Random Points, Part Whatever It Is At This Point

http://www.newmoney.gov/newmoney/Splashpage.aspx

Go ahead. Click the link. You know you want to.

That link takes you to a site sponsored by the US Treasury, unveiling the new $100 bill, debuting in February 2011. Judging by the quality of the video, I'd say it cost more than one of these new $100s to create. It makes me wonder, in an economy as bad as ours, how we can create a video to unveil new money. Just say that we have a new bill coming out and let's move forward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Eib2di9bq4

Now click this link. This is hilarious to me. An NBC reporter happen upon a black man at a Tea Party rally. Now lately the game has been to cast all Tea Parties and Tea Party members as racists. In fact, the word "racist" has been so overused lately that I don't put much stock in those who use it anymore. Anyway, this reporter asks the man about if he ever felt uncomfortable at the Tea Party rallies. God bless this man for his answer.

Maaaaa

Well, I guess sometimes you do things you just aren't proud of.

The Tea Party: Mislabel, Misunderstand, Misinform

Tax Day 2010 is upon us, and the Tea Party movement is in full swing. This particular aspect of American politics is something that I have loved studying over the last year. Watching the Tea Party and how it is portrayed in the media, I am reminded of a quote by Gandhi:

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."

You see, when the Tea Party movement began to spring up last year, they were largely ignored by the media. With the exception of Anderson Cooper cracking juvenile 'teabagging' jokes, and Keith Olbermann blithely condoning that the tea partiers were merely backwards redneck racists who could not deal with a black man in the White House, the media kept the Tea Party on the back burner, preferring to report on whatever celebrity TMZ had seen naked in Los Angeles.

Then, as it became apparent that the Tea Party was not going to go quietly into the night, the media began launching attacks en masse. Olbermann once again brought out the racist element. In fact, MSNBC is more to blame for the racist label being applied to the Tea Party than any other entity. Cooper cracked another teabagging joke, and Olbermann stated that the Tea Partiers were mostly illiterate rednecks who think that the Civil War is still going on.

These snide remarks continued all the way to April of this year, when the true Tax Day Tea Party rallies were entering full swing. Websites began popping up begging people to crash the Tea Parties with poorly spelled and often racist signs, and even scream racial slurs to make the Tea Parties look bad.

Think back to Gandhi's quote. The Tea Party movement has been ignored, ridiculed, and now openly resisted. The only logical step remaining is for the Tea Party to win. In fact, I can very seriously see a landslide of conservative voting that will make the Republican Revolution of 1994 look like a mild primary season.

The Tea Party, you see, is not a racist movement. They are angry, yes. Angry about the inane amount of taxes that we're all paying. Angry about out of control government spending. Angry about a near unilateral disarmament during what is still a dangerous time. Angry about our congress selling our children's future to China one dollar at a time.

They are not angry about the color of Barack Obama's skin. They don't care about his race, they car about his seemingly socialist political philosophy. They care about the fact that our President, the leader of the free world, is so busy bowing to foreign leaders and apologizing to European nations that he's neglected the common man.

They care about the fact that he's reneged on almost every campaign promise. That he went against the will of the populace to pass health care, and then brazenly challenged his political opponents to try and repeal it. That he's pushing to further decrease our nuclear armament; an armament that some say has protected the world for the last sixty years.

So I say, Go Tea Parties! The current administration is claiming that debating its policies is tantamount to racism. But to borrow a quote from Hillary Clinton, "We have a right to debate, with this, or any administration." We have a right, according to our own founding documents, to petition congress for a redress of grievances. I personally would like to see congress own up to the fallacies they've perpetrated on the American people.

Go Tea Parties!

How To Fix NASCAR, Part II

So the last "let's fix NASCAR" article was rather long, but it didn't mean that we were at all finished. In fact, we've got five more tracks that NASCAR can try out for road course racing.

Let's begin.

Milwaukee:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3618864

The Milwaukee Mile is a slightly revered oval circuit, but it does have a decent infield road course. The overall road course length comes in at 1.7839 miles, and roughly 12 turns. The drivers start at the start-finish line and drive through turns 1 and 2, the length of the backstretch, through turn three, which then turns back on itself, not too sharply. There is a sweeping right hander giving way to the first of two interior straights. There is a bit of a hairpin that gives way to the other interior straight. There is an "esses" section that is not as pronounced as the other "esses" we've explored so far. From there the drivers face a quick right hander and a hairpin bringing them back to the oval at the exit of turn 4.

Indianapolis:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3611478

The 2.605 miles, 13 turn road course at Indianapolis has been driven by Formula 1, which gives it some decent cred, even though it suffered the debacle of 2005. That said, it is still a decent course that would only further enhance the image of NASCAR. The track info can be found here.

Rockingham, NC

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3618912

Rockingham was once a staple of the NASCAR season. Then, through various factors like commercialism, the North Carolina oval saw its races taken away. Things went so far as to have new owners take over the track, with the promise that, as long as they own the facility, NASCAR can never run there. That said, the 10-turn, 1.4505 mile road course offers a definite change of pace. The track uses a vast majority of the oval, entering the road course portion at the entrance to turn 3. A protracted hairpin a la turn 8 at Istanbul Park leads to a short straight and a protracted right hand hairpin that very nearly resembles a mirror image of the first hairpin. Another straight leads to a sweeping left hander that deposits the drivers back on the oval in the middle of turns three and four.

Road America:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3618015

The 4.037-mile, 14 turn Road America course outside Elkhart, Wisconsin is a beautiful track. The .75 mile straight would provide some nice overtaking opportunities going into turn 1. A 90-plus degree turn 2 leads to another straight. Turns 3 and 4 are roughly 90-degrees, leading to a triangular right hander. Beyond this is a 90-degree left going into a sweeping right hander once again reminiscent of turn 8 at Istanbul Park. (As an aside, Istanbul Park is probably the best design from Hermann Tilke, the man who has been accused of slowly killing F1.) Back to Wisconsin. After this sweeping righty is a quick left-right chicane that takes the drivers into the woods. A sharp right hand turn leads to another triangular left hand turn, which promptly turns back to the right and back onto the long stretch.

Miller Motorsports Park:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3617991

The Miller Motorsports Park complex outside Tooele, Utah has several configurations that would work for the boys of NASCAR:

The Long Course

The East Course

The West Course

The Outer Course (linked above)

For our intents and purposes, I think the Outer Course is a better circuit for NASCAR. At 3.0373 miles and 14 turns, the boys of NASCAR would thoroughly enjoy the twists and turns just south of the Great Salt Lake. The outer course lap record is 1:31.050 seconds, set by Timo Bernhard in a Le Mans prototype. The NASCAR boys would obviously be slower. Still, the Right Wing thinks this would be a great place for NASCAR.

So that's that. We've discussed thirteen "new" tracks for NASCAR to use in an effort to win more fans. Road course racing, as evidenced by the appeal of Formula 1, American Le Mans, The British Touring Car Championship, and the Deutsche Tourenweg Masters, proves to have a great following. Even in the realm of video games, from the realistic (Forza III, Formula 1 2009), to the outlandish (Mario Kart Wii), road courses are fantastic.

