I’ve been active on MotoringFile since 2005, which is before I even owned my MINI. I read the latest news, left comments and participated in the conversations. The MINI community, which as far as I’m concerned revolves around MF in a really significant way, is a big part of the experience of owning the car. Much like what I’ve found to be true about the scooter community here in the Twin Cities, ownership of a MINI gets you access to a pretty special community of enthusiasts. MotoringFile is where those folks turn to keep up-to-date on the latest and greatest of what’s going on with MINI. The site isn’t sponsored directly by MINI USA corporate, but it is supported indirectly through exclusive information and unique access.

This new role has also opened up related opportunities with the world-famous WhiteRoofRadio.com — the weekly MINI podcast put on by Don Burnside and Todd Pearson, who are gentlemen and scholars both. They’ve made me a recurring guest host for the show. I’ve been on a couple times now to discuss the MINI Scooter E concept from the Paris Motor Show and hope to be back on soon. News from MotoringFile is a big part of the show each week, so it makes sense to have someone from the site involved. I’m not on every week (which is a good thing, as I’m getting pretty damn busy myself these days), but when I am on, it’s an honor, a privilege, and a damn good time.

So though it does take away some of my free time and creative energy that I might have spent here, it’s a great opportunity that will likely open the door to some amazing experiences such as press access to major auto shows, unique test drive opportunities, and unique access to major MINI events. I’m thrilled to be involved and so far it’s been a bit of work, but a lot of fun.

Check out Gabe’s full write up over at MotoringFile »

VIV Mag Interactive Feature Spread – iPad Demo from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.

VIV Mag Featurette: A Digital Magazine Motion Cover and Feature for the iPad from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.

When it crossed the Atlantic, the Spirit of St. Louis had a silver nose. The whole plane was silver from tip to tail. The nose panels in particular were fabricated by hand out of aluminum sheeting. Those panels were then brush polished with their signature swirl marks — partly for decoration, but mostly to hide the subtle dents left by shaping hammers and english wheels. In the period photography, even though it’s black and white, it’s easy to see that the nose is not, in fact, gold. Yet as she hangs in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, her nose is a bright gold color. None of the historical accounts, including Lindbergh’s autobiography, explained how the nose of the plane went from silver to gold. It was a mystery, and 15 years ago the internet as we know it didn’t exist. We often said that we should just write the Smithsonian and see if they knew, but we never got around to it.

Today people use Google as a verb and Wikipedia makes the most obscure pieces of information available to your mobile telephone. For some unknowable reason, yesterday I had the thought to search the internet for information as to why the nose on The Spirit is gold. The search engines had nothing for me. Wikipedia made no reference to the nose panels whatsoever. Even the Air and Space Museum’s own website didn’t explain the golden nose. But while poking around, I found a contact form where anyone can send an inquiry to the museum archives staff. So I did! I got an email back a couple hours later saying that my question had been forwarded on to the curator. Less than a day later, I received an email from Dr. F. Robert van der Linden, the Chairman of the Aeronautics Division at the National Air and Space Museum. In his email he said the following:

Dear Mr. Salzman:

The nose of the Spirit of St. Louis is a golden color because of a well-intentioned but mistaken attempt by us to preserve the markings on the cowling.  We don’t know exactly when, but soon after the Smithsonian acquired the Spirit in May 1928, we sought to preserve the markings by applying a clear coat of varnish or shellac.  Unfortunately, over the years, this coating has yellowed with age.  While it has taken on a beautiful golden hue, the color is wrong.  The aluminum cowling should be in its natural silver color.  In the future, when we next conserve the aircraft, we will carefully remove the coating.  This can be done by a painting conservator.  Until then, the Spirit will keep its golden nose.

Sincerely,

Bob

What a fantastic answer! Although it would be great to know exactly when the protective lacquer had been applied, finally knowing the the answer as to why is very satisfying. As far as I know, this information isn’t even part of the exhibit. Not that it’s a big secret, it’s just fun to know things that even the great Google can’t find for you. What’s particularly thrilling, however, is that at some point in the future, the plane will go back to its original coloring. How fun. I’m exceedingly grateful to Dr. van der Linden for his quick, complete and candid response. Mystery solved. With information in hand, it’s now time to update the internet so that other people can find this info too. The moral of the story, support the historical societies that protect the history you care about. Without them, we will forget where we’ve come from and have even less idea where we’re headed.

Photos via Flickr users Rob Shenk and wallyg who were kind enough to share their great work via creative commons licensing.

Post photo courtesy of Flickr user Rob_Simpson. Original here

Thanks again, fellas!

Los Vesparados: The Art of the Scooter
Ride Log: Los Vesparados

Music recommendations are always really tricky because tastes vary so widely. Which recordings? The studio sessions? That one live show? That’s why I’m not recommending the music of Jonathan Coulton, per say. What I really recommend is the writing that goes into his music. I recommend his exuberance, his unapologetic nerd-i-tude, how his songs can be simultaneously so funny and so sad.

It would be easy to dismiss Coulton as a comedy singer in the vein of Flight of the Conchords or Tenacious D, but that’s missing the depth of his art, in my opinion. He’s not a comedy act. He’s a singer/songwriter who happens to be really, really funny sometimes. If you imagine David Sedaris as a buoyantly cheery sort of folk singer, then you’re getting closer to the bizarre genius of Coulton. He’s some sort of fantastic, humorist minstrel that’s really difficult to describe and really easy to enjoy.

I describe actor/comedian Eddie Izzard as someone “so funny that he can do european history humor” and it’s true — he can and does. Coulton is kind of like that. I haven’t come across any other songwriters who can write a catchy lyric about fractal geometry like Mandelbrot Set, a downright cheery sing-along about zombies like Re: Your Brains, a love song from the perspective of an evil mad scientist such as Skullcrusher Mountain, or so perfectly capture the plight of what it’s like to write software for a living as in Code Monkey. As I re-read that description, it almost sounds like kids’ music. Trust me, it’s not. Because of Coulton’s joyful First of May, I had to look up the meaning of “in flagrante delicto.” His lyrics are downright chewy sometimes and the complexity of songs like I Feel Fantastic and Creepy Doll reveal new jewels on each subsequent listening. This is not music dumbed down for the masses. These are anthems for your inner nerd. This is music so fun, yet so non-condescending, that you can’t help but have a better day.

I don’t think any further attempt at description would really do JoCo justice, so I’ll leave it at this. If you can scrounge up $12, head over to the iTunes music store and pick up Best. Concert. Ever. pronto. This live performance released in 2009 so perfectly captures his exuberance that I really can’t recommend it enough as the place to start. I can listen to its 20 tracks on nearly endless repeat. I love this album and I’m absolutely thrilled that The Mrs and I are going to see him live in October!

The cake is a lie!
The cake is a lie!
(I didn’t actually play Portal until this month. I know, I’m way behind.)

Jonathan Coulton’s Best. Concert. Ever. on iTunes.

Photo from Flickr user penmachine. Original here.