Jason McCartney: Pro Bike Racer and Maybe Pro Skier (Someday)

 

Jason with Serious Hair Jell

 

My neighbor Jason McCartney is now riding for THE SHACK. That is the pro cycling team sponsored by Radioshack for those not in the pro cycling loop. Perhaps his nickname will change from JMac to Shack-Mac. Or, Mac-Shacker. Anyway, Jason is not really my neighbor, but he does live about ten minutes away in Iowa City, Iowa. Last year he rode for Saxo Bank and I briefly, recently blogged about him here.

But will he become a professional nordic skier? Well, that may be his new direction as soon as he delivers Lance to the podium in the 2010 Tour DAY France. Why do I say this? Because he can’t stop talking about skiing in this article from cyclingnews.com. 

——–

Jason McCartney is anticipating his ride with Team RadioShack next season.

American veteran looking forward to possible 2010 Tour ride

After two seasons at CSC/Saxo Bank, Jason McCartney signed with Team Radio Shack for 2010, reuniting him with the personnel from the former Discovery Channel team which gave him his first European pro ride. His tenure at CSC/Saxo Bank was highlighted by King of the Mountains jerseys at both the Tour of California and Tour of Georgia.

McCartney, known affectionately as ‘JMac’, explained the reason for the changing focus within the Saxo Bank and his subsequent move to RadioShack. “They [Saxo Bank] had a US sponsor at first, now they have a mainly Danish sponsor. They have a lot of great young Danish talents coming up; Matty Breschel, Chris [Anker] Sorenson so their focus has shifted to their homeland.”

When asked about which cog he will be within the Radio Shack machine, it’s clear McCartney’s comfortable with his role is a team player. “They know me, I know them. They know where I fit in and what I am good at,” he said “If I get an opportunity in a stage race, I can take it. But, mainly I am here to kick some ass and help Levi or Lance or whomever in the big stage races.

“I am good at climbing. I can ride on the front all day. I can time trial. I think I am an ‘all arounder’ who is going to fit in perfectly. That’s kind of where I was on Discovery.”

Despite having ridden the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, McCartney has yet to ride the Tour de France. One of his goals is to ride the Tour in 2010. ” I’ve been on all these big teams. Discovery Channel was arguably one of the best teams in the world and Saxo Bank was one of the best teams in the world so it it always tough to make the Tour team. I think now I have a lot more experience and I am just a lot more confident in myself. For me, that’s a goal,” said McCartney.

What does ‘JMac’ need to do to get a ticket to the Tour? “I need to show consistency. That I am strong. That I am motivated. I think I fit in… With Tour teams or any team it is all about fitting in the right guys with the right spots. Hopefully, I can be one of those guys who fits in and can help out and they see that,” he explained.

Johan Bruyneel is a big reason McCartney returned to his first European pro team. “You can be on the bus and it can be raining out and everyone is like ‘this sucks’ and then he [Bruyneel] comes on and he’s a motivator. He is able to change things around. Every race I ever did where he was the director, it was amazing. Mayeb you weren’t riding so well or whatever – he’ll just say one little thing to you or to the group and it just changes the whole group,” said McCartney.

Off-season training is critical, especially for a ProTour team which needs to be ready in late January for the Tour Down Under. McCartney does a little bit of running, but cross country skiing is his real passion. “I will be skiing every day because I am addicted. I ski two, three, four hours, just what I can do. We have two great places the University [of Iowa] grooms. There is about 15km in town and 20-25km in the country. You can just do loops there all day. It is up and down. Perfect training,” he explained.

Apparently McCartney used cross country ski training to take a podium place in the 2007 Tour of California, so what’s the draw? “It’s just so great for your mind. You are doing something different. It is the same muscles as riding so you aren’t really missing anything,” he said. “It kind of changed me as a rider doing it instead of drinking beers in the winter. Now I am addicted. I go skiing. It’s my new thing. Hopefully it can pay off again this year. I know it will give me a great base.”

At 36, JMac still has a few good years left, but he’s also frank about what lies ahead. “You realise that it is not going to last forever. For me, I would probably like to do this season and two more in Europe and then maybe call it quits or come back and do something in the US.”

——-

Here he is riding next to Lance:

Who Would Win in a Nordic Ski Race? Hmmmn?

