When we are young we give our word and break it without thought of the repercussion. Wise men learn from this and grow out of that stage. Then we become men when someone else breaks our heart, and wise men learn from this, and to guard their heart better. Finally we spend the rest of our lives trying to find a career that won’t make us break our balls to survive.

Time was once that an honest man could work for an honest days pay and go home feeling honorable and hold his head high. That time has gone the way of the Dodo. Today you are expected to do things for pay that doesn’t cover half your bills and barely keeps your lights on and scraps of food on the table and by the time you get off work you’re so worn out holding your head up is damn near impossible.

America is still a relatively young nation, but it has always stood for freedom and strength until now. Corruptions in both the cooperate and government of our day have taken away freedom and left us toiling in a life our fore fathers fought to get us away from. Historic heroes like Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and George Washington would weep seeing what we now deal with considering how far we as a whole have come.

Their system was set up for an age of frontiersmen and folks who communicated via messenger and horseback. Today we are supposed to be one of the most technologically advanced societies on the planet, yet still we have not updated our electoral process or opened our population up to the standards of living that we as a nation have earned.

I believe folks deserve the right to expect certain health care and educational resources for their families and themselves at a reasonable cost from their jobs. I believe that the government is responsible to set regulations in place to protect that right. I believe that those regulations need to be enforced and big corporations do need to be held to a higher standard. I think services and products that can be provided here in America, should be given top priority over foreign services. Companies that use cheap labor and ship their products in from overseas, should be forced to pay a much higher tax for them. This money would be returned to the American economy in subsidy/grant programs to help support our workers and product, and to help them keep their prices competitive with the foreign markets.

Governments and corporations all work the same, they believe in the trickle down theory. Ask the youngest brother in a family of eight whats left on the platter when it finally gets to his end of a table. Ask the teachers and the secretaries how they feel about what “trickles down”. The trickle down theory is nothing new, we all know what rolls downhill. Those of us at the near bottom of that hill have been watching as our neighbors drown in it and today’s “American nobles” stand lofty and shout, “let them eat cake!” But there are no trenchers for the poor now, there is no scraps for the less fortunate.

Boston harbor has a much different smell today than it did on Thursday December 16^th 1773. From 1789 to 1799 french nobles learned a hard lesson in fear and respect from their people that was long overdue. A similar lesson was taught to an English king from 1775 to 1783 right here on our shores. Am I saying we should do it again? No I am saying our folks in power need to to remember from historical evidence what happens when you oppress and treat your population poorly. I’m saying those folks who have been granted places of power in order to “SERVE THE GREATER GOOD OF AMERICANS” had better start doing a better job of it before things do progress that far.

I am a veteran of two wars, Panama and Saudi Arabia/Kuwait. I joined the army, I took the oath and fought when I was told to. I carried a weapon with my brothers in arms and helped to take two countries back from tyrants. I did this without being told why, and without feeling like there was enough information or reason to do so. Both these wars were not fought for our freedoms, so much as they were about money and power. Is the world a better place without Noriega or Saddam in power? No doubt in my mind about it. But the real question to me is, why were we the ones picked to do this? Neither of these men were much of a threat to us. Hell both these conflicts were handled quickly compared to the prior revolutions I spoke about. Ten years France was at war with itself, American fought the English for eight.

It took three days to take Noriega out of power. From January 16^th to April 6^th 1991 was the time Dessert Storm took. 100 days. These are drops in the bucket compared to Vietnam, Korea, and others. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.

In contrast, why have we not totally invaded the dessert’s were the Taliban are and swept through them with a fine tooth comb. Why are we letting terrorists who have killed thousands of Americans continue to breathe? Our military might is already over there in the Gulf area. September 11^th has as of yet not been addressed with the proper amount of force and response needed.

So lets recap and conclude. The power and elected officials in play are not doing enough to help those of us hurting from the economic crunch of our times. We get empty promises and pretty speeches, but no results. They tell us we will not tolerate attacks on American citizens, but then nothing happens to the ones who did. We are further sent in to fight wars to protect power and money in the pockets of the folks who already have it and those of us who did the fighting and lost our blood, sweat and friends are not told why, or even properly compensated for it. Top that off with a raise in cost of living to pay for said wars and no raise in pay for those of us just trying to survive one day at time.

