Thomas E. Kraus

Kindsight and Karma

2012-02-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

Kindsight and Karma, 2 internet finds I thought I share with the 1.35 visitors per month here... ;-)

Frohe Weihnachten - Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T18:03:00.001-08:00

Frohe Weihnachten 2011 - and for the ones that take an extensive "time-out" (vacation) a happy upcoming new year. May you stay healthy and alll your goals in reach,

Slow Motion Video of Dogs In Cars

2011-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

Slow Motion Video of Dogs In Cars Is Five Minutes of Pure Happiness. I love dogs. They are so happy when they get their heads out of the window and enjoy the wind, the smells and the view. That's why this video made me so happy this morning. Filmed by Keith Hopkin with two great tracks by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "Anne With An E" and "Heaven's Gonna Happen Now." Someone should really do some research paper about why dogs love to take their heads out of cars so much. Or perhaps we should leave some mysteries alone.

Military men and women mime All I Want For Christmas Is You

2011-12-09T18:20:00.001-08:00

A video made by the crew of the Royal Navy assault ship HMS Ocean has delighted pop star Mariah Carey. The military men and women mime to the singer's 1994 hit "All I Want For Christmas Is You". The video was made after the crew found out the ship would be back in its home port for Christmas after seven months at sea. After watching it, the singer tweeted: "This is the best thing I've ever seen, you guys just made my day! Happy Happy Christmas!!! x0x0 to the troops."

2011 is a very special year

2011-10-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the year 2011 is a very special year?
This phenomenon repeats only once every 823 years.
Firstly, the month of October has 5 Mondays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays
Then we have the dates of 01/01/11, 1/11/11 then the then the 11/11/11 (if you use it in date/month/year order)
And what is even more interesting if you ad up your birth year and the years of age you become this year the result is 111

For example, you're born in 1970 then 70 plus 41 equals 111

This number is the same for all people this year.
Try it once with the data of your friends, it is always the 111 as a result.

Spelling and grammar errors that make you look dumb

2011-10-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

Many brilliant people have some communication weak spots. Unfortunately, the reality is that written communication is a big part of business, and how you write reflects on you. Poor spelling and grammar can destroy a professional image in an instant. Even if your job doesn't require much business writing, you'll still have emails to send and notes to write. And if you're looking for a job, your cover letters and resumes will likely mean the difference between getting the interview or not. Bad grammar and spelling make a bad impression. Don't let yourself lose an opportunity over a simple spelling or grammar mistake.
Here are seven simple grammatical errors that I see consistently in emails, cover letters and resumes.

Tip: Make yourself a little card cheat sheet and keep it in your wallet for easy reference.

You're / Your

The apostrophe means it's a contraction of two words; "you're" is the short version of "you are" (the "a" is dropped), so if your sentence makes sense if you say "you are," then you're good to use you're. "Your" means it belongs to you, it's yours.

You're = if you mean "you are" then use the apostrophe
Your = belonging to you

You're going to love your new job!

It's / Its

This one is confusing, because generally, in addition to being used in contractions, an apostrophe indicates ownership, as in "Dad's new car." But, "it's" is actually the short version of "it is" or "it has." "Its" with no apostrophe means belonging to it.

It's = it is
Its = belonging to it

It's important to remember to bring your telephone and its extra battery.

They're / Their / There

"They're" is a contraction of "they are." "Their" means belonging to them. "There" refers to a place (notice that the word "here" is part of it, which is also a place – so if it says here and there, it's a place). There = a place

They're = they are
Their = belonging to them

They're going to miss their teachers when they leave there.

Loose / Lose

These spellings really don't make much sense, so you just have to remember them. "Loose" is the opposite of tight, and rhymes with goose. "Lose" is the opposite of win, and rhymes with booze. (To show how unpredictable English is, compare another pair of words, "choose" and "chose," which are spelled the same except the initial sound, but pronounced differently. No wonder so many people get it wrong!)

Loose = it's not tight, it's loosey goosey
Lose= "don't lose the hose for the rose" is a way to remember the same spelling but a different pronunciation

I never thought I could lose so much weight; now my pants are all loose!

Lead / Led

Another common but glaring error. "Lead" means you're doing it in the present, and rhymes with deed. "Led" is the past tense of lead, and rhymes with sled. So you can "lead" your current organization, but you "led" the people in your previous job.

Lead = present tense, rhymes with deed
Led = past tense, rhymes with sled

My goal is to lead this team to success, just as I led my past teams into winning award after award.

