Back to School Time!

For me, it's hard to believe that it's already September and kids are already back in school.  All the parents I know are happy, yet having a hard time watching their little ones grow up!  Even if you don't have children, and this milestone has gone unmarked, the signs that school is back in session are everywhere.  Today I saw a group of children waiting on the curb for the school bus.  A few blocks away I saw a group of older students walking with their teacher, some sort of impromptu field trip maybe.  The playgrounds are full and the sports fields packed with action.
Did you send off your kids to school?  Were they excited?  Nervous?  How about you?  And if you don't have kids, what is your favorite back to school memory?  Mine is definitely back to school shopping and having a brand new outfit for the first day. 
Good luck to all the students out there...and to all the parents!
~Lacey

Fantasy Football Season is Here!

Yes, I play fantasy football.  It took me awhile to get into it, and fully understand it, but "fantasy" sports are so popular I just couldn't resist.  One of my favorite TV shows is even based entirely on a fantasy football league and the shenanigans that ensue.  I do a league with friends but many offices, bars and workplaces put together leagues of their own.  And yep, you guessed it, fantasy football is a major time drain.  Just read this recent article in the Columbia Daily Tribune.  It states 32 million people in the U.S. and Canada play fantasy football, and each of those people will spend 10 minutes a day, AT WORK, managing their team.  Doesn't sound like much time, but it adds up.  $7.4 billion dollars worth of lost productivity. 
Do you play fantasy football?  How much time do you spend at work, or at home, comparing stats, making trades and checking the waiver wire?  Not to mention all the time on Sunday spent watching games. 
I guess now that I've written this I have to be careful about checking on my team at work! :-)  Wish me luck!
--Lacey

College Freshmen Make Me Feel Old

Every year, Beloit College puts out its Mind Set List.  It's a chance to see what incoming college freshmen know based on their life experiences. It's also a chance for us "older" folks to actually feel old.  I thought I'd pull some highlights from this year's list and some from a list in 2002.  Enjoy!

~Rebecca

2016 List----- The people starting college this fall were born in 1994

*They have always lived in cyberspace, addicted to electronics.
*They watch TV everywhere but on TV--They can get their news from YouTube.
*Michael Jackson’s family, not the Kennedys, are considered ‘‘American royalty.’’
*Star Wars has always been just a film, not a defense strategy.
*Robert De Niro is thought of as Greg Focker’s father-in-law, not as Vito Corleone in the God    Father.
*They have had to incessantly remind their parents not to refer to their CDs and DVDs as ‘‘tapes.’’
*Exposed bra straps have always been a fashion statement, not a wardrobe malfunction.

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2002 List------The people starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1980.

*They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era, and did not know he had ever been    shot.
* They are too young to remember the Space Shuttle Challenger blowing up.
* Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
* They never had a polio shot, and likely, do not know what it is.
* Atari pre-dates them, as do vinyl albums.
* The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them.
* Star Wars looks very fake to them, and the special effects are pathetic.   
* There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta is.
* They cannot fathom what it was like not having a remote control.

Gun Turn In Event

Ceasefire Oregon is holding a gun turn in event tomorrow, the 18th.  It's from 10 to 2 at Memorial Coliseum.  The goal of the event is get unwanted, unused, or broken guns off the streets.  Ceasefire has collected more than 7,500 guns since 1994.  For each gun turned in, a person will get a $75 Fred Meyer gift certificate.  There is a limit of three certificates but there are no questions asked. 
What do you think about gun turn in events?  Some say they get guns off the streets but others say they're a waste of time.  Leave your comments below.
--Lacey

Do you accept a female referee in the NFL?

On Thursday night, during the Chargers-Packers preseason football game, a woman will be a part of the officiating team.  Shannon Eastin will be a line judge.  She has been officiating football games for 17 years, but never at this level.  I think this is an exciting opportunity for her and a way to break down gender barriers in our society.  I don't think this is a big deal at all.  What do you think?  Recently, our partners over at 750 The Game discussed this and all the calls were positive, except one.  Even the host said he was worried about Eastin and what could happen if there was a fight between players.  But she is clearly experienced and not afraid to stand up to guys twice her size, if necessary.  Otherwise, she wouldn't have been hired.  I say go Shannon!  What do you say?
--Lacey

Hot Weather is Coming!

This weekend is going to be a hot one!  Our newspartners KGW Newschannel 8 are forecasting 95 for Saturday and 91 for Sunday.  According to the Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society, this will be the hottest weather of the year.  Feel a bit like deja vu?  Our first 90 degree day last summer didn't come until August either.
What do you think of this upcoming heat wave?  Are you the type of person who turns on the AC when it hits 80?  Or will you be outside, soaking it all in?  I much prefer this hot weather, in fact, I wish we had more of it!  If you want to escape the heat, the coast is only forecast to hit the mid-60's.  But if you really want to roast, head down south.  It could hit 100 in Medford.
-Lacey