NASCAR could do worse than to deny these courses, there is no doubt. But if NASCAR would, by some chance, choose to venture onto these road courses, it would be a definite plus for the sport.

How to Fix NASCAR...

If you're anything like me, you'd like to see some changes in NASCAR. The stock car, and I use that two-word term loosely, racing circuit only runs on two road courses. That's 2 out of 36 races, or 1/18th of the season spent off of ovals. So I started thinking about a way to change this thing and make it a little more enjoyable for people like me who enjoy road course racing.

Many of the tracks that NASCAR journeys to have two races scheduled per season, and these ovals often have road courses built into them to service motorcycle and sport car races. So I used gmap-pedometer, the site linked here, to start building my own NASCAR road courses.

I figure that any track visited twice by NASCAR during a season should run the "oval" track one race, and then the "road course" on the other race. Of course, some of the rules would have to change in order for this to work.

Rule Changes:

1. Every car must qualify. Right now there are several factors that guarantee cars a spot in a race. Basically, as it is now, only 10 "outsiders" have a chance of making a NASCAR race. By forcing all cars to qualify, you ensure the most competitive field, at least in theory.

2. For road courses, only 33 cars qualify, not 43. This is because some tracks, in order to access the road course, require a short-cutting of the pit lane. And since every car is qualifying, you still maintain the competitive field with the possible Cinderella story.

3. Bring grooved tyres, because it might rain. Formula 1 runs in the rain. Football plays in the rain. I'm pretty sure that NASCAR would rather be equated with Football and the pinnacle motorsport series rather than baseball, which takes a break if it gets cloudy.

4. Points restructuring. Only the top 10 get points, and you only get points for where you finish. No more points for leading the most laps. No points for leading at the halfway. No one cares who is leading on lap 399 of a 400 lap race, they care about the leader on lap 400.

5. Standing starts on the road courses. Most of these start-finish lines are on the wider portions of the track, so staggering the cars three-wide would provide excellent standing starts.

So those are the rules. Let's examine the tracks.

New "Road Course" Tracks

Atlanta:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3609241

Following the link will take you to a special Right Wing designed 2.4-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway road course. The start-finish line remains the same, and obviously some parts of the oval are still used. The big change starts at the end of the pitlane. Drivers make a sweeping left-hander into a short straight. This straight leads to a kind of hairpin onto another straight. At the end of this straight is a right-left-right "Esses" that remind me of the Turn 1-2-3 complex at Catalunya. Beyond this complex is a tight left-hairpin that puts the cars back on the oval. The only other change is at the entrance to turn three of the oval, where there is a quick chicane.

Texas:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3576714

The Texas Motor Speedway is another prime candidate for a 2.08-mile road course. Again, start-finish line stays the same. In fact, the drivers run the oval all the way to the back stretch. Here, coming out of turn 2 there is a left-hand hairpin that rather quickly turns back to the right. After running through an elongated left-right chicane, the drivers encounter the inner straight, which leads to a right hand turn of more than 90-degrees. Perfect for overtaking. Beyond this sharp turn is a gradual right-hander leading to a another left-hand-hairpin. The next gradual turn leads into yet another left-hairpin, which almost immediately turns into a right-hand-hairpin. A long left hand turn later and the drivers are back on the oval, heading back to start-finish.

Pocono:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608393

The triangular Pocono racetrack is a fun, fast place for NASCAR. Our road course idea will slow the cars down considerably, but will require greater skill to navigate. Our plan for Pocono changes the track layout from what amounts to 3 turns, into a 19-turn behemoth measuring 3.1 miles. Coming off the start-finish, the drivers attack a nasty 90-degree-plus left hander, that "esses" through turns 2, 3, and 4. Turn 5 is a sharp, shallow hairpin leading to turn 6. Turn 7 is a quick lefty bringing the drivers to a sharp turn 8, taking them back into the depths of the infield. Turns 9 through 11 can be taken fairly quickly, but turn 12 is a left-hand-hairpin that will probably catch some drivers out. Shuttling through turn 13 leads the drivers back to the oval, but this is short-lived. Turns 15 through 19 go left-right-left-right-left, bringing the cars back to the start-finish line.

Fontana, CA:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608307

The track at Fontana can produce some fast oval races, but our road course adds a new level of skill. The 17-turn, 3.1945 mile track uses a vast portion of the original oval. Turn 1 is a sharp left hander, almost bus-stop chicane like in appearance. This near-chicane gives way to a sweeping left hand turn going to the first near-hairpin. After doubling back, the drivers double back once more, going through turns 4 and 5, and finding themselves on a straight. Not too much speed, though, as a chicane does await at turn 6 and 7. After this chicane there is a very shallow right hander leading to an "esses" area, leading to the 90-degree turn 10. Turn 11 is another 90-degree right-hander, leading to a hairpin turn 12, similar to turn 12 at Pocono. After a sweeping right-hander the cars encounter a wide hairpin turn putting them back on the oval. There is a quick chicane a la Atlanta before once more reaching the start-finish.

Charlotte:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608537

Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte is a good track as an oval, but I think out 2.24-mile road course could be even better. Actually, this track is really hard to "road course." It also uses much of the old oval The new road course does not take over until nearly halfway down the back straight, where there is a tight left-hand-hairpin that leads to a pseudo-chicane. After this turn complex there is a sweeping right-hander that leads to another right-left complex. After a short straight there is a left-hander that almost doubles back. There is a quick "ess" complex leading to another hairpin. There is a final left-hand-tight-hairpin that puts the drivers back on the oval and leading to the start-finish.

Miami:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608593

The 2.1913-mile, 12-turn road course at Miami is probably the most "unique" of all the road courses discussed here. It uses none of the original turns in the oval, utilizing on the front and back straights. From the start-finish line the drivers approach a shallow left hander, that keeps going through a triangular turn 2 and into a doubling-back turn 3. From here, the drivers go through a slow right-hander leading to the first of two interior straights. Turn 5 is a 90-plus degree turn leading to a sweeping turn 6 onto the second interior straight. At the end of this straight is a hairpin turn 7, into another sweeping turn 8, leading to the back straight. Before the entrance to the oval's Turn 3, the drivers break left into a very fast section with a shallow angle turn 10. There is a quick right-left, turns 11 and 12, leading back to the start-finish.

Phoenix:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608674

The track at Phoenix is a gruelingly hot 11-turns jammed into a 1.506-mile road course. From the start-finish, the drivers take a shallow turn into turn 1, which quickly sweeps into turn 2, turn 3, and turn 4, and pronounced "esses" section leading to a very short straight. Turn 5 is a quick, shallow left-hander leading to a C-curve turn 6 and 7. After a fast turn 8 the cars encounter the hairpin that returns them to the original oval. A quick blast through turns 10 and 11 (turns 3 and 4 on the original oval) leads back to the start-finish.

