Slog - Comments on Could There Be a Connection? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection Two headlines caught my eye this morning. From the Seattle Times... U.S. dementia rates are on the decline And from the New York Times... More Americans Are Giving Up Golf Hm...... Copyright 2008 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:25:59 -0800 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:04:54 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Bellevue Ave less old people?

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c943988 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c943988 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:48:01 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe Some of the hottest dudes I've met play golf. And that's all they talk about.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c943994 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c943994 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:51:33 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave Golfing is hella fun once you get the hang of it. beer carts, a little bit of physical activity, nicely manicured lawns. Golf rocks.

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944009 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944009 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:57:10 -0800 Comment by Hernandez I'd like to think there's a connection.

Golf rocks? Please. Why pay a bunch of money to drink beer and watch grass grow when I can do that for free at the park down the block?

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944013 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944013 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:08:46 -0800 Comment by Chip What about the article on increased suicides among the middle-aged?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/us/19suicide.html

]]> Chip http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944019 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944019 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:14:29 -0800 Comment by unPC On public courses, we should have walking times or periods where one need not spoil it all by having to play golf. (Apol. to M. Twain.)

Walkers should adopt the innovation of carts w/ drinks, too.

]]> unPC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944023 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944023 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:18:01 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Golf is an ecological catastrophe.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944045 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944045 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:25:21 -0800 Comment by heywhatsit Well, golf CAN drive you a little crazy. I'm all for fewer golfers. Fewer crowds and easier tee times. Now maybe I can finish a round in under 4 hours on the weekend.

]]> heywhatsit http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944047 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944047 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:28:44 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave because hitting a ball into a tiny hole is fun?

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944077 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944077 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:52:38 -0800 Comment by Hernandez @9 - OK, I'll give you that.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944084 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944084 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:01:06 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Has more to do with heart health, actually. Sitting in those golf carts is not healthy.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944097 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944097 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:12:29 -0800 Comment by bigyaz @11: Real golfers walk and carry their clubs. Still keeps your hands free for beer.

]]> bigyaz http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944125 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944125 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:25:58 -0800 Comment by Astin Next time you meet a golfer, call them an ecoterrorist.

]]> Astin http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944126 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944126 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:26:44 -0800 Comment by NaFun I came to this comment thread to state that golf is horrible for the environment, only to find that Fnarf had beaten me to it. DAMN YOU FNARF!

Seriously though, the pesticide and fertilizer runoff from golf courses account for huge percentages of municipal water pollution, not to mention the water waste from irrigating the damned things (3000 cubic meters of water a day, enough for 15000 people).

Arsenic pollution from golf course pesticides:
http://agron.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/70/1/71

Do a Google search for 'golf course runoff' and you'll get pages of hits to various studies.


]]> NaFun http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944224 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944224 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:13:16 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways Potential new friends who start mentioning their love of golf or urging me to join them at a casino, are very quickly dropped.

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944230 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944230 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:16:55 -0800 Comment by Bauhaus I agree with Fnarf. Golf courses are ecological disaster areas. The average suburban lawn gets about 1/4 lb. of fertilizer per square yard every year. I read somewhere that typically one square yard of golf course sees 300 lbs. of fertilizer in a year. And of course, all that nitrogen and weed killer goes right into the river when it rains.

I agree with George Carlin, too, who says golf is elitist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbSRCjG-VLk

What I object to maybe even more is being in the business world and having to pretend that I give the tiniest rat's ass what's up with Tiger Woods.

]]> Bauhaus http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944314 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944314 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:26:03 -0800 Comment by Mr. Joshua Staying physically active (such as playing golf) or mentally active (such as more complicated things like bridge, cribbage, or doing the crossword) all significantly decrease your odds/postpone developement of dementia.

Shame on you for discrediting one of the best ways for the elderly to stay physically and socially active.

]]> Mr. Joshua http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944504 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944504 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:14:33 -0800 Comment by Fnarf So there's no way for old folks to stay physically and mentally active that doesn't require millions of acres of flourescent grass, billions of gallons of oil, and trillions of gallons of polluted water?

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944680 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/02/could_there_be_a_connection#c944680 News Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:04:54 -0800