What I did on my "winter vacation"

Wow, has it really been a month since I posted here? Funny that the last post should be a report from a winter half marathon and this post is the night before another race (the Around the Bay 30K race in Hamilton). I'm fighting a pretty bad head cold, so I'm not sure if I'll "race" or just "run"...

I've been writing during this intermission but mostly arguing with smug global warming denialists on a "scientific" web site. It's amazing how they can keep bringing up the same discredited arguments and flawed logic and think that they're clever. Every now and then I go through a phase of feeling obligated to point out their incorrect facts and falsehoods but as George Bernard Shaw advised, "never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."

So what else is happening? I've seen a few films. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - an interesting film but left me a bit flat. Watchmen - good special effects and an interesting premise of "superheroes" as deeply flawed vigilantes. But poorly executed and I could have done with less time spent with a large glowing blue penis waving in my face...

Last weekend I was on set for three days straight, often pretending to read a prop book. Given the time I was facing I decided to read the damn thing cover to cover. Train by Pete Dexter. It was a quick read, luckily. Train is a "film noir" novel set in 1950's L.A., mainly about a black boy with a gift for golf. A bit racially stereotyped, but it kept me going.

This evening it Melbourne Australia will be the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. Big changes to the rules are in place and team financing is in turmoil because of the economic downturn. The rule changes, aimed at increasing the chances to overtake, are as follows: electrical energy boost allowed for six seconds per lap, slick tires again, restricted aerodynamic parts to reduce turbulence for following cars, two adjustments to the front wing allowed per lap. Other changes are aimed at reducing the cost of racing, they might show up as lower reliability or less chances to improve the car during the season. At the end of qualifying in Melbourne, Brawn GP Racing, a team cobbled together after Honda abruptly pulled out of F1 a few months ago, is going to have both their cars in the front row so this may be an interesting season!

Listening to: Wherefore And Why by Gordon Lightfoot from Gord's Gold.