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Sunday, June 24, 2007
"NASCAR On TNT" Still Tough To Swallow
Things were happening on RaceDay over on SPEED. The fans were surrounding the SPEED stage and into everything that was going on. It looked like the party at Sonoma was in full swing. Then, TNT took to the air...and the party was over.
In the NASCAR on TNT Live! program, host Marc Fein spent his third week trying to stare down Bill Weber, who firmly believes he should be hosting this show. Fein sat on the spinning stage with Weber and Wally Dallenbach. This week, with Kyle Petty racing, Larry McReynolds joined the panel.
Once again, even though Weber hosts the next pre-race show...there he was on the set. TNT had two hosts, and the discomfort was again obvious. Fein is a smooth professional announcer who is not NASCAR-savvy. Weber just stares at him, oblivious to the camera. Dallenbach and Larry Mac fulfill designated roles, but Weber does not.
Fein was forced to include Weber in the panel discussions, as if Weber had put on his "expert" hat and was letting Fein hold his "anchor" hat. This could not have been more uncomfortable. Anytime Weber answered a question from Fein, he stared directly at him while hunched over the counter and leaning forward. There was such a weird dynamic in place, it rivaled NASCAR Countdown on ESPN2.
The absence of Kyle Petty was felt deeply. Even though Kyle appeared pre-race, the dynamic of Weber alone with Dallenbach was not working. Moving Larry McReynolds to the booth would have been a positive step for this broadcast. He often interrupted from the infield with information that Weber and Dallenbach should have been providing. TNT needs a crew chief in the booth.
Marty Snider has been having a tough time this season being back on TV. Last week, he continually interrupted Dale Junior and Rick Hendrick during an interview he was conducting. This week, he used a trip to Sonoma's wine country to make fun of both drivers and the TNT announcers. This TNT "inside joke" business is ridiculous. When Snider sat down with Junior Johnson this week, Junior barely got a full sentence out. Dale Carnegie is calling Snider's name, with an emphasis on...listening.
Weber returned to the anchor position for the Countdown to Green, and used so many puns in his opening, it made even the most veteran fans cringe. Enough already, we know you can write and use big words. How about some information? Thankfully, Kyle Petty checked in live from the track and summed up the news of the day.
The TNT set is barren, and even more so when Weber is alone or with Dallenbach. Weber introduced a profile of Juan Pablo Montoya, which featured profanity that was beeped out, but clearly could be understood. This should have been removed by TNT, and was left in on purpose. An amateur move. A classy guy like Matt Yocum, who was voicing over the feature, should not have to be associated with that type of content.
To be fair, TNT was saddled with a consistently boring race on a race track that NASCAR should not visit. These big COT cars were horrible on the road course, and even worse on TV. With only Weber and Dallenbach in the booth, Larry Mac feeling under the weather, and no support from Marc Fein except his deep voice, this broadcast was in trouble from the word "go."
Other networks would search for a story, maybe feature the "foot cam," or focus on using the in-car cameras extensively because of the shifting and endless driver concentration. TNT did not, and this lead to a lot of "dead air" where no one was talking. Often times, Weber would yell out the name of the pit road reporter when a car came into the pits. That was incredibly annoying, and the pit reporters thought so.
As if things could not get worse, the race turned into nothing more than a gas war. No one was "really" racing, no one was pushing the limit, and no one was doing anything but putting NASCAR fans to sleep nationwide. The TNT crew got its only spark of life from Kyle Petty, and its only knowledge from Larry McReynolds. The rest of the bunch had long since lapsed into in-fighting and disorder.
By the end of the race, the on-air crew had stopped communicating. The pit road reporters has just had it. Kyle Petty was nowhere to be found. Larry Mac's voice was gone, and we were left with Dallenbach and Weber. Time-and-time again, Weber said that Montoya could not make it on gas. But, he never explained why Montoya was racing so hard for the lead if he was about to run out of gas. It made no sense.
Montoya, of course, did not run out of fuel. Weber was wrong, the pit reporter was wrong, what they had told viewers as "fact" was wrong. Somehow, strangely, it did not make a difference. TNT never showed the top ten cars finish. They went to commercial while first time winner Montoya made his victory lap. They never told us who ran out of gas, and wrapped-up a confusing race with a confusing close.
There are only three more races in the TNT package. With Kyle Petty returning next week for the New Hampshire race, things have to get better. When Larry Mac has his full voice, and Kyle Petty adds the spark in the booth, the coverage is very different. Perhaps TNT might consider adding McReynolds in the booth, and moving Dallenbach to the infield stage with Marc Fein. This would put one driver and one crew chief in the booth, and one driver available in the infield as needed.
This TNT effort so far has proven to be a clash of egos, and really has moved the fans to DirecTV, Pay-Per-View, and online broadcasts. Hopefully, Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds can help this network get back on track next week. With all due respect, Sonoma was a poor effort in all areas, and TNT knows it.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below, or email firstname.lastname@example.com if you wish not to be published. All email is confidential. Thanks again for stopping by.
46 comments:
- Agricola said...
Nice post, as usual. What I don't understand, given NASCAR's penchant for total control,is why they allow the networks to use non-NASCAR approved announcers. I agree with everything you say...the ESPN wise-ass announcer drives me away from the broadcast, and onto TrackPass....but, wait a minute, maybe that's what NASCAR wants.
- June 24, 2007 at 7:45 PM
- Anonymous said...
Once again you write about exactly what my wife and I said sitting at home today watching the TNT shows. The entire show was completely boring. While the Junior interview could have been great, it wasn't because of Snider and the way it was edited. It was all over the place. The Snider bit with the pictures was dumb. The JPM feature was decent but again I agree about the curse word being kept in. Novice producer I assume. But then you have to ask, where is the senior or coord producer that stands up and says no, cut that out. Keep up the good work John.
- June 24, 2007 at 7:56 PM
- Eric said...
good idea to watch it on DVR, your FF button will get a workout, they seem to have a commercial break every 3 laps
- June 24, 2007 at 8:02 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hey, TNT two things you didn't seem to learn from TV 101:
(1) There's no excuse to have Kyle Petty yelling the F-word on Tv when you are playing a tape!
(2) When your most knowledgeable NASCAR guy, Larry Mac, has a sore throat and can't speak, don't make him shout over the cars. Put in inside so he can be hear.
- June 24, 2007 at 8:34 PM
- Anonymous said...
Great Postings!
I miss the Fox broadcasts already.
Maybe NASCAR or the FCC should give a penalty to TNT for dropping the F*** bomb on a sunday afternoon. I actually think the hype of having Kyle broadcast from his car was a joke. I think they could have somehow had that better organized if they were going to talk it up so much. Also, I know why there will be no commercials during the Daytona race coming up, It's because they got them all in today! Finally, thank goodness for NASCAR.com to get the scoop and standings at the end of the race.
- June 24, 2007 at 9:03 PM
- Anonymous said...
This just appears to be a 3 hour promo for TNT's prime time shows. They showed nothing but the top 3 cars for the last 40 laps of the race. No through the field, no updates on road ringers. Nothing! The announcers and director act like this is something they "have to do" but don't want to. They all sounded like they couldn't wait for this race to end so they could collect their check and go home. There were no answers to pit strategy questions and TNT didn't even try to create a story around anything. And they didn't have the courtesy to show us results at the end of the race. Just horrible!!
- June 24, 2007 at 9:19 PM
- Anonymous said...
A) Petty's f-bomb wasn't from tape, it was live. His mic was open to the production truck throughout the show as part of the idea an in-car analyst.
B) NASCAR restricted Petty from reporting during green flag runs for safety concerns which is certainly understandable.
- June 24, 2007 at 11:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
No RACE RESULTS!!!
I just couldn't believe they didn't give the results, not even a top five!!!!
Put the damn crawl up with the results. I turned on my Sirus radio and it scrolled the results.
Pathetic, worse than pathetic, inconsiderate of the audience.
Did TNT really think if we got more interviews at the end that it was all better?
It was 7:29 PM and I told the wife that's it, no results, no nothing.
Thanks TNT for NOTHING... AGAIN!!!!
