By Michael Raphael , Associated Press writer
PHILADELPHIA — Danzo Perry skates through the dark streets of Philadelphia like a bee in a field of flowers — fluttering in and out of alleys, rolling through crowded intersections and stopping, just for a moment, from time to time.
When he stops, it’s always for a reason — to search bushes for suspicious characters, to check car doors for tell-tale scratches.
He and his five-person squad of in-line skaters are the latest evolution in citizen crime prevention — a blading version of the traditional Town Watch, equipped with flashing lights, cellular phones and four-wheeled skates.
National experts say Mr. Perry’s effort is the first of its kind in the country, and local police say it has cut crime.
“I’ve seen ‘em on horseback, I’ve seen the seniors that do it out in Arizona, but I haven’t seen it on skates yet,” said Matt Peskin, executive director of the National Association of Town Watch.

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Relax, this article will do nothing for your sex life, but the three words “lower, longer, harder” are what will have you skating faster and easier than you have ever before. When you skate, you are “striding”, which is basically “stroking”(pushing off), and “gliding”(rolling). Most of you that I have seen are doing way too much stroking, and not enough gliding. Unless you want to increase speed, or are going up an incline, the is no reason to stroke again- until you start slowing down. Now is the time to start working on lengthening your stride(which will give you more push), which will allow you to roll farther(using less energy).

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The Effect of El Nino on the Skating Population

by: Sid MacLeod

Wet and cold too much for you? How about wet and warm? Get ready- you just might have to do the unthinkable. No, not taking up boating, but skating in the wet out of doors. I know it’s not the most fun, but knowing how to cope with skating on a wet surface may come in handy some day.

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