ReconRat

When I was a poor student, I would use simple cheap reflectors with basic light bulbs. And either use black and white, or use a filter to adjust the color. Now you might be able to simply adjust the color with photoshop. Although I use paint dot net, it's free (getpaint.net) edit: now if shooting people, you'll need something like what you're thinking about. Better light and not so much heat. Reflector umbrellas with slave strobe bounce.

all creatures great and small are mutations one and all once were something other hence all related one another Except plants, plants are evil! Either food or medicine or poison (poison is medicine, just not a good one) They do their own thing, and probably will one day rule the Earth. Again. (They were first.) Us animals are most likely a temporary existence in a grand scheme of time. I mean logic rules here, animals don't exist well without plants. But plants are perfectly ok with no animals.

Nice thread. Very interesting. I've no clue what bike in future. Don't know whether to go lighter or heavier or stay the same. Long range or local tripster? dunno. One of each? Guess I'm still happy with a bike that can do both. Do want a minimum power to weight ratio. I know that a lighter bike isn't necessarily all that comfortable for long range trips, but somehow that's an combination that's always been attractive, even if unobtainable and not practical.

I have seen the projects that social Security stabilizes somewhere in the future. Hope that's true. Latest "sky is falling" would be a potential drastic increase in the average lifespan, from medical technology.

All Hail Jupiter! King of the Gods! (Roman) I always wondered about that "'give onto Caesar' and pay their taxes to Rome" part. Always made me suspicious... Whose idea was that exactly? *tin foil hat*

Who is this guy? I like him. Where we are today wasn't exactly the concept of representation by a "citizen" Congress, eh? I don't know how to police Congress for bad behavior. Someday someone will figure it out. And yes, financial and banking are cleaning the citizens out. Slowly and carefully, so we don't quite notice. Because they can, and no one is stopping them.

Maybe specs have changed? Maybe modern oils don't have to change out over Winter? If it's oil that meets Honda specs, I'd say ok, unless it's obviously dirty or wasted oil. Then change it anyway. Engines that get hotter than normal will need oil changes sooner, etc. A problem typically seen in air cooler engines, not water cooled. Also engines that are run outside of normal conditions of any type. Hard use, change the oil more often. edit: I absolutely agree with the "notchy" butt diagnosis. I call it "crunchy". Shifts feel different. Most noticeable at low rpms, when tranny parts are trying to move around.

My experience in cases like that, are that there is a vehicle roughly matching your description on the want list. So pull them all over, no exceptions. Any excuse will suffice. and it will always seem strange. Warning: This can mean additional encounters in that general area. I also tend to think that a bike that doesn't run gets a lot of leniency. Not to mention that our bikes can momentarily smack 20 mph over with a rapid snap of the throttle. If that's done within range of the radar/laser, it's captured, regardless of the actual road speed intended.

yes... but.... the amount of social security funds available exceeds that which is paid out by a large margin. That amount was borrowed and spent a long long time ago with a promise to pay it when it comes due.

pretty close. Seems to me the "raise the debt ceiling" is providing new expenditures. edit: Still wrapping my head around the idea we did this every year of the Bush administration. I don't remember any of that at all. Guess there were quiet negotiations and an agreement.

It goes into the general fund. Where it gets spent on mostly anything else other than social security.

flip flop - who'd a guessed... hard to make a decision without all the data having had cars try to whack me on a bike, I don't understand why he didn't just book it. Gone in 60. edit: I guess a BMW can't outrun a pickup truck...

The real risk to the global market isn't as terrible as given to us by politicians and media. The USA has lots of money, and isn't defaulting anything. So far it's all political posturing, for the next election. There is a current risk to the USA's credit rating, however. What stands in contention, is the question of changes to increase borrowing, spending, and debt. The existing amounts of borrowing, spending and debt are high, but containable. Barely. China is simply pushing for a world that isn't tied to the US dollar. Expect to hear an offer to base the world on the Chinese Yuan. Edit: Yes, the world media, everywhere, is rocking the global markets with doom and gloom.

