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THE BANNED BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for September 24, 2020

You'll Be Blown Away by this Batch

By Bandit, Rogue, Wayfarer, Sam Burns, Bob T., Gearhead, Joe Smith, Stealth, the Redhead, Laura and the rest of the gang
9/24/2020


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Hey,

This is another fascinating week.
Tonight, the second Climate Hustle Documentary will be released at 8:00 anytime time zone. Go to Climate Depot and sign up for it. I can’t wait. If you have any questions about the Climate Alarmist efforts, check it out. For instance, wildfires. California has a problem with wildfires and Canada doesn’t. How about Polar Bears? Alarmist want us to think Polar Bears are dying off, but there are more Polar Bears than even before. You begin to wonder. This film should help.

Even in the ghetto, shit grows like crazy.
Even in the ghetto, shit grows like crazy.



I’m reading three books at the same time. That’s not usually the case. I’m reading Deadwood, the Golden Years, by Watson Parker. It’s basically a history of the region and mining, the impact on the region and the Indians. Since I’m trying like hell to move there, I need to know.

I’m also reading the Moral Animal, Why We Are the Way We Are, the New Science of Evolutionary Psychology. It’s a heady book about us and where we come from and how we got here. That term natural selection comes up over and over. Did you know that 99 percent of all species on the planet do it the same way from a wasp to a human. It’s also about the differences between men and women.

Famous street artist drew my Grandson and Em on his FXRP.
Famous street artist drew my Grandson and Em on his FXRP.



Then the Redhead came home the other day with a book she said was about Buddhism. That was a stretch. It’s about the comparison of the recent history of the Jews and the Tibetan Buddhist. It’s called The Jew in the Lotus, about a group of Jews who go to India to meet the Dalai Lama. Did you know that the Chinese took over Tibet in 1950 and killed 87,000 Tibetans and then moved Chinese citizens into the region and forced folks to give up Buddhism. That’s why the Dalai Lama fled to India. We must have been concentrating on Korea at the time. All told 1.2 million died since the occupation. This book was written in 1994. And recently the Chinese are taking parts of India. This is going to get interesting. The book compares what happened to the Jews to what happened to the Buddhist.

Bob Kay, Brian Klock, me, our Bikernet model and the builder of this amazing bike, at the Long Beach Show a few years back.
Bob Kay, Brian Klock, me, our Bikernet model and the builder of this amazing bike, at the Long Beach Show a few years back.



Also, I went to my local welding supply to refuel my acetylene tanks and found a magazine sitting on the counter. It’s called ARC, and had a cute girl from Alaska on the cover. I took a look, and the girl is a star of some gold hunting series on Discovery. She was cool, but it didn’t have much to do with welding. The magazine was supported by Lincoln or Miller welding and it did contain some welding tips. It was well laid out and I’ll watch for the next issue.



Speaking of Magazines, another motorcycle magazine, Cycle World bit the dust last week, maybe two. The new Easyriders seems to be stumbling, although it never got off the dime over the last couple of years. A lot of talk, a couple of parties and very little action. Ah, but I just got a peek at the new Choppers magazine, issue 2 and the new issue 3. This is tough. Cary Brobeck, the owner and editor only prints maybe 2,000 copies and attempts to sell them mail order. That’s a tough one, for lots of reasons.

I asked about the price of a page of advertising and didn’t get an answer. Here’s the positive side. It’s laid out by Beatnik who worked for Biker Magazine for decades and knows photography, layout, motorcycles and music. Plus, the mag is sheetfed printed, which is higher quality than web printing and they print on thicker paper. The mag looks good. I haven’t read them yet, but they look good.

He’s already talking about starting another magazine. I’ll report more about the stories and the biz in the near future. There’s more at the end. Let’s hit the news:

Click for all the info...
Click for all the info...

 
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

Click for Quick Action.
Click for Quick Action.







BIKETOBERFEST MOVES AHEAD-- despite COVID dangers

It's easy to understand why so many locals are eager for Biketoberfest to take place as scheduled. Hotels, bars and restaurants are desperate for revenue. Shutdowns mandated by the response to the coronavirus have ravaged area tourism for six months, and Biketoberfest is the last big tent-pole event of 2020. Meanwhile, many are sick of the long, stifling moratorium on the festivals that put Daytona Beach on the map for many.

They also wonder why events like the Daytona Truck Meet, which took place over Labor Day weekend and spurred vociferous complaints about noise and bad behavior, are allowed while city officials reject Biketoberfest plans. And they point to sharply declining rates of coronavirus infections to bolster their argument that this area's second-biggest street party should go forward as planned.

