County fair

[altivo]

Another county fair, since we live right on the edge between two counties. Boone County has a much larger fair because until recently it was still a much more rural area. The fairgrounds are owned and operated by The Grange and have been in the same place forever or nearly so. They have a huge horse show that runs all week, focused on draft horses

Comments

[quickcasey]

Glad you enjoyed the fair despite the modern trappings encroaching on the traditional stuff.
The Sycamore show is next weekend, but so is my cousin's wedding. If I do go, I'd have to leave by one pm, as the wedding is late-afternoon. I'm wondering if it's worth the tight scheduling.

[altivo]

I was going to ask you about Sycamore. I'd like to go, but Gary can't go until Sunday. If you do go on Saturday, I'd meet you there, but if not, I'll wait and go on Sunday I guess. I didn't realize it ran for four days.

Two weeks from today is the big horse parade in Clinton Wisconsin. We missed that last year because the weather was really bad, so I hope to make it this year.

[quickcasey]

Hmmm. Sunday. Let me see if I have anything planned for that day.

[altivo]

Sunday's a tough choice. I was wrong. The Clinton parade (all horse units) takes place on Sunday at 1 pm. Obviously, can't do both, I'll have to choose.

[soanos]

Glad to hear you had a good time and saw a lot of beautiful horses. If only I had been there.

[altivo]

That would have been fun. Of course, as the saying goes, "If wishes were horses then zebras could fly" or something like that. ;p

[soanos]

I know... it is a shame MTG card "Enchant Creature: Fly" doesn't work in real life.

It has a flying zebra in it btw. ;)

Hee!

[altivo]

As you probably guessed, I'm utterly unfamiliar with current gaming stuff (who has time for it?) but I'd like to see that image. I'll have to snoop around for it some time.

One thing for sure. Flying zebras would look much better to me than flying pigs or flying monkeys. ;p

[schnee]

I just read an interesting tidbit in the New Scientist a few days ago concerning obesity:

United weights of America

If current trends were to continue unchecked, all American adults would be overweight or obese by 2048, say researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. By 2030, half could be be [sic] clinically obese (Obesity, DOI: 10.1038/oby.2008.351).

Rather alarming when you think about it. Nationmaster also shows the USA ranking at the top when it comes to obesity, BTW, although there's a couple of others not far behind.

[altivo]

I suspect it's a self-limiting problem. People are going to start dropping dead. Since health care is so difficult to access here except for those who are fairly wealthy, it's inevitable.

[schnee]

I'm not sure. Those who are morbidly obese might die as a result, yes - but you won't die immediately just because your BMI goes above 30.

Granted, obesity will still have an adverse effect on your health, but even if you're going to die from a heart attack at 60 due to being fat rather than living till 80, this still won't be enough to really make much of a difference as far as the problem of obesity in general is concerned.

Of course, once life expectancy starts to go down, there'll probably be some alarm bells going off somewhere, and there'll be campaigns etc. to get people to eat healthier and exercise more, though.

[altivo]

There was a similar campaign back in the 1960s. It failed. That one took the regimental approach though and tried to enforce exercise in schools through calisthenics and such, and giving awards for whoever could do the most pushups and such. I'm not surprised it was a failure

Hay Fatso!

[goldenstallion]

Whinnyhi.

I heard that Disneyland, Annaheim, had to close down the It's a Small World ride because the boats were sinking under the weight of the riders. It is not just the adults you know, I see very fat kids all the time and the parents think they are in good weight and health. Geez, wake up, people.

Bear and I are on strict diets. Of course I just got out of the hospital and now have a Stent installed so the metal detectors will beep. But I did quit smoking (three weeks and going) and never again. What a stupid bad habit I wish I had quit aeons ago but oh well better now than never.

We went to the tractor show in Freeport, IL, two weekends ago and I got to drive a steam locomotive. The guys realized I knew how so gave me free rein. Keep an eye on the fire and on the water level and since the old Heisler had no air brakes, the valves and throttle. Was a blast and I am TEN AGAIN!

You are such a snot nose, Quickcasey. Grin.

Steed and Imperator

Re: Hay Fatso!

[altivo]

Is that really true about Disneyland? Sounds like something from the Onion. ;p

I blame it all on fast food, television, and frozen microwave dinners and snacks. People have no idea about nutrition, they've completely abandoned cooking from fresh ingredients, and they do nothing except lie around watching television (or the internet.) Of course they're getting fat. The problem is bad at age 40 and above, but it's horrendous in the 20s and 30s now. That movie Wall-E had it right.

Re: Hay Fatso!

[soanos]

Best diet: Only eat what you can cook yourself and DO IT. Not just buy an equivalent you can microwave from shops. ;)

Re: Hay Fatso!

[soanos]

Agh. Forgot this again... I should really, really see that movie. :)

[cabcat]

it sounds like you've got way too many fairs for them all to survive. Hehe as to the hugely obese, there are some people I've seen with definite problems due to genetics, but the vast majority just eat too much and do too little. I mean I'm not as svelt as I should be but damn there are some huge people out there O.O

[altivo]

Nearly every county has its own fair here. An average sized county is about 300 to 600 square miles, with a population anywhere from 250,000 to a million or so people, at least in this part of the state. That ought to be enough to support a five day fair once a year. They do get crowds of people turning out to visit, but the traditional exhibits are dwindling away and being replaced by hucksters and second-rate entertainment.

Travel is definitely off this summer. Figures for may and June show a very large drop in the number of miles driven and the amount of gasoline used when compared to last year, so events that are close to home seem likely to prosper if properly managed.

Declines in the baking, preserving, and home arts areas just seem to validate what I've been saying for a while: people are no longer cooking or sewing. They just buy prepared products and are completely out of touch with the processes that create them. Instead, they sit in front of the television for 40-50 hours a week and stuff their faces, getting fatter and

[cabcat]

We have a little market on Sunday not far away from where I live, there's this lovely old lady who still makes Jam and preserves and drives her old Peugeot every week ^.^ I buy Lemon butter from her occasionally, you have to be a bit wary though, I have bought one once from a market that had something undesirable growing in it.

Maybe with petrol prices people will stay at home and learn these lost arts again.

[altivo]

I'm afraid they're more likely to stay at home and watch television until they become irritable and start knifing or shooting each other.