The Pumpkin War - 2009 Edition

Once again, my wife and I have taken up our carving knives and sacrificed some fine produce to drive away the evil spirits that have crossed over to our world on this All Hallows Eve. I went with the "Siamese Twin" Jack 'O Lantern theme as demonstrated by the piece of art on the left. The little woman graced her pumpkin with an almost Homer Simpson style "doh" expression in my opinion. Once again, a great time was had by all!

Cool Quotes

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

- Walt Disney

Ten Greatest Movies of All Time

I think I've been working on this post for three years now and just can't make up my mind on the proper order and I just couldn't cut it down to ten movies either so we'll just dispense with those requirements and present twenty of my favorite movies in chronological order. I think anyone viewing this list will can guess my age and apparently 1994 and 1999 were particularly good years. Please leave comments! I would be very interested to hear your opinion.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Independence Day (1996)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
American History X (1998)
The Green Mile (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
High Fidelity (2000)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Prestige (2006)
No Country For Old Men (2007)

NMCA Finals at Memphis This Weekend!

Ted Pelech sent news by courier pigeon that the Camaro once again had rubber on the ground and extended a enthusiastic invitation to attend the NMCA Finals this coming weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, TN. Again, that urge hit me! Unfortunately, I've got work to do and won't be able to attend the festivities.

The family business comes first. I would really like to see Ted and Tim again. It's been a long time and I really enjoy working with these guys. They're still working the bugs out of their new combination but testing has proven encouraging. Per usual with Tim's obsessive compulsive tendencies, the car is an absolute work of art that must be seen in person to be fully appreciated. As soon as Ted releases the info, I'll post a full update on the Pelech Bros Racing website.

Rock Your Paws

Either the weight of the world is perched upon the top of my head, an atmospheric front is causing an outrageous amount of sinus pressure, or I've simply got a cold or maybe a combination? I feel like the current weather forecast. Very cloudy, chance of showers and 57 degrees. Rain or shine, the Greater Huntsville Humane Society's Rock Your Paws fundraiser was scheduled to be held at Big Springs Park today so we loaded up the car and our chosen canine representative, Pepe Escobar Ray, and headed to Huntsville.

I'm sure that the weather discouraged many from attending but it was still a good show, albeit a bit muddy in the park. We checked out all the vendors and, of course, Cassie had to find something to purchase for the chihuahuas and then we did the dog walk. Huntsville's finest had blocked off the street behind the park for the show and led the group around the mile long stroll through downtown Huntsville. It was actually very interesting with homes dating back to the early 1800's along the route. Pepe had a good walk with at least 100 new furry friends. We had originally planned to stay for the costume contest but headed home after the walk. Pepe will have to save his Victoria's Secret angel wings for Halloween.

Great New Fall Themed Wallpaper

See them all at LifeHacker.

Brainerd Optimist Dragway Hydro Racing?

Brainerd Optimist Dragway in Ringgold, GA was apparently under water after the great southeastern rainy season of 2009. This track was one of my favorites when Outlaw 10.5 was the talk of the town. Steve Longley and his family and Karen Eason are great people and I enjoyed my time there. I wonder if Steve still has the green Chevelle? I don't think this is the first time that the track has been submerged and I remember at least one car that went into the river at the end of the track. The place has a lot of history.

United Outlaw Who?

The United Outlaw Racing Series made what I believe was the association's first appearance at Huntsville Dragway a few weeks ago. I didn't hear about it until the day before while needlessly torturing myself visiting the Yellow Bullet bulletin board. Why do I visit said forum if it's torture? More on that later. I had a sudden urge to go to this race but it quickly passed. Probably at Top Fuel speed but at least Pro Stock. I haven't actually been to an event at Huntsville Dragway since 2006 when I saw the ADRL, pre-packed stands, free ticket madness. It was well over 95 degrees that July day and I was soaking wet with sweat almost instantly. Sweat and alcohol doesn't mix very well in the eyes. That's alcohol from blown Pro Mods if you're confused, not Jack Daniels, but that probably wouldn't mix well in the eyes either. I had written the ADRL and procurred press credentials but only shot the action for about an hour and headed home. That was probably the beginning of the end... again.

I just can't seem to get excited about drag racing anymore even though it was such a large part of my life for a long time. Pro Mod was becoming a tour de force when I became enthralled with straight line acceleration and I migrated towards fastest street car action when the Outlaw Pro Mod circuit basically imploded over the blower versus nitrous controversy. The same happened locally in Outlaw 10.5 action but the racing went national and grew for many years. Unfortunately, everyone jumped into the arena and the market became ridiculously oversaturated with every track starting its own program and more and more sanctioning bodies clawing for a piece of the action. Too few cars, way too many options, and far too many conflicting rules started the decline and the sinking economy dug the grave for a lot of competitors and racing programs. Few spectators, less cars, and a lack of sponsors does not a successful racing series make.

