F1-Geeks: Welcome!

A friend of mine and I decided there wasn't enough interesting commentary on the internet and have decided to start a blog about Formula One Racing, general geeky tech things and whatever else we find interesting.


Stop on by if you like by clicking here:
F1-Geeks: Welcome!

Uncommonly Good

Lots of stuff going on.  Too much to mention, likely none of it will pan out.   We'll see....

In the mean time.... enjoy

Richard Hammond Eats A Whopper

As I approached my USAirways departure gate in Phoenix on my way to Jacksonville yesterday afternoon I recognized Richard Hammond.   Yes, the Richard Hammond from Top Gear.  He was sterotypically polite and I (not being a believer in the philosophy that their choice to be a celebrity, is a tacit agreement allowing them no privacy whatsoever) didn't want to bother him.  He made his way from what could only be described as an entourage of Snoop Dog proportions.  Five or six large men (bodygards I assume), an assitant (on the phone the entire time), a photographer, some dude with an iPod dock w/iPod (ala Flavor Flav) in charge of music and what looked like the lead singer of Midnight Oil.

While I believe in respecting Mr. Hammond's privacy, I have no such beliefs about his entourage.

OK so it wasn't quite as elaborate I led you to believe, but there was definitely people hanging out and they know Richard Hammond.  

Either way, I said hello, expressed the immense immeasureable joy that Top Gear brings to us in the US and he expressed how incredibly kind I was and proceeded to Burger King to order a Whopper.

Round 10 of the 2010 Formula One Season Silverstone!

The Old Man of Formual One

Sixty years ago, Silverstone was the site of the first ever Formula One race.  It has history, personality and a real character about it.  Abandoned by the RAF after WWII and adopted by the RAC (Royal Automobile Club), Silverstone was converted into a race course in 1948.  It remains the only active Formula One circuit to have sacrificed an animal before it's inagural race. *

That's not what's cool though.  This is:

2009 Track Configuration

2010 Configuration.  *** 

A way too breif recap

The last two races had spectacular moments.  First, Canada had some of the best racing I've seen in a long time and surprisingly, Fox covered it very well.

Then in Valencia there was this:



And if you want to see it with some dramatic music...

How telling is it that this clip was better than all three Star Wars prequels...

So there you go.  When Mark isn't taking out his teammate, he's taking completely innocent drivers out. **

The Event

The Race is not The Event (and even though those commercials were kinda cool at first, I'm starting to think The Event won't even be The Event).

The event will have food and people and there will likely be an infant involved and perhaps some sort of music thing.  We'll see.

*Google "Mutton Grand Prix"

** OK so Mark isn't really a bad guy and this was just an accident but I can still be embittered by Turkey.

***(Yes, I know it's upside-down. That's because the goddamn Brits can't print a map the same way to save their empire. That's what lost them the American Colonies, they had the map upside down and initially tried to take back Madegascar.

Super Best Happy Grandma/Grandpa News Time Into Large Facilitating Satisfactions!

OK. So, while I have no illusions about the appeal of any baby to anyone not related (Remember the Inverse Square Baby Law?), there are some people who are related.  The grandparents!   So if your last name ends in a "Z", are over 55, and don't live in Arizona, this one goes out to you.  Can I get a "huh, what?". 

I know you are looking at the BIG words below that say "baby-cam" and thinking about clicking on it.   Don't do it.  Do not do it.  I'm telling you.  You really should read this whole message first.

Anyway, the baby-cam is now active (yes, this means to click the word "baby-cam." If it's big and you can click it, go ahead).  24x7 (mostly) coverage of something more interesting than the weather channel and less depressing than Bloomberg TV.  

If he's not there don't panic, he's either eating, getting changed, hanging out with the parents or stuyding for his SATs.  If he IS there, it would probably NOT be a good time to call. 

You can reach it from the top right link on this or any page.

