I read Guitar World magazine religiously (what guitar player doesn’t?) and in the last issue, I noted the small sideline feature on their model contest for the upcoming Guitar World Buyer’s Guide.  I never even remember previous buyer’s guides being full of hot ladies, but heck, if they say so I thought it would be fun to submit photos of Donna.

:: Guitar World model contest photo submission - click to enlarge ::

So Donna and I had fun in the 90-degree south Florida sun, shooting some photos of her posing with my old Jackson Kelly Performer PS-6T.  That guitar has a lot of sentimental value to me, as it was a gift from my dad ten years ago.

We thought of some gimmicky poses with the instrument that would be cool for photos to submit, and it turned out to be a lot of fun, for laughs if anything else. As usual, Donna looked great, and although she did well in the hot sun, and my black guitar was radiating a temperature of over 100 degrees when it went back into the case.  That can’t be good.

::  And you haven’t even seen her race BMX yet!  Click to enlarge ::

For those that want to know, I shot these photos with a Nikon D300 and Nikon 70-200 VR 2.8 lens, using a Nikon SB-600 mounted on the camera with a diffuser. Anyway, I guess what matters is we had a good time and took some cool photos.  I hope she wins - it would surely help her modeling career that I’m already positive she will excel at.  I’ll be crossing my fingers for you, Donna - you deserve to win!

Related Links:

• Guitar World Magazine
  

Those of you reading this blog will know that I’m in the process of getting this 1989 Corvette back into service after a very long period of storage.  Last night I became curious about what specific options this car had, so I snapped a photo of the RPO (Regular Production Option) sticker under the glove box and I looked up the codes.  Below you’ll find a complete listing of the RPO codes for this car, which includes standard and optional equipment.

:: This photo, dated December, 2004, is the last time this car was outside - click to enlarge ::

Decoding this car revealed that it’s a relative low-optioned car, which makes sense considering its intended use when ordered.  The car has the FE1 base suspension, which has softer spring rates and smaller anti-sway bars as compared to the Z51 suspension option.  The Z52 cars kept the same spring rates as the FE1 cars, though they were equipped with larger anti-sway bars.  The car also has the then-expensive Delco-Bose stereo system and fully electronic climate control.  Base leather seats are, in my opinion, nicer than the upgraded sport leather seats.  The 2:59 axle ratio would surely be great for highway cruising, though I wouldn’t expect much for acceleration - this is actually an unusually tall ratio. So here it is, the full RPO code list for this car:

• AC3 - Power driver sport seat
• AR9 - Base seats - leather
• AS8 - Manual restraint seats
• BGR - Bowling Green assembly
• CC3 - Transparent roof panel
• CF7 - Non-transparent roof panel
• C2L - Dual removable roof panels
• C68 - Automatic electronic air condition
• DL8 - Twin remote heated outside mirrors
• D7B - Speedometer driven gear 25513043 orange
• D74 - Illuminated driver vanity mirror
• D9A - Speedometer sensor 25007224
• E5Z - Delete speedometer adapter
• E9Z - Delete speedometer key
• FE1 - Base suspension
• GM1 - Rear axle 2.59 ratio
• JL9 - Anti-lock front and rear disc brakes
• K68 - 105 amp generator
• L98 - Tuned port injection 5.7 L engine
• MD8 - Automatic 4-speed transmission
• MX0 - Automatic transmission
• NA5 - Federal emission system requirements
• NK4 - Sport leather steering wheel
• QA1 - Styled aluminum wheels, 17 x 9.5″
• UQ4 - Delco Bose four speaker system
• UU8 - Delco Bose AM/FM stereo radio with cassette
• U52 - Electronic instrument cluster
• V73 - Vehicle statement certification, US or Canada
• WDV - Partial deductible warranty waiver
• XAU - Front tire P275/40 ZR17
• YAU - Rear tire P275/40 ZR17
• 1AZ - Modification stock order or order sold
• 1SB - Marketed option package 2
• 64S - Bronze roof panel

I’ve been a fan of first-person shooting games since I first played the original Quake in 1996 on my Packard Bell Pentium 100MHz machine.  I remember that experience clearly, being able to exist in a real-time 3D environment was an awesome gaming experience.  Of course, first-person shooters have only gotten better, and the combat games lend themselves very well to this type of gaming experience.   The latest game of this genre is Call Of Duty: World At War, which is very impressive.

This game is very similar to another excellent game in the series, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare - the game engine, graphics, and interface are very well done.  New weapons and perks are awarded based on experience points, which you earn as you rank-up in the military.  It’s a very motivating system that keeps players killing each other, and I’ll admit, it’s addicting.

:: Intense graphics accurately depict the German Reichstag - click to enlarge ::

World At War, as the name implies, is based on a World War II setting, with accurate gun models and locations.  Nothing has been spared, which I think is a good thing.  For example, the German Reichstag is accurately modeled, which adds the perfect aura to the hectic shooting, bombing, and tank explosions around you as you aim your rifle or grenades on your opponents.  Net code is great, with no lagging, and I’m able to run this game at 1920×1200 with maximum graphics settings on my dual GeForce 8800GT cards, smooth as butter.

The sound effects are also very realistic, with real-sounding gunshots rather than the explosive-sounding gunshot effects we’re used to hearing in movies.  In the distance, you’ll hear soldiers shouting, with very accurate dialog that does not get too repetitive.  The graphics can get a bit greusome, with realistic depictions of blown-off limbs and gunshot impacts.  Depth-of-field effects, which are a carryover from Call Of Duty 4, are a welcome visual effect, which gives the game a cinematic appearance.