Votes don’t belong to people who stand behind a microphone and bitch about what the other guy is or is not doing. Votes should not go to the one who keeps saying they need more information, or they are waiting for such and such. Votes belong to the guy who is out there trying to make it better. And if you work for a company that isn’t making life better for you. You are not getting paid, you are not receiving benefits, they are putting your hard work out there and making a profit and you are getting the smelly end of the stick for it… look for other work, get out of there. Stop making money for them unless you are making enough for yourself and your families needs too. Corporate America stands tall on our labor and they make millions, sometimes billions from it. Do they deserve the lion’s share? Sure, but we deserve a fair shake too.

I started this with a quote and I didn’t know who said it, I’ll end the same way, “Action speaks louder than words.” If you are in power, shut up and do something about the American suffering.

It takes the worst of times to bring out the best in people. In the face of adversity we as a hole become more inventive, we begin to think with more creativity and theory becomes fact.

The idea that one man may have to fly to get where he was trying to get, was along time ago the kind of voiced opinion that would get you thrown into a mental hospital. Now we take it for granted that if you are in say Barbados, and you want to be in London, you can jump on a plain and fly there.

The belief that it can’t be done has been replaced with the knowledge that it has already been done. All of life has been done before. The chaos that is humanity never stops trying to do the impossible. One day we will colonize the moon, later we may even take trips to Venus like we do to Florida now. Think about where we came from and what we have accomplished. Now consider if man did not face the chaos and adversity that is the nature of life, would we have ever invented the wheel? Would we ever have found a use for fire? Would we not still be simple apes living in caves?

We as a race strive on pressure, chaos is that pressure, remove it and we are nothing

 The media was out of stock on truly important things to tell us and they decided to shine their all important spot light in another direction.  Unfortunately for us Paris Hilton is the equivalent of a highway car accident, everyone has to slow down and stare at the scene created.  She is not worth the time or effort it takes to do so, but still there are hundreds of thousands of people slowing down the traffic to stare at the spectacle created by yellow journalism.  They say its a story and we eat it up like its the most important thing on earth.

You know its scary that we as a public have allowed this to happen.  We had the control of our government, but now they control us, we had control of our media, but now they control us, its a mob mentality tactic and our society has fallen for it hook line and sinker.  We didn’t just let them lead us, we put the bulls nose ring in our own nose and handed them the chain to pull us around on.

 Lets not forget that if we wanted to rear up and smack the crap out of them, we as the public are the bull, they are nothing more than the soft pink flesh humans we allow the privilege of leadership.  The bulls power in this case is to turn off that channel, its to not buy that magazine, its to turn our attention away from the media spectacle and get on with our lives.

The important thing in life is life.  Getting side tracked by the whiny little pantie-less rich brat with no redeeming qualities shows a lack of intelligent thought, it shows we are the lemmings headed towards the cliff. Get out of line, why dash our lives on the raging waters and rock at the bottom of the cliff when we could be out there enjoying that next sunset. Or being with our family…

We as a whole need to GET A LIFE!!!

I think that last statement is telling of us all.  We make our own days good or bad.  I know, I know, the house is a wreck, the kids are bitchin’ moaning and complaining, the bills a piling up and you just can’t get a second to yourself to take a deep breath or two.  Well who’s stopping you from stepping away from it all?  Whats so all important that you can’t wave everyone off for a few moments of peace and quiet outside?  Put your hands up and step back for a minute, walk away from everyone, let them know you need a second to yourself and close the door on your way out.

Now while your out here lost in your thoughts and going over everything in your head that’s chased you off to be alone… quit it.  Stop thinking about all the mess behind you.  Breath in, breath out, think about that cloud floating past.  Think about the grass and how many colors of green you can see.  Think about that funny joke you heard at work the other day and how you were laughing with your friends.  Remember what George Carlin said, “The following statement is true.  The preceding statement was false.”  Contemplate that for a minute.  Now breath in and breath out again and return to your life, but think of it from the clouds perspective.  Whats all the problems matter?  They’ll get sorted out one way or another and sooner or later there will be a new issue to deal with.

The trick is to be there working on it, but in your mind you are out laying in the grass.

 I get really grumpy some times.  I know I do.  I think at times its a defence measure to get left alone for a few minutes.  What I forget is at any time I can just tell everyone this easy phrase, “Excuse me a moment.  I need a second to organise my thoughts, but I will be right back.”

Ladies have a problem, they want to call all their friends over to discuss it.  They want to talk about it and hash it out, come up with eight different ways to deal with it and then hash those out too.  Me?  I’m a guy.  I want to be left alone to think about it.  When I come up with my way of handling it, I’ll let you know.  Then if you have a suggestion that may help or pertain, let me know.  But I still get to make up my mind and do what I feel is the best.  I may make mistakes, but hell, I’m human.  We all make mistakes, get over it.  I need to know I am the one who made the final decision, right or wrong, its my life and I get to make my own mistakes and own them.  On the other hand I also get to take credit for things I get right too.