A couple of things to remember.  If you are living in the 21st century and you aren't running Windows XP any more you'll probably get a small message bar at the top of your internet window telling you that this site wants to run an Active X control.   Just click on the bar and "allow the control to run" or "install this add on" or whatever it's asking you to do.   You may also get another window asking you to allow something.   This time it's OK to allow.   Normally don't allow these things.  Also, you can change the size of the image using the controls there under "Size Selection."  You can even take pictures if you like.

This camera has a limit of 4 connections.  If you get a busy message, just try later.  By the way. I don't think this works with Firefox.

OK.  Now click "baby-cam"
Enjoy, OGs!

Have classical music on XM radio right now. Will switch to The Clash about half way.

Heading home. Finally. That took longer than expected.
Stopping for food first

Homeward Bound

We're probably heading home today and as helpful as everyone has been, it will be nice to not have people coming in and waterboarding us to find out if we changed his diaper, what was in it, what time it was, did we feed him, how long, which side, how much.  

Massively sleep deprived, we've resorted to telling them what they want to hear and we also gave up the secret location of the diaper "archives" (under the sink, in the corner).

Don't call us today.  We are sleepy.  The times of opportunity are randomly scattered and we could get sleep almost without notice.  A single phone call will send us into a psychosis.

We'll call you.,. I promise

Do 5 Day Olds Dream?

Something must be going off inside that little head.  Synapses forming and neurons firing.  Francisco, like all babies I am guessing, makes faces when he sleeps.  Somewhat entertaining in general but that's likely only going to remain entertaining if you are a blood relative.  (There is probably some Inverse-Squared law that governs how much mundane baby stuff is entertaining.  I'm guessing a baby's cuteness/entertainment factor has an inverse relationship relative to your genetic distance from said infant.)

So entertaining moments aside, apparently Cisco had a dream where he was being chased by formula bottles and a huge Simulac monster.  I say this because he was sleeping soundly then wakes from a dead sleep and screams like a lunatic for just long enough for Barb and I to look at each other and think, "Oh hell.  Here we go." As those thoughts are being formed and read on each other's faces, he sighs and is right back to dream land.   That was unexpected.   Granted, there are a lot of things people don't tell you or can't possibly describe when it comes to having a newborn.  You would think that this would be a great misery-loves-company moment someone would pass on.   As in "Oh yeah, wait till he has a 5 second nightmare on his 4th day of life."

If you make a sudden surprising move, his limbs stiffen up and he falls over in this position.  

OK, that's not true, this is just what he looks like when he's not having a nightmare.

Here's Barb as well with her Punisher headband.   Love that girl.

Time Warp

So the thing I continue to find strange about this experience is how time is affected.   Just a minute ago it was 5pm and I had two hours to get to the cafeteria before they close.  I head down there and when I get there it's past 7 pm.

We've been here since Monday night.  It will be two days tonight.  Seems like a week and a half.

Very odd.  

So when this guy decides to sleep, he's sleeping.   Had him sitting up to pat his back after he ate and he just decided he liked it there.

The Little Guy

Sleeping

My father was right. At 6 pounds 11oz Francisco Sebastian Santa Cruz Chavez was born at 12:03 am today

Its a boy! He's got good hair and is crying. Cool dude.

Barb did a good job and I'm going to follow the him to the nursery.

OK I've been summoned. I'm entering the chamber of baby emancipation.

Dr just scrubbed up and went in. More Kenny G.

This is like a 24/7 Kenny G station. Isn't this music banned in most civilized countries?

They sat me in a chair outside the room and said they'll call me when they are ready. Weird experience to listen to the adult soft jazz light radio station while waiting. Is this supposed to be soothing?

Also the shoe covers are odd.

Going in now

Ok. I'm suited up. Hairnet and all.

Dr mcclusky just arrived. She will do the C-section. We will name the baby McClusky Chavez.

Nurse showed up. Tess. We will name the baby Tess.

Headband update. The headband is actually a Punisher scarf, not just a regular skull scarf.

We are watching Seinfeld. One that we actually hadn't seen before. We've decided to name the baby Jerry.