Root 3 by Dave Feinberg

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed

Gas is not a commodity

Bikes are.


The ultimate postulate in life: death is bad

OLDCAPCRIT

2 mediocre finishes Sunday. 4rth in the juniors - IScorp controlled the whole thing, Luis theres as usual for a good crash or two. Same place in the cat 4, Geoff got the win which is awesome. He is riding super strong now. Luis made more crashes.

I was a little irritated about it because my legs just did not feel good. Oh well I still got lots of money. Rick Paulos told Carson I that we should wait until after memorial day to upgrade. Which also kind of bothers me, I mean, if i have enough points and I want to whats to stop me? But he had good reasons and I guess I don' t mind doing well in the 4's rather than mid pack in the 3's. I will probably get called a sandbagger for this but it's not my fault, I'd upgrade if i could.

The rest of the day was awesome. Hung out with my girlfriend Sarah most of the day who had a blast even though she had to see me in spandex. Good thing Carson was there to make me look good at least by contrast ;-). She made me promise not to crash too so I'm glad Luis didn't get me also. But someone seriously needs to get it through to that kid that he is not riding safe. Anyray it was nice to just chill and watch races and eat all day.

Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay is really funny.

CARSON HOW WAS YOUR DATE

This lack of emotion is making me emotional

Wow I couldn't pass up writing something with a title that great. It's witty, informative, personal, provocative. I'm not exactly sure myself of what it means though.

Hell is listening to country music on facebook.

Well the inevitable couldn't be avoided. I realize saying that that is kind of redundant, but then again so it that, and that, and that, and that, and that, and that, and that, and that....

My sister always new about the blog, but last Friday she decided to tell my parents. That ended very badly, because evidently if someone wanted to rape me my blog would do nothing but encourage them. Clearly it seems, there are no other ways to find out (widely known) information about me.

However on the plus side, I don't think they actually read any of it. If they had, it would be exponentially worse. If you don't understand that you either didn't read my blog or don't know that my parents are very very catholic.

So if anyone asks, this isn't my blog.

SO, my girlfriend was going to come to the race next weekend but now she can't because my parents decided to do something else and so they can't drive not that i want them to but this time i do because if they don't drive she can't go because her parents think we will have sex and then she will get pregnant and then i will crash the car because i'm a bad driver because i'm a teenager/alcoholic and we will die. they're both being perfectly logical but it still pisses me off cuz my hormones are out of control!

Kent Park

Well it's that time of the week again where everyone starts posting why they did or didn't win the race today. A few honorable mentions from Kent Park:

1) You don't see that every day: The dude with the oval crank that got bent pretty much 180 degrees. Oh my god.

2) Lapped traffic: stay to the right....

4) Punk rock cycling womens team: Jane taking the win

3) Mercy/Specialized: at least we looked good

4) Junior fields: 1

5) Twobeeracing

6) Michael Edwards: Demonstrating the effectiveness of a 30 minute a day training plan, carrying the cat 4's up to the cat 1/2 field within the first mile (scary but fun) of the race, and writing kickass reviews on twobeeracing.com :-)

7) Carson Christen: if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. just joshing...would have beat me if hadn't been cut off at the end. manages to say the f word in the worst possible places

SEX!

Remember when we were kids and we got really pissed off whenever our parents grounded us for doing something wrong? And we just couldn't believe it. If we had a large enough attention span to actually listen, their explanations for why we were being punish just seemed downright preposterous. There is was a complete lack of understanding (on both sides); we might as well have been speaking different languages. Lets see...where am I going with this? Oh yeah...well it seems to me that to a degree it's still going on, even at the ripe old age of 16. But I'm right this time (not that I wasn't before).

Here's what happens. Our parents are brought up with certain moral expectation. Through the course of growing up and being plastered into society, they eventually reject those and come up with their own. This does not necessarily mean they're a "rebel," because this happens to everyone. We just call rebels rebels when they are obnoxiously outward about it. The real rebel doesn't rebel. Anyway, after being thoroughly tested and phased, our parents, well, do it, and have us. Thinking that because they've already gone through the renegading teenager process, they're already one step ahead of our generations renegading teenagers. Thus their authority is justified even if its just a bunch of bologna. It's a vicious cycle.

