Tuesday, April 28, 2009

New Poll - Cycling Death Watch 1

Per the recommendation of Burt Hoovis, Pappillon features its first-ever poll: Which velo-drama will happen first?

[NOTE: Poll is in right-side menu bar at top of the column ---->]

This Cycling Death Watch asks the question: will Rock Racing kick the bucket before Philly, leaving Paco Mancebo on the dole, or will the race once known as the CoreStates United States Pro Cycling Championship (which was won by Roberto Gaggioli of all people in 1988) disappear from the calendar and fade into the wikipedia category, "Defunct cycling races," alongside former monuments like the Thrift Drug Classic and the Tour de Trump?

I'm not a gambling man, but if I was, I'd still have no idea how to handicap this or even offer odds. So, if anyone from the old Sportsbook.com team is in my audience, please feel free to lay down some odds in a comment to this post.

I'll leave option #3 in the poll until you guys tell me in great enough numbers that it's inappropriate or otherwise confusing the issue (guess not, didn't realize that once a vote is cast the poll can no longer be edited)...and Gag', if you're out there and can email me a digital photo of you crossing the line at Corestates, or even a scan of the old Michelin advert., I'd appreciate it.

Finally, anyone else like how this image (reproduced on the right) shows up on page three of a Google search for photos of Gag'? And no, that is not Gaggioli's ex-wife Lynn, who can be seen in the screen cap below...

Sales — when done right — is more than a job. It is an art.

From the NY Times:

"...Sales — when done right — is more than a job. It is an art. It is a high-wire act. It is, as Arthur Miller immortally said, being out there “on a smile and a shoe shine.” It is learning the product you are selling, learning it so well that you can describe it while doing a pirouette of smiles for the customer and talking about the latest football scores. It is knowing human nature so well that you can align the attributes of your product or service cleanly with the needs and wants of your customers.

At its best, selling is taking a doubt and turning it, jujitsu style, into a powerful push..."

Hey! Quit pushing! lol

Monday, April 27, 2009

Mike Sayers' comments on Chad Gerlach


And Mike Sayers, unlike when you trashed me on your blog, I'll invite you to actually share your opinion directly with Pappillon's readers and clarify your comments. Anything you'd like to say, email it over or leave it as a comment and it will be published unedited, in-full.

Chad Gerlach - UPDATED

[UPDATED with a new photo from the archives, of Chad and Marty Jemison in 1995. Scroll down to the bottom of the post.]

Congrats to Chad Gerlach on his comeback, and recent result at the Dana Point Criterium. While not the Tour de France, DP was a pro race nonetheless, and its field included at least one disgraced ex-Tour de France "winner," amongst others. I'm sure that Mike Sayers is disappointed to see Gerlach still racing at the Pro/elite level (see Sayers' comments in VeloNews' coverage of Gerlach's comeback, reproduced in the next post), but I for one am happy that he continues on the bike.

Dana Point Criterium

1. Rahsaan Bahati Rock Racing in 1:27:50
2. Jeremiah Wiscovitch Southern California Velo at smetime
3. Lucas Sebastian Haedo Uci Ct: Colavita Olive Oil/sut in 1:27
:51 at smetime
4. Alexander Candelario Uci Ct: Kelly Benefit Strategi in 1:27:51 at smetime
5. Cody O'reilly Uci Ct: Bissell Pro Cycling T i
n 1:27:51 at smetime
6. Eric Barlevav Uci Ct: Team Mountain Khakis in 1:27:51 at smetime
7. Daniel Holloway Garmin- Holowesko Partners-Fel in 1:27:51 at smetime
8. Paul Che Pista Palace in 1:27:52 at smetime
9. Uriel Rayo Socalcycling.com in 1:27:52 at smetime
10. Victor Ayala Kahala Lagrange in 1:27:52 at smetime
11. Alexi Martinez Kahala Lagrange in 1:27:52 at sm
etime
12. Christopher Hipp Labor Power in 1:27:52 at smetime
13. Chris Demarchi Amgen/giant Masters in 1:27:52 at smetime
14. Tony Cruz in 1:27:52 at smetime
15. Kyle Gritters Southern California Velo in 1:27:
52 at smetime
16. James Esser Southern California Velo in 1:27:53 at smetime
17. Aram Dellalian Paa/sixtume
d in 1:27:53 at smetime
18. Nicholas Brandt-Sorenson Unattached in 1:27:53 at smetime
19. Nicholas Onate Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:27:53 at sm
etime
20. Steve Reaney California Giant Berry Farms/s in 1:27:53 at smetime
21. Andy Jacques-Maynes Uci Ct: Bissell Pro Cycling T in 1:27:53 at smetime
22. Chad Gerlach Uci Ct: Amore E Vita-Mcdonald in 1:27:53 at smetime

