Racing has taken a number of different forms, including foot, dog, horse, airplane, boat, car, motorcycle and bicycle. The object in any form of racing is to win. Being the fastest is what makes a champion. Coming in second rarely counts.
We know from painted pottery that the foot race was a popular event with the ancient Greeks. Today there are both indoor and outdoor forms of foot racing. The most common forms of racing are sprints, hurdles and relays. Distances of the races vary. The first marathon race in modern times was organized in 1896. It was approximately 22 miles in distance. Today, the marathon is around 24 miles. The first Olympic marathon for women was held in 1928. Today, there are many different marathons, usually organized by a specific charity, such as breast cancer, within a city.
Horse racing has also been around for centuries. The ancient Romans and Egyptians had a fascination for chariot racing. It continues to this day, although it is referred to as horse and buggy racing. There is also thoroughbred racing, with a trained rider (jockey) on a saddle on the horse's back. One of the most popular forms of horse racing in the United States is the Triple Crown, made up of three separate races in different locations: The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. There are also races in which the horse must jump over obstacles set up on a measured track.
Bicycle racing is an Olympic sport today. The first known race was held in Paris in 1865. There are many forms of bicycle racing today, including on and off road, mountain bike, track, BMX and cycle speedway. One of the best known races is the Tour de France. American cyclist Lance Armstrong has won this event seven times.
Automobile racing began in 1894 and has continued in various forms until the present. The races usually depend on the distance travelled in particular types of cars. There is stock car, drag, rally, off road, sports car racing, Formula One (NASCAR) and other forms of racing. While distance is a factor in racing, speed is usually still the most important factor. The fastest speed recorded at the Indianapolis 500 was achieved by Eddie Cheever in 1996 when his race car reached 236.103 miles per hour.
Motorcycle racing is an enormously popular sport, and, like automobile racing, it comes in a variety of forms, including drag, sidecar, and supercross. There is also motocross racing, an amateur level sport. WERA is the national organization for the advancement, operation and sanctioning of motorcycle road racing. WERA sponsors sprint and distance races.
The first aircraft race was held in 1909, six years after the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane. It was held in Reims, France, and covered the distance from France to England. A race from England to Australia was instituted later, with most of the entrants being commercial airliners. It was discontinued after the outbreak of World War Two. In the United States, the National and Cleveland Air Races were initiated in the 1920s. In 1929, the Women's Air Derby was created as part of the National Air Races. Today the Red Bull Air Race World Series is held annually. It features 11 pilots who compete against time on two passes over the designated course.
Ships and boats have long been used as racing vehicles. There have been some unusual races as well. Even bathtubs have been used in racing events. Depending on the type of propulsion used, aquatic races vary in time and speed.
Joints often pop or crack for no reason and if there is no pain there is no real concern. Nobody really knows what causes joint popping but it's believed to be a build-up of nitrogen gas in the joint, which when released causes the pop you feel/hear. It shouldn't be a long-term issue in anyway.
Berger- Seeing Before Words
Seeing comes before words. The child sees before it learns to speak
The relationship between what we see and what we know is never settled
We are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves
The way we see things is effected by what we know or believe
Images can be more rich and precise than literature
Fear of the present leads to a cultural mystification to the past
Perspective makes the single eye the center of the visible world
The meaning of an image is changed by what one sees immediately beside it or behind it
Birdsell and Groarke- Theory of Visual Argument
Visual arguments are conveyed in images
Three key principles of visual communication: such images can be understood in principle: they should be interpreted in a manner that makes sense of the major (visual or verbal) elements they contain: they should be interpreted in a manner that fits the context in which they are situated
An image functions as a visual flag when it is used to attract attention to a message conveyed to an audience
Someone wanting to side an argument using a visual flag must do so by standing out against the flood of other messages people are trying to send
An image is a visual demonstration when it is used to convey information which can best be presented visually
A visual metaphor contains some claim figuratively by portraying someone or something as some other thing
Visual symbols have strong associations that allow them to stand for something they represent
Images can attract our attention to verbal arguments
Images capacity to naturalize a situation make them powerful tools of persuasion
Visual Analysis of Laura Davis writing portfolio
I chose to conduct a visual analysis on Laura Davis writing portfolio, because I felt it most adequately showed the strong connections in visual argument between image and text. We see this on the very first, opening page o hr portfolio in which Laura provides her mini biography. Right before her text, is an image of herself. This provides the viewer with an image to connect to her textual “argument” about herself and her accomplishments. Birdsell and Groarke allude to this when they state that images can attract our attention to verbal arguments. Also, I noted that when I first looked at her opening page, I immediately jumped to the image of Laura before I even thought to begin reading the text accompanying the image. This is shown in Berger’s argument when he states that seeing comes before words. In Laura’s “About Me” section, the viewer scrolls down to see two images, one of Laura, dressed in her biking gear, obviously involved in a bike ride at the time; the other image is that of racing bicycles stacked up against a tree. The image of the bikes leaning against the tree creates a visual flag, that bike riding encompasses the majority of passion in her life. The two images provide a visual argument that bike riding is a large component in her life routine. Without the images Laura provides, we would be able to read and understand her love and passion but we would not be able to “naturalize” the situation (according to Birdsell and Groarke) and feel the tangible reality she creates through her images. Throughout Laura Davis portfolio there is much more text than image, but in my eyes the mere three images speak immediately louder then the text combined (when I say immediately, I mean instantly as opposed to having to cipher through her text to involve more detail to her accomplishments). This theory I’ve created alludes to Berger’s statement that images can be more rich and precise than literature in many ways.