What annoys me and was the inspiration for this post was when I got the "I trust you" then "something that means I don't trust you." Like my parents trust me not to have sex but if any girl, is at our house, she cannot go into my room. Or whenever I'm on the phone upstairs alone, my parents come up and hang out in the room next to mine. This is not a coincidence. I have no privacy. It seems like a complete contradiction. Saying something in order to set an ideology (brainwashing is not an exaggeration) then setting an example that is completely contradictory to anything that something stands for. It reminds me of doublethink from 1984.
"To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which canceled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them. To use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the party was the guardian of democracy, to forget, whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again, and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself"
Yeah, I just compared my family to a fiction totalitarian government. Ahh it feels so refreshing.

I miss Arizona

I've been spending way more time with my girlfriend than school stuff. And blogging for that matter. Biking hasn't suffered though. Hey, you gotta have you priorities, and mine are (not necessarily in this order): not dying, water, food, bike, girlfriend. However I don't think it will ever come to any sort of conflict that because I'm in high school so I'm not doing anything else.

There is so much roadkill on the road. It's disgusting. I guess I'm not really helping the cause because the other day I hit a skunk. Car stunk for several days afterworlds. My parents were like "what is that smell." Stuff like that shouldn't be on the road anyway! Or maybe its the other way around.

I hate the Lance Armstrong stereotype! Bikesnobnyc brought this up yesterday and I totally agree with it. Most conversations I have with non cyclist about biking are like "so are you gonna be the next lance armstrong?" "no" "hey didn't that guy only have one nut? man that would suck!"

race recaps are over rated

Just read bikeiowa or other blogs. The only reason I read other blogs for race recaps anyway is just so I can see my name and feel good about myself. I'm guessing this is why everyone else does it but maybe or probably not. What do I know.

I have not been in the mode for blogging lately. Maybe its a fear of unintentionally pissing people off that don't deserve it. Who knows. It's just a place for me to take any extreme thought and see where it goes. It's actually kind of fun and can be very enlightening sometimes. I think I go through streaks of posting and not posting so this is a non posting streak. My attempts to post that way have all been half assed and not worth my time or yours. But one day. One day. Not twoday. I will start posting super weird stuff that will blow your mind.

There are many reasons I've heard for blogging. The only decent one is entertainment, and perhaps insight, but I consider that entertainment for the mind. Like food for thought.

So please, if you aren't entertaining, don't blog. We can get less biased and more informative news in the newspapers. We can donate our money to real people that have real reasons for taking out money. We can buy better stuff cheaper anywhere else. We can read the "powerful messages that changed my life" things where they actually came from and probably belong. I'd rather not read about your vocation in life unless I actually consider you're friend of mine, in which case I should know just because thats what friends know by actually talking to one another.

If this blog isn't entertaining enough read this one. And if you catch me writing one of the above prohibited postings just comment with lots of naughty words.. Thats always entertaining.

Educational Madness

Why teenagers are slakcers? Many a time I have pondered this when I should have been doing something. Then my Spanish teacher said "If you don't get this done, that's not good." So my conclusion is, because of authorities in the system in charge of us six hours a day!

Tomorrow marks the last day of school until spring break. So like any good little American fun loving school, we don't do anything at school because its "almost" spring break. In spanish we just talked and watched this trippy music video. In film as lit we played scene it. The trend would continue as the day progressed. So we're about to get off of a week of school so why not just not do anything because its almost time to not do something. Cannot argue with that logic!

Howabout them dollar bills....went below 100 yen today.

First Day of Spring

Thinking that groundhog day just doesn't cut anymore (why did it ever)? ITS A GROUNDHOG. Well I declare this the first day of spring for some slightly (just slightly) more intelligent reasons:

1) I rode to school in shorts
2) I rode to school
3) There were birds flying north
4) I had exposed legs on my 90min recovery ride
5) It is impossible to walk anywhere without getting soaked
6) It is about effing time

All of that and more made it a super wonderful day. I talked to my girlfriend for a while (outside) after school and that is going really well too. I'm sure she wouldn't want me saying it, but she is absolutely amazing. Mushy mushy lovey dovey. This daylight savings time thing rocks. I'm off to go have some tea OUTSIDE. Go do something.

