Wall of Death Wednesday

Just because we haven't had one for a while...

Leap Year

I feel obligated to do some sort of leap year post, though I am a bit uninspired...


Here is a picture of the #29 Novi car, from the '56 Indy 500.

Will that do?

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Two Wheels Tuesday

Bonus HST edition...

Baffling

So, these are here...

Baffles for my exhausting situation.

Just need to figure out what I am gonna do with them, I guess.

The idea is to deal with reversion harmonics and quiet shit a bit...

Not create back pressure, which is a falsehood of exhaust design.  A side effect, you know, of baffles.

These will get cut in half, roughly, to fit in the pipes.

I may use some bolts to keep them in place, for convience. They don't quite fit well enough to weld them in...

It is one try with these.  The gooseneck at the end of the pipes negates tweaking, once the pipes are welded up.

I am just going for it, hoping for the best.

With luck, it won't sound like a choking lawnmower...

And help with the torque curve.

Super special fingers crossed.

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Marshmallow Monday

Get some...

Sunday Drive

It's like a valley of broken dreams, here...

Sunday Fun

Who wants to hang out and twist up some...






Some really sweet Jesus-crucifix-twisty-balloon-sculptures!


Fuck Yeah!

Velvet Fog

Mel Tormé - Take The A Train Vidéo Yonderboi sélectionnée dans Musique

What?

I like Mel Torme...

Goofy

Some goofy skate video action, to round out the week...

Canada

You may know that I have a distinct hatred reserved for Canada.  There is no real reason, I just think somebody needs to hate Canada.  Nobody else is stepping into the breach to spout anti-canuck talk, so it might as well be me.


But I just stumbled across this ad.  Canada for the holidays...
I had not considered that option.
It looks like they are promising chicks in bikinis. loading up the ol' peace pipe for me to enjoy scenic mountain vistas with.
That is pretty compelling...

Still, I don't quite trust those goose having, flannel-backs.
It might be a trap...

Funny Car Friday

There is actually a funny car in this picture.

Status Update

Things are going great...

Cut Up

You know how I love the ragged, racing Corvettes, right?

Validation

Sure, my methodology of sleep deprivation and moderate inebriation seems to be a bad way to go about things...

Recent scientific studies have provided some evidence that there is a bit of merit to my whole strategy, however.  The Wired article on the subject is over here.

Turns out that sleepiness sorta trains the mind to work in new ways, not unlike a trauma victim, to sort things out...

The results are a testament to the creative virtues of grogginess. When people were tested during their “least optimal time of day” — think of that night owl stumbling into the lab in the early morning — they were significantly more effective at solving insight puzzles. (On one problem, their performance increased by nearly 50 percent.) Performance on the analytic problems, meanwhile, was unaffected by the clock.

Even better news, for me, it turns out that people are more likely to find that Ah-ha! solution to a problem at "peak" beer buzz (or general alcohol buzz)...

One last piece of evidence: A brand-new study by scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago compared performance on insight puzzles between sober and drunk students. (They were aiming for real intoxication, giving students enough booze to achieve a blood alcohol level of 0.075.) Once the students achieved “peak intoxication” the scientists gave them a battery of word problems – they’re known as remote associate tests – that are often solved in a moment of insight. Here’s a sample problem. Your task is to find the one additional word that goes with the following triad of words:Cracker Union RabbitIn this case, the answer is “jack.” According to the data, drunk students solved more of these word problems in less time. They also were much more likely to perceive their solutions as the result of a sudden insight. And the differences were dramatic: The alcohol made subjects nearly 30 percent more likely to find the unexpected solution.

So, I will just take all of that information as a positive, I think.
I didn't really sleep much last night and all of my usual conditions apply...

Hot Combo

Confession, I have been here all this time and I had never had a Philly hot combo until yesterday...


I have been around to a number of places that have the combo on the menu, but was never sold.

I mean, seriously, who puts fishcakes on hot dogs?


Anyway, I was at a neighborhood joint, Johnny Hots yesterday.  It is a place that opens and closes early.  The parking lot was filled with contractor vans, tow trucks and most of the Philly mounted police unit, to paint a picture - it is that kinda place.


Johnny Hots has a hot combo, the standard fishcake laden deal but with a spicy sausage.  I figured I should cross this off the Philly to-do list and ordered one up.
When asked what I wanted on it, I realized I had no real idea what I was getting into.  I said "everything" figuring if I am having a fishcake/sausage sandwich there is not a whole lot more that could be done to make it any worse.

