Speed on in your Speedos

I might not have become an Olympic athlete, but my swimming career certainly would have been less traumatic if my Speedo had been more like that worn by Michael Phelps. His $ 300.00 plus suit had rubbery expanses of matte black polyurethane to keep his private bits concealed. During my high school career, my competitive swimwear was made with nylon. I was the oldest in my family, I did not have anyone to show me the ropes. I learned about the value of a "cup" only after painful injury to that part of the human anatomy which a "cup" is specifically designed to protect. I purchased my first Speedo the day of a major race. I opened the sealed canister, removed the sliver of fabric and put it on. After the mandatory shower there was even less left to the imagination. It was a while before I mustered the courage to walk out into the pool area. This was a big event and their would be lots of spectators.

Speedo, the company, was founded in 1914 by hosiery manufacturer Alexander MacRae as MacRae Knitting Mills. In 1928 the name Speedo was first adopted after the firm developed its racerback design of swimwear making it one of the first manufacturers to specifically produce athletic designs. The name was made up by a Captain Jim Parsons who won a company competition with the slogan "Speed on in your Speedos."

During World War II the manufacturer shifted nearly all of its production to war materials such as mosquito nets. Speedo resumed production after the war and in 1955 introduced nylon into its fabric for competitive swimwear. The 1956 Olympics in Melbourne saw the widespread debut of the new fabric and the introduction of the style of briefs that has become associated with the brand. The company quickly expanded into the international arena from there until the present, boasting that 70 percent of swimming medals were won by athletes wearing its products in the Olympic Games of 1968, 1972, and 1976.

• "On your mark" : Feeling pretty good on the starting block. The pretty girl in the stands just smiled at me!
• "Get set": People are pointing. And laughing!
• "Oh no". I have an erection!
• "Go"!

Thus began my career as a competitive swimmer.  Things improved some with the addition of an athletic supporter (jockstrap, not financial booster). However the damage had been done. Most swimmers got "pumped up" when their names were being announced as they stepped up to the starting block. I hummed "OM" and relaxation mantras. Competitors visualize their kick turns and breathing techniques as the starter goes through the countdown, Not me; I was worrying about the tightness between my legs!

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The Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd) is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in the comic book Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc fans and historians call "The Galactus Trilogy".

Originally a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La, in order to save his home-world from destruction by a fearsome cosmic entity known as Galactus, Norrin Radd made a bargain with the being, pledging himself to serve as his herald. Imbued in return with a tiny portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic, Radd acquired great powers and a silvery appearance. Galactus also created for Radd a surfboard-like craft — modeled after a childhood fantasy of his — on which he would travel at speeds beyond that of light. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Radd began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return with everlasting exile there.

Stan Lee enjoyed the character and decided to feature him in his own individual title in 1968. John Buscema was penciller for the first 17 issues of the series, with Kirby returning for the eighteenth and final issue. The first seven issues, which included anthological "Tales of the Watcher" backup stories, were 72-page (with advertising), 25-cent "giants", as opposed to typical 36-page, 12-cent comics of the time. Thematically, the stories dealt with the Surfer's exile on Earth and the inhumanity of man as observed by this noble yet fallen hero. The Silver Surfer comic book series became known as one of Lee's most thoughtful and introspective works. Englehart writes that Buscema and Lee were "pouring their souls into the series".

Waldo County, situated in mid-coast Maine along scenic Penobscot Bay, has genuine New England character evidenced by working port towns and quaint rural villages. Visitors are awed by the area's unspoiled beauty. From striking coastal views to sweeping mountain vistas, dramatic natural settings abound. In addition great care has been taken to preserve and refurbish numerous historic landmarks, homes and buildings. Consequently, the Maine of yesteryear is still found here.

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