New living room furniture.
Loading Boxes.
Wire nuts? Really?
You need a beer?
10.31.2009
10.29.2009
"Green Machine"
As many of you know, I will be rebuilding my Honda this winter. I have decided that this is the perfect example to show how one can build something while conserving their carbon footprint. I have decided that this bike will be built with absolutely no new parts (outside of tires and brakes, safety first). I am going to beg, borrow and steal every other part that I need and will prove that this bike can be built for little to no $ with the right resources and friends.
I think that it's important that we all try to minimize our own carbon footprint, but I don't think that we should have to give up our hobbies in order to do this. We just need to be more creative.
I think that it's important that we all try to minimize our own carbon footprint, but I don't think that we should have to give up our hobbies in order to do this. We just need to be more creative.
10.28.2009
81%!!!
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=7348050&fr_id=12044&pg=personal
This is great news! If we can keep up this momentum I might even have to raise the goal amount.
This is great news! If we can keep up this momentum I might even have to raise the goal amount.
Words of Wisdom
My good friend occasionally sends me some "words of wisdom" and I thought that this one deserved to be posted.
"In Buddhism there is the Wheel of Life, and one of the segments deals with the Hungry Ghosts. They are emaciated beings with long thin necks, tormented by unfulfilled cravings and insatiably demanding of impossible satisfactions, searching for gratification for old needs whose time has passed. They have uncovered a terrible emptiness within themselves, and cannot see the impossibility of correcting something that has already happened. They remain obsessed with achieving complete release from the pain of their past and are stubbornly unaware that their desire is fantasy. "
I think that this could serve a lot of people quite well.
"In Buddhism there is the Wheel of Life, and one of the segments deals with the Hungry Ghosts. They are emaciated beings with long thin necks, tormented by unfulfilled cravings and insatiably demanding of impossible satisfactions, searching for gratification for old needs whose time has passed. They have uncovered a terrible emptiness within themselves, and cannot see the impossibility of correcting something that has already happened. They remain obsessed with achieving complete release from the pain of their past and are stubbornly unaware that their desire is fantasy. "
I think that this could serve a lot of people quite well.
10.27.2009
Here's a couple of sites that are definitely worth checking out:
www.caferacersreturn.blogspot.com - bitchin stuff from down under
www.knucklebusterinc.com - a lot of great DIY info
www.caferacersreturn.blogspot.com - bitchin stuff from down under
www.knucklebusterinc.com - a lot of great DIY info
10.26.2009
Stolen Article from High Plains Reader
Facebook: Back to the Future
On Tuesday a team of researchers from MIT announced that the popular networking website Facebook is not only a great way to connect with friends and family but is also a magic time portal that transports millions of people back to junior high for several hours each day.
“The similarities between Facebook and junior high are astounding,” project coordinator Dr. Irene Bethea said. “We’ve identified hundreds of cases in which seemingly mature adults have logged in to this time portal and within microseconds have been sent back to the petty, self-obsessed and self-conscious years of early puberty.”
Though Bethea and her team are confident that the Facebook “portal” exists, they are still working through an enormous number of calculations in the search for the physics behind it. In the meantime they are studying the junior high-like behaviors of the Facebook time travelers. Recently they interviewed a professional man in his late 30s and asked him about his backward jump in time.
“So, I had gone on couple dates with this woman, and we had a good time, but then she changed her relationship status to ‘it’s complicated,’ and like, I like, totally stopped seeing her,” he said.
Others reported how they love the way Facebook takes them back to a time when they could be in close proximity to people they find attractive but were not required to take any embarrassing risks to create that connection.
“In junior high I was a statistician for the wrestling team and took shop class just to be around certain guys,” one woman said. “Now I just write clever comments on their wall that can be taken as just friendly or flirting. I open the door a crack but save my pride by not saying ‘come on in’ and chancing rejection.”One man has even found that his current trips back to immaturity allow him to stay on the right side of the law, which wasn’t always so easy for him to do.
“Back then I would have to go from window to window in order to catch one of my female classmates in her underwear,” he said. “But now I can just become her ‘friend’ and she’s sure to have at least one sexy shot in her photos. The day after Halloween is like Christmas to me: Good mornin’ little schoolgirl!”
