It feels a bit like Alaska outside, but there probably isn’t enough snow on the streets to go dog sledding (it won’t stop us from trying). Luckily, for those who really want to scream “MUSH!” at a couple of dogs or friends, there is the Chiditarod.
On March 3, over 100 participants will go tearing through the streets of Chicago in shopping carts pulled by a four of their best friends, or worst enemies depending on how you look at it. The route is unannounced and is determined only by how you decide to get from point A to point B somewhere in the city. Also, since this is for charity, 15 pounds of food is required to be with your team when you cross the finish line, though how you acquire the food or when you acquire the food along the course is up to you.
The call to arms for Mac users came yesterday when the Chiditarod received a registration from the Windows Vista team. According to the contact info, the Chiditarod people say it looks legit.
Mac users shouldn’t go too far, but the Chiditarod actually encourages and rewards “creative, non-destructive uses of sabotage.” Hint, hint. It is time to avenge that time that Bill Gates stole the graphical interface from Steve Jobs (+2 geek points for actually being angered by this).
One question remains, what is the best cart for racing? While Whole Foods may be a fan favorite grocery store, their short wheelbase and top-heavy cart may make for an unstable and scary trip. The standard cart may be the best, just make sure to check the wheels and the steering on your finely tuned machine before taking it to the streets. A helmet may also be a good idea.
There is still time to register, and it is only $5.
Chiditarod image via arisofalaska.
Thanks, Louis!
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So they steal the shopping carts from the stores to go banging them around the city? And somehow the stores are ok with this?
On the site it says: Ask your local supermarket if they will lend you a cart for the "race of the century". They will be glad to participate in this unique event. give it back to them as a work of art after the race.
WTF? I can't think of a single Jewel that would "gladly" give up a useable cart in exchange for an art project.
They go on to say: You can also chop up the cart and rearrange the pieces -- but they all have to be attached somewhere else on the cart. all original pieces must be accounted for.
They list 2 websites where you can purchase a shopping cart from anywhere between $149.00 and $185.00 (that's pretty expensive).
All in the name of charity?
I hope they raise the $17,000 it'll cost to replace the shopping carts.
I nominate Ed K. for pessimist of the year, and it's only February.
Great first post Lou. I'm sure Ed has a long list of complaints about charities that you could write about.
I nominate Ed K. for pessimist of the year, and it's only February.
Great first post Lou. I'm sure Ed has a long list of complaints about charities that you could write about.
+5 geek points if you remember Apple stole the GUI and the mouse from Xerox.
Dwight from "the Office" once said the best advice ever given to him was "Don't be an idiot. If I think to myself, would an idiot do this, then I don't do it"
Are you serious, Scott? I'm not complaining about the charity or the idea of the charity. If the organizers could convince Jewel or Dominick's to donate old carts then that would be great. If they organizers required that you purchase a cart then I'd be all for that. But that isn't what the organizers are doing. It's a $5 entrance fee - and for what?
There's a reason why grocery stores are adding locks to the wheels of their carts - so that they don't get taken off of the property.
Also, consider that stealing shopping carts in Illinois is considered Retail Theft (Google "720 ILCS 5/16A-3" - I'd provide links but it's impossible to sign in to Chicagoist using my Typepad Key)
You have to ask yourself why you would want to be a part of a "charity" that encouraged you to break the law?
Lets replace "shopping cart" with "iPod Nano". Go ask Apple if you can "borrow" an iPod and then hack it up and give it back to them as a piece of art and tell me how that goes. This isn't "pessimism" it's called having a little fuckin' common sense.
Rachelle B., what's your take on it? And while you're at it why is it so painful to post a comment on Chicagoist? Proxy Errors and Apache errors... bah!
Are you serious, Scott? I'm not complaining about the charity or the idea of the charity. If the organizers could convince Jewel or Dominick's to donate old carts then that would be great. If they organizers required that you purchase a cart then I'd be all for that. But that isn't what the organizers are doing. It's a $5 entrance fee - and for what?
There's a reason why grocery stores are adding locks to the wheels of their carts - so that they don't get taken off of the property.
Also, consider that stealing shopping carts in Illinois is considered Retail Theft (Google "720 ILCS 5/16A-3" - I'd provide links but it's impossible to sign in to Chicagoist using my Typepad Key)
You have to ask yourself why you would want to be a part of a "charity" that encouraged you to break the law?
Lets replace "shopping cart" with "iPod Nano". Go ask Apple if you can "borrow" an iPod and then hack it up and give it back to them as a piece of art and tell me how that goes. This isn't "pessimism" it's called having a little fuckin' common sense.
Rachelle B., what's your take on it?
Buy a shopping cart or I'm sure you could find one. Charity bike rides don't expect you to steal bikes do they?
No one is telling anyone to steal anything.
Maybe.
Is it retail theft if you steal a cart from a homeless person?
Apple stole their original GUI from Xerox. M$ did a horrible rip off of the OSX GUI, which now rates lower in efficiency then any other one out there. M$ is now also saying Linux somehow ripped of their source, when the opposite (as Linux is open source and M$ is closed) is probably true. HP/Compaq signed an agreement not to let users buying Vista laptops roll back to XP, but you can find the drivers out there. Vista is a bastard OS that will have the success that Windows NT did.
that's vista's that is lowest in efficiency, OSX is pretty high up in that category.
that's vista's that is lowest in efficiency, OSX is pretty high up in that category.