Now, I don’t want to make waves with his new team. I certainly don’t want to ruin his winter training regime by inviting him to the Iowa City Ski Race Smackdown (which were slated to start today and were so sadly cancelled due to poor snow conditions). But if he shows up, I certainly won’t be upset. 

Finally, I want to posit a hypothesis. I wonder if he might have been the man in yellow last year in my Birkie adventure. You decide:

I See a Fine Skate technique Here.

 

I See Jason's Pedal Technique Here. Don't You?

 

I will leave you all with this nugget of Street Theory: 

“Science derives from a variety of cultural events (such as cross country skiing) and it generally does not necessarily impel or predict such events (such as me winning a cross country ski race). But although scientific theory is necessarily underdetermined, it is as good as we can get (except for Street Theory, which we now know to be superior to scientific theory). It (Street Theory) provides us with the structural conditions of the world’s being and of how we know them (especially how we know ski races and also bike races)” (pp. 156-7).

- from Gerald M. Edelman’s Second Nature: Brain Science and Human Knowledge (Yale UP, 2006). This quotation is from an uncorrected proof that I helped edit. The precision of this quote, especially the parenthetical asides, cannot be verified. Ps. This book is a worthwhile present for those on your Christmas list.

Is this One of Those of Energy Saving Light Bulbs, Dr. Edelman? I Don't Think So! Get Hep!

 

Pax and Ski Wax,

Scraps

Part IV: Tour of Missouri Pics

What is it like to be a Pro Tour Bike racer?

First, you need to be slender and skinny and actually quite thin.  Check out this guy:

Finn with Heinrich Haussler

The guy on the left is not that slender, but the classics rider on the right… he looks too delicate. I mean, not that I could beat him in a race. I’m just saying.

Next, you need to be fast. As in this guy:

Thor Husshovd basking in the glow of my camera

Also, you need to be mean. Like this guy:

Jens staring at Finn

That’s right. I said mean. Wait. You think that Jens Voigt is nice? No, he isn’t. He is so mean that he beat up three grandmothers just after I snapped this picture. Jens may have a reputation as a misty-eyed poet-cyclist, but he is a ruthless killer, a two-wheeled speed freak that spits and swears. I know that he looks nice and calm in this picture, but he has been coached. Finn is my photogé–it’s like a photo-protegé–and he muscled his way through the crowds. Note that even through the scrum, Jens locks eyes on Finn–who is wearing the blue Campy hat and sporting the Glama-glasses. You may not be able to tell, but Jens is yelling at Finn, saying: “WHAT THE HELL YOU LOOKIN’ AT FLATLANDER?” I can’t repeat [even in a blog] some of the other things he said.

We wanted to get a pic of another Saxo Bank rider, Jason McCartney, but he was running late and sprinted out of the bus, onto his bike, and was gone–but not before he gave us an Iowa City Wussup nod. Yeah, we know big-time cyclists!

We almost got a pic of George Hincapie, but he was too fast. Still, this pic does tell a story, of sorts:

Where's George?

Well, there is more to tell. But I have to run and save the planet. Be back soon…

sooner than my last break.

 

Peace and Pro Tour Bike Chain Grease,

Scraps

Part III: The Gateway Cup-Day Four-Giro Della Montagna, Or, the Worst 24 Minutes of My Life.

—Digression Coming Up!—

First, a tech treat:

Several readers have asked the Street Theorist about pics and vids. All the questions were the same: How in the hell do you get such unbelievable shots?

Without fooling anybody, I think that it is safe to say that I posses above average image-tracking capabilities. Besides my footwork and my stamina, I think a lot of my talent has to do with my equipment and my full understanding of my gear (I am a gearhead after all).

 

Well, here is my camera.

 

The HM Deluxe

 

 

It is digital, of course—“bien sur” as they say in Canada! Can you believe I picked up this hi-tech rig in a bargain bin outside of Wolf Camera…with warranty (some clerk must have placed it there by accident).

 

And here is my video camera. I know it looks bulky, but it is deceptively lightweight and portable (probably because of all the stealth carbon). 

 

The HM DocuDramaDream

 

 

As much as I love the HM, I think I am ready to step it up a notch. What I want is the new Samson Zoom Q3 Videocam.

 

Sveldt Rig!

 

 

If Zoom wants to sponsor this blog, then they should contact me quickly (I heard the Jonas Brothers Cutiepix line is about to hit the shelves).

 

 —-Exit from Digression—

But this is really about racing, not photographing. Let’s get one thing straight, I am a racer and today, I am racing. 

