Northwest Rider Profile: Redacted

Update: Google Beta users- If you are looking for info on Sarah Chalke.. this ain't it.

Whither Mr. Boots?

Back in February I started a series of Northwest Rider Profiles that ended up covering the local tower of Power Rob "The Hulk" Campbell. Next up on my list was our very own local talent Lang "The Boots" Reynolds.

Unfortunately, I got distracted. And the Mr. Boots disappeared. While many, such as JZO The Scurilous Rumorificator claimed his knee was twitchy I suspected he had returned to LA to finish the long awaited final season of his sitcom, Scrubs (hey Seattle Link Snob, how's that link working for ya huh? How ya like me now???? No gifts!!!!!).



At first I refused to post my review for fear that Mr. Boots might be distracted. I've been waiting for the final episodes for, like, EVER. Come on man, are you going to get with Elliot or what? Jeezus man. Quit being a commitmentphobe.

But then my spies sent me these pictures. Apparently Sarah Chalke wasn't available for the shows final season and they replaced her with a stand in.

And in a suprising twist, Mr. Boots ditches Elliot (again) for..wait for it.. wait for it.. Dan Harm?

I mean, WTF? I have to wait a year for that. Forget it. I ain't given that show no more pub. Although, Harm does look pretty good in that dress. Still he's no Chique de' Quebec

Anyway, looked good at Seward last night so and since it's all about the Seward.. rock on

!

New Axley Site

So now that everyone should be going to GinOptics for their eyewear needs, I decided to roll out AxleyUSA.com 3.0. I am using an iterative approach, so this is only Iteration 1. However, the whole point of iterative development is to get feedback and then adapt. So fire away.

Doesn't Pass The Sniff Test

I am not a knee jerk defender of my former employer. And I try not to make snap judgements. And it's possible something was going on here. But I am very skeptical that it had anything to do with being gay. Starbucks (at least corporate) is stacked with openly gay partner (employees), including management.

Seattle v Sonics Prediction Post

First off, I want to apologize to the City from the start. Given my sterling record of predictions the fact that I am about to suggest that the City will probably win does not help the cause. But hearing all the reporters and sports talk radio hosts complain about how the City has booted the case and wallow in depression is more than I can take.

So here is what I suspect will happen.

The judge will suspend/hold/whatever-the-term-is a verdict in the trial until the conclusion of the Schultz v Sonics breach of contract trial. The reality is that the result of that trial could negate the very need for this trial. Plus, if the judge ruled for the Sonics it could lead a verdict for Schultz in his trial unenforceable. I suspect the judge will try to avoid that.

The next most likely verdict, in my admittedly limited experience and therefore questionable opinion, is that the judge will allow the lease to be broken but will assess a substantial financial penalty against the Sonics. The penalty will include the any rents owed the City for the duration of the lease as well as some payment for the lost services the Sonics are required to provide the City. While technically that will be a victory for the Sonics I believe it will be really be a victory for the City. It just won't be their best case scenario. I do not know if that means the City will be required to pay legal expenses; my guess is no but the judges get very letter of the law is about these things and I don't know what the letter or the law is here.

After that, it's possible the Sonics will be forced to play out the lease (in fact I think the Sonic's strategy of trying to discredit the economist who testified about economic values probably increased this chance if the judge has any basic economics understanding).

The least likely to me, and the one that everyone seems to think will happen is that the sonics will be let out of the lease scott free.

I have specific reasoning for this anlysis which I may share if I have time.

I do have one more issue to take with the Negative Nelly's. It's often stated in the same diatribe that while the NBA don't care and Bennett is a weasil that the State did not do enough and it's partially their fault.

So let me ask, what exactly were they supposed to do? The deal offered was this: "Give us 500 Million dollars or we leave". It was pretty clearly a poison pill offer from the beginning and a ludicrous request. Once that was rejected, is it really the Governor or the State's role to come up with new plans? It seems to me that thats the Sonics responsibility. If they really wanted to be here then it's there job to come up with a new proposal for the State to consider. It makes sense to include state officials. But it doesn't make much sense to me for the State to drive this.

Wednesday Night Racing.. I mean scrimmage in the park

The Wednesday night scrimmages begin next Wednesday. Just in case you were heading out today; that would be early.

