That's got an oxy-moronic tone to it, eh?
How does a quarter million people driving to Indianapolis help fight climate change? It doesn't, obviously. There's probably not that many these days, because motorsport has been dying a slow death anyway.
They're bulldozing grandstands at NASCAR tracks so the stands look full on TV.
I love the old hot-rod days and I'll miss them.
But they're fading out.
The other day I came across one of those Poker Run shows. There's forty feet of fibreglass with three, four, or, God help us, five Merc 400s hanging off the back.
And that's just one boat. There's well over a hundred on this run...
Why?
Showing posts with label NASCAR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NASCAR. Show all posts
Friday, November 9, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Good news and bad news
The good news is that Falling Downs is now a waterfront property. I could put the canoe in and paddle through the marsh across the way clear down to Bass Lake, 500 yards distant.
We're also waterview. When you can see the sun glinting off Indian Creek enough that you gotta worry about the basement, you're leaking out of "good news" territory.
Checked the basement a few minutes ago...
Good news!
No sign of leakage!
We're still in the good news zone.
In a bout of positivity around a year or two ago, or maybe three or four, I agreed with the Farm Manager that we didn't really need cable anymore. After all, she just livestreams Netflix 24/7, and I'm sick of watching pointless NASCAR races every Sunday afternoon anyway.
Who needs Bell?
Who needs Rogers?
Got to admit that call got me a few brownie points at the time...
But that was then, and this is now!
Now, both the Raptors and the Leafs are in the playoffs! Like, right now!
What was I thinking?!
So I'm stuck trying to find a live feed for those games on one of those betting websites, with mixed results. It's kinda sorta working... I just saw Toronto go up 4-3 on a shorthander.
And I can see the Raps are up by one.
Go Raptors!
Go Bruins!
We're also waterview. When you can see the sun glinting off Indian Creek enough that you gotta worry about the basement, you're leaking out of "good news" territory.
Checked the basement a few minutes ago...
Good news!
No sign of leakage!
We're still in the good news zone.
In a bout of positivity around a year or two ago, or maybe three or four, I agreed with the Farm Manager that we didn't really need cable anymore. After all, she just livestreams Netflix 24/7, and I'm sick of watching pointless NASCAR races every Sunday afternoon anyway.
Who needs Bell?
Who needs Rogers?
Got to admit that call got me a few brownie points at the time...
But that was then, and this is now!
Now, both the Raptors and the Leafs are in the playoffs! Like, right now!
What was I thinking?!
So I'm stuck trying to find a live feed for those games on one of those betting websites, with mixed results. It's kinda sorta working... I just saw Toronto go up 4-3 on a shorthander.
And I can see the Raps are up by one.
Go Raptors!
Go Bruins!
Friday, September 9, 2016
What if they played the national anthem and NOBODY stood up?
It's quite the thing that Colin Kaepernik got started, isn't it? Americans publicly displaying their contempt for their ruling elites by refusing to stand for the anthem. Kaepernik has been joined by other NFL players and soccer star Megan Rapinoe, as well as an enlisted sailor who may well pay a high personal price for her act of defiance.
Not only that, but there are rumours afoot that the entire Seattle Seahawks roster will decline to stand at an exhibition game on Sunday, the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
Frankly, while this is all symbolism, it's highly significant. Americans have become totally inured to reflexively honouring the flag, the anthem, the men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice to supposedly keep America free... free from a decent public education system, free from universal health care, free from racial justice, social justice, and economic justice, and free from having to take responsibility for the devastation they have visited on vast swaths of the planet over the past fifty years.
The times they are a changing.
You'll know it's over for the plutocracy when the NASCAR boys choose to put a knee to the tarmac during the pre-race patriotism ritual.
Not only that, but there are rumours afoot that the entire Seattle Seahawks roster will decline to stand at an exhibition game on Sunday, the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
Frankly, while this is all symbolism, it's highly significant. Americans have become totally inured to reflexively honouring the flag, the anthem, the men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice to supposedly keep America free... free from a decent public education system, free from universal health care, free from racial justice, social justice, and economic justice, and free from having to take responsibility for the devastation they have visited on vast swaths of the planet over the past fifty years.
The times they are a changing.
