Friday, May 24, 2013

Curse? There is NO curse.

The saga of computer replacement for TOPWLH has reached new levels of insanity.  The first one was a major POS, I took it back and claimed that it was all her idea.  This is OK in this instance because she uses the same strategy ALL the time for returns, i.e. it was my husband.

The second new computer worked for a few days and then turned itself off.  When turned back on it declined to participate, turning itself back off.  Then it launched itself into a bizarre sequence of turning itself on and off while sitting on the desk with NO ONE TOUCHING IT.  Not acceptable, clearly, and that one went back too.

No huge problems with number 3 yet (except for that pesky and totally non-intuitive Windows 8).  But with the most recent download of Firefox the primary user has acquired a Bing weather bug on her Yahoo start page.  I know about Bing, of course, it now does my searches.  I have, however, until now avoided any overt manifestation of the Bing or the Bing tool bar or any of the other things Bing.  She loves the Bing and reported earlier today that Bing predicts a return of 2M*R beginning at 6pm this evening and lasting for another four days.

*sigh*

It was OK when I set out if a trifle chilled for this late in May but by the time I returned they were socking it in, clouds feeling like rain.

*sigh*

I rode down towards the southeast and discovered that the road construction behind the Capitol is complete.  Traffic is passing in all four directions.  I got this view of what the newspapers have begun to refer to as "the crumbling Capitol building" from near the new light rail station.
It's old, it's made of marble (not the most durable of stones), it gets heavy use, it needs some major repairs.  Crumbling state Capitol building.

I was headed over towards Summit Avenue but paused for the traditional front view including hero of labor Floyd B. Olson.
It can be tricky trying to line up a shot on an LCD screen in bright sunlight.  I got Floyd just fine but missed a bit of the spire at the top of the dome.

*sigh*

I am doing the best I can.

So, the heir apparent called us up this morning and threatened a major usurpation of the lead role in picking the race.  Isn't the heir apparent a vassal who should still be at least mildly subservient to the lord of the realm?  That's the way it works on Game of Thrones anyway.  My problem is probably that I DO NOT HAVE DRAGONS.

Just when I was getting ready to sell naming rights.

I invented this thing, I have promoted it, I have participated, I have even won.

So here goes:  First I must address the matter of the curse.  There is NO curse.  Rex Mays for example, started the race 12 times including 4 times from the pole and led 9 of the 12 races.  Number of wins?  Zero.  Nada.  Zilch.  Has anyone ever heard a whisper about a Mays family curse?

I thought not.

These Andrettis have at least won the thing.

And my prediction is that they will again.

With the first selection in the Gino's Diet Mountain Dew Indy 500 winner pool, Gino selects Marco Andretti.

I nominate the usurper to go second (sorry Santini but I have to throw her some bone or she will take over the whole deal), Santini third, GRider four, Jimi five.

Anyone else who wants to participate will have to jump in after Jimi.  I will leave a decent interval after he picks before I initiate the second round.

Also all should please be advised that as the blogger of this blog I have the power to delete comments.  It is a power of staggering importance but one which I much prefer to not have to use.

Everyone behave themselves.

23 comments:

Santini said...

!@#~$%^)*&(?

Just testing.

Jimi said...

The capitol looks pretty good for a 100+ year-old building that's crumbling. It looks like it may get rejuvenated with the chunk of money that the legislature allocated. $100 million ?

I hope there are some good drivers left when I get to draft. I'm a little uneducated on this years race, but I'll be ready when it's my turn.

BDE said...

Fourth?! I am fourth to choose? Are you aware that I am TOPWLH? I believe this is unprecedented and I wish to log a protest. Of course, this comment will probably be deleted.

Gino said...

I suppose it goes without saying that I didn't expect ANYONE to behave.

After consultation with the naming rights owner, the blogger of this blog says that everyone can just go ahead, make some selections. Every selection will have to be honored by later selectees unless, of course, the selections have been deleted.

Santini said...