All valid points. But they don't outweigh the very real risks to public health that a big, ungovernable event like Biketoberfest poses. That's why the Daytona Beach City Commission was right to balk at permits for live music and outdoor vendors on Main Street and adjacent areas for the weekend of October 15-18, and why Ormond Beach city officials should have done the same. This event is a "recipe for disaster," as Stetson University Associate Professor of Public Health Asal Mohamadi Johnson told The News-Journal's Eileen Zaffiro-Kean last week.

For a good idea of what Biketoberfest 2020 would look like, look at the photos from the recent rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. You'll see thousands of people crammed elbow-to-elbow, with few face coverings in sight. To anyone educated in the science of pandemics – and who isn't these days? – it's a compendium of every single "don't" on display. It's true that one controversial study, claiming an extravagant infection rate for the event (upwards of 250,000 based on cellphone data) has been challenged. But while the confirmed infections may be far lower, they're still concerning: nearly 300 cases among people known to have attended the rally. With contact tracing thwarted by the crowded, fluid conditions, there's no way to tell how many may have been infected but asymptomatic – or how many people caught the virus from those infected at Sturgis.

Daytona Beach's action won't shut down the party. The Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is promoting the event on its website, and city officials can't stop private venues from hosting indoor events. That was why the Daytona Truck Meet was allowed to proceed; though disruption sprawled throughout the beachside, all the official events were held at the Daytona International Speedway. Meanwhile, it's likely party events will spill north and south of Daytona Beach.

The only way to shut Biketoberfest down would be if there were unanimous agreement among Volusia County cities and the business community that it's too risky. That isn't going to happen; the Daytona Beach commission stands alone in its decision to put public health above short-term financial gain. All we can do is pray that people will do their best to remain safe – and don't leave Biketoberfest with a deadly souvenir.

Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial board








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REAL CLIMATE SCIENCE FROM DAVID LEGATES SEEMS TO SCARE THE MEDIA, WILL IT SCARE NOAA?--BUCKLE UP! Let's break it down and debunk tons of lies about Legates, climate science, the scientific method, and The Heartland Institute.


It's not often that I read a MSM report and think that every single paragraph is full of sh!t. But this NPR story about Heartland friend and esteemed climate scientist David Legates has falsehoods in every single paragraph that doesn't simply identify him.

Well done, NPR — which reached out to Heartland for comment on a Saturday two hours before they published this story "on a tight deadline" for a story they were obviously working on for days. Your tax dollars subsidize this fake news, by the way.

Let's break it down and debunk tons of lies about Legates, climate science, the scientific method, and The Heartland Institute. Buckle up ... and this is just a quick rebuttal. A more-comprehensive one — based on the Climate Change Reconsidered series Legates helped produce, is warranted. Lead paragraph:

David Legates, a University of Delaware professor of climatology who has spent much of his career questioning basic tenets of climate science, has been hired for a top position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Legates has, indeed, been "questioning basic tenets of climate science," if you substitute the word "science" for "dogma." The very definition of science, in its most-basic sense from The Enlightenment to 2020, is "questioning the basic tenets" of current assumptions.

The ignorant taxpayer-supported NPR reporter Rebecca Hersher is ignorant of this basic fact of the scientific method. Again: She's paid, in part by you, to be a "science writer" for National Public Radio. After some factual boilerplate, here's paragraph #4:

Legates has a long history of using his position as an academic scientist to publicly cast doubt on climate science. His appointment to NOAA comes as Americans face profound threats stoked by climate change, from the vast, deadly wildfires in the West to an unusually active hurricane season in the South and East.

David has not "used his position" for anything. He's examined the data for many, many years and has not seen proof that humans are the chief drivers of climate change. Americans in the West threatened by wildfires have the extreme never-cut-any-tree-down "green" polices pushed by the Sierra Club and other luxuriously funded leftist groups to blame for their misery.

BTW: This year's hurricane season is, indeed, active, but that is only getting back to normal after almost historic years of inactivity. But the legacy media ignores all those facts. Because "disaster" sells, even if you have to make it up.

Global temperatures have already risen nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit as a result of greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Warming is happening the fastest at the Earth's poles, where sea ice is melting, permafrost is thawing and ocean temperatures are heating up, with devastating effects on animals and humans alike.

Ok. "nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit" ... since when? The climate science reporter doesn't say. Shouldn't, on a basic level, there should be some context to that? Oh, well. I guess NPR readers/listeners don't need that basic information. And is it the result of greenhouse gases? No proof of that in the National Public Radio story — which Americans think they can count on for comprehensive journalism.

