The List
- 1. 1989 GMC S15 Extended
- 2. 1978 BMW 530i
- 3. 1993 Infiniti G20
- 4. 1989 BMW 535im
- 5. 1987 Subaru Justy
- 6. 1985 Honda Prelude Si
- 7. 1989 Oldsmobile Delta Eighty-Eight
- 8. 1987 Civic Si
- 9. 2002 Subaru WRX
- 10. 1990 Mazda Miata
- 11. 1978 Datsun 280z Race Car
- 12. 1978 BMW Euro 323i
- 13. 1997 BMW 318ti
- 14. 2007 Subaru WRX ST
- 15. 1980 Fiat Spider 2000
- 16. 1991 BMW 318is
- 17. 1991 Subaru Justy AWD
- 18. 1992 BMW 535im
- 19. 1992 BMW 535it
- 20. 1989 BMW 535ia
- 21. 1995 BMW 525ia
- 22. Formula Vee Race Car*
- 23. 2000 BMW 323it*
- 24. 2003 BMW 540i/6 Sport*
- 25. 2000 Honda Insight 5spd
* Designates Cars Currently Owned
Honesty.. with self and the world.
I was recently asked what I thought of someones appearance, by the person in question. At the time I was dressed in wrinkled cargo pants, a half buttoned plaid Columbia shirt, and loafers; not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination. This alone should have disqualified my opinion, but I was asked anyways. My response was neutral ‘its not my favorite color’. I went on my day thinking not much of the subjective remark I made hours earlier, until later that day was I confronted and asked to apologize, for my hurtful comments.
I said no, knowing full well that apologizing and lying would have in the short run made everyone happy. I would have squelched a fire, the individual would have felt better despite knowing my original comment was still said, and meant at the time of saying it. Upon saying no, I was greeted with the wrath that comes with an honest tongue, which is of course threat of return honesty. I exclaimed that this is fair, if I ask you, I expect honesty, and when you ask me, you expect honesty, case closed…. not so much.
It was made known to me that co-workers, and peers disagreed with me, to which I acknowledged the right of others to disagree with my opinion. At this point I was not arguing that I was right about my opinion, its hard to claim objective truth when your expertise in a field are so limited. I being a slob most of the time, rarely claim anything but subjective opinions on matters concerning fashion.
Now that I have not apologized and had time to think I realize that this is not really a matter of external truth. When it was called to my attention the reactions of others in comparison to mine, I realized that maybe no one else was willing to say anything disparaging because they might have to undergo the 30 minute argument, and call to apology which I was. Maybe its possible for one to respond so religiously to disagreement with strife, that they create a sort of parallel reality where the ideas of others are crushed before they are allowed to fester into words. How long could one live in this reality before the bubble was popped, or how often could one repair the bubble and sit inside this gummy bubble of lies? I fear very long.
Racers Unite.
As Purchased
Last year I picked up a budget race car. The owner was extremely flexible on the price, and although no non genetically modified human being could fit in the car I saw some sort of potential. So against the advice of many who kn0w much more than I about racing, I started constructing.
Getting to work
The cage was originally produced for someone small, and modifications made it even smaller. Originally I planned on simply widening what needed to be widened, but quickly decided an entire reconstruction was in order.
Out with the old.
What I was left with was the Lynx Clone 4×4 frame and rear suspension mounts.
Frame Rails
The cars history was slightly unknown, but some clues were left behind. Someone from Canada once raced cars similar to this one who was named Brian. The cars were constructed well and performed well especially for the period in which they were run, which may have been the early 80′s. The car went through some hands before it was donated to a SCCA car build program. The SCCA volunteered a builder and tech to oversee the construction of the car as it stands when I got it. Volunteers would put names in a hat before each session where they would partake in the build process. Although I found much of the work to the book it was not my car and I had reason to change it. With a log book it would have passed inspection but that log book disappeared at some point in the cars life. With fresh homoligation it would be looked at with scrutiny and therefor required significant updates.
Updates included:
Roll hoop with proper min diameter of curvature.
Roll hoop with proper forward facing bracing
Front roll hoop constructed of single bent tube
Front roll hoop Bracing Update
Cell construction meeting minimum aluminum thickness
Roll bar harness height update
I took a break on the car to focus on my business, and after an 8 months away I was ready to rock and roll. The cage was 75% welded, had no bodywork, and like any racecar had uncountable details to be sorted.
I finished the welding and bodywork over the course of two long weekends and a few late weeknights.
So in April/May the car finally took its maiden voyage.. in the middle of the night.
The 10 best from Red.
A love of cars demands the love of at least one Ferrari. Here are my top 10 Ferraris of all time.
- Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
5. The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso is the fastback version of the traditional 250 GT. Some might find the Berlinetta to be there 250 GT of choice, but for me its the flowing lines of the Lusso which win. What more is there to say.
Wiki
GIS
In Depth
- Ferrari F40
4. The Ferrari F40 did not initially make my list, but a friend and I quote said ‘f40 is like iconic ferrari’. Maybe thats why its so easy to ignore, because its so known. As a person who often prides himself on the oblique I initially found the F40 to be too poster girl to be interesting, but that is horrible unfair. By the numbers this car is insane, and subjectively this car is stunning.
Wiki
GIS
In Depth
- Ferrari 275 GTS
3. I am a sucker for boat tail cars, but I am also biased. Having owned a Fiat Spider which I claim to be a distant relative to the 275 GTS I find everything about this car to be perfection. The 275 GTS perfects top down motoring with a v12 up front, quad pipes out back and knockoff wire wheels at 4 corners.