I warmed up on my trainer for a solid 30 minutes. Got the blood and sweat going pretty good. Then I pinned on the number and pedaled to the course. The men’s 40+ 50+ were still out on the course with one lap to go. I watched them strain by. When I heard that the race was over, I got onto the course, rode around corner four, and there, right on the corner, I saw two riders not only crashed, but still laying on top of a large rock (why is there a rock right there?). Almost like they were posing on the rock with painful smiles! They were moving, but scraped up for sure. Nice to see this as I roll up to the line.

 

When I get to the line I notice more chaos that usual. It seems a rider is down near the finish line. Everybody is squeezed to the side of the course to let emergency vehicles through. Very quiet.

 

I see an All-Nine-Yards rider and talk to him. Steve is an Iowan too, so of course we bond. He asks me if I saw what happened. No, I say. Then he drops the bomb: “do you know Dominic Moraniec? He rides for Atlas Cycling (based out of Iowa City).

Gulp.

 

Yes, I do know Dominic. Not personally, but I see him in all the regional races. Steve’s friend comes over in tears to tell us that his left shoulder is really banged up, but he is conscious. The ambulance leaves. And then, as crazy as this seems, the announcer calls my race to the line as if we are going to race even though we just saw what could come of racing! I wish Steve good luck and as the riders move forward, I move backward. The whistle blows and I look behind me: nobody. I am not only the last rider in the race of 110 riders, I am behind the last line. The caboose. Le lantern rouge.

 

After a few laps, I decide to, uh, practice the corners on my own. My mental game was so dismantled, so thoroughly crushed, that I could not mix it up. It’s not like I quit. Instead, it is more like I said to myself: under no circumstances can you pull out of the race and under no circumstances can you go down. So, in order to keep it rubber side up, I just twiddled at the back.

 

Now the back is not the best place to be if you want to finish a crit. Into each corner: brake hard. Out of each corner: sprint like the dickens. After 12 minutes of that, I was clobbered. So, I drifted off 6 feet, then 10 feet, then the elastic snaps.

 

I decided to work on my cornering skills until the refs pulled me…but they don’t pull me.  After I figure that I have had enough corner practice, I hit the showers.

After the race, I felt a little flat: 

 

Flat Scraps

 

 I accomplished my goals: entered the race; no crashes. Called my buddy Dwight and we had dinner at the Slowest Restaurant In The World: Mama Campisi’s-On The Hill. Good food, great location, but it did take us a million and a half years to get served.

 

twilight racing from Mama Campisi's sidewalk

 

The food arrived in the middle of the men’s pro-1-2 race. The good thing about our location was that it was not on the finishing straight so we could not hear the crashes and we could not hear the booming announcer. Just the hum of the wheels zipping by.

 done

 

Here’s another quick vid looking at Mama’s:

done

 

By the time the race ended, it was completely dark, the street lights were on, and Dwight and I had finished our food and wine.

 

It was a quiet end to a rough day for many racers.

 

END NOTES:

 

1. Today, September 15, I talked to Dominic. He is now in the Burlington (Iowa) Hospital. Although his life was never in too much danger, he did lose a lot of blood right after the crash, and his left shoulder is going to take multiple surgeries to fix the broken bones (humerus, scapula) and reattach the muscles—and perhaps a year of rehab. I wish him a speedy recovery. I hope to see him at Jingle Cross in Iowa City in November—not on a bike though!

 

2. I met Adam Fuson, who is a racer from Cincinatti. He provided me with some fine bike racing philosophy. We were talking between races and I said that it was a miracle that more racers don’t crash in each race. He said, “no, that is completely the wrong way to think of crashing.” My summary of his crash philosophy: If you multiply the number of racers by the number of laps and the number of corners, you can actually see that most of the time nobody crashes. Even though racers could crash, they don’t always crash. Out of all the riders and possible places to crash, there are really very few crashes. Therefore, you should not focus on the few crashes at all, but on the moments of racing in which everything is going just fine. Crashing is an anomaly, a break in the smooth peacefulness of the criterium (okay this last sentence is all mine).

 

He is right. If I focus on the crashes, then I won’t ever race. If I focus on racing, then I might get faster.

 

3. When church got out at the quaint church right next to the finish line, the attendees got toasted ravs, beer, and then sat down at all the tables on the church patio and watched the race. How civilized. I took some fine pics, but closed my cell phone before saving them. I was using my HM camera up to this morning, but it ran out of battery juice. 