A lot / Alot / Allot

First the bad news: there is no such word as "alot." "A lot" refers to quantity, and "allot" means to distribute or parcel out.

There is a lot of confusion about this one, so I'm going to allot ten minutes to review these rules of grammar.

Between you and I

This one is widely misused, even by TV news anchors who should know better.

In English, we use a different pronoun depending on whether it's the subject or the object of the sentence: I/me, she/her, he/him, they/them. This becomes second nature for us and we rarely make mistakes with the glaring exception of when we have to choose between "you and I" or "you and me."

Grammar Girl does a far better job of explaining this than I, but suffice to say that "between you and I" is never correct, and although it is becoming more common, it's kind of like saying "him did a great job." It is glaringly incorrect.

The easy rule of thumb is to replace the "you and I" or "you and me" with either "we" or "us" and you'll quickly see which form is right. If "us" works, then use "you and me" and if "we" works, then use "you and I."

Between you and me (us), here are the secrets to how you and I (we) can learn to write better.

Master these common errors and you'll remove some of the mistakes and red flags that make you look like you have no idea how to speak.

Content credits / source: http://work.lifegoesstrong.com/7-spelling-and-grammar-errors-make-you-look-dumb

A Life Underwater

2011-09-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

I found this video on Vimeo and like it a lot, maybe you enjoy it also. A rogue with an eye for salvage - and the ladies - Ray: A Life Underwater is an affectionate portrait of one man's deep sea diving career, told through his extraordinary collection of marine artefacts.
Like a modern-day pirate, 75-year-old Ray Ives has been scouring the seabed for treasure his whole life.
The former commercial diver has plundered the deep for over fifty years, bringing to the surface anything that glittered -- even gold.
In a shipping container near the water, Ray tends his museum of cannon, bottles, bells, swords, portholes and diving gear.
He even still takes to the water in a 1900s diving suit.

What are friends for?

2011-07-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

You choose your friends, not your family - and for many today, the former have become the most important people in their lives. But are you sure your friends really like you as much as you like them? And how do you know they will still be around in five years' time?

Friendship has been given a special status in our society. It is contrasted with all those relationships over which we have so little control; the families we can't change, the neighbors who irritate us, the colleagues we have to put up with. Friends are thought of as the joyous, freely chosen part of our lives, and it's assumed that those relationships are always pleasurable. If asked how you're spending the weekend and you say staying in or seeing your family or your colleagues, people may think you're a little sad. Say you're seeing friends and there's an assumption that you too are desirable, connected.

On one level, friendships are very simple. They are the bonds between people who enjoy one another's company. But probe deeper and it's evident that there is no consensus about what it means. Start talking to people about friendship and it becomes clear that while people value it and seek it, there is also much confusion, hesitancy and disappointment about friends in many people's lives. Friendship is one of those areas full of hidden assumptions and unspoken rules. We only discover that our friendship doesn't mean what we think it does when those assumptions clash.

There is no agreement about what friendship involves, or what to do if it goes sour. No one would dream of suggesting to a friend that they start seeing a friends' guidance counselor to talk about the dynamics of their failing relationship. When things go wrong, we very rarely challenge our friends. That's because friendship is often a delicate affair and we don't want to tax it with too many demands. It's more common to absorb the hurt, and retreat. After all, there is no contract. The terms are unwritten, and nobody ever makes them explicit.

Ask people about friendship and what's startling is that they hold such a wide range of views, often accompanied by an absolute conviction that they are expressing an obvious truth. Some think it demands total loyalty; others that it carries no obligations at all. One man says long friendships have transformed his life, and been in some ways more important than his marriage; another thinks the great thing about friends is that you can always drop the old ones, because there are new ones around every corner. One woman says she would die for her friends; a younger woman says that all her friendships are ruthlessly practical, and designed to make her life easier in the here and now.

And what's intriguing about those attitudes is that they aren't obvious from the way people lead their lives. Everyone I talked to above has a large number of acquaintances and a social life. All but one assumes that most people think as they do.

Most of us feel a certain pride about our friends, pleased that they have chosen us, and that we have chosen them. We tend to believe that they reflect some important truths about who we are. Yet making friends isn't an exercise in free choice, any more than buying a house is. We buy houses according to what we can afford, what happens to be on the market when we're looking, and whether a capricious owner decides to accept our offer. Friendship is rather similar. We can only choose our friends from among the people we meet, in circumstances where making a friendly overture would be appropriate, and who show a reciprocal interest in knowing us.