23. Jorge Alvarado Kahala Lagrange in 1:27:54 at smetime
24. Diego Yepez Cimarrones Cycling in 1:27:54 at smetime
25. Karl Bordine Mark Reynolds Memorial Bike Fu in 1:27:54 at smetime
26. Jason Lowetz Team Bearclaw in 1:27:54 at smetime
27. Nic Sanderson in 1:27:55 at smetime
28. Justin Kerr Liquid Fitness in 1:27:55 at smetime
29. Floyd Landis Uci Ct: Ouch Presented By Max in 1:27:55 at smetime
30. Anibal Borrajo Uci Ct: Colavita Olive Oil/sut in 1:27:55 at smetime
31. Eric Marcotte Bicycle Haus in 1:27:55 at smetime

32. Davide Frattini Uci Ct: Colavita Olive Oil/sut in 1:27:55 at smetime
33. Alex Howes Clif Bar Development Cross Tea in 1:27:56 at smetime
34. Roman Kilun Ouch in 1:27:56 at smetime
35. Aron Gadhia Velo Club in 1:27:56 at smetime
36. Aaron Quesnell Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:27:56 at smetime
37. Hayden Brooks in 1:27:56 at smetime
38. Travis Wilkerson Liquid Cycling Club in 1:27:57 at smetime
39. Dirk Copeland California Giant Berry Farms/s in 1:27:57 at smeti
me
40. James Gunn-Wilkinson Nytro Racing in 1:27:57 at smetime
41. Danny Finneran Rock Racing in 1:27:57 at smetime
42. Rory Sutherland Uci Ct: Team Ouch Presented By in 1:27:57 at smetime
43. Neil Shirley Uci Ct: Kelly Benefit Strategi in 1:27:58 at smetime
44. John Tzinberg Bike Religion in 1:27:58 at smetime
45. Andrew Salcedo Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:27:58 at smetime
46. Waylon Smith British Cycling in 1:27:58 at smetime
47. Robert Kamppila Ca Pools Racing in 1:27:58 at smetime
48. Michael Telega California Giant Berry Farms/s in 1:27:58 at smeti
me
49. Gustavo-Adolfo Mendez Kahala Lagrange in 1:27:59 at smetime
50. Anthony Morrow Ca Pools Racing in 1:27:59 at smetime
51. Robert Macneill Webcor/alto Velo in 1:27:59 at smetime
52. Reid Mumford in 1:28:00 at smetime
53. Rand Miller Webcor/alto Velo in 1:28:00 at smetime
54. Walker Savidge Felt/holowesko Partners/garmin in 1:28:00 at smetime
55. Scott Zwizanski Uci Ct: Kelly Benefit Strategi in 1:28:01 at smetime
56. Antony Galvan Amgen Giant in 1:28:03 at smetime
57. Chepe Garcia in 1:28:03 at smetime
58. Rafael Valenzuela in 1:28:04 at smetime
59. Sean Nealy Simply Fit/action Sports in 1:28:04 at smetime
60. Caleb Fairly Vmg/felt in 1:28:05 at smetime
61. Osvaldo Olmos Cal Giant Berry in 1:28:05 at smetime

