Two Wheel Tuesday

Gathering of the Nortons, my favorite annual vintage motorcycle event will be held this Sunday. It is the biggest antique and classic motorcycle show on the East Coast in the United States.

Ten years ago after the event ended and I was getting ready to ride home, the owner of a vintage BMW motorcycle parked next to mine asked me if I was riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX14. By todays standards, the Ninja ZX14 is a very fast motorcycle which is electronically restricted to a top speed of 186 mph.

I replied in the affirmative, and said yes. The gentleman responded, "you got big cojones to ride that thing, that Ninja is a real beast on the highway amigo". I burst out laughing to what he said, and responded "yes, the Ninja ZX14 is very fast, but the posted speed limit on the highway is 65 mph".

His comment made my day. It's been ten years, and to this day his innocent observation brings a smile on my face every time I remember what he said.

50 Years On Two Wheels

I am lucky enough to be riding motorcycles in what is now my 50th year on two wheels. As a 17-year-old, I needed my mother's consent and her name listed on the bike's title and registration to purchase my first bike from the dealership. 

Three months later, I received my first real wake up call in life when I got drunk, crashed my bike and broke my leg while drinking and driving. I was a couple of months shy of my 18th birthday. 

A lot has happened since the day that I walked out of the dealership with my first motorcycle. I have no regrets. I cannot regret something that has taught me valuable and worthwhile lessons in life.

Maga Christian Nationalists Speaking In Tongues

As Psalm 52:2-4 states, “Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth".

What does the Bible have to say to current political events in the United States? Nowhere in the Bible mention the Democrats or Republicans, but current false prophets will have you believe that their God support MAGA.

The MAGA faithful right-wing Christian Talibangelicals will argue that this is a battle between good and evil.

Last week on the Arizona Senate floor, GOP MAGA Christian representatives knelt on the Senate floor on a prayer circle, speaking in tongues while they called for the "presence of the lord" in the senate chamber.

Religious zealots praying on the Senate floor on tax payer money.

The picture of them speaking in tongues on the Senate floor looked like a cult gathering. These politicians appeared possessed, like if they needed an exorcism. I always thought that speaking in tongues was something those possessed by the devil did.

Please vote these lunatics out of office; we are represented by the worst people.

Top picture was taken at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philly.

Masochists Must Be Having A Field Day

Why do some people prefer cold miserable weather? In my humble opinion, it must be because they enjoy pain.

Take a look at this picture, and in all honesty tell me, where is the fun of being outside with two feet of heavy snow and wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph? 

The April Nor'easter is pounding the Northeast from New England to New York, bringing heavy snow, rain, high winds, tornadoes, power outages and death this week. Masochists must be having a field day.

Another Trip Around The Sun

I am now accepting birthday dinners, lunches and gifts, all month long!

Last year, on April 4, 2023, I spent my birthday attending The Orange Turd historic indictment in Manhattan Criminal Court. I was interviewed by a NYC newspaper, and I video recorded this historic event for my channel. 

It's been freezing cold and rainy all week, so most likely I'll stay indoors today. I have plans to celebrate with friends in New York City this weekend!

The second picture is from 1959, when I was 3 years old. The last image was taken in 1983 when I turned 27 years old. Happy Birthday to me !!!!

Democrat Running On Women's Rights Platform Wins Alabama House Seat By 25 Points

Republicans Lose Red Alabama and Worry About a Trump 2024 Loss Over Women's Rights

Let's Make America Pray Again

"Happy Holy Week! Let's America Pray Again. I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible." - Donald J. Trump

Don Poorleone new grift is selling Bibles while pretending to be religious. Don Poorleone is really desperate, how embarrassing! The Orange Turd has no shame.

The man who only steps foot in a church for funerals is now selling Bibles. The man who couldn't list ANY Bible verse claims the Bible is his favorite book. This loser is the biggest embarrassment to this country! This is actually quite offensive; the man isn't religious at all and he's mocking it to make money. How does that Bible not burst into flames immediately?  He insulted the courts and judiciary, now he insults the church. Truly shocking.

Proceeds of this Bible will go into Don Poorleone pockets. Using a religious book to line his pockets is blasphemous! He's becoming more like one of those disgusting televangelist, asking for funds!

Baltimore Bridge Collapses

I learned today, that the six missing workers from the Francis Scott Key bridge that collapsed yesterday morning in Baltimore are hard working men from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

All of them came to the city of Baltimore for a better life. They were fixing potholes and replacing concrete at 1:30 am on the bridge when it collapsed.