 

4. Four riders from Liquigas were there to sign autographs and rub shoulders with all the Italian community in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood. I got sweet pics of Franco Pellizoti! But, again, I closed my cell phone before I saved the shots. Doh!

 

5. Notice that I did not mention any race results. It was one of those days in which I was not into results. Anyway, check out www.gatewaycup.com if your really need that kind of stuff.

 

Stay Tuned for Part IV: Tour of Missouri; Or, How Not To Get An Autograph!

WHY WE RACE; or, an Introduction to The Gateway Cup in St. Louis

First Installment: Introduction and Some Street Theory

 

My goal is to write up a series of reports from this past weekend in which I watched a great deal of bike racing: The Gateway Cup and the first day of the Tour of Missouri. As with my Birkie Report, the aim is to grapple with the feel of the racing, rather than the clinical facts of who won. 

So Scraps, why do we race?

Answer:

After the Pro-1-2’s race, day three of the four-day Gateway Cup, I saw something that I believe will go far in answering this question.

After the podium girls left the area, after the officials had posted results, only a few riders were around talking with friends and family, and I noticed that the course was still closed to traffic still. The street crews were probably tackling the back side of the course first. I also noticed that two girls were riding their bikes near the finish line. They were about 9 or 10 and I watched them for a few seconds and noticed that they were highly skilled riders. I walked to the barricades and watched them ride back and forth. Riding their 20” girl bmx bikes (Raleigh Cup Cake perhaps), they exhibited riding skills that informed me that the universe was not a bad place after all. I think that they were showing off for a lucky parent somewhere, or maybe just to practice their moves. First they would gain some speed with a few smart pedal strokes, then they would take their feet off the pedals and make circles in the air with their feet. The next pass, they kneeled on their seats. On the next pass, they crouched, feet on the seat. As I said: highly skilled. When they tried to stand up on their seats, I could hear a fatherly voice call to them: “girls!” And they would sit down obediently.

 

But the next few passes were even more astounding.

 

They would pedal a few strokes to gain momentum and then let go of the bars, arms outstretched wide, hands open, head tilted slightly back, and here is the kicker: their eyes were closed. And thusly, they would glide across the finish line, coasting.

 

It seemed to me that these girls had reached a state of grace in their biking. More than that (and what could be better than grace?), more than that, they were demonstrating what glory looks like. Not the glory of winning, but the glory of crossing the line—even when there is no race.

 

Why do we race? We race for moments of glory and grace…just like these two girls.

 

Sure, you may say that you race for money, for fitness, for your ego. True, true, and true. But you would be wrong in a larger, more theoretical sense. Remember, life is both real and theoretical at the same time. Example? Electricity and gravity are real, but you cannot see them. We create theoretical models of how they work, and for anybody who has fallen down, gravity sure does work. We negotiate the physical world and the world of ideas as they combine and tangle.

 

So, as I write about this race-packed weekend in St. Louis, keep this image in mind. This guy below may know what this feels like more than most. Cav won the first stage of the Tour of Missouri, but he did not have his eyes closed. But I am getting ahead of myself.

 

I think that Pantani  has something to offer us as we investigate the idea of grace and glory. But surely was not on the mind of the young girls (unless their mom or dad is a cycling fanatic who continually watches 1997-1999 grand tour dvds). Yet I was struck by the similarity of the cool pose.

 

Can someone tell me the year and the stage that Pantani won here? Clearly it is the Giro.

 

 

I might even read Matt Rendell’s book about Pantani to see if I can learn something. Worth a try.

 Bike riders and bike racers know so much about biking. But we don’t know it all. Sometimes we don’t know very much. 

Tomorrow: Saturday’s final race: St. Louis Hills

Saddle Up! A Documentary Through Images of Bicycle Seats

 

Those who ride know this truism: three contact points guide your happiness whilst astride a bike. These points are, of course, the pedals, the handlebars, and the saddle. Today, I wish to present a personal documentary of my saddles, more of a pictomentary. Why is this so important? Because how and where you sit defines your existence!

