DClog

Poster Parodies

Well, we're all familiar with the now famous Obama poster painted by Shepard Fairey, along with the many "Hope" parodies done by supporters and haters nationwide. Well, Shepard has taken quite a liking to these parodies (especially after having one done by Mad Magazine) and has featured a link on his site showcasing the many takes on his piece. You can see all 149 of them Here.

'Round About 1969

We only lived here about 9 months or so and our house was about 300 feet away from the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Station #3 in Maryland. Dad, Doug and myself were volunteers. Some of the fire and rescue runs I participated in are whole stories in themselves.

The high school we went to was in Upper Marlboro. Then called Frederick Sasscer High School and was closed in the late '70s.

I recall that the art teacher didn't like me much. In hindsight I realize it was because she was young, insecure and self-conscious. Shoot, I was a teenage boy and couldn't help looking at her big boobs.

I played on the JV basketball team, didn't wear my glasses and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. However in one very exciting and hard-fought game all our players had fouled out and at the last minute the coach had to put me in. In the final seconds of the game the ball fell into my hands I was standing right under the basket and scored the winning point. The crowd went wild, the cheerleaders kissed me and the coach shook his head and said, "Well he finally got one in."

Case in Point

I watched a movie about a week ago called "Leatherheads" it is a story based in the 1920's about the early days of American pro football. The vibe of the sport in those days, not much money involved, evolving rules, mud, beer, rowdy fans... all reminds me of the current American cyclocross scene.

Let me illustrate my point a little bit here... check out this video of SSCXWC 08. Decoded that means: Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship 2008. Fog machines, windmills, drum corp, bubbles and foam obstacles, costumes and more...

Cyclocross is growing all over the USA, it's already HUGE in the pacific NW and New England states, now it's getting big in the Midwest too. Here's the rundown on the Ohio State Championship cyclocross event yesterday in Columbus, OH

Look out guys! Here's a woman's team from up North, you know this has got to be a riot every weekend!

Yargo Cross Images

The GTC Gallery has Marshall's photos

Bev's friend from work, Kevin's collection

HillBilly's handlebar cam video on YouTube

Chris Lewis' race photography

Trish Albert's photo gallerys

Here's lots of good pictures

2008 Yargo Yesterday

Fort Yargo Cyclocross Georgia State Championships event is in the history books. It was a big job for all involved in putting it on, but a great time for the participants and some epic racing for the top competitors in the state.

I watched a movie about a week ago called "Leatherheads" it is a story based in the 1920's about the early days of American pro football. The vibe of the sport in those days, not much money involved, evolving rules, mud, beer, rowdy fans... all reminds me of the current American cyclocross scene.

This season there is a group of college age folks from the Athens, GA area and they are having lots of fun, plus they have a talented photog who captures some of the cool things about Georgia cyclocross. Here's their photo album from the Yargo event.

Social Equilibrium

Homeostasis is the tendency of an organism to achieve a stable metabolic state by compensating for changes in the environment and other disruptions. Individual organisms can exhibit homeostasis, but so too can assemblages of organisms that cooperate to maintain the dynamic orderliness. Sociologists and psychologists may refer to homeostasis as the tendency of a population or an individual to stay at a certain level.

Maintaining the social equilibrium goes both ways. A person who resorts to crime or otherwise disrupts is usually eliminated, isolated or punished and rehabilitated. Likewise a person who advances or causes progress too fast will also be similarly penalized.

Galileo was a victim of homeostasis when he was forced to recant his achievements and discoveries then spent the last years of his life under house arrest on orders of the Roman Inquisition.

In individual sports, not so much team sports, an athlete who dominates too much or too long often has to deal with at best a grudging admiration or at worst a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation.

Eddy Merckx, possibly the greatest cyclist ever, dominated all the major events in the 1960's until his career was ended by a begrudging fan of the sport. Lance Armstrong's TdF dominance is resented by many cycling fans, even some American fans, and his security is a big concern if he comes back in 2009.

Even on the regional and local level athletes will enter a different category/event or opt not to compete at all rather than face repeated defeats by a dominant competitor. For example Masters road racing in the Georgia Cup Series, the same one or two riders have dominated for years and the fields have continued to shrink. Now the promoters are going to try to change the rules (no Cat 1 riders in Masters events) in an attempt to eliminate the riders who are "too good".

There is a woman who loves to play cards, she is very good and plays whenever she can. But her local bridge club no longer welcomes her because she is "too serious". She had to go find another group that had some players on her level. I call this social homeostasis at work.

2008 GA CX Champs

The Yargo cyclocross race that I have been promoter/host of for the past three years has been selected to be the State Championship event this year. The race will be worth double-points toward placings in the overall Georgia Cross Series. The top-3 of each category will be awarded gold, silver and bronze USA Cycling State Champion medals, as well as the usual prizes and/or purse, plus the winner of each category will be awarded a Georgia State Cyclocross Champion jersey to wear for a year.

It's a big job with lots of prep work involved and I count on the assistance of many generous volunteers to help make it all happen. Coming this weekend!

Math Quiz

An object's weight depends on its mass and the strength of the gravitational pull. Here's a little math problem with the result being the answer to a poll on Mellow Miles Blog.

According to our bathroom scales I currently weigh 86 kilograms. The force with which I am being attracted toward the Earth is 5.1 times greater than Miles'. How many pounds does Miles weigh today?

Kiss The Sky

Doh! somebody got a photo of me sportin' my Jimi Hendrix necktie at the Ritz last weekend. Was it coincidental that this tie has hung in my closet for many years and it comes out now?

I vividly recall first listening to "Hey Joe", "Foxey Lady", "Fire" and "Purple Haze" on a transistor radio while at a public swimming pool back in 1967.

Strangely enough, the music of Hendrix, especially the drumming on songs like "Third Stone From The Sun" and "Manic Depression" led me to wanting to explore jazz music.

Mitch Mitchell, the jazz-inspired drummer of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and last surviving member, died today at age 61.

Run Free

Took the canine crew to the woods and we ran free up and down hills, through the leaves, over fallen trees and through the creek. Well, Miles would not go through the creek and sat on the other bank until we came back. We all coaxed the puppy to just jump in and go for it, and I have several videos clips of him almost doing it, but he wouldn't commit. Here's a little YouTube clip of Miles' first look at the creek.

Jazz Men Ritz Atlanta

We were doing the corporate reception thing both Saturday and Sunday nights at the Ritz Carlton downtown Atlanta. It's surprising how many folks were on Peachtree Street this evening bustling about. Probably all tourists, conventioneers and sports fans in town for the game.

Good dog, bad dog

It's a YouTube video of some of the canine creatures living with me currently and one of our morning routines... or a variation on it, anyway. Good dog, bad dog

Target Jersey

Even though I have not won a single race and showed up to every single event totally wasted from working and/or driving through the night, I find myself with the big target on my back again this season - probably not for long because the work schedule is about to get REALLY busy. Nice jersey though.

Mazel Tov Y'all

I'm looking for some photos from Ruth and Nick's big fat Italian wedding. All I have is a handful of incidental images from my camera and some video on YouTube: First Dance and The Ceremony.

Fort Yargo Cyclocross Preview

Psycho Cyclocross - Fort Yargo race blends cycling, boot camp. The Gwinnett Daily Post did a preview story in today's paper.