Some Facebook supporters have accused Dr. Bethea of being a jealous “hater” who is merely disappointed with the lack of interest people showed in her now-defunct Facebook profile, which lacked networking site staples such as frivolous personal information and opinions, lame get-to-know-me quizzes, clever pop-culture references and most important of all — self-shot pictures featuring the “blue steel” Derrick Zoolander pose and excessive cleavage.“Her profile was boring,” said one former online friend. “It always had stuff about science and history and books. Facebook is the only book I read.” While not conclusive, Cal Tech has been working on similar research, studying the physics behind Twitter in an attempt to prove that that website is a magic time portal that transports its users back to early childhood. Heading the study is James Dixon, who summed up his teams’ hypothesis when he told a reporter that “Twitter statements bear an uncanny resemblance to those of toddlerhood, an age when proclamations like ‘Mommy, I made a stinky!’ are undeniably adorable and worth sharing with others.”
On Tuesday a team of researchers from MIT announced that the popular networking website Facebook is not only a great way to connect with friends and family but is also a magic time portal that transports millions of people back to junior high for several hours each day.
“The similarities between Facebook and junior high are astounding,” project coordinator Dr. Irene Bethea said. “We’ve identified hundreds of cases in which seemingly mature adults have logged in to this time portal and within microseconds have been sent back to the petty, self-obsessed and self-conscious years of early puberty.”
Though Bethea and her team are confident that the Facebook “portal” exists, they are still working through an enormous number of calculations in the search for the physics behind it. In the meantime they are studying the junior high-like behaviors of the Facebook time travelers. Recently they interviewed a professional man in his late 30s and asked him about his backward jump in time.
“So, I had gone on couple dates with this woman, and we had a good time, but then she changed her relationship status to ‘it’s complicated,’ and like, I like, totally stopped seeing her,” he said.
Others reported how they love the way Facebook takes them back to a time when they could be in close proximity to people they find attractive but were not required to take any embarrassing risks to create that connection.
“In junior high I was a statistician for the wrestling team and took shop class just to be around certain guys,” one woman said. “Now I just write clever comments on their wall that can be taken as just friendly or flirting. I open the door a crack but save my pride by not saying ‘come on in’ and chancing rejection.”One man has even found that his current trips back to immaturity allow him to stay on the right side of the law, which wasn’t always so easy for him to do.
“Back then I would have to go from window to window in order to catch one of my female classmates in her underwear,” he said. “But now I can just become her ‘friend’ and she’s sure to have at least one sexy shot in her photos. The day after Halloween is like Christmas to me: Good mornin’ little schoolgirl!”
Some Facebook supporters have accused Dr. Bethea of being a jealous “hater” who is merely disappointed with the lack of interest people showed in her now-defunct Facebook profile, which lacked networking site staples such as frivolous personal information and opinions, lame get-to-know-me quizzes, clever pop-culture references and most important of all — self-shot pictures featuring the “blue steel” Derrick Zoolander pose and excessive cleavage.“Her profile was boring,” said one former online friend. “It always had stuff about science and history and books. Facebook is the only book I read.” While not conclusive, Cal Tech has been working on similar research, studying the physics behind Twitter in an attempt to prove that that website is a magic time portal that transports its users back to early childhood. Heading the study is James Dixon, who summed up his teams’ hypothesis when he told a reporter that “Twitter statements bear an uncanny resemblance to those of toddlerhood, an age when proclamations like ‘Mommy, I made a stinky!’ are undeniably adorable and worth sharing with others.”
10.24.2009
10.22.2009
Amazing Simple Home Remedies
1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU SLICE.
2.. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.
3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.
4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.
5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.
6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE ~ WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.
7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
DAILY THOUGHT: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.
2.. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.
3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.
4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.
5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.
6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE ~ WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.
7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
DAILY THOUGHT: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.
We're well on our way now!
56%, thanks for all of the support!
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=7348050&fr_id=12044&pg=personal
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=7348050&fr_id=12044&pg=personal
10.21.2009
10.20.2009
Great News!
We're already at 23% of our goal, let's keep the momentum going!
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=7348050&fr_id=12044&pg=personal
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=7348050&fr_id=12044&pg=personal
My good friend....
works for this company:
www.firstclasscorp.com
He is a stand up dude, so if you need a new mortgage, refinance or anything else, please contact him through this site. just ask for Chase.
www.firstclasscorp.com
He is a stand up dude, so if you need a new mortgage, refinance or anything else, please contact him through this site. just ask for Chase.
