Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Steve Carell on the Letterman Show
I'm a big fan of "The Office". In fact, it's one of the very few TV shows I watch. I happened to be surfin' through the channels last night and Letterman was interviewing Steve Carell about his upcoming movie "Get Smart". The subject of cycling came up because Lance Armstrong was making an appearance later in the show (ugh!). Apparently Steve was brought up in the Boston area and did some road racing in his teens! He brought up the fact that he used to shave his legs (for cleanliness in case of road rash) and wear a leather hairnet ("it's only function was to keep your brains in if you crashed")! He was very conversant in regards to cycling and is a very funny guy!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Oddities at the Airport & Elsewhere
I had a short layover at Washington- Dulles airport today. I never cease to be amazed at how "odd" some people are. I was "using the facilities" when some guy sauntered in and used the urinal right next to me. The odd thing was that there was a row of about 10 urinals and I was using one on the far left, the rest were not in use, this guy chose the one right next to me and tried to strike up a casual conversation. I kid you not. I made no eye contact, etc that would invite someone to strike up a conversation.
Odd fellow: "Hey buddy, how's your morning been?"
Me: "Fine, I usually don't talk to anyone while I'm taking a piss."
Odd fellow: "Me either."
Very strange. It also creeps me out when someone is taking a wiz, and feels the need to lean forward and brace themselves against the wall.
I also find it odd when parents let their babies crawl around on the floor at the airport, Walmart, etc. "I don't know where Billy picked up that strange rash"!
Older men who dress "metro" are very odd, some still wear earrings. So are older women who stuff themselves into clothes meant for 12 year old girls.
People who walk barefoot everywhere are odd. Sometimes you see them trolling through a convenience store parking lot, or just hoofing it down the street. No shoes, no worries apparently.
Couples who argue in public are odd. I went to Comerica park last week and caught the Tigers and White Sox (great park!), part of the entertainment was hearing a vicious argument between a husband and wife stoner couple a few rows behind me, "F- bombs" and everything. Their mini- mulleted son looked like he was used to it. I thought they were going to start chucking funnel cakes and nachos at each other.
Adult, video game addicts are an odd bunch. Nothing screams "I'm odd" louder then camping out so you can be first in line for the newest game system, or the newest version of "Wizard of Warcraft". Reading a "cheat book" (and using a highlighter) on the airplane is a sure sign that your odd.
Yards chock full of tacky gnomes, fake animals, decorative flags, pinwheels, miniature lighthouses, and tons of other crap are extremely odd. I bet the inside of the house is wall to wall collectible plates, steins, ceramic figurines, and other bizarre things.
Why?
Odd fellow: "Hey buddy, how's your morning been?"
Me: "Fine, I usually don't talk to anyone while I'm taking a piss."
Odd fellow: "Me either."
Very strange. It also creeps me out when someone is taking a wiz, and feels the need to lean forward and brace themselves against the wall.
I also find it odd when parents let their babies crawl around on the floor at the airport, Walmart, etc. "I don't know where Billy picked up that strange rash"!
Older men who dress "metro" are very odd, some still wear earrings. So are older women who stuff themselves into clothes meant for 12 year old girls.
People who walk barefoot everywhere are odd. Sometimes you see them trolling through a convenience store parking lot, or just hoofing it down the street. No shoes, no worries apparently.
Couples who argue in public are odd. I went to Comerica park last week and caught the Tigers and White Sox (great park!), part of the entertainment was hearing a vicious argument between a husband and wife stoner couple a few rows behind me, "F- bombs" and everything. Their mini- mulleted son looked like he was used to it. I thought they were going to start chucking funnel cakes and nachos at each other.
Adult, video game addicts are an odd bunch. Nothing screams "I'm odd" louder then camping out so you can be first in line for the newest game system, or the newest version of "Wizard of Warcraft". Reading a "cheat book" (and using a highlighter) on the airplane is a sure sign that your odd.
Yards chock full of tacky gnomes, fake animals, decorative flags, pinwheels, miniature lighthouses, and tons of other crap are extremely odd. I bet the inside of the house is wall to wall collectible plates, steins, ceramic figurines, and other bizarre things.
Why?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
If you have low expectations you're never disappointed!
