Happy 2013 to ALL

July 4th - 2012

China manufacturing on free fall

Delivery men take a break on a street in Shanghai.

 China’s economy is cooling faster than previously thought, figures show, and some analysts say the government must further ease Asia’s economic engine, China, is experiencing a faster than expected economic slowdown with manufacturing hitting seven-month low in June.

Are we going to be faced with a total global depression?

Will we see something similar to the great depression of the 1930's...?

Are the world leaders really qualified to navigate us through these tumulteous economic times?

Happy Birthday Canada - 145th

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada!

Terre de nos aïeux, 

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,

Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée

Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

A Biker's Prayer

Author Unknown

May the sun rise in front of me

May the rain fall behind me

and the wind

follow me

May the angels of my brothers and sisters who have gone before me guard my travels for they know the perils of the road ahead of me

Keep me safe through the city streets on my way to the land of swirling turns and rolling hills

Let the colors of fall keep me warm, let the eagle guide me yo the mountain tops, let the moon's light guide me through the night

May my tires not fail me, nor my engine grow old, may my bike draw life from the streams I pass

Keep my seat soft and my mind sharp, let the air of spring breathe life into my soul to journey to another adventure...

Isle of Man - The oldest motorcycle racing circuit. Just Insane

Insane Motor Race - Isle of Man TT 

 For those of us who didn't know: The Isle of Mann TT was for many years the most prestigious motor-cycle race in the world.
Between 1907 and 2009 there have been 237 deaths during official practices or races on the Snaefell Mountain Course.

Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald (the parliament of the Isle of Man). It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use. The official lap record for the Snaefell Mountain Course is 17 Minutes and 12.30 seconds at an average speed of 131.578 mph (211.754 km/h) set by John McGuinness during the 2009 Senior TT Race. 

Christmas Stamps...a bit of humor

A Blonde goes to the Post Office to buy Stamps for her Christmas cards.

She says to the Clerk: " may I please have 50 Christmas stamps"

The Clerk replies: " What denomination"

The blonde says: God help us...has it come to this"

OK then: "Give 22 Catholics, 12 Presbyterians, 10 Lutheran and 6 Baptists"

Merry Christmas everyone...Enjoy the Holidays and be merry

The bad economy...whose fault is it anyways

If you've been watching the news on CNN or elsewhere and keeping yourself up to date with happenings and stuff, then there's no reason to believe you don't know what's going on...more importantly, you probably think as I do, that our leaders are just assholes who need to be driven out of office...


 They sit there in summits, spending millions of your tax dollars to declare...we need to do some different things...loll...


I or you could have issued that very same statement free of charge to the tax payer without any conferences or meetings...get the point?...

No matter what country he/she happenned to live in....the end result is the same....all these guys (World Leaders) need to be fired... (forgive them father for they know not what they are doing)

They are incompetant...they got the world into trouble, they haven't a clue on how to solve the problems they created and they are still calling for more meetings...my question is where is the beef?

 It's certainly not being provided by Barak OBAMA, Stepehen Harper, Sarkozy or that Cameron UK, They are all incompetant people who need to be replaced.

So here's my advice to Canadians through this Christmas season...

Remember, the very same applies to your  ver own country wherever that is...just substitute the name to your country's name...May GOD keep ya all safe and may he shower you with his blessings always

 As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Canadians with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --

Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of Canadian labor. Maybe this year will be different.

Maybe this year Canadians will give the gift of genuine concern for other Canadians.

There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by Canadians hands.

Yes there is! It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut.

 How about gift certificates from your local Canadian hair salon or barber?

Gym membership?

 It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, Canadian owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the dollars on a Chinese made flat-screen?

Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates.

And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.

Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Canadian with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the Canadian working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves.

They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

 Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house?

When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community.

 If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining Canadian pockets so that China can build another glittering city or buy a sumarine

 Christmas is now about caring about us, encouraging Canadian small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Canadians, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new Canadian Christmas tradition.  This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Mechanics like to deal with women

Who said Girls can only ride Bitch...

Elena Myers - The First Female Motorcycle Racer to Win AMA Pro Racing

Elena Myers, born November 21, 1993 (1993-11-21)
in Mountain View, California.

Is the first female motorcycle racer to win a race in the 76 year history
of American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Pro Racing.

Myers won Race 1, Round 4 of the 2010 season of the AMA Supersport Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California on 15 May 2010.