10.19.2009
Important Re-Post
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/helpout.com
Had to put this up again. Please follow the link...
Had to put this up again. Please follow the link...
Interesting information from Quad Cam Bastards blog regarding the recent Buell news:
Article from Hell For Leather magazine:Harley didn't calculate savings before killing Buell, hopes business as usual leads to financial recovery:Harley-Davidson has no idea how much money, if any, it will save by killing Buell. Discussing the decision, Harley CFO John Olin says, "We have not quantified the benefits of increased focus on [the] Harley-Davidson brand as a result of discontinuing Buell nor included any potential savings in our restructuring estimates." So how does the company plan to dig itself out of its current financial hole (net income has fallen 71.4 percent so far this year compared to the same period during the already abysmal 2008)? By building more large-capacity tourers and cruisers and offering more performance add-ons and accessories, that's how. Oh, and they'll be shutting down Sportster production for the rest of the year too.Speaking to financial media during a press conference yesterday, Olin continued, "During the third quarter US Harley-Davidson motorcycle retail sales decreased 24.3% while the US 651 plus CC motorcycle market dropped 35.9%. Our market share was up 8.4 percentage points to 53.8% in the quarter versus last year. In international markets we saw a sequential improvement with sales being down 13.1% in the third quarter versus down 18.2% last quarter. "Buell revenue was $134.9 million in 2008 and $59.4 million in 2009 year-to-date. Capital expenditures related to Buell were $6.6 million in 2008 and $3.8 million September year-to-date."So if Harley has 53.8% of the market, why all the talk of financial doom and gloom? Describing the cause, Olin says, "On a year-to-date basis, [Harley-Davidson Financial Services] has incurred $110.8 million loss...HDFS continues to be adversely impacted by the current economic environment."Many observers have suggested that Harley could, like GM and Chrysler, turn to the federal government for a financial bailout. It turns out it already has, borrowing $700 million over three years at 1.2% under the Federal Reserve's TALF mortgage-backed securities program. That brings the total that Harley has borrowed in order to see it through this crisis to $1.9 billion, with roughly half that amount costing them 15% interest.But don't worry, Harley has a clear strategy to change the way it does business and return to profitability. "We are intent on extending the Harley-Davidson brand by leveraging our unique strengths," says CEO Keith Wandell. "What do we mean by extending the brand and leveraging our unique strengths? Well, the Harley-Davidson brand is one of the most powerful brands in the world but we also have great conviction that there is much more that we can do to tap in to the power of that brand and expand it even further."We asked a former Wall Street banker with significant experience financing large motorcycle companies, what he thought of Harley's strategy. "'Leveraging the brand' is utterly ridiculous. People have the brand tattooed on their fucking flesh, how much more leveraged are you gonna get?" He then moves on to compare Harley to GM, saying, "Selling a division and shuttering another are two first steps, but GM could always sell Hummer, stop making Escalades and make more small fuel efficient cars and hybrids. What the fuck is Harley going to do? Start making Hondas?"When Wandell goes into specifics, he reveals that nothing that radical is on the cards, "We are focusing on leveraging our leadership of the custom cruiser and touring segments playing to our natural advantages with the objective of out growing our competitors in each of these segments everywhere in the world. We will continue to own and to define the customization and personalization which is another one of Harley-Davidson's unique strengths. [Parts and accessories] and general merchandise represent more than 23% of our revenue year-to-date reflecting the importance of custom personalized experiences."We will build off our unique expertise to develop relevant products that attract even more young adults, women and other new customers in to the Harley-Davidson brand. We will expand the brand through related products and services like Screaming Eagle performance parts or finding new ways to enhance the HOG experience and broaden it to more riders or creating apparel collections designed specifically for the needs and preferences of outreach segments." (umm...what about MOTORCYCLES???)Elsewhere, it's suggested that the Iron 883 -- essentially a Sportster with matte black paint -- represents a successful model for reaching the under 35 demographic, yet Sportster production will be put on hold during Q4, 2009.Wandell continues, "We know from our research that the Harley-Davidson brand is as strong and well accepted among young adults in the US and internationally as it is among our current core customers. With our product plan we are confident that we will continue to expand the appeal of Harley-Davidson motorcycles