Daytona:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3608649

The last track on our tour is Daytona. The famous track already has a road course that is used for the 24-hours of Daytona endurance race, but our design modifies that road course into a 3.0029-mile, 14 turn affair. From the start-finish line, the drivers enter turn 1, which is a sweeping left-hander. Turn 2 is an S-curve leading to the hairpin turn 3. Turn 4 is a quick right hander leading to a C-curve comprised of turns 5 and 6. Turns 7 and 8 are a very pronounced, abbreviated S-curve, leading to the back straight. About three-quarters of the way to turn 3 there is a double-chicane leading back to the last part of the oval. The cars will use the original turn 4 leading to the tri-oval and the start-finish.

That concludes our tour of the new "road courses." If you have any ideas for changing NASCAR, we'd love to hear them.

Malaysian Grand Prix Revisited

Alright, so about our prediction of a McLaren 1-2 with a Mercedes 3rd. I would like to point out that there was a team finish 1-2, and a Mercedes did finish 3rd, just none of those drivers were the ones we predicted.

Congrats to Red Bull, Seb Vettel, Mark Webber, and Nico Rosberg.

Also, congrats to Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, and Felipe Masses for taking their cars from the back of the starting grid to finish in the top ten.

Design Your Own Race Course

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Follow the link above.

Using this website, you can design your own Grand Prix course. If you want to use existing streets, simply click on the Start Recording button. You can switch to manual and design your own course in someone's back yard.

I'm challenging all of you to give it a try. Post a comment linking to your saved course.

There's only one rule:

Try to stay under 7.004 kilometers. That's the length of Spa, and I think it should remain the longest track on the circuit. As you reply with links to your tracks, I'll try to add them to this post.

I tried my hand at a new French Grand Prix street circuit, for the Grand Prix of Calais.

Here is the Grand Prix of Niagara Falls.

The Grand Prix of Dahlonega.

Holy Week

The Right Wing doesn't often tackle religious issues, but it seemed like a good time to do this. This is Easter weekend. I know that some people will say that this is a Pagan holiday and that Christianity simply took over this date to spread itself around the globe. Anyway you choose to believe it, it is known that Christ was crucified around the time of Passover, which is going on at the moment.

I've had several conversations lately concerning Christ, Christianity, and issues of faith. I think it would be a good break from sports to actually bring up some of these issues.

Continental Drift:

Wait, seriously. Continental drift? In religion? Well, yes. I was discussing this with some people one time and I was basically told that science should have nothing to do with God, and that God should have nothing to do with science. My answer to that is simple: God gave us science so that we could unveil even more of his glorious works. In many instances, the Bible will actually back up science, and science will back up the Bible. Take continental drift, for instance. The Bible states that there was a man named Peleg, and in his day the Earth was divided. Some say that means the Earth was politically divided, but it could just as well mean that the land was, quite literally, divided.

The Shroud of Turin:

I'll say this straight forward: I do NOT believe that the Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Christ. This does not mean that my faith is any weaker. In fact, I'm glad that God gave me enough faith that I don't require relics to believe. That being said, I respect the history of the Shroud. Close study reveals the brutality of a Roman flogging and crucifixion. The death on the cross was so painful that the Romans invented a phrase for it ex crucio, or as we now say "excruciating", meaning "out of the cross."

The relics of St. Helena:

Three hundred years after the crucifixion, the mother of Emperor Constantine, Helena, went to the Holy Land seeking the places where Christ walked, and where he was crucified. Of course, there was no real documentation at that time, and she was basically shown places with people saying, "Yeah, uh, he walked down this road." I can't help but feel sorry for those who require these relics to strengthen their faith.

The Crucifixion and Resurrection

This is it. Without this moment, there is no Christianity. As Paul stated, "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Cor. 15:17). As the Bible tells us in the prophecies of the Old Testament, Christ came to Earth with the intent of dying for our sins. He was beaten beyond recognition, spat upon, had a crown of thorns placed on his head, and even nailed to the cross. Here is another sticking point with some people. Were the nails through his hands or wrists? Does it matter? The most important thing is that he willingly died for us. Then, the Sunday after his crucifixion, the borrowed tomb He'd been placed in was found empty. He was later seen by many, and after issuing the Great Commission, he ascended into Heaven. Had none of this occurred, we probably would not have had any idea of Christianity.

I have no qualms in proclaiming my faith. As Romans 1:16 states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." When it comes to the things of God, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. Take, for example, this passage from John, Chapter 6:

⁴²And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

⁴³Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

⁴⁴No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

⁴⁶Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

⁴⁷Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

⁴⁸I am that bread of life.

⁴⁹Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

⁵⁰This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

⁵²The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

⁵³Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

⁵⁴Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁵⁵For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

⁵⁶He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

⁵⁷As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

⁵⁸This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

⁵⁹These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

⁶⁰Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

⁶¹When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

⁶²What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

⁶³It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

⁶⁴But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

⁶⁵And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

⁶⁶From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁷Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

⁶⁹And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Christ did not intentionally offend anyone, but He knew, as most of us do, that the truth will offend more than a lie will. I chose the truth long ago, and I do not regret it. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

The Right Wing... Relaunched!

Take a look. Feast upon my magnificence.

We've relaunched the Right Wing, complete with a new layout and background, along with a nice new Search feature.

Enjoy.

Malaysian Grand Prix-view

Well, this is the third race of the Formula 1 season. The fast cars are at Malaysia, just outside Kuala Lumpur, in Sepang. I personally like this track a lot. The start finish line gives way to a quick right-left-downhill bit. A sweeping right-hander going back uphill leads into a a sharp right-hander. Too much speed going into this turn will definitely send you off.

This sharp right gives way to a gradual left-to-right S-curve that, if taken properly, can almost be run flat-out. Beyond this S-curve is a quick succession of right-handers that are nearly 90-degree turns, but are shallow enough to be taken with some speed. The second of these right-handers leads downhill to a very sharp, very slow left-hander that begins taking the cars back up-hill.

A semi-gradual run through turn 10 leads to a sharp turn 11. Another pseudo-S-curve (turns 12 and 13), bring the cars to a sharp sharp sharp right-hander, leading onto the long straight.

At the end of this straight is turn 15, the hairpin, that brings the cars back around to the start-finish line. Lewis Hamilton holds the lap record here, with a 1:34.175.

The nasty thing about Malaysia is the rain. Last year it rained. And rained. And rained. It was the first time in my year and a half of following F1 that a race was actually stopped because of rain. Jenson Button, now of McLaren, then of BrawnGP, took the win, but only got half points. This year the race will start 2 hours earlier than last years, which should avoid some rain, but it will still rain.

So we'll do our old normal thing and predict the podium.

1st - Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes

2nd - Jenson Button, McLaren Mercedes

3rd - Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP

That's right, we think that Schumi will return to podium form. Let's watch.

Why am I not in bed?

So it's 11:00 pm, or 2300 to my military friends. I have to be at work tomorrow morning. I'd like to be there by about 7:00, or 7:30. And yet, I'm still awake.

I've played Mario Kart Wii and F1 2009. I've watched TV, I've watched DVDs. I'm mentally exhausted, and yet I'm still awake.

Why?

Formula 1 Returns to the Right Wing

It was a rather long hiatus, and not at all impromptu. I was basically computerless for several months. Well, now I'm back and there are several things on the Formula 1 front that require discussion.