All of that and more is nice and good, has it's good and bad site. When it boils down to the wire, when you are real deep in doo-doo. I mean like R E A L deep, when it's about your existential well being, that's when you see your real friends.

Or in other words - when you realize that the, oh so cherished friendship, has limits and conditions and nobody goes the last mile with/for you. This are the moments you realize: real friends are seldom to none.....

Why I like off-road

2011-07-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons why I like off-road: one see so much places you would normally miss since you never make it to that areas. The picture below is just such an example..... Enjoy!!

Double D Ranch Red Butte Arizona, USA

Dunder German Shepherd puppy to adult in 40 seconds

2011-05-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Puppy to Adult in 40 Seconds. Dunder, German Shepherd and CSO (Chief Security Officer)at Remediestudio recently celebrated his first birthday. To commemorate the occasion, owner Byron Louie made a time-lapse video comprised of daily photos from the ten months leading up to the big day. I love German Shepherd dogs therefore I like that clip.... ;-)

2,296,215 times viewed on YouTube aint that bad either.
You can "like" Dunder and Remediestudio at http://facebook.com/remediestudio

Thomas Kraus arrested

2011-05-18T01:29:00.000-07:00

I do have a few times during the year, in particular after birthday parties, new years parties and similar events, at mornings I get up, walk into the bathroom, look at that guy I see in the mirror and think: "oh well, I do not know you - but I will wash your face anyway.... ;-)
However, what i found today I do not recall at all!! Must been a real bad night.... roflmao!! Did I really age THAT much?? Must been some serious cocktails I had....

You ever search for yourself in one of the bigger search engines as Google, Yahoo or Bing?? It interesting what comes back on finds!! Sometimes today even important since we live in the social media age and abuse with some of the data is done if you do not set your privacy right.

Well, I found I was arrest in 2007 in Florida!! Hehehehe, I think it's good enough to post it here. Put's a smirky grin on my face.

http://florida.arrests.org/Arrests/Thomas_Kraus_2641341/

Bunny chow

2011-05-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

Bunny chow time is coming up and as a helper for friends I tell about how much I like them here some stuff about Bunny chow's :). Enjoy the read.
Bunny chow, often referred to as a Bunny is a South African fast food dish consisting of a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with curry, that originated in the Durban Indian community. Bunny chow is also called a kota ("quarter")in many parts of South Africa.
History - The bunny chow was created in Durban, home to a large community of people of Indian origin. The precise origins of the food are disputed, although its creation has been dated to the 1940's.

One story (which also provides an etymology for bunny chow) has it that a restaurant run by people known as Banias (an Indian caste) first created the scooped-out bread and curry dish, in Grey Street, Durban. The food was a means to serve take-aways to excluded people. During the apartheid regime Indians were not allowed in certain shops and cafes and so the shop owners found a way of serving the people through back windows etc. This was an easy and effective way to serve the workers. They cut out the centre portion of the bread and filled it with curry and capped the filling with the portion that was cut out.

An alternative story of the bunny chow's origins (which similarly provides an etymology) is that, as in India, merchants who traditionally sold their wares under the 'bania' tree (also known as the banyan, or Ficus bengalensis) were called 'bania'. The use of this name is known in India going back to antiquity. It is more likely that the name 'bania chow' was adopted to describe the staple meal of Indian merchants than taken from a restaurant run by Banias, although the true origins remain somewhat disputed.

Stories of the origin of bunny chow date as far back as the migrant Indian workers arrival in South Africa. One account suggests that Indian migrant workers from India were brought to South Africa to work the sugar cane plantations of Kwazulu-Natal (Port Natal) required a way of carrying their lunches to the field; the hollowed out loaf of bread was a convenient way to transport their vegetarian curries. Meat based fillings came later. The use of a loaf of bread can also be ascribed to the lack of the traditional roti bread, in the absence of which a loaf of bread would be acceptable as an accompaniment to curry.

Cuisine - Bunny chows are popular amongst Indians, as well as other ethnic groups in the Durban area. Bunny chows are commonly filled with curries made using traditional recipes from Durban: mutton or lamb, chicken, bean and chips with curry gravy are popular fillings now, although the original bunny chow was vegetarian. Bunny chows are often served with a side portion of grated carrot, chilli and onion salad, commonly known as sambals. A key characteristic of a bunny chow is created when gravy from the curry fillings soak into the walls of the bread, thereby rounding the dish off with the fusion of flavours & textures. Sharing a single bunny chow is not uncommon.