- Ferrari 458 Italia
2. Ferrari 458 Italia the replacement for the stunning replacement for the f430 was more of a revolution than evolution. In numbers the story reads baby steps, but on the road reviewers find it to be enthralling to drive, but techno savvy enough for the Gran Turismo generation. Merging the best of F1 with the best elements of Ferrari styling.
Wiki
GIS
In Depth
- Ferrari 330P
1. The 330P3/4 were varients of the P series cars intended as prototype sports cars which often competed in endurance racing. P series cars were produced through the 60′s and ended in the early 70′s. The 330 p3/4 varient was extremely rare and known for finishing the first and second at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Wiki
GIS
In Depth
Team Orders
It is common these days to argue about team orders. Webber is not happy with the team orders at Silverstone and I don’t blame him as he is a racing driver, but to act like he is above the teams interest is another thing. He works for the team, is paid by the team, and races for the team.
Of course I ignored the team because I wanted to try and get a place. Seb was doing his best, I was doing my best. I wasn’t going to crash with anyone.
Webber
Right Webber, like you didn’t make a mistake on the start, and you didn’t go wide in the middle of the race. I like Webber, but I find his attitude towards his own actions slightly optimistic. He like other drivers make mistakes, and your team is meant to help in limiting those mistakes. They did just that today, and he is on the podium in spite of his own mistakes, behind his nearly faultless teammate.
The old circuit layout, with old cars, but a good idea as to the speed of cars at Silverstone.
Despite all that, the man of the day was Fernando Alonso, who was just plain faster when he needed to be.
Money Supply
Sometimes graphs are great.
Great Global Warming Swindle
I am no climate expert, and scouring the data has me even more confused. What I can be sure of is that collectivists will use any and all tactics to seize power from man and transfer it to state. I heard of the Channel 4 documentary titled, The Great Global Warming Swindle, but have yet to see it. Obviously a documentary is no substitute for peer reviewed science, but documentary’s often help us mortals understand the science, and in countries like GB, the funding of major media by the government shows just how hard it might be to spread dissenting views.
“Ofcom also found Channel 4 in breach of impartiality “on matters of major political and industrial controversy and major matters relating to current public policy”.”
With science being forced by media, business and government to find a consensus I often ask does the science suffer in an effort to forcibly agree.
One law for us, another for you
The California state Senate voted 28-8 Wednesday to exempt itself from the pointless gun-control laws that apply to the rest of the populace. Legislators apparently think they alone are worthy to pack heat on the streets for personal protection, and the masses ought to wait until the police arrive.
Mother Jones… Mothers Federal Extremism
A wise and frugal Government, which shall retrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson although not infallible had some great ideas, the best of which have lasted. A few look at his local perspective of government as a threat to there tidy idea of the world, one which from the top down mandates of what the individual should do, buy, or fund isolating said individual from the issues. Any states rights position to the contrary is looked at as extreme. Many of these states rights issues are held by Ron Paul. Mother Jones contributor Josh Harkinson has contributed the below titled Ron Pauls 15 Most Extreme Positions
1. Eviscerate Entitlements: Believes that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are unconstitutional, and has compared the failure of federal courts to strike them down to the courts’ failure to abolish slavery in the 19th century.
2. Lay Off Half His Cabinet: Wants to abolish half of all federal agencies, including the departments of Energy, Education, Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Labor.
3. Enable State Extremism: Would let states set their own policies on abortion, gay marriage, prayer in school, and most other issues.
4. Protect Sexual Predators’ Privacy:Voted against requiring operators of wi-fi networks who discover the transmission of child porn and other forms online sex predation to report it to the government.
5. Rescind the Bin Laden Raid: Instead of authorizing the Navy Seals to take him out, President Paul would have sought Pakistan’s cooperation to arrest him.
6. Simplify the Census: The questions posed by the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey, which collects demographics data such as age, race, and income, are “both ludicrous and insulting,” Paul says.
7. Let the Oldest Profession Be: Paul wants to legalize prostitution at the federal level.
8. Legalize All Drugs: Including cocaine and heroin.
9. Keep Monopolies Intact:Opposes federal antitrust legislation, calling it “much more harmful than helpful.” Thinks that monopolies can be controlled by protecting “the concept of the voluntary contract.”
10. Lay Off Ben Bernanke: Would abolish the Federal Reserve and revert to use of currencies that are backed by hard assets such as gold.
11. Stop Policing the Environment:Believes that climate change is no big deal and the Environmental Protection Agency is unnecessary. Most environmental problems can be addressed by enforcing private-property rights. Paul also thinks that interstate issues such as air pollution are best dealt with through compacts between states.
12. Not Do Anything, but Still…:Would not have voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964because it was a “massive violation of private property and contract, which are the bedrocks of a free society.”
13. Let Markets Care for the Disabled: “The ADA should have never been passed,” Paul says. The treatment of the handicapped should be determined by the free market.
14. First, Do Harm: Wants to end birthright citizenship. Believes that emergency rooms should have the right to turn away illegal immigrants.
15. Diss Mother Teresa:Voted against giving her the Congressional Gold Medal. Has argued that the medal, which costs $30,000, is too expensive.
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/extreme-ron-paul-president-2012
I won’t garner the above with a response as Thomas Woods already has.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/woods/woods171.html