The AMA Supersport West series is limited to riders ages 16–21 riding
close to stock 600 cc (37 cu in) displacement sport bikes.

The race was supposed to be a duel between East Division points leader Cameron Beaubier and three time Western Division winner Joey Pascarella.Myers, riding a Suzuki GSX-R600, began in 8th position on the starting grid, and advanced to 5th place shortly after the start of the race.Myers' team took advantage of a red flag on lap seven, when Jake Gagne went off the track in turn 9, to make adjustments to the bike to improve traction, as Myers explained, "I got a pretty good start but my tire started going off a little bit on the fifth lap and it was kind of hard to stay with the guys up front, but we had the first red flag. I came in and we made a couple changes."



On lap ten, of 18 scheduled laps, Myers was in second place when the race was red flagged for the second time. She had been in first in lap 9, but was passed in lap 10. The red flag was caused by the new leader, Joey Pascarella of the LTD Racing Yamaha team, having a high side crash, at which time the race was called, securing first place for Myers, because officials determined lap 9 would be the final one of the race.
The race was not allowed to run the full 18 laps because cleaning up the track and restarting would have put the day's program too far behind schedule. Myers described interval between the first and second red flags by saying, "I got a good restart off the front row and made some moves. I felt like I was getting a little bit closer to the leader with about eight or nine laps to go. He ran a little wide and I took advantage of it to take the lead. I came around the next lap and the red flag was shown again.

After winning Race 1, she placed 5th in Race 2 at Infineon Raceway. With four rounds complete, six rounds remain in the 2010 season, and Myers has total of 92 points for the season, putting her in second place for the championship. Pascarella, with 137 points, is still in a strong first place.

Elena Myers

All Bikers should live so long as to be this kind of kind old man!

As a follow-up to Geoff's post on Ageing Bikers!, I thought we should all be delighted to read about his cousin Walt Jones

Toward the end of the Sunday service, the Minister asked, "How many of you have forgiven your enemies?"

80% held up their hands.

The Minister then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one man, an avid Biker named Walt Jones, who attended church only when the weather was bad to alleviate his PMS syndromes

"Mr. Jones, it's obviously not a good morning for motorcycling. It's good to see you here today. Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?"

"I don't have any," Walt replied gruffly.

"Mr. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?"

"Ninety-eight," he replied. The congregation stood up and clapped their hands.

"Oh, Mr. Jones, would you please come down in front & tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years & not have an enemy in the world?"

The old Biker tottered down the aisle, stopped in front of the pulpit, turned around, faced the congregation, and said simply, "I outlived all the sons of bitches."

Jawa Motorcycles - Celebrating over 80 years of production

Jawa motorcycles in production since 1929

Catholic church gives blessing to iPhone app

"The Chatolic Church believes in embracing new technology and this creative app will hopefully help people to make a good confession."

The Catholic Church has approved an iPhone app that helps guide worshippers through confession.

The Confession program has gone on sale through iTunes for £1.19 ($1.99).

Described as "the perfect aid for every penitent", it offers users tips and guidelines to help them with the sacrament.

2011 Vespa PX 125, 150 for Europe

As predicted Last year, Vespa / Piaggio is dusting off the old Vespa PX 125 and 150, which it will make available in Europe in the first quarter of 2011 with some minor cosmetic changes, handle bar grip mounted manual transmission, kick start and a catalyzed 2-stroke engine that apparently meets Euro3 specs.

Vespa fans In Europe rejoice. At this time there are no plans for the U.S., probably due to emissions laws.

Little Johnny rides again

The teacher asked the class to use the word 'fascinate' in a sentence.

Molly put up her hand and said, 'My family went to my granddad's farm, and we all saw his pet sheep. It was fascinating.'

The teacher said, 'That was good, but I wanted you to use the word 'fascinate, not fascinating'.

Sally raised her hand. She said, 'My family went to see Rock City and I was 'fascinated.' The teacher said, 'Well, that was good Sally, but I wanted you to use the word 'fascinate.'

Little Johnny raised his hand. The teacher hesitated because she had been burned by Little Johnny before.

She finally decided there was no way he could damage the word 'fascinate', so she called on him.

Johnny said, 'My aunt Gina has a sweater with ten buttons, but her tits are so big she can only fasten eight.'