62. Luis Amaran in 1:28:05 at smetime
63. Haldane Morris Socalcycling.com in 1:28:05 at smetime
64. Matt Landen Liquid Fitness/adageo Energy in 1:28:05 at smetime
65. Thomas Nelson Liquid Fitness/adageo Energy in 1:28:06 at smetime
66. Chris Spence in 1:28:06 at smetime
67. Jeff Prinz in 1:28:07 at smetime

68. Danny Kam Team Bearclaw in 1:28:08 at smetime
69. Frederick Stamm Metromint Cycling On Marin Bik in 1:28:08 at smetime
70. Miguel Meza Coates /on Deck Foundation in 1:28:08 at smetime
71. Jose Quintero Swami's Cycling Club in 1:28:08 at smetime
72. Caleb Manion in 1:28:08 at smetime
73. Chris Daggs Swami's Cycling Club in 1:28:09 at smetime
74. Eric Losak Now-Ms Society in 1:28:10 at smetime
75. Justin Fraga Webcor/alto Velo in 1:28:11 at smetime
76. Christopher Mcdonald Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:28:13 at smetime
77. Raul Frias Kahala Lagrange in 1:28:14 at smetime
78. Tomo Hamasaki Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:28:15 at sm
etime
79. Patrick Briggs California Giant Cycling in 1:28:17 at smetime
80. Randall Coxworth Acqua Al 2/san Diego Bicycle C in 1:28:24 at 34
81. Bill Short Vision Screen Printing in 1:28:37 at 47
82. Ruben Meza Socalcycling.com in 1:28:42 at 52
83. K Frank Pipp Uci Ct: Bissell Pro Cycling T in 1:28:43 at smetime
84. Patrick Caro Bike Religion in 1:28:49 at 59
85. Skyler Bishop Swami's Cycling Club in 1:29:09 at 1:19

Marty Jemison and Chad Gerlach at Mike Fraysse's Sports Resort, 1995 (c) me

Death and Taxes

"Death and Taxes" is a large representational graph and poster of the federal budget. It contains over 500 programs and departments and almost every program that receives over 200 million dollars annually. The data is straight from the president's 2009 budget request and will be debated, amended, and approved by Congress to begin the fiscal year. All of the item circles are proportional in size to their spending totals and the percentage change from 2008 is included to spot trends and disproportion.

($24 per poster, 5000+ posters sold, revenue of over $120,000...wonder how much of the income generated by sales of "Death and Taxes" went to the government in the form of taxes?)

Friday, April 24, 2009

Anthony Davidson and the CIA

Anthony Davidson is painful to listen to! The CIA should have used his commentary to soften al Qaeda for interrogation! The UN should ban him - he's TORTURE!
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Gmail Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Anthony Davidson / F1

Anthony Davidson = brutal to listen to...

If his driving is as bad as his commentating, it's no wonder he lost his ride in F1. Shut up! Shut Up! Shut Up!
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Gmail Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

I Love F1

Steering wheel porn...
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Gmail Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Sunday, April 19, 2009

UPDATED: In Follow-up to the CN Forum Message...Floyd

This is in response to a question left for me at the cyclingnews.com forum. Note that this is not edited for grammar, length, clarity or readability. You've been warned! [Note: this was originally published in 2009.]

I have no ill will towards Floyd Landis (though I wish he'd change the way he portrays me on his website...). I think he's been riding like crap in 2009 (relative to they form he had when he "won" the TdF) because he is mentally fried and only becoming worse mentally b/c he's seemingly living a lie (in not having admitted what he was found guilty of); I think that he can be redeemed STILL...even after having taken all of us for fools; but I doubt that he has the courage to do it and I think he'll continue in anonymity until he finally quits. I'd welcome the chance to have a frank conversation with him and would let him say to my face whatever he wants to say, though I would encourage him to come clean and admit to what he's been found guilty of...[I debated putting a disclaimer here, something along the lines of "if he really did it" because I know there are so many fans who want to believe in Landis's innocence. I'm not an expert on the science of doping control or lab procedure, so I can't add anything to the debate on those topics. I would hate for any athlete to be wrongly convicted of cheating, but at the same time, would encourage those - but not necessarily Floyd - who have doped and been sanctioned to abandon their incredible claims of innocence. Please don't take the public for fools and condemn yourself to living with a lie. Just fess-up and move on with your life in peace, knowing that you no longer have to hide the truth, and risk your heart and soul to protect corruption.]