- June 25, 2007 at 12:01 AM
- Anonymous said...
awful, awful coverage today. what looked promising a couple of weeks ago has gone horribly wrong.
bill weber is not a play by play guy. i think he could do some great features, but he should not be calling a race. constantly makes mistakes, points out things that don't need to be pointed out and misses other important points.
wally is OK. i'd be willing to give him more time, he's just paired with someone who brings him down right now.
i really like larry mac. he's got great enthusiasm and relates well to those who are less tech savy. he's a good ambassador for the sport.
however, TNT made a HUGE mistake today with letting that "F" fly over the air. how in the world can you let that happen while doing a replay from 2 minutes earlier???? i know things are said in the "heat of the battle" but they did kyle petty a huge disservice today.
and please don't let marty snider do anymore package interviews. he's good as a pit reporter but should not be in the features.
- June 25, 2007 at 1:07 AM
- bevo said...
I have to disagree about the race being a bore. TNT's coverage of the field is the problem. On HotPass they knew that JPM had enough fuel. Watching him move up the grid was great. I switched between him, Said and Stewart. There was plenty of action but TNT doesn't know how to show it.
- June 25, 2007 at 1:19 AM
- Jason said...
It was a nasty show. I'm glad I missed most of the pre-race crap on TNT. As far as the race itself it was terrible. I liked Kyle's segments from the car, but felt short changed for the amount of hype that TNT put behind it. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the technical side of recording Kyle's comments. But where was the substance?
These announcers obviously do not feel any kind of solidarity or team spirit. Webber really needs to take some time off and see a therapist about his prima donna attitude. I think you are really seeing why Alan Bestwick was kicked to pit road on NBC/TNT before; it was Webber's terrible attitude about not having the show revolve around him.
The sad thing is I do not think that TNT cares. They have their money from their advertisers and really do not care that people are muting the broadcast and listening to the radio or internet sources. And I wonder if ESPN is going to have the same attitude. People are going to watch because really what choice do they have for the visuals without spending 50 or 100 bucks.
As far as them bleeping curse words and FCC penalties, TNT and other cable networks are not subject to FCC regulation on "indecency". They do it as a service to their viewers. They are not broadcasting over open airwaves like terrestrial TV and radio and do not have to live by the somewhat subjective language rules of the FCC. I'm sure NASCAR would have something to say about it, but they would not be subject to any FCC fines if they allowed a curse word to slip out. I agree that it was bush league. But hey, this sport's characters are all so sanitized now for the most part maybe TNT felt the need to leave it in to add some color, no mater how weak of an attempt it was.
The quality of the broadcast by all networks has been lacking. TNT has their dueling host and general feeling of most people just phoning it in so they can get home. ESPN has a dose of smarmy elitist attitude that they bring from their mix of radio personalties who scream and yell their opinions while insulting the people that are the classic core of the sport and their parade of ignorant tv and sports personalities who do not have a history in the sport. Both of these broadcast do a disservice to the NASCAR fans who are generally pretty savvy about what is going on, even with the COT being introduced this year. Of all the broadcast this year, Fox generally has had the better coverage without insulting the fans most (see: Hollywood Hotel) of the time.
Of all the broadcast this weekend the Busch series on ESPN Saturday night with Alan Bestwick was by far the best. His voice is classic and soothing. Much like Ron Franklin calling College Football on Saturday nights; a presence that ESPN could use carry and solidify their franchise coverage.
I love your blog and it has become one of my daily reads. Your insight is very welcome to someone who grew up watching coverage on ESPN and TNN. Thank you for sharing your opinions on the NASCAR broadcast.
- June 25, 2007 at 1:38 AM
- Anonymous said...
Biffle and Bowyer finish in the top 5 but it's almost like they were never in the race. I barely recall hearing their names.
I too was amazed that they didn't even show the finishing order when the race ended.
Kyle reporting from the car was a dud, not because of him, but it's unrealistic to have a driver as reporter.
As a new fan of NASCAR this year, I still get confused about pitting and where cars end up in the field after they pit, but even moreso in a race like this. I really don't get why this race specifically is all about fuel mileage and it wasn't explained in any detail. I also wanted to better understand who was gambling on fuel and made it, particulary the top 10 group. Clearly J. Gordon and Stewart didn't gamble, but did all the top 5 gamble? I kept wondering how Harvick, Biffle, and Bowyer finished so high when they weren't even talked about for most of the race.
- June 25, 2007 at 7:02 AM
- Steve said...
Here in the UK we get the NASCAR broadcast on NASN. So when the US goes to commercial we get left with a locked camera or in-car shot. Occasionally this also gives us some audio bonuses when they leave the mikes open in the booth.
At Sonoma we had Weber complaining because his scoring monitor was several laps behind the action and demanding that they get this "stuff" out before next week and replace it with an abacus. Meanwhile Wally appeared to be using a mild expletive, but maybe it was just my hearing.
The lack of an end of race run down of positions was even more frustrating for me as on NASN we didn't even get the graphic showing the finishing positions. But then we didn't get any graphics at all for the first half of the race. Still it's an improvement over races earlier in the season which were just cut off in the last few laps beacause they ran late.
Perhaps the Daly Planet could start directing some of it's venom to NASN, to get us UK NASCAR fans a better deal.
- June 25, 2007 at 7:12 AM
- Anonymous said...
Petty's was NOT live when his f-bomb aired. The wreck they were showing had already happened.
TNT as showing in-car videotape of the incident, which included Petty's outburst.
ANd that's why TNT is 100% at fault for airing it; because, if they'd checked it first, they'd hve heard the word.
- June 25, 2007 at 8:11 AM
- Sal said...
You have to wonder if the race was really as boring as it appeared on TV, or TNT just managed to miss the boat entirely. After a huge pre race hype about the #24 and 48 cars starting at the back of the field, did fans get to watch them drive forward? No. The cardinal sin, when finishing order hinged on gas mileage, was that TNT had NO coverage of the order, or who made it on gas. Ridiculous. This is the 'exciting racing' we can expect with the COT? I see lots of Sunday afternoon naps in my future.
- June 25, 2007 at 8:17 AM
- Anonymous said...
It still pains me that we only see 2 cars finish the race, and now - we don't even EVER know how the finishing order is! What?!?! We watch for 5-6 hours just to see who came in first and second??? That was just plain stupid. Maybe on Fox we didn't get to see them cross the finish line, but at least they did put up the finishing order!
This is horrible!
- June 25, 2007 at 8:22 AM
- Anonymous said...
Great column. Bill Webber should go the way, hopefully, of DW. Marty Snider is insecure and lacks depth. If NASCAR would form one announcing team. Make sure Kyle Petty and Larry Mac are involved. Bill Webber is probably the worst of all of them. He does not know as much as he thinks and is weak, weak, weak.
A pro like Allen Bestwick would really improve that team.
- June 25, 2007 at 8:25 AM
- Jim O. said...
I would like to thank TNT for allowing me to watch a race in between their commercials.
- June 25, 2007 at 9:01 AM
- Anonymous said...
Has no one ever coached Bill Weber on not barking through his nose?
I can't stand DW's ham-it-up style, Larry Mac's slaughter of the English language drives me nuts, but the thing I hate most about any NASCAR telecast during the season is Weber hollering through his nose, "MATT!"
(This is the same classless guy who, at a media awards dinner about 20 years ago, picked up his award, then led his "posse" out of the restaurant while the rest of the ceremony continued. Hairspray must be the only thing that keeps this guy's head from exploding.)
- June 25, 2007 at 9:25 AM
- David said...
At least they could have checked in with Kyle one last time to ask how his race went (I'm assuming he ran out of gas on the last lap since he finished 39th). I wonder how many other cars ran out of gas on the last laps...thanks to TNT, we never found out.
- June 25, 2007 at 9:27 AM
- glen said...
TNT's coverage left a lot to be desired but, we should expect that
from the same team that was on NBC/TNT for the last TV contract. Unfortunately they seem to be working to make it worse.
A question was asked as to whether the race was really as boring as the TV coverage made it out to be. I would guess that it was not based on my own experiences. Many times I have attended a race live and upon returning home, heard from people who told me how boring the race had been. When I first heard comments like this, they surprised me as I had enjoyed the races live. After a while, however, I got used to these comments since I came to realize that the networks don't show us a true account of the on track action, focusing either on the race leader or a particular "favorite".
