Speeding Tickets

The Detroit News has an interesting article about speeding ticket quotas, as well as an interactive map of each city/village/township in the tri-county area which shows yearly ticket numbers as well as lists speed traps.

Why hockey is the classiest sport

Let's say you are an 18 year old defenseman who has been playing hockey your whole life. And your big brother is a Hobey Baker Award winner and has made it to the NHL.

You're headed to a first rate university, one which has won the Frozen Four seven times. And you've been awarded a scholarship to attend college starting this fall.

You've been invited to the NHL Scouting Combine held this year in Toronto. You are ranked 60th overall among North American skaters eligible for the draft, and there were indications he might be drafted as high as the second round.

And then you are diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the heart that has been cited in the sudden death of young athletes. This diagnosis is confirmed at the Mayo Clinic.

So instead of hiding the results, you "immediately informed [the hockey team's head coach of your] condition." (link)

And the school, instead of saying "too bad, so sad, you lose, see ya bye." and revoking the hockey scholarship, the head coach "...quickly told the [you] the school would honor [your] scholarship and also make him part of its hockey program." (link)

And you are thinking, "Wow, here I have this devastating news and I will probably never play hockey again, and then someone actually steps up and does the right thing so I have an opportunity to go college and get a degree and still be part of the game I love."

And then comes the day of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, which was going to be one of your greatest days. After the medical news, I certainly wouldn't have blamed you for going on a three day bender. Because you are such a stand up guy you, "informed NHL teams that [you were] removing his name from draft consideration because of his diagnosis."

Instead, the owner-to-be of an NHL franchise, says to himself "The kid worked his whole life to be drafted in the NHL. I didn't see a reason why he shouldn't be." And so, with the last of the team's eight picks, in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, you become the 203rd overall pick. (link)

"[You] will always know [you] got drafted in the National Hockey League," [the owner] said. "I almost get choked up. He worked too hard not to be drafted." (link)

There is a chance that more tests will show a less-dangerous condition he called "athlete's heart," in which the heart's lining thickens and grows because of exercise. But it will be six to eight weeks results are known, and another three months, if the results are good, to see if the heart reduces. If it does, it could mean a renewed athletic career.

"But it's almost a false hope," [you] said. "It's less than a 1 percent chance, so unless there's a miracle, I don't see it changing."

And so, it's a hat trick of class actions brought to you by the following cast of characters:

• David Carle, of Anchorage, Alaska, 2008 graduate of Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota
• George Gwozdecky, head coach of the Pioneer's hockey team at the University of Denver
• Oren Koules, prospective owner of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightining

Thanks for the help, but FYI you are not a hero.

"Teens rush to help on front line of flooding" was the headline on the main page of CNN.com (article link). And the first thing I thought of was:

"Damn right they should be helping. School is out for the summer, and your house is about to end up downstream in the Gulf of Mexico."

So don't act all 4 Minutes to Save the World on me. Show some responsibility, put down your Xbox controller and lend a hand. When you start rescuing people off of the roofs of their houses, then I'll be the first in line to recognize your efforts.

Followup to "Grow a backbone"

From my "Grow a backbone" posting, at least there is a chance these accused felons (at least I hope the crime qualifies as a felony) could actually owe some cash and do some time for the damages they caused. On the upside, they got to participate in the graduation ceremony. And I'm sure Bubba and the other inmates will just be thrilled to hear all about the cap and gown hijinx.

17 Mount Clemens High students arraigned for vandalizing school

[Court Magistrate Daniel] Goulette entered not guilty pleas for each of the teens and set a personal bond of $2,000. Each of the defendants faces up to three months in jail for breaking and entering charge as well as up to 93 days in jail for property destruction. In addition, they could be given fines of as much as $600. (link)

Hey, where's the hockey players?

"Ranking the 50 highest-earning athletes in the U.S." from Sports Illustrated (link)

Grow a backbone

A sign of everything that is wrong with dealing with today's youth.

Mount Clemens: Graduation ban lifted

More than 20 Mount Clemens High School students accused of vandalizing the school last month were expected to participate in Monday night's graduation ceremony after the Board of Education reversed an earlier decision banning them from commencement. The council held a special meeting on Saturday to discuss the matter and voted 5-2 to allow the students to graduate along with their classmates, said Gregory Murray, the board's president. District officials had banned the students -- who reportedly caused more than $4,000 in damage -- from the ceremony held at the high school on Monday night, but an uproar from parents and the students prompted the Board to reconsider. The students remain suspended from school. (link)

Wow, one wouldn't have imagined that suspected felons would be high on the invitation list to a graduation. But then again, people invite Bill Clinton to graduations.

How to cover your butt in the hospital

At least you can now, if it is a DMC hospital.

New Patient-Wear for Detroit Medical Center Patients

Gone are the days of the backless patient gowns that reveal a little more than one would like. The Detroit Medical Center (DMC) has recently created and purchased new patient-wear which consists of two pieces that cover the entire body.

Unlike the backless gowns patients traditionally wear, the new outfits consist of light blue colored tops and bottoms. The tops are specially designed with buttons starting from the neckline that run down the sleeve for quick release in case of a medical emergency. The bottoms have draw strings which allow comfort for all, and have ‘DMC Wear’ written down the right leg.

“Over the years, patients have sacrificed their dignity walking the hallways in a backless gown,” stated Michael Duggan, President and CEO, Detroit Medical Center. “It is for this reason that the DMC created this new patient-wear. Now patients can walk where they choose without feeling embarrassed. It is tough enough being a patient, hospitalized, away from home; we’re just trying to make it a little more comfortable.”

The new patient-wear will be implemented throughout the Detroit Medical Center. (link)