You'll know it's over for the plutocracy when the NASCAR boys choose to put a knee to the tarmac during the pre-race patriotism ritual.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Patriotism for rent; the Pentagon payola scandal
I was always impressed by those US Air Force flyovers that you see at the beginning of every NASCAR race, usually between the anthem and "gentlemen, start your engines!"
That is so cool! Right on cue a squadron of F-18s or a stealth fighter swoops low over the track! Those patriotic NASCAR owners must pay a fortune for that blood-stirring fly-by!
Or so I thought.
Turns out I was wronger than wrong; those owners don't pay a dime. In fact, the US Air Force pays them!
And it ain't just NASCAR. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and even the lowly National Hockey League have trousered millions in Pentagon payola to demonstrate their "patriotism."
Yup, the taxpayer forks over big bucks so that the billionaire owners of America's sports-entertainment complex can dazzle them with demonstrations of taxpayer funded military technology.
That's not patriotism...
That's disgusting!
That is so cool! Right on cue a squadron of F-18s or a stealth fighter swoops low over the track! Those patriotic NASCAR owners must pay a fortune for that blood-stirring fly-by!
Or so I thought.
Turns out I was wronger than wrong; those owners don't pay a dime. In fact, the US Air Force pays them!
And it ain't just NASCAR. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and even the lowly National Hockey League have trousered millions in Pentagon payola to demonstrate their "patriotism."
Yup, the taxpayer forks over big bucks so that the billionaire owners of America's sports-entertainment complex can dazzle them with demonstrations of taxpayer funded military technology.
That's not patriotism...
That's disgusting!
Monday, July 6, 2015
NASCAR flag ban flops
The response of NASCAR fans to CEO Brian France's call to put away their Confederate flags was pretty much predictable. If anything, there were more Stars and Bars on display at Daytona than in other years.
If anything, it gives you some idea of how out of touch the billionaires who run the big show are with their fan base. It's not a crowd that goes in for political correctitude, and I'm OK with that.
There is something fundamentally phoney about banning cultural symbols on the basis that seeing them may cause someone to feel sad or angry. So the Confederate flag reminds some people of slavery? So what? America was built on slavery. Why pretend otherwise now? Besides, it seems to me that it's more white liberals taking umbrage than actual descendants of slaves.
This flag flap arose out of the recent mass murder by a messed up white kid who took a few selfies with that flag. That's a tragedy that could lead to some good if it lead to discussions about alienated youth, mental illness, prescription drug side-effects, or gun control.
America isn't willing to have any of those discussions, so instead, the conversation veers down this irrelevant dead-end side-street over a symbol.
If anything, it gives you some idea of how out of touch the billionaires who run the big show are with their fan base. It's not a crowd that goes in for political correctitude, and I'm OK with that.
There is something fundamentally phoney about banning cultural symbols on the basis that seeing them may cause someone to feel sad or angry. So the Confederate flag reminds some people of slavery? So what? America was built on slavery. Why pretend otherwise now? Besides, it seems to me that it's more white liberals taking umbrage than actual descendants of slaves.
This flag flap arose out of the recent mass murder by a messed up white kid who took a few selfies with that flag. That's a tragedy that could lead to some good if it lead to discussions about alienated youth, mental illness, prescription drug side-effects, or gun control.
America isn't willing to have any of those discussions, so instead, the conversation veers down this irrelevant dead-end side-street over a symbol.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
NASCAR gets Politically Correct
NASCAR just noticed why so few black folks attend their stock car races; it's that gosh-darned Confederate flag that's been virtually synonymous with the sport since its very inception! It's about time they noticed!
And there's more good news; the newly enlightened NASCAR brain trust is also taking steps to make hispanic fans feel more comfortable. Yup, no more playing footsie with blabber-mouth bigot Donald Trump! That should pack the stands at future races!
Hopefully these are just the first baby steps in NASCAR's new age of sensitivity and inclusiveness. Here's a few suggestions that are sure to broaden the appeal of stock car racing even more:
And there's more good news; the newly enlightened NASCAR brain trust is also taking steps to make hispanic fans feel more comfortable. Yup, no more playing footsie with blabber-mouth bigot Donald Trump! That should pack the stands at future races!