Any of you mercy guys know when the clothes are coming in? I've been forced to ride naked all winter

Weekend

I actually did stuff this weekend. I laughed! I cried! I lost 15 pounds! So for those of you (none of you) who think all teenagers do is sex, drugs, and rock and roll, you're wrong. We just like sex and rock and roll.

The vicious cycle of cold early season rides:
0-10 minutes: "hey this is great! spring is just around the corner, its even sunny out! Oh my god it burns! I forgot about the sun....
10-20 minutes: fingers start to tingle...still better than riding inside
20-30 minutes: "THIS SUCKS I HATE WINTER AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
30-? minutes: "..." (too cold to move mouth)
post ride, inside: "man that was great! can't wait to do it again tomorrow!"

it's funny cuz its true

So this dude in my class has brought this fake plastic owl (one thats supposed to scare the rats away) to school everyday for the past week. "He needs an education too!" But someone today stole him! If you have seen this owl please notify him. He reportedly responds to "Paul."

When I/If I have kids, I'm never going to ground my kids for bad grades. That's really dumb. If they're passionate about something, who cares what their grades are? I think I would congratulate them on having bad grades. At least they're doing something they actually want to do and not being obsessed with success within the system. I'm mad at myself for getting straight A's. Maybe I'll just quit school and ride my bike all day...oooooh man.

This weekend there is this thing that is called the 30 hour famine. Basically you don't eat for 30 hours and do community service, then when its over, you pig out, are told how wonderful you are for doing such a noble thing then you can go home and brag about it. I've heard there is a bunch of Christianity involved in it also. That bothers me. Maybe I shouldn't talk because I haven't done it (biking) but it seems very very hypocritical and just a way for Christians to spread the word of god. Not that there is anything wrong with that because I respect their beliefs. But it is a school activity and if what I've heard was true I wish someone would do something about it. I dislike the way a lot people go about community service. They either look to get some satisfaction out of it, or they do it completely for the benevolence of others. I for one do not want to sell myself so easily! We have this thing at school where if we do 40 hours of community service, we will receive a blue cord around our robes at graduation. I would rather do it if they didn't!

Politics are boring and frustrating. Our current political haps have been perhaps the most inefficient way of dealing with things since Sparta. Just that word makes me cringe so I'm not going to say it, like how they don't say Voldemort in Harry Potter. Here is a great example what I like to call blogotics. Which wonderfully illustrates the shortcomings of both of these creations.

Mathmatical representation of my current social life (adolescent sex drive). If you figure it out I will buy you coffee and we will have an intelligent conversation and find the meaning of life.

x+y = 2yx
v=∞
y+w = yw
x+y+z+q=4zyzq
x≥y
x+z ≠ xz
z+ y≠ zy
v+z≠vz

Profound thoughts on an oatmeal box

As I was eating oatmeal like a good little healthy cat 4 this morning, I naturally read the box.

"Put in one packet of oatmeal and add 3/4 cups of hot water. For two packets add 1 cup of hot water"

That little diddy just about threw me out of my pants with thought provoking (high speed on demand) action. It also doesn't make any sense. It seems like something along the lines the more you want the less you have to put into it. (?)

Or maybe that is what they wanted me to think so that I would just eat the whole box, because using my highly attuned math skillz by then I would actually need negative amounts of water to make it.

My conclusion is that it was just a cheap subliminal way to sell more.

ride a bike

I hate how people complain about the weather when they don't even go outside. Why the hell do you people even care? Oh yeah I remember, its because you can't be uncomfortable for 10 seconds on the 20 foot walk from your car to the school. The only people who have a right to complain about the weather are bikers! Like me. So since I'm the only person in the school who is a biker, (therefore superior to everyone else) I'm the only one who can complain about the weather. If you want to complain about the weather get your ass off of the couch and go ride a bike in it. Then you can complain.

I forgot colour my bike was

I just got done washing three of my bikes, it turns out my mountain bike is actually supposed to be white and not ..dirt. My old allez was also covered in that lovely organic material that people hate but if it wasn't here, we'd be dead >_<. It makes me kind of sad to see my bikes dirty but then its also satisfying to know that I'm getting my money's worth. Tomorrow I'm gonna ride to the car wash and wash my bike. Whoa jimmy you can't do that! Just watch me.

