Please see the video linked below (make sure you watch until the end):

Manly

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.alteredreality.net/blog/images/2433.swf" height="250" width="400" /]

Manly

A few windy gusts of up to 40mph and no rain.  I was disappointed that we had no precipitation.  It also took all of one day for the temperature to climb back into the upper 90′s.  This has been one of the most consistently warm summer/fall seasons that  I have experienced (in my 17 years in Dallas).  I suppose this means that I will be cycling in shorts well into January (now that would be GREAT).

Manly

It may take a bit to come up… be patient.

Manly Scored 4429…

M

Take care everyone and have fun the rest of the summer if I don’t speak to you.  If you need to get in touch with me you can leave me mail via the blog here (leave a comment if you like with your e-mail address).

Manly

IMHO, Jane Fonda is a traitorous bitch, should be tried for treason, and should have her U.S. citizenship stripped away from her with all of her assets and royalty income distributed out to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Extreme? Yep.  Justified? Hell Yeah.  While there have been some urban legends that have sprung up over Jane’s Vietnam actions, here is a fair account of what this bitch actually did:

Origins:   The right to freedom of speech is one of our most cherished rights. It is also a double-edged sword: the same right that allows us to criticize our government’s policies without fear of reprisal also protects those who endorse and promote racism, anti-semitism, ethnic hatred and other socially divisive positions.

Rarely is this dichotomy so evident as when a democratic nation engages in war, and the protection of civil liberties clashes head-on with the exigencies of a war effort. Protesting a government’s involvement in a war without also interfering in the prosecution of that war is a difficult (if not impossible) feat, a situation that has sometimes led the government to curtail the freedom of speech,  such as when the U.S. Sedition Act (passed during World War I) made criminals of those who would "willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States." Under this law, peacefully urging citizens to resist the draft or simply drawing an editorial cartoon critical of the government became illegal. (The Sedition Act was later overturned.)

The most prominent example of a clash between private citizen protest and governmental military policy in recent history occurred in July 1972, when actress Jane Fonda arrived in Hanoi, North Vietnam, and began a two-week tour of the country conducted by uniformed military hosts. Aside from visiting villages, hospitals, schools, and factories, Fonda also posed for pictures in which she was shown applauding North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners, was photographed peering into the sights of an NVA anti-aircraft artillery launcher, and made ten propagandistic Tokyo Rose-like radio broadcasts in which she denounced American political and military leaders as "war criminals." She also spoke with eight American POWs at a carefully arranged "press conference," POWS who had been tortured by their North Vietnamese captors to force them to meet with Fonda, deny they had been tortured, and decry the American war effort. Fonda apparently didn’t notice (or care) that the POWs were delivering their lines under duress or find it unusual the she was not allowed to visit the prisoner-of-war camp (commonly known as the "Hanoi Hilton") itself. She merely went home and told the world that "[the POWs] assured me they were in good health. When I asked them if they were brainwashed, they all laughed. Without exception, they expressed shame at what they had done." She did, however, charge that North Vietnamese POWs were systematically tortured in American prison-of-war camps.

To add insult to injury, when American POWs finally began to return home (some of them having been held captive for up to nine years) and describe the tortures they had endured at the hands of the North Vietnamese, Jane Fonda quickly told the country that they should "not hail the POWs as heroes, because they are hypocrites and liars." Fonda said the idea that the POWs she had met in Vietnam had been tortured was "laughable," claiming: "These were not men who had been tortured. These were not men who had been starved. These were not men who had been brainwashed." The POWs who said they had been tortured were "exaggerating, probably for their own self-interest," she asserted. She told audiences that "Never in the history of the United States have POWs come home looking like football players. These football players are no more heroes than Custer was. They’re military careerists and professional killers" who are "trying to make themselves look self-righteous, but they are war criminals according to law."

Were Jane Fonda’s actions treason, or were they the exercise of a private citizen’s right to freedom of speech? At the time, the legal aspects of this question were moot: President Nixon was engaged in trying to wind down American involvement in Vietnam and had to face another election in a few months, so politically he had far more to lose than to gain by making a martyr out of a prominent anti-war activist. (No requirement in either the Constitution or federal law states that the U.S. must be engaged in a declared war, or any war at all, before charges of treason can be brought against an individual.)

