Monday, December 18, 2006
Thotz And Obsurvashuns.......
Has the NASCAR juggernaut finally been derailed? The organization has abandoned efforts to build a track in on Staten Island, NJ due to heated local opposition. Their 2006 TV audience was smaller than the previous year. I now see empty seats at major tracks like Daytona and Indianapolis that in previous years were packed solid, with nary a ticket to be found anywhere. While still somewhat pricey, tickets for major NASCAR venues are no longer impossible to find and buy. Could this all be part of the fallout of a concerted effort by NASCAR to get away from their southern-fried, moonshine soaked past? Could this effort be alienating thousands of once hard core loyal longtime fans? Notice you will rarely hear country western music on their race telecasts these days.
The National Republican Party leaders have calmed down somewhat now that they realize there's no way in hell they're getting their hands on that S.D. senate seat anytime soon. That's good. It was a rather tawdry display they put on, barely concealing their glee at possibly gaining control of that position.
I saw "Flags Of Our Fathers" on November 25th, and enjoyed it a great deal. (One of my interests is WWII history.) About a 1/4 of the way through filming that movie, it's said Clint Eastwood came to the realization that he needed to make another movie telling the story from the Japanese point of view. Called "Letters from Iwo Jima," it's a movie I definately plan to see. Until it closed in 1997, I spent several years volunteering for the Minneapolis branch of the "Planes Of Fame" museum. I treasure that time as I had a chance to talk with many WWII combat veterans, both volunteers and visitors, and listen to the stories they had to tell. Most of the veterans I've talked with have been able to forgive the Japanese for what happened during that war and move on. But many others have not. Some of the stories I've listened to would make your hair stand on end, and at least give you an understanding of why some find it so hard to forgive and forget. (If you want to find out what really happened, a good place to start is a book called "The Old Breed" by E.B. Sledge. Warning: This is not escapist fare.) A lot of the Vets who I worked with at that museum have since "gone west" and more are joining those ranks every day. If you know a WW2 combat vet, and they're up to it, you might learn something by asking thoughtful questions, and then just listening........
Why, oh why, will someone hang on my ass during rush hour traffic, bust their balls to get around me, and then once they're in front of me, drive SLOWER THAN I HAD BEEN GOING???????
I've heard that some of the Southeast's best chili comes from the state of South Carolina. Too bad this guy doesn't make any of it........ At least he knows that unless you're using charcoal, you're merely cooking on a stove that happens to be outdoors. Or does he...........
The National Republican Party leaders have calmed down somewhat now that they realize there's no way in hell they're getting their hands on that S.D. senate seat anytime soon. That's good. It was a rather tawdry display they put on, barely concealing their glee at possibly gaining control of that position.
I saw "Flags Of Our Fathers" on November 25th, and enjoyed it a great deal. (One of my interests is WWII history.) About a 1/4 of the way through filming that movie, it's said Clint Eastwood came to the realization that he needed to make another movie telling the story from the Japanese point of view. Called "Letters from Iwo Jima," it's a movie I definately plan to see. Until it closed in 1997, I spent several years volunteering for the Minneapolis branch of the "Planes Of Fame" museum. I treasure that time as I had a chance to talk with many WWII combat veterans, both volunteers and visitors, and listen to the stories they had to tell. Most of the veterans I've talked with have been able to forgive the Japanese for what happened during that war and move on. But many others have not. Some of the stories I've listened to would make your hair stand on end, and at least give you an understanding of why some find it so hard to forgive and forget. (If you want to find out what really happened, a good place to start is a book called "The Old Breed" by E.B. Sledge. Warning: This is not escapist fare.) A lot of the Vets who I worked with at that museum have since "gone west" and more are joining those ranks every day. If you know a WW2 combat vet, and they're up to it, you might learn something by asking thoughtful questions, and then just listening........
Why, oh why, will someone hang on my ass during rush hour traffic, bust their balls to get around me, and then once they're in front of me, drive SLOWER THAN I HAD BEEN GOING???????
I've heard that some of the Southeast's best chili comes from the state of South Carolina. Too bad this guy doesn't make any of it........ At least he knows that unless you're using charcoal, you're merely cooking on a stove that happens to be outdoors. Or does he...........
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Has the NASCAR juggernaut finally been derailed?
We could be so lucky!! I live where they have "turn left and try not to fall asleep" races occasionally, and Charlotte is definitely within a days drive. What isn't....is the cost. You're talking $60 and up per ducat, for the big ones, like Charlotte. And that puts you in the nosebleeds. But you have to park first, $5 for a gang ran parking lot, $10 for no security. Then you need that hotdog, $5, and that hotdog's no good w/o a beer to wash it down, $4-6 for twelve ounces. You just dropped a C note to watch matchstick cars go around. Those numbers aren't mine, btw. They come from locals who can no longer afford to go, and they are NOT a happy crowd.
But far and away, like Kyle Petty leading the children's race....is the whining, sniveling, whimpering pussy's that drive the cars!! GROW UP, EVEN!! NASCAR needs to face some facts:
Mensa members were never a large part of their crowds. Nor did it ever play well with soccer Moms. The shirtless, hairy, booger blow'n moonshiner built NASCAR, right along with git fiddles in the background - and NASCAR is rapidly turning it's back on them. Bad for NASCAR, good for the human race. A lot of people including me, liked NASCAR when they were the drawling, "I'll run him into the wall next time" ole boys with fire in their eyes. And it was big business then. Somebody just got greedy.
An indicator the market is still there....our local dirt half mile costs $15 to sit on wooden planks. And if you ain't there by 5PM, you ain't gittin' in. Racing starts at 8PM. And if you want to hear some dissing of NASCAR that makes me sound like Mother Teresa, come on down and sit in the "red clay" seats (red clay dust covers everything!) for a night. These good ole boys think NASCAR is a religion....and they're downright unhappy at the cost of church!
At first, I thought it was your chili the tires were kicking up. Tasted better, tho.
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We could be so lucky!! I live where they have "turn left and try not to fall asleep" races occasionally, and Charlotte is definitely within a days drive. What isn't....is the cost. You're talking $60 and up per ducat, for the big ones, like Charlotte. And that puts you in the nosebleeds. But you have to park first, $5 for a gang ran parking lot, $10 for no security. Then you need that hotdog, $5, and that hotdog's no good w/o a beer to wash it down, $4-6 for twelve ounces. You just dropped a C note to watch matchstick cars go around. Those numbers aren't mine, btw. They come from locals who can no longer afford to go, and they are NOT a happy crowd.
But far and away, like Kyle Petty leading the children's race....is the whining, sniveling, whimpering pussy's that drive the cars!! GROW UP, EVEN!! NASCAR needs to face some facts:
Mensa members were never a large part of their crowds. Nor did it ever play well with soccer Moms. The shirtless, hairy, booger blow'n moonshiner built NASCAR, right along with git fiddles in the background - and NASCAR is rapidly turning it's back on them. Bad for NASCAR, good for the human race. A lot of people including me, liked NASCAR when they were the drawling, "I'll run him into the wall next time" ole boys with fire in their eyes. And it was big business then. Somebody just got greedy.
An indicator the market is still there....our local dirt half mile costs $15 to sit on wooden planks. And if you ain't there by 5PM, you ain't gittin' in. Racing starts at 8PM. And if you want to hear some dissing of NASCAR that makes me sound like Mother Teresa, come on down and sit in the "red clay" seats (red clay dust covers everything!) for a night. These good ole boys think NASCAR is a religion....and they're downright unhappy at the cost of church!
At first, I thought it was your chili the tires were kicking up. Tasted better, tho.
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