Friday, July 21, 2006

Marriage: the next big business opportunity

There is an interesting thesis on the privatization of marriage in the Independent Review online at http://www.independent.org/pdf/tir/tir_11_01_07_jones.pdf. The author calls for a total privatization of marriage in effect creating corporations that manage the style and terms of union and customers can pick and choose what style or type of marriage they would like. With all the discussion of the nature of marriage this is just another take.

I personnally am not a fan of this idea but thought I would share anyway.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Truck Racing

My father and I (it was a late Father's Day Gift for him) went to the Nascar Craftsman Truck race in Memphis this past Saturday. Though I have been a race fan for years, it was my first trip to a live race and my father was not sure when I invited him if we were going to a race or to see Monster Trucks.


This a photo of Johnny Benson's Toyota that I was cheering for. Unfortunately Ron Hornaday punted him early in the race and he finished 34th dropping him to 3rd in the points standings.



This is a shot of the trucks lined up on pit road prior to the race. I had Fan Walk tickets which allowed us to go over and see the pits and the track up close. While it was unbearably hot, it was very cool to see.


Here is a shot of the grandstand from the race track. Our seats were on the left edge (facing it) about 2/3 of the way up. Very good place to see the race from.

Unfortunately, my digital camera's shutterspeed was not fast enough to get a clear image of the trucks at full speed. They become blurs.

For example Todd Bodine's #30 Lumber Liquidator's truck crossing the start/finish line.


Or this shot of the trucks on the far side of the track.



It was a very fun evening and I almost turned my dad into a race fan. I am very excited for the Busch race in October. I have tickets and think it should be even cooler (in temperature if nothing else).

Monday, July 03, 2006

Moving

I have successfully purchased a home and moved into it. I was beginning to think that the fates were conspiring against me and that this would never happen. The closing was rescheduled twice at the last minute and even with everyone sitting around the table the wire transfer from the bank had not yet arrived and I was afraid that this would collapse. This would have been very bad as just prior to going to the lawyer's office for the closing, I with the assistance of my brother and a few other guys had finished loading the U-haul with all of my material possessions. I went to close and they went to the house to wait for me to show up with keys to unload. A problem would have been a significant problem. Fortunately it all worked out.

I have now joined the landed aristocracy and own my own dirt. How cool is that.