The networks along with NASCAR themselves continually tell us that they always make an effort to "give the fans what they want".
Does TNT really think they gave us what we wanted at the end of yesterday's race? Maybe they should poll the fans as to what they want to see after the winner crosses the finish line.
A) A closeup of the winner's window net in the up position while he takes his cool down lap.
B) The winning driver's pit crew celebrating--it's always the same, isn't it?
C) Commercials
D) The rest of the field---or at least the top ten(or 12?--or 15?)---crossing the finish line.
I know the answer would be unanimous among the dozens of fans I have spoken to about this.
TNT bungled the close of their braodcast big-time yesterday. They showed only the first two cars finish the race and went to commercial. They didn't fill us in on who ran out of gas and who made it. They didn't even tell us the fate of Kyle Petty, who was part of their broadcast, though they did show a brief shot of him heading down pit road. Shouldn't Kyle be given a chance to sum up the race from his perspective? Could they interview more than just a few drivers? Could Kyle interview some of his fellow competitors?
The biggest blunder, however, was their failure to give the finishing order of the just completed race. They can not even use the excuse that it hadn't been sorted out yet, as several websites had the results before TNT went off the air. This is completely inexcusable! With 43 competitors involved, the race fans want to know more than just who won the race. Most of us would like to see the entire finishing order at least once before they go off the air.
I personally prefer the "old" way of doing a race broadcast with a much shorter pre-race show and a longer post-race wrap-up focusing on interviews with as many drivers as possible as soon as they climb out of their cars and before they shower & change clothes. But, what do I know? I'm only a fan & apparently the networks know what I want better than I do.
- June 25, 2007 at 9:38 AM
- Anonymous said...
TNT made critical mistakes not showing the results at the end of the race...not explaining why drivers like Bobby Labonte or their own Kyle Petty finished 33rd and 39th after being in the Top 15 the latter part of the race. Of course, TNT doesn't want to concentrate on drivers who are not a part of Hendrick/Roush/Gibbs/RCR. No follow-up on DEI driver Martin Truex, after having strong finishes the last few weeks, you didn't even know he was on the track. As for Petty's f-bomb, it was taped and no excuse for airing that, although Petty apologized once he was informed of the incident and was professional as always.
Other rants: Concentrated on Montoyo crossing the finish line and didn't show anyone else crossing. Only interview big names that finish in the Top 10 following the race - no interview on Boris Said or his continued accomplishments with the smallest operation in NASCAR. No mention on the absence of Mark Martin/the impact of Regan Smith driving the road course and how Martin is a master of road courses.
For a network that claims "We Know Drama", they sure struggle finding a storyline during their race coverage.
- June 25, 2007 at 9:56 AM
- Anonymous said...
RCR cars finish 2-3-4 and no comment from TNT I am at a loss to understand how they cover the end of the race, sure Juan was the story-- But not the only story!
- June 25, 2007 at 10:07 AM
- dirtracefan25 said...
TNT's coverage of the race was terrible. You only heard about certain drivers all day, you never heard about Bowyer or Biffle who had top 5 finishes and I'm not even a fan of theirs. After the race I was waiting for TNT to post the finish so I could text my friend (who was stuck working) and much to my suprise they never gave it. I don't mind the announcers, but I did miss Kyle Petty not being there. I might not always like what Kyle has to say or agree with it, but I do appreciate his honesty very much. Here's to hoping TNT can improve in the next 3 weeks. I personally can't wait until ABC/ESPN starts. I have missed them.
- June 25, 2007 at 10:17 AM
- Joe from Philly said...
TNT is horrible in all aspects.
I don't watch non-Speed TV pre-race shows so I can't comment on that but:
-Mark Fein is a waste.
-Wally is not fit to do this work.
-Bill Weber is all ego.
-Ralph Sheehen(sic) is annoying and the entire pit crew is unused.
-The HD broadcast is pitiful AND there seems to be an Audio sync problem. At least thru Comcast
etc. etc. etc.
I didn't think they'd be WORSE than NBC but WOW
- June 25, 2007 at 10:24 AM
- Anonymous said...
Did TNT even give a final standings rundown at the end of the race? And how do you let a driver drop an inappropriate word over his radio ona REPLAY of an incident? How do you not catch that and edit it out?
Does NASCAR have a person's whose job is to watch the broadcasts of the races and make sure the sport is being promoted?
John, I really appreciate your column but maybe you need to list NASCAR's contact information so we can contact them directly.
- June 25, 2007 at 10:24 AM
- Anonymous said...
I have to disagree about needing a crew chief in the booth. ESPN for years had a play by play man (Bob Jenkings) and two former drivers (Ned Jarrett/Benny Parsons) and their broadcasts were GREAT.
I watched the 95 Sears Point race the other day and the announce team BROUGHT THE RACE TO LIFE FOR THE FANS. They helped make it exciting.
What all of these networks needs to do is find analysts that are GOOD GUYS, RESPECTED BY THE TEAMS, FUN-LOVING, UNDERSTATED and most importantly are willing to PROMOTE THE SPORT AND NOT THEIR INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS ALL THE TIME.
Instead, we have Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, and Wally Dallenbach. All of them are very opinionated, have huge egos, and are constantly telling you what they would do.
- June 25, 2007 at 10:29 AM
- Anonymous said...
43 cars...there are 43 cars in the field!!!!!! Oh, and Jeff Green is clearly on fire and unable to make it back to his pit....Kasey Kahne's pit crew VAULTS over the wall with fire extinguishers, and TNT switches to another shot!!!!!! Plus, I am totally SICK of "Born to Be Wild", use some different bumper music! Now TNT is saying that the f-bomb could have been any of 3 different drivers, yeah right, either way, considering it was a REPLAY, why in the world did it get aired?!?
- June 25, 2007 at 11:14 AM
- Gilbert Sam, Jr. said...
One of the worst NASCAR broadcast, in awhile. The broadcast lacked class, knowledge and quality. The Kyle Petty in race analyst idea was terrible, I thought it was pointless..
Petty needed to join Weber and Dallenbach in the booth.. And for Petty's sake, thank goodness for him and all us it's only six races on TNT..
- June 25, 2007 at 12:40 PM
- Anonymous said...
cI e-mailed TNT about not showing how everyone finished My husband and I were upset about the lousy coverage. Keep up the good work, because maybe ESPN will realize we want Bestwick for the Cup races as well as the Busch races.
- June 25, 2007 at 12:51 PM
- Anonymous said...
I am still confused why NASCAR allows 2 prerace shows to be on at the same time. We all know NASCAR Raceday is a better show but TNT deliberatly schedules its show to overlap by 30 minutes each week.They should forget about the pre race and only start the Countdown to Green when NASCAR Raceday is over. I agree whith all you said and actually think Weber needs to find something els to do. PLUG ALAN BESTWICK BACK IN PLEASE!!!!!
- June 25, 2007 at 12:57 PM
- fuego24 said...
I normally can deal with bad TV coverage, but the TNT broadcast was horrible. They totally missed the racing stories.
How do you not have cameras on Montoya, Gordon and Stewart as they are moving up from the back of the pack. By watching the TNT broadcast between the 3 of them they only passed about 6 cars total. That is amazing how Gordon can move from 41 to somewhere in the top 10 by not passing a bunch of cars.
By the way I can't tell you where Gordon and Stewart finished, because they didn't show the results. :(
They totally screwed up the stories after the last round of pit stops. They were talking about Robby Gordon as if he was the first of the cars that pitted, but Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were way ahead of Robby.
Then when JPM and Jimmie Johnson were battling they were too busy talking about a shifter knob on the 11. They should have held back on the shifter story and covered the racing. They only showed you the bumb between the two of them. I counted 3 times where they swapped position. Naturally I didn't see the passes on TV, but when they panned out I noticed that the postions were swapped.
TNT needs to figure out sometimes you have to find the race within the race and cover it. To be honest I think the TNT crew was confused, and Larry Mac was too sick to straighten them out.
- June 25, 2007 at 1:15 PM
- Anonymous said...
Bill Webber is a great writer and reader. He is a terrible play by play man.
