Monday, February 19, 2007

Musical Cars

"C'mon Mike, another video??? Put a little effort in to it!"

I'm sorry, I'm sorry... The creative juices just aren't flowing at the moment. Instead my brain has been wrapped around stuff that would bore the common man to death. Don't believe me? Take a gander at this...





What we have here is a Renault R25 Formula 1 car with a 3-liter 72° V-10 engine playing "God Save the Queen" ("My Country 'Tis of Thee" to us Yanks). What is a French car doing playing the UK's national anthem you ask? Well they are based in Enstone, Oxfordshire, UK, and this was filmed at the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. They were being gracious guests.

Have I bored you yet? Not to bad so far, eh?

The common (normal) brain would see this and go 'cool' and be done with it. But not the one I was issued...

I had to figure out what RPM's you needed to play the notes. Searching Wikipedia I found out what the frequency was for each key on a piano and threw them on a spreadsheet. After figuring out (the hard way) that an engine fires half it's cylinders every rotation, I figured that the RPM needed for each note equaled the frequency in hertz multiplied by 120 divided by the number of cylinders. Then I dropped this formula on the spreadsheet, copied it down, and highlighted the the range of notes that a V10 Formula 1 engine could theoretically play. Want the proof? Look at the spreadsheet here.

Now I've bored you!

If I still haven't lost you, let me know if I am off on this. It seems to make sense to me.

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Saturday, February 17, 2007

Lyrical Moment

...I've seen a million faces, and I've Rocked them all.

Bon Jovi, Wanted Dead or Alive, 1986

Deep.

A few months ago I was browsing the forum about the Discovery Channels Deadliest Catch and someone posted "who does the theme song?". It was another shot across the bow of my ship, the SS Youth.

That song can legally drink!

It used to be my dad's music that was 20+ years old, but now it is mine.

The good news is that I am still accepting new music into the club, but it has slowed down quite a bit. Believe it or not, I'm enjoying the hip-hop at the moment.

Luda!

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Friday, February 16, 2007

Testes, Testes, 1, 2, 3??

Another test... This time with video



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Test Post

This is a test of Zactly!'s emergency broadcast system. If there was actually an emergency, I would be screaming incoherently. All I am doing at the moment is just typing crap for said test. If you are lucky enough to be reading this right now you win. What you ask, I have no idea.

Outside rain is falling.

I am considering having fish for dinner. Fish and beer.

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Thursday, February 15, 2007

Nothing to See Here

Carrie and I headed over to the Red Robin for dinner tonight. I had the '5-Alarm Burger' with tartar for my fries and a Mac & Jacks. Jalapeños on a burger is pure genious!

In the past 5 years I don't think that I have had anything different.

I'm like that...

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Favorite Song

The best song EVER!!

'Jesus Don't Want Me for a Sunbeam' by Nirvana off the 'With the Lights Out' DVD.

That is the sound... Perfect. I actually get a bit verklempt when I hear it.





Watch Dave Grohl (the most powerful drummer in the universe) beat a cymbal into submission at the 1:15 mark. It just gives up and bows to his mighty stick.

It pisses me off that on the night that was filmed, I was handing out candy to trick-or-treaters at my parents house exactly 10 miles form there. Tool!

Same thing when Pearl Jam was filming their 'Evenflow' video at the same place.

Probably my biggest regret in life is that I wasn't more involved in that scene when it was going down. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. At least I was into the music at the time, not totally oblivious listening to 'I Wanna Sex You Up' by Color Me Badd or 'Motownphilly' by Boyz II Men. (shiver)

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Bottle Cap Wisdom

Seen at lunchtime today on a bottle of mango white tea that I had with my cioppino.

It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it is the grain of sand in your shoe.
- Anonymous

Chew on that....


Here is my contribution-

Two wrongs do not make a right... But three lefts do.

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Monday, February 12, 2007

No More Football

It is over friends, The boys of the NFL will not strap on their helmets and hit each other in anger until August 5th. 174 long days from now.

What do we have to look forward to in the meantime? A bunch of guys in stirrups playing catch for 2430 games. What is a good batting average, .333? That means two thirds of a game the pitcher and catcher throwing are ball back and forth.

Take me out to the... blarghhhh!!!

Anyhoo, here is one last gem from yesterday Pro Bowl game....





BOOM! That's not happening if 'Gus the Mule' (Plackemeier) is running the fake... He has 75 pounds and 3 inches on the punter Moorman, and 20 pounds on Taylor.