Racist trash people and others like MAGA Marjorie Taylor Greene and her ilk are using this bridge tragedy for political purposes. MAGA and members of the GOP are using race-baiting dog whistles blaming diversity for this accident, and suggesting that the Mayor of Baltimore got his job because he is black. What?

FoxNews conspiracy theorist Maria Bartiromo is trying to link the bridge collapse to "the wide open border". Why is the border being brought up in a discussion about the bridge? What does diversity have to do with a 110,000 ton cargoship from Singapore losing power and hitting a bridge?

For the GOP, regardless of nationality and immigration status, anybody from south of the border is the boogeyman. Within an hour they were saying it on live TV. These Republicans are letting their racism and xenophobia show in plain sight. I can only assume the MAGA trash will not be offering "thoughts and prayers" to the South American victims.

Republican James Comer and Jim Jordan will now blame Biden on the bridge tragedy, and provide proof that Biden was the captain of the cargoship to try to impeach him, again. [insert sarcasm here] 😄

Just When You Thought That Things Couldn't Get Any Worse

Are you following the news about the terrorist mass-shooting attack at a music concert in Russia last Friday? The latest report says that the Islamic group Isis took responsibility for the massacre.

There are also reports that all the terrorists were arrested after their car overturned while being chased by Russian police. One report indicates that the American embassy in Moscow warned that Americans should not go to large gatherings in Russia. Apparently president Putin dismissed the warnings as "Western blackmail". 

Now, Russia blames the Ukraine for the terrorist attack, while Putin critics suggest it was a "false flag" operation. In other words, Putin opposition claim that Russia carried out the attack against its own people to justify escalation against Ukraine. 

In related news, this morning Poland is accusing Russia of entering its country airspace, after Russia fired a cruise missile into Polish airspace to attack Ukraine. 

Methinks is going to get worse, before it gets better. 

Mega Church Gets Caught Up In Love Triangle Scandal

Pastor Stacey Hilliar, a self-described prophet from a Pentecostal revival congregation who has 12 branches in Australia, Thailand and the United States, confessed to an affair with a married church leader.

She had no choice but to confess after she was ratted out by another church member. This Mega Church scandal reminds me of Paula White, The Orange Turd White House spiritual advisor. Remember her?

The top picture is of Paula White, a preacher who worked in the White House as The Orange Turd spiritual advisor. She gave the invocation at The Orange Turd White House inauguration in 2017. Before she joined his administration, Paula White was best known as a televangelist, and for her work at several megachurches.

While Paula was still married to her second husband, she was seen leaving a hotel in Rome hand in hand with televangelist Benny Hinn. The blonde woman wearing a green top, is adulterer Paula White praying over The Orange Turd in the White House.

The more pious and self-righteous these Christian preachers presents themselves in public, the more dirt they’re doing behind closed doors. These hypocrites always get caught but never admit their hypocrisy. I don't care if they had regular orgies in the church, but please stop telling everyone else how to live.

Kamala Harris Visita la Isla de Puerto Rico

La vice-presidente de Estados Unidos Kamala Harris estuvo en Puerto Rico en un viaje relampago ayer. Los politicos Americanos solo dan cara en la Isla del Encanto en tiempo de elecciones. 

Como de costumbre, solo aparecen cuando vienen a colectar dinero para sus campañas politicas en Estados Unidos o porque necesitan el voto de los puertorriquenos que viven en algun estado de la nacion. Mas claro lo dice el periodico APNews :

"U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Puerto Rico on Friday as part of a whirlwind trip to tout the federal aid the U.S. territory has received following deadly hurricanes and attend a Democratic fundraiser. Her visit comes days after U.S. President Joe Biden launched a campaign targeting Latino voters ahead of the November general elections. While those in Puerto Rico cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections despite being U.S. citizens, more than 5 million Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. mainland."

Como siempre ocurre, nuestro pueblo cree las promesas de mejoras a nuestro pais de los Americanos, y las ofertas de mas (mantengo) ayudas federales. Los politicos Americanos vienen, se toman fotos con los ladrones politicos que nos tienen jodidos, visitan alguna que otra familia pobre para tomarse fotos, y al final del dia se montan en sus aviones con el dinero que recogieron y se van. Kamala Harris estuvo pisando la tierra de Puerto Rico solo por 5 horas. 

Que bueno es estar en la colonia viviendo añangotao.

When It Comes To Photography, Nothing Beats Today's Technology

My first real camera was a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 film camera, purchased as a gift to myself in 1988 after my divorce. The other camera shown on this picture was my first digital Nikon DSLR purchased in 2015.

