The case for/against motorcycles

First off is the obvious, motorcycles are dangerous.  Or at least that is what everyone that doesn't ride tells me.  Everyone, it seems, has a story or knows of someone with a story of someone that has had a motorcycle accident.  There are also many sayings that go along with the motorcycle experience such as what do you call a biker that doesn't wear a helmet? a donor.

It is true that motorcycles are less forgiving of inattention and carelessness, not only from the rider but from the fellow drivers that they must interact with on the street.  Defensive driving and situational awareness at all times is the bare minimum standard by which each cyclist must dedicate themselves in order to continue to enjoy their sport each and every day.  It isn't always the rider that is the danger but those they share the road with that are more interested with who they are chatting on the phone or texting their bffs without regards to the world around them.  You have to deal with that whether on a bike or in a car, truck or bus but the consequences are greater for those on a bike.

So why would anyone ride a motorcycle?  The fun factor.  Motorcycles are a great source of fun.  It is a wonderful way to explore the great outdoors while being exposed to the elements of sights, sounds and smells.  It is the sensations that come with operating a machine by developing skills that satisfy the senses and reward patience and practice with increasing confidence and accomplishments.  When riders talk about freedom, it is a feeling that comes with the reliance on self and the control of machine combined with the biker community that contains an immediate shared connection for fellow riders that always seem ready to provide a friendly wave to the rider passing in the opposite direction.

Being exposed to the elements also brings challenges.  Weather extremes from cooking temperature heat, to shivering steering cold.  Rain, snow, wind, ice, animals and all the various obstacles that happen to find their way along your path are daily occurrences rather than the minor inconvenience it would be for one ensconced in a metal cage.

Another consideration is the fact that most of the bikes like so many cars are capable of much greater performance than is legally allowed even if it is prudently applied.

And the argument that you will save money is pretty weak.  Gas mileage on most bikes is much less that it should be given the improvements in technology but most riders where more interested in bigger, and more power and that is what was selling and that is what was provided.  Fuel economy is very much an afterthought in most motorcycle design.  It can be had but with compromises attached that make the average rider think twice.  (I have been thinking twice.)

Even though there are only two tires and they are smaller than a cars they cost every bit as much as a car if not more and often times only last a quarter as long.  Maintenance in general is more frequent and more expensive and unless you have some mechanical savvy you are going to have to rely on a dealer with dealer prices.  Also, because riding is so seasonal in nature you may find that getting any work done can take many days and sometime weeks due to the fact that everyone else wants to get their bike tuned up at the first sign of spring, just like you.

So why with all the hassles would anyone ride a motorcycle in this day and age?  After all I did mention that I quite riding some time ago because I find a car that got better gas mileage, had air conditioning, heat, stereo, carrying capacity and kept me dry when it rained.  I could go farther and see more with my time off and not be quite so worn out at the end of the day and that is exactly what I was doing with that car when I got it.

So what am I thinking?  If I were to go on a long ride I would still opt for the car.  If I were to take someone with me I would opt for the car.  If there was the remote chance of facing weather I would opt for the car.  So what am I thinking?

I am thinking that I am missing the fun factor that a motorcycle can provide.  I don't need a cross country machine, I don't need a big Harley cruiser, I don't need a motocross racer, and I don't need a cafe pocket rocket.  I would be happy with a commuter, city explorer, visit the next town, occasional buddy hopping, extreme gas mileage runabout.  Something that isn't a production to pull out every time or any time.  Something simple, dependable, reliable and most of all affordable.

The market is not great for this kind of motorcycle action.  Once again I fall outside of the one size fits all.  There are a few interesting machines but they continue to include compromises as so much of life does.  Maybe I would be better off just renting a machine for a day every now and again to get my taste refreshed.  That almost seems to make sense but motorcycles are something that has always put logic in the back seat.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

My blog is ranked...

...just outside of the top 10.  Okay, way outside the top 10.  According to urlmetrics my Farrwestview blog is ranked 4,623,480 in the United States while being unranked worldwide.

What does this mean?  Just about anything I guess.  It doesn't bother me, nor does it excite me.  Well maybe it does but only a little.

It is fun too know that even though I am small stuff now I am still big enough to create a blip on somebodies radar.  That is kind of cool.

The internet helps create freedom of speech and it also provides proof that there is no guarantee of an audience...that you have to earn.  I send out a warm thank you too all that have, are or will give my blog a little bit of their time.  Who knows, with a little more effort on my part, maybe I can overtake number 4,623,479.  Fingers crossed.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Making a slow buck on the internet

There are get quick schemes out there on the internet and most aren’t worth the time spent reading through the hype.  There are few ways to make slow money out there, you just have to invest time and a little effort to see some results.  Be forewarned, those results won’t allow you to quite your day job anytime soon, but it will allow a little extra spending monies for some of the little things you might need or enjoy.  I will tell you about the top three that have worked for me.

All of these are some form of click to earn sites; that is you earn points for doing searches, playing games, watching videos, taking surveys, shopping or just plain watching commercials…and believe me you will be exposed to lots and lots of advertisements.  They also have referral programs which pay you a bonus if someone you refer joins so if you would like to try them out please use the links.