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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Drivin' Music

Fu Manchu - In Search of...

I am listening to this album right now and fighting the urge to get some pipes on the Dakotas 5.2 V8 and make a high speed burn to Spokane and back in the dark of night, no stopping, just driving...

This album sounds like it was recorded in mud. ...a good thing. The guitars (including the bass) are heavily distorted and a blanket is thrown over them. HEAVY. If you truly rock, you will dig these guys.

Here be a video of "Asphalt Risin'" from the album.



Cameo by Harry from "Harry and the Hendersons"...

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Thursday, February 08, 2007

Eastside Story

Cheap post alert!!



Favorite part...

Bellevue Square - "Your pants are so in style.... NOT!"

Factoria Trash - "Yeah, well you've got a faggy haircut..."

Bellevue Square #2 - "That's because he's gay, what are you, homophobic?"

Factoria Trash - (looking confused) "...No!"

Bellevue Square #3 - "Alright, enough of the chit-chat... LETS RUMBLE!"

Man I miss Almost Live!. Nothing like some good local humor. I tried to find some 'High Fiving White Guys' but the only one I found was removed. BOOOO! I don't think there was any 'Jet Guy' either. There was, however, quite a bit of 'Mind Your Manners With Billy Qwan'.

As the cherry on top of todays entry, here is some 'Lame List' for you...



This post wallows in lameness....

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Xbox Army

While reading an Xbox forum awhile back I remember coming across a thread where a kid was trying to get someone to buy the video game 'Gears of War' for him because his Dad wouldn't let him get it. Nothing odd about that, Gears of War gave me a few nightmares when I was playing it. Nothing as bad as the sleepless nights when Tetris blocks fall endlessly after first playing that game.

His dad's reason was that games like that were propaganda put out by the military to train kids to be soldiers. People pretty much flamed that idea.


Maybe he wasn't far off...



Check out what the soldier on the left is holding in this FCS exercise.

That is an actual Xbox 360 wired controller (personally I roll wireless). Don't believe me? Look at this picture here.

I assume he is looking through the camera of that unmanned vehicle with his eyepiece and controlling it with the....the controller. Pretty observant, huh? You can see where something like this could come in very handy on the battlefield, especially in urban environments. Why risk a life when you can send one of these in to see what is up.

This is very much like another game I have been playing, Tom Clancy's GRAW. In that game you have a Cypher UAV that you can use to spot the enemy.

Imagine how valuable technology like this would be for say, search and rescue. It would be relatively inexpensive compared to a helicopter and require a fraction of the pilot training. You wouldn't worry about flying it in inclement weather as much.

So, in line with the $10,000 military toilet seats joke, I wonder how much a $30 Xbox controller costs?

I'll bet someone at the lab just drove down to Wal-Mart to pick it up...


update:

Check this out .

The non-profit Rescue on Everest Trust has set out to make Mt. Everest a relatively safer place, recently announcing the Rescue on Everest Challenge with the intention of putting an unmanned rescue helicopter on duty to pull stranded mountain climbers to safety.

...Once completed, the helicopter, dubbed the Alpine Wasp, will be able to be remotely-controlled at altitudes up to 30,000 feet, and be able to lower a lifeline that climbers can latch onto, taking them for a ride only slightly more terrifying than climbing Mt. Everest in the first place. [emphasis by me]

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Sunday, February 04, 2007

Snow Car





Probably not the best car for the snow in my opinion...

The engine sounds like crap because the traction control has to work extra hard.

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A to the N

To the N to the O-Y-I-N-G anoying!

Why is Mike posting early Sunday morning?

Because that stupid song 'Fergalicious' is gnawing at my brain like a hagfish on a whale carcass.

Fergalicious (Fergalicious)
But I ain't promiscuous
And if you was suspicious
All that shit is fictitious
I blow kisses
That puts them boys on rock, rock
And they be lining down the block just to watch what I got

Ughhhhh...

I'm off on a coffee run with the Ramones to try and beat this out of me.
Beat on the brat
Beat on the brat
Beat on the brat with a baseball bat
Oh yea, oh yea, oh yea

Nice, typing out the lyrics has already helped.

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Saturday, February 03, 2007

Summer of 1984

Where are my parachute pants?

The rumors are coming true... Van Halen has announced that they will be touring this summer with David Lee Roth and The Police are playing at the Grammy Awards on February 11th. Nice!