Hopefully these are just the first baby steps in NASCAR's new age of sensitivity and inclusiveness. Here's a few suggestions that are sure to broaden the appeal of stock car racing even more:
- replace hotdogs with soydogs at the concession stands, because no living critter had to die to make a soydog
- introduce measures to make NASCAR more LGBT friendly
- cut out those Air Force flyovers in the pre-race ceremonies; it's offensive to pacifists
- eliminate national anthem because it makes Canadian fans feel left out
- get rid of that benediction before the race; it excludes atheists and people of other faiths
- award Cup points for trying hard, because winning isn't everything!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Proof that NASCAR fans are smarter than we thought
I see where the Army National Guard is pulling the plug on its NASCAR sponsorship.
32 millions they spent putting the US Army National Guard logo on Junior's racer.
And how many new recruits did they reel in for $32,000,000 ?
None!
32 millions they spent putting the US Army National Guard logo on Junior's racer.
And how many new recruits did they reel in for $32,000,000 ?
None!
Proof that the US economic recovery is stronger than we thought
I see where the Army National Guard is pulling the plug on its NASCAR sponsorship.
32 millions they spent putting the US Army National Guard logo on Junior's racer.
And how many new recruits did they reel in for $32,000,000 ?
None!
That can only mean one thing; the trailer trash and ghetto refugees are finding employment opportunities outside "the service".
32 millions they spent putting the US Army National Guard logo on Junior's racer.
And how many new recruits did they reel in for $32,000,000 ?
None!
That can only mean one thing; the trailer trash and ghetto refugees are finding employment opportunities outside "the service".
Friday, June 13, 2014
The inevitable collapse of professional sports in America
If I were a betting man, I'd be going short on any pro sports entity in North America.
Big time sports entertainment depends on a viable middle class market to buy the seats.
We'll always have the TMZ fodder filling the court-side seats at the NBA finals, but what's happening in the rest of the arena?
Geriatric racist Donald Sterling should grab that two billions on offer and run for the hills, because in a few years an NBA franchise isn't going to worth more than a KFC franchise. Maybe less, because we gonna have to eat long after we give up on b'ball.
And seriously, where is the PGA gonna find its market in ten or twenty years? Have a good look at the crowd at Pinehurst this weekend. What do you see? Lots of middle-class middle-aged retired white folks. That's an endangered species.
Going forward, middle aged white folks are more likely to be clerking at the A&P than spending a week at a PGA event.
That's because the "job creators" that the entire Washington elite has been championing with tax breaks and government contracts for the last fifty years has stashed the breaks in offshore tax havens and created only min wage jobs with no benefits.
The folks who find themselves in those jobs don't find themselves at professional sporting events; NBA, NHL, PGA, or whatever.
One of the most visible manifestations of the dwindling market for big time sports is NASCAR. Watch a race these days and you'll see vast swaths of empty bleachers. Ten years ago all those bleachers were filled with paying customers.
All professional sporting leagues in North America were premised on a middle class market with disposable income.
Absent that, those professional sports leagues will soon be as dead as the middle class.
Big time sports entertainment depends on a viable middle class market to buy the seats.
We'll always have the TMZ fodder filling the court-side seats at the NBA finals, but what's happening in the rest of the arena?
Geriatric racist Donald Sterling should grab that two billions on offer and run for the hills, because in a few years an NBA franchise isn't going to worth more than a KFC franchise. Maybe less, because we gonna have to eat long after we give up on b'ball.
And seriously, where is the PGA gonna find its market in ten or twenty years? Have a good look at the crowd at Pinehurst this weekend. What do you see? Lots of middle-class middle-aged retired white folks. That's an endangered species.
Going forward, middle aged white folks are more likely to be clerking at the A&P than spending a week at a PGA event.
That's because the "job creators" that the entire Washington elite has been championing with tax breaks and government contracts for the last fifty years has stashed the breaks in offshore tax havens and created only min wage jobs with no benefits.
The folks who find themselves in those jobs don't find themselves at professional sporting events; NBA, NHL, PGA, or whatever.
One of the most visible manifestations of the dwindling market for big time sports is NASCAR. Watch a race these days and you'll see vast swaths of empty bleachers. Ten years ago all those bleachers were filled with paying customers.
All professional sporting leagues in North America were premised on a middle class market with disposable income.