First, congratulations to Jenson Button and Brawn GP for pulling the double last season and winning the Driver's and Constructor's Championship. Also, congrats to Lewis Hamilton for overcoming what appeared to be a god-awful McLaren and gaining the most points of any driver over the second half of the season.

So, let's move on to this season.

There are some new rules that you should know about. The top ten qualifiers must start the race on the same set of tyres that they qualified on. Also, the cars are no longer allowed to be refueled. This means that the cars are longer, and far heavier than they were last year. Thus, this season's racing is off to a rather bipolar start.

The cars were unveiled throughout January. Again, the McLaren is the best looking of the bunch, as evidenced by the photo.

The season opening grand prix in Bahrain was one of the most boring grand prix races ever. Or at least in my short experiences with F1. Seb Vettel took the pole, but a twitchy engine dropped him to fourth by the end of the race. The rather thirsty Ferraris were able to fight to the front and finish one two. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the podium at Bahrain, but it was still boring.

The return of Michael Schumacher was less than impressing. I mean, yeah he's back after a three year sabbatical, but the Mercedes Grand Prix cars have yet to show top tier speed.

Immediately after the race, calls began to come in from all corners of the F1 world, stating that the rules and regulations must be relaxed in order for the season to be saved. Bernie Ecclestone stated that we should wait.

So we waited. The Australian Grand Prix rolled around. And lo, it did rain. And rain always makes a race better.

Jenson Button took the chequered flag. Robert Kubica drove his black-and-yellow Renault to second place, while Felipe Massa piloted his Ferrari F10 to the last podium spot. Lewis Hamilton drove to sixth, but was rather unhappy with the result, thinking his team screwed him up. They've since come to peace.

So now, we have Ferrari leading both championships, with McLaren chasing them. The general thought at the moment is that the Red Bull Renault team has faulty cars that will not last them in the championship races.

So we'll make a 2-races in prediction for the remainder of the 2010 Formula 1 Season.

Driver's Champion: Lewis Hamilton

He'll rebound in a big way, especially when we get to the European part of the calendar.

Constructor's Champion: Ferrari

Those red cars are fast.

Most wins on the season: Fernando Alonso

I'm thinking he'll win five races, while Hamilton will eventually win four.

First Driver to be Replaced: Karun Chandhok, HRT

I'm think that Jose Maria Lopez or Sebastian Bourdais may find their way into the race seat opposite Bruno Senna.

Will Bernie go away at season's end?

No. Unfortunately no.

Who will fill the race slot vacated by the defunct USF1?

Most likely Stefan GP. I can't see Epsilon Eusakdi, or Prodrive moving in.

So that's our prediction. Let's see how it goes.

Rage Quitting

This is a video game post. Last night my friend Ben and I are playing Mario Kart Wii against people we will in all likelihood never meet. We had cycled through 8-player races, and 12-player races, and at the time we were in a 4-player race. 4-player races are interesting because they can spread out, which is exactly what happened. We were in the N64 Bowser's Castle circuit, and after 2 laps I had a quarter-lap lead on Ben and a half-lap lead on the other two.

It was at that point that one of the two mystery racers vanished. It could've been an error on the Wii's part, but we figured that it was most likely a 'rage quit.'

"Rage Quitting" occurs when you are playing a video game and your opponent is beating you so badly that you throw your game controller across the room in disgust and curse madly at the TV.

That, friends, is what happened last night.

Back!!!

Well, it's been a while. Six months or so, actually. It's been so long I've almost forgotten exactly what this blog is about.

No, wait. Now I remember. Sports, politics, that sort of thing.

Alright, so let's catch you guys up a bit.

I've moved. I now live in Buford, about 10 miles from my old house. It took a whole day to move everything I own, but I'm in, and now I'm tired.

Very tired.

Okay, that's the update. We'll be back with more Formula 1 racing and football news. We'll probably even go for politics. I'm guessing you all know about how the politicians are destroying our country, and I missed the last half of the 2009 Formula 1 season.

Let's recap a bit: Jenson Button won the Driver's Title, Brawn GP won the Constructor's Title. That's about it.

We'll be back.

Triumphant Return?

I wouldn't really call this a return, but rather a reopening. I've been away from the blogs for a long, long time. Well, I'm back. At least for the short term.

I'm currently in Junction City, Kansas. For those of you not in the know I've started a new job. I'm a Documentation Specialist with General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies. Or as Robert calls it, I'm building Skynet. I'm more in line with the British stuff, so I liken it to building the Archangel Network. (Props if you get the reference.)

So, what's new in my life? Well, work mostly. I'm working a lot, but I really love this job. The travel possibilities range from the mostly mundane (Kansas, Texas, New Jersey) to the incredibly exciting (Hawai'i, Germany). The pay is better than anything I've ever made. In short, fantastic.

In other things... Formula 1 rolls on. Kimi Raikkonen took the Belgian Grand Prix at the beatiful Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which is the best racing circuit on Earth. Lewis Hamilton, the defending Driver's Champion, and Jenson Button, the current Driver's Championship leader, crashed out on lap one.

Football, of all kinds is about to start. Sorry guys, no Football Future-see this year.

Well, that's about all the update for now. Take it easy.

Grand Prix-view: Monaco

Spectacle. That's what this weekend is all about. Spectacle. Formula 1 powers into the Principality for the Grand Prix of Monaco. Unfortunately, this weekend's activities will take a bit of a back seat to the politics going on. Ferrari and some others are threatening to walk if Max Mosely gets his way. And now Bernie "Fifth Beatle" Ecclestone has told Ferrari that, should they quit, he will sue them for breach of contract.

If you've ever played MarioKart, you're probably familiar with the Delfino Square circuit. This is as close as it gets. The boys with the fast cars roar through city streets, no more than ten feet from some buildings.

Lewis Hamilton finally put together a fairly decent run. He's really good at Monaco. This will be his third race there and he's finished no worse than second in the past.

Nico Rosberg was once again the fastest in practice, but he's yet to translate that to the podium. We think he breaks that streak this week. We're looking for some good runs from Ferrari and McLaren as well, as this tracks plays well for them.

Projected Podium:
1. Rubens Barrichello - Brawn GP Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - Williams
3. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes

Max Mosely, Budget Caps, and Ferrari's Self-Righteousness

Ferrari lost their case. The courts ruled in favor of FIA President Max Mosely's proposed $60 million budget cap, something Ferrari was fighting because it would force them to slash their own annual budget by nearly 90 percent. Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull, Toyota, and Toro Rosso are all threatening to pull out of the series for 2010, as none of the teams agree with the budget cap. The most egregious misstep of the proposed cap is the invention of, essentially, a two-tiered championship system.

According to Mosely, teams that willingly comply with the budget cap will be given more technical freedom than the teams that don't. Ferrari equated this to two runners in a 100-meter race, but one of the runners has to carry a sack of potatoes on his back.

It is universally acknowledged that the budget cap is Max Mosely's way of leaving his mark on the sport before he retires. Of course, it is the opinion of the Right Wing, that there are better ways to leave your mark than chasing off five of the current ten teams, and having beaten one team (McLaren) into virtual submission. I think the only reason McLaren hasn't joined Ferrari and Renault is because they are too afraid to step out of line right now, as they basically get punished for the slightest things.