The first saddle that I can remember was on my Ross kid’s 20″ bike. I was in the first grade, living in Wading River, New York (on “Lon Guy Land”). The bike was gold and I remember getting an after-market seat because I’ve always had a penchant for upgrading my gear. I do not have a pic of this seat, but I do remember the general design. Here it is:

Notice how this seat is not even as ergonomic as a banana-style seat. Why did I chose this? Because I was in the first grade. What was I, maybe 12 years old or something like that. I could not make an informed decision. Not great for long rides, but I didn’t go on long rides.

My next machine was a Schwinn Le Tour. I loved this bike. Used to do laps around the local trailer park in St. Charles, Missouri. This seat was just as painful as the previous “brick.” I don’t have a pic of this either, but here is a red one (mine was blue) that is about 5 years older than mine. Squint and use your imagination:

 

In high school, I started riding more seriously. I was introduced to racing by Chris from of Manchester, MA. I lived on the western edge of Gloucester, MA. He was my idol it is now safe to say. He was one of the best junior riders around. Rode for Richard Sachs! (which I too rode for eventually, but I was never really part of the clan, even though I wanted so much to be held tight in the arms of those “Connecticut Yankee”s–the best team around) He used to sneak into the pro fields at some races. I tried that once and lasted about 4 laps… Ah, those were the days when I was a teenager… ah those were the days when I can from my easy chair report back on all the fun I had and leave out all the terrible shit that occurred in between the blissful sporting moments. I started training seriously when I was about 15. I rode a heavy, flexy, sloppy Univega called, I think, Sport Tour. Its saving grace was a tan suede saddle (sorry no pic) and a sweet pearlescent creamy white paint job. It sucked. I worked some jobs, begged my rents for money and sold every baseball card and coin I had, and then I bought my dream bike: A 1984 Gios Super Record. Below is a pic, but not my pic. I did not rock the Selle San Marco Rolls. But beside my black Modolo Professional brakes, much of the rest is spot on-Campy throughout (except, also, for the Gipiemme cranks). 

This picture is not how it looked though. Why not? Because I was always riding this chariot, this paean to grace and style. This bike classed up the entire town when I rode down Western Ave.

When I was on her, this is pretty much how I envisioned myself:

 

Roger DeVlaeminck. One of the best classics and cyclocross riders ever!

 

It took me about 6 months to finish piecing the bike together. Started with just the frame, fork, and headset. My saddle? Selle San Marco Concor. I think Chris had one. Alas, I don’t have the Gios with me any more (though it is still alive and well here in Iowa City since I sold it to a local guy looking to get into racing), but I do have the saddle.

 

The Concor

 

In fact I still rock the Concor today. I stuck it in on my Panasonic MC-5500 (triple-butted steel from 1997-ish). I hope it pleases you all that I have converted the Panasonic into a fine fully geared, fully fendered, and fully basketed towny. 

When I got my Lemond Victoire in 2003-ish (about a million years ago it seems. God, do I want a new bike!), It came equiped with a very tiny Selle San Marco Era seat that never really worked with my “undercarriage”.

 

San Marco Era (end of?)

 

 

I swapped the Era a few years ago for light-weight seat, a Selle San Marco SKN, that may not be very sturdy, nor very well-made, but it seems to work for me. The reason it works and the reason that it is so light (185 g.) is because it has minimal padding, no leather, and Ti rails. The titanium rails (titanox?) and saddle flex quite a lot, but this is not a drawback. So, if you are the right weight, the seat really gets comfy the warmer it is and the more you break it in. On cold days, though, the flex doesn’t come into play and I am not so happy. And when it is really hot, over 90 say, then the seat is downright squishy. Yes, it is a fickle seat, but for most of the time it is just right. And if you are around 145-160, then I would give it a try. One other thing that I really like about this minimal seat (and a detail that separates this saddle from many other minimal ones) is the width (280 mm x 150 mm). It is much wider than my Era, and that means that I know that I need a bit wider saddle for my 5.10 height and 155 weight. My lorica cover is wearing off, but it has paid for itself over the past 3 years. Here it is (I would say ignore the cheap carbon seat post, but I actually think that it is integral to the flexy/sexy feel that makes the rig so sweet to ride):

 

The flexy and comfortable SKN

 

 

My cross bike is another story, but it is a story that intersects with my Gios. I ride a used Bianchi Axis Cross bike (thanks for the deal, Thad). It came with an old Fizik Nisene.

The Fizik that I rode was silver though. I remember that during one February ride with my friends Lee, Jonah,  and Josh, I complained about how hard my seat was. It was one of those awfully long gravel rides that was great for my endurance, but hard on my family life and also hard on my seat area. We were almost home when Lee said, “I’ll trade saddles with you if you want.”

