Who are the Terrorists Again?

I'm going to keep this simple:  It's payback for the elections.

It has nothing to do with new intelligence or new attempts.  It has nothing to do with keeping us safer, or even maintaining a perception of safety.  Violating the rights of life-long, law abiding, tax paying Americans has never, and will never, keep anyone safe!

This month, the American people voted for less government and more freedom.  It's no longer a "shot across the bow" with Tea Party rallies and conservative talk radio--it's real.

The TSA is the easiest way for this government to strike back and cover it in the name of "security."  It is the only point in our lives where government can literally go "hands on" without meeting a test for probable cause or being accountable via checks and balances.  No one is watching the TSA/DHS and thus they operate with impunity.

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!

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."

KLR650 Oil Leak

For the past two/three weeks I've been fighting with a very slow persistent oil leak emanating from the left side of the oil filter cap.



I did my annual oil change in May and didn't have any problems until late June so I'm really confused as to what could have caused it. The bike is a 1995 (A9) with just under 7k miles.

When it started, I noticed the bike was leaving about a half dollar sized drop on the ground. I've got it down to about a dime now. Seems to start after the motor warms up and starts dripping after being parked (motor off).

Things I have tried...

- Rubber oil filter o-rings (three of them from two different shops)
- New oil filter
- Emptying some oil to middle on window
- New oil filter cap
- New oil filter cap screws


Next step is to cut one of the rubber o-rings down and mash it in there with another full o-ring to create some additional pressure on the seal. Gasket maker is out of the question! Other than that, it's off to Vickery's service department.

Nothing more annoying that not being able to ride with an otherwise perfectly good bike sitting in the garage!

Colorado License Plate Fee Increase

I knew it was coming in July. I knew it was regressive and would hurt the working class the most. I didn't get the full impact of it until I got my motorcycle renewal in the mail yesterday.

Last year's total renewal costs (fees + ownership taxes) came to $26. This year it will be $51--double.

I can afford this increase and certainly have bigger things to complain about when it comes to taxes and big gov, but let's take a moment and think this one through...

My motorcycle is the third vehicle in my household. I ride it to save gas and started riding last year after the summer gas price spike. I ride nearly everyday unless it's raining hailstones. And yes, I also enjoy it!

I didn't consider riding for the environment but rather I saw the impact of high gas prices on our economy and knew several folks who were struggling (one that owns a business). I also agree that we need to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, the proceeds for which ends up supporting governments at odd with certain western values like NOT executing people who are gay, NOT imprisoning girls for going to school, and NOT stoning women who are the victim of sexual assault. I can afford gas for my car but recognize that I can make an impact by riding and have a little fun while doing it.

But it just so happens that two-wheeled transport, being the most efficient method of transporting a human being, is also better for the environment than a car/truck/SUV. Most bikes get better mileage than hybrids and that should make any environmentalist happy. In addition, bikes put less wear and tear on our roads and help ease traffic congestion--something local government should support.

So what Governor Ritter is doing, in my case, is punishing me for doing exactly what he and his party have asked me to do; cut back, conserve, make a positive impact. I wrote the Gov to tell him just that in the most polite way possible without getting political--we'll see if I get a response.

In the meantime, I'm confident the Governor is getting pounded by people asking why this increase applies to their old Honda Civic to the same degree it applies to a new $80k Land Rover.

Crazy Colorado Drivers

If you've been following the news lately you've probably heard the following regarding driving in the state and the country...

1. Denver ranks 10th on the list of the most expensive commutes

2. Drivers are wasting more time than ever stuck in traffic

3. Drivers in the state are driving more


So why are people driving?

The billions spent on mass transit clearly aren't eliminating our traffic woes. I would concede that light rail and bus service may help, but I'm hard pressed to find stats on the web. What I do know, from personal experience, is that light rail is a combination of inconvenience (taking longer to get from the DTC to downtown than driving in rush hour traffic) and expense ($5 one-way = $10 round trip {more than parking and gas}). Other commuters seem to agree (as demonstrated by the volume of cars on the road).

If commuters had any decision (beyond mass transit) in the matter, with #1 and #2, we wouldn't see #3. Who wants to spend hard earned money and precious time commuting? With everyone "going green" you can add a conflict of conscious to the money and the time spent as well.

Most hours on the road are related to commuting to and from work. In fact, most gainfully employed Coloradans, are compelled to be on the road five out of seven days a week (yeah, I know, how dare anyone want to pay his bills?). Ever drive I-25 on the weekends? Notice the difference? We didn't do TRex to widen I-25 for Saturday and Sunday traffic.

I've asked about telecommuting at a number of places I've worked and the answer is the same.... "We don't have a telecommuting policy" (i.e. "no") or "only for off hours" (meaning "on your own time while it represents additional, unpaid, value to me"). Even while consulting and offering a reduction on an hourly rate the answer was still "no." And of course I was never asking for 100% telecommuting time--most companies that have implemented a telecommuting program have still required some attendance at the office. There are also certain jobs that require a physical presence all the time, I haven't held such a job since college when I was waiting tables.

So why the natural resistance, or lack of planning, or apathy? Simple; managers/owners/"bosses" know they can get more out of employees when they can observe the day in and out work being done. If an employee takes eight hours to complete a task, how would you know if the employee really needed eight hours, or was done in two and took the rest of the day off? The remaining six hours would be lost productivity. Productivity, margins, cost efficiency is what modern corporate America is all about!

For an employer, there is no downside for commuting. Employers don't have to buy a car, insurance, gas, or RTD pass. And notice when the price of those items increases, pay doesn't necessarily increase to offset them. Commuting is not a paid activity (I'm not saying it should be). I would argue that stress, weather, and the occasional traffic incident (doesn't have to be your accident, just one that happened five minutes earlier on I-25) all impact productivity but it clearly isn't a large enough factor to counter the fear of lost productivity. Additionally, this source of lost productivity can be placed back on the employee. The question an employee is asked is "why are you late this morning?" not "why are we needlessly clogging the roadways every single weekday?"

So what can be done? Encourage, don't control...

1. Offer Colorado employers a tax benefit for allowing employees to telecommute a certain percentage (not 100%) of the work week. The State would recover the revenue by spending less on roadway projects, including weather "management" and emergency services. Recognize these employers by listing them on an annual communication about the program. Everyone likes a green pat on the back!

2. Encourage employers to allow flexible work schedules when attendance is required. Things like a 4/10 schedule, half days (half in the office, half at home), or even off peak schedules can help commuters recover lost time in traffic.

3. Provide a State income tax benefit to Coloradans who choose to live within a short distance from work. Anyone who observes traffic patterns on I-25 quickly realizes the huge number of people who work downtown yet choose to live in Highlands Ranch or Thornton. Two years ago I moved to be three miles from work and cut my commute from 45 minutes to 10. Imagine the amount of time and money I've saved! Not to even mention the green house gasses that keep Al Gore up at night.


So there you have three excellent ideas to cut congestion and help reduce carbon emissions but you will never see them at work. They do not raise taxes, offer companies a windfall, or even provide the proverbial "free lunch" for commuters. Ultimately, this is about choices and unfortunately people will continue to make bad ones.

Time for me to go to work! Don't want to late...