Car Photo of the Day: Name That Car.

This car is a bit pedestrian, especially with that ugly one reflected in the chrome, but it is well-loved and instantly recognizable when seen from other angles. Know what car it is?

By the way, If you’re reading this on facebook you are better off coming over here: chuck.goolsbee.org to comment, as I generally ignore comments on #fb

Defending The Data Center… from WHAT exactly?

absurd or plausible? I think the former.

Defending The Data Center – Forbes.com.

This “datacenter as terrorism target” meme has to die. Seriously. It clouds (pardon the pun) the real issues of physical and network security in our industry. If you have to seize a hot button topic like “terrorism” to communicate something important (yet completely unrelated) then you are not communicating properly.

I’ve written about this previously but it bears repeating: Datacenters are genuine parts of the first world’s infrastructure, but infrastructure is never the target of terrorism. The minds of people are the target, and in the case of 9/11 infrastructure was the weapon and symbols of capitalism and government were the targets.

It is far too expensive and time-consuming to attack infrastructure. Infrastructure only becomes a target in times of war between nations. If we’ve reached that point, then we have much larger worries. Meanwhile the realistic focus should be on criminals, infiltrations & DoS attacks (which the recent attacks on Twitter & facebook mentioned in the article actually were!) and perhaps competitors (aka industrial espionage) long before we start throwing terrorists into the mix of threats to datacenters and their contents.

The Alfa 8C, The most beautiful car today.

Continuing part of yesterday’s thought process…

I am in full agreement with Mr. Clarkson here. I have often thought that it is not possible today to build a car that is as beautiful as say, an E-type Jaguar. The rules and regulations have strangled the life from so many designs. But here, with the 8C Alfa Romeo proves me wrong.

Like the E-type the 8C has its quirks and imperfections, but damn is this thing gorgeous. Bellisimo Alfa Romeo!

Car Photo(s) of the Day: Museum or Rolling Art?

Which photo do you like better?

SS100 seen at the Saratoga Auto Museum

SS100 seen in a parking lot

Recently there was an editorial posted on The Truth About Cars asking “are new cars ruining old car shows?” It went on to complain in typical “your music is too loud, and get off my lawn” language that the inclusion of new cars (code for “young men”) in car shows was a sign of the apocalypse, the decline of western civilization, or at least really really annoying to old farts.

I decided to write a “rebuttal” of sorts and blasted through it only to find that what I was really arguing against was car museums more than cars shows. The analogy I used was that of dead bugs on pins, and pasty animals suspended in formaldehyde, compared to seeing the real animal, in the flesh, in its natural habitat. Shows are an unnatural habitat for sure, but at least closer to reality than museums. I never finished the editorial, as I had a starter to fix and a rally to run… you know keep MY old car running in ITS natural habitat! Perhaps I’ll revisit it and Mr. Farago will publish once I get the logic sorted out within the 800 word limit. We’ll see. Meanwhile I was perusing my server-stashed stack of old car photos for a CPotD and noted these two photos in close proximity. Two nearly identical cars in two completely different modes of presentation… in a way making my point for me.

The top one is in a museum. The car is buffed to a high sheen, and kept under subdued lighting as if to enhance the shiny condition and leave the viewer in awe. The bottom photo is in a parking lot after a day’s hard running. Bugs, rain, and road grime. I honestly prefer the latter. Even more so when earlier that same day I took these photos of, and from within, the very same car:

SS100 underway

The way it is meant to be seen.

Perhaps it was my recent experience at the Blackhawk Collection that has left me feeling this way. Mind you some of those machines are one-offs or things which make no sense to on the road, but seeing them roped off and preserved like dead animals posed by a taxidermist left me cold.

In a way car shows do the same for me. Too much emphasis is placed on cleanliness and untouchability, and not enough on utility, history, and use.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, as perhaps they’ll help me organize mine more coherently.

2009 Monte Shelton Northwest Classic: Photo Sneak Peek

2009 Monte Shelton Northwest Classic Rally from chuck goolsbee on Vimeo.

Here’s a YouTube-ification (transmogrification?) of my photos from last weekend’s TSD Rally. I promise I’ll fill in the story as soon as I can. Meanwhile, enjoy the images.

OK… that didn’t work. YouTube barfed on that file. Check back soon, as I’m trying an alternative.

Trying Vimeo now… let me know if it doesn’t work… I’m off to wrestle with Interstate 5.

Car Photo of the Day (Returns!)

Apologies for the CPotD hiatus. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been away for a while. Actually I was away for the better part of two weeks in mid-July, then back for two weeks, but catching up on all the things work and life related while I was gone… not to mention spending every free moment repairing the E-type (replacing a starter motor, one of the more difficult things to be done on an E-type!) Then this past weekend my Dad & I ran the Monte Shelton Northwest Classic Rally in Oregon. My access to the Internet was spotty to non-existent on this trip so I wasn’t able to update the site. I’ll try and catch up over the next few days. Meanwhile here’s a photo I snapped on the way home from Central Oregon yesterday. Taken in the midst of the newly constructed large wind farm that straddles the Columbia River, this is a shot of the Jaguar at the Maryhill Scenic Overlook on the Washington side of the river. I drove US 97 down to central Oregon last November and the turbines were not there (nor can they bee seen on this video from last years’ Maryhill Loops Hilclimb) but they suddenly appeared when we drove down again earlier this summer. I knew I’d have to stop there and get some photos with the Jaguar. Perhaps again on some evening when the light will be more dramatic.