One Hundred Very Angry U.S. Cities

by Adrienne Wilson on

Why this list of angry U.S. cities makes me laugh – I don’t know? Could it be that Orlando, the very home of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Mickey Mouse ranks number one for some bizarre reason? Maybe it’s because my city (Tampa, FL) ranks 12 and the near by St. Petersburg, FL comes in second? So my first question is this – what’s up with all the anger Florida?

World Hum points readers to a fine piece from Men’s Health focusing on 100 very angry U.S. cities. The ranking was based off factors like percentage of men with high blood pressure, FBI rates of aggravated assaults, Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers on workplace deaths from assaults and other violence in addition to road rage. Whew! With all those ugly factors and Orlando placing tops on the anger totem, some of you may be a little afraid to see where your place of residence ranks. Others may not be so surprised.

Teeny Tiny Airport Finds

by Adrienne Wilson on

Normally, I wouldn’t post such a rambling blurb on all the small discoveries to be found in the airport, but sometimes they either really amaze me or really annoy me. On my trip into Philly this past week I had the opportunity to go thru three airports I had never seen before. Surprisingly one of those cities was Philadelphia’s Intl’ Airport and the other two: Detroit and Indianapolis. (Note: Routing like such occurs when you buy a ticket the night before your flight.)

So now, once I passed through TSA and made sure that all my glosses and lipsticks were safely stored in my check-in luggage, I took the little time left to explore these exotic airports. Detroit’s shocked me! I was very impressed with their terminals, tram and the food selection to be sampled on a long layover. What I did not like was hiding in the women’s restroom. Who on Earth thinks that everything automatic and hands-off or free is a good idea? First it was the faucets and now it is the soap. Here are a couple of observations with this automatic-soap-dispensing-business: Either it works or it doesn’t. It’s like once it gets started there’s no stopping it and who knows how much soap was wasted. The same applies for Philadelphia’s restrooms. Am I alone here or does the automatic soap bug anyone else?

On the cooler side of things, I found Indianapolis has neat iPod vending machines. If you haven’t gotten one yet or are in need of accessories you can swipe your card and wa-la! You’ve got yourself a hip piece of modern technology all without having to go through the trouble of purchasing with a human being.

Okay, that went longer than I thought, but if you’ve got any airport finds from anywhere please share. I’m easy to entertain.

Detroit Marathon Running – Crossing Borders

by Adrienne Wilson on

For folks that like to travel healthy and be on the run simultaneously the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon sounds like the type of event for you. Known as the only race course in the world that crosses U.S. and Canadian borders twice with an underwater international mile, the marathon is one of the fastest, spectator-friendly, qualifying races for a first-timer to enter. Judging from some of the comments by previous first-time Detroit runners at MarathonGuide this one seems like the crème de la crème in regards to race organization, course scenery, weather, not to mention water and gel stops to name a few.

Tomorrow, I myself will take the first step in embarking to the Detroit marathon by registering as a participant. While I may have spent the last 11 weeks walking across America the beautiful with 11 other people, I admit running a cool 26.2 miles seems a bit intimidating. There’s a whole different set of rules and training needed, though I’m certain I’ve gained the ability to be on my feet for an extended period of time walking 6 hours a day at least twice a week. Wish me luck or better yet, hope to see you in the races.

The Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon takes places on October 29, 2006.