Bunny chows come in quarter, half and full loaves. When ordering a bunny chow in Durban, the local slang dictates that you need only ask for a "quarter mutton" (or flavour and size of your choice). Bunny chows are strictly a messy fingers affair; locals find the use of utensils quite amusing. Of course, bunny chow is presented to customers wrapped in yesterday's newspapers.

Today bunny chows are available in many small take-aways and Indian restaurants throughout South Africa. The price ranges from R6 for a quarter beans or dhal, to R30 for a quarter chicken bunny up to R56-R104 for a whole bunny, depending on the filling.

Each year, the Bunny Chow Barometer is held in September on the south bank of the Mgeni River, just above Blue Lagoon (a popular Sunday picnic spot), attracting numerous entrants from across the Durban Metro region to compete for the title of top bunny maker.

Source credits: Wikipedia

Tim Hetherington, co-director of 'Restrepo,' killed in Libya

2011-04-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Tim Hetherington, an esteemed photojournalist and an Oscar nominee for a gritty and harrowing documentary about the Afghan war, was killed in the war-torn Libyan city of Misrata, the president of the agency that represented him said Wednesday.
Three other photographers were hurt in the incident that killed him, according to news reports. Panos Pictures, which employed Hetherington, confirmed that the photographer's family had been notified.

"We're still trying to figure out front lines or house," said CSPR agency president Cathy Saypol in reference to where he was when killed. "The only thing we know is that he was hit by an RPG with the other guys." An RPG is a rocket-propelled grenade.

Hetherington's last Twitter entry appears to have been made on Tuesday: "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO"

A British native who was based in Brooklyn, New York, Hetherington received an Academy Award nomination this year for "Restrepo," a documentary film he co-directed with journalist Sebastian Junger. He also worked in Afghanistan two years ago with CNN's Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

More here...

40 years ago

2011-03-07T21:43:00.000-08:00

Out of the blue as they say I got in touch with a neighbor where I was growing up. More surprise: he had still a picture of mine I was not even aware it existed!!
I remember the scene very well since it was on of the moment in my life that gave me direction for the future and there been many repeats to hone the skills.....
I got pretty good I recall.....

You don't believe that cheet, do you?? Let me tell you: I was waaaay better looking.....
Have a smile and a great day!!

A "must see"

2011-02-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

Their is tons of stuff on the internet for everybody to see, find, use.... For the entertainment I like a little but the "way out" weird stuff. After all we Do live all the time in a pretty regulated "vanilla" world.
Here a "must see" blog to bookmark. May be worth to visit ones in a while.

Found Crap Blog

Merry Christmas ;-)

2010-12-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her / him, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.
With a little from the funny site of Christmas season greetings to all of you. ~T.

Economic models explained by cows

2010-12-02T21:07:00.000-08:00

I hop that makes you as much laugh as it did with me. Enjoy!!
SOCIALISM: You have 2 cows, and you give one to your neighbor.
COMMUNISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and gives you some milk.
FASCISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and sells you some milk.
NAZISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and shoots you.
BUREAUCRATISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and then throws the milk away...
TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.
SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. Later, you hire a consultant to analyse why the cow has dropped dead.
ENRON VENTURE CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows. The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more. Sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States, leaving you with nine cows. No balance sheet provided with the release. The public buys your bull.
THE ANDERSEN MODEL: You have two cows. You shred them.
FRENCH CORPORATION: You have two cows. You go on strike, organize a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.
JAPANESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create a clever cow cartoon image called 'cowkimon' and market it worldwide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.
ITALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows, but you don't know where they are. You decide to have lunch.
RUSSIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 2 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.
SWISS CORPORATION: You have 5000 cows. None of them belong to you. You charge the owners for storing them.
CHINESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim that you have full employment, and high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.
IRAQI CORPORATION: Everyone thinks you have lots of cows. You tell them that you have none. No one believes you, so they bomb the shit out of you and invade your country. You still have no cows, but at least now you are part of a Democracy...
WELSH CORPORATION: You have two cows. The one on the left looks very attractive.
AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. Business seems pretty good. You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate.
BRITISH CORPORATION: You have two cows. Both are mad.
INDIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You are starving because they live in your kitchen.

A time when every resources we have is tested

2010-10-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

In every man and woman's life there comes a time of ultimate challenge - a time when every resources we have is tested. A time when our faith, our values, our patience, our compassion, our ability to persist, are all pushed to our limits and beyond. Some people use such tests as opportunities to become better people - others allow these experiences to destroy them.