We had another jazz band competition today. It was super fun. I talked to people that I've never talked to before. I've noticed how a persons face tells you everything. It's kind of like a complicated book all in one page. Whenever you want to think about someone just think about their face. Everything thought you've processed about that person either with them or away from them all goes into the image that is their face.

Carson, this debate we're having is very one-sided.

Political mish-mash

Talking about politics has become the cool thing to do. The problem with this is that people say shit that is directly taken from someone else or just total ignorant blather. Then everyone thinks that they are smart. At Mount Vernon political conversations are become more fashionable than low cut shirts. On men (eww). Not kidding.

Today I also noticed how different religion seems to be synonymous with social groups. Must be the way people were raised, and the close-mindedness of small town iowa. I'm proud to be part of the nerdy/athiest group. On the other side of the lunchroom are the jocks/catholics. We also have emo/agnostics (ironic), and of course the evangelical/evangelicals who don't seem to have any hobbies but going to church groups and singing about how jesus is gonna save you baaaaaaabeeh and if he don' you be goin to heeeelllll so you better be saved motha fucka. Hallelujah. There is about a zero exchange rate in terms of dating between the groups. As you can imagine my selection is limited.

Funny quote of the day:
At the tour of california, by the live announcer, refering to the one and only Tom Zirbel..."This town used to be called PASADENA but today it's called PAAAAAAIN CITTTEEHHHY!!!."

I hate life

Today sucked. Figures, back into cold, snowy, crappy weather that should be at least 30 right now, but no, its still 20. 20 was good enough for a 60 minute session on the mountain bike, a ride that somewhat resembled cyclocross racing in that the gravel roads were all really muddy and wet. There were puddles everywhere, and it was 20 degrees. Must be some sort of mutated water from hell, or heaven, doesn't make any difference to me, either one existing would mean I'm going to hell.

I'm working on an independent film with a friend of mine. I think we're going to explore a concept that I made up called "loss of societal focus on the individual". It sounds interesting enough now, we will see where it takes us.

Some teachers are being real toilets. With all these snow days they are all complaining about being behind. But we make up all of the snow days, so there shouldn't be a problem. Clearly there is a big lack of communication somewhere, but anyway the result is me doing homework at 11 at night with no end in sight.

There are some people who obviously don't understand the concept of having a brain. Quote-unquote "I hate thinking." This surprised me not only because of what was said but because of who said it. Why can't there be any hot smart people that are in love with me? That would make everything so nice and simple.

This all sounds really close minded and immature but then what are blogs for. I think I'm only happy when I'm biking. Peace out bitches

The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated

I stayed in LA another day. Good thing, it finally stopped raining. Hung out in Long Beach with my Aunt. Totally worth missing another day of school

The tour of California was fricken awesome. Seeing Tom Zirbel on his solo break for 5 laps was truely amazing, the crowds were SO loud, everyone wanted him to win. Oh well, he got caught the last lap and George Hincapie stole the win. Cycling is cruel.

Neutral Service

Start in Santa Clarita

Some of the Team Cars

So if you are going to see a race, see the tour of California. The pro's were just walking around the team cars and the hotels, it was sweet, definitely a better place to get autographs/pics than the sign in. There were maybe 10 people in the parking lot where most of the teams hung out. Don't tell anyone.

Couldn't find the CSC bus, maybe a good thing....I probably would have tackled Jens and Fabian and JJ.
Graham Watson, it was totally sweet, he was just walking around. No one seemed to know who he was.

It poured rain in Pasadena, the specialized jacket SUCKS in rain, I was freezing. But I didn't care.

All I have to say is Tom Zirbel is my hero. The crowds were, rightfully so, going absolutely nuts. Everyone wanted him to win. He's definitely the real winner in my mind.

First race of the year this Saturday. It's a ridiculously technical race at prarie high school that goes over tennis courts and sidewalks. Gotta love 2beeracing races.

The death penalty sucks

We watched dead man walking in sociology class today and watching some one get lethally injected makes me want to throw up.

I'm packing for California...I'm excited except it's going to rain on Sunday. Again, I might add, it has rained for that race the whole week and yesterday it took them 7.5 hours to ride 135 miles. Ceeerazzzy.