Not that Ferrari has been perfectly nice, though. When they saw a leaked list of the teams wanting to join the field in 2010, they scoffed. Teams like ProDrive, USF1, Lola, Epsilon Euskadi, iSport, and Formtech will have an easier path with a lowered budget structure. But according to Ferrari, none of these teams are famous enough to make for compelling racing. If you take Ferrari's side in this argument, then we should kick out Force India and Toro Rosso, because neither are famous enough to be involved with Formula 1 racing.

It's relatively easy to see that Formula 1 as we know it died today. If the five teams pull out, and if McLaren actually does opt to go with them, Bernie Eccelstone and Max Mosely will be the biggest losers. The teams association, FOTA, has talked before of creating their own break-away series. This could be the proverbial straw that makes the camel leave Bernie and Max and go off on its own.

The Great Formula 1 Fallout

Ferrari has threatened to not enter the 2010 season if the FIA institutes the reg changes and a budget cap for the season.

Renault has joined them in this threat, and it appears other teams are sending out feelers along the same lines.

Except for McLaren Mercedes. But who can blame them? If Merc so much as looks to be out of step with the FIA then Max Moseley will probably order them shot.

More on this as it develops...

Reviewing the Spanish Grand Prix: Button Once Again!

Well, I still like the track at Barcelona.

Yet another Formula 1 race with a massive incident of some kind in the first turn of the first lap. This time Both Toro Rosso cars succeeded in eliminating each other, with Bourdais going airbourne over Buemi in a motorized audition for the Cirque du Soleil. Jarno Trulli was taken out by Adrian Sutil, and about three tons of carbon fibre debris was scattered over twenty-six square feet of asphalt.

BrawnGP finished 1-2 once again, but this time there's controversy. Rubens Barrichello has confronted the team and stated that he won't play second fiddle to anyone. He was once under team orders to allow Michael Schumacher to pass so that Schumacher could secure the Driver's Championship. Now it seems that Barrichello's three-stop strategy was given to Jenson Button, almost as though the team is favoring the young Brit who currently leads the points. Ross Brawn has stated that the team has given Barrichello everything it can so that he can win, it's up to him to actually cross the line first.

As for our prediction, at least we got the winner right. And we had a Red Bull car on the podium, just the wrong driver.

Two weeks to Monaco.

Grand Prix-view: Taking Our Cues From Q3

The first leg of the European part of the Formula 1 season is this weekend, as the boys with the fast cars journey to Barcelona. The track, I must say, is very nice. For someone who hasn't been into F1 for very long, it is reminiscent of Fuji, with a long straight and then a bunch of curvy bits. The Turn-1-2-3 complex is one of my favorite turn complexes in all of motor sport, and remember, I haven't actually seen a race on it yet.

Qualifying was intense, well, more intense than qualifying should be. As Q3 was winding down, it looked as though Rubens Barrichello had P1 wrapped up, and then Sebastian Vettel took the spot in a Red Bull, but Brawn was not to be outdone, as Jenson Button laid down one of the best qualifying laps I've ever seen, landing the pole position.

The big winner for Qualifying: The Fans Who Watched It.
There wasn't really a bad or slow moment, as it seemed like every lap was important this time, unlike previous qualifying sessions.

The big loser: Kimi Raikkonen.
Kimi ran a quick lap in Q1, and then pulled a Massa. He pulled into the pits and parked it and sat in the car, thinking his time would hold. It didn't, and the Fin dropped to P16

Listed Below is the finishing order for qualifying:
Q3
1 J. Button Brawn GP
2 S. Vettel Red Bull
3 R. Barrichello Brawn GP
4 F. Massa Ferrari
5 M. Webber Red Bull
6 T. Glock Toyota
7 J. Trulli Toyota
8 F. Alonso Renault
9 N. Rosberg Williams
10 R. Kubica BMW

Q2
11 K. Nakajima Williams
12 N. Piquet jr. Renault
13 N. Heidfeld BMW
14 L. Hamilton McLaren
15 S. Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso

Q1
16 K. Räikkönen Ferrari
17 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso
18 H. Kovalainen McLaren
19 A. Sutil Force India F1
20 G. Fisichella Force India F1

Now, for the race tomorrow, expect some action. The cars seem fairly equal, and especially fast. In practice Friday 12 cars posted better lap times than Kimi Raikkonen's established fastest lap at the track.

No McLaren Mercedes reached Q3.

Ferrari qualifyed in the top 5 for the first time since 2008. Formula 1 sites are thinking that Ferrari is sandbagging, but the results like P5 and P16, it's hard to know for sure.

Which brings us to the big finish, our prediction for Spain.
Podium Finishers:
1. Jenson Button, Brawn GP
2. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
3. Timo Glock, Toyota

Will Everyone Please Stop Acting Like Mark Sanchez is the Second Coming?

ESPN, I'm looking at you. You single-handedly raised Mark Sanchez from a 8th-14th pick in the 2009 draft to a top five pick. This is a man who has started only 16 games in a conference that really isn't all that strong. The PAC-10 is really just USC and 9 also-rans. Now Sanchez in a NY Jet. The Jets gave up a first round pick, a second round pick, and three players to get an unproven rookie quarterback with very little arm strength (comparatively speaking).

Now everyone at ESPN is acting like the Jets made the steal of the draft, and that they had the best draft ever, when they only selected three players. I have nothing against Mark Sanchez, I wish him the best. But to act like he's the greatest football player in the history of history is a bit much, even for Mel Kiper and Todd McShay.

Sanchez started 16 games in the PAC-10. Matthew Stafford (drafted 1st overall, but apparently a dud compared to Sanchez (again, I'm looking at you ESPN)) won 27 games in the SEC. I will repeat that, Stafford WON 27 games in the defense laden SEC. Most PAC-10 teams (outside of USC) don't know what a defense is (until they play USC). The defenses are so good in the SEC, that last season there was a game played between Auburn and Mississippi State, and Auburn won the game 3-2. I'm not kidding.

So let's get off the Mark Sanchez bandwagon for a while. In fact, let's not have player bandwagons at all. Let's wait until these guys get on the field in game situations before we start crying aloud that one is better than the other.

Signed,
A True SEC Fanatic

Formula 1 recapped: McLaren, Bahrain, and Jenson Button

So the politics are done, at least for now. The World Motor Sport Council held an "extraordinary" meeting to discuss the fate of McLaren Mercedes after the "liargate" incident at the Australian Grand Prix. To recap, at the end of the race at Melbourne a safety car was deployed and under the safety car conditions Toyota driver Jarno Trulli went off the track. Lewis Hamilton passed Trulli for third place, but was unsure if this was legal (under the sporting regs it is entirely legal to overtake a car if said car goes off the track). Lewis contacted his team to let them know that he had let trulli back in front, but he wanted to know if third place was his. The team tried to contact Charlie Whiting, race director, but no answer came quickly enough, and the race ended. Afterward, Lewis was asked if the team had told him to let Trulli pass and he said no (semantically this is correct, if you listen to the tapes he said he had let Trulli pass and asked if that was okay, and the team told him to hold position because they were seeking an answer from Charlie). A huge kerfuffle erupted and eventually McLaren employee Dave Ryan was selected as the sacrificial lamb and was fired. The stewards decided that McLaren had lied to them, and therefore disqualified the team's results.