The earth is warmer than it was before the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, when humans started burning fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But temperature readings in the United States were as warm or warmer in the 1930s than today, when global emissions were a tiny fraction of today. That is the kind of fact that Legates examines as a scientist.

--from the Heartland institute





INDIAN SCOUT ISSUES--
Attached is a picture of my 2016 Scout Sixty, I love the bike but have very low mileage and have gone through three starters already. Indian has replaced the starters parts and labor, but I am concerned that this may be an ongoing problem. Any of your readers out there have a fix for this other than selling my bike?

--Dan Hoffman
Executive Director
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce





AMA NEWS--At a time when one insurance company is very publicly pulling out of the moto market, Progressive is stepping up its niche marketing and proudly announced a historic landmark multi-year partnership with AMA Pro Racing. Progressive Insurance has been named “Title Sponsor & Official Insurance Company” of American Flat Track.

“This exciting relationship between Progressive Insurance and the AFT series comes at a time when interest in the sport is growing fast,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “We are very happy to be working with America’s largest motorcycle insurance carrier and bringing their expertise to our fanbase.”

“As the #1 motorcycle insurer in the U.S., Progressive is passionate about motorcycling,” said Eric Doubler, Progressive’s Recreational Vehicle Business Leader. “We’ve been a long-standing supporter of the two-wheel community, with product offerings and sponsorship of motorcycle events, rallies and racing teams spanning over decades. This agreement marks our commitment to the sport during a key period of growth.”

The sponsorship includes a $50,000 year-end points fund, awarded to the top performing riders in the AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines, AFT Production Twins and AFT Singles divisions.

Next up, the Progressive American Flat Track series takes to the track at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas for the Roof Systems Dallas Half-Mile presented by Law Tigers doubleheader on September 25-26, 2020.







KELLY LANG Lang Releases Highly Anticipated Album ‘Old Soul’--Makes appearance on Coffee, Country & Cody in advance of album release; Receives official proclamation from Nashville & Oklahoma City

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The stage is set as singer/ songwriter Kelly Lang draws the curtains and starts the show with the release of her highly anticipated album, 'Old Soul”. Surviving the tests of time, these serendipitous spins on popular classic hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s brush the dust off a time capsule to uncover the feel-good intent of simpler times. 'Old Soul' dances into the scene with unrivaled grace and distinctive dynamic, transporting listeners back to music's greatest era. 'Old Soul' is available to download and stream on all digital platforms.


“When I was recording my new album 'Old Soul,' I chose songs that brought me back to a simpler time. These songs are woven into the tapestry of our musical lives. My hope is that the listener will also be able to reminisce and be transported back to great memories while enjoying these classics with a new twist,” shares Lang.

The beauty of 'Old Soul' is manifested when Lang uses the power of music to turn the key that unlocks bliss within hearts across the world. The new album gives fans the opportunity to relive the magic that was first felt when listening to the original singles.'Old Soul' features 14 covers of critically acclaimed songs and highlights Lang's rare love and appreciation for the timeless classics. The album is sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms Chicken.

From writing and performing to producing her own music, Lang remains bold in her pursuit to deliver light to listeners and spread hope in times of need. Audiences of all ages are drawn to the sultry magnetism and positive charisma that flow from Kelly's eclectic energy and passion for her craft. The show has just begun as Kelly Lang stars with her ‘Old Soul’ to bring a one-of-a-kind listening experience to all!

Leading up to the release of 'Old Soul,' during an appearance on Coffee, Country & Cody live on WSM and Circle TV, Lang was surprised with Proclamations from both the City of Nashville and her hometown of Oklahoma City, declaring September 18, 2020, officially 'Kelly Lang Day'. Both of these honors are coinciding with the release of her new album.

I love old soul music and she does a good job with it.--Bandit





MANDATORY CALIFORNIA MEDIA ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT: No trees were harmed in the creation of this post, but several million electrons were mildly inconvenienced.

--Sam Burns





THE MAGAZINE FAN BASE REPORTS IN--Just read where another magazine is gone. Sad to say the least. I went to the local news stand last week and the shelves were empty. Could not believe it!

The only motorcycle related magazine was Cycle Source, that was all that was on the shelf.. Now I have been told they have went by monthly, not good news? I for one really miss Easyriders and The Horse. I am not sure if The Horse is gone or not but they went to shit when they screwed all of their subscribers.

