THE AGE OF THE AGING ATHLETE -- Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux, 37, is leading all NHL scorers. Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon, 36, is having an extraordinary passing season. And the Philadelphia Phillies are courting three over-30 players, including pitcher Tom Glavine, 36. What makes this the year of the aging athlete? "More than ever, aging athletes are simply remaining in exceptional physical condition," says Joseph Libonati, an expert on fitness and director of Temple's Biokinetics Research Laboratory. "They are able to maintain their level of fitness throughout their career through a combination of determination, new technology, and a little luck." It takes quite a streak of good fortune to reach Cal Ripken's Ironman status, but the best athletes give luck a hand. "Studies have been done on the volume of training necessary for professional athletes throughout the year," says Libonati. "The guys that stick around are the guys that work the hardest and do the right things for their bodies." Veterans also possess the skills to avoid injury, says Libonati. And like Michael Jordan, they employ personal trainers who add muscle to cushion the physical punishment they take in game situations. "The science is a little more advanced than it was in the 1950s, when guys were just gutting out injuries." But Libonati insists that youth should be served. "Aging athletes are still not as good as they would be at 25. But for the 40-year-old sports fan whose knees crack when they stand up, we're just impressed that they can do it at all."
A HARLEY, JOLLY CHRISTMAS? WHY NOT? -- Is there room on our Christmas trees for handmade paper garlands and an ornament of Santa riding a Harley Davidson? Can "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" get us in the holiday mood as much as "O Holy Night"? Can we peaceably coexist with Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" alongside "Santa Clause 2"? If pop culture-themed ornaments, trendy songs or movies put us in the mood to reflect on what the season means to us, then so be it, says Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "Certainly, there is massive commercialization during the holidays," says Farley, a behavioral psychologist. "And I'm sure we'd rather see less of it. But over time there's a human quality that you adapt to it. People habituate to it." So if your tradition is watching the "A Christmas Story" marathon or swathing your Douglass fir in gold tinsel and Santa on a Harley, enjoy it with family and friends, says Farley. "There's a lot of change to deal with the rest of the year. Holidays are beacons of tradition. They create a lot of common ground for us. They anchor our society and give us opportunities for renewing family life and friendships. And they represent such a clear example of people coming together in a positive way for personal, loving memories."
LIGHTING UP THE HOLIDAYS TAKES CAREFUL PLANNING -- Santa always checks his list twice and so should people hanging holiday lights and electrical decorations, says Temple electrical and computer engineering professor Dennis Silage. Taking extra care in selecting, inspecting, and displaying electrical lights and ornaments can prevent electrical shocks and fires during the holiday season, he notes. "Christmas lights should be of the in-line fused variety, so that if a short occurs in the lights, a small replaceable fuse in the lights' plug will blow well before the house circuit breaker," he says. When displaying lights outdoors, Silage recommends that all lighting connections--plugs and in-line socket--be wrapped in "sandwich bags" and taped closed to protect them from the elements, and plugged into a ground-fault interrupter (GFI) outlet or extension cord. "If an electrical cord shows any sign of exposed wire or becomes warm during its use, it should be replaced rather than repaired," he warns.
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