to the under 35 age group. We also know Harley-Davidson has strong relevance as a lifestyle brand beyond the dedicated motorcyclist. Some people may never ride a bike yet are strong enthusiasts." (Are they FUCKING SERIOUS?!?)He's convinced that the company's current product mix already does an excellent job of reaching young people and has no plans to look for new ways to pursue them. Cutting through the bullshit, it seems you can boil Harley's plan down to this: cut costs by streamlining production and lowering output, thereby alleviating dealers of stock they can't sell, then hope that the loans carry the company through to a projected return of middle-class solvency and credit availability.All this sounds startlingly similar to the business practices that got Harley into so much trouble in the first place. It'll continue to rely on the same demographic buying the same motorcycles and, since a large proportion of those customers don't have enough money to buy either the bikes or the accessories, it'll continue to give loans to people that can't afford to repay them. It'll make those loans using money that it has, in turn, borrowed, often at a higher interest rate than what's being charged to customers. The company has presented no short-term plans to pursue the design of motorcycles with appeal outside its existing customer base and is therefore hoping the customers of other brands change their preference rather than finding new ways to appeal to new customers. As Boomers age beyond their riding years and see their purchasing power massively reduced by the end of cheap credit, Harley is failing to understand either the need or the means to reach a younger or wider audience. Relying on the market for motorcycles to return to its pre-recession levels without taking active steps to see it do so seems a remarkably naive way to do business. Harley is now effectively a passive passenger riding the economy's roller coaster. If the economy goes up, a lot, it might be OK. If the economy goes down or remains stagnant, it may find itself unable to repay that $1.9 billion and be forced to seek protection from its creditors.Is it now conceivable that Harley could, at some point in the future, face a similar fate to Buell or at least find itself up for sale? Unless there's a considerable change in strategy, yes.
Article from Hell For Leather magazine:Harley didn't calculate savings before killing Buell, hopes business as usual leads to financial recovery:Harley-Davidson has no idea how much money, if any, it will save by killing Buell. Discussing the decision, Harley CFO John Olin says, "We have not quantified the benefits of increased focus on [the] Harley-Davidson brand as a result of discontinuing Buell nor included any potential savings in our restructuring estimates." So how does the company plan to dig itself out of its current financial hole (net income has fallen 71.4 percent so far this year compared to the same period during the already abysmal 2008)? By building more large-capacity tourers and cruisers and offering more performance add-ons and accessories, that's how. Oh, and they'll be shutting down Sportster production for the rest of the year too.Speaking to financial media during a press conference yesterday, Olin continued, "During the third quarter US Harley-Davidson motorcycle retail sales decreased 24.3% while the US 651 plus CC motorcycle market dropped 35.9%. Our market share was up 8.4 percentage points to 53.8% in the quarter versus last year. In international markets we saw a sequential improvement with sales being down 13.1% in the third quarter versus down 18.2% last quarter. "Buell revenue was $134.9 million in 2008 and $59.4 million in 2009 year-to-date. Capital expenditures related to Buell were $6.6 million in 2008 and $3.8 million September year-to-date."So if Harley has 53.8% of the market, why all the talk of financial doom and gloom? Describing the cause, Olin says, "On a year-to-date basis, [Harley-Davidson Financial Services] has incurred $110.8 million loss...HDFS continues to be adversely impacted by the current economic environment."Many observers have suggested that Harley could, like GM and Chrysler, turn to the federal government for a financial bailout. It turns out it already has, borrowing $700 million over three years at 1.2% under the Federal Reserve's TALF mortgage-backed securities program. That brings the total that Harley has borrowed in order to see it through this crisis to $1.9 billion, with roughly half that amount costing them 15% interest.But don't worry, Harley has a clear strategy to change the way it does business and return to profitability. "We are intent on extending the Harley-Davidson brand by leveraging our unique strengths," says CEO Keith Wandell. "What do we mean by extending the brand and leveraging our unique strengths? Well, the Harley-Davidson brand is one of the most powerful brands in the world but we also have great conviction that there is much more that we can do to tap in to the power of that brand and expand it even further."We asked a former Wall Street banker with significant experience financing large motorcycle companies, what he thought of Harley's strategy. "'Leveraging