The Well-Balanced Diet

Apple, summed up succinctly.

(via consumergradevideo)

sharonov:

Allan McNish’s crash at Le Mans in spray paint.

nickcummings:

Dear Writers of Open Letters to Concepts, Places, Theories and Inanimate Objects,

Please cut that shit out.

Thanks,

Nick

Yeah.

Time to go! 行くぜ日本！I will see you again soon, Portland. (Taken with instagram)

@ Portland Japanese Garden now. (Taken with instagram)

I leave to move to Japan in five days. These words still don’t make complete sense.

consumergradevideo:

I dunno, looks pretty good up in the PNW.

As usual, life is good in the Pacific NW.

sharonov:

1990 BMW M3 DTM (E30) Johnny Cecotto

If I’m writing this as, say, a newspaper column with a photo attached, it’s hard to choose between “crying U.S. women’s players” or “joyful Japanese players.” But I’ve got scattered thoughts on Sunday’s game, and they’re bugging me and I want to write something so here we go.

Hearing that the game drew huge ratings in the U.S. is spectacular. I think it says something not just about the popularity of women’s sports in the U.S. (ESPN’s coverage of the entire games is testament to this, too, though the USWNT doing so well helps) or women’s soccer but soccer in general. ESPN has been steadily ramping up its soccer coverage in years past, and you see more and more soccer gear around. It may not be the NFL right now, or ever, but it’s a growing movement. As well, that so many Americans were drawn into a woman’s game is another step along the long path started before Title IX. I don’t think it means “we’re there,” yet, but it’s a milestone.

As for the result? I think a lot of Americans learned yesterday that the Soccer Gods are cruel and unusual, and not too different from college football’s Crazy Old-Testament God. The first commandment: Thou shall not fuck up a ton of chances and NOT expect it to bite you in the ass. Well before Wambach’s surface-to-air missile of a shot crashed off the crossbar, I knew the U.S. had missed too many close chances for it to not count somehow. I guess it’s an instinct finely honed watching Arsenal the last few years, but whatever. It is what it is.

Spite and ire should be saved for the penalty shootout, which was pretty disgraceful. But that’s it. The USWNT should be praised for making the final and losing in a penalty lottery, and really only admonished for not capitalizing on the early chances they had. Otherwise, they got beat by a really solid, skillful, resilient team in one of the best soccer finals I can remember.

That brings me to the other half of the coin: Japan. What resilience to survive the American assault early on in the game, grow that little bit with every missed chance and minute into the game, and make the most of chances. The first goal was pretty lucky, yes, but look at the one Homare Sawa put away in extra time:

How unreal is that? If Zlatan Ibrahimovich puts it away for AC Milan during a Champion’s League or Serie A game, it’s a Goal of the Week contender. Easy. So let’s not place all the blame on the U.S. here for letting the game slip; that Sawa goal and goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori standing on her head for two great saves in the penalty shootout played a part.

I don’t even want to touch on the way this raises Japan’s collective spirits, because that’s something else entirely, but how about this other storyline: 2011 has suddenly become the Year of Japan in international soccer. The Nadeshiko become the first Asian team to win the Women’s World Cup — hell, *any* World Cup in soccer for that matter — and the Samurai Blue men beat Australia 1-0 to win a record fourth Asian Cup (and it was on a golazo of their own, too). That’s the regional championship to the men and the world championship for the women in the same calendar year. I wonder if it would be hailed as much had Brazil or Germany done that very feat. Also, keep in mind that the whole “a great tournament and final improves exposure of the women’s game” argument goes for Japan, too — and that’s a nation that could capitalize on having great facilities, coaching, and assets to put towards women’s soccer. 

So, in all, I got far more wound up in the Women’s World Cup than even I would have imagined possible. It’s another great step forward both for women’s soccer in the U.S. and for soccer in general, and though losing in the final is hard, I don’t think anybody can deny Japan — neither for the sentimental or footballing reasons. A wonderful way to ride out the offseason of soccer.

missedapex:

Group B rally cars, simply amazing. Miki Biason driving the Lancia 037 “Totip”

I’ve only ever seen like one Group B car in real life, but wow. These were crazy and awesome.

Portland Historic Races at PIR, woo. (Taken with instagram)

I love how passionate Chandhok is in this video. He’s completely geeking out on the spectacle of all the old IndyCars at Goodwood, and able to do things I’d love to — go walk right inside the ropes and sit in an old Penske. How amazing that he can just wave it off like it’s nothing. Oh, and then get dressed for his day job and take the Team Lotus F1 car up the hill.

I love F1 but unlike with other sports I’m not a diehard partisan for one team over another. The one exception to my love of the spectacle over a team or driver is this new Team Lotus, who are doing pretty much everything right in building a brand-new team.