Not much time them days

2010-05-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, I sure don't have much time them days to maintain a regular posting frequency on my personal site/blog here. I did, however, for the fun of it, move the whole enchilada from my server to an Google service to see how that preforms and experiment how I may use that in the future to save myself a few headaches. I may eventual synchronize the looks oft front page and the sites deeper into the website, for now I just "play". Most content and stories from old site should be here or i will post them up a.s.a.p. I did add all the social media links so it's easier to get a hold of me - hahahaha, I know...... :)

Nosy Be February 2010

2010-02-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

A favorite destination at Nosy Be, Ventana Club, Andilana Beach. The team is professional, there is a strong Italian and French flair, once in this resort, you feel like you are at home away from home. The beach is lovely and from the minute you arrive, you feel very welcome surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens and comfortable, luxurious bedrooms. Venta Club is ideal for conference and incentive groups and can accommodate sufficient cinema style seating for events of this kind. From a recreation perspective, the club offers varied options besides of scuba diving opportunities like bicycle rental, volleyball court, fitness room, spa, etc. This club will be very suitable to the European tourism market and after evaluation we believe it is a highly recommendable destination.

There are a few more pics in the album here... as well at my Twitpics account.

Merry X-Mas - Feliz Navidad - Frohe Weihnacht - Geseende Kersfees

2009-12-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

The best part of the season is remembering those who make the holidays meaningful.
I wish you all the love and happiness this season can bring.
May it follow you throughout the coming Year.

Merry Xmas to you all !!

Unfortunate Product Names

2009-12-13T14:28:00.000-08:00

Real product names from "Pee Cola" to "Megapussi" - wondering what them folks been smoking when they came up with them names... Crack's me up!! :-)
Cock flavoured mix (soup)

Jussipussi (bread) - So that's how Finnish bread tastes like.

Megapussi (potato chips) - "Megapussi" is a Finnish word for a "mega bag" and not actually the product's name.

Pee Cola (soft drink) - A soft drink from Ghana.

Shitto (sauce) - Shitto is an allegedly delicious Ghanaian sauce with a name that makes Americans laugh, while everyone in Ghana seems to love it.

Vergina (beer)

Wack off! (insect repellent) - Australian repellent "used by the armed forces." They surely need it.

What about you?

2009-11-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

I will be blunt. Not brief. This may be the wrong time for brevity.
Deal with it.
It is possible that there will be at least one less member of the greater off-road
community around, come November 22, 2009. Someone could die because of their involvement
in the Baja 1000.
Dead. Gone.
Will it be you?
“Of course not”. “No way”. “That stuff happens to other people!”
If it pleases you, just toss this thing now. After all, it's just the ranting of one of
those guys who never lacked an opinion, or wasted the opportunity to thrust it upon you.
Now is the time. There’s a trash can around here somewhere. Toss it if you want to.
If, on the other hand, you might be open to what one guy with a little experience has
to offer, read on.
People, the single biggest danger to our safety as we involve ourselves in this race is
us. Us. We represent the single largest jeopardy to our own well being out of all the
freak things that could happen. On the surface, it would seem that those most in danger
of clobbering themselves are those that have less experience down there. I wonder.
I am one of those with experience, and I know how seductive it is to tell myself that
my experience gives me license to risk more than those without it. “The rules are for the
new guys” “I can compress time frames”. “I can eat later”. “I don't need to take a nap”.
“If I follow this stupid overloaded truck all night, I'll miss my deadline”. “I've got great
lights, and I can see past all 6 vehicles ahead of me and take them all in one pass”.
This race is one long son of a gun. All drivers will feel the pressure to drive past sunset.
It's a given. It's a must! There are loads of stories about Baja at night. What is interesting
is that very few of the really scary stories come from the race cars. The most
amazing and most tragic come from the highway travelers. Is that you? Have you had
“Your Story” yet? It's out there, waiting for you. There have been times when the situation
happens very far north. Like a tanker full of fish crashing around Santo Tomas, and
closing the highway for over 5 hours. Now your time frames are shot. What do you do?
The history of what goes on and how we deal with it is not something to take lightly.
Motorhomes crash. People fly, land, and suffer. Tractor-trailer rigs roll over and burn. A
pickup full of drunk locals veers over the line and smacks a perfectly good Bronco with
chasers in it.
It is not a case of “Will it happen?”, but a fact that it will happen. To whom, we don't
know. We will know when the flash comes on the radio. Not right away mind you, but only
after all the wrong information has had its chance to stab the hearts of those that know
names, and care.
Know this. Medical assistance for emergencies comes late, and is lacking. You have to
hope that someone associated with the race will be close by and help you. It is first aid
at best. Worse is going through a nasty wreck, and you coming through it fine, but your
buddy is bleeding and out cold. You were behind the wheel. How do you feel? He trusted
you to take care of business so he could sleep.
Here is what you should do to increase your chances of staying out of harms way

Eat food even if you are not hungry.