So today McLaren had their meeting with the WMSC to determine a fate that many claimed had already been determined. The team was disqualified from the race in which the infraction was committed. But in F1, and especially when dealing with McLaren, it is a necessity to kick a team while they are down.

Thankfully, though, the WMSC saw reason. They handed out a suspended three race ban, which means that if McLaren screws up again they will be banned for three races, but so long as they fly right and stay within the rules, then the punishment already meted out is all that will stand. Finally, we can put politics behind us and get back to the racing we all enjoy.

Speaking of which, I have to say that I really enjoy the track at Bahrain. It has a decent amount of elevation change, and it is apparently very hard on the brakes. Jenson Button won the race, making it three out of four for Brawn GP. Lewis Hamilton, aforementioned of the council meeting, has found some speed in the MP4-24 Mercedes, posting a fourth place finish, marking three consecutive points finishes for the Brit with the slow car.

Ferrari is still stuck in their own personal doldrums, with Kimi Raikkonen's sixth place finish at Bahrain coming in as the team's first points finish of the season. 2008 Championship runner-up Felipe Massa has only finished in the top ten once (a ninth place finish at Malaysia) and has already retired from 50% of the races this season, a very inauspicious start.

Another team suffering greatly at the moment is BMW Sauber, who looked impressive in pre-season testing, but has yet to put it together on the track. Lead driver Robert Kubica has run all four races, obviously, but his finishes are less than inspired (14, Ret., 13, 18, respectively). Nick Heidfeld has scored the only points for the team this season. Hey, at least they still have more points (4) than Ferrari(3).

Draft Day 2009

I have been accused of looking at Draft day like it was Christmas. But I’m not going to say I’m sorry. I love it. The NFL Draft is one of my favorite days of the year. I get to watch every team in the league pick who they think will be the next face of their franchise. I get to see who trades up, who trades down, and who just stays put.

Watching the prospective players gather in New York, waiting for their name to be called, and then going up on stage to get the jersey and cap… I love it. The New York fans gather, both Giants and Jets (they are geographically closest to the venue), and usually boo rather loudly, regardless of who is picked.

Speaking of the NY Giants, they pick 29th in the first round this year, but rumor is they are looking to trade up so they can get a certain wide receiver. Darius Heyward-Bey is the supposed target, and he is currently projected to go somewhere between 13 and 19.

The Detroit Lions made it official last night, signing Georgia QB Matthew Stafford to a six year deal worth a reported $72 million, $41.7 million of which is guaranteed.

So here’s the Right Wing 2009 Mock Draft Top 10:

1 Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia
Stafford is a playmaker with an Elway-like arm and poise under pressure. He gives Detroit a franchise QB to build around. And with a weapon like Calvin Johnson, I doubt you’ll hear Stafford complain.

2 St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT Baylor
Smith is one of the better pure athletes in the draft this year, and recently offensive tackles have become regular first round selections. Just last season OT Jake Long went first overall.
Alternate possibility: Aaron Curry

3 Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE LSU
Jackson’s stock has soared recently, and this originally projected late first rounder has climbed the board steadily. The Chiefs need a strong central piece to their defense, and Jackson could just be it.
Alternate possibilities: Aaron Curry, Jason Smith

4 Seattle Seahawks: Mark Sanchez, QB USC
ESPN has single handedly raised the draft value of Mark Sanchez through their man-crush on any and all things USC. Sanchez started only 16 collegiate games, but is apparently worth a very high first round pick. Seatttle’s choice here now essentially hinges the whole draft. If they go a different route than Sanchez, the fun will start around pick 8.
Alternate possibilities: Michael Crabtree, Aaron Curry

5 Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB Wake Forest
Curry is probably the best pure athlete in this draft class. He brings speed to a defense, but he’s mostly an inside linebacker, so he’s more of a run stopper than anything.
Alternate possibilities: BJ Raji

6 Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith, OT Alabama
Smith is a logical choice for the Bengals, who need to better protect Carson Palmer. Smith, though, has raised questions about his desire, and a weak showing at the Combine gave cause to pause.
Alternate Possibilities: Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin

7 Oakland Raiders: Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
Oakland on Draft Day is about like watching a demolition derby, it’s not gonna be pretty, but it will be exciting. The Raiders need a top WR and Crabtree just might be their guy.
Atlernate possibilities: Jeremy Maclin

8 Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
Maclin is a double threat at least, as a receiver and kick returner. Jacksonville likely will hope that Mark Sanchez falls to this spot so they can trade the pick, gather more selections later on.
Alternate Possibilities: Eugene Monroe, BJ Raji

9 Green Bay Packers: Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
The Pack needs to protect Aaron Rodgers, and an SEC O-lineman is as good a choice as any.
Alternate possibilities: Eugene Monroe, BJ Raji

10 San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Maybin, LB Penn State
The 49ers might try going after a QB, but Maybin makes sense here. The Niners will need a strong central figure for their defense.
Alternate Possibilities: Eugene Monroe, BJ Raji

Now obviously we didn’t discuss the possible trades that could take place. A few teams are inquiring about Jacksonville’s eight spot pick, especially Washington and the NY Jets. Both teams are interested in moving up to acquire Mark Sanchez.

The Broncos are a team to watch, as they have the #12 and #18 picks. The Eagles also have two late first round picks, one of which they are projected to use on Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno.

The Atlanta Falcons sit at #24, and were originally projected to select TE Brandon Pettigrew out of Oklahoma State. But two days ago the Falcons trade and 2010 2nd Round pick to KC for TE Tony Gonzalez, effectively ending the Pettigrew projection. The Falcons will likely bolster their defense now. LB Clay Matthews (USC) or DT Peria Jerry (Ole Miss) would both be great additions.

Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix-view

Well, I woke up early this morning, after a very fitful night of irregular sleep, I might add, and watched the practice session for this weekend’s Grand Prix in Bahrain. I think that I might like this track, as there seemed to be a decent amount of action, especially for a practice session.

The track, located in the middle of a desert, has a fair amount of elevation change, though obviously nothing like Spa. See, unfortunately I’m jaded. I mean, anyone would be jaded after seeing a race at Spa. Even you despise Formula 1, Spa is one of the most beautiful tracks on Earth. But Bahrain is different from the other tracks we’ve seen so far, with the only remote comparison being Melbourne. Even though Bahrain has an entire desert to cover, it looks to be about a 3.5 mile track squeezed into about four hundred square feet.

The surface is tricky, as winds will often blow a considerable amount of sand onto the track. RBS Williams driver Nico Rosberg, who for the whole season has been consistently fast in Practice (although he’s yet to translate practice speed into race speed), claims that Bahrain is one of his favorite tracks to race at.

Now that the diffuser issue has been settled, the seven teams without the “trick” diffuser of Brawn, Toyota, and Williams will be rushing to redesign their cars to incorporate the design.