On the one hand, Jane Fonda provided no tangible military assistance to the North Vietnamese: she divulged no military secrets, she gave them no money or material, and she did not interfere with the operations of the American forces. Her actions, offensive as they were to many, were primarily of propaganda value only. On the other hand, Iva Ikuko Toguri (also known as "Tokyo Rose") was convicted of treason for making propaganda broadcasts on behalf of the Japanese during World War II (although she claimed her betrayal was forced and was eventually pardoned many years later by President Gerald Ford), and Fonda’s efforts could fall under the definition of "giving aid and comfort to the enemy." It is also undeniable that some American soldiers came to harm as a direct result of Fonda’s actions, an outcome she should reasonably have anticipated.

The most serious accusations in the piece quoted above — that Fonda turned over slips of paper furtively given her by American POWS to the North Vietnamese and that several POWs were beaten to death as a result — are proveably untrue. Those named in the inflammatory e-mail categorically deny the events they supposedly were part of.

"It’s a figment of somebody’s imagination," says Ret. Col. Larry Carrigan, one of the servicemen mentioned in the ‘slips of paper’ incident. Carrigan was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967 and did spend time in a POW camp. He has no idea why the story was attributed to him, saying, "I never met Jane Fonda."

The tale about a defiant serviceman who spit at Jane Fonda and is severely beaten as a result is often attributed to Air Force pilot Jerry Driscoll. He has repeatedly stated on the record that it did not originate with him.

The story about a POW forced to kneel on rocky ground while holding a piece of steel rebar in his outstretched arms is true, though. That account comes from Michael Benge, a civilian advisor captured by the Viet Cong in 1968 and held as a POW for 5 years. His original statement, titled "Shame on Jane," was published in April by the Advocacy and Intelligence Network for POWs and MIAs.

The unknown author of the "Hanoi Jane" e-mail appears to have picked up Benge’s story online and combined it with fabricated tales to create the forwarded text. Some versions now circulate with Benge’s name listed; others quote his statement anonymously.

In fact, Fonda carried home letters from many American POWs to their families upon her return from North Vietnam, and rumors that a POW was beaten to death when he refused to meet with her were  nothing more than rumors. Still, legally treasonous or not, Jane Fonda’s actions merit the contempt felt towards her, and her inclusion in ABC’s 30 April 1999 "A Celebration: 100 Years of Great Women" rightly angered many who failed to see what was so "great" about this woman. She didn’t go to North Vietnam to try to bring about peace or to reconcile the two warring sides or to stop American boys from being killed; she went there as an active show of support for the North Vietnamese cause. She lauded the North Vietnamese military and citizens while she denounced American soldiers as "war criminals" and urged them to stop fighting, she lobbied to cut off all American economic aid to the South Vietnamese government even after the Paris Peace Accords ended U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, and she publicly thanked the Soviets for providing assistance to the North Vietnamese. And she did all this not as a reckless youth who rashly spouted ill-considered opinions now best forgotten, but as a 34-year-old adult who should be expected to bear full responsibility for her actions.

In 1988, sixteen years after denouncing American soldiers as war criminals and tortured POWs as possessed of overactive imaginations, Fonda met with Vietnam veterans to apologize for her actions. It’s interesting to note that this nationally-televised apology (during which she attempted to minimize her actions by characterizing them as "thoughtless and careless") came at a time when New England vets were successfully disrupting a film project she was working on. It’s also interesting that not only was this apology delivered sixteen years after the fact, but it has not been offered again since. More than a few have read a huge dollop of self-interest into Fonda’s 1988 apology. (Finally, in an interview in 2000, almost thirty years after the fact, Fonda admitted: "I will go to my grave regretting the photograph of me in an anti-aircraft gun, which looks like I was trying to shoot at American planes. It hurt so many soldiers. It galvanized such hostility. It was the most horrible thing I could possibly have done. It was just thoughtless.")

Whether the war was right or wrong, those who risked (and gave) their lives fighting it deserve respect, and for Fonda to brand men who were held captive and tortured as "liars" and "hypocrites" (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary) in order to defend her political views was and is unpardonable.