Drive for a maximum of 6 hours and give it to your partner. (There is only one Ironman)

Leave early.

Plan on getting to your destination late.

Don't drink alcoholic stuff. Period.

Do not use drugs. Period.

Ask yourself, “Are we important enough to the people in the race car that they will feel good about us getting maimed trying to catch them?”

Ask yourself, “Would I do this if my kids were with me?”

Now…
Think about the great time you will have when you make it back home.
Think about the great feeling of being involved in the toughest off-road race in the
world, and getting back home to tell the tales.
Think about how those at home will roll their eyes, and be patient, when you start on
one of your stories.
Think about how proud of yourself you will be when you hear a horror story about
someone else and realize you did things the right way, and went through the danger successfully.
It may sound corny, but think about how happy your Mom & Dad, or wife, or sister or
brother, and yes, your kids, will be when you talk to them after you are home, safe and
sound.
You've just had the adventure of a lifetime, and you are back! Wagging your tail, your
mouth going like a ducks butt, telling everyone what an experience it was.
I'm going to the Baja 1000. I am going to have a ball. I won't forget a moment. It will
be the biggest, baddest damn race ever.
And, I'm coming back from it.
With stories. With experiences. With laughs. With memories, and with the pride that
comes of doing a good job.
What about you?
"Life Is A One Lap Race!"
Credits: Bob Bower

Global economic crisis

2009-02-26T00:29:00.000-08:00

This is what that so-called speech should have sounded like. I agree with every point mentioned here. The sad thing is, those idiots in Washington don't have the same thinking mechanism. They go in with the agenda of what can I get instead of what can I contribute. I fear Obama is all talk and no walk. I don't see the US government for the people at all. It seems all the talk is centered on corporations, who would not even be in the predicament they are in save for their greed in the first place. Consequences need to be put in place, as they do for the people.

San Diego - Team AGM

2009-02-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

Team All German Motorsports - The team loves San Felipe and Mexico for desert off-road racing. It shows. In particular, the mid-engine Class 1 of All German, loved the technical canyon racing the San Felipe 250 offered this year. From the race reports after the finish line-"Former World Rally Championship star driver Armin Schwarz, of Germany, and Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., split the driving to finish fourth overall and capture the unlimited Class 1 race win in a BMW-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car. With just over one year of experience in SCORE desert racing, Schwarz pulled off his first SCORE win while the veteran former SCORE class champion Christensen earned his first ever win in Class 1.With a time of 4:08:22 and an average speed of 56.02mph, it was also the first time a BMW-powered vehicle has ever won a class in a SCORE race." Christensen has a desert off-road racing hobby and an All German Auto-Motorsports business, in Northern San Diego County. Martin assured this reporter, motorsports success is all about the Team. Famous driver, Armin Schwarz, is one of the drivers on the All German Motorsports racing team that won the recent Class 1, SCORE race in San Felipe.

The Car Two seat A-arm all chrome-molly chassis, built by Jimco in El Cajon, California. Based on its structural integrity and overall handling, the choice to go with a Jimco chassis was an easy decision, especially considering the number of champions that have used a Jimco chassis over the years.Given the quality of the Jimco product and the long-term relationship built with them over the past several years, AGM considers Jimco a key partner and integral piece of the overall package.

The Engine The AGM car utilizes a 2001BMW E39 engine, straight out of a BMW M5. The M5 is the pinnacle sports sedan from BMW, providing 394 BHP @ 6600 rpm and 368 ft. lbs. of torque @ 3800 rpm in its stock configuration. With some minor tuning (using Dinan components), a new exhaust and other modifications, the BMW engine package is capable of 500+ BHP, while still maintaining a configuration designed to run for 200,000 miles on the street, or 3000 miles in Baja. The BMW engine package is definitely a signature mark of the AGM car. The very impressive heritage of BMW Motorsports on road courses and the off-road performance of the AGM Class 1 car dispels any doubts that the AGM BMW car is destined for the podium. The AGM car is the only car in it’s class utilizing a BMW engine, giving the AGM team a proven and competitive advantage.