There is a WPA (women pay all) dance saturday. Being the nerd/dork/biker/can't talk good conversations person that I am I didn't get asked..sigh. Good thing I guess with the California plans. I didn't want to go anyway!

I hope I get Jens Voigt's' Autograph

Are you on a retarded soccer team?

I got some wool socks today. It's like the coolest fucking thing ever. Light, comfy, warm, cool (seriously), breathable, and they don't smell even after sweating a whole bunch. I cannot recommend them highly enough. I cannot recommend this website highly enough either.

My responsibilities as a jazz band member require me to actually do stuff sometimes, and tomorrow I'm going to a jazz band competition. So I'm supposed to be at school at 7, right? Well, my sister, who is a time Nazi, and who has been known to tell me between 3 and 10 or more times before something exactly what time we have to leave, thinks otherwise. This is generally about half a efing hour before we really have to leave, and I'm sure tomorrow will not disappoint. Great, I love being at school for 9 hours.

Ever notice how certain words or phrases make no sense when you think about them? Like specialized...what the hell. That is the stupidest name ever for a brand. The back cover of cycle sport with Paolo Bettini this month illustrates this rhetoric well:

1) What those things on his arms? Correct me if I am wrong, but I think they are radiators. For sure a great way to advertise bikes, by comparing a human to a car.
2) There also appears to be some sort of medieval armor on his shoulders...
3) His arms are either: In aero bars, which is supid because its not a time trial bike
Dangling out in space (literally), because there are no handlebars at all
4) His leg says "I am specia"

It would be nice if their jacket said "specialized bicycles" or something, not just specialized, because someone actually asked me if I was on a retarded soccer team.

"Yes" I replied...while silently, yet profusely cursing the retarded soccer team's clothing designers.

Tip for parents

Don't beat around the bush

"So, me and mom were maybe thinking that because you didn't clean your room you should probably not go out tonight"

Evidently I need psychiatric help

True to my coffee shop obsession today I went to fuel so I could write on my blog about going to fuel. I rode my bike the 3 miles in town, yeah I even surprise myself sometimes. Turns out it was alright, I didn't freeze my ass off and I didn't crash despite pretty much riding the whole way on naked ice.

So there was this one smartass dude (driving an SUV) that came in, and after seeing my bike outside said (in all seriousness), "anyone who rides their bike needs psychiatric help."

Of course I couldn't think of anything incredibly witty/smartass to reply with so I just ignored him. But WTF? I glad you satisfied your ego SUV man, but maybe you would like to explain to me how riding a bike implies psychological problems? Yes, I'm a psychopath. I like to torture myself in the cold. Thats why I ride my bike wearing more coats than Eskimos to warm coffee shops to drink hot coffee.

Riding a bike somewhere is so much more satisfying to me than driving. It's relaxing, non stressful (here anyway, where traffic is minimal), peaceful and quiet, and leaves a small sense of accomplishment rather than a small sense of regret .

Whining Winter Weariness

Only 4 weeks until spring break, and 6 weeks to Kent Park. That sounds so unbelievable. There is over a foot of snow on the ground.

The plan today was to ride to school and get my workout afterwards outside. That didn't happen. I chickened out in the morning and took a ride with my dad into work and rode the bus home. I rode for 30 minutes outside then came back home not because of the snow, not because of the ice, not because of the roads, just because it was cold and my toes and fingers were numb. Which makes me realize, that is pretty much what I've done every single day for the past 3 months.

At least today was Valentines Day.

This weekend I'm going to the tea house in Iowa City with some friends. Should be a good time.

mvlug.doesntexist.org

It's a website created by my friends. Why you ask? I asked the same thing. Lets take a look:


[21:02:11] Jimi: so what are the goals/aspirations for the site
[21:02:30] David: its just freedom to do whatever on it i guess
[21:04:23] Jimi: like an open source thing
[21:04:30] Jimi: it exists because it exists
[21:04:45] David: yeah
[21:04:58] David: although i don't know if thats the definition of open source, haha.
[21:05:05] Jimi: its like hello kitty
[21:05:17] David: YES
[21:05:23] David: exactly
[21:05:27] Jimi: not a definition, just a philisophical observation

This was an online conversation. Names have been changed to protect those involved. Or have they? But just by throwing that in it makes it even more uncertain, and therefore more efffective. Ha!