Kyle Petty is the best commentator among the ex drivers. Rusty Wallace is the worst.
Kyle is better than Darrel Waltrip because Kyle does not make everything about him.
Darrel has yet to realize that the current drivers are the stars.
TNT missed an excellent opportunity when they did not ask Ken Schrader to work the booth in Kyle's absence.
I not only miss Bennie, I still miss Neal Bonnett.
- June 25, 2007 at 1:47 PM
- Anonymous said...
NASCAR wonders why the TV ratings are dropping and don't think it's a big deal. It's obvious to me that they're not watching the same thing we're all watching. I doubt if they're watching it at all.
I happen to be one of the oddballs who likes road course racing and the coverage we got from the Totally Nothing Nitwts (TNT) put me to sleep. I know there was a race on sometime during that time period, but I think it was a race to show commercials.
Unless the broadcast crew starts taking the job seriously (and they won't) we'll continue to have to suffer through this same garbage for the next 3 weeks. At least they got rid of the "toilet seat" graphics they used in previous years.
- June 25, 2007 at 3:14 PM
- Anonymous said...
The comment about watching a race between commercial was wrong--it's worse: TNT can't even sell the race! EVERY break contained more TNT promos than paid spots!
That's embarassing. At least we can hope that TNT's inability to sell one of the country's most popular sports means they won't bid on it next year.
And, yes--please, some other bump music. The same song over and over is just silly.
- June 25, 2007 at 3:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
Did anyone notice the persistent sound of the wind blowing through the mic on TNT? Very annoying - certainly with today's technology that can be dealt with.
Overall, TNT is not cutting it. We can only hope that ESPN is using their Busch Series telecasts as a training ground for their big return to Cup racing very soon. They too have some work to do.
- June 25, 2007 at 4:15 PM
- KudzuCarl said...
The blog and the comments are full of truth.
I also thank God for my DVR.
Bill Weber is the worst. A stuffed shirt and empty head.
Bring back Alan.
- June 25, 2007 at 4:45 PM
- TLWisner said...
I think I enjoyed the race more than you seemed to, but it was in spite of the announcers. I was looking forward to watching Robby Gordon and Juan PM live up to their potential, and it happened and almost happened. JPM did some serious racing - the only driver he may have mishandled was Kurt Busch, but nobody likes the Busch bros. Not showing who finished past second place was a major screw up - so it fit right in with the rest of the pathetic broadcast.
- June 25, 2007 at 6:04 PM
- Anonymous said...
I miss fox deeply. TNT never really show any racing. They stay on the front pack or the leader, and go over the same stories over and over and over. I watch Nascar to see racing and with tnt there's never any racing. I cant stand TNT. 3 more races to go with them. I hope ESPN can do a better job.
- June 25, 2007 at 6:58 PM
- Anonymous said...
Enjoyed the post. Since I happened to be AT the race, I won't catch the TNT coverage till it runs in reruns later this week, but let me tell you it could not have been any worse than the play by play of the on track announcers who must have used every single cliche in the book - the clincher of which was a referral to the yellow flags being like California poppies. Some should have told that jerk that they are orange... so it seems no matter what you have to listen to the only decent coverage was Speeds. And the trackside show was a gas, as usual.
- June 25, 2007 at 8:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
this was for sure a dulls-vill race. These cars dont belong there in the first place. I will make sure I dont waste my time next year and also on the one out east.
- June 25, 2007 at 10:26 PM
- Anonymous said...
I slightly disagree about the fact that it was not exciting.
If you were a Montoya fan it was exciting because of the fact that we had no idea if he would make the rest of the race, let alone stay in 1st place
Other than that I agree with what a lot has been posted, thankfully it's almost over.
the gas drop outs was inexcusable
- June 25, 2007 at 11:32 PM
- Anonymous said...
i don't really care the F word slipped out,after all it is cable and it's nice to see some emotion insted of the PC we get all the time. as for the coverage,well it was bad but so was the race.i'm not a fan of road courses or the COT.but who ever sold that thing to GM,Dodge,TOY,and ford,could join my sales team anyday.it seems to me the races just get worse every week because all anyone want to do is make the stupid chase.they ruined the Bristol nite race along with Richmond cause everyone just plays it safe.oh by the way did i say the COT is terriable,leave it to king Byran to shove more junk down our throats and turn NA$CAR into what indy racing is today.wait and see,on the good side tickets are easier to get,so in one way i should thank him.maybe if he gives Cali. another race they will fly me there and give me a ticket.well i still wouldn't go.i'm sure a wine cork pop mite interupt mt nap.
- June 25, 2007 at 11:36 PM
- Anonymous said...
I agree about TNT coverage of the races. It is horrible!! I am not a fan of road courses, the COT and I cannot stand Weber! I hate listening to him talk, his comments are stupid and lame. I am glad that we only have to put up with him for three more weeks (I hope!) TNT will ruin the Pepsi 400 this year. I wish we had gotten tickets for this years race instead of last year's race! The worse part about TNT coverage (besides Weber) is we don't know who finishes where until we get on the internet, listen to MRN (or other stations) or turn on Speed channel. I want to see the FINISHING ORDER! If I am going to invest my valuable time to watch a race than I expect the network to show me the race and who finishes where! I don't think that is too much to expect! If this trend continues than I will just watch the race replay on Speed on Thursday afternoons. We are being screwed by this amateur coverage.
- June 26, 2007 at 2:02 PM
- raharrin said...
I have just read every comment on here and it all seems to indicate that people hate TNT's race coverage along with Bill Weber. Is it that positive comments are being censored? No, I really think that people in general DO hate watching a race on TNT and really hate listening to Bill Weber make mistake after mistake during the broadcast. I really don't understand why they don't bring back Alan Bestwick as the main announcers.
- June 27, 2007 at 12:37 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The rules for sending posts are on the right side of the site. The only posts that are omitted are the ones where people are so mad at the networks they wind-up using foul language. This is an opinion based forum, not a "true or false" hard news site. Your opinion is always welcome. Thanks for taking the time to send it to us.
- June 27, 2007 at 2:54 PM


text:
Manufacturing worst for 14 months
Manufacturers were "walking rather than running" in August as new figures today showed the sector endured its worst performance in 14 months.
Amid fears that geopolitical tensions are hampering the recovery, the closely-watched CIPS/Markit purchasing managers' index survey gave a weaker-than-expected reading of 52.5, down from 54.8 a month earlier.
The figure is still well above the 50 threshold indicating growth but the overall survey paints a picture of a broad slowdown, with inflows of new business and new export orders weakening and the pace of job creation also easing.
Manufacturing confidence is lower than expected
Markit senior economist Rob Dobson said it was increasingly evident that UK industry was not immune to the impact of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia on the UK's biggest trading partner.
He said: "I t is noticeable that where export orders were reported to have risen, companies mainly linked this to demand from North America, Asia and the Middle East, as opposed to our European partners."
The downbeat survey will also give Bank of England policymakers more food for thought this week as they consider whether to raise interest rates for the first time in more than five years.
Mr Dobson said it now looked certain that the manufacturing sector will provide a lesser contribution to the UK economic recovery story than at the start of the year, when the headline index figure peaked at above 57.
CIPS chief executive David Noble noted that growth in output, new orders and employment all reduced to a more pedestrian level.
He said: "UK manufacturers were walking rather than running in August as the sector's performance fell to a 14-month low and growth began to slow further."
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I enter the Department of Motor Vehicles and walk up to the front desk where a
"Hi! I need to get my license renewed," I happily tell the gentleman.
Without a word or any semblance of human expression, he hands me a paper with a number on it and points to his right.
"Thank you!" I say as head in the direction he's pointing.
I arrive in a waiting area of sorts and take a seat. There are twenty happy state employees just waiting on pins and needles to help me. So naturally, I sat there for fifteen minutes until one of them decided to do some work, and called my number. I approached a woman who was much too busy talking to her coworker to bother looking up at me.
"You should go to this bar with me. They play country music there. Oooo! We could call you Lurlene! I never give out my real name when I meet people at a bar. If a guy asks me my name, I tell him Maria and hope that my friends don't come by and call me Emily in front of him. I think we should go to the country bar and we'll call you Lurlene. Isn't that hilarious?"
