Sandy from Saskatoon writes:
Kind of smoky down Minnesota way, eh?
Dave says:
It’s ok. We had it coming.
Dwight from Free Wheel writes:
Hey, Dave. It's time for a new bike. Should I jump on the e-bike bandwagon?
Dave writes:
Here's the deal. Ask yourself these 4 questions and if the answer is yes to any, get the e-bike.
1) Do you hate to exercise? An e-bike gives you access to the great outdoors without any exertion.
2) Do you have artificial knees or alzheimer's? This doesn't absolutely exclude a traditional bike, but it's problematic.
3) Do you ever need to transport your bike on a vehicle? E-bike transport requires a reinforced bumper, improved suspension or a trailer with a ramp. The trailer option requires the previous stuff too, plus a 3 point hitch. No way you can lift it onto the roof.
4) Do you enjoy having traditional bike riders shouting curses at you as you sail by at 30mph on a 10mph trail?
Let me know what you decide.
Cheryl from Downtown asks:
Hey Dave. What are you thoughts on the WNBA?
Dave says:
Last year I was in love with the skill, the creative playmaking, the amazing shooting and the pace of the WNBA game. It was great entertainment. But then. This year the play has become more akin to rugby or a street fight than basketball. They are mimicking the NBA in order to stifle the great shooters in the league and injuries are happening left and right. They are destroying a great entertainment product. I watched one game recently where the refs at least tried to control the muggings and it was a one continuous parade to the free throw line - another fan turnoff.
Sean from Fox River writes:
Hey, Dave, aren’t tariffs the perfect answer to our fiscal problems? We get Mexico and China to pay down our deficit.
Dave says:
Well Sean, that’s not exactly how tariffs work. You should start keeping a graph of coffee & car prices & corn flakes over the next year and perhaps you will discover who really pays tariffs. The fact is the importer pays the tariff and then recoups by hiking retail prices. It’s a well known fact. Of course, facts have little relevance these days.
Ringo from Liverpool writes:
Hey, Dave. Scored your McCartney tix yet?
Dave says:
I don’t think I’m going to spring for a thousand bucks to hear an ancient rocker, and a left-handed one at that. The number of 60’s era geriatric groups reviving themselves, cavorting about on stage like the youth they are not, it’s embarrassing. But I might pay the 60’s ticket price of $5 for a Dylan concert.
Liam from Lethbridge asks:
Hey, Dave. Did you know that your state bird, the loon, has solid bones? I think it’s the only non-hollow boned avian? And also, why is the Canadian dollar called a ‘loonie’?
Dave says:
Well, Liam, you could have gotten the answers to these questions in a nano-second from AI in a dry, nicely formatted report. But that would not be as entertaining as this. As I’m sure you know, the Canadian dollar coin, surprise, has a loon pictured on its reverse side - hence, no mystery to the nickname. Now as to the solid bones. The solid bones add mass to the loon and allows it to dive deep in their pursuit of a fish dinner. You have perhaps seen ducks trying to dive. They end up with their bill under water and butts in the air. Too buoyant. Of course, solid bones makes it more difficult to get into the air but loons manage. They need 100 yards of lake and paddle their feet on top of the water to pick up enough speed. Watch a youtube video of a loon takeoff. Pretty cool. And there are other solid boned avians. Most are condemned to flightlessness due to the weight of those bones - think penguins, ostrich. You know, I’m thinking this could be a Nature episode. The loon is a beautiful bird with a beautiful song and is a marvelous state bird. The only downside is the human definition of “loony".
Will & Charlie from Rochester comment:
Hey, Dave. Did you know once you’ve accumulated five specialists on your care team, your days are numbered?
Dave says:
Oh, oh. What’s the number? And out of curiosity, why did you name your medical facility after a condiment?
Jackson from Parlor asks:
Hey Dave. Do you have a tat?
Dave says:
I am an aging male of Scandinavian heritage, so no. I can see myself with a sagging, unreadable “Born to be Wild” tat with me sitting drooling in a wheel chair in the home. It's not a pleasant thought. I know people with tats and on occasion have even asked them to tell me about them. In many cases, it is something very personal and important to them. So, I certainly can appreciate a tattoo that (subtly) states a strong personal tenet or a treasured memory in a word or symbol. Full body canvas performance art is a bit over the top for me. It's kind of irreversible in'it? But que sera sera.
Fema from Florida writes:
Fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, deadly heat. Is this the end of the world?
Dave says:
Very likely.
Copyright © 2025 Dave Hoplin
Always a pleasure to read your blogs.
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