What I got out of my Arizona trip

1) As I thought before, I would love to go to college down here (there). I've always loved the southwestern region of the country and want to use college as an opportunity to live in it. Iowa is great 9 months of the year, and winter definitely has a certain beauty to it. But I like to ride a lot, and I like to ride outdoors. I'm not one of those freaks who can ride for 5 hours indoors. Also, I'm only really committed to college for 4 years. I can always come back.

2) Having seriously considered college once more I no longer really know what I want to major in. I've narrowed it down to these. Can you do a octuple major?
Philosophy
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Journalism
English
Mechanical Engineering
Sociology

3) Cars are everywhere and they suck, but they're a necessity. There its lots of traffic in the Phoenix area and I can say it sucks all I want. But I use cars just like everyone else, its simply impractical to bike/commute long distances. That said, driving down a mile to school is ridiculous. It doesn't take a monster effort to bike and its just as fast if not faster.

4) The emo syndrome is everywhere. There are emo kids in Mount Vernon, Iowa. There are emo kids in Phoenix, Arizona. There are probably emo bacteria on mars by now.

All in all it was probably the best vacation I've ever had. Great food, great people, great places and great biking. I logged about 21 hours of mostly good solid tempo over 7 days.

crap......

It rained all day. No biking.

Tucson-U of A and Mt. Lemon pics

All the decommissioned planes come here.

Mall at U of A. Its a great college, very big and busy, but a good "campus" feel.

Some cool buildings. This was the bookstore I think.

One of the architecture buildings. A very modern building covered in rusty old iron scaffolding. It looks very interesting.

?

Student Union

Close to the base of Mt. Lemmon on the Catalina Highway. There was a big bike lane all the way up and traffic was light.

3 miles up

5 miles


20 miles and 7,000 feet up, there was lots of snow here. Very cold.

The view close to the top, too bad it was only 35 degrees

who's that stud?


Le Buzz coffee shop near the base of the mountain. Best place in the world...I could walk around in spandex without being stared at, and they had plenty of food. Whats with this caltech poser?

Flagstaff

Wow, so much has happened in the past few days I'm really tired so this will be quick and probably kind of not readable.

Thursday my dad and I flew direct in to Phoenix/Mesa airport. We ate in Phoenix outside, then drove up to Flagstaff on the Interstate, which was surprisingly scenic. We checked in at the inn then ate and crashed. Friday morning I took a tour of the NAU campus. It was mostly good except for the fact that it is cold there, there was about a foot of snow on the ground, however still warmer than Iowa. After the tour we drove on 89A, a gorgeous state road that goes down the mountain to Sedona, where we ate and drank coffee.

Ended up in Phoenix and I managed to squeeze in a 60 minute ride up Usery Pass. Everything was beautiful, I took about 50000000 pictures, here's some of them.

Drive to Flagstaff

Inn at NAU, super cheap and run by students. Free breakfast. Overall great quality.

Downtown Flagstaff

State road out of Flagstaff


Sedona


The BADASS steakhouse LOL

Usery Pass


Right now I'm in Tucson, Today we drove down and checked out U of A which I loved, then I rode Mount Lemmon. I actually made it to the top, except it was really cold up there since it is at almost 9000 feet. I didn't notice the altitude that much though. I think I averaged 12 going up and 40 going down. Wahoo. Ended up being a 3.5hr ride, I'll probably do it again tomorrow before heading back to Phoenix for the rest of the week. I'll have Mt. Lemmon pics later when I'm settled and not starving and exhausted.

vacation time

So after reading this, and exchanging more emails with Steve, I am absolutely ecstatic about going to Phoenix. Steve and his wife have been gracious enough to let me hang at their place in Scottsdale for a week. I am extremely lucky to know great people like them.

I'm leaving this Thursday, driving to Flagstaff with my dad right away, Visiting NAU, then driving back to Phoenix and getting on the bike as soon as possible. Probably biking around Usery Pass area.

Saturday we're going to Tucson to see U of A, and of course to bike Mt. Lemmon. From what I've heard its an absolute bikers paradise down there, the road on the mountain climbs 6000 feet on relatively quiet, paved roads. It goes through 4 different ecological strata systems, dessert to alpine. Pretty much reason enough to go to college there.