"Hee hee hee! I never use my real name either! And if someone asks me for my phone number, I always say 588-2300. (You may only get this if you live in Chicagoland, but it's the number for a carpet company and for like 500 years, they've sang that stupid phone number on their commercials. Everyone has that number etched in their brains.)
"Hee hee hee. That's funny Lurlene!
I mentally thank God that I'm married (even if it's to a man who makes Kool-Aid fish and paints the insides of closets) because I cannot imagine being on the single scene with folks like these. Seeing that they have no intention of ending their exchange of dating tips any time soon, I cleared my throat and asked, "Excuse me. Am I in the right place?"
Anyway, I plopped my old license in Lurlene's friend's outstretched hand. She looked at it, typed on her computer, and asked, "Is your address the same?"
"Is your height and weight the same?"
This is the part where I snorted a little. I replied sarcastically, "Yeah, I'm still 125 pounds." I laughed hysterically thinking that was pretty darn funny as it's quite clear that I haven't seen 125 since Jimmy Carter was in office. Apparently Lurlene's friend wasn't amused as she looked at me deadpan, and said, "So it's 125?"
"Umm no. It's ummm, well, it's kinda, umm," I stammered, not really wanting to tell her the truth.
She rolled her eyes, as if to say, "Look lady, it doesn't matter what your driver's license says, you're a cow and no number you give me is going to change that. Now hurry up because I have bar hopping plans to make."
I decided that lying was the best policy and told her to put 150. Ha! I only wish I was 150.
She pushed a paper at me and, yawning with boredom, told me to sign it and then take my old license to the cashier in yet another line.
I stood in the cashier's line and encountered yet another friendly, smiling face. I'm not positive, but I think she said, "That'll be $10 and you suck for taking up my time." I paid her and moved on to line number four.
This is where I had the vision test. I'm pretty sure I could be legally blind and still pass. "Look into the machine. Do you see any letters?"
"Yes. G, B, T..."
He cut me off, "You don't need to tell me what they are. Do you see flashing lights on the right, the left, or both sides?"
"The right."
"Good enough! Go over there to the update counter now."
OK then. I was able to bypass the written test line and the behind-the-wheel test line this time. I walked over to the update counter and stood in line there. Finally I was greeted by yet another fun, friendly, happy-to-be-alive DMV employee. I handed her my old license and paperwork. She directed me to take a seat in another waiting area. I waited there for my name to be called so I could get my picture taken.
The woman who called my name and took my picture actually smiled at me. I couldn't figure out how she ever managed to get a job there. I stood against the backdrop and smiled. After she took the picture (or so I thought), I relaxed my stance and made a goofy face at Savannah who was waiting for me. That's when she clicked the camera. She looked at the picture and said something along the lines of, "That's a terrible picture! You look like a serial killer. Stand back over there."
Now, I should have been ecstatic that she noticed it was a bad picture and let me have a "do-over", right? I mean, I'd hate to be caught speeding some day and have the police officer arrest me just because I look like a psychopath in my driver's license photo. But (and this is the really pathetic part) I thought to myself, "Oh bummer. If she made me keep the awful photo, that would make a pretty good blog post!" I know, I know. I warned you it was pathetic.
So I went to another waiting area until my new license was ready. It actually didn't turn out too badly. Well, except for the part where Savannah brought to my attention that I was only wearing one big, gold hoop earring and I had my sunglasses pushed up in my hair like a headband. I'm such a dork. But still, I was only at the DMV for 4 1/2 hours and I only had Savannah with me, and IL has pretty new licenses with red on them! So all in all it was good.


text:
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Cupcakes and Kitties
I made these for my neighbor Wes's 48th birthday. He made the mistake of telling me on Friday, and when someone tells me it's their birthday, they'd better be ready to accept a batch of yummy vegan cupcakes.
These were a variation on the vanilla cupcake in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I added chocolate chips to the batter (because Wes loves chocolate, but who doesn't?). Suckily, the chips sank to the bottom causing the cupcake liners to stick to the chocolate. But eaten on a plate with a spoon, they weren't half-bad. I've never had a bad cupcake from VCTOTW.
As for those kitties I promised, here's a pic of my little heathens at dinnertime:
From left to right: Pandora, Gelfling, Polaris, and Akasha. They will steal your breath (and likely your soul), destroy your furniture, and smash your breakables. But you gotta love them!
29 comments:
Mmm those cuppies look yummy! Your frosting skills are quite impressive.
I had my own cuppy disappointment today, I mixed in sprinkles for a confetti look and they just dissolved! Not even a hint of colour left.
- June 29, 2008 at 11:36 PM
- Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said...
Birthday cupcakes is such a nice way for you to spread the vegan love! And cute kitties.
- June 30, 2008 at 7:25 AM
- Marisa L. B. said...
Cupcakes look yummy! And adorable kitties! I used to have the same cat feeder for my Pumpkin!!!!
- June 30, 2008 at 7:52 AM
- ChocolateCoveredVegan said...
Ohmigosh I am just laughing too much at that funny, but cute, picture of your greedy little kitties!
Hmm, I wonder why the chips sank... well, at least you were able to find a way to eat them.
And I am all set for a girl fight. Just give me a minute to find my boxing gloves (I need gloves so I don't mess up my manicured nails, of course).
- June 30, 2008 at 8:09 AM
- Allison said...
Your food pictures always look so great!! I really need to buy that cookbook so I can start baking cupcakes...And your kitties are adorable!! :0) I love the markings on Polaris!
- June 30, 2008 at 8:30 AM
- vko said...
What a perfect little cupcake- lucky birthday friend of yours! And that kitty pic is too precious- nothing beats pics of cupcakes & kitties, except of course maybe kitties next to cupcakes...
- June 30, 2008 at 8:32 AM
- Vegan On Stage said...
those cup cakes look aweomse!
HAHHAHAHA that is a great picture of your kitties! I like how their butts are all lined up in a row :)
- June 30, 2008 at 8:48 AM
- Vegan_Noodle said...
Your kitties are so cute all lined up!!
Cupcakes look tasty!! Too bad the chips sunk, but you are so right, I've never had anything bad from vctotw!
- June 30, 2008 at 9:50 AM
- VeggieGirl said...
Wow, those Chocolate-Chip-Vanilla Cupcakes look AMAZING!! What a lovely birthday treat for your neighbor. And hey, eating a cupcake with a spoon still sounds delicious!
Aww, all four of your cats are just too precious!! Love the photograph :0)
- June 30, 2008 at 9:59 AM
- Luna 22 said...
Mmmmmm, the cupcakes look delicious.
I may have a solution to your chocolate chip problem. Take the chips and coat them with a little AP Flour or WW Flour before you put them into the batter. Depending on how many chips you use you vary the amount of flour. For example, if you are using 1 cup of chips, you would use maybe 2 tablespoons of flour at the most. The idea is to lightly coat the chips and not add too much extra flour to the batter. This way they adhere to the mixture and they won't sink. Hope it works. I use it at home all the time. It also keep blueberries from sinking to the bottom of pancakes. :)
Also, the kitties are so sweet. They remind of me of mine.
- June 30, 2008 at 10:18 AM
- Lauren said...
those cupcakes are soo adorable, and i'm sure soo delicious. i love cupcakes..they're so much more fun than regular cake.
and aw, your kitties are so cute! i've always been a dog person growing up, but lately I've seen some realllly adorable cats..i might get swayed over. :)
- June 30, 2008 at 10:34 AM
- Jennifer (of Veg*n Cooking) said...
How nice of you to make cupcakes for your neighbors birthday! Mmmm, I'd happily take some of those anytime.
And your kitties are so cute! Look at all of 'em lined up like that. Aww, I bet you have your hand full!
- June 30, 2008 at 10:45 AM
- Alice (in Veganland) said...
You have so much contact with your neighbors! I don't even know mine... But I really wish they would bake cupcakes for me, hehe
- June 30, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Wow, that right there is perfection in a cupcake. The photo is cookbook-worthy!
- June 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM
That cup cake is so pretty! I used to add chips/sprinkles to my batter, but now I just sprinkle a few on the individual cupcakes just before putting them in the oven and they don't all sink to the bottom that way.