The teacher sat down and cried

Snow riding on dirt bikes

Gabrielle Giffords - a fellow rider struck down

Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords — recovering in hospital after being shot in the head during an apparent assassination attempt. — isn’t just a Democratic congresswoman. She’s also a motorcyclist. Pictured above with the BMW she hoped to someday ride all the way down to Argentina, Giffords is been riding and racing motorcycles for over 20 years.

Gabrielle Giffords was born June 8, 1970 in Tucson, Arizona.

Giffords a third generation Tucsonan, graduated from Tucson's University High School holds a Master's Degree in Regional Planning from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York 1996. and a B.A. from Scripps College where she was awarded a William Fulbright Scholarship to study for a year in Chihuahua.

She is a fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Giffords married Captain Mark Kelly on November 10, 2007, a Navy Pilot and NASA astronaut. He was the space shuttle's pilot on STS-108 and STS-121.

She is the only U.S. Representative with an active duty military spouse.

Giffords' parents are Spencer J. Giffords and Gloria Kay Fraser Giffords. Giffords is Arizona's first Jewish Congresswoman. She is a member of Congregation Chaverim in Tucson.

We wish her a full and speedy recovery.

Honda riders beware...! Here cometh the judge.

This is a 2010 Honda shadow RS

A Honda rider decided to travel to Europe by cruise ship and managed to secure passage on the same boat as a bunch of Harley riders.

Midway through the voyage, the ship sank and the rider wound up in a three-man lifeboat with the ship's captain and two of the HD riders.

The captain announced that someone would have to get out. "We'll do it right though," he said.

"The three of you will be given a fair test and the loser will jump out."

Everyone agreed, so the captain turned to one of the Harley riders and asked, "What was the largest ocean liner to sink in the past century?"

"The Titanic." "Right," said the captain.

Turning to the other Harley rider, he asked, "How many people were on the Titanic?" "2463" "That's correct," the captain stated.

Fixing a hard eye on the Honda rider, he then said, "Name 'em."

Double Dating in Iraq

Feel Like a drink ?

1952 Lambretta 125 D

A classic 1952 Lambretta 125 D...some of the Lambretta story:

Months after the Vespa was launched, in 1947, Innocenti introduced the Lambretta, beginning a rivalry with Vespa.

The scooter was designed by Innocenti, his General Director Giuseppe Lauro and engineer Pierluigi Torre. It debuted in 1947 at the Paris Motor Show.

The Lambretta 'A' went on sale on December 23, 1947 and sold 9,000 units in one year.

It was efficient, 160-180 mpg (miles per gallon) or 68–76 km/litre,[citation needed] at a time when petrol was severely rationed.

It had a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) from a fan-cooled engine of 123 cc.

The Lambretta was named after Lambrate, the Milanese neighborhood where the factory stood.

The first Lambretta designs had shaft drive and no rear suspension, later designs used various drive and suspension systems until Lambretta settled on a swingarm-mounted engine with chain drive.

Ice Cold Beer

This Biker was riding on this hot sunny day. He wanted to drink a cold beer and wanted to find a Bar where other bikers go to drink beer.

As he pulled in this little town he noticed some choppers and some bikers at this little bar. So he pulls in and goes in the bar to have a beer.

He noticed a lot of bikers wearing patches and some wearing their colors. Some of these guys really looked bad. As he went in the Bar he decided he better take his gun.

He parked his bike right in by the front door. Some of the bikers in there decided to mess with him a little bit. He decided he better let them know he was tuff too.

He ordered him a beer and decided to walk out side to check on his bike. WOW, IT WAS GONE, NOT THERE.

He walks back inside and pulls his gun, fires one shot in the wooden post in there. He got everyones attention.

He goes 'HEY LOOK HERE, MY DAM BIKE IS MISSING OUTSIDE and WHEN I FINISH MY BEER AND GO BACK OUTSIDE IT BETTER BE THERE RIGHT WHERE I LEFT IT or I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO DO WHAT I DID AT THE LAST BAR WHERE I WAS.

So he sits down and the bikers got real quiet. The Bar Tender goes over to him and says what did you do at the last bar about your bike? the guy goes, I tell
you when I check on my bike and it better be back right where I left it.

So he finishes his and walks outside to check on his bike. WOW, IT WAS BACK and RIGHT WHERE HE PARKED IT. He walks back into the Bar and says, I being leaving now. You guys have a good day.