That's certainly the case when it comes to athlete's nowadays! Cycling superstar (and this year's Paris Roubaix winner) Tom Boonen has tested positive for "Blow". Some are happy that it wasn't EPO, "just coke". I say BS to that! It's reprehensible behavior (as is his "dating" a teenage girl) and it makes me wonder what else he might be on! He did ride on the "Postal Bus" after all. Hasn't he ever heard of Marco Pantani? To be involved with any sort of drugs, particularly at this point, shows a very callous attitude towards professional cycling, its sponsors, and it fans. Perhaps it's indicative of the attitude the peleton has had since the early 90's? Specialized is going to have to alter their "I am Specialized" Tom Boonen ads now. Instead of putting Tom in a Roman gladiators get up, maybe they can dress him up like Keith Richards?
This is the sort of crap that is taking some of the joy out of following any professional sport, however, I do have a lot of hope that the new crop of cyclists that have entered the peleton have a different attitude.
This is the sort of crap that is taking some of the joy out of following any professional sport, however, I do have a lot of hope that the new crop of cyclists that have entered the peleton have a different attitude.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Do you Remember?
Growing up in Fresno in the 70's and 80's wasn't so bad. As I was driving today I had some flashbacks of that era, I'm sure most of this isn't unique to Fresno.
I used to go to the midnight movies with my slightly older Uncle and Aunt. Admission was a couple of bucks. I was about 13 or 14, nobody "carded" me. I can remember seeing "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". The crowd that attended was every bit as bizarre as the movie! The Zombie classic, Dawn of the Dead was playing quite often. I also remember seeing the Punk Rock documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization". The line into the theatre reeked of clove cigarettes and everybody seemed to have some booze stashed on them.
I remember when the TV went to "snow" or multi-colored bars at midnight! Just after the National Anthem played whist you viewed a picture of an Astronaut holding the American flag.
I remember listening to Vin Scully call Dodger games on my small radio. That man can paint a picture over the airwaves (what a voice!). I remember Walter Alston.
I can remember hearing Gordon Lightfoot songs on AM radio for some reason.
I used to have an 8 track tape player that looked like a robot. I believe it was called 2XL. I remember having 8 track tapes for AC/DC, Blondie, and the Village People, how's that for musical variety! I had a pile of vinyl albums and 45's. I also used a giant cassette player to record songs off the radio. I remember yelling "shut up!" at my brothers and sisters because I was afraid the noise they were making would drown out the song I was trying to record.
I remember there was a local drug store who would give kids stamps if they collected the shopping carts in their parking lot and from the surrounding neighborhood. You'd stick the stamps in a little booklet and when you filled the booklet you could turn it in for a free ice cream.
In the Summer, the parking lot would have 9 or 10 kids harvesting carts. What a hoot!
Sometimes, I wore a plastic Dodgers batting helmet to school (in the 4th or 5th grade, not high school just in case you were wondering).
I walked to school, or rode my bike (without a helmet). When Spring came around I brought my ball glove with me, like most of the boys. We played baseball at recess, with a real baseball. In the Fall and Winter, we played football. Or, had a rough game of "smear the queer".
My grandma bought me Avon cologne that came in a bottle shaped like a car, along with an arrowhead necklace.
I remember rotary phones. CB radios. Atari. Drinking from a garden hose. Teachers dressing up to teach. Alpha Beta supermarkets. Tomato sandwiches (I still love 'em). Jars of sun tea of my grandma's front steps. The hum of the fan in my room.
I remember a long drive from Fresno to Sacramento in the back of my dads pickup truck. We never wore seat belts, I don't even know if our car had 'em.
I remember the smell of grape vineyards and orange groves.
I remember when scary movies were just scary, not virtually Satanic! I used to keep count of how many times I saw Star Wars, it seemed important at the time. Jaws scared the hell out of me.
I remember my first bike. It was yellow, with a "banana seat" and chopper style handle bars. My brother had a matching one. We'd ride around the neighborhood pretending we were "Jon and Ponch" from CHIPS. We'd even park them next to each other in the driveway.
In the early 80's I fell in love with cycling. It was an era of steel frames, downtube shifters, and toe clips! The pro peloton was sprinkled with the jerseys of KAS, Peugeot, Hitachi, Gis, Fagor, Bianchi, Panasonic, Carrera, La Vie Claire, Renault, Del Tongo, and eventually 7-11. Bernard Hinault was the Patron!
Life wasn't all so bad ya know?
I used to go to the midnight movies with my slightly older Uncle and Aunt. Admission was a couple of bucks. I was about 13 or 14, nobody "carded" me. I can remember seeing "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". The crowd that attended was every bit as bizarre as the movie! The Zombie classic, Dawn of the Dead was playing quite often. I also remember seeing the Punk Rock documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization". The line into the theatre reeked of clove cigarettes and everybody seemed to have some booze stashed on them.