“Okay, sounds fine. What are you riding Lee?”

“I have a Selle Italia of some sort.”

“Deal.” So we actually stopped on Melrose Avenue in Iowa City, and changed seats. This is a charming story except for the fact that Lee’s saddle was terrible. Needless to say I don’t have a picture of it, but I imagine that it looks something like this:

I bought a used Selle Italia Octavia to replace the Fizik. The Octavia was in a banged-up cardboard box filled with traded-out seats in Geoff’s Bike and Ski–got a great deal, like 29 bucks (when I want to emphasize a bargain, I always use the word “bucks” instead of “dollars”. As in: “Honey the carbon fiber wheels were only, like, 89 hundred bucks.” Try it… trust me.). But, is the Octavia a women’s seat or a man’s? I think they made a version for each. Anyway I liked it. For a while, anyway.

 

Octavia, so lovely, yet not really very comfortable

 

 

Then, suddenly, it started to hurt. Why? Too squishy in the wrong sector? So, for the past year I have been swapping the SKN between the Lemond and the Bianchi. Winter it goes to the Bianchi for gravel grinding. Summer to the Lemond. 

Finally, I got a new seat for the Bianchi. The design of the SKN was not good for any cyclocross hop-on-and-off maneuvers (pointy points in the rear). Why? Cuz you can really hurt yourself in the worst of places. So, I shopped around for an inexpensive San Marco Rolls. Couldn’t afford. But I did find a very quirky deal on on a quirky Regal Ti.

 

My new Regal with a bit too much embroidery.

 

Only about 70 bucks for this white model that I have now rocked for a total of 92 miles (short gravel rides). Here are some kind details of the Regal:

The San Marco Regal is easy to distinguish from all other saddles at sight. It is a professional racing style saddle that begins with a molded nylon base. There are no depressions for extra padding at pelvic contact points. Over the shell is a molded, thin layer of high density expanded foam padding. Surrounding the foam pad and shell, a leather covering is glued. The Regal is available in a smooth Black, or White leather, and also perforated Black, or White leather, which gives a bit more air flow as the padding expands and contracts. The perforation process puts small, fine holes in a grid throughout the surface of the smooth leather before it is cut and cemented down to the padding and the shell. The leather around the nose is trimmed remarkably well using multiple cuts to give it a superior fit. On the tail of the saddle are six 5/8″ in diameter copper rivets. The rivets pass through the leather down through a second molded nylon piece on the underside. This second piece acts like a batten to hold the leather glued on the bottom of the tail even more firmly. This second nylon piece also has the rear rail receivers molded into it. The back of the rear rail receivers is molded for the copper “Regal Girardi” logos that are glued into it.   Product Specifications Weight: 280g, Width: 150 mm, Length: 280 mm.

Like the reviews state, this saddle should not really work in terms of science or physiognomy.

 

Yet many pro riders still swear by it. So, I think I like, even though it is not (yet) as sweet as my San Marco SKN. 

 Peace,

Scraps

ps. for a while I borrowed my wife’s Serfas Curva. It was too soft. But I keep it around in case I need more cushion. 

Since this contact area is clearly the most important, I wonder why there is not more discussion, or more documentaries on this subject? Is the subject too tender? Off limits? Perhaps.

Peace,

Scraps

TRANSITIONS and more of the same

Wassup Readers!….no. that doesn’t sound right.

Hello fellow streeters!…no. Too smarmy.

Sorry for the long silence!…yes, now that is getting more to the point. So why the big hiatus? Vacation for one. Job issues for two. And career issues for three. I realize that job and career are similar, but there is a difference worth theorizing.

You see, a job is something that you do for money, while a career is a job that you do for more money. Got it?

Now, my friends I don’t want to whine. So I won’t. But for a while I was under-utilized by the great academic machinery of this nation. I decided to take matters into my own hands.

And behold. I am now, once again, an entrepeneur!

 

This is my new logo for my new endeavor. We went online yesterday. Tomorrow is my first day at the office. Yes, I am worried about what to wear, but I will manage the big day with or without my wordsmithing vest. My pocket protector? I cannot do without my pocket protector.

What is Iowa City Wordsmiths?  We offer writing, editing, proofreading, and tutoring services in Iowa City, Iowa– and around the world. Check it out for yourself at my brand new website designed with grace and style by Brown Wing Studio. 

