My wife and I have taken to watching infomercials with some of our free time.
It's not that we particularly enjoy them, it's just that without cable television our options are a little more limited than some.
This has actually turned into a rather entertaining hobby. We watch with a keen eye for those small print declarations like "Results atypical", "Not an actual news program" and "Do not attempt at home."
They range from cheesy to outlandish, but last week we saw by far the worst product ever presented in a paid-for segment of television.
We tuned in for an presentation on " are you ready for this? " a ropeless jump rope exercise system.
That is to say a jump rope that does not have an actual rope strung between its two handles.
I laughed at first, but then noticed that absolutely no small type accompanied this one.
"It's really great, I am really feeling a burn from this," said one featured user, hopping on one foot while spinning twin electronic handles in tandem.
In the background, more people holding magic ropeless jumping wands hop around as though holding actual jump ropes. The "ropeless" system comes complete with a calorie counter, a stopwatch, a jump counter and a user profile. All of those features are hard-wired into the "wands", which are in reality just plastic jump rope handles with short strings coming out of the end and some sort of digital tracking ball attached to the end of each string. It even comes with insertable weights, 2.5 ounces each, that can be placed in the handle to heighten the difficulty of the workout.
Participants " let's call them no-ropers " hold a wand in each hand and proceed to spin them and hop up and down, much like they would with an actual jump rope.
On sheer entertainment value alone, this commercial was worth watching as each scene had some poor soul skipping or jumping around while spinning their hands in small loops in crowded public places.
For each jumper, there was a host of unbelieving, sometimes horrified, glances from the crowd of onlookers.
Pressing the mute button only expanded the fun as the absent-minded hoppers silently bounced across our screen.
The company trumpets the idea that with this system you'll burn up to twice as many calories as you would on a treadmill or stairstepper for $100s less.
At hundreds less, they mean 60 bucks. For a jump rope with no actual rope.
So why not just run out and buy an actual jump rope (complete with its own rope) for 10 bucks?
It's because, so the company says, without a rope there is nothing to trip over!
Also, it allows you to exercise just about anywhere regardless of space limitations.
Granted on both. But if you don't need the rope, is there any honest reason you still need the $60 handles?
If you're going to look silly anyway (and trust me, I am an expert on looking such), save yourself the money and go around jumping empty-handed.
I was hard pressed to label my Gardnerville moment of the week.
I woke from an afternoon nap Sunday afternoon to someone blaring Gary Wright's "Dreamweaver" outside.
I stepped out on my porch only to discover that it was Gary Wright himself who was blaring Gary Wright's "Dreamweaver" during a sound check for his concert Sunday afternoon at the park near our home.
On any other week, that would have been the most surreal moment for me.
But this was the week I first saw James Herrick.
I'm not one to point out any one youth athlete above his teammates, but I felt Herrick deserved a mention in this week's column.
Herrick is one of the youngest players in the Carson Valley Little League this season and is currently playing catcher for the 9-10-year-old All-Stars at the Nevada District I tournament at Ranchos Aspen Park this week.
He had a solid weekend, hitting a run-scoring single in a comeback win over Reno National and hitting another single in a win over South Tahoe.
What truly stood out about Herrick, however, is that he literally stands high above his teammates. Heck, he even stands above the umpires.
At only 9 years old, Herrick is approximately 5 feet, 10 inches, and wears a size 15 shoe.
I'm told he has quite an arm and a keen eye for the ball.
Just keep an eye out as he comes up through the ranks.
Special note to new Douglas High basketball coach Corey Thacker: Rumor has it Herrick plays basketball as well.
It seems the trivia question is gaining some popularity. Some have suggested we start offering a weekly prize for the correct answer, so anyone interested in sponsoring the item with a weekly gift certificate or something can contact me.
Without further solicitation, here is this week's riddle, adapted from Dom Forker's Baseball Brain Teasers:
Douglas has a runner on first with two outs against Carson at Tiger Field in Minden.
A Tiger batter lines a single to left center and one run scores while the hitter ends up at third.
The hitter missed touching second and both the Senators and Tigers know it.
The Senators appeal the play but as the Carson pitcher steps off the rubber, the runner dashes for home.
The pitcher throws to the catcher just in time to nip the runner at the plate.
What mistake did the pitcher make?
See below for the answer.
Emily Weaver and Stephanie Harper, Douglas softball: Both players, along with junior Lauren Hoppe, were named to this year's All-Sierra Nevada softball team. The three form a strong core of returning veterans for next season.
The pitcher should have thrown the ball to second. If he had continued his appeal play, the runner would have been out at second and no run would have scored. As it is, the runner is called out at the plate and the inning is over but one run counts.
Because of his heads-up play, the runner who initially missed the base is the reason the run scores. If he had been safe at home, he would have scored another run.
He was already out if Carson completed the appeal play, so by running for home he distracted the pitcher and essentially "kept" a run on the board.