Love the kitties!
- June 30, 2008 at 1:50 PM
- Happy Herbivore! said...
I love the kitty photo (and uI'll gladly eat that cupcake too!)
- June 30, 2008 at 3:54 PM
- Cyn said...
Birthday cupcakes are the best. And your herd of kitties are so cute, I wish my cat didn't hate all other cats with a fiery passion.
- June 30, 2008 at 4:24 PM
- Theresa said...
I love the pattern on Polaris' fur. Super cute kitties! And the cupcakes are so sweet. Sounds like you and your neighbour love swapping food!
- June 30, 2008 at 6:37 PM
- thedalyn said...
We just got a third kitty recently and, when Josh said we had enough cats, I indignantly pointed to you and insisted that some people have more. So, thank you.
- June 30, 2008 at 7:07 PM
- federal vegan (kate) said...
Oooh, pretty cupcakes. :)
- June 30, 2008 at 7:09 PM
- Allison said...
Thanks!! I took 3 cake decorating classes last year, and loved it so much that I knew I wanted to keep doing it! I've just started these carved cakes on my own...and while they're definitely a challenge, they're SO much fun! You have a decorating talent too!~I want that cupcake :o) And yes, Grandmas are amazing!!
- June 30, 2008 at 7:31 PM
- The Voracious Vegan said...
What amazing little kitties, I love them! (And their names, too!) But please, PLEASE send me a batch of those cupcakes right away! I'm desperate, they look gorgeous!
- July 1, 2008 at 1:16 AM
- Cindy Mc said...
Hey: I just celebrated my 17th sobriety birthday. Where's my vegan cupcakes?
- July 1, 2008 at 4:26 PM
- Cindy Mc said...
Oops. Where ARE my vegan cupcakes? Don't tell any of my students about that little mishap.
- July 1, 2008 at 4:27 PM
- Amy said...
What beautiful cats! I've heard that the secret of having your blueberries not fall to the bottom in muffins is to mix them in with the dry ingredients first so they are coated with flour. I don't know if that would hold true for chocolate chips though.
- July 1, 2008 at 8:51 PM
- jessy said...
cupcakes & kitties! hooray! your cuppycakes look delicious - it's so cool of you to whip some up for your awesome neighbor!
your kitties are all so cute, and i love their names! makes want to watch The Dark Crystal again. i'm so putting that on my netflix! w00t!
- July 2, 2008 at 8:06 AM
- vegan addict said...
lovely cupcakes and oh so sweet kitties! that's cool how they all eat together!
- July 3, 2008 at 11:17 PM
What a great combination! Cats, cupcakes & chocolate.
- July 8, 2008 at 9:51 AM
- Veggie said...
Gotta' love the kitties!
- July 10, 2008 at 3:04 PM


text: This ultra chic hobo feels so compact slung over the shoulder yet amply holds everything you need for a busy day of meetings, lunch and shopping. The silvertone stud and chain detail is a bold accent against the smooth rich leather. Also has a pleated shoulder strap, zip top closure, logo plate, interior zip and cell/Blackberry pockets. 20"L x 4"W x 13"H. Handle drop: 10".


text:
Article by Max Turunen
Then there is making biogas. An airtight container, nothing added to plant waste… but one thing more: water lock. can be made from old canisters… and old tractor inner tire-tube can store some of that burning flame gas (no, there won't be that much of it in small scales… but some cooking and heating power anyways… and perhaps to run some small engines for short while). Same type of slurry is left…
The charcoal making without as much smoke as from ordinary fires, and while cooking/heating, seems to be the newest and oddest to people… (me included, I had to trie it ot believe it, and even then I had to burn some of the seaweed-stalk charcoals to be sure it really was charcoal). But it is actually easy to do… here's (again, I think it is quite practical and important) the step by step How To instructions: (use outdoors only ! Carbon Monoxide can be very dangerous indoors in contained spaces):


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text:
Notes from Howard's Sabbatical from Working. The name comes from a 1998 lunch conversation. Someone asked if everything man knew was on the web. I answered "no" and off the top of my head said "Fidel Castro's favorite color". About every 6-12 months I've searched for this. It doesn't show up in the first 50 Google results (this blog is finally first for that search), AskJeeves says it's: red.
UP2V presents A reconstruction of the Delta Airlines datacenter outage .
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text:
Build and control giant robots and battle other players for supremacy.
Steel Sentinels Features
In the far future, rival forces do battle using giant robots, warring for control over the valuable solarite resources. As a sentinel commander, you must wage war on those who stand in your way, complete missions, win solarite, acquire new technology, and use it to make your sentinel the deadliest in the galaxy.
1. Can I change the camera controls?
Yes. The options menu contains many configurable settings. Try them out and find the one that suits you best.
2. How do I unlock more technology?
Play the single-player campaigns to unlock lots of early technology. You can also engineer more technology from the 'Configuration' screen by expending solarite earned in Rated games.
3. How do I get new sentinels?
Each sentinel has a set of default components and modules that must be engineered before you can use the chassis. New chassis become available as you progress technologically.
4. How can I improve my score?
Inflict more damage and kills upon your enemies, and avoid damaging your team-mates.
5. What is energy loss?
Thrusting, targeting, and firing energy weapons expends your sentinel's energy. Your energy will recharge over time, but if you use it up too quickly, your sentinel will run out and be unable to move until it cools down. Try to avoid energy loss by taking more capacitors and by being economical with your energy use.
6. How do I collect tags?
Tags are awarded for outstanding effort on the battlefield. Any tags won in Rated games are recorded, and your tag totals can be viewed on the Achievements page.
7. What are the minimum specifications for this game?
The minimum specifications we recommend for this game are:
The recommended specifications for getting the most out of this game are:
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Megabytes (MB) are used to measure how much memory your computer has. This affects how quickly your computer runs when using large programs such as games, or when you run a lot of programs at once.
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text:
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Updated: Hurricane Season Comes Calling
Update: Tropical Storm Hanna slowed down and is only expected to be passing Northern Florida on Friday afternoon, so the Nationwide Series race from Richmond looks good. Unfortunately, it is forecast to be over Virginia on Saturday evening. Weather.com has the projected path.
Living on the Southeast coast of Florida I have had the pleasure of three hurricanes over the past couple of years and a tropical storm just last week which left behind fourteen inches of rain as a present.
The picture above is the eye of Hurricane Jeanne literally over my house. We were almost a month without power. That little white blotch to the left is Lake Okeechobee. To give you some perspective on the size of the storm, Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake in the US behind Lake Michigan. It has its own zip code.
Now, the tropics are swirling once again and this time things are not looking too good for the ESPN gang on Saturday night. The Rock and Roll 400 in Richmond is the first Sprint Cup Series race that ESPN is producing in the ABC package.
As of 8PM on Tuesday, Tropical Storm Hanna was expected to become a hurricane, slide up the Florida coast and be in the Virginia area on Saturday night. The rainfall in advance of the storm may well play a role in the Friday night Nationwide Series race as well. Saturday does not look good at all.
ESPN's David Newton updated host Ryan Burr on Tuesday's NASCAR Now about NASCAR's contingency plans. Newton's comments were that NASCAR would focus on the Sprint Cup Series race and move the Nationwide Series to Sunday or even Monday if weather cancelled the events on Friday night.
In terms of the big ABC race on Saturday, his comment was that NASCAR would stay and try to race on Sunday morning. This would presumably get the teams and transporters out of the track and on the way back to North Carolina in a timely fashion late Sunday afternoon. If worse came to worse, they would try to race on Monday morning.
Newton did not mention anything about the ABC or ESPN contingency plans. The ABC Network does not have network sports access on Sunday mornings across the four time zones of its affiliate stations. Sunday afternoon has a live WNBA game at 1:00PM Eastern Time followed at 3:30PM by the live IRL race from Chicagoland. Cross ABC off the list.
Sunday morning finds ESPN itself involved in the two-hour highly-rated NFL Countdown show. That program runs from 11AM to 1PM live and then transitions to a college football weekend wrap-up show. Cross ESPN off the list.
