nuzzaci - an online journal

After Michael Schumacher won the 2002 driver championship by 67 points over his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, Bernie Ecclestone (Formula 1 “boss”), in an attempt to close the gap and spread the points, decided to change the point-scoring system so more points went to drivers finishing 2nd place down to 8th — from top six finishers (10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1) to top eight finishers (10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).

That same scoring-system put in place in 2003 is still used today, but Bernie is planning to change it once again in 2008, this time in an attempt to do the opposite of what he wanted to achieve back in 2003 — make the win of a race matter more; encourage drivers (and teams) to fight for first place rather than settle for second and third.

Many people argue that the system never should have been changed back in 2003. Since it was done for the wrong reasons, a reason that left the sport at the end of 2006 — Michael Schumacher.

And I agree.

The current system is wrong. When introduced I remember drawing similarities to amateur golf and it’s handicap system — which enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. There were also discussions about adding extra weight to the Ferraris…

If you look at the current stand in the 2007 Championship, after three races, we have three drivers on the same points.

But isn’t Fernando Alonso’s 1st, 2nd, 5th, and Kimi Räikkönen’s 1st, 3rd, 3rd worth more than Lewis Hamilton’s 2nd, 2nd 3rd? As well, if you look at the current 4th and 5th place, only 2 points difference Felipe Massa and his 1st, 5th, 6th and Nick Heidfeld’s 4th, 4th, 4th. Theres a thought, thought, thought.

If we apply the old point-scoring system to the current standing, it would look like this:

And if we would introduce 1 point for the fastest lap and pole position as well, it would look like this:

If we do the same three lists for the Constructors Championship, it would look like this:

Personally I believe that the old 10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 system (introduced 1991) is the best, and the above lists prove it. If you have followed this years season the 2nd and 3rd lists reflects better what has happened so far.

10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 rewards the winner and consistency.
A 2nd and 3rd place is equal to a win and not better.

Giving 1 point for pole position and 1 point for the fastest lap might be interesting… but i’m not sure how that would pan out with the current qualifying system and it’s race fuel tank in Q3. A bit worried that some teams then would put more value in getting those points than fighting for them in the race (a bit like Toyota’s political pole position attempt at the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix).

So… how would the tight 2006 Championship have looked if Bernie never introduced the Schumacher-golf-handicap-system?

Well, the same really.

It’s easy to sit here now and analyse the above graph and say,

“Well, with the old point-scoring system, leaving race number 16 (China) M. Schumacher would have been in the lead and not just tie with F. Alonso, and then maybe have a different and less aggressive strategy going into race number 17 (Japan) where the engine blew”.

But so many other things would have been totally different along the way if the old point-scoring system was in place so it’s not fair or reasonable to draw these kind of conclusions.

BUT! Having said that.

If the old point-scoring system was in place in the 2006 season, Ferrari would most probably have won the constructor championship. Felipe Massa’s 6 podiums (2 victories, 3 second places and 2 thirds) would have been more rewarding against Giancarlo Fisichella 5 podiums (1 victory and 4 thirds) and given Ferrari the Constructors title. And I have a hard time believing that any change in strategy would have changed that.

So intstead of a 5 point win for Renault (206 Renault against 201 Ferrari), Ferrari would have won with a margin of 3 points (159 Renault against 162 Ferrari).

So, Scuderia Ferrari, with a cheeky smile on my face — congratulations ;)

If you are looking into buying a new single-speed racing bike in the £500 range, you are most probably looking at the following five options, from left to right, in alphabetic order:

1. Bianchi Pista (photo)
2. Kona Paddy Wagon (photo)
3. Lemond Fillmore (photo)
4. Ridgeback Genesis Flyer (photo)
5. Specialized Langster (photo)

All of them, except for the Bianchi Pista, are ready for the road. The Bianchi Pisa is a pure track bike, so it dosen’t come with any breaks and the frame is not drilled for a rear break. The Bianchi Pista is also the only bike that comes as a fixed geared bike as default, a freewheel/fixed gear flip flop hub can be installed.

Obviously I bought the Bianchi Pista.
Mostly for it’s beauty and simplicity.