#3.  IRAZOO--I have mentioned this one before and have had a few payouts from it, just not consistently.  They have changed the rules frequently and the payout comes slowly but with minimal effort you can earn a $5 gift card every 2 to 3 months.  This is really making a slow buck on the internet but combining it with the others it will add up over time.  Also with this as my number 3 it should give a pretty good indication of what the rest of these types of site out there are like, in other words be careful and read all of the fine print.  You have to be referred to join so click here for IRAZOO. (or http://www.irazoo.com/ReferedNewUser.aspx?RefBy=farrwest).

#2. BING– Yes the same Bing that is part of the MSN group and trying so hard to compete as your main web browser has a program where you can earn points for your searches.  Every day you can make 30 searches which will earn you 15 points plus they have a special search or two worth a point each.  Sometimes they will have days where you can earn double the daily point limit.  15 points a day doesn’t seem like much but it can add up to a $5 gift card to Amazon about once a month.  Bing doesn’t take a lot of time or effort, is consistent, pays out quickly and has worked well for me.  I wish they would expand the program beyond just searches with other point earning offers but it is because of what they do that I do recommend them.  You can add a search bar to your Internet Explorer (which it prefers but you can also use Firefox) for extra ease.  Use this link if you would like to try BING. (or http://www.bing.com/explore/rewards?PUBL=REFERAFRIEND&CREA=RAW&rrid=_95a992a4-7aa7-0195-b0d8-087fa58f6722).

#1. SWAGBUCKS –You may have heard of them before and they seem to be the real deal.  This one doesn’t have the limits (other than running out of offers) that the others do.  You can earn as much as you are willing to spend time on but more realistically you should shoot for the daily goal which is around 100 points a day.  If you are consistent this can translate into $30 or more in gift cards a month.  If you are ambitious it can be much more.  Use this link if you would like to try SWAGBUCKS. (or http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/c5ed).  I have done a lot of looking and this seems to be the best of its kind out there and has been for several years.  I have added a couple of hundred dollars to my Amazon account with Swagbucks…very nice

If you decide to do any of these here are my top suggestions, 1. Read and follow the rules carefully.  It is their game and they make the rules and if you follow them you will be successful, if you don’t you risk getting terminated.  2. Get a new junk e-mail account and use it to sign up.  If you click on any offers at these sites use this new junk e-mail account and just expect that there will be junk mail coming.  That way you won’t plug up your regular e-mail account and we can still be friends.

Some friends from work got competitive and were really racking up the points so if you set some goals (like a new game console, Blue ray player, TV???) and invite your friends to do this also you might enjoy some building fruits from your efforts.  I must warn you though, this can be addicting and you may lose track of time and end up spending way too much time on this.  Self control is required, both for your family and your sanity.

Anyway you go at least have fun doing it.  Good luck on your way to fame and fortune.  I will follow this up with a how I do it post later but for now this is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Classics and Originals

You have heard me talk about my love for the classics. From literature to film and art to music, the classics have an enduring quality that lets them shine time and time again. It is that certain magic that will bring a smile to your face and a gladness in your heart when you are reacquainted with it some years down the road.

Some things you will see again that you thought were wildly wonderful in your youth and yet when you see them again now you wonder 'What in the world was I thinking'. I am not referring to those type of things.

I am referring of course to fish heads. I grew up on fish heads, and dead puppies and shaving cream and star trekkin' and assorted other looniness that was and is the wonderful world of Dr. Demento.

What brought this up you ask? I came across a disturbing little music video that I have never seen but one whose music I knew every word for. Fish Heads by Barnes and Barnes is a great example of the zaniness of the era. Sorry but I can't seem to get this to link properly so go to youtube and search for it or use this to copy and paste your way there, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTpUVAcvWfU and you will see what I am talking about.

This of course got me linking to other greats from my Demento days and there are quite a few to choose from. There in lies a problem...well maybe not a problem but an observation.

It wasn't long after I discovered that there was such a thing as remakes that I learned about my preference for the originals in most cases. Pat Boone introduced a lot of new music to a whole new audience but it wasn't until they discovered where that music came from that they could really get a handle on it. It is just too hard to recreate the magic without all the original ingredients (as we will find out yet again if they actually try to remake the Three Stooges). This also applies with the placing of things within the context of time. So while you check out the video keep that in mind.

The other reason for mentioning this is to point out that You Tube is made up of many people that have built some very creative videos by using the building blocks of others as the foundation of their work, in other words adding their photos to another person's popular musical number. In most cases they do give credit to the originators and I am glad for that, it is just that when you come across the originals in all their glory, it is just that much more special.

For example, Tom Lehrer in black and white singing his wonderful classic "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" is a gem that you will probably never see redone on American Idol. And can you imagine it being done by anyone else anyway?

So in closing I want to leave you with two choices. A quite little video portrayal of Dead Puppies by GoldnWlf and also a live performance by the original Dead Puppies by Ogden Edsl featuring Bill Frenzer. Ain't the internet grand?

Of course that brings up a whole other topic of which is better, live recordings or studio productions?

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.