I will come right out and say the first few bites just didn't make any sense to me.  It was like two separate sandwiches living in the same bun, fishcake and sausage.  After mashing things together while trying to not spill shit all over myself, the disparate flavors sorta come together.
I won't bother trying to explain it, or apply flowering adjectives to what a Philly hot combo is.  There is spicy, hot sausage with a sorta salty, mushy fishcake on it.  All that was smeared with a kinda grainy, hot mustard.  Mine had the diced onions like the picture, but instead had a sweet pickle relish, no Greek sauce or pepper hash.  All that is stuffed into a bun more akin to a chewy, mini Italian loaf, not a standard hot dog bun.
Like I said, it doesn't make sense until all that stuff starts getting mashed together, then the flavors really start to work in harmony.  It is good.  I will recommend you try one though, if you have a chance.


After wrestling that thing down my gullet and toweling myself off, I said to myself, out loud - "Hot damn."

I think that is a pretty fine testimony, right there...

Fat Tuesday?

I really don't know crap about Mardi Gras...

It has something to do with something or other, Lent maybe.
There is a parade, beads, boobs. debauchery.
Fat Tuesday is part of it...


Anyway, I have the beads pictured here (not really).
I will send you some, if you show me your breastices (I actually won't).

So, send along those titty pics!

Happy Fat Tuesday.

New Flash

Glasses should look like this guys...

Abortion and The Bible

There is an interesting insight into the abortion debate, language and the conservative American christian positions on the subject - and how that has changed quite recently over here...

It seems that as recently as the late 60's there was not that fetus=life position held by most bible readers.  An article in Christianity Today circa 1968, (Billy Graham's magazine), makes this assertion.-

God does not regard the fetus as a soul, no matter how far gestation has progressed. The Law plainly exacts: “If a man kills any human life he will be put to death” (Lev. 24:17). But according to Exodus 21:22-24, the destruction of the fetus is not a capital offense. … Clearly, then, in contrast to the mother, the fetus is not reckoned as a soul.

Imagine that point being rolled out today, in any conservative, Jesus loving, pro-life context.  Imagine that getting past the editorial board at that same magazine today.

So, what caused the shift in this dialogue, do you suppose?
Can it be anything more than diversion and a generating of division, if the book and basis for the battle simply does not align?

Something to consider...

Tin Type

TinType Photography Process from Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Vimeo.




Hmph.

Now I want to try it...

Snow Angel

Snow Circles from Beauregard, Steamboat Aerials on Vimeo.




This is kinda pretty...

Why does land/earth art so often rely on spirals?
I probably could answer that, if I thought about it for a minute.

Sonja Hinrichsen, somewhere near Steamboat.

Life Lesson

Presidents Day

In honor of President's Day I thought I would toss up a post about my hometown one, good old Warren G. Harding...

Sure, Warren gets a bad wrap for running an executive branch full of scandal, graft, cronyism and blatant disregard for standing laws.  His presidency is often couched as the worst ever, by historians.  Plus he was kind of a sell out Republican, in a manner that sort of set the tone for the following bunch of yahoos, though they might be loath to admit it.

He wasn't all bad though...

The dude was pretty tolerant for his time, both racially and religiously.  First president to openly advocate equal civil rights for black folks, for example.  In a 1921 speech in segregated Birmingham, no less.
And, uhm, he liked a drink in the evening in spite of prohibition?
Reportedly, he was a fairly affable man...
He put lots of Ohioans to work, though usually through appointments to positions that they then used to steal/extort lots of money.  That may be a commentary on the nature on people from Ohio more than one on Harding, perhaps.

I don't know if my feelings for Harding are positive or negative.  I think his presidency bears semblance to our current national politics, honestly.  If elected, I could see Mitt Romney going into history as the modern Warren Harding quite easily.  That is a whole other ramble though, I suppose.  Harding's presidential story reads very much like what the current Grand Old Party is selling.


I grew up in the area where Harding did.  Lived life in the same landscape, in my formative years, in many of the same small towns Harding did.  I have seen family pictures of my youthful grandparents visiting the Harding presidential memorial, shortly after it was erected.  I have walked around that same memorial and through the house where Harding lived.  I also spent a few years working in the location of his death, in San Francisco.  Strange coincidence...