It looks like ESPN2 will be the intended target for the Cup Series in the same way that Richmond seems to be a potential destination for Hanna. We must make sure to add to this a term that we Floridians know all too well. I think it is one of the greatest phrases of the English language.
We have to remember that all of this is still in...say it with me..."the cone of uncertainty." Possibly the best term ever invented since "actions detrimental to stock car racing."
Basically, no one knows where a force of nature like a hurricane is headed so teams will be experiencing a very interesting weekend of weather as they travel from the Mooresville, NC area to suburban Henrico County, Virginia.
We will continue to add updated info to this post throughout the week and try to keep everyone updated on the series and the TV network plans for the weekend.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
30 comments:
- HarpAmy/Amy in FL said...
What an interesting wrench this throws into the whole situation. Thanks for keeping us informed as to what is going to happen.
So, JD, Jeanne was literally over your house at the time that the pic was taken? Wow. After Jeanne paid you a visit, she came up to visit me with over 100mph winds and I am as inland as you can get. Did Jeanne make landfall in Stuart or West Palm or Boca?
I just hope that Nascar and RIR make the right and safe decision as to when to run this weekends races. What would Nascar do if they had to cancel the races entirely and move it to another weekend now that the Chase is here? Does tv have any contigency plans?
Thanks, again, JD for this blog. Please keep us informed as soon as you hear anything.
- September 2, 2008 at 9:18 PM
- Newracefan said...
With weather potentially messing up my vacation (traveling to the Outer Banks in 2 weeks), screwing up my NASCAR may push me over the edge. Watching the cup race is hard enough lately but absolutely impossible from work (this means no foxtrax or scanner) and I'm really afraid this race will not come off this weekend.
JD hope you and all others in the path of these storms stay safe and dry. I can always give up my vacation, your home is there.
- September 2, 2008 at 9:38 PM
- Vicky D said...
We all know too well the prediction of hurricanes - as the media was all over Gustav the last few days and here in Houston, we never even had ONE drop of rain. Hopefully for the teams and fans, the storm will pass east of Richmond and everything will go as planned this coming weekend. My coworkers in Lafayette & New Orleans have only had loss of power so it wasn't too bad this time. JD I can't imagine being without power for a month you must have gone crazy!
- September 2, 2008 at 9:48 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Lots of us over this way have portable generators that run the fridge and keep one room cool.
When I came outside after Jeanne I had a Coast Gaurd helicopter over my house and the guy in the side window gave me the thumbs-up signal.
Only then did it dawn on me that some folks might not be doing so well at that moment.
The weather guys said Fay was going to hit Tampa and bring us on the East Coast four inches of rain in one day.
Needless to say, five days and fourteen inches of rain later...
Just hope everybody in Richmond has someplace to stay other than the motorhomes at the track. Might get a bit windy.
- September 2, 2008 at 10:03 PM
- TexasRaceLady said...
JD, I know well what you go through with a hurricane. I lived in Houston for most of my life -- I well remember Carla in 1961.
I was in the part of Houston that received 36 inches of rain in less than 12 hours during TS Allison.
Mother Nature does as she pleases, we just try to cope.
Here in Palestine in East Texas, we were expecting 6+ inches of rain --- didn't even get enough to float the cork in the guage.
I sure hope Hanna leaves you alone and leaves Richmond alone long enough to care of racing.
Stay safe.
- September 2, 2008 at 10:19 PM
- glenc1 said...
I have lots of family all over FL, GA & SC, and am watching this by the hour...
Richmond HAS been hit by a hurricane--a few years back Gaston hit shortly before the race weekend--ripped out power poles & flooded, closed a lane of a major inbound road because it washed away the edge, I remember the orange cones. And the parking lot was somewhat water laden. Anyways, it did come off on time which Hanna (no H) might prevent this time. But this can happen to any network for any sport, it's just something to keep an eye on. BTW, the camping area is quite small compared to other races. So hopefully not as many affected, but our concerns are with them. Be safe, everyone!
- September 2, 2008 at 10:29 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
I went to VCU, so we liked it when Shockoe Slip filled up with water and floated the cars away.
Hope things stay dry up that way.
- September 2, 2008 at 10:32 PM
- bevo said...
I prefer the cone of silence from "Get Smart" myself ;)
- September 2, 2008 at 11:39 PM
- Anonymous said...
Is there any possbility of ESPN heading up to Richmond later, after the storm passes. I mean if it is still a hurricane or even a tropical storm when it hits Richmond it wouldnt be a good idea to have millions of dollars of TV equipment lying around would it?
- September 2, 2008 at 11:40 PM
- Dot said...
I do hope you are safe this weekend. I hope my other e friends in the Hanna path are too. It's too bad you can't truck some of that rain water west to LV. We could use it.
- September 3, 2008 at 12:03 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 11:40PM,
That is a great question. The NASCAR TV compound is run by the NASCAR Media Group, a tv and production company that NASCAR owns in Charlotte, NC.
It takes them a couple of days to get all the logistical things parked and powered and strung.
ESPN brings so of its own equipment, as does DirectTV and several other vendors. It has to be there despite the weather risk on this one.
I think if it was a storm headed right at the Richmond area, things might be different.
The way these weather forecasters are going, I fully expect it to make landfall somewhere in Connecticut!
- September 3, 2008 at 12:07 AM
- glenc1 said...
Actually, like Larry Mac I'm a big fan of TWC...and they are remarkably accurate about where these things are headed. Not *always*, because we are dealing with Mother Nature, but still...Gustav went pretty much right through the middle of the cone. IIRC, they were right about Jeanne too (I have family who rode it out in Jensen Beach.) Said it would loop around and come back and that's just what it did. It was Charly that took everyone by surprise. Anyways, I am not going to Richmond this year, but I'm kinda glad not to be sitting in the rain.
But talking about the equipment reminded me of something that happened at Watkins Glen--years ago, back when the Busch/Nationwide race was a standalone in June, same day as Sonoma. Anyways, apparently one of the ESPN trucks was late, cause they were cranking some of the cameras up behind us (some kind of hydraulic lift) and swinging giant cables around like mad--this was like 20 minutes before race time. They had to be sweating bullets. Sure enough, just as the green flag waved they were in business; but it was close. I was very impressed though; they were methodical and got it done even though it looks very complicated.
nrf--I've actually used NASCAR.com on Monday races--it's not bad even if you can't 'watch', you can follow. And there's no annoying announcers!
- September 3, 2008 at 8:52 AM
- GinaV24 said...
Man, we were at the Richmond race right after that hurricane came through years ago. People were talking about it at the track at how scary it had been. I've sat through an extended rain delay at various races, including Richmond, and it is NO fun at all. And if it's going to be a heavy blowing rain, it's tough on the equipment and on the fans. I wish everyone luck and be safe.
- September 3, 2008 at 9:37 AM
- Lisa Hogan said...
This is one of those times when I need a clone. The clone could worry about storms while I worry about racing. :)
After Fay parked over my area of the central east coast of Florida for several days, we were left with 26 inches of rain. My workplace was closed for four days. Some neighborhoods are still flooded and some roads are still closed. Luckily, my home and immediate area are fine now.
Those storms lined up in the Atlantic do not make for a cozy feeling. I'm hoping that Hanna will fizzle out so that everyone will be safe and we can have our racing.
I tend to live most of my life within "the cone of uncertainty". :)
- September 3, 2008 at 9:40 AM
- red said...
ya' know, it's at times such as these that i am eternally grateful to be living in the philly area! the heat and humidity may be enough to make one prone to rash actions but i rarely -- if ever! -- have to worry about hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes or tornadoes where i live. there's quite a bit to be said for such stability!
my thoughts and prayers to all who are or may be in the path of rough weather. stay as safe as you can and know that we're thinking about YOU and not the racing, this weekend and all weekends. whatever racing happens/doesn't happen is secondary to your safety.
that being said: it will be an interesting weekend for espn, to be sure!
- September 3, 2008 at 10:41 AM
- speedangel said...
Ugh. Don't remind me about Charley. When that hurricane took a change of direction it went right over, or should I say thru, where I used to live. The complex ended up condemned. I got pieces of Frances and Jeanne that year as well. We also got about 15 inches of rain from Fay a couple weeks ago.