Earlier this week I declined to participate in a conversation about taking pictures using film, and developing my own images in a darkroom at home or sending the film to a processing lab. Hardcore photography purists can be rough, and for some is hard to compromise. It is their way, or no way.

The last time I used my film Yashica FX-3 camera in 2002, I visited Washington DC and spent a week sightseeing the city. When I returned home, I took a roll of film of 36 exposures to get it developed. It was a huge mistake because the processing lab ruined ALL my vacation pictures.

When it comes to photography, nothing beats today's ( digital camera or smartphone ) technology.

Shaken, Not Stirred

It is been said that Ian Fleming, creator of Bond, prefers his martinis "shaken, not stirred", because shaking mixes the drink with air, making it colder and it preserves the flavor of the drink.

Recently, there were rumors that the new successor in the 007 film franchise was going to be a woman. But according to a British tabloid newspaper, Aaron Taylor-Johnson could be the next James Bond. The tabloid released a story this week saying the 33 year old British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson had been offered the role of 007.

Personally, I believe the producers missed a great opportunity in not selecting a female Bond. In my opinion, it is time the role of secret service agent Bond went to a woman.

Donald Trump - A Fake Billionaire : The Biggest Lying Con In America Got Exposed

Nobody likes a fake broke billionaire. I wonder how many classified documents they find when they sell his properties.

Everybody in New York City knew he wasn't a real billionaire. So it's good to see the rest of the world finally getting woke to the truth. Donald Trump's broke as a joke. I bet he doesn't even have money to buy his depends.

I am waiting to hear his followers excuses as to why their dear leader can't come up with the $465 million dollars bond. Maybe Trump will pull another Presidential first, and be the first homeless presidential candidate. Hahaha

Some Things Are Best To Be Kept Private

Many moons ago, my therapist suggested to start writing in a journal. He also said, to once in a while flip back through the pages I had written to see any patterns about my progress.

At that point in my life, journal writing helped me tremendously. Expressing my thoughts and feelings on paper was very therapeutic, and a very effective tool for were I was at that particular moment in my life.

With the passage of time, in 2004 I found the blogs and began writing an online blog. Writing online was different, because it allowed me to incorporate cartoons and a photo editor like photoshop into my blog journal, to express my feelings using humor and laughter as a coping mechanism.

Granted, still some of my most painful and emotional feelings are still written on paper, on a private journal. Some things are best to be kept private.

What Did You Expect Would Happen?

A man visiting a zoo in India, climbed a 25-foot wall and jumped into the lion cage attempting to take a selfie with a lion.

According to the news report, the man ignored the zoo caretakers warnings to step away from the lions. What did you expect would happen? Instead of a selfie he was mauled to death and eaten by several lions.

Rumor has it that this man has been nominated for the 2024 Darwin Awards.

Two Wheel Tuesday - Maryland International Raceway

The top image was taken in 2012, the first year I purchased my current Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. If I am not mistaken, this is one of the first pictures taken riding this bike.

On my way home after attending a motorcycle drag race event at Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville, MD, I decided to fill up my tank before getting on the interstate highway. It was going to be a four and a half long and rainy ride back to Philadelphia.

At the gas station I politely asked a gentleman to take a picture of me sitting on my motorcycle. He obliged and handed over the camera back to me. Looking at the picture at home later that night, I felt that the image taken that morning was missing something.

After a quick internet search, I found a pic of a lady pumping gas to her own car. I blended/photoshopped her into my own gas station image. At the time I wasn't aware how well adding this lady to my picture, was going to be received. Surprisingly, some people believed she was at the gas station that day checking me out.

What are the chances that millionaire La La Anthony, ex-wife of NBA professional basketball player Carmelo Anthony, was at a gas station in a Maryland countryside checking me out?

The United States Immigration Policy Should Not Be a Political Football

President Biden and the one-term, twice impeached former president Trump, are scheduled to visit the United States - Mexico border Thursday of this week.

In my opinion, this is just another photo-op for both politicians to make believe they are interested in solving the border crisis. What should we expect of their border visit? More of the same, lots of empty promises, after years of blah blah blah.

Both parties are supposedly so concerned about our southern border, that they accuse each other about the crisis. They do their best to present their talking points, but do nothing about it. The United States immigration policy should not be a political football.

The Wow Factor

This is the best example that I can provide anyone about the importance of photo editing, and creating a composite image that pleases me.

You probably already know that a composite photo, is the combination of two or more images or photos to create a new one. Realizing that I am my own worst critic, to me the second image looks rather plain, and lacks the "wow" factor.

All pictures were taken the same day, June 2018 from Governors Island in NY. The