Absent that, those professional sports leagues will soon be as dead as the middle class.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Youtube blocks video of Nationwide crash
It's only a matter of time before a NASCAR race produces an accident that makes the 1955 Mercedes crash at Le Mans look like small potatoes.
They almost had that crash today at the Nationwide run that goes off before Daytona. I'd like to link you to it but apparently this near-miss is a matter of NASCAR copyright.
We'll see what happens at the big run tomorrow.
But as much as I love NASCAR, at the end of the day fan safety has to trump copyrights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYxUIdRitfk
They almost had that crash today at the Nationwide run that goes off before Daytona. I'd like to link you to it but apparently this near-miss is a matter of NASCAR copyright.
We'll see what happens at the big run tomorrow.
But as much as I love NASCAR, at the end of the day fan safety has to trump copyrights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYxUIdRitfk
Sunday, October 14, 2012
It's a Red Bull world
Anybody see that Red Bull infomercial on CNN this afternoon, where that Felix fellow jumped from a weather balloon from 24 miles up?
What a coincidence that this event occurred on the same day that the Red Bull F-1 team's Sebastien Vettel won the Korean Gran Prix.
This afternoon there was a BMX event on that had the Red Bull logo all over it.
Red Bull has come from nowhere to be one of the most iconic brands. It's absolute marketing genius.
That's the kind of marketing success I hope to duplicate with the Big Ass Chair Company. Sponsorship of sports and culture events as well as one-off publicity stunts like the big jump today. Imagine if Baumgartner has made his leap from a Big Ass chair tethered to that weather balloon. You'd see the Big Ass logo on hundreds of channels worldwide for the better part of the afternoon.
The Big Ass Racing Team is a natural too, although I'm thinking NASCAR might be a better fit than Formula One. Those teams are really hurting for sponsorship money these days, so we can probably get somebody signed up for a couple of free chairs.
The possibilities are endless...
The Big Ass Bass Tournament.
The Big Ass Blues Festival.
The Big Ass Slam Poetry Championship...
Hell, all I gotta do is get going on the chairs!
What a coincidence that this event occurred on the same day that the Red Bull F-1 team's Sebastien Vettel won the Korean Gran Prix.
This afternoon there was a BMX event on that had the Red Bull logo all over it.
Red Bull has come from nowhere to be one of the most iconic brands. It's absolute marketing genius.
That's the kind of marketing success I hope to duplicate with the Big Ass Chair Company. Sponsorship of sports and culture events as well as one-off publicity stunts like the big jump today. Imagine if Baumgartner has made his leap from a Big Ass chair tethered to that weather balloon. You'd see the Big Ass logo on hundreds of channels worldwide for the better part of the afternoon.
The Big Ass Racing Team is a natural too, although I'm thinking NASCAR might be a better fit than Formula One. Those teams are really hurting for sponsorship money these days, so we can probably get somebody signed up for a couple of free chairs.
The possibilities are endless...
The Big Ass Bass Tournament.
The Big Ass Blues Festival.
The Big Ass Slam Poetry Championship...
Hell, all I gotta do is get going on the chairs!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Blood Sport: Daytona and "the big one"
Who remembers the Le Mans catastrophe of 1955?
A Mercedes race car left the track and killed 83 spectators. A further 120 were seriously injured. The accident took Mercedes out of racing for a generation.
I was reminded of this while watching the Nationwide race from Daytona this afternoon.
They had "the big one" late in the race. I saw the 52 car slide right underneath the car in front. Anything could have happened.
Sooner or later "anything" will happen. A car will launch into the grandstand at 200 mph. Scores will die. Scores more will be maimed. Lawyers will have a field day for the next twenty years.
And isn't that what compels us to watch?
A Mercedes race car left the track and killed 83 spectators. A further 120 were seriously injured. The accident took Mercedes out of racing for a generation.
I was reminded of this while watching the Nationwide race from Daytona this afternoon.
They had "the big one" late in the race. I saw the 52 car slide right underneath the car in front. Anything could have happened.
Sooner or later "anything" will happen. A car will launch into the grandstand at 200 mph. Scores will die. Scores more will be maimed. Lawyers will have a field day for the next twenty years.
And isn't that what compels us to watch?
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