Peace.

Scraps

Beware Apple, Microsoft, The Atlantic, Google, PMLA and Others!

Why should these corporations/publications watch their step(s)? Because I am starting a company. And this company is associated with both publishing and technology…somewhat. Here’s a mock-up of my business card:

Word!

 

What is NANO? NANO stands for New American Notes Online. And the aim is to create a new type of journal of American criticism that is shorter, faster, and (most importantly) different. NANO will be the only academic journal (that I know of) that comes out monthy and has letters to the editor and has a twitter feed —which is currently up and running: http://twitter.com/nanocrit. The name NANO indicates small size and brief duration. What I like about the word nano is that it also connotes new technology that may change the shape of daily living. And NANO will, likewise, change the shape of American criticism. 

More later.

Scraps.

Speed-Freak Scanlan Rides Again

I like what this Scanlan guy has to say, so read on and check’m out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing legs and liver for RAGBRAI with Tour de Brew biking and beer

BY ERIC ANDERSEN | JULY 09, 2009 7:21 AM

 

http://www.dailyiowan.com/2009/07/09/Arts/11986.html

And perhaps tomorrow, when I recover, you all street freaks can read about how I got served/swerved during tonight’s group race smack-down. High winds from the east? Check! A big group with lots of highly categorized riders? Check! One punkass street theorist ready to ride on the rivet? Check!

More tomorrow.

For now I need a beer.

Scraps (out)

Finally, Some Theory!

The word on the street is that my blog is turning into a biking blog.

Time to mix it up. Time to put some “Street Theory” back into this Street Theorist’s m.o.

 

I recommend Appiah's book

 

 

This story begins with trash. I love my little cul de sac in the hinterlands of Iowa City. But I often find lots of trash in the street. I never see anybody littering, so who does it?  I don’t sit on my stoop all day, so I can’t tell. Maybe kids are littering, or maybe the wind just blows it towards my house. One theory I had was that my neighbors’ kids were secretly littering. Yesterday I was pondering what to do about this trash problem, when I spied my neighbor walking on my portion of the sidewalk. Then I saw him bending down. Then I saw him pick up some litter and put it into a plastic bag. He went up and down both sides of the street. He stopped in my yard and looked at me. I waved. He waved. Then it dawned on me: he was glaring at me because he thought that my kids had been littering on his street.

Oh, a street theorist loves it when the tables are turned.

This brings me to a short excursion into ETHICS. 

From my computer’s dictionary we find this explanation of the differing ways of interpreting ethics as a moral code of behavior:

Schools of ethics in Western philosophy can be divided, very roughly, into three sorts. The first, drawing on the work of Aristotle, holds that the virtues (such as justice, charity, and generosity) are dispositions to act in ways that benefit both the person possessing them and that person’s society. The second, defended particularly by Kant, makes the concept of duty central to morality: humans are bound, from a knowledge of their duty as rational beings, to obey the categorical imperative to respect other rational beings. Thirdly, utilitarianism asserts that the guiding principle of conduct should be the greatest happiness or benefit of the greatest number.

 

Below are some ideas (mixed with my own) from a recent book on ethics titled Experiments in Ethics by Kwame Anthony Appiah, Harvard University Press, 2008.

1.  What we do depends upon how the world is–therefore we must understand how the world is–and so our everyday decisions can and must draw from many different spheres of knowledge. Based on this, I can reflect that I decided to get angry about the litter, but I did not decide to pick it up. What sphere did I draw from? The sphere that says blame the other dude, blame the government, blame big business, blame my parents, but above all else, do not blame myself. Wait! is this also called The American Spirit? Or, is that too sardonic?

2.  In making choices we must start with a vision, however, inchoate, of what it means for human life to go well. This is via Aristotle in case you were wondering. What this means is that we do not make choices without some prior knowledge. In rather stark terms: we do not make decisions without some theory guiding it. Leave it to a to a street theorist to write that.

3. Not just politics, but also arts and sports are engaged in illuminating the present by drawing on the past. We make the future worth hoping for through frames of reference. If I am a biker, my frame of reference might be safety versus fun. I might stop during a ride to remove a tree branch from the bike lane because of my own past experience with tree branches. I put myself into the world of the future by remembering my place on the ground when I once went cartwheeling over a tree branch. What this means is that ethics are based on my desire to put myself into the possible event of being affected by the tree branch. Past and present are “smushed” together. I can decide to not stop and remove the tree branch–but that would mean that I have to pretend that I am not a biker, and not affected by tree branches. Basically, for me to decide to not remove the tree branch I have to pretend that I am not human. [Oh please, Street Theorist! This last one is too much! Perhaps.]