I still love to hear people tell me how my site HeadsUpReview was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I do still have somewhat of an ego and I'm really astounded when someone tells me that it was my photography that inspired them to pick up a camera and aim it at a quickly accelerating vehicle headed straight for them. It's a strange feeling. I do miss being known by the staff at every track within 200 miles and given carte blanche access to the facility. I could and probably should write a book (at least an article) about why I think the NSCA didn't make it. I was villianized greatly during that era and I'll even take credit for some of the more outrageous conspiracies just to keep my infamous status. When I shuttered HeadsUpReview, I suffered greatly from email withdrawl. After receiving 300+ messages per day, it was a little disheartening to only find a few in the inbox. Do I miss it? Not much these days. I enjoyed the racing, the technology, and (for the most part) the people. I made some great friends, ones that I'll have for the rest of my life. Those people I miss greatly. 

So why is Yellow Bullet so torturous? I can still appreciate the technology and the more visceral aspects of the sport but I fell out of touch years ago with the direction of the sport and the new players. I visit for that very small dose of drag racing that I crave but just can't obtain without an overwhelming dose of ignorance and venom that I would just rather avoid. My life is different now. I avoid stress and can't bring myself to rant editorially about something so meaningless in the greater scheme of life as drag racing like I once did. Although my life is still in utter chaos for various reasons, I have positioned myself in the eye of the storm. The breeze is soft and it's quiet. I prefer it this way.

Cartoon of the Day

Courtesy of Slate.

It's Just a Ride

I'm sitting here listening to Jem's "It's Just a Ride" after catching up with the morning paperwork shuffle but I'm positive that the lull will be short lived. Multitasking is the name of the game when you have work orders being shoved at you from three different directions while attempting to provision accounts and listening to some distraught elderly lady complain because her closest fifty friends didn't receive the junk mail she sent. You know... that same email that has been forwarded around the net for at least the last decade.

I've talked to more old work colleagues in the last few days than in the last three years. My former employer, Telos/TFE/Diebold-ISS, laid off half the staff again which puts the head count over there at less than ten by my estimation. It's really a shame. That was once a very lucrative contract and a great place to work for the most part. One poor fellow not only lost his job but also his wife in the same month. I already suspected the worst a few weeks ago when his wife ordered cable, phone, and internet at another address. I hear all of the local gossip made possible by employment with a small local cable company in a small town. You can easily get your fill hanging around the CSR's who know everyone in the town and all the latest news. The Sys Admin and myself are happy that we're not indigenous to this particular area otherwise we may be told something that we don't even know about ourselves... yet.

Although it's not common knowledge, the company that I work for is being sold. It's no secret since I've heard it around town and even from the friend getting divorced but no one is talking about it. Like I mentioned before, it's a small town. Unfortunately, I'm also looking at the ranks of the unemployed since I can't envision anything but an equipment room in the future for this locale. The interested party's largest market is in Huntsville but they really don't have any technical people there, just installers. Their technical department is based in Georgia and I'm just not interested in moving to Georgia even if an offer is extended. Such is life. So the job hunt is on!

I spent last Saturday working on my resume. Oddly enough, I've never really had a resume. I've pretty much stumbled into every job that I've had by networking. My networking (ironic) instructor from ASU referred me to this job. I brought a resume to my interview but it wasn't much. I've really only held three jobs in the 22 years since I left the farm. I hope that my new resume manages to impress someone in HR somewhere. We'll see.

Ah. The Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is next on the play list. I'm hoping that "With a Little Help from My Friends" becomes appropriate soon!

Cartoon of the Day

Visit Slate for more great cartoons.

Sen. Graham Calls Beck 'A Cynic' And Birthers 'Crazy'

I can't count the number of times that I've been deeply embarassed by southern politicians. Anyone from the deep south is already stereotyped as a barefoot redneck hick and some of our fine representatives in government just reinforce that supposition so I was very pleased that Senator Lindsey Graham spoke out today. Graham is a Republican from South Carolina and I hope that he hasn't endangered his position in the GOP with these words of reason.

"Only in America can you make that much money crying," Graham said of Beck. "Glenn Beck is not aligned with any party. He is aligned with cynicism and there has always been a market for cynics. But we became a great nation not because we are a nation of cynics. We became a great nation because we are a nation of believers."

He even called the birthers "crazy" and dispelled the myth that President Obama is a closet Muslim! Watch the video! If more of the GOP would denounce the lunacy that is tearing our nation apart then we might actually accomplish something great in this country.



Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/sen-graham-calls-beck-a-c_n_306434.html?igoogle=1