Must be Richard Cheese Day

My eyes, they burn.

Aghjjhhhhhckasrhgiuadfn!

Maybe safe at work. Maybe not. Hoenstly I am too traumatized to figure that out right now.

At least Sir Mix-A-Lot is happy.

Racing in the Park

After talking to a few people and hearing that there is interest in cheap, easy Wednesday night racing here is what I propose.

July 2nd, 6pm. Meet at the Discovery Park lower parking lot and roll at 6pm. This will not be a sanctioned race, meaning no entrance fee, no numbers and no officials. Instead it will be a self-organized "event". No one will be officially in charge.

The paradox is that there will be an agenda. Those who show up at 6 will start off with 2 warm-up laps of the big loop that runs from the parking lot up to the course, over the course and then down to the Indian Center and back up.

After the warm-up laps, we'll do controlled pace line drills for 10 laps like they do on the track over the upper loop.

After that we'll start racing.

I have been assured that this works everywhere else in the world, and the secret to a solid unorganized "race" is the structure. The idea as well is that Cat 4 or 5 riders can ride with more experienced riders and learn pace line techniques and other etiquette.

The Upper Loop at Discovery is 1K and in the open. That way walkers will have a clear view of us and we shouldn't have any problem with people stepping in our way. I also noted a lack of rabbits. The pavement is a bit old; the blocks themselves are fine but there are cracks between the blocks. It's no Ronde Ohop and I suspect that it won't be a big deal at speed.

I found another loop neer Carkeek park that runs the perimeter and might make a good course, but could also be very hard. If anyone is interested in riding it with me this weekend let me know.

Team Panda Bear Express is still Teh Awesome

Strangelover. Rules.

I gotta course..

I found a course in Seattle. Now all i need is few dudes who want to do a moderately hard test run over it with me.

Epic Fail

My 3 big issues in the 2008 election cycle are Health Care, Constitutional Accountability and enforcement and the Supreme Court.

I have never bought into Obama as Teh Awesome Magical Unity Pony. I voted for Hillary in the primary and it didn't bother me that she didn't quit until the last primaries were held. I was very turned off by the tone of her campaign, in which she sent out her surrogates to make increasingly Rove-style attacks against Obama.

Obama's Health Care plan is very similar to Hillary's except the mandate portion; the problem is that the mandate portion is critical. The economists who look at the plan agree that it would be worse than the current system. The ones that support Obama do so under the assumption that his plan will tack "left" after the general. IOW, they are betting that he is lying and is pandering to the right.

I see no evidence of that; the analysis of his record in both the Federal and State government shows his political core is only slightly left of center. If anything,I suspect he will tack right.

Now with his support of the FISA "compromise" I will only be voting for him because of the damage a McCain presidency would do to the Supreme Court. I've lost any hope that the lawlessness that has characterized the Neo-Cons (going back to Nixon... it's the same crowd) will not be punished. A lot of Dems are playing this up as an unfortunate but understandable political move by Obama to shore up votes on the right. I might buy that except there is no real support for the FISA bill outside of the dead-ender 24% that won't vote for Obama if it turned out he was a clone of Reagan. If Obama votes no, is the fear that the Right will try to portray him as a terrost lover who hates America. They already tried that on the previous 2 attempts to pass this bill (and it really is the same bill) and it failed miserably. That dog isn't hunting. In fact, Congress' approval rating went up when they killed it the forst 2 times. That's what is infuriating. The only constituency for this bill is a) the telecoms and b) the people who might be implicated during the discovery process. Coupled with his support of conservative democrats over more progressive challengers I suspect Obama will be a popular but easily manipulated president who sees leadership as compromise; split the difference between the 2 sides.

I hope I am wrong, and Obama could still impress me if this turns out to be a set-up for a fillubuster or some show of defiance when the FISA bill comes up in the senate.

But again, given the lack of any real support outside the beltway for this bill and his repitition of the completely bullshit spin that the bill is needed to restore FISA and make some critical changes that just have to happen (debunked in various places) gives me little hope. And don't get me started on the logically retarded argument that we need to pass a law to re-establish the illegality of an act that was already illegal. It's a bit like someone robbing a bank and instead of prosecuting them, passing another law against robbing banks so they know we really meant it the first time we made it illegal.