Bartender goes: HEY WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT DID YOU DO AT THE LAST BAR WHEN YOUR BIKE WAS MISSING?

The Guy goes, 'I HAD TO CALL A TAXI'.

A very, very difficult question for Abby to ponder

Dear Abby,

I've never written to you before, but I really need your advice on what could be a crucial decision.

I've suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. The usual signs...phone rings, but if I answer, the caller hangs up.

My wife has been going out with the girls a lot recently, although when I ask their names she always says, "Just some friends from work, you don't know them."

I sometimes stay awake to look out for her cab coming home, but she always comes walking up the drive as I hear the sound of a car leaving, around the corner, as if she has gotten out and walked the rest of the way. Why? Maybe she wasn't in a taxi at all?

I once picked up her cell phone, just to see what time it was. This caused her to go completely berserk. She quickly snatched the phone out of my hand and cursed me hysterically, screaming that I should never touch her personal property, then accused me of trying to spy on her.

Anyway, I have never broached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn't want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her.

I decided I was going to park my Harley Davidson Lowrider next to the garage and then hide behind it so I could get a good view of the street around the corner when she came home.

It was at that moment, crouching behind my motorcycle that I noticed a small amount of motor oil leaking through the gasket between the rear head and rocker arm cover.

So...is this something I can easily repair myself or do you think I should take it back to the dealer?

Skiing in Whistler BC

We decided to end the year by taking a Ski and Snow Boarding trip to Whistler BC...part of our beautiful province which is British Columbia...While we rode in our family Van, I kept dreaming about what the ride up there would be like in the spring or summer on an iron horse such as shown here



While most of my friends tend to view Whistler as a resort area, and, an expensive one at that, we must remember the humble beginnings of this tiny fishing village in the 1800's.

It is now converted to a beautiful resort which includes everything your little heart might desire, from skiing and snow boarding and winter game activities in the winter, to fishing, swimming, dining, shopping foot and body massages, apres ski lounges, bars, eateries, etc...all year round.



So I thought I'd give you a bit of Whistler's background story/history, followed by some of our wonderful trip's pictures...

The Whistler area is not only a place of scenic wonder, but also a region that is rich with a fascinating history and cultural background. Before becoming a ski area and winning accolades as a world-class resort, and before welcoming the world for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, this was still a place that drew visitors from far and wide.

First Nations History of Whistler



The Coast Salish First Nations people inhabited the land around Whistler for many thousands of years, hunting and gathering and living a nomadic lifestyle long before European settlers arrived.



The Coast Salish are quite different from the other First Nations of the B.C. coast. Their weather is the most mild of all the coastal nations of B.C. and their resources the most varied. The ranking for the other nations is also much more defined. Because of the mild climate and bountiful resources, the land of the Coast Salish became the most inhabited by European peoples. The two most populous cities in B.C., Vancouver and Victoria, are in Coast Salish land. This has had a large effect on the culture of the Coast Salish.



Coast Salish art was nearly forgotten as European peoples picked the Native art style that appealed to them the most and neglected all others. The use of art in ceremony also diminished as ceremonies were outlawed and children required to attend residential schools where they could not learn the ceremonies. Neither the culture nor art died, and there has since been a revival of Coast Salish culture and Coast Salish art.



Whistler itself was often a way-point for First Nation trading routes between the Squamish and Lil'wat Nations, as it was rich with wildlife and resources. At one time, tens of thousands of Coast Salish First Nations people lived, traded and thrived in the areas between Vancouver, Howe Sound and Lillooet. In fact, some of the hiking routes between Howe Sound and Deep Cove (east of Vancouver) are the traditional routes traveled by the Coast Salish First Nations peoples.

The Modern History of Whistler



From its humble beginnings as a fishing lodge in 1914, to being centre stage for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games — Whistler was always considered a special place and outstanding destination for adventurous spirits.



1877
The Pemberton Trail is completed linking the Pemberton valley to the Pacific coast, north of Vancouver.




1900
Trappers and prospectors settle in the area. Alta Lake was the original name of Whistler but the settlers start calling the area "Whistler" because of the shrill whistle sound made by the western hoary marmots who live among the rocks.




1910
Myrtle and Alex Philip arrive in Vancouver from Maine. They hear about Whistler's spectacular beauty.

1911
Myrtle and Alex take the three-day journey to Whistler: a steamer ship from Vancouver to Squamish, overnight in Brackendale, and a two-day horse trek to Whistler.