I agree with you there is still a place for a good chopper/ lifestyle magazine. I love to have the magazine in my hands not looking at a screen. I hope a new Chopper magazine arrives, but I have my doubts?

--STEALTH







STELLA AWARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . "Say What???"

It's time again for the annual "Stella Awards"!

For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who in 1992 spilt hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico, where she purchased coffee.
You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving.
She was awarded $2.8 million in damages Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right?

That's right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head.

So keep your head scratcher handy. Here are the Stella’s for 2020:

SEVENTH PLACE
Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.
Start scratching!

SIXTH PLACE
Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbour ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour's hubcaps.
Scratch some more

FIFTH PLACE
Terrence Dickson, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish.
 
Keep scratching. There are more

FOURTH PLACE
Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next-door neighbour's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.
Pick a new spot to scratch, you're getting a bald spot.

THIRD PLACE
Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilt soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.
Only two more so ease up on the scratching

SECOND PLACE
Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000 ... oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.
 
Ok. Here we go!!

FIRST PLACE
This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down? $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

--from Rik Savenko
Stellar Research Specialists
Bikernet.com™





QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY--Mississippi News
Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter.

The pharmacist at the counter asked the older boy, 'Son, how old are you?'

'Eight', the boy replied.

The man continued, 'Do you know what these are used for?'

The boy replied, 'Not exactly, but they aren't for me.

They're for him. He's my brother. He's four."

"Oh, really?" the pharmacist replied with a grin.

"Yes." the boy said. "We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim, play tennis and ride a bike. Right now, he can't do none of those."

--Sam Burn
Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina™





Official US Climate Data Reveals No Cause For Alarm – ‘US climate has become less extreme compared to previous ages’

In short, the US climate is in most ways less extreme than it used to be. Temperatures are less extreme at both ends of the scale, storms less severe and droughts far less damaging. While it is now slightly warmer, this appears to have been largely beneficial.

Wildfires now burn only a fraction of the acreage they did prior to WW2

Sea-level rise is currently no higher than around the mid-20th century

Tornadoes are now less common than they used to be, particularly the stronger ones.

Floods are not getting worse

Hurricanes are not becoming either more frequent or powerful.

Summers were hotter in the 1930s than in any recent years.

Little or no rise in temperatures since the mid-1990s.



Global Warming Policy Foundation
A new paper published today by the Global Warming Policy Foundation shows that U.S. climate has been changing very gradually, and mostly in a benign way.

The paper, by British climate writer Paul Homewood, examines official US weather sources and finds almost nothing to justify alarm.

“The temperature has risen a little”, says Homewood, “but temperature extremes are still a long way off the levels seen in the 1930s. And there has been a reduction in cold spells and climate-related deaths, so in many ways, the US climate has become less extreme compared to previous ages.”

It is the same story for rainfall. There has been an increase overall, but the wettest year on record was nearly 50 years ago. Droughts were mostly far worse in the 1930s.

“It’s hard to find anything in the records of recent weather in the US that should give anyone any cause for alarm” says Homewood.

“It’s mostly rather reassuring. From heat to cold to storms and tornadoes, there is no trend that is out of the ordinary.”

Homewood’s paper, entitled The US Climate in 2019, can be downloaded here (pdf)




Summary

According to the recent US National Climate Assessment in 2018, ‘The last few years have seen record-breaking, climate-related weather extremes’. This is a
commonly made claim, and one that is widely hyped by the media. But what does the data say? How has the US climate changed in the last century or so, and is the climate becoming more extreme?

This study uses official data, mainly from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to analyze trends in temperature, precipitation, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, sea-level rise and wildfires. In particular, it takes account of the widely varying regional climates. It finds that:

• Average temperatures have risen by 0.15°F/decade since 1895, with the increase most marked in winter.

• There has been little or no rise in temperatures since the mid-1990s.

• Summers were hotter in the 1930s than in any recent years.

• Heatwaves were considerably more intense in decades up to 1960 than anything seen since.

• Cold spells are much less severe than they used to be.

• Central and Eastern regions have become wetter, with a consequent drastic reduction in drought. In the west, there has been little long-term change.

• While the climate has become wetter in much of the country, evidence shows that floods are not getting worse.

• Hurricanes are not becoming either more frequent or powerful.

• Tornadoes are now less common than they used to be, particularly the stronger ones.

• Sea-level rise is currently no higher than around the mid-20th century.

• Wildfires now burn only a fraction of the acreage they did prior to the Second World War.