I'm no religious zealot or anything like that, but I believe that there is redemption and healing to be found in admitting the truth - even if it portrays you horribly - and asking for forgiveness. Maybe that way he could forgive himself (even if it's just to forgive himself for getting caught) and move on with his life.

The guy could be an amazing role model ... the American public would elevate him to the status of a media god I think, were he to confess and keep riding ... but I don't think he has the courage to... If he's not guilty, which I find hard to imagine, I'm profoundly sorry for him, but if he is guilty...denying it forever is only going to eat away at what's left of his humanity.

Heck, I'd form a foundation with the guy and join up with him in promoting clean sport through town hall meetings and small-town bike races and what not (as opposed to town hall meetings that promoted his innocence and asked for money for his fund)...but I don't think it will happen. The fact that he spent more words in his book trying to discredit and degrade me, and not mention my name, rather than just referring to me by name (look it up) indicates some animosity...no?


Whatever engine he has on the bike, it's not firing on all cylinders because the mental control unit...the human ECU...is f'ed up. When I come back to the sport full-time, it won't be as a rider and it will be with much still to atone to, but I'll have admitted all of my transgressions and realized that any value I have to the sport and to humanity will come from facing the truth and helping others to understand why what happened is so terrible, and why we can't - as a sport, society, culture, country - wink wink away all of the sports doping that continues. For every guy who is able to make millions because dope helped him perform better, there must be dozens who end-up as hollow shells of their former selves, like this one below:

I've started coaching again, but now will work primarily with young riders who want to go pro or who are at least are willing to dedicate themselves to near full-time training (or training with school). I have one client who, in less than a month of collaboration, I helped recover from a season that seemingly left her wanting to quit cycling. Working together on a daily basis and showing her the power of the mind and its role in our success, I helped her come within a lap of winning a national championships. She'd completely shifted her thinking and way of conceptualizing the sport and her role in it. While she didn't get the stars and stripes, she still finished top-10 and, perhaps more importantly, learned what it is to believe in her natural abilities and harness them fully in pursuit of (natural, non-doped) sporting excellence.

All good stuff, and hopefully the building blocks for a life (mine) that can one day be fully rededicated to cycling...a sport that I love very much.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

I'm getting one of these for the Audi...

...to replace the stock steering-wheel.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Tyler Hamilton, Give me a Call

Firstly, to all the haters - send your comments to the usual address.

Tyler: give me a ring or send me an email. We need to catch up...

I'm glad Tyler has retired (I think he self-sabotaged himself and wanted to get caught) and hope that he can rebuild his life and redefine himself as a person. Remember, he has no job, no salary, no wife, no dog, and a mother dying of breast cancer.

Anyone who attacks him now as a drug cheat and publicly posts raving, vitriolic messages against him is an ass. If you define doping as cheating and equate it to lying, then any m!th#rf#^k*r who has ever lied about anything, driven above the speed limit, gotten too much change back from a retail purchase and not returned it or earned even a few hundred dollars on the side that wasn't reported to the IRS is by definition just as guilty as Hamilton and should be subjected to the same harsh treatment in the public realm.

My point being that I doubt that the people who are most violent and cruel in their public rants against Tyler are saints in all aspects of their lives, and they might consider re-evaluating their own behaviors before attacking Hamilton in what probably is a response to noticing in him the same negative traits and character flaws that they see, and fear, in themselves...
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Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device.

