Lone Eagle

Don't worry, Kit - I was right behind you - never saw sucha pristine lake with so many cell phones and logs :rotf:And what fish I caught, my dogs will be on a good diet That was fun, though.

This morning, I found this article under my News Headlines on my google news home page. Scary, but interesting, especially since I come from a "typewriter" age. What do you guys think? This author with the New York Times had a link on there to share - so I copied and pasted this article. You’re Not Buying Gadgets Any More, You are Subscribing To Them By Saul Hansell Tags: Blu ray, digital television, Televisions When I wrote last week, about the apparent victory of Blu-ray discs over HD DVD, there was a deluge of comments from readers. Those that agreed with my take on things, let’s say, were a rather small—if well-informed—minority. One of the many assertions that readers found objectionable, was the idea that any standard for high-definition discs is better than a format war. HD DVD’s defenders listed that format’s many advantages, such as the requirement that players include an Internet connection. This enables interactive features as well as updates to the player software. The readers are right. It was silly of Sony not to put an Ethernet jack on the back of every Blu-ray player. It was perfectly clear when the specification was being finalized that we are in a connected world, where nearly every experience can be made better by a network connection. The most common Blu-ray player, Sony’s PlayStation 3 console, does have an Ethernet jack, of course. But technologies evolve. Smart engineers hate limits, and they create ways to overcome them. Indeed, today Ars Technica has a long analysis about the Blu-ray 2.0 specification. Guess what? The next generation of Blu-ray players will have network connections, as well as more memory and processing power so they can match some of the tricks of HD DVD. Of course, the 500,000 people who have bought stand alone Blu-ray players won’t have access to these features. But that is the price of being an early adopter. To stay sane, any consumer needs to think of digital technology as a subscription rather than a product. In the old days, you could buy a typewriter, television or a camera, and it might well last decades. Computers have been different. Once you buy a PC, you are really signing up to upgrade it on a regular basis. Now digital consumer electronics are the same. Your camera, video disc player, and even your television are now likely to become obsolete in just a few years. Everyone who walks into the Best Buy understands that you pay more for a device with fancier features and newer technology. But the price difference is greater than what appears on the price tags: To keep yourself on the leading edge, you will have to replace your devices more frequently with more expensive devices than those people who want older, more established technology. Buy a G.P.S. and you can choose to be on the $900-every-two-years plan, the $300-every-four-years plan or the $150-every eight-years-plan. Sure, you can replace your cheap machines more often or keep your expensive machines longer. But you are letting your position on the innovation curve shift. It’s no different than changing from the cheap to the expensive Netflix or cable package. Indeed, the price of high-tech devices can often tell the buyer where on the replacement cycle the product is. Clearly, anyone buying a high-priced high-definition disc player this early is signing up for a much shorter replacement cycle. (But note: Toshiba may be using heavy discounting to signal consumers that the technology is far more stable than it actually is.) Digital televisions are especially in flux. The features are changing. The quality, reliability and especially the affordability improves substantially each year. So every buyer of a digital TV has had to cope with the feeling that come up seeing the Sunday ad supplements offering a set with much better specs at a much lower price in less than a year. But again, if you choose to think of a television as a subscription, this may get a little easier to swallow. Accept this idea of consumer electronics as a subscription and you can defend profligate spending on the latest gadget or pinching pinching for a necessity.

That was actually pretty cool - I could see mounting those onto the saddlebags.

We'll take a ride for you all out here - it was 58 today and SUNNY

I want to know who the back rest is for on the second trunk - great looking bike.

Now that is something I would like to see - (8) people on a bike :rotf:

There is a company in Los Angeles who will re-chrome the stock ones - if I recall fairly reasonable compared to the new wheels. Someone here may have that info- if not, I will try and get it. I am thinking of getting mine re-chromed at some point - as you can't see much of them anyway.

That's "COOL BEANS" and awesome to hear, Brad. You guys take it easy - and bring her lot's of DQ. Our thoughts are for a speedy recovery.

Just ordered another one - thank you.

Hey, Brad and Lonna - hope all goes well. You both are in our thoughts.

JT, I would have to agree with you on this one - but around here, the guys carry a much larger weapon. I think scenes like this (no offense to Z Factor) gives some guys - young gangsta's ideas. Certain areas of No. Cal have been hit hard lately with violence / drive by's; just yesterday during a drive by, a 10 year boy receiving his piano lesson in a piano studio, was on the receiving end of a bullet used in a robbery that went through both doors of a car, through the wall of the piano studio, and the report tonight is this boy will be paralyzed.

WOW, from any inter action I've had with Harley dealers, NON have ever been that way. Many have been extremely friendly. Even when I stopped into a custom shop - inquiring about something for my bike - I was told only Harley's - but at least it was civil / polite. I would definitely document it and send a letter to Harley - I'm sure they wouldn't put up with that.

I wonder if he knows Wild Hair :rotf:

9 to go - who is going to be lucky 4,000??????

That's an awesome program - thanks for sharing. Wish the other states would consider something like that.

Great job, Pit - looks awesome. Have fun.

Ask BEER 30 - he might make a special one.

I've seen a few variations of this type of letter - this one is actually very well written. Thanks for sharing.

Hang in there, Jack - it's really howling now - feels twice as bad as this morning.

Hey, Jack - you don't need a luggage rack - you need an ark with this weather - :rotf:

Now, I wonder what they mean by this law? Are they talking on the bike or the rider???? "Bikers riding during darkness must use lights and reflectors while riding on highways, sidewalks or bikeways.". Or, how about this one - I couldn't even stand on one of these things - let alone go fast :rotf: "It is also illegal to ride an electronic personal assistant mobility device, such as a Segway Human Transporter, at an unsafe speed for conditions, in a reckless manner or a speed that endangers the safety of others." And those are appropriate for the heading - " Crack Down On Scofflaws"

I'll need to talk to my attorney about this one - injustice I tell you.

Oh man, I still in shock but so glad to hear Brad and Lonna are relatively OK. Brad / Lonna - I might be a long way out here - but if there is anything or anyway I can help you guys, don't hesitate to ask. Major Prayers going out to night.

happy New Year to you and yours, Don.

Strange place to go fishin, Charlie - but whatever works :rotf:. Happy NEw Year to you.