:: Realistic water and foliage are among the best I’ve seen - click to enlarge ::

Of course, there’s a single-player campaign, which I have not even played yet.  Believe it or not, I haven’t even played the single-player mode in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare either - the online gameplay has been so fulfilling that I haven’t seen the need just yet.  I suppose shooting and cyber-killing real opponents will always be more gratifying that computer opponents.  I’ll add an update when I play the single-player component - especially when you can use voice communication to tell call your opponents n00bs.

:: Dynamic lighting and subdued colors add to the darkness of war - click to enlarge ::

Is this game an actual depticion of what real war is like?  I would say it’s probably an accurate depiction of what war movies are like, rather than war itself - and I think that’s a good thing.  Real war is not fun, and this is a game that’s very fun, see what I’m getting at here?   World At War gives the player a sense of the chaos of real war, and it’s that element that keeps you on the edge of your seat, in bitter concentration.  That’s why this game - and Call Of Duty 4 - are such a success.   If you like violent, politically-incorrect games that would make a legislation-happy democrat cringe, then this is the game for you - it kicks ass!

I guess I’m addicted to collecting new-old-stock BMX parts and frames from the 1980s - among my favorites are Haro frames.   Over the years my collection of frames and parts has grown substantially, and I guess I just can’t stop collecting - or in my case, stockpiling, especially when it comes to NOS Haros.

:: This 1985 Haro Master is still in its original wrappings - click to enlarge ::

This is another 1985 ‘envy green’ Haro Master, complete with the forks and frame standers in original packaging, presumably from the famous “UK stash” of NOS Masters that has been liquidated years ago.  This frame is another victim of the early-1990s freestyle BMX crash, and it still remains entombed in its original wrappings from the day a worker at Anlun in Taiwan packaged it in 1985.  What will I do with this frame?  Probable nothing - I suppose it will be a future display in my music studio along with the others someday.  Life is good.

Related Links:

• Haro Freestyler.com

You may remember my post about the old classic PC game Unreal.  Well, months later I finally completed the game - and it was very satisfying.  Unreal was long, complex, and filled with adventure.  I wish modern games were this long and involved, but unfortunately, they are not.  Unreal’s graphics, while considered low-polygon by today’s standards, are still beautiful.  I guess I like the texture-mapped graphics from the 1990s, and though the use of lens flares and coronas is overdone to the point of tackiness, I consider this a good thing.

:: Screenshot from Unreal: Return To Na Pali.  Note new assault rifle.  Click to enlarge ::

With Unreal finished, I’m moving on to its official expansion pack, titled Return To Na Pali.  This mission pack is basically just an extension of the original game, where the space marine simply returns to the planet where he escaped from.  The storyline is thin, but that’s fine - I’m just glad to be back involved in this awesome game.  I just started Return To Na Pali, but I’m already pleased with its familiar game engine, graphics, and I especially like the new weapons - an assault rifle, grenade launcher, and a rocket launcher.

:: Low-polygon graphics still look brilliant, even ten years later - click to enlarge ::

Well, I’m off to play Return To Na Pali more - I’ll let you know how this game compares to Unreal.  In the meantime, pick yourself up a copy of Unreal - I hear the Unreal Anthology is on sale for $5.00 at Gamestop.  Go for it!

For a long time I’ve been looking for a NOS (new-old-stock) GT Performer frame and fork.  For some reason, it’s virtually impossible to find a 1980s-era Performer.  Why is this the case when NOS Haros seem to surface now and then?  I have no idea - maybe because GTs were more popular back then and as a result easily sold out in bicycle stores.  I know the Performer was a less expensive bike than the Haro Master and Sport, but I’m still surprised that only very few NOS frames have surfaced.

:: 1986 GT Performer, powdered by C4 Labs, stickered as an ‘85 model  - click to enlarge ::

Although I did not want to buy a used frame, an exceedingly clean 1986 Performer appeared on BMX Museum and I got it for a great price.  How clean is this frame?  Aside from the factory pink paint having some chips and scratches, the frame appears new.  No washer marks, no dents - nothing.  It’s a rare find in itself, so I thought this would be my candidate.  I sent the frame, forks, and an NOS purple set of Performer bars off to Chip at C4 Labs to be stripped and powdered the same color, and the frame returned in a beautiful, color-matched state.  High quality reproduction decals were purchased AJK Bicycles, although the round “Santa Ana” decals are actual NOS GT decals from the 1980s.  From the photo, you’ll note that I stickered this frame as a 1985 model, rather than the 1986 model that it is.  My reason for this is quite simple -  I prefer the 1985 decals, and the frames are exactly the same anyway.

It took several months, but I located all the proper parts as NOS, and this will be a GT Performer as I would have wanted it back in the 1980s - close to factory stock with some minor upgrades.

Here’s the parts rundown:

• Frame and Fork: 1986 GT Performer, pink
• Rims: ACS Z-48, white
• Tires: GT freestyle, black
• Hubs: GT 48H Superlace, chrome
• Cranks: SR Turbox, 175mm
• Disc: GT, aluminum
• Chainring: Sugino, 44T, pink
• Stem: GT freestyle, white
• Handlebars: GT Performer, pink
• Pedals: MKS Grafight-X, white
• Brakes: Dia-Compe 880/901, white
• Seat: Viscount Dominator, white
• Seatpost: GT layback, pink