the brand' is utterly ridiculous. People have the brand tattooed on their fucking flesh, how much more leveraged are you gonna get?" He then moves on to compare Harley to GM, saying, "Selling a division and shuttering another are two first steps, but GM could always sell Hummer, stop making Escalades and make more small fuel efficient cars and hybrids. What the fuck is Harley going to do? Start making Hondas?"When Wandell goes into specifics, he reveals that nothing that radical is on the cards, "We are focusing on leveraging our leadership of the custom cruiser and touring segments playing to our natural advantages with the objective of out growing our competitors in each of these segments everywhere in the world. We will continue to own and to define the customization and personalization which is another one of Harley-Davidson's unique strengths. [Parts and accessories] and general merchandise represent more than 23% of our revenue year-to-date reflecting the importance of custom personalized experiences."We will build off our unique expertise to develop relevant products that attract even more young adults, women and other new customers in to the Harley-Davidson brand. We will expand the brand through related products and services like Screaming Eagle performance parts or finding new ways to enhance the HOG experience and broaden it to more riders or creating apparel collections designed specifically for the needs and preferences of outreach segments." (umm...what about MOTORCYCLES???)Elsewhere, it's suggested that the Iron 883 -- essentially a Sportster with matte black paint -- represents a successful model for reaching the under 35 demographic, yet Sportster production will be put on hold during Q4, 2009.Wandell continues, "We know from our research that the Harley-Davidson brand is as strong and well accepted among young adults in the US and internationally as it is among our current core customers. With our product plan we are confident that we will continue to expand the appeal of Harley-Davidson motorcycles to the under 35 age group. We also know Harley-Davidson has strong relevance as a lifestyle brand beyond the dedicated motorcyclist. Some people may never ride a bike yet are strong enthusiasts." (Are they FUCKING SERIOUS?!?)He's convinced that the company's current product mix already does an excellent job of reaching young people and has no plans to look for new ways to pursue them. Cutting through the bullshit, it seems you can boil Harley's plan down to this: cut costs by streamlining production and lowering output, thereby alleviating dealers of stock they can't sell, then hope that the loans carry the company through to a projected return of middle-class solvency and credit availability.All this sounds startlingly similar to the business practices that got Harley into so much trouble in the first place. It'll continue to rely on the same demographic buying the same motorcycles and, since a large proportion of those customers don't have enough money to buy either the bikes or the accessories, it'll continue to give loans to people that can't afford to repay them. It'll make those loans using money that it has, in turn, borrowed, often at a higher interest rate than what's being charged to customers. The company has presented no short-term plans to pursue the design of motorcycles with appeal outside its existing customer base and is therefore hoping the customers of other brands change their preference rather than finding new ways to appeal to new customers. As Boomers age beyond their riding years and see their purchasing power massively reduced by the end of cheap credit, Harley is failing to understand either the need or the means to reach a younger or wider audience. Relying on the market for motorcycles to return to its pre-recession levels without taking active steps to see it do so seems a remarkably naive way to do business. Harley is now effectively a passive passenger riding the economy's roller coaster. If the economy goes up, a lot, it might be OK. If the economy goes down or remains stagnant, it may find itself unable to repay that $1.9 billion and be forced to seek protection from its creditors.Is it now conceivable that Harley could, at some point in the future, face a similar fate to Buell or at least find itself up for sale? Unless there's a considerable change in strategy, yes.
Hunnert Car Pile Up
Pics and video that Dad took at the Hunnert Car Pile Up
Cool F1
Old Style
Very nice pickup. Perfect stance.
Pontiac powered Stude gasser
Cool XS drag bike
Mildly chopped '46 with a great stance
V-12 fire truck motor in a Model A. This is the guy that I bought my truck from and Dad got his '48 from.
Voodoo Larry's "Voodoo Psychosis"
Barn find '53 Vette. Can't even imagine how much this thing is worth.
Cool F1
Old Style
Very nice pickup. Perfect stance.
Pontiac powered Stude gasser
Cool XS drag bike
Mildly chopped '46 with a great stance
V-12 fire truck motor in a Model A. This is the guy that I bought my truck from and Dad got his '48 from.
Voodoo Larry's "Voodoo Psychosis"
Barn find '53 Vette. Can't even imagine how much this thing is worth.Got a light?
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