Friday, July 30, 2010

The Children Whine

People are finally waking up and many are waking up mad as hell. I predicted this some time ago (when they started to see some individual consequences) but I'm surprised by the lack of accountability some have displayed--many of these folks voted for Obama and other Democrats and have yet to make the connection.

I can't count the number of blogs I'm seeing with grown adults complaining about Obama's policies, one after the other, after openly admitting voting for him! Many are hysterical, some are even calling for civil war.

They are idle threats--these individuals won't do anything themselves. They want someone else to come in and make it stop on their behalf. This entitlement mentality is what got is into this mess in the first place (i.e. I should have everything for free). They lack the maturity and wisdom to know that they are accountable for the status quo and they have the power to change it.

They are children. 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 year old children!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Defective HJC Shield

Like a lot of manufacturers recently, quality is down, cost is up.  HJC is apparently no different.

I bought a HJ-05 dark smoke shield for my SyMax II helmet to replace one that I've had since 2002.  The old shield held up great, it's just got some chips and scratches that have gotten annoying.

The new shield was ~$22 and I thought would be just like the old one.  I was wrong.

The replacement shield distorts my vision so badly that I couldn't stand to ride with it one once.  The distortion completely tricked my depth perception creating what I believe would be a serious safety issues since riders have seconds to react on the road.  Objects appeared closer or further away when I moved my helmet up and down.

The newer shield is also clear when looking at it from the side while the old one is solid dark smoke.  They have likely changed the manufacturing process to save some money and the distortion is possibly a consequence of that.

I contacted HJC--they don't care.  My dealer doesn't care either and won't do a return since it has been opened and was put on the helmet (once).

So beware if you are shopping for a new HJC shield or helmet.  Inspect BEFORE you pay for it!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

McInnis Coverage

Scott McInnis must drop out. 

According to the interviews (including those of McInnis) there are one of two things that happened... 
  1. McInnis committed outright plagiarism
  2. McInnis put his name on a researcher's plagiarism without crediting the researcher
Either way, this is unacceptable for a gubernatorial candidate.

We do not tolerate these kinds of character flaws on the right.  Not to say we have any immunity, but unlike the left, we do not pretend that it didn't happen in hopes of progressing an ideology.  I've seen the interviews, and the story doesn't pass the sniff test.

Now for the interesting part...

The local media is obsessed with this story.  Even sending e-mail alerts and keeping the story on the front page when small details are known, like the resignation of three campaign staffers.  Take note:  If you have (R) after your name, you will be scrutinized for everything and anything in the media.

We didn't see this kind of coverage when Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper admitted his corporation hired the illegal immigrant that shot and killed Denver Police Detective Donnie YoungThis is a crime.  Hickenlooper, a Democrat, is Mayor to this day and is projected to be the Dem candidate for Governor.

We didn't see this kind of coverage when Democrat Governor Bill Ritter's campaign attorney Stephanie Villafuerte used Denver DA resources to out a whistle blower on Ritter's catch and release policy.  This is a crime.  Ritter has decided not to seek reelection after speculation that he lied to Federal investigators about his role.  If this is true, Ritter committed a crime.

We did see this kind of coverage when Douglas Bruce, a strong advocate of taxpayer rights and author of TABOR (this is worthy of it's own post), allegedly kicked a reporter in the knee for being disrespectful during a moment of prayer at the Capitol.  Bruce was nearly run out of town--any guesses as to his party affiliation or ideology?

What Scott McInnis did was wrong, but it was not a crime.  It is a matter that could be resolved in the civil courts and, from recent reporting, McInnis is giving back the $300,000 he was paid for the article in question.  What these front running Colorado Democrats have done is a crime and the coverage was limited to a blurb then stricken from the front page.

One could speculate that the higher standard on the right for personal conduct makes this a bigger story--McInnis was held to a higher standard and is somewhat of an ideological hypocrite.  Of course, this would mean Democrats are held to a lower standard and their hypocrisy is readily accepted by the press. 

The better explanation is, once again, media that has selected it's winner and crafted a reality to create that outcome.  This is tragic given that we can't afford anymore "selected" leadership.  The state has gone from budget surpluses and tax rebates to shortfalls, debt, and higher regulatory costs that are hurting Coloradans.

I'm not saying McInnis should be afforded a pass.  I just wish the same scrutiny applied to Republicans was also applied to Democrats.  We would end up with much better candidates.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Colorado License Plate Fee Increase II

To this day, the most visited page on my humble blog is the post about Colorado license plate fee increase.  People are not happy.

It's been about a year and I saw one of my vehicles stay the exact same while the other, a 1995 KLR650, actually went up $4!  I looked up the Kelly Blue Book value of these vehicles and I am paying ~4% and 5% each year to continue driving/owning them in Colorado.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is, once again, that this fee increase (really a tax increase) hurts individuals and families who are already running in the red and probably driving older vehicles anyway.  So much for "progressive taxation!"

Then comes income tax time when you learn that because the slimy Colorado Democrats call this a "fee" and not an ownership tax (which would have required voter approval in a recession) it is not tax deductible.  For example, my total renewal cost on my car is $122.  My ownership tax is $3.  I can only deduct $3.

For all of you out there who are equally angry, remember November.  You may not like the social issues platform of conservatives but, this tax and spend trend must be broken.  Do you want someone who makes you feel warm and fuzzy, or someone who makes it easier to live and work in your own country?

The tired liberal response of "well, you want bridges and roads so now it's time to pay for them," falls flat.  We have been paying for them for generations through income, sales, and gas taxes!!!

If we can't vote these Colorado liberals out it won't be long until we are known as the "New Jersey of the West."