Sunday we'll head back early and chillax before my dad has to fly out because of work.

My plan for the week will be pretty much, get up early and bike for 4 hours, get back and eat, sleep, eat, walk the dog, go downtown and pick up chicks, hang out at coffee shops, head back and do homework, chill at the house, then sleep. Tubular cool awesome rad sweet radical gnarly amazing groovy tight badass excellent hot sick wicked bodacious fantastic funky good great hip killer.

Wednesday there is a crit that I might do, I'll get pwned, because the last time I sprinted was during the Clinton Administration (not really), and DQed for not having junior gears, but it will be a good workout.

It's really lame to brag about the weather in vacation places but I'm not a conformist. Forecast looks awesome..mostly high 60's, but might have to deal with rain this time of year for a day or two. No worries.

Back to purgatory. Today with temps pushing 30 (which felt really warm) I rode outside for 1.5 hours with 20 minutes of LT. Not as long as I was hoping for but my feet were getting numb. Spend most of the rest of the day working ahead in school to lessen my load in AZ. One thing I am taking note of is how long it takes me to do 7 days of school work. My prediction is that it won't be 52.5 hours (7 days from 7:30-3:00). It will probably be 1/4-1/5 of that, which says a lot, I think.

THE HIVES ARE PLAYING IN CHICAGO FEBRUARY 29TH

Be there.

Got those babies cheap off ebay. Gotta look pretty in Phoenix....nieyne dayz byee teh wayee I appreyeciaytee yoor consurn
Peyce oout bitshes

Coffee hangover

This weekend I had lots of coffee and lots of americanos (americani?). I'm paying for it now with one of those caffeine craving headaches.

Check out this blog, there is some interesting stuff regarding gay marriage, with some thoughts added by yours truly.

I've been wanting to post essays that I've written for school on here for a while, and my good buddy David has inspired to do so. Here is an analysis on abortion I wrote for a class called Problems in a Modern Society. Thoughts/criticism/questions appreciated.

The topic of abortion has been a common ground for argument for a long time. Virtually every American is either pro-abortion or anti-abortion, and most feel very strongly in their respective views. In 1973, the government took its first stance on the subject in the trial of Roe v. Wade. The outcome was basically an elimination of all of the previous state and federal laws preventing abortion. Later, in 1989, the result of a court case called Webster v. Reproductive Health Services stated that states no longer have to fund abortions, and must protect viable life (20 weeks). As a result of another famous case in 1992 named Casey v. Planned Parenthood, Parental consent is required for a minor desiring an abortion. Strong feelings are evident outside of the courtroom as well. Picketers are frequent near abortion clinics and other related services, such as birthright. More radical groups have been known to take it so far as to bomb abortion related infrastructure. In addition, 1.2 million abortions have been reported since 1973.

Essentially the fundamental argument exists because of the different definitions of human life, and the notion that life is worth protecting. Scientists have defined it as when the fetus is capable of living outside of a mother’s womb, around 24-28 weeks. A Christian doctrine is that life begins at conception. Some believe that life begins at birth. However, the government has not specified a clear definition of life, but is required to protect it under the constitution.

I believe the government should legalize abortion and fund it like any other medical service offered currently. Being pro abortion does not advocate abortion; it advocates the option of abortion. Women should have this choice because a fetus is inside them, with them not only physically but also biologically. Physical and biological presence leads to a mental and psychological presence also. There are women who find this burdensome, not just the few extra pounds, but also the physiological and emotional effects. Given the option of abortion the mother can keep her privacy in all these aspects.

Legalizing abortion promotes safe methods of the process. Similar to the effects of prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s in the United States, outlawing abortion would promote illegal methods. In fact, outlawing alcohol had opposite effects than the government intended. Rather than simply quitting, drinkers sought “shady” back alley places to drink. The use of alcohol reportedly increased during this time period due to the “rebel” image of breaking the law. Like prohibition, outlawing abortion encourages “back alley,” unregulated methods of carrying out the abortion. This increases the risk of mistakes and grimy conditions putting the mother’s life in danger. Outlawing abortion could even result in more deaths because of this effect. A very large percentage of women want abortion services and will utilize them legal or not. Illegal “abortion clinics” would become common due to the sheer demand. Outlawing abortion could even result in more deaths because of this effect.