 Don’t stop living your life, just stop stressing about it.  Letting people get on your last nerve helps no one, not you, not them, and not me.  Life is about discovering problems, inventing ways to handle them, and accomplishing goals.  Chaos happens, those who dwell on it or are stressed about it get nothing.  Those who acknowledge it, figure out a way to deal with it, and then move on to the next issue… they succeed.

I wanted my bike to look different from others so I decided not to go with the traditional tribal or flames or some graphic design there of.  I went with the idea of blood running from the front off the back of the bike in steams.  I told the  artist to kinda run with that idea however he saw fit.  I find that usually if you have a good artist and you give him a basic idea or theme to go with but leave him to his own devices after that you typically get better work out of them.  I was not disappointed.  The company is called Debonair FX located right here in Houston TX and here’s the bike they worked on for me:

I also had a custom seat made and the front lower forks are powder coated.  The seat was made by another local company named Thunderhead who do great leather and foam work.  It also had gel inserts and a more comfortable passenger seat.

All in all I really love the bike.   Being up and riding again really makes me thankful for what I have.  I think we all at times grow a bit numb with repetition in life.  That is to say, you drive the same route to work day in and day out, you begin to predict what you will do and see before it happens based on your experience in rinding that route so often before.  That’s what I did anyway and that’s what I think cost me. 

Take the extra five minutes getting home, watch your surroundings like it was the first time you came through there.  You may notice some things that have changed but you didn’t see before.  You may save yourself a possible accident.

More on the online Poker Cats Contest

Example: During the holidays, rumor had it that a certain local group of Santa impersonators for malls was instructed not to say “Ho Ho Ho” because of the negative connotation it implies in recent street slang.  By recent I mean within the last five to six years or so.

Sure there are people out there who may just be crooked enough to act as if they were being slighted by the Santa in the mall.  There may even be a Santa in the mall drunk or ignorant enough to make a person feel slighted.  But the legend of Santa Claus has been around since long before the street vernacular.  And I would say more folks are familiar with his jolly, “Ho ho ho” than the vulgar slang “Hoe”.  They are messing with traditions dating back to the early nineteenth century here.

I say this one is plain stupid.

But it doesn’t end there, that’s just one example that I thought up off the cuff.  There are millions more I am sure.  What stupid changes have been made to appease the unwashed masses out for a buck?  Yeah, thats right, out for a buck… Think about it.  The reason they change these rules isn’t because they are afraid to insult or offend people.  No, they are afraid of legal ramification from idiots bent on making a buck through a loop hole in the system.  Folks willing to spend loads of our court time and tax money tying up government workers and getting the Johnny Cochrans of the world out there to make huge social debates on why “Ho” is, or could be construed as, the same as “Hoe” by their alleged emotionally hurt client.  Worse, they play this crap up heavy in our media… Why do you think that is?  The reason is pretty simple really; its the fact that public opinion is easily swayed by the media.

Thus as they say, “The mob rules”.  You see what they are hoping for is to create a public outcry in favor of their client.  Or at least cause enough of an uproar that the higher up muckity-mucks get their panties in a bunch and force the hand of the courts to pressure a quick solution to a non-issue. Then the attorney in question, who created the “issue” to begin with, starts pulling appeals and all kinds of reasons to extend the case out all the time whipping the media in the background to keep the pressure on.  Reminds me of that court scene in “From the Hip” with Judd Nelson blowing the courtroom into a three ring circus. http://imdb.com/title/tt0093051/trailers-screenplay-E10692-310 <— funny movie if you haven’t seen it.

What’s all this lead too?  Well rather than do what they should and just shut the books on the stupid case and shuffle the attorney into a nice quiet cell for contempt of court and wasting valuable tax dollars, the judge bends to the pressure and pays off the jack hole who started the whole mess.

So now we see a reason behind the stupidity… but does that make it right?  Is it OK for the corporate world to see a “possible” future and change years of pure and fun related tradition to save a couple of bucks?  Do we simply turn a blind eye on this?  Well of course we do, we are the sheep and the media is our shepherd.  If they say this is how it must be, well then its best for us all.

I say screw that.  I dare to spit in the face of the media!  I dare to to think like an individual and make my own mind up about what I will and won’t accept as rules.  They want to pass a law that protects folks?  They need to put it past us first.  That’s what democracy used to be all about.  The people selecting the folks who lead us, and us having the power to tell them how they will do their jobs, and what they can and can’t tell us to do.  When did “power of the people” become just another bullshit term?  I think its getting time for another proverbial “tea party”.

