Into The Great Wide Open

With the big changes around here lately and the fact that the end to this hell fire hot summer is finally in sight, the urge to hit the road on two wheels again is becoming irresistable. Looking at these pics only makes it worse. Anybody want to house/dog sit for me for a couple months?

What's Real

By now this photo is already famous all over the world. It captures a scene from the funeral service of Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jon Tumilson. He was killed in action in Afghanistan in the helicopter crash that killed 22 members of the Navy SEALS recently. His family brought his Lab Hawkeye to the funeral service and when his friend walked to the podium to talk about Jon, his faithful dog followed and laid down next to his casket. I've had dogs all my life and have known firsthand the unparalleled loyalty and love they will give you without asking much in return. More importantly, this animal's display of loyalty for his fallen master should make you think about what's real in this world. I've got no respect whatsoever for anyone that ever put the word "politician" next to their name. The fact remains that whether we are right or wrong in the wars we have waged as a country, good people are lost. I'll trade 100 worthless, self-serving politicians for 1 man like Jon Tumilson who had the heart and the character to risk his own life in support of his country. Keep the good people close to you and remember what matters.

Cell Phones

I'm generally not a fan of what they've done to our collective common sense, but sometimes they're OK.

In Case You Haven't Heard.....

To kill a zombie you have to destroy the brain. If I watch one more zombie movie where they spend round after round of ammo pumping shots into the body and then stand there dumbfounded because the zombies keep coming I'm going to puke. I'm watching a French movie right now and it took these frogs waaaaaay too long to figure out the headshot. So, for the last time, destroy the brain and you waste the ghoul. It's that easy.

Scavenger Hunt

Picked up some choice Sportster parts in the last couple of weeks. It pays to troll Craigslist constantly so you can snatch up good stock take-off parts out there for sale. It's the one upside to the chrome addiction of the typical Harley rider: they end up with a bunch of good parts they have no interest in, but stuff that's valued by the chopper builder. Evo Sportsters 4 Eva.

Two Wheels and a Bunch of Monkeys

It's been a while, ready to ride somewhere again with the crew. FMF.

Displacement

Ever feel like you were born in the wrong era? Although the incredible technology we have today has made life easier and more interesting in many ways, it's hard not to look back at simpler times and wonder if life wasn't better back then. Our country is saturated with lawyers, politicians, cops, and other assorted lowlifes. Far too often men make their living these days by avoiding work, seeking to profit from the efforts of others or to find a way to scam money they have no rightful claim to. Others simply feel that the fact that they aren't willing to work entitles them to put their hand out and expect the government to support them. The concept of receiving only that which you have honestly worked for is foreign to far too many Americans.

More to the point, I lament the fact that in the present day it's next to impossible to hold someone personally accountable for their own actions. It's always someone else's fault, or there is a dirtbag lawyer that will do everything possible to alleviate someone from facing the consequences of wrongdoing. As long as he's being paid handsomely of course. Right and wrong for sale. In the same spirit I really, really, really, miss the days when you could straighten some asshole out when necessary. If some guy is causing trouble, it'd be nice to be able to go ahead and tune him up with no real worry about police or lawyers becoming involved. These days far too many chickenshit cowards get away with running their mouths without having to answer for it right then and there. An otherwise good man feels that irritating hesitation to smack some punk in the mouth when he's clearly got it coming, knowing that chances are this idiot will turn around and sue him. The supposed "civilized" nature of our society has turned everyone into pussies, too scared to take action out of fear of persecution by a system that has no business dictating morality to anyone.

The good old days may not have been all good, but they were considerably better than the pathetic mess we've devolved into. There's no real chance of salvation, but at least give yourself the respect to go down swinging.