When I have a political disagreement with someone I always say that the greatest thing about this country is that we, as citizens, are free to voice our political opinions without the threat of government censorship or intervention.  We can be on opposite sides of a particular issue, debat to our heart’s content, then go have a beer and watch the game as friends.  When it comes to acts of treason like the ones illustrated above, however, the gloves come off.  How the hell can someone like that be allowed to live and benefit from the foundational principles of this great country if she publicly, deliberately, and INTENTIONALLY took such actions?  Yeah, I understand the need for Free Speech.  Yep, I know that its one of the important principles behind a free society.  But don’t we need to hold people accountable for SOMETHING?  Maybe I just don’t get it, I was only 2 at the time.  Notice her age too.  She was 34, which is around the age of many of the people who view this Blog.  If we break a rule like disobeying the speed limit, we get busted and pay our fine.  How is it possible that NO ACTION HAS EVER BEEN TAKEN AGAINST HANOI JANE?  Do we let her off because she issues a verbal apology 33 years later?  Maybe we should consider that approach with the folks on death row, or the gang bangers, or whomever.  Say you’re sorry and all is well and good and you can go out and be citizens again.  Sheesh.

Like she did in the 1980s, isn’t it interesting that she will be apologizing on national TV at the same time that it serves her interests?  You see, her memoirs book is out and she needs to get her name in the headlines again so the cattle out there will buy her book and maker her some more money.  Its all about publicity and money with this bitch.  I sure as heck hope that if you get nothing else out of this post, you at least come to the conclusion that you shouldn’t reward her by buying her damn book.

Thanks for reading this far if you made it, and for allowing me to have a forum to vent in.

Heronimus

I sure like to go fast but these guys are taking it to the extreme.

Turbo Hayabusa

Turbo Hayabusa #2

This one makes me squirm in my seat

R1 vs. Hayabusa

Psychopath

Gixxer Crash

R1 vs.  GSX-R

Oops

Going for 300

NYC

OK.  That’s all for now.  You get the picture (literally).  The site has a lot more.  These are just the ones I liked.

Manly

I will be home in G.C. on Wednesday afternoon (22nd) and I will be leaving sometime around noon on Sunday.   I will be staying at Mom and Dad’s.  If you are in town give me a call and we can go do the century club.   I will just assume that you’re game if your last name is Saak, Mutch or Brown.

Manly

Bush Bad, Clinton Good – Go Figure

Clinton awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Yugoslavia – good
Bush awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Iraq – bad

Clinton spends $77 billion on war in Serbia – good
Bush spends $87 billion in Iraq – bad

Clinton imposes regime change in Serbia – good
Bush imposes regime change in Iraq – bad

Clinton bombs Christian Serbs on behalf of Muslim Albanian terrorists – good
Bush liberates 25 million from a genocidal dictator – bad

Clinton bombs Chinese Embassy – good
Bush bombs terrorist camps – bad

Clinton commits felonies while in office – good
Bush lands on aircraft carrier in flight suit – bad

No mass graves found in Serbia – good
No WMD found in Iraq – bad

Stock market crashes in 2000 under Clinton – good
Economy on upswing under Bush – bad

Clinton refuses to take custody of bin Laden – good
World Trade Centers fall under Bush – bad

Clinton says Saddam has nukes – good
Bush says Saddam has nukes – bad

Clinton calls for regime change in Iraq – good
Bush imposes regime change in Iraq – bad

Terrorist training in Afghanistan under Clinton – good
Bush destroys training camps in Afghanistan – bad

Milosevic not yet convicted – good
Saddam turned over for trial – bad

———-CUT HERE———-

Another thing. As you watch the debate tonight pay attention when John Kerry brings up the 45 million people without health care. This is such a joke. Here is a breakdown of how Kerry “counts” these 45 million people.

20 Million of these people are counted because they were in-between jobs and had a temporary loss of health care coverage. They regain coverage when they get past the 30-60-90 days that some employers make you wait before they cover you. Gee.. none of us have been in that situation huh?

Around 10 million of these people do HAVE ACCESS to health care but choose not to sign up for government sponsored health care (Medicaid, state programs, etc).

