Tire pressure

Do any of you know what the actual tire pressure in your tires should be? I bet most folks don't. I also bet most folks expect that their tire pressure is properly checked when their car is in for service (oil change, tire rotation, etc.). I certainly expect that my oil change place would do this for me and they do. However, I am not certain that everyone knows that tires require different pressures.

Most automobile tires that I have come in contact with require about 35 psi of air pressure for a proper ride and long life. I recently cleaned out my car and found my automotive tire pump and air pressure gauge (thanks to Joe H's father) and checked my tire pressure. My tires were low and read about 30 psi. Normally, this is not a big deal and tires tend to heat up when rotating on the road with that friction and all.

However, after reading the sidewall of my tires, I realized that my tires require 44 psi! Yeah, I was 14 pounds low. That's a big deal. For a while, I thought that I needed a front-end alignment as the car would drift to the right at lower speeds. That has all gone away with properly-inflated tires.

That said, check your manufacture's suggest tire pressure, buy a gauge and get checking! And if you expect your services to do it for you, make sure they know what it should be.

Neighborhood conformity

I just got this e-mail from my village today. I can't believe these signs are such a big deal, but I guess this could get out of control if a stop sign is obscured or a speed limit sign cannot be seen...

POLITICAL SIGNS

As we approach the Consolidated Election on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, the Village would like to remind residents that political signs (and any other message signs, including business advertisements) are prohibited by the Village Code from being placed in the public right-of-way.

The public policy reasons for this regulation include: when such signs are placed within the public right-of-way, they become attention-getting devices which can result in an accident; such signs, especially when grouped en masse can compete with existing regulatory signage; and the Village needs to be uniform and consistent with the application of this regulation.

Signs which are observed to be in the public right-of-way will be relocated by Village employees back onto private property (behind the sidewalk).

Signs whose ownership is not readily-identifiable will be confiscated by the Village and stored at Public Works where they can be picked up. You may also report the presence of such signs to Public Works for removal.

If you have any questions concerning this regulation, please do not hesitate to call the Community Development Department.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

15 months

Amanda's abilities continue to evolve. She now does the following:
-Eats food with a spoon on her own
-Walks all around the house; stomp, stomp, stomp
-Manages stairs on her own
-Has two upper pre-molars
-Spent her first long weekend away from Mom and Dad (with Aunt Melissa and Uncle Jeff)

Times are certainly becoming more and more interesting. Just the other day, she "gave me five". I never expected her to do anything other than to look at me funny. Sure enough, she slapped my hand. Good times.

Welcome home, Eric

METRA BNSF INBOUND TRAINS TO UNION STATION AND OUTBOUND TRAINS TRAVELING TO AURORA ARE OPERATING 10-20 MINUTES BEHIND SCHEDULE DUE TO SWITCH PROBLEMS.

Why does that stretch of track always have switch problems?

I'm trying this workout; running is getting old

Circuit One:
Air squats (20 reps) Feet shoulder-width apart, squat deeply with weight in heels.

Stationary lunge (15 per side) Hands on hips, feet staggered, slowly lower back knee until almost at floor level, then press up to straighten legs.

Core-band rows (15 reps) Wrap a resistance band around a post; bring handles in to ribs, elbows pointing back.

Bent-arm plank Hold a pushup 20 seconds,then bend elbows to lower body and hold for 10 seconds.

Circuit Two:
Side lateral lunges (12 per side) Step to right side; bend right knee 90 degrees. Repeat on left.

Core-band chest press (15 reps) Wrap band around post, turn away from post, extend both arms straight and shoulders height.

Chair dips (12 reps) Sit at chair’s edge, hands outside hips; slowly lower and raise body.

V sits Raise arms and legs into a V position, balancing on tailbone. Hold 45 seconds. Rest. Repeat.

Circuit Three:
Fit-ball hamstring curls (15 reps) On your back with heels on a fitness ball, lift hips off floor into plank position. Pull ball toward you, then push back.

Knee pushups (12 reps) Lower chest while sliding shoulder blades back and down toward spine.

Core-band tricep extensions (15 reps per arm) Stand on one end of a resistance band, grab the other end; with band behind you, extend arm up overhead. Using elbow as a hinge, lower hand down toward back, then up to full extension.

Rotational oblique crunches (10 reps per side) On floor, put right hand behind head and extend left leg straight from hip. Crunch right elbow across and draw left knee in.