FIA says Brawn, Williams and Toyota diffusers are legal



Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota will be allowed to continue using their controversial ‘double decker’ diffusers after the FIA rejected an appeal against them by four other teams. More here.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Former champion Australian cyclist Jobie Dajka found dead

The UK Times is reporting the death of another world-class cyclist, Australian Jobie Dajka.

"The Australian cycling community is in shock at the death of former world and Commonwealth champion rider Jobie Dajka.

The 27-year-old, who won gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 and who had recently said he hoped to compete at the London Olympics, was found collapsed in his home in Adelaide, South Australia, by police on Monday evening. His death is not believed to be suspicious.

A promising young cyclist, Dajka won gold at the men’s kieren at the world championships in 2002, and was a member of the Australian gold-medal wining men’s team spirit at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002.

However his career spiralled out of control after he was sent home from a pre-Olympic training camp for lying to a doping inquiry just weeks before the Athens Games in 2004.

He suffered weight and alcohol problems and later admitted he had been depressed. He was also convicted in 2005 of assaulting Australia's head track coach Martin Barras...

"Because of what happened back in 2004, where he was taken off the team, I don't think he quite got over that," Mr Victor told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"That was the dream of his lifetime and everything seemed to have gone downhill from then."

A former girlfriend of the cyclist told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper that Dajka’s death was “tragic”. She said he had recently lost his job and blamed the harsh treatment he received after being expelled from the cycling team as contributing to his long-term depression..."

Full story here.

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Thoughts on the Crisis, in an email to a Friend

...If you're not familiar with the details of Political Risk Analysis, there is a good background piece here. I don't trust politicians in the least, which is why there will always be a need for political risk analysis. I hope to specialize in the Latin American markets, though with the current Obama administration in the USA, one could argue that investors here would be wise to consider political risk b/c of this new government's penchant for voiding contracts (AIG) and forcing-out CEO's from public companies (GM). It is a strange time we live in.

Here [Pittsburgh] the effects of the econ-fin. crisis are not as apparent as in other parts of the USA. For example, there was little speculative action in the housing market in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, unlike California or Florida, so there are relatively few foreclosures compared to those areas. Pittsburgh was previously dependent on its manufacturing base (steel) but in the early 1980's had to completely reinvent itself to survive economically...we're now a regional leader in the field of health care and university research.

In time, though, the recession will become more significant in its effects. Unfortunately, the people - both the citizens and the elected officials - want to pretend that everything is OK, rather than preparing for the inevitable crisis. SO that is why I buy this pen now, while I can still kind of "afford" it, because I believe that the worst is yet to come. My friend has lost 40% of the value of his retirement account, and is every day worried about his position...but he is in a different part of the country. He works for the firm xxxx and they are seeing a NOTICEABLE slow-down in business. :(

Not good times.

I am scared for the country, and for the global economic system in general. I am very moderate in my political beliefs, and I am an economic liberal (meaning that I support capitalism with few interventions by the state and certainly not in the form we're now seeing), but I fear that there will be a POPULIST BACKLASH and the government will regulate and regulate and tax and tax to the point that they strangle the economy and impede world trade. A great crisis is brewing.

What are your thoughts and experiences on this?

best,

Joe

Friday, April 03, 2009

Powered by Rice

Piaristenkirche Maria Treu

The Baroque Piarist Church of Maria Treu is a parish church and the church of the Order of the Piarists (Patres Scholarum Piarum) in Vienna. It is located in Vienna's 8th district (Josefstadt). The Piaristenkirche has been elevated to the rank of Basilica Minor in 1949.

Click here for an amazing, 360-degree "stitched" interior shot of the Church by Photoart Kalmar.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

More on the F1 Diffuser Controversy

I asked one of you to explain the F1 Diffuser Controversy to my readers. Here was your response:

"In a little more detail all three diffuser teams used very different methods to achieve the same result.

Williams created channels that exhaust the air over the top of the current diffuser into a low pressure zone beneath the rear wing.

Toyota created channels around the rear light that look like extended diffuser vanes (though still comply with the rules).