Another large portion are young adults ages 20-35. A recent study found that this group of people spent 3 times more on entertainment and eating out than they did on health care. I.E. if they WANTED IT THEY COULD AFFORD HEALTH CARE (INSURANCE) coverage.

Then you have the illegal immigrants that are being counted but who do not qualify for health care insurance (govt or otherwise) because they are in this country ILLEGALLY.

What’s the bottom line? When you filter out all of Kerry’s bullshit there are only a few million people in this country that you can say are legitimately without healthcare because they cannot afford it (and don’t qualify for government assistance).

Why the heck Bush doesn’t point this out (along with all of Kerry’s other BS) I don’t know. It seems to me that someone should stand up and point these things out.

How can Kerry imply that this so-called health insurance crisis is Bush’s fault when he has never himself introduced ANY legislation to correct the situation? How ridiculous is that?

Oh well. Just had to get some of this stuff off my chest. It’s going to be a dark day for this country if Kerry wins this election. Get out and vote.

Manly

http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0134.html?printable=1

Check out this link.. it’s hilarious… it’s a stream so you have to play it in media player…

http://www.ntv.co.jp/channel/asx/hkzkt10.asx

Manly

http://www.free-codecs.com/

This thing is hilarious.

http://users.pandora.be/luvam/thisland/

Manly

So what’s up with the Apprentice this season. This show is really starting to disappoint me. Last year was good but this time it seems that it’s all about The Donald (Trump) patting himself on the back. If I hear “and you too might someday become a billionaire” again I am going to puke. When did this turn into the Donald Trump is GOD show? Did I just not notice last season because there were WAY too many hot girls on the show? Another thing. How could the women possibly lose ANYTHING that revolves around sales. Give me a break. If you have 5 attractive women in NYC selling something on the street you CAN’T LOSE. And they said that they didn’t want to use their sexuality to win the task. Are they complete morons or what? This isn’t the time for that women’s lib/feminist crap. It’s time to win. If they would have worn the right clothes and started to flirt they could have sold pickle flavored ice cream and won. Why would Trump hire someone who didn’t use EVERY advantage they have to win/be a success? I wouldn’t. Bzzzt… all those girls are fired.

Next…

So I hear that John Kerry has knowledge of a SECRET PLAN by Bush to call up a ton more reservists after the presidential elections (if he wins of course). Hmm… I thought the Pentagon made those decisions. Next I hear that the Pentagon is denying any of this. Does the president appoint all of the military leadership? NO. Besides, if there is a need for more reserve call-ups why is everyone up in arms? Did these guys not read the fine print when they signed up? It’s not a free pass in the reserves any more like it used to be. When I was involved in the Army reserves I wouldn’t have said boo if I were called up. I signed up to fight the big one with Russia/etc and that’s what I would have wanted to do. I still feel like I should be over there helping out with the fight and I’ve been out since ’96. These guys need to face up to the reality that they are in the MILITARY. This is not a weekend beer drinking club.

OK so this weekend I went with a buddy of mine down to White Rock lake for a 15k race. I am not a runner (knee) so I bike instead. I was amazed to see all of the people down there (over 800). It’s nice to know that there are others that show passion for fitness in these times of FAT. What amazed me was that the gal who won first place for the women was in her 40′s. Wow. Now that’s an athlete. The mens winner was in his 20′s but as you went up the age scale after that the times got better. Brent got 2nd in his age group which is awesome considering he has only been training for a few months. I just did 5 laps around the lake (45mi) and tried not to let any other cyclists pass me We are going to do a Duathlon relay in October so that should be interesting. There is just something about cycling that gets me excited. I don’t know if it’s the speed or the feeling of being some kind of an athlete again but I can’t get enough of it. Maybe it’s all of the cool gadgets you get to buy when you are a serious cyclist (cyclecomputers, carbon fiber this, carbon fiber that, radios, etc).

Well, that’s about all I have on my mind this time. I promised everyone an entry on the joys of hacking your Tivo but I haven’t had time to get that done (too many pictures, etc). I will make sure it’s one of the next few entries I write.

Take care y’all.

Manly