Technically, abortion is no different than abstinence. At this moment, the world population is capable of producing billions of babies, if all of the approximately three-billion sperm connected with the approximately three-billion eggs. The connection between the two is just another process in the cycle of human life. Am I a murderer for not having sex right now? Logically, moral significance withstanding, the answer to that question would be yes. Acting purely on moral basis alone the government’s decision to outlaw abortion would be absurd and flawed.

The United States government does not allow bills to evolve into laws based on morals. It acts for the interests of the people. 29% of pregnancies result in an abortion. 71% of pregnancies result in a birth. Legalizing abortion on the federal level gives both of these populations adequate compensation for their personal desires and beliefs.

Build 1 week 3 has been terminated because indoor biking has somewhat resembled gouging your eyes out with a chain ring. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Yesterday was the second to last day of Build 1. I had 2 hours planned, with 2 25min LT intervals. This was the third (hardest) week so I hadn't been feeling very good on the bike earlier in the week. So yesterday I started up riding tempo and felt absolutely horrible. I thought it would feel better once I got going but nope. It got 10 times worse in the LT interval and 10 minutes in I had to stop. This morning my legs felt really sore and they still do so I think I will just start my rest week today.

Have you ever noticed how some cyclists compare themselves/other cyclists to cars? "It felt really good to fire up the ol' engine again" or "His legs are like pistons" or "I don't have any gas" Seems kind of demeaning.

10 days till I go to Phoenix...I can't wait. I am going to visit colleges in Flagstaff and Tucson and to bike lot a lot.

This is just ridiculous:
Current temperature for Mount Vernon, Iowa, United States-4
Current temperature for Base Marambio Centro Met. Antartico, Antarctica-32

Ok, its summer for them. But still.

I am not a terrorist T-shirt

From the website:

After reading about blogger Raed Jarrar's experience at JFK (he was forced to take off a shirt with Arabic writing on it or miss his flight; new BBC article), I finally stopped being depressed about the war on terror and began being proactively pissed off. I made this shirt, which says "I am not a terrorist" in Arabic. I plan to wear it every time I go to the airport from now on.

We have already given away too many freedoms in the name of war on terror. Freedom of speech cannot be one of them.

To quote Bruce Schneier:

"The point of terrorism is to cause terror, sometimes to further a political goal and sometimes out of sheer hatred. The people terrorists kill are not the targets; they are collateral damage. And blowing up planes, trains, markets or buses is not the goal; those are just tactics. The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act."

Nothing like coming home from a bike ride and being..

LOCKED OUT OF YOUR OWN HOUSE. So thats what happened to me today and we don't have a key under the mat that we don't have either. Cursing was involved. So I decided to break in through a window that wasn't locked, I was actually able to open it from the outside. If you're planning on breaking into my house, thats the way to go. Please don't. Not that that would stop you but if you wanted to I'm sure you would find another way anyways. It must have looked really interesting from the road, I was covered in pretty much all black, and of course a ski mask.

I disagree with how the school system is run, but I have enormous respect for teacher's and I do think they should get paid more. Not that they do it for the money, but it would be nice to see our government doing something besides killing Iraqi's.

Walk-in toilet

When I have billions of dollars I'm going to patent stuff. Like a Walk-in toilet. Wouldn't that be sweet? You could go wherever you wanted.

Cyanide and Happiness

Thanks Caitlin

If I could vote, I would vote for Dennis Kucinich

Rode a total of 6 hours this past weekend, it was like 50 but wet and muddy which made it kinda cold. However Sunday I even had exposed legs, what a novelty.

Been taking naps after school, it's a nice way to relax and recover quicker from hard rides.

So finals start tomorrow. Check out these articles on the high school system.
America's Failing Public School System
School Sucks Balls
Forced Education Sucks
Unschooling
We had an interesting discussion in American Lit. today, which is one of the few classes that I get a lot out of. The notion was that the school system and society are forming students into a mold, and that people are all becoming "conformists" and extremely resistant to change. Rather than being true to ones self, it is simply easier to "knock under and go with the stream" as Thoreau said. Big Brother is really watching you.

A revolution in the economy? This book talks about the advantages of collective innovation.

this cd rocks

Good ol' modern rock