Anyway, it is Presidents Day.  Ponder what that means, 'cause I am not really sure any more.  Since we are entering into another absurd election season, think about what you want from a presidenct and how much of that you have actually gotten out of the ones whose terms you have lived through.
Alternately, you could just be annoyed that some people got the day off and you didn't/needed to go to the bank/needed to buy stamps.

Sunday Drive

Don't stop.

Yes Please

Howzabout some hot laps in a BBC powered Can-Am car?

If I Get Old

My father sometimes suggests that I try to ignore the history of hill music, as much as the history of heart disease, in our lineage....

I don't completely agree or disagree with that, I guess.

These guys are canucks, after all...

The Fear

I realized that I am suffering from the fear, here...

Wondering if I am doing things the right way and so on.

I also know that this derives from having associates who have fancier tools than me, more experience. We talk about how to fo things, how they would do things, and I have second thoughts.

So I stall. Shit does not flow...

My wife, abstractly, reminded me that a big part of making shit happen is will. Straight will power.

So, I think I am back on track...

Hopefully my next bike post will show actual progress...

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Weekend Plans

Something like this...

Question

Friday Cartoon Fun

So, really...







This would be funny if it were some abstract story line.
Unfortunately, I can see this actually playing out...

Yes

stereo skifcha from xgabberx on Vimeo.

Finding Faith

I was reading something a while back about real people "finding their faith" or "getting in touch with their faith."

I really don't know where I am going with this post, but seeing those words confused me...
What does that mean, getting in touch with your faith?
Like calling it up and chatting for a while?

I guess I am not much of a God guy.  I don't really hang out with the church goers and such.  I do not have much exposure to that sort of talk, or thinking, or belief.
I have read religious texts, I mean more than just the Jesus stuff.  A pretty broad cross section of religious writings, examinations and explanations in an effort to comprehend people.
These sort of faithful expressions are like abstract paintings, to me.  I look at them and try to apply some understanding that makes sense.

I struggle with that, at times...
Maybe it is a jealousy, thinking that I am missing out on something.

I just don't have that part, the bit that suspends reason.
I have had experiences that were nothing short of magical, or influenced by something.  I just don't apply some arching premise on those things.  I don't try to get in touch with whatever.  Sometimes good shit happens, sometimes bad.

Faith is one of those vague, personal feely things.  I don't really need you to try to explain the word or the premise to me, or to talk to me about it at all.
I get it and I don't understand it...

Wrong Way Wednesday

Oops.

Two Wheels Tuesday

Valentine's Day romance edition...

Valentine

Valentine Fan Mail

I get this kinda shit, all the time...

Love Songs

The One

I am not one to post up stuff about shows, all that much.

Shows, bike or car I mean, are kinda weird things.  Things don't seem complete, if you can't smell exhaust and burning oil, hear gears whirring and exhausts popping, to me.  Machines should operate, and should be seen and sensed in that way...

Anyway, that is all random blathering.  I really just wanted to show off some bikes that were in a show, The One bike show deallio out in Portland.

A couple from my BFF, The Crazy German.  He has been tinkering in the basement all winter on these two and they are totally far out, dude.  Crazy.

I miss that guy.

I will shut up now...

Status Update

Things are going great...

Hot

This is sort of fascinating...

Deep Purple

Yeah, so I guess purple squirrels are a thing here now.

I feel pretty good about that.  Hopefully we'll get to have more naturally purple animals popping up too...

There has been some speculation about the purple color and its causes.  I just think the squirrel is genetically punk.

Sunday Drive

Peace.

Snake Eyes

Snake Eyes French Fries by Jason Lee Parry and Gandja Monteiro from Jason Lee Parry on Vimeo.





This may be a bit nsfw, by the way...

Weekend Plans

Something like this....

Oops

Yeah, sorry if we messed up your neighborhood...

Let's not get too heavy into details about what happened exactly.


It seemed like a routine run to pick up some hagon field capacitors, I needed for some work in the lab.  The thing about hagon field capacitors is that you can't just buy 'em off the rack, here.  Some bullshit rules about national security, or something.  I have only been able to source them through some shady folks on the other side of the planet, you know, don't ask questions about it.  OK?

Like I said, they are all the way on the other side of the west coast.  No overnight shipping, because of the stupid customs and all.  You gotta pick the capacitors up in person...
Now, I have made the trip a bunch of times with a couple of the baboons, Jake and Earl.  We have done it enough times that I usually let Jake take care of most of the flying.  So I can catch up on reading and what not, you know it's a long flight.