Brawn used the most effective design yet though. They cut a large chunk out of the main diffuser and mixed the other two concepts in as well. This results in a much larger surface area than the other two giving a larger performance boost as in diffusers size matters!!

All three basically end up creating a second deck acting as an additional diffuser even if they originate on an unsprung section of the body.

All the diffuser teams are noticeably more stable through high and low speed corners. The other teams are attempting to compensate for the extra grip of the front tires now they are slicks as most seemed to have underestimated the grip levels available from the front end of the car under the revised rules."

McLaren MP4-24 - rear diffuser design

Toyota TF109 - rear diffuser design

Williams FW31 - rear diffuser design

Formula One (F1) Diffuser row: Q&A

What is a diffuser and why has it courted so much controversy ahead of the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia?


Q: What is a diffuser?
A: An extension of the floor at the back end of a racing car, between the rear wheels.

Q: What is the purpose of a diffuser?
A: To gather and organize the high-speed air rushing under the car.

Q: Why?
A: To reduce drag and increase downforce, thus increasing the speed and agility of the car.

Q: What is all the fuss about in Australia?
A: Three teams, Toyota, Williams and Brawn, have diffusers that work markedly better than those of the other teams. So their cars are markedly faster.

Q: Why?
A: Because they have interpreted the regulations covering the shape and dimensions of the diffuser in a way that their rivals have not.

Q: How?
A: The interpretations vary; broadly speaking, they have increased the central area of the diffuser by incorporating it into the rear crash structure.

Q: Is this legal?
A: So far. Experts from the sport's governing body have been consulted on the designs, and the scrutineers in Australia have passed the cars of all three teams.

Q: What will happen next?
A: The six cars will race in Australia, and, most likely, in Malaysia, under protest, meaning that the results of the races may be subject to appeal.

Q: Why don't the other teams just copy the fancy diffusers?
A: The diffuser is a fundamental part of the design concept of a Formula One car. Change it, and you have to change a lot of other things too.

Q: Won't Ferrari and McLaren just throw money at the problem?
A: Yes, but these days that will not be sufficient to get them out of the woods. Testing is banned outside race weekends, so it will take a long time to evaluate new parts.

Q: In a nutshell?
A: Lewis Hamilton is stuffed for the next few races.

(this is from the telegraph uk)

What is a Diffuser?

A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere. It works by providing a space for the underbody airflow to decelerate and expand so that the boundary between the car's airflow and "external" airflow is less turbulent. It also provides a degree of "wake infill" (the wake being a turbulent area of low pressure that is caused by the passage of the vehicle through the air; this can cause pressure drag).

As the air enters towards the front of the car it accelerates and reduces pressure. There is a second suction peak at the transition of the flat bottom and diffuser. The diffuser then eases this high velocity air back to normal velocity and also helps fill in the area behind the car making the whole underbody a more efficient downforce producing device by reducing drag on the car and increasing downforce.

The aft part of a car underbody can be a diffuser. It works to bring the low pressure air below the car back to the ambient atmospheric pressure without inducing turbulence. It uses Bernoulli's principle, such that the pressure increases while the velocity decreases. Since the pressure below the car is lower than on the side and above the car, downforce is produced if implemented correctly. Injecting the exhaust into the rear diffuser can also help extract the air from below the car. The exhaust gasses effectively energize the boundary layer, helping to raise the pressure of the low-pressure, fast-moving airstream back to the ambient atmospheric pressure at the exit of the diffuser. This helps extract the air more efficiently from the underbody.

Note that the front of the car slows down the air without a diffuser making this the ideal place for an inlet. Instead, a splitter is commonly used here. The splitter serves to reduce the pressure below the front of the car and thereby increase the amount of downforce in that region. The airstream is brought to stagnation above the splitter, by an air dam, causing an area of high pressure. Below the splitter, air is accelerated, as stated above, which causes the pressure to drop and create downforce. Some race cars, such as the Toyota GT-One actually use a proper diffuser in this area to help create more downforce.

Source: wiki!