The unfortunate reality is that Obama has me over a barrel. As much as I'd love to vote against him in protest, the alternative is much worse and the lasting damage of a McCain appointee on the Supreme Court is intolerable.

But Obama won't be getting any of my money; instead I'll be giving it to Glennzila's new PAC.

As an aside, I notice there is a lot of whinging about Glennzila and Krugman indulging in massive I told you so to the Obama community. Well you know what, they did tell you so.

Wankers of the Day

The Democrat Party

That's right, I said Democrat Party.

Update I: For those who haven't followed the repeated attempts to prevent the passage the new immunity granting FISA law Hilzoy explains why it matters.

Update II: The good news is that most Dem house members voted against the bill. Which is why I wankered the party rather than all the democrats. As Glenzilla notes it was really the Democractic leadership that enabled this, despite what the weasil Hoyer claims. And Obama's opposition to immunity is meaningless if he votes for the bill. While I give credit to Obama for being honest that the bill gives immunity to telecoms, to then say he feels compelled to vote for the bill is crap.

Mornin' Sunshines!

Up and at them Seattle party people.

Tomorrow's Teh Intertubes Teh Awesome

Wankers of the Day

Obama.

Getting played by Holy Joe not enough for ya?

Today's Teh Intertube's Awesome

Cause I just can't get enough Intertube Traditions.

Wednesday Night Racing

Based on the comments in the previous wednesday night racing thread there may be real interest in a series.

I am willing to spearhead Project Race in Seattle but I need some help. What are we looking for in a series race? (I know that's open ended). And anyone have leads on a venue? I know one requirement is that it doesn't need corner marshals.

Boston Rules

Sums up my feelings exactly. I am so excited. Celtics rule. Who wants to go trash downtown Seattle like it's WTO all over again?

h/t to Matt Yglesias

Rumor has it Brian got married

All Your Internet Traditions Are Belong To Us

Manbearpig is coming through.

Daily Scrum: I Knee-d a miracle

Well, I managed to get in 1.5 with The Richter. Easy. My knee is better, but still sore. Do I ride or not? I guess I'll go out for 1-2 hours easy again. Bummer.

Whither Wednesdays?

Back in The Day (tm) there was a TT series Wednesday nights in Ravensdale. After it went away no new wednesday night *road* race emerged to fill the gap. Why not? Where is our Wednesday night series?

Awesome

Today's Teh Intertube's Awesome:



brought to you by Mightygodking. Well played sir, well played.

Background here.

PS No AP text was hurt in the writting of this blogpost.

This is for Strangelover

Bastardos of the Day

The Associated Press.

Also hits my bugaboo.. companies who decide that the law is whatever they decide it is. It's not.

My Daily Cycling Scrum: Rain?

Well, I came up short of last weeks weight loss goal by .5 lbs. So I guess that means I have to lose 2.5 this week. There is a challenge though...

Yesterday I was going to spin indoors (Spinervals Recovery) but my right knee is a tad tender from last weeks very indoor-centric workouts and Seward. So I took the day off.

Today I was going to head out on the road for 2 hours (to avoid the indoor potential of knee agravation) but lo-and-behold we got ourselves rain. Bastards!

So, if the rain stop I will hit the road for about 2 hours. If not, i will probably jump on the trainer for an hour of recovery.

About time

Bavasi is out as Mariners GM.

Deadly Sexy or just Dead?

PruPuppy says "don't worry Dad, there were 2 guys that are fatter than you racing."

I think that was supposed to make me feel better.

Crazy thought of the night

Maybe I should go do Monday night track?

What I learned this week.

I learned...

Masters riders are very sensitive.
Controversy drives web traffic.
I am fitter than I expected.
My leg does not like being asked to go from 0-weekend racing in 2 weeks.
And I should never make cash bets with Mrs. PruDog cause she's always right.

That's about it.

Update I: Oh yah, thanks to everyone in the race who put their pedals (and wheels) into the curb. Thanks to your selfless efforts I now know the curb is still there too.

PruDog Brings It.

I've put in 9 hours this week.
I've lost 3 lbs.
I renewed my licenses.
I am ready.

Tomorrow: Seward: Cat1/2.

I will be sitting on and I will also be sprinting. That's how I roll!

Did PruDog just call me out?

