Tales from the Corners

Hooray! We're finally in autumn mode once again. Lately wet leaves have been littering lawns, gutters and most all, sidewalks and roads. It can get quite slippery on those outdoor runs, walks, cycling and skating. College and pro football fans alike are back to tailgating and attending games. I cannot believe that's all back in full swing already after such a long, hot summer. Now that we're in autumn, television is heating up again with the return of some great shows including   Scandal.   After viewing   Scandal 's season premiere, I'm still into the show. I'm sure there are plenty out there who think that the plug ought to be pulled on the show, but I think   Scandal   has some life to it, but doubt it will run as long as   Grey's Anatomy . While I'm on TV, I enjoyed this year's Emmys for the most part due to host Andy Samberg's brilliant comedy. I think the academy fell a bit too much in live with   Olive Kitteridge,   but I...

While  the recent run-up to the presidential debate took place this past week, something else occurred well under the radar. This type of thing happens when something as big as a massive debate steals the headlines. After all, that second Republican Presidential Debate contained a number of fiery exchanges so who could resist not paying attention? It's easy to be distracted from news that is off the grid. Apparently the United States' Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack came out with a staggering report on food waste. It's not pretty, folks. Vilsack said that an estimated 133 billion pounds of food is wasted each year, enough to fill Chicago's Willis Tower. How did we get here? Well, we're all the blame. Let's face it, no matter how hard we try, it's tough not to throw food out to the landfills where it creates an undue amount of methane. I wonder who wastes more. For large families, obviously more food is purchased and consumed, but is all the food g...

Somehow, some way, Justin Bieber's appearance on the NBC  Today Show plaza caught my eye. Apparently Justin has another album coming out that he's excited about. I'm more excited that Justin looks like he is already honoring the High Holidays. Yes, Rosh Hashanah being at sundown this Sunday. For those still not "getting it," it looks like Justin is sporting something similar to a tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl.  Credit: NBC Today Show Credit: NBC Today Show Later, Justin joined Matt, Al, Savannah et al to show off his new swoop-over 'do that is hiding under that hat. I will not provide the photo because you need to head on over to your DVR or On-Demand to watch this spectacle in real time. 

It’s no secret what we have known for years: daily walking is good for one’s health. This week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reiterated that fact with a ‘call to action.’ Surgeon General Murthy says just half of the United States’ adults and over a quarter of high school students get the amount of physical activity recommended for good health. Certainly people can join gyms to get that much-needed exercise, but that gets pricey. One can get that exercise in the great outdoors, but that can be challenging. Murthy’s ‘call to action’ goes a step further by citing that communities need to offer walking activities. At the moment, much of the U.S. does not offer true activity-friendly communities. Murthy suggest that groups ought to get together to form walkable communities. Indeed it’s a tall order, but a challenge that should be met throughout America. There’s no doubt that many communities are beginning to realize that they need to become more walkable. Studies have sh...

The Taco Bell saga continues and this time it's with an even more disgusting twist. Apparently the fast food taco chain has come up with a grandiose offer:  replace the hard or soft tortilla shell with... ready for this?... thick crispy, breaded chicken patties also known as the Naked Crispy Chicken Taco. So far, this offering has been spotted in California, where those folks tend to be the guinea pigs for just about everything. Forget this being a heart attack on a plate, or in this case a wrapper, but the simple appearance of such a concoction. Is this for real? I suppose Taco Bell has found some genetically modified way to bend/form the chicken patty into a taco shell-like shape to make this thing work. Actually, I don't want to know how this could possibly work. I'm told that the taco can be filled with lettuce, tomato, cheese and even an avocado ranch sauce. I'm guessing the avocado flavor is to attract Californians into buying these naked tacos. I...

The Roanoke River Greenway-file from Roanoke Outside The rolling hills and mountains in the Roanoke, Virginia area are beyond spectacular. To me, it's a runner's and cyclist's dream come true with paths and trails that accommodate these activities. One need not look further to partake in these activities than t he Roanoke River Greenway .  I only passed through Roanoke years ago, but if I were to have the time, I would love to check out this Greenway. It look spectacular.   Like all winding trails throughout the world, trail users  always need to be cautious. Whether pathway participants are going out for a walk, run, skate, roller blade adventure or biking, everyone needs to be responsible. In June 2012, a mishap took place on the Roanoke River Greenway. A cyclist was approaching a runner who decided to take a u-turn to head back to his starting point. The u-turn was so sudden that the cyclist did not have time to react to the runner's supposedly sudden ...