More Senseless gun violence... this time two related shootings at church's in Colorado Springs and Arvada... Yep... I guess we should do as zealot NRA types would have you believe: More Guns! Yeah, that's it, we need more guns in societies hands. To hunters: If you need a Semi-automatic weapons (actually more than 1 bullet), a high powered scope, and other gadgets to slaughter Bambi, you need to consider playing another sport! For more info on needless gun violence view my blog form Thursday.

Hotrodmeg took some photos of Chilly Cheeks One: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=7335 IMPORTANT UPDATE!!! AP Reports: BT nearly sweeps Chilly Cheeks but Kilo Dave crashes bike like a frickin' wussy! 1st: dills38 - 55:40 2nd: DickDime - 56:11 3rd: Andy Palmer (dethroned king of Chilly Cheeks) - 1:00:10 4th: James Dunkelberger (What? Who?) - 1:00:51 5TH: KILODAVE - 1:01:22 (I suspect he spent more than a minute and twenty-one seconds fixing his chain) My bike is clean... I raced it in the snow and it looks like it never went outside! It was so cold that the snow was dry and it never got my bike dirty!

I had lots of fun at Chilly Cheeks today. I can't believe how many BTers showed up!! It is really amazing how strong this community is and how important it has become to me over the last 3 years. I won't list the names cuz you all know who you are... but wow... I am a better athlete because of this site and more specifically because of the Colorado BT contingent! Anyway, I went out today on tired legs; snow a-falling and it was cold. I impressed myself with a 5:42 first mile in spite of the slide back on the icy road. I finished the run in second place (ahead of dills) and then took first place quickly on the bike leg... Unfortunately The Dills hunted me down like a lame dog and shot me dead. I ended up in second place, but second to Dills is first in my book! It was so much fun. I love racing especially when BTers are there!

Ok, I didn't want to do this... but being Dime, I do have some expectations... I know I can't pull off a <24 minute 4 mile run on tired legs, but I am pretty sure I can hit 25 minutes... if the trail isn't too muddy! so my goal is to be at about 25-26 minutes on the run... I think this is realistic and may even keep me fresh enough to hammer on the bike. As for the bike I'd like to sustain at least an average of 23 mph but who knows... if conditions are good, I could do better... or not... So 28 minutes on the bike and a 30 second transition... 53:30... that's ambitious... ok, sub 55 minutes! Last year I managed 56:35 with an excellent run and then I was passed like 8 or 9 times on the bike. However, it was my first time on the bike since August (5430 HIM) and I was on a rode bike with no aero-bars... This year, I'm very fit (although tired from a marathon less than a week ago), and I have ridden maintenance miles on my bike since 5430... Plus, I'm on a fast tri bike these days and I am a much improved cyclist from a year ago... So here it is: Goal one: 53:30 (dream goal) Goal two: 55:00 (realistic goal) goal three: 56:30 (better than last year) If the weather really sucks... just keep the leaders (especially Mark, Kenny and Dave) in my sites!