Downtown Gary Brown submits that the internet is like a zoo and blogs exist to fling monkey feces at the other inmates.

Having been so long since I was actively blogging I had forgotten a) that people even read my blog and b) that people don't like having monkey feces flung at them.

I feel, that I owe at least a brief post to those who have the feces this blog generates thrown at them (and the people who defend them). Here's were I am coming from:

First, just cause I call you out doesn't mean you did something wrong. Last time I checked, the UCI hadn't made me the Supreme Overlord of Proper Racing.

Second, you are welcome to defend your position.

Third, I generally don't post something unless I actually mean it. It may be poorly articulated and ill-explained but there is usually a rationale thought lurking in my head somewhere. Another aspect of this is that if you respond to a criticism in a way that leads me to believe my point wasn't clear or requires more explanation I will very likely write a much more detailed post. That can be a blessing or a curse.

Fourth, when I post about your racing, good or bad, I am posting about your racing. Not you personally. I hate it when people say someone has class because they can ride a bike fast. You can be a crappy bike racer and a great guy and vice versa. I recognize most people don't make that distinction. I do and it's my blog so suck it up.

Fifth, is anyone even reading this anymore?

Sixth, you get the point.


Now I think Pat, responding to my pointed criticism of name redacted's riding at Master A States asked me a good question: what's my beef?

Well, I wasn't racing so it had no impact on me directly. And since none of the Masters Riders in the break were Gin Optics riders (Emde rides for Emde Sports, not Gin Optics) it didn't impact the team either.

But, you know, I don't think my pissy cracks about the way we all race is to improve my or my teams chances of winning. I think it's because a) the better we race the funner it is to race and watch races and b) with rare exception I think the riders who I call out would actually do better if they raced smarter.

And, in a weird, passive aggressive way I think it's a little unfair that other riders give legitimate, honest critiques of name redacteds riding but that I don't know how often anyone actually says it to him.

Anyway, I've now exceeded my blog power for the day. Out.

Incredible Hulk

Not as good as Iron Man (and the Tony Stark cameo was a let down) but overall better than the first; a little more uneven. Some of the dialogue sucked (especially between Betty Ross and Banner). The origin was well done. And the hulk looked real.. if a little small....


Find more videos like this on ENewsi.com

Why do we have to say nice things about dead people?

I've long wondered why people feel the need to say nice things about someone who just died. Tim Russert's death brought this up as many of the blogs I read posted short posts about how sad that was and made carefully worded statements about how influential he was on journalism.

I find that odd. I know I don't feel particularly sad that Tim Russert died. That's not callous. I didn't know Tim Russert. I suppose it's sad in general, but no more sad than anyone else I don't know who died today. And, frankly, if I died I wouldn't want a bunch of people I don't know feeling sad about it.

On the other hand, it would be appropriate to talk about how sad it was to lose such a great journalist (since that is what we knew of him). Except, well he was a pretty shitty journalist (I can't help but notice how the words influential and pioneering are used as opposed to great or good). He specialized in an odd brand of gottya journalism that seems tough but doesn't really prove anything one way or the other. Hell I'd argue that he had a *negative impact* on journalism.

I realize I am being the dick here, but why can't we just not say anything unless we are just reporting the death? I know this will be percieved as a dickish opinion.. but I submit fake empathy is pretty dickish too.

Update: I'm not alone.

Thumbs up.

I too give the thumbs up to Narrow Stairs. What I really want is a new Postal Service album. Alanis Morissette's new one is surprisingly good as well.

My Daily Cycling Scrum: ouch?

Well, because I know you guys can't wait.. here's my daily cycling scrum report.

Yesterday I failed miserably to complete my Sprint-evil workout. I did do 30 minutes but couldn't manage the last 25. I did however, enjoy a nice big apple pie anyway. Booyah!

Today I've already started down the road to redemption: kicked out 85 minutes, Totally Time Trial. I've seen more Coach Troy in the last 24 hours than I have Mrs. PDog.

Later this evening I plan to kick out another 80 minutes (one of the aerobuilders) on the trainer.

Listen, when you are a big fat pig like me you gotta ride a lot.

What are the impedements to getting that last workout done? Let's be honest.. the rest of that stupid (yet tasty!) pie.