With that said, I'd love to see a night race but I'll take a delayed race if it means everyone stays safe.
- September 3, 2008 at 12:06 PM
- Anonymous said...
@gina--that's horrible to hear. I was wondering if they had any "safety" zones. I know here at TMS they have safe zones for folks if a tornado rolls through. I've only been here 4 years and when Rita came it died long before it hit us and they said if it did make it this far north it would have been a Category 1. We had some rain and winds but nothing bad.
@lisa--I have a friend in Charlotte that was flooded form the rains from Fay. Her apartments are being demolished to build a park so she was going to have to move anyway, but didn't expect it to be this soon. Luckily, she'll get aid for the move since it's not the residents fault, but just has to wait her turn. She was woken up at 4:30 to someone banging on her door and in that few minutes from the knock to reach her car to try to move it to higher ground, it was already under water. She had time to grab her cat and a few clothes. Everything has to be trashed because even if there's no water damage the stink is still there :(
Hopefully it'll fizzle out or change direction...but regardless everyone in the possible path stay safe! We can race into December if we have to :)
- September 3, 2008 at 12:14 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
I really do need a clone! :)
I forgot about the Trucks. Wonder if Gustav will have any effect there.
- September 3, 2008 at 12:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
Trucks are in St Louis - not many hurricanes hit there. Doubt if any have. Nope this one is headed up the East Coast as usual.
As they say its gonna be interesting next few days. At least race is set for Sat which gives NASCAR Sun, Mon and perhaps Tues? to get race in. They did that last year. Only problem will be who is gonna televise it? Yes its gonna get interesting.
- September 3, 2008 at 12:56 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
Thanks for the laugh, anon.
Remnants from Hurricane Gustav are headed toward the track. Don't know if it will clear out by Saturday.
(Hanna is headed for the east coast)
- September 3, 2008 at 1:18 PM
- Anonymous said...
too many storms. Looked at the NHC map and by golly Gustav remnants headed towards mid-west (really) and Missouri area.
Getting more interesting by the minute.
- September 3, 2008 at 1:39 PM
- glenc1 said...
There was a T-storm/tornado watch once when I was at Richmond, but I don't recall safe zones. Over 100,000 people, where would you go (other than your car?) Luckily it never happened. Kind of nightmarish even thinking about it. Imagine if more people had been at AMS when they had theirs...
Hurricanes can do a lot more damage inland than people realize. A big slow mover can flood anyplace.
- September 3, 2008 at 1:41 PM
- Anonymous said...
Lary Mac always talks about the conference calls the Fox guys have before a race - questions is how many conference calls are going on today and tomorrow involving NASCAR, ESPN, RIR and possibly even Speed TV? did I miss anyone?
Interesting scenarios?
- September 3, 2008 at 1:46 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
JD- Mother Nature does have a way of reminding us of what really is important. Be safe. Hope you dodge the Hannah storm.
- September 3, 2008 at 2:18 PM
- majorshouse said...
I live in Central South Carolina and they are talking about us getting somewhere between four and eight inches of rain depending where Hanna comes ashore. It looks like anywhere from Charlteston to Myrtle Beach at this point so it will be very interesting to see what NASCAR does with the race this weekend.
- September 3, 2008 at 2:57 PM
- majorshouse said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- September 3, 2008 at 2:58 PM
- Tracy said...
I was at Richmond last May, when it started out beautifully, then the day deteriorated into steady drizzle, rain, more drizzle - and complete misery. They called the race at 11 p.m. because of Henrico County's sound ordinance.
If they postponed last May until Sunday, I see no way they'll race Friday or Sat. They're calling for 3-5 inches (a lot for this area) and 55 mph winds. Anyway, I'm planning on a Sunday Cup race. Don't have any idea what they'll do about NW, but the RIR web site says they'll have updates.
I'm packing it all - rain slickers, rain boots, etc.
- September 3, 2008 at 4:36 PM
- GinaV24 said...
Amen, Tracy, after the first time I went to a race (at Richmond to boot), it poured all day and into the night. I didn't have rain gear with me that time and since it was the May race almost went into hypothermia. Thank goodness for heated seats in the car, I swear it saved my life. We actually went back in September that year and had a great time, but after that experience, I have never again traveled to a race without a full set of rain gear. Live and learn. Maybe the storm will shift and it won't ruin the schedule, but better to be prepared in any case.
- September 3, 2008 at 5:28 PM
- Anonymous said...
I'm packing it all - rain slickers, rain boots, etc.
Don't forget a blowup raft so you can make it from the gradnstands to the car. lol.
But all joking aside. I really dont want to see anything mess up this weekends NASCAR event. I think we might see a repeat of last years Michigan race where teams didnt race until Tuesday because of two days of rain.
- September 3, 2008 at 5:45 PM
- Anonymous said...
Well its nice to know more than just me & JD live in the "cone of uncertainty" ( I'm in Brandon near Tampa)I'm so glad I wasn't here for Jeanne & Charly, that said I helped friends clean up after both & Hugo,& helped my sister relocate after Andrew.
I've never been at a track when a hurricane was forecast to come ashore at or near the track. Will they make the RV motor homes park somewhere else or would they let them stay? And what about all the cables from the networks?
We were at TMI during lightning storms & they cleared the stands, so I'm just wondering.
Anyone going to the race please be careful & stay safe.
- September 3, 2008 at 11:37 PM


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Database 2016 year
This website was made to help people who lost their license plates. You can find your license plate here by choosing the first symbols. After each choice, the alternatives are displayed to guide your next selection until the number is restored in full. This page lists the possible pattern for seven-digit license plates that start with GPQAN.
The size of license plate - 6x12 inch - was agreed in 1956 between Canada, US and Automaker Association. There is smaller license numbers for bike, moped and trailer.


text:
W.m. Lewis & Son
Wm. Lewis & Son is one of the oldest stringed instrument brands still in production. The fine violinist, William Lewis was born in Devonshire, England in 1837 and moved to the US in 1850 residing near Bellevue, Ohio. Lewis was a violin prodigy performing concerts at only 8 years old. In 1862, he moved to Chicago and worked for the music house of Root & Cady which was destroyed in 1871 by the Great Chicago Fire. Ebenezer Towner Root then became a partner with William Lewis and formed the music house known as Root and Lewis.
Then in 1874, William Lewis, concerned by the lack of quality instruments and service available for his students, formed the Chicago Music Company with new partners Newell and Gibbs. Located in the heart of the Chicago business district, players from the finest symphony orchestras in the world would often visit Lewis' shop to have their own instruments appraised or serviced. Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivarius instruments were commonly in inventory.
William later renamed the business Wm. Lewis Company in 1886 and then eventually to Wm. Lewis & Son in 1896. Fred Lewis succeeded his father as president of the company. In 1995, the 121 year old string maker was purchased by the Selmer Company.


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|The Cornet carrying "The Banner Blue" leads Hawick Common Riding
I live in the Scottish Borders, a region often called "Scotland's Horse Country", where riding is in the blood. In the summer the towns celebrate their history and heritage with the annual common ridings. In Hawick where I lived until recently, it is both a symbolic riding of the town's boundaries, made in the past to safeguard burgh rights and also a commemoration of the callants, young lads of Hawick, who in 1514, raided a body of English troops and captured their flag - the "banner blue". This skirmish followed the the ill-fated Battle of Flodden in 1513, when King James IV and much of the "Flower of Scotland" were killed.
|Hawick's Cornet with the "Banner Blue".
Not surprisingly, riding is a popular activity locally and one my daughter was keen to join at any early age.
35 years on, and donkey is still going strong, with my granddaughter eager to get in the saddle.
With thanks to Lesley Fraser for allowing me to feature her two photographs of Hawick Common Riding


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Sonia LiAlumni, Class of 2014
Sonia Li was "Made in Taiwan," travel around the world when she can and live in New York City.
Her art and designs are about life, laughter, fun, and everything else in between living and breathing.
Art is immediate; she keeps her camera handy and cut up photos for collages or inspirations. She carries stickers because there are always chances to make art.
Art is about connecting with people and learning new things.
There is a lot of whimsy in her seriousness and vice versa; life is about playing hard and working even harder.
Sonia Li has a devoted yoga practice.