Yet ANOTHER gun massacre! 30,000 Americans die every year from guns yet the NRA continues to pull the wool over the eyes of the public... 30,000 AMERICANS die every year! That is ten 9-11's (EVERY YEAR) 3900 dead GI's in Iraq, so far! 1 dead football player... Who gets the most of the media attention? What is wrong with our 4th estate? And yes, I think the second amendment protects our right to own 50 cal anti-aircraft machine guns! There are 90 guns for every 100 Americans. We are by far the most heavily armed country in the world. I am not afraid of Terrorists, I'm afraid of my neighbor!!! Check out the truth: Statistics: Gun Violence in Our Communities School Safety Less than 1% of all homicides among school-aged children (5-19 years of age) occur in or around school grounds or on the way to and from school. (Centers for Disease Control, 1997) Children and Gun Violence In a single year, 3,012 children and teens were killed by gunfire in the United States, according to the latest national data released in 2002. That is one child every three hours; eight children every day; and more than 50 children every week. And every year, at least 4 to 5 times as many kids and teens suffer from non-fatal firearm injuries. (Children's Defense Fund and National Center for Health Statistics) America and Gun Violence American children are more at risk from firearms than the children of any other industrialized nation. In one year, firearms killed no children in Japan, 19 in Great Britain, 57 in Germany, 109 in France, 153 in Canada, and 5,285 in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control) Guns in the Wrong Hands Faulty records enable terrorists, illegal aliens and criminals to purchase guns. Over a two and a half-year period, at least 9,976 convicted felons and other illegal buyers in 46 states obtained guns because of inadequate records. (Broken Records, Americans for Gun Safety Foundation) School Safety * Between 1994 and 1999, there were 220 school associated violent events resulting in 253 deaths - - 74.5% of these involved firearms. Handguns caused almost 60% of these deaths. (Journal of American Medical Association, December 2001) * In 1998-99 academic year, 3,523 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. This is a decrease from the 5,724 students expelled in 1996-97 for bringing a firearm to school. (U.S. Department of Education, October 2000) * Nearly 8% of adolescents in urban junior and senior high schools miss at least one day of school each month because they are afraid to attend. (National Mental Health & Education Center for Children & Families, National Association of School Psychologists 1998) * The National School Boards Association estimates that more than 135,000 guns are brought into U.S. schools each day. (NSBA, 1993) Children and Gun Violence * America is losing too many children to gun violence. Between 1979 and 2001, gunfire killed 90,000 children and teens in America. (Children's Defense Fund and National Center for Health Statistics) * In one year, more children and teens died from gunfire than from cancer, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, and HIV/AIDS combined. (Children's Defense Fund) * The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) America and Gun Violence * Every day, more than 80 Americans die from gun violence. (Coalition to Stop Gun Violence) * The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) * American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control) Guns in the Wrong Hands * Americans for Gun Safety produced a 2003 report that reveals that 20 of the nation’s 22 national gun laws are not enforced. According to U.S. Department of Justice data (FY 2000-2002), only 2% of federal gun crimes were actually prosecuted. Eighty-five percent of cases prosecuted relate to street criminals in possession of firearms. Ignored are laws intended to punish illegal gun trafficking, firearm theft, corrupt gun dealers, lying on a criminal background check form, obliterating firearm serial numbers, selling guns to minors and possessing a gun in a school zone. To access The Enforcement Gap: Federal Gun Laws Ignored, visit http://w3.agsfoundation.com/. For a state-by-state chart of gun crimes (FY 2000-2002), click here. * Studies show that 1 percent of gun stores sell the weapons traced to 57 percent of gun crimes. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the dealer that armed the DC area sniper is among this small group of problem gun dealers that "supply the suppliers" who funnel guns to the nation's criminals. (Between 1997 and 2001, guns sold by this dealer were involved in 52 crimes, including homicides, kidnappings and assaults. Still open today, it also can't account for 238 guns or say whether they were stolen, lost or sold, or if their buyers underwent felony-background checks.) As a result, these few gun dealers have a vastly disproportionate impact on public safety. The ATF can recognize such dealers based on: (1) guns stolen from inventory; (2) missing federal sales records, needed by police to solve crimes; (3) having 10 weapons a year traced to crimes; (4) frequently selling multiple guns to individual buyers; and (5) short times between gun sales and their involvement in crimes. Yet ATF enforcement is weak due to a lack of Congressional support and resources. For more details, click here. * Terrorists have purchased firearms at gun shows, where unlicensed sellers are not currently required to conduct background checks or to ask for identification. According to the Middle East Intelligence Report, for example, a Hezbollah member was arrested in November 2000, after a nine-month investigation by the FBI's counter-terrorism unit. Ali Boumelhem was later convicted on seven counts of weapons charges and conspiracy to ship weapons and ammunition to Lebanon. Federal agents had observed Boumelhem, a resident of Detroit and Beirut, travel to Michigan gun shows and buy gun parts and ammunition for shipment overseas. Boumelhem was prohibited from legally purchasing guns as gun stores because he was a convicted felon. Additional cases involve a Pakistani national with an expired (1988) student visa; a Lebanese native and Hamas member with numerous felony convictions; and a supporter of the Irish Republican Army. (USA Today, Wednesday, November 28, 2001 Americans for Gun Safety) * According to Americans for Gun Safety (December 2002), gun theft is most likely in states without laws requiring safe storage of firearms in the home and where there are large numbers of gun owners and relatively high crime rates. Based on FBI data, nearly 1.7 million guns have been reported stolen in the past ten years, and only 40% of those were recovered. The missing guns, over 80% of which are taken from homes or cars, most likely fuel the black market for criminals. NEA, AGS and the National Rifle Association advocate for safe storage. To access "Stolen Guns: Arming the Enemy" visit www.agsfoundation.com. * The American Medical Association reports that between 36% and 50% of male eleventh graders believe that they could easily get a gun if they wanted one. * In 1998-99 academic year, 3,523 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. This is a decrease from the 5,724 students expelled in 1996-97 for bringing a firearm to school. (U.S. Department of Education, October 2000) * According to a report by the Joshephson Institute of Ethics (2000 Report Card: Report #1), 60% of high school and 31% of middle school boys said they could get a gun if they wanted to (April, 2001).

HEALING UP! A lot less stiff today... Getting myself prepared for Chilly Cheeks!