With today’s technological communications we have the power to get information out to the public in a much faster and more effective manner than in days of old.  There isn’t a Paul Revere running around on horseback.  We have Internet, we have media, we have iPhones, for god sake.  Let’s use them.  Write emails, call congressional representatives, create websites, yell and scream naked in the streets about it (If you do that last one, let me know.  Especially if you’re hot and female).

Don’t get me wrong, media isn’t evil, its a tool.  And just like any tool, you can use a hammer to drive a nail and build a house, or to put out someones eye.  The media tool has put out far too many eyes, most of America is blind.  There are those who think that the Jerry Springer show is giving us a view into all backyards.  I don’t speak for you, but my closet skeletons aren’t Aryan white trash nuns who cheat on their hillbilly spouse by sleeping with dwarves and beat their sexually active drugged out fifth grade children behind the strip club they all work at.

Yeah laugh, its funny, but sometimes the jester points at truth and the court howls in laughter…

Here’s the link: http://www.goingfaster.com/angst/noharley2.html

Here’s the email I replied to him with because I doubt he’ll print it on his website:

I won’t lower myself to insults or hate email’s.  Unlike you I will not call you names or attack you for having an opinion.  What I will do is explain the fundamental attraction to Harley-Davidson that you didn’t see in your attack on those of us within the, lets see if I get this right, “pagan cult religion for brain dead trend humping fashion lemmings”… Very colorful attack by the way.
 
First Harley-Davidson isn’t built for breakneck speeds because for the most part, those of us who ride them are not out to race from one point to the next.  For us its not about being the first person at the destination, its about leaving a day or so early, taking back roads and enjoying the journey.  Freedom to chose means if you prefer to buy a Kawasaki Ninja, curl up into an uncomfortable cramped little ball on top of it and race through the curves to get where you are going, well that’s your prerogative.  I prefer to sit up right, lean back, relax and enjoy the views along the trip.  That is my prerogative.
 
Harley-Davidson isn’t about being “in fashion”, heck one could argue that its about the farthest you can get from the “in crowd”.  Sure it’s become fad in recent years to buy and ride Harley-Davidson’s.  You may point out that there are a bunch of yuppie riders out there trying to fit into the biker persona because they saw it on television and thought it was cool.  Or maybe they got caught up in the custom chopper craze and decided a Harley was the cheaper fix.  Whatever their reasons for buying a Harley-Davidson, they have the right and freedom to do so.  Just as you have a right and the freedom to criticize them for it.  I find that most R.U.B.’s (Rich Urban Bikers) purchase their bike, then put it in the garage and wipe it with a diaper.  They don’t get it any more than you do.  But who cares how they spend their money?  Not me.  I also don’t care how you spend yours.
 
Do I worship my Harley-Davidson?  My girlfriend might tell you I do, but for me I see it as more of an escape.  When I ride, I am a part of the bike and the road.  But more than that I am a part of my environment.  Sitting in a car, you watch the world pass by your windows like you watch the television.  You are not feeling the crisp air, smelling the pine trees, you are not “experiencing the ride” you are watching it.
 
Sport bikes and motorcycles with enough torque to leave the riders internal organs bunched into his hind quarters are built for the adrenaline junkie.  They are designed for folks who are all about your speed and power.  But on the open road, where there are laws against that kind of speed and where those of us on motorcycles are at a notable disadvantage to those wrapped in a couple tons of steel during a collision, who cares about getting to the grave yard faster?  If you ride your 1995 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R’s 599cc in-line four bike and I ride my 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide glide 1450cc and we trip across country, you may beat me to all the rest stops, but I won’t have to stop as often as you.  And while you are at the destination tapping your foot and laughing at me for “Easy Riding” I will be enjoying my trip and seeing some of that beautiful county you claim to love so much but blazed right past in a blur of death defying speed and performance.  That’s where you and I truly differ my friend.  You claim to love your country, but sit in judgment over its people and race past its beauty.  You point your finger at what you see as “Wrong” or un-American and nit pick at one of its best known companies.  Well enjoy your freedom to do that, enjoy your freedom to speech and to sling mud at other Americans because you don’t agree with their choices.  I chose the moral high ground.  And I ride my Harley there
 
Print that on your website.
 
Freelyx

I expect no response or reply from him.  I expect him to probably not even read past the first couple of lines of my email.  I expect he’s going to sit in judgment over me too… Oh well, some folks just don’t get it.