4.  Our evaluations of the world around us are made through passions and emotions, not despite them. Feeling is thinking. When someone asks you to take your emotions out of the picture, they are asking you to think without thinking. Sure it may be best to not pull your hair out over every decision, but dispassionate logic is really thinking calmly, not thinking without any emotions. What this means is that you might be well served to bring your personality into the picture when making important decisions. When you hear someone say “it is not my problem that there is a tree branch in the bike lane,” you can respond in many ways. You can even decide to not respond. But by remaining silent, you have made a decision. And that decision, to be silent, is not an ethical choice. Why not? It does not pass the test. Not removing the branch may hurt you or others (Aristotle). It is not rational to your well being (Kant). And not removing the tree branch does not benefit the greatest number, just a small number, like maybe the clinic or bike shop that has to repair the damaged body/bike (Utilitarian).

Finally then, do you litter, pick up litter, or think about blaming somebody for the litter? Do you bunny-hop the tree branch, stop and pick up the tree branch, or write a blog entry about picking up a tree branch?

Aristotelians, Kantians, and Utilitarians all have points in their favor. But nobody has a lock on ethics. You must navigate through the litter and the tree branches.

Good luck.

Scraps.

Star Trek: Confusion Meets Fun

 

 

Star Trek Crew Comparison

 

 

5 Questions For All You Street Theorists Out There:

 

1. I was quite proud that Iowa was part of the movie’s setting. But it seems that in 300 years the terrain will change quite a bit. In fact, a Grand Canyon-sized canyon will develop near Riverside, Iowa (no canyons or even small defiles, escarpments, or cliffs are currently on display in Riverside). So, can somebody explain the scene in which the clearly-underage Jim drives that red corvette, eludes a robot cop, and nearly plummets over the edge of a massive canyon wall? Where did this canyon come from? Did Old Mans Creek get really big (miles across), really deep (miles deep) then evaporate? You know what I think? I think that this is first and foremost a movie about the degradation of the environment due to unwise techno-agriculture policies. Do you hear that Washington? Shape up, or J.J. Abrams will mock you, shock you, and, finally, Spock you.

 

2. What happened to that slug that Capt. Pike ate? Did he give up the information? What happened to the slug? Is it still inside him? I mean, Jim busts in to save him and barely a second goes by and Pike is killing the bad guys. That slug keeps me up at night. At the end of the movie, when we see Pike in the wheel chair, is he hiding the slug under his blanket? And what happened to his legs anyway?

 

3.  How did Spock get to the cold planet? And how did he get to that cave? Okay, I get it, I mean Spock has the benefit of being from the future, right? But, seriously, if he does know that Jim will get jettisoned to this planet at that spot, at that exact moment, then why “allow” him to almost get killed by that polar bear and then almost get killed by that red creature and then almost get killed by the fall down that cliff. So, it seems that if  Spock did know all that, then he was not afraid of a wee bit of revenge. I’ll save you ol’ pal, but not before a little payback.

 

4. I know that it is no excuse that I saw the movie only once, but can someone explain the time travel situation to me?

 

5. What happened to young Jim’s mom? Did I miss that too? Or did she start a meth lab in outside of Riverside, Iowa, and then get busted, thus sending Jim into the tailspin of reckless behavior, skirt-chasing, and the continual desire to get his face punched in as many times as possible?

 

I think that in these 5 questions (more like 18, I know) we find both plot summary and evaluation: Lot’s of action, not much narrative sense.

 

But when I need to make sense, I will look elsewhere. In fact I look to a fine newspaper in Iowa City for news and analysis: The Iowa City Press-Citizen. Especially I will look to the sense-makers who regularly opine on deep matters, like this guy (me). Oh, and I am responding to this editorial by the way.

 

While I’m at it, I often look at the Des Moines Register for their guest opinionators. Why? Because they recently accepted one of my opinions. You can check it out HERE.

 

And don’t be shy about writing back with answers to my Start Trek questions. I know that I have a lot to learn about Trekology.

 

Peace,

 

Scraps.