself converted from medicine.
She was advised that the first step was to attend an automotive course given at a local technical college. Without delay, she signed up for a full semester of evening classes and diligently attended without absence, learning all she could.
When time for the practical hands-on exam approached, she prepared carefully for weeks and completed the project with tremendous skill.
When the results came back, she was surprised to find that the instructor had given her a mark of 150%. Baffled and fearing a mistake, she called the instructor, saying "I don't want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding score; but, I wondered if there had been an error which needed adjusting." The instructor stated he was very busy at the moment and would explain the grade during the next class.
That evening, with the class assembled and knowing Dr Richardson was a gynecologist, the instructor said, "Darlene, during the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You then put the engine back together, again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark. I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler...