Van Halen's 1984 was the first album that I ever bought. (on cassette!) My and my buddy walked down to the Safeway by our house and we both bought one. I seem to remember his parents freaking out about about the baby smoking on the cover. Man, I played that thing night and day.

The "Hot for Teacher" video taught me two things.

  1. The electric guitar is the coolest instrument in the universe. That red Kramer with the white and black stripes is an icon. Eddies guitar solo in the video made me want to learn how to play. I'm still trying...
  2. I like the ladies! LOL! That video made me realize that life wasn't just about BMX bikes and dirt clod fights... Dreams changed. note: I was in sixth grade!
I was into them through the Sammy Hagar years. When they booted him, I was done. Gary Charone? C'mon!

While I liked VH with Sammy, David Lee Roth IS what made them. He elevated them to something special. Without 'Diamond Dave' VH would still have been a good band, they just wouldn't have been THE band. If there is a greater front-man in rock in roll, let me know. I don't think there is.

I am concerned about what a 53 year old David Lee Roth sounds like. His vocal 'acrobatics' aren't exactly easy on the pipes. If he can't belt it like he used to I think I'll pass. The thing that really irritates me is the booting of bassist Michael Anthony for Eddie's 15-year old son Wolfgang. While I wouldn't be surprised if Wolfie can anchor the band like Michael Anthony did, it pissed me off. VH without Michael Anthony is not VH. Same as if you replaced Alex or Eddie. You could find a player to cover their parts, yes, even Eddies, but it wouldn't be Van Halen. They got lucky with Sammy and I think it has gone to Eddies head. If they have a Seattle date I will definitely consider going.


The Police are different. They were probably the biggest band going in those days but they really weren't in my play list. Not that I didn't like them, I was just indifferent. I don't remember any of my friends really being into them either. I think we were a little young for it at the time. Now, It is a different story all together. I think they would easily make my top ten list which is always in flux.

I don't know when I became hooked on them exactly but I believe it must have been during my snowboarding years in the mid 90's. As we spent 3 hours or more in the car on every trip we listened to a lot of music. Much like the Ramones, I am sorry that I didn't pay attention to them in their day.

If the Police do go on tour, I will pay top dollar to see them, no question. Unlike Van Halen, I have no doubts that they can still put on a good show. The beauty of it is they went out on top and as far as I know aren't recording a new album. That means a concert would be chock full of the songs you want to hear.

Another article here.

The other reunion rumor that I like is Rage Against the Machine. Although I disagree with their politics, few bands could kick you in the head like them. The raw passion and emotion that they blasted you with was amazing.

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Friday, February 02, 2007

Happy Birthday Dad!

This here is a picture of me, my dad and my sister from a couple years ago that I have always enjoyed. We were half tanked on 6oz tasters at the Beerfest. I was crouching to make him look taller and talking when dad's half tanked soccer buddy snapped the picture. I love it!

Not only is today Groundhogs Day, it is his birthday. He'll probably kill me for saying so but he is now 67 years old! Nothing to be ashamed of when you look that good! He could easily pass for 50.

Sad to say, but this guy could beat beat me in a sprint or marathon, no question. There was only a small window when I was fast enough to take him. Maybe late junior high until I discovered Seattle's micro-brews and he started playing soccer.

Now before you think of me as some Jabba the Hutt, I recently beat a buddy in a 100 yard sprint for shotgun seat. Yes, I was sucking big time air, but I still got kick! I am pretty confident that I can take most 67 year old men (and women) in a sprint, but not this one.

He gave me my goof-ball sense of humor. He started me out early reading the Sunday comics to me while we were eating one of his famous 'surprise' omelette's. (Like a box of chocolates you never knew what you would find in them) We then moved on to the Peter Sellers 'Pink Panther' movies. A favorite memory of mine is watching a show about dams with him. Every time they would mention the 'dam spillway', 'dam engineer', or 'dam' anything we'd be laughing uncontrollably. So much that the mother got irritated with us. It was simple and great.

I enjoy having a brew (theme?) and conversation with him. We always end up having a good chuckle. Lucky for me he lives close enough that this is easy to do.

Happy Birthday dad! I hope you passed me the right genes and I can look as good as you when I hit 67. We'll get that cake to you if I can dig up enough candles. Unfortunately we may have to nix it because of a local burn ban...

Thank for everything dad!
Love,
Mike

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