Ferrari has denied claims that they are considering scrapping the 2009 campaign to focus on 2010, but they have held a crisis meeting (at least once).

McLaren is sitting on edge at the moment, as their date before the World Motor Sport Council looms (April 29). McLaren’s sponsors have already started asking for leniency, claiming that a stiff penalty will force them from their sponsorship, and will likely ruin the team. Of course, I believe that the team has been punished enough, as they were disqualified from the race in which the infraction occurred. Any further penalty would seem to be an instance of “piling on” by the FIA. Then again, I truly think the FIA has it out for McLaren. As does team Principal Martin Whitmarsh.

McLaren was called before the WMSC for lying to the stewards at Melbourne. Whether you believe that the team should be further penalized or not is irrelevant. The question I think people should be asking is this: Why did it take race director Charlie Whiting so long to get an answer to McLaren? If he had been a little quicker and more forthcoming with the answers the team requested, this incident likely would not have occurred.

As for today’s practice, it was once again Williams, Toyota, and Brawn toward the front. Fernando Alonso, who had claimed that Renault could fight for the title this year, ran at the back for most of the session. The bottom five had some pretty big names in it, and at the end of practice looked like this:

16 Felipe Massa - Ferrari
17 Robert Kubica - BMW Sauber
18 Kimi Räikkönen - Ferrari
19 Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren Mercedes
20 Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber

So, what about our prediction for Bahrain? Well, here it is:

1. Jenson Button - Brawn GP

2. Nico Rosberg - Williams

3. Mark Webber - Team Red Bull

Chinese Grand Prix-view

The third round of the Formula 1 season takes place this weekend, as the boys with the fast cars take to Shanghai for the second time in less than half a calendar year, and the second time in the span of 5 races. This track hosted the penultimate race of 2008, and now hosts the third race of 2009.

Sebastian Vettel scored the first ever pole for Red Bull racing, and Fernando Alonso finally found some speed in the zamboni they call the R-29. A Red Bull - Renault front row marks the first time this season that Jenson Button and Brawn have failed to be on pole. And now that the Diffusers have been declared legal, look out for a more level playing field... in about six weeks or so. Ferrari still has to sort out what they're doing wrong, Force India would just like to get some points instead of just reliving the glory days of Spyker F1.

McLaren is praying that the FIA suddenly inherits some common sense. At the start of the season it appeared as though there would only be an 18 car grid, which no one wanted. Now, though, it seems like the FIA is clamoring to have that same 18 car grid. Did McLaren lie? Yes. Have they been penalized? Let's see, you took away all the points they scored at Australia, the race in which they lied... so, yeah, I'd say they have. Anything more is just beating someone while they're down.

Speaking of McLaren, Ron Dennis stepped down from his position with the company. No one was surprised.

BMW Sauber is still trying to figure out what has happened to Robert Kubica. His run-in with Vettel at Melbourne seems to have created a snowball of bad luck for the Polish driver. His car broke down and subsequently caught fire at Sepang. And this morning in Shanghai he failed to get out of Q1, landing him P18 to start. I was hoping that the team would get it together, because I like Kubica. And as for that run-in with Vettel, that was what we call a racing incident, no one should've been fined for it, but Vettel took the fall.

Now, on to Shanghai. This track looks like it came straight from mid-Cold War Soviet Russia. Just watch the video and you'll see what I mean. The imposing columns along the outside of the main-straight grandstands look like abandoned-then-converted missile silos. The trademark hairpin turn at the end of the incredibly long back straight is relatively common in F1. All in all, fun track.

Last year Lewis Hamilton drove one of the more dominant races of the season here, winning the pole and never looking back, the Brit won his fifth Grand Prix of 2008. The cars are radically different, so expect a much different outcome this season.

Our Predicted Podium:

1. Fernando Alonso - ING Renault
2. Jenson Button - Brawn GP
3. Sebastian Vettel - RedBull Racing

Tax Day Tea Parties Revistied

Well, we're now a few days removed from the Tax Day Tea Parties, and the hits just keep a-coming.

CNN was falling over themselves to make teabagging references.

One CNN reporter, Susan Roesgen, went out of her way to confront people at the tea party in Chicago. First, she grew upset over someone comparing Obama to Hitler. Now I don't condone comparing American Presidents to the Nazi leader, but I recognize the First Amendment and free speech, even if I disagree. But you have to remember, this is the same Susan Roesgen who, at an Anit-Bush rally in New Orleans two years ago referred to a Bush-mask with a Hitler mustache and devil horns as a "lookalike." Now she's offended because someone is saying the same thing about the Anointed One. Secondly, she spoke to a man who was there with his two-year-old son, and she continually interrupted the man, even as he tried to make a point. He ranting about him being eligible for a $400 credit, and the state of Lincoln receiving $50 Billion in government stimulus were shrilly driving through the man's own point. (I just wish he would've been quick enough to ask her where she thought the government stimulus money was coming from. Eh, Susan? Any ideas?) She then turned back to the camera and said that it was clear that the rallies were anti-government, and they were anti-CNN, as they were promoted by the conservative (read: EVIL) Fox.

Then Anderson Cooper, who I once respected as a journalist, made snide remarks like "It's tough to talk when you're teabagging." Classy.

Keith Olbermann, whose MSNBC program could lose a rating battle with a show titled "Watching Paint Dry," was all too happy to point out that the Tax Day Tea Parties were the corporate brainchild of Fox News and that only stupid, ignorant, racist Americans attended. Janeane Garofalo, as a guest on his show, called the attendees a bunch of racists rednecks who aren't upset about taxes, but hate the fact that a black man is President. She claimed that none of the rally-goers had any idea what the Boston Tea Party was about. All the while Keith Olbermann blithely agrees with every word she says.

Now I'll admit that there were some rather offensive signs at the rallies, but nothing worse than what was gleefully reported about George W. Bush for the last six years or better. Yet when a majority Conservative movement happens it has to be downplayed, and ridiculed. Did Cavuto exaggerate? I don't doubt he did. Point out one journalist on CNN, MSNBC, or Headline News, who hasn't exaggerated. It's become part of mainstream media these days.

The most reassuring thing to me in all of this is that Fox News, whose coverage of the Tea Parties contained no sexual innuendos, and no snide remarks about the event-goers being racist rednecks, out-rated every other broadcast news source for the day. If you listen to one side, please listen to the other side.

And while we're on the subject of taxes, let me just say how thrilled I am that we don't have this stupid Fair tax idea. I mean, why would I want to be taxed 23% at the point of purchase. A sales tax of 6% is already too much. I'm happier with the government going on and taking 35% out of my check before it ever hits my hands. I don't have to do any work, they do it for me. Now I can go watch American Idol.

And yeah, that last paragraphed reeked of a little thing we call sarcasm.

Tax Day Tea Parties

I'm not exactly sure how to go about this. See, a while back I changed the format of the Right Wing to sports and nostalgic humor, and I dropped politics. But I think this requires mention.