Update: or perhaps it will be the 1:15 showing of the incredible hulk that derails me! I am pretty sure Chung has already downloaded someone's pirated camcorder version....

Flying Wheels?

Anyone doing FlyingWheels saturday that wouldn't mind an aging and overweight dude joining them? If you need me to, I can be the guy that yells at everyone to slowdown, claiming it's cause they need to pace themselves when it's really because I am going to explode even at 12 mph...

My Daily Cycling Scrum: 2lbs down 38lbs to go....

Yesterday was an off day (I was doing career building stuff), but today is a great day because I get to say hello to my good friend Coach Troy. One day I will meet Coach Troy in a dark alley. Unfortunately I will be too tired from Spinervals 26: Crazy Stupid to kick his ass properly.

Off to Sprinter-vals I go....

Does the UCI have a strategy?

I read today that the UCI is suspending the French Cycling Federation.

Here's the key graph:

The statement said that no French riders or events would be under threat from the consequences of the decision.

"The UCI Management Committee rejected the option to exclude French riders from the World Championships and other international events, in particular the Olympic Games." McQuaid said, adding that he was "satisfied that the sanctions did not affect French riders or events."

The sanctions mean the French federation, according to the UCI, cannot participate in the next UCI Congress, will be unable to put forward candidates for elections, cannot work on committess or commissions, and will forego, or not be allowed to organize a world championships."

Has anyone at the UCI ever studied a class on strategy or strategic planning? How, exactly, is this going to have any negative effect on the FCC? I have watched with interest over the last four years as the UCI has steadily lost power and squandered every opportunity to maintain or strengthen its influence.

Here's the deal. The only real power the UCI has is to sanction riders and teams by refusing to allow them access to the world championships and olympics. That's really it. And that power is directly proportionate to the percieved importance of those events. And the importance of those events is not an unchanging absolute.

Right now, the Worlds is at its peak value. No one knows who will go and the assumption is the field will be strong. Excluding French teams would be a big punishment. By not exluding them, the UCI gives the FCC and other federations no reason to come back into the fold. And if any other federation follows the FCCs example (which is likely to happen now that the sanction is known) the power of exclusion from worlds or the olympics drops. Why? Because excluding say France and Spain would dramatically reduce the percieved value of the events themselves thus weekening the threat.

PStache just wants to be loved

PStache wants symptahy for getting run over by all you younger, more strapping racers. Go tell him to get fat and stop racing like sane old people do.

Comedy Gold

McCainGear: now on Teh Intertubes!. My favorite is the comment by Rouftop from DK.

Mixed Feelings

Tom Boonen is out of Le Tour.

I have mixed feelings about this. First off, I have never used illegal drugs. I've never even tried them. The closest I've gotten is the percocet they gave me when I had my wisdom teeth pulled and I quite using that after 1 day. I am not sure if that gives me more objective perspective or if it makes me more naive.

But why the F(^% does it matter if Boonen is doing more blow than Scarface? As long as he isn't using it in the race, why does anyone care? Let's be real: I am willing to bet good money that a random drug test of WADA and the UCI's staff would reveal at least a quarter are into the bag themselves. Doesn't this smack a bit of societal hypocracy?

Finals

As I start my final exam, I wonder.. shouldn't I be able to race collegiate?

Gin Optics wins Master State Champs!

That's right. We won it. Now Old As Dirt will probably point out that Galen isn't old enough to qualify for the Master's title and that technically Darth Tubbs won that title. Semantics I say!

By the way.

I am back. So suck it.

Dear Master A medalists

1 rider who got a medal deserved it. 2 sat on and then sprinted. I guess it works for you.

My yearlong hiatus is now over..

My year long hiatus from racing is now over.. but you still won't see me racing on the weekend this year... maybe cross. We'll see.

I did get to drive Follow 2 for the Master B and Follow 1 for the Master D.

Master D was fun. Master B, not so much.

There were 3 total attacks the whole race, none of which got more than a 10 second gap or lasted longer than 3 minutes.

Which is odd, because a couple people told me how hard they attacked. And how hard the field chased. Interesting how the riders percieved themselves as more aggressive than they really were. (And, since you all were going 21 miles per hour when you "chased" the last 2 breaks it couldn't have been that hard).

What did you think of the Glenndale RR?