 Anyway, the point I’m getting at here is this, when I was younger, the Christmas bug would bite me hard every year. 

The older I get the less that bug seems to effect me.  Not that I don’t love the spirit of this season and the joy of giving and receiving gifts, just that as I grow older I seem to over think things I guess.  Its all too commercial for me now.  I look forward to the time when family and friends are chilling in the den opening out gifts and smiling at each other.  Listening to happy music and drinking too much egg nog.  Eating sweets and the smell of our tree.  The laughter in the streets when the kids are all outside playing with their new toys and running around looking at what all their friends got too.  That feeling you have in your gut of satisfaction when your loved ones open that perfect gift you found for them and their eyes light up.  Or they just throw their arms around you and hug the life out of you.  That’s what this season is supposed to be about.  Open minded loved ones hanging out and celebrating.

In the spirit or being an open minded society, lets take a step out of the bustle for a second and look at something important that a lot of people right now are not thinking about, and may not even know.  Solstice, or the winter festival dates back before Christianity and several “gods” of that day had their birthdays celebrated on or around December 25th.  It is thought that Christians began Christmas celebrations on that date to both help Roman pagans to convert over to Christianity and to keep the tradition of the winter festival alive and strong.  Thus even folks claiming not to be Christians can celebrate in the comfort that the Solstice Winter festival and not the true birth of Christ is the foundation of our current holiday. 

The bible doesn’t list the birth date of Jesus, and some papal scholars believe he may have been born on March 25th.  (facts based on information found here ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas )

I don’t bring these facts up to dilute the christian belief’s.  I speak of these other rituals and celebrations to share with everyone the true meaning of these holidays, the spirit of giving.  The spirit of thinking about others and enjoying the company of friends, family and neighbors.   The idea that the stranger sitting beside you on the bus, or standing next to you in the elevator is connected to you if only for a short while.  Our common bond this time of year is that of caring for one another.  Smile and tell your stranger to have a happy holidays. 

“God bless us everyone.” doesn’t mean only the Christians.  Open your heart, your eyes and your mind to the fact that we are all of us on this world together.  Lets try to get along with each other and at least for this season, be nice to each other.

I am a motorcyclist.  Not just any motorcyclist, I am a Harley Rider.  Some may ask why?  I ask them why not?  The fast response is, “Its dangerous!” My reply is life without risk is not life at all.  No I’m not the first to say it, but it doesn’t make it any less true.  Why Harley?  Well, its kids dream.  I have wanted a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ever since I can remember.

I grew up in a regular neighborhood, with mostly normal friends and family life.  I played air guitar with my friends in a back yard with Kiss rocking our phonograph or cassette tape deck.  I wanted to be Gene Simmons, but play Ace’s guitar and sing all the songs.  I wanted the fame, I wanted the girls, I wanted to be cool like they were.  And I wanted to ride up on stage on my Harley, throw the kickstand out and step off to jam the audience till my fingers bled and I couldn’t sing any more, then I would take my pick of the girls throwing their unmentionables up at me and ride off stage into the sunset with her.

Parts of the dream faded with age, but the bike remained.  I still see the girl in my dreams too, but I know now that for me cool wasn’t about her.  It wasn’t about the music, or the fame, or even the bike really.  Cool was about the freedom of that moment.  The way a child’s imagination took him to a place where he was a part of everything there.  You can’t be there in a car.  In a car you are not truly part of the environment.  You are seeing it through a window.  You are watching it happen, but you aren’t in it.  On a bike its different.  Your eyes feel the crisp cool air in the winter mornings, they tear up and squint even behind the glasses or goggles.  You breathe that air, you feel it penetrate your clothes and touch you.  You sense the road, you smell the fields, grass, the city.  You and your bike are one with the road, the environment, and for the short time you are out there you are free in every sense of the word.

Problems from work, family, and life in general for that ride seem to melt away.  My life is still there waiting for me when I get to my destination, but now its not about getting there, its about the trip.  Its about getting time to feel free from the bonds of responsibility and duty and what you know you have to do for others and just getting back into being a kid pretending to be riding a Harley up on stage in front of millions of screaming fans.

Motorcycling is a hobby, its a sport, its a means of transportation, but its so much more to the open mind.  Ride safe, ride well, but ride.  Ride your imagination, ride your dreams.  Breathe life with every inhale, and let worries and problems fall to the side of a winding road to nowhere.  Dare to live life around the curves.  Your boss and your family, even you will appreciate it when you come back more focused, lower stress, and able to tackle the hardest parts of your day in the knowledge that soon you’ll get a chance to see another open road.  Get lost on that dream dude… I do.