Today is Tax Day. Every April 15th you have to get your taxes in or suffer penalties. Firstly, let me state that if we didn't have such a horrifyingly complex tax structure in this country then these tea parties probably wouldn't happen. Of course, when 10% of Americans are paying 72% of the taxes, and roughly 50% of the nation pays next to no taxes at all, it'll be hard to make a change. But these Tea Parties are the first step.

And There are some bastions of conservatism that claim that the Federal government is attempting to draw attention away from the tea parties. President Obama is reportedly making speeches about how the economy is turning around at a more rapid rate than believed possible. And Homeland Security has reportedly released a report that returning veterans could become radicalized right-wing extremists. Sad.

It is a true grass roots movement happening. 5000 people showed up in Cincinnati. Thousands are expected in Atlanta. Sean Hannity will be hosting his nightly show from the steps of the Georgia Capital building.

People are rising up and saying that enough is enough. Taxpayers are tired of essentially being punished for their success so that the "less fortunate" can be given money instead of earning it. And I know that some people have been through bad situations. But at the same time there are freeloaders out there who make their living off receiving welfare money from the fed.

I hope these Tea Parties get out the right message.

The Music of 1994: 15 Years Later

If that title doesn't make you feel old, then... well, it makes me feel old. This is the music I grew up to. These are the bands that made me want to play guitar. And all of this was fifteen years ago.

1994 was a banner year for the music industry. Changes were occurring that would shape the music scene for years, and some would argue that the repercussions are still being felt.

Let's start in February of 1994, when pseudo-indie punk band Green Day launched the crappy-sounding album Dookie. While some of the more wholesome musical pundits decried the album's vulgar title, others actually listened, and were rather impressed. The record peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200, and to this day is the band's highest selling album, with over 15 million copies sold.

Songs like Basketcase, Longview (with it's definitive bass rhythm), Welcome to Paradise, and When I Come Around (which is one of the most memorable songs ever written) set the tone for Green Day's popularity for the next few years, although the indie punk scene immediately labeled the band as a group of sellouts. Apparently these people have never heard of the idea of profitability.

Green Day continued to have success, and they still perform today, but the magic that made Dookie such a fun album just doesn't seem to have returned.

March of '94 saw the release of Superunknown, by Soundgarden. While I can claim that I wasn't really into Soundgarden when they first released this album, I will wholeheartedly agree with those who claim the number one single off the record, Black Hole Sun, is the preeminent anthem of the Summer of '94.

Superunknown debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 5X Platinum in the United States. Soundgarden doesn't exist anymore, but frontman Chris Cornell has made a good living for himself with solo projects and Audioslave.

In April The Offspring arrived. Although they had already released two albums, Smash brought them into the mainstream. The hard rocking punk grunge sound was seemingly unique among all the other bands of 1994. Singles like Come Out And Play, Self-Esteem, and Gotta Get Away brought the band much lauded playtime on MTV, because you have to remember that MTV still played music in 1994, and not just continual reruns of The Real World, and other assorted crap.

The Offspring brought out a sound that we had all heard before, but they did it in a way that was new and exciting. They made the phrase "la la la" part of music again. Seriously, just click on that link to Self-Esteem and you'll see what I mean.

Smash has since been certified 6X Platinum in the United States, with over 16 million copies sold. The band continues to produce records, and many fans applaud their latest release, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (just look up the songs Trust in You (which uses a Latin phrase Quo modo? (maybe the band is made up of college professors)) and You're Gonna Go Far, Kid and you'll see that the new album really does hearken back to the days of Smash) as a return to the sound that made them famous.

Some time passed in 1994 and as December rolled around the world waited patiently for Britain to offer up some kind of good music. And the Brits delivered. On December 5, 1994, the debut album of grunge band Bush hit the shelves. Sixteen Stone was both accepted and rejected by musical pundits. Some said the band sounded too much like Nirvana or Soundgarden. Others said the band didn't sound enough like Nirvana or Soundgarden.

In my opinion, Bush did everything right as a band. The album was capable of maintaining listener interest without having slower songs that tend to sap the interest right out of the album. Singles like Everything Zen, Little Things (which has one of the best opening guitar riffs I can recall), Comedown, and the wildly popular Glycerine (c'mon, you remember the video of the topless chick standing on the chair in an empty house while Gavin Rossdale sulks in the back room playing guitar? I knew you hadn't forgotten.) pushed the band to the main forefront of music for a brief time, but eventually the negative critics gained a stronger footing.

Bush released several albums after Sixteen Stone, like Razorblade Suitcase, The Science of Things, and Deconstructed, but none enjoyed the real commercial success of their debut foray. The last two albums broke away from the grunge sound that made them famous and began some experimental sounds.

In the fifteen years since these albums hit the store music has changed. Rap/Hip-Hop has become steadily more popular. The Indie scene has also become more popular, which almost feels like a contradiction in terms when you type it out like that.

Soundgarden and Bush no longer exist, although the members of Bush, and more to the point, frontman Gavin Rossdale, have hinted at a possible reunion tour in 2009 or 2010. The Offspring are enjoy commercial success with their newest album, and Green Day is still pumping out songs. These four bands made up the music of 1994. Yeah there were other bands, but none of them caught my attention the way these four did. They are the reason I play guitar today.

Formula 1 Grand Prix Preview: Malaysia

The boys with the fast cars go to Malaysia this weekend. Weather forecasts portend rain, so expect some fun racing.

The grand kerfuffle from Australia is still playing out. McLaren faces further penalization, including the possibility of being excluded from the championship. Driver Lewis Hamilton has been rather effectively cleared once the car audio was released. To me, this whole thing seems a grand lot of confusion that seems to have a very simple answer.

I really think I'd like to see Lewis Hamilton in a Brawn GP car next year. He and Jenson Button would make a rather formidable team. But I guess I have to file that under the heading "Things I'd like to see Happen" along with the resignations of Max "Beat Me With a Swastika" Moseley and Bernie "Fifth Beatle" Ecclestone.

As for the prediction for the Malaysian Grand Prix:

Podium:
1. Jenson Button, Brawn GP
2. Sebastian Vettel, Team Red Bull
3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

But the Predictions don't really matter. In a Right Wing exclusive, we have obtained the FIA's finishing order for Malaysia. We obviously cannot reveal our source for this information, but let's just say he had a Nazi power symbol bruise on his forehead...
1. Felipe Massa
2. Kimi Raikkonen
3. Jenson Button
4. Rubens Barrichello
5. Sebastian Vettel
6. Jarno Trulli
7. Nico Rosberg
8. Robert Kubica
9. Adrian Sutil
10. Giancarlo Fisichella
11. Heikki Kovalainen
12. Timo Glock
13. Kazuki Nakajima@
14. Fernando Alonso#
15. Nelson Piquet Jr.
16. Nick Heidfeld
17. Mark Webber
18. Sebastian Buemi*
19. Sebastian Bourdais*
20. Lewis Hamilton +

@: Kazuki Nakajima was awarded five grid spots out of mercy and kindness
#: Fernando Alonso was docked ten grid spots for his past relation to McLaren
*: Scuderia Toro Rosso was disqualified for their refusal to hire anyone not named Sebastian
+: Lewis Hamilton was disqualified when evidence came to light that in third grade he lied about stealing a crayon