Looks like you could really have used a few dragons to keep any semblance of order. So for Gino's Diet Mountain Dew Indy 500, I like Dario Franchitti (the oldest guy) for my first pick, and the Iron Maiden as a back up. If Dario doesn't get picked before it is my turn, whenever that may be, then the Iron Maiden is my first choice as a second pick. (Simona de Silvestro). Gender solidarity and all, besides her name sounds a lot like Santini.

Gino said...

Anarchy!

BDE said...

I am not sure if I am supposed to pick now, but Santini did. My first choice is James Hinchcliffe.

Jimi said...

I'd like Scott Dixon or Ed Carpenter, if available, or else I'll go with the Japanese guy, Takuma Sato.

Who has been chosen??

Emily M said...

Turns out my gym has wifi, so I will not be left behind. Huzzah! The usurper chooses Will Power.

BDE said...

I would like Helio as my second pick if he is available and when it is my turn, of course. No computer at my parents.

Emily M said...

2nd pick: Tony Kanaan. Is it my turn again yet?

Gino said...

And, of course, anarchy ensues.

The naming rights sponsor and the administrator are pleased to provide this recap of the first round of Gino's Diet Mountain Dew Indy 500 winner pool:

Gino takes Marco, outside front row.
On wifi at the gym takes Will Power, outside row 2.
Santini gets Franchitti from row 6 already?
TOPWLH takes James Hinchcliffe, outside row 3.
Traveling man takes Dixon, also row 6.

Round two:
Gino who always always selected AJ Foyt takes the next best thing AJ Almendinger, the Penske car in the middle of row 2.
Wifi likes Kanaan.
GRider gets Castroneves.
Santini can have Simona de Silvestro if you are sure but that pick from row 8 will be a lap down before they complete 75 miles.
Jimi takes the pole, Ed Carpenter.

I will announce my pick for the third round at around noon.

Retired Professor said...

Emily made me laugh out loud. The Usurper says Huzzah! Funny stuff.

Retired Professor said...

I think I'll go with EJ Viso, from the Andretti team, as my second round choice, and save de Silvestro as my third pick. (Assuming she's still available at that point.)

Gino said...

I feel a tiny bit sheepish because I know the guy on the road wants this driver but after claiming to always pick AJ Foyt, I now cannot resist actually picking him. My third round pick is the lead driver for AJ Foyt Racing, the 14 car of Takuma Sato. That gives my one each from Andretti Autosport, a Team Penske and an A.J. Foyt Racing, a first row, second row and 6th row.

Emily M said...

Was there a Carlos in the first row? I'll pick him.

Now using data at lunch.

Jimi said...

Any Mann named Pippa deserves to be chosen, and since I haven't chosen a woman yet, given a chance I'll go with Pippa. She's also a Brit.

BDE said...

That leaves only me for a third pick. I will go with Ryan Hunter Reay, thus hoping one of the cars in Row 3 will win!

Gino said...

3rd round summary:

Gino: AJ's car (Sato)
Emily: some dude named Carlos. That's be Munoz, middle of the front row.
Santini: the administrator awards Viso at this juncture, inside row 2.
Jimi takes Pippa Man from row 10. Good luck with that.
TOPWLH completes her selections by completing row 3, selecting Ryan Huntger-Reay give her all three drivers on that row. Good luck with that too.

I note news reports credit the fastest laps on carburetion to the unselected French guy Simon Pagenaud, 7th row.

18 Chevrolet engines, 15 Honda. I have two Chevrolets and a Honda.

Gino said...

Too many windows open at once there resulting in several spelling and syntactical errors.

*sigh*

Retired Professor said...

But perhaps a record number of comments for a single post. (Among the people currently or formerly known as Millers.)

Retired Professor said...

That would be bloggers, not commenters, of course. Oh, forget I said anything. Blog administrator, could you delete these last two comments? Thanks.

Gino said...

I have the absolute power to delete. Absolute power MUST be used with great care as intemperate use of absolute power is certain to lead to anarchy.

WAIT! We already have anarchy.