Word count: 343
The state of California is having a “garage sale” to help get rid of some clutter and generate some revenue.
Are some of these items confiscated? I don't know, but there's definitely some items below that were purchased with taxpayer dollars:
– Sacramento Kings Bobble Head Dolls (donated?)
– XBOX 360 With Halo Cover (purchased?)
– A surfboard with the word “Chronic” across it (confiscated?)
– Harley Davidson Jacket with matching hat and gloves (confiscated?)
– Exercise Steps (purchased, for state employee's gym, apparently)
– Bianchi Racing Bicycles (apparently purchased)
– Massage Seat Cover, still in box
– SIX Dental Chairs in fair condition (WTF?)
– Fish Rite small fishing boat with outboard motor, fishing pole available separately
Now how much of this crap was purchased with taxpayer dollars, and WHY?
Joints often pop or crack for no reason and if there is no pain there is no real concern. Nobody really knows what causes joint popping but it's believed to be a build-up of nitrogen gas in the joint, which when released causes the pop you feel/hear. It shouldn't be a long-term issue in anyway.
Berger- Seeing Before Words
Seeing comes before words. The child sees before it learns to speak
The relationship between what we see and what we know is never settled
We are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves
The way we see things is effected by what we know or believe
Images can be more rich and precise than literature
Fear of the present leads to a cultural mystification to the past
Perspective makes the single eye the center of the visible world
The meaning of an image is changed by what one sees immediately beside it or behind it
Birdsell and Groarke- Theory of Visual Argument
Visual arguments are conveyed in images
Three key principles of visual communication: such images can be understood in principle: they should be interpreted in a manner that makes sense of the major (visual or verbal) elements they contain: they should be interpreted in a manner that fits the context in which they are situated
An image functions as a visual flag when it is used to attract attention to a message conveyed to an audience
Someone wanting to side an argument using a visual flag must do so by standing out against the flood of other messages people are trying to send
An image is a visual demonstration when it is used to convey information which can best be presented visually
A visual metaphor contains some claim figuratively by portraying someone or something as some other thing
Visual symbols have strong associations that allow them to stand for something they represent
Images can attract our attention to verbal arguments
Images capacity to naturalize a situation make them powerful tools of persuasion
Visual Analysis of Laura Davis writing portfolio
I chose to conduct a visual analysis on Laura Davis writing portfolio, because I felt it most adequately showed the strong connections in visual argument between image and text. We see this on the very first, opening page o hr portfolio in which Laura provides her mini biography. Right before her text, is an image of herself. This provides the viewer with an image to connect to her textual “argument” about herself and her accomplishments. Birdsell and Groarke allude to this when they state that images can attract our attention to verbal arguments. Also, I noted that when I first looked at her opening page, I immediately jumped to the image of Laura before I even thought to begin reading the text accompanying the image. This is shown in Berger’s argument when he states that seeing comes before words. In Laura’s “About Me” section, the viewer scrolls down to see two images, one of Laura, dressed in her biking gear, obviously involved in a bike ride at the time; the other image is that of racing bicycles stacked up against a tree. The image of the bikes leaning against the tree creates a visual flag, that bike riding encompasses the majority of passion in her life. The two images provide a visual argument that bike riding is a large component in her life routine. Without the images Laura provides, we would be able to read and understand her love and passion but we would not be able to “naturalize” the situation (according to Birdsell and Groarke) and feel the tangible reality she creates through her images. Throughout Laura Davis portfolio there is much more text than image, but in my eyes the mere three images speak immediately louder then the text combined (when I say immediately, I mean instantly as opposed to having to cipher through her text to involve more detail to her accomplishments). This theory I’ve created alludes to Berger’s statement that images can be more rich and precise than literature in many ways.
Word count: 343