Two questions I had, until I actually rode it home from the store today, was:

1. Is only a front break good enough?
2. Fixed gear… is it dangerous?

The answers are:

1. Yes
2. No

A lot of people I have asked about riding fixed have said it’s pure idiocy and a death wish. Obviously these people have never been on a skateboard, snowboard or rollerblades. Because if riding a fixed geared bike is a death wish, skateboard is suicide.

Creative Review have done a small piece on the new POKE office. I’m very pleased that my Swedish clogs made it in there.

more photo and the article can be found here

EMI (and Apple) have caused a bit of a stir since they announced, on Monday, that they will be taking off the software lock, (also known as DRM — Digital Rights Management), on their entire catalogue on the Apple iTunes Music Store in exchange that the prices will go up.

• Some people think its outrageous that the price goes up just because they remove something that never should have be there in the first place.
• Some people say EMI does this because they are in financial hell and have no other choice than to draw a wild card.
• Some people say Apple are becoming “one of them” (EMI, Universal, SonyBMG, Warner).
• Some people find it an easy target to write a story about.
• Some people don’t have an opinion.
• Some people do think Britney Spears is a good musician.

The fact that “The Big Four” (EMI, Universal, Sony BMG, Warner) are cock-suckers is nothing new. They have always been a dark-brown layer of shit disguised with suit-dressed cock-suckers making shit loads of money by marketing and distributing, in most of the cases, shit to people who just don’t know better.

I’m trying to be honest here.

Now, I don’t want to be like “a Total Apple Preaching Sucker”, but, the way I see it, Apple isn’t trying to join “The Big Four”. Apple are putting a magnifying glass over the whole thing, and erasing some layer of suit-dressed cock-suckers to reveal the shit that lies underneath.

And yes, Apple are doing this because this would benefit themselves more then anyone else. They are ahead of there peers, and the earlier the barrier is broken the more they will earn money from it. Apple is NOT doing this for world peace; to lower the CO2 emissions or stop the power struggle in the Middle East.

But… the music industry… even the porn industry has more morals and ethics.

The way I see it, it’s the evolution of an industry that has been around for a very long time, and sadly ended up doing things for the wrong reasons (read: Greed) and are now paying the price. The movie industry is standing in line. So is the mobile-phone industry. Advertising industry.

Things happens. One thing leads to another. The cause of an event. Life goes on.

I don’t think Justin Frankel knew what impact the WinAmp player would have on the music industry. Neither did Shawn Fanning with his Napster. Max Martin with his plastic 120bpm popsongs. Elvis. Rolling Stones when they sold their ass and smudged the line between Rock ‘n Roll to Pop teamed up with Tommy Hilfiger on their 1999 tour.

A one, a two, a one two three.

“People used to make records, as in a record of an event. The event of people playing music in a room. Now everything is cross-marketing, it’s about sunglasses and shoes or guns or drugs you choose.”

/from the song Fuel by Ani Difranco

Personally I will keep on doing the illegal act of downloading music. I will keep on buying and supporting artists I respect and appreciate. I will go to concerts. I will buy albums from iTunes Music Store when I feel the artist deserves the statistics.

Think about the software industry…
They have always been digital.

If it’s a choice between eternal hell and good tunes and eternal heaven and new kids on the fucking block … I’m gonna be surfing on the lake of fire, rocking out… high five at Satan every time I pass the motherfucking shore.

“Come on, Bill, they’re the New Kids. They’re so good and so clean-cut and they’re such a good image for the children.” Fuck that! When did mediocrity and banality become a good image for your children? I want my children to listen to people who fucking rocked! I don’t care if they died in puddles of their own vomit. I want someone who plays from his fucking heart!

/Bill Hicks

Hopefully, in my life time, the music industry will be able to stand up straight. Hopefully soon, it will stop eating fleas from its mate’s head. Hopefully, at some point, it will respect its self as an art form, and do what it does best.

Create emotions.

During Topshop’s London Fashion Week, a theft occured. Two black apple macbooks went missing from the venue at Covent Garden. Both these macbooks were set up to automatically upload photos taken using Photobooth to Topshop’s flickr account and the Topshop London Fashion Week website.

Now imagine our enjoyment when yesterday we noticed some new faces on our flickr account.

If you happen to have any information on the possible perpetrators, leave a comment here or here (Flickr) .

view all the evidence here

from vvillovv’s blog