Did you know that Congress et all has raised the debt limit 7 times in the last 7 to 8 years? That amounts to $43,000 per household. Another additional $8,800 is currently proposed. Let's be clear, if your city did that it would be gone. It's also the same as each household spending 43000 to 51800 that they don't have to spend and can't repay. imho: essentially, we're already bankrupt at the federal level. No clue how to get out of it. And yet, rather than seriously trying to fix it, all play the blame game, and ask for more money. http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/26/morning-bell-43000-per-household/

Not sure of any connections between the two. Only thing I've heard is some despair that the new health care only covers citizens. But I don't know if that is true or not. Immigrants look like good hard workers. Appears to be an improvement overall. Now if we could just cut back on the free-loaders...

oh look... common sense. Wish we had more of that http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/13/rand-paul-obama-is-trying-to-scare-people-on-debt-ceiling/?hpt=hp_c2 I did not realize that among the "bargaining" was a removal of the sequester on spending increase. I'm pretty sure we should balance our budget as best we can, and not increase our debt. I'll say it yet again. The final solution when a country owes another a lot of money, is to give away part of your land, your country, to settle the debt. Exactly what part of the USA would we give China? Or conversely, which part would they want? hint us: Southern California hint them: mineral ore and oil territory

wimp. my old pos jeep is a 5 speed manual. and no muffler...

It depends on when it can be accessed and delivered. Might be a while. At the same time, the shale oil in the USA, is expected to do something similar. Not sure of the exact numbers and time frames, but it's expected to make the USA not only largely independant in fuel and gas, but the USA will become a major exporter. At some point in the future, the two and maybe three very large oil discoverys off shore in Brazil, will take over as the number one source for a long long time. Each of the two or three (they are still looking) are expected to be major suppliers. So the future... the USA, Australia, and Brazil will dominate the world oil market, and the world economy in general, if they play their cards right. China also has large amounts of shale oil that the USA is helping them go after. But China's growth will probably use up most of it right there, exporting very little. Yes, Australian oil deposits is interesting news, and it's the first I've heard of it. edit: quick search, it appears that exploration hasn't determined the exact size of the Australian fields yet. It's shale oil, difficult to recover, and is estimated between 3.5 and 233 billion. That's quite a wide range, and looks like they don't know yet what to expect. edit deux: the Olympic Dam Project (mining like Yellowknife in Canada) is near the shale fields. That mining area is failing, because of a slowdown in demand from China for metals. It's been closing down. Copper and uranium ore, mostly. http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/01/23/1226560/402821-oil-search-map.jpg

gosh... so pretty much like federal tax returns, at some point 60% of the payments going out will be bogus payments. and the guberment will call that acceptable losses, probably. we're doomed, we'll never be able to pay this crap off...

2006, his first term as new Senator from Illinois http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/debtlimit.asp short memory, times change Debtors used to be taken to the highest building in town, and dropped on their head. Early Europe didn't have many debtors...

I dunno, the last time I bought stuff at Dick's, they gouged me on something pretty bad. I wasn't thinking when I picked up "other stuff" and bought it. I probably won't ever go back. Still pissed. They had lowered the price on a main item, and jacked the prices on stuff that would go with it. Extremely.

ha... they will probably send him a ticket in the mail. erm, after they get back to work... btw, it looked like he could have wiggled around the gate at the bridge instead of fording the creek

Wonder if I got any contacts in the Chinese Ministry of Public Security Come on home young lady, take a break

Weather should be ok, except for riders returning to the West later in the afternoon. Like me, who chickened out. All bets off after 8pm, probably going to rain all night and tomorrow.

Accuweather says thunderstorms at 1am, 4am, 6am, and rain at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, and 9pm. weather gov says .16" typical average over night and light .12" on Sunday and heavy .81" after 9pm. This is "dodge the storm weather"... ride whatever direction avoids it if possible, or punch through it edit: it's midnight, and forecast changed: weather gov says heavy .58 average over night and .36" on Sunday and heavy .81" after 9pm.