I remember when the TV went to "snow" or multi-colored bars at midnight! Just after the National Anthem played whist you viewed a picture of an Astronaut holding the American flag.
I remember listening to Vin Scully call Dodger games on my small radio. That man can paint a picture over the airwaves (what a voice!). I remember Walter Alston.
I can remember hearing Gordon Lightfoot songs on AM radio for some reason.
I used to have an 8 track tape player that looked like a robot. I believe it was called 2XL. I remember having 8 track tapes for AC/DC, Blondie, and the Village People, how's that for musical variety! I had a pile of vinyl albums and 45's. I also used a giant cassette player to record songs off the radio. I remember yelling "shut up!" at my brothers and sisters because I was afraid the noise they were making would drown out the song I was trying to record.
I remember there was a local drug store who would give kids stamps if they collected the shopping carts in their parking lot and from the surrounding neighborhood. You'd stick the stamps in a little booklet and when you filled the booklet you could turn it in for a free ice cream.
In the Summer, the parking lot would have 9 or 10 kids harvesting carts. What a hoot!
Sometimes, I wore a plastic Dodgers batting helmet to school (in the 4th or 5th grade, not high school just in case you were wondering).
I walked to school, or rode my bike (without a helmet). When Spring came around I brought my ball glove with me, like most of the boys. We played baseball at recess, with a real baseball. In the Fall and Winter, we played football. Or, had a rough game of "smear the queer".
My grandma bought me Avon cologne that came in a bottle shaped like a car, along with an arrowhead necklace.
I remember rotary phones. CB radios. Atari. Drinking from a garden hose. Teachers dressing up to teach. Alpha Beta supermarkets. Tomato sandwiches (I still love 'em). Jars of sun tea of my grandma's front steps. The hum of the fan in my room.
I remember a long drive from Fresno to Sacramento in the back of my dads pickup truck. We never wore seat belts, I don't even know if our car had 'em.
I remember the smell of grape vineyards and orange groves.
I remember when scary movies were just scary, not virtually Satanic! I used to keep count of how many times I saw Star Wars, it seemed important at the time. Jaws scared the hell out of me.
I remember my first bike. It was yellow, with a "banana seat" and chopper style handle bars. My brother had a matching one. We'd ride around the neighborhood pretending we were "Jon and Ponch" from CHIPS. We'd even park them next to each other in the driveway.
In the early 80's I fell in love with cycling. It was an era of steel frames, downtube shifters, and toe clips! The pro peloton was sprinkled with the jerseys of KAS, Peugeot, Hitachi, Gis, Fagor, Bianchi, Panasonic, Carrera, La Vie Claire, Renault, Del Tongo, and eventually 7-11. Bernard Hinault was the Patron!
Life wasn't all so bad ya know?
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Whoever Wins- We Lose!
It's amusing to watch the media bleat on and on about Obama, Hillary, and McCain. As if there's really a difference in their approaches to "governance". The difference really boils down to the Democrats wanting to drive off the cliff at 100 mph, while the Republicans would prefer to take us over the edge at a "conservative" 80 mph. Of course, if you want to change drivers, stop the car and turn around, you're an extremist!
As a nation, we've strayed far and wide from the Constitutional Republic that our Founding Fathers established. The Constitution was designed to limit the power of the Federal government to a very few, defined areas. Now, the Fed's are involved in one way or another in every facet of our lives. Couple that with state, county, & city government and you're talkin' marination! The seeds of a Socialist disaster were sown long ago and now we're reaping the harvest. The question is how do we limit the amount of damage this Socialist mindset is causing?
I'm often reminded of the Biblical lesson in Proverbs; "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it". That ideal cuts both ways and I believe the problem lies in the fact that our public education system, and most institutions of "higher learning", have been marinating young minds in Statism for several generations at least. Until this situation is reversed, we'll continue riding towards the cliff in a pack of donkeys and elephants.
As a nation, we've strayed far and wide from the Constitutional Republic that our Founding Fathers established. The Constitution was designed to limit the power of the Federal government to a very few, defined areas. Now, the Fed's are involved in one way or another in every facet of our lives. Couple that with state, county, & city government and you're talkin' marination! The seeds of a Socialist disaster were sown long ago and now we're reaping the harvest. The question is how do we limit the amount of damage this Socialist mindset is causing?
I'm often reminded of the Biblical lesson in Proverbs; "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it". That ideal cuts both ways and I believe the problem lies in the fact that our public education system, and most institutions of "higher learning", have been marinating young minds in Statism for several generations at least. Until this situation is reversed, we'll continue riding towards the cliff in a pack of donkeys and elephants.
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