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Showing posts from February, 2018

Dead Biker + No Money = Jerk

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Over the last several years, just about every time I see a fundraiser for a fallen biker that leaves behind their loved ones in financial dire straits... it pisses me off.   REALLY pisses me off when the guy was riding a high dollar bike, making payments on it, and now.... the family doesn't have any money to put the jerk in the ground... so .. I tend to post those opinions on Social Media.  Saw a different slant of a post tonight that got me thinking about all this again. "I'm not real good with comebacks...mine are usually in the daddy joke category and somewhat lame. So...I'm counting on some smart ass creative old grays to give me some ideas for a phrase I'm sure you all have heard. Some financial advice I've recently received goes something like this: "You should sell your motorcycles and use the money for life insurance" (Here it comes) "you're not getting any younger you know". So what would any of you say in respo...

Ride whatever trips your wallet

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The motorcycle slant Two summers ago I was down at Gilligans Bar in Tawakoni on the Chieftain with a couple of buddies.  Local guy had a few beers in him and was on an older HD.  Wasn't stock and .. looked a notch rough.  He asked me how much a bike like mine cost..  Told him the list cost which then set him off on how ridiculous that was.  He then began ranting about his 'home built' bike where it only cost him a fraction of what I paid.  I let him have his moment of glory in front of everyone, with a lil' smirk on my face.. After his tirade he eventually went in for more beer and... never saw him again.   My takeaway from that?   That bike cost him probably a lot more of his take home pay that mine did comparatively. He was proud of it, but you wouldn't see my ass on it.  I didn't like the look of it, and to be honest, thought it looked like shit.  Now, I didn't tell him that.  To each his own.  Well sort of....

The 20/80 Rule : Part II

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Was thinking about things along this line as a I always do .. and .. my fingers found the keyboard.  It's raining outside, the metal roof is singing to me, the wife is still in bed.. .so .. here I sit typing.   Got to thinking .. 'wait .. haven't I already blogged on this subject?' .. Well .. yes I did .. Almost seven years ago!  The 20/80 Rule ( part I ) But I was thinking about it in a more specific instance....   how .. the vast majority .. just don't .. care Pick your topic ...  the 20/80 (Pareto Principle) applies . The Pareto Principle claims that only a "vital few" peapods produce the majority of peas. Few years ago, I really got into Motorcycle Forums on the 'net.  Each of these forums have thousands and thousands of members.  Yet, only a small percentage of folks actively visit and read the forums.  Of that group, only a small percentage post and/or comment..... 20%? Facebook. .. I know .. I know.. but ... ...

Harrassment

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 HARASSMENT Harassment is serious. All the anti-social behaviour in the list below should be reported to the Police. Tell the Police how the harassment is affecting you. The technical definition of harassment is “the act of systematic and/or continued, unwanted and annoying actions of one party or a group, including threats and demands”.  Basically, if someone is bothering you again and again, including threats and demands, you can report it as harassment. The main types of anti-social behaviour in this category are:     Hate incidents where the abuse involves your race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability     Intimidating behaviour     Violence or the threat of violence to another person     Abusive language     Malicious phone calls, texts and emails     Stalking     Begging     Hoax calls to the emergency services or other third parties     Anima...

Indian Bike Rally : There's a new Sheriff in Town..... Racine

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In the past, I've blogged about an event up in MN that I've attended since '12, that has come crashing down over the last six months..  The imploding of the dealership tied to it due to family ownership legal issues, was the final straw.  That too began in Sept '17.  For most of us, it's common knowledge that there will not be an '18 event.   One only needs to look at the FB Group that historically pushed the event; it's a friggin' ghost town, nobody seems to give a damned about the event anymore; the promoter himself rarely chimes in except to 'like' a non related comment once in awhile. For no better words, it's a joke.   Everything promoting the '18 is incorrect.  It still refers to a defunct dealership.  It incorrectly appears to have ties to Polaris.  It still has a date one week long (who in their right mind would attend dead/dying event for a week?).  It ties itself to the IARG which has ostracized the promoter.  And, of...

My Charity Questions...

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I know .. I know.. this stuff for a few is getting old.   For others, it's new breaking ground.  And if you're the Secretary of the Charity giving off the feeling to many that you're hiding something .. you tell everyone that I am.... what was the word .. oh yeah ....'obsessive' .  No I'm not;  My belief is I'm  blowing the whistle here.  If I'm barking up the wrong tree, someone out there please provide the facts so we can all just move on? My concerns historically are that folks were being told incorrectly they could do tax write-offs, by simply saying the funds went to Welch Charities.   Then, my concerns were that people were overpaying for an annual event and not questioning anything, because ... it went to a charity.  Third, having never been involved with a charity and previously only giving to large well known ones .. I was questioning the fuzzy math being used to brag about money raised.   Last, I questioned why taxe...

International Motorcycle Show

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Lone Star Indian / Corporate Presence  This is about my 4th time attending over the years.  I remember the first time I headed up there, all excited with my 35mm SLR on my hip, and paid the entry fee and got my t-shirt.  The fee was higher than I'd expected and the shirt .. well.. sucked. I didn't' make that mistake again. I never get the shirt / entry combo ticket and I always get the tickets online to save a few bux.   Because once you are in, you're thinking.. okay .. I'm thinking ... 'this is it?' .  Well, I used to.  Over the years its improved.  But some people get a 3 day weekend pass ticket.  I have no idea what they are doing there for more than a few hours, but .. 3 days? Come on now!  But hey ..... someone is dong a good job marketing! Few months ago my buddy from AR Donnie Donihue reached out to me and told me they were headed this way to attend it  I knew at that point we'd be going to the sh...