1914
Myrtle and Alex buy ten acres of land and build the Rainbow Lodge on the shores of Alta Lake. The Great Pacific Eastern Railway (now BC Rail) is built to Alta Lake and links the valley to the outside world. Whistler becomes a base for logging and mining. Myrtle and Alex's Rainbow Lodge is the most popular resort destination west of Banff and Jasper.




1950s
Other lodges open throughout the valley. The abundant fish stocks make Whistler a summer resort destination long before it is considered a winter destination. Winter travel becomes possible when a gravel road to Squamish is carved from the cliffs of Howe Sound.

Early 1960s
During the early 1960s a group of Vancouver Businessmen formed the Garibaldi Olympic Development Association (GODA) to develop a site to host the 1968 Winter Olympic Games and selected London Mountain (Whistler Mountain’s original name) as the preferred venue.

Here is the whole story

1964
The single-lane road is extended to Whistler because of the ski area development, and to Pemberton later that same year. The trip from Vancouver to Whistler took 5-6 hours.

1965
Whistler Mountain finally gets the name "Garibaldi Whistler Mountain". Development of the ski area on the south side of Whistler Mountain began. What is now called Creekside was once the original Village and featured a four-person gondola to the mountain’s mid-station, a double chairlift to the alpine tree line, and two T-bars.

1966
Whistler officially opens for skiing.

1969
A two-lane gravel road built in 1965 is paved to Whistler and then to Pemberton.

1977
The new municipality is given 53 acres of Crown land to develop a town centre.

1978
Construction begins on the new town centre that will eventually become Whistler Village.

1980
Blackcomb Mountain (right next to Whistler Mountain) opens creating one of the largest ski complexes in North America.

1985
Blackcomb Mountain expands its terrain and becomes North America’s only "Mile High Mountain".

1992
Snow Country Magazine votes Whistler the "Number One Ski Resort in North America" and the trend continues through to today with the resort earning the top spot for destination resort and its incredible skiing in numerous industry magazines and readers’ polls.

1998
Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains merge under Intrawest Corporation.

2002
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) shortlists Vancouver/Whistler as a Candidate City for hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

2003
Vancouver/Whistler win the bid to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

2008
The peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains were linked with the opening of the brand new PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. This multi record-breaking lift allows skiers, snowboarders and, in the summer, hikers, faster access to the award-winning terrain on both mountains.

2010
While the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have come and gone, Whistler's spot on the world stage is firmly established. With fanstastic Olympic legacies like the Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler Olympic Park and Whistler Medals Plaza as well as the record-breaking PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, Whistler becomes even more a world-class, four season destination.


As mentioned at the beginning of this story, our family decided to take a few days off and go to Whistler for a bit of fun in the snow...here are some real life photos (Not in any particular order) of our trip up there...you need to know...there was no snow all the way up there on the Sea to Sky highway...until we passed Squamish, then there was snow galore, poor visibility and reduced driving speeds all the way to our destination.

The shot below shows a scenic cross road in Squamish...notice how the mountains in the background blend with the scene


A family Bar-B-Q in the evening consisted of pork chops, lamb and beef served with Pilaf, a Greek salad, veggies and a fine BC Wine...Not expensive but very enjoyable.

The Proprietor's Reserve is a Medium-bodied Dry Red wine with flavors of red berry fruit and spice, this wine has a soft fruit finish that makes it ideal to enjoy on its own or with a variety of foods including any of your favorite red meats, pizza or pastas...and hence it was our choice of wine for the holidays...besides at $ 14.75 for 1.5L it wasn't expensive.

Our Cars, Vans and SUV's parked in front of the property where we spent our holiday

Relaxing by this fire place with a glass of warm Cognac was just what we needed to end the day in a happy state of mind

The streets were plowed clean by the City's snow cleaning crews regularly which allowed us and the tons of other tourists or holiday makers to drive up and down the snowy hills to get to the grocery store or just to the village for a walk about or run their errnands.

This is actually where the 2010 Winter Olympics slopes were located and we had an excellent view of the slopes from the back terrace in our temporary appartment.

Skiers, including my17 year old son, going don the slope.

The Gondola and bus station at the bottom of the village in Whistler.

The Gondolas ran from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm ferrying skiers up and down the hills. A day pass cost around $ 70.00

I am looking forward to making the run up there this summer on 2 wheels