Anyway, I needed some more of the damned capacitors because the reactor keeps popping them under heavy loads.  I also wanted to watch Antiques Roadshow that night, so I figured that I would just let Jake and Earl make the run for me.

Of course, the one time I let the baboons solo on the trip there is trouble.  I am not going to get into the details, but some stuff happened, an engine fell off, blah, blah, blah...

Typical.


Like I said, if this is your 'hood...
My bad.
I mean the Air Force should take some responsibility too, but they are acting like this shit never happened.  Jerks.  And technically, Jake was flying, not me.
Regardless, sorry about that whole mess...

Jake was able to limp the bird back to the base and I have some back-up hagon field capacitors finally.
We are already patching up the unspecified flying machine.


All the sort of stuff that people don't consider, when you are trying to take over the world...
It is a lot of work.

God Bless America

Alright, let's just go ahead and put his on the watch list.

Pikes Peak

How about some bike action, up the mountain?

Heel Guard

Been working on this heel guard, to go along with the revised cam cover...

Think I am at the point when I like it.
I think...

The spacers are close to finished, just need some fresh hardware to bolt it up. Just because.

This was my distraction, while I lived the mocked up exhaust for a while.  Maybe I will get on making that solid, next...

It is snowing too, by the way.

Also t trying a new mobile blog thing, with this...

Cool

I ride motorcycles because it makes me seem cool.

Like these two...
Super cool.

Pillow Fight

Man, I dig Dan the Automator.
New project preview...

Challenges

Feeling Them?

Performance Art

This is one of the most concise summaries of performance art I have ever heard...

Gross

They have this thing here called the Wing Bowl.  I forgot to comment on it a few days ago, but it was Friday, I think.

I am not sure what all happens at the Wing Bowl, but they sell tickets to it, as if there is something that you would want to see.
The main event is competitive chicken wing eating I guess...

I don't know about you, but I can eat some chicken wings.  It takes the right combination of blood alcohol level and time passed since the last time I tried wings, but it does happen on rare occasions

I usually go into it think that a half dozen will do the job and it's typically true.
I get to know the sauce with the first wing, then some ranch dressing with the second, by the third I am thinking about chickens and their wings, the fourth makes me feel greasy and dirty, five is the gross out one as I examine the pile of bones and wing number six is pushed down as a creepy glutinous reminder that I should't do that again for some time...


Anyway, this dude at 337 wings in thirty minutes, at this years Wing Bowl.


I am queasy just thinking about it...

Sunday Drive

Just keep going...

I am sure we have the right of way.

Stay In Touch

Getting in touch with the machine most likely to lead to my destruction...

I think we are feeling each other, at this point.

Mutually self destructive...

Dangerous just on principle.

Because it is the right way to be.

I am reading Bukowski and listening to metal...

The safety is off.

The mojo witch lingers just outside.

I like the word kill.

But I don't like killing...

At least in its most direct meaning.

My abstraction is personal, you understand.

Go kill, in the lovely way...

It is Saturday night.

It is what the Son of Sam would do.

Prose can be so fleeting...

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Easy Muffin

Roll some up.

Chill...

You're Wearing That?

What?

This is high concept fashion.


You don't even know what is going on in mens couture.

Leeside

Leeside Skateboard Mayhem from Zenga Bros on Vimeo.




Hey, that dude in the dress and pearl necklace cuts a nice line...

Looks like a pretty good night, by my accounting.

Bill Murray

Bill is my G...

Even if his pic is sideways.

Maybe I am sideways...

I can't tell, anymore.

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Holidaze

Making x-mas decorations...

Or that heal guard.

Not sure yet...

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Bring 'Em

Donuts, man.


Bring donuts...

To me.


Bring me some donuts.

Am I getting through to you?

Donuts, bring them, to me.

Groundhog Day

Oh, it is Groundhog Day...

I guess I usually post about that, huh?
Let's keep this brief, as I have things to do.

Here, this sums up my mood...

Looking at Things

I was worried that the new Kim leading North Korea would not have the serious experience it takes to run an entire country...

 It seems he has gotten training in the one thing his dad was famous for (except being a loon) - looking at things.

For your reference, here is Kim Jong Il looking at things.
See how adept his son is at the same deal?

Who I Am, What I Want