In short, the US climate is in most ways less extreme than it used to be. Temperatures are less extreme at both ends of the scale, storms less severe and droughts far less damaging. While it is now slightly warmer, this appears to have been largely beneficial.






MIC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
A Good Drive with the Red Cross

Blood donations are in high demand across the nation and the Bonnier Motorcycle Group, now Octane Media, stepped up in Southern California last week and partnered with the American Red Cross.

"We were inspired by the desire to do something to help during these challenging times of the pandemic," said Andrew Leisner, senior vice president, managing director, Octane Media, and member of the MIC Board of Directors. "We saw that there was a severe shortage of blood. Thanks to Octane Media staff, members of the motorcycle industry, and the support of the Red Cross, we were able to do our part to contribute to the strained blood supply. I encourage everyone who is able to donate to contact their local Red Cross."



And motorcycles?
And motorcycles?



California to BAN SALES of New Gas-Powered Cars Starting in 2035--
Governor says widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and help to combat climate change


California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order Wednesday that aims to end the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered passenger cars in the state by 2035.

It is an ambitious attempt to bolster electric vehicles in the largest car market in the U.S., as well as a bid to tackle emissions that most scientists say contribute to climate change. Transportation is responsible for more than half of carbon pollution in California, the governor said.

More to come.

By Alejandro Lazo, Russell Gold and Micah Maidenberg, Wall Street Journal





OFFICIAL CANTINA EPISODE 90 REVIEW-- I actually read your Cantina episode right after you mentioned it when I stopped by to see you. You amaze me with your style.

I devour books, usually reading three books at the same time. Bizarre, I know. I read one book at my houseboat, a different one at the Warehouse, and another at the Bluff. The houseboat will be a biography, philosophy, text, etc. book. Expand my mind. The other two will be lighter. A James Lee Burke , Michael Connelly, Wilbur Smith, John Grisham, Daniel Silva, etc. etc.. Your writing fits in there. Motorcycles, loose women, the Harbor, what's not to like?

--Zack







THIS JUST IN FROM THE GRASSHOPPER TEMPLE--

Subject: Fwd: Six Life Lessons

I've seen some similar things to this, but this is by far the best. Some great lessons for all of us to be better and kinder people.

Six lessons about life and the way we treat people


1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.



During my second month of college, our professor

Gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student

And had breezed through the questions until I read


The last one:


"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the

Cleaning woman several times. She was tall,

Dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?



I handed in my paper, leaving the last question

Blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if

The last question would count toward our quiz grade.



"Absolutely, " said the professor.. "In your careers,

You will meet many people. All are significant.. They

Deserve your attention and care, even if all you do

Is smile and say "hello.."



I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her

Name was Dorothy.



2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain



One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American

Woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway

Trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had

Broken down and she desperately needed a ride.

Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally

Unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man

Took her to safety, helped her get assistance and

Put her into a taxicab.



She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his

Address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a

Knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a

Giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A

Special note was attached.



It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway

The other night. The rain drenched not only my

Clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.

Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying

Husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God

Bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving

Others."



Sincerely,

Mrs. Nat King Cole.



3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those

Who serve.



In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,

A 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and

Sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in

Front of him.



"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.



The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and

Studied the coins in it.



"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.



By now more people were waiting for a table and the

Waitress was growing impatient..



"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.



The little boy again counted his coins.



"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.



The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on

The table and walked away The boy finished the ice

Cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress

Came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the

Table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,

Were two nickels and five pennies..



You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had

To have enough left to leave her a tip.



4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.



In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a

Roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if

Anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the

King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by

And simply walked around it.. Many loudly blamed the

King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did

Anything about getting the stone out of the way.



Then a peasant came along carrying a load of

Vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the

peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the

stone to the side of the road. After much pushing

and straining, he finally succeeded. After the

peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed

a purse lying in the road where the boulder had

been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note

from the King indicating that the gold was for the

person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The

peasant learned what many of us never understand!



Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve

our condition.



5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...



Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a

hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who

was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only

chance of recovery appeared to be a blood

transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had

miraculously survived the same disease and had

developed the antibodies needed to combat the

illness. The doctor explained the situation to her

little brother, and asked the little boy if he would

be willing to give his blood to his sister.



I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a

deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save

her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed

next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing

the color returning to her cheek. Then his face

grew pale and his smile faded.



He looked up at the doctor and asked with a

trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".



Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the

doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his

sister all of his blood in order to save her.





6 - Sixth Important Lesson - Debt-



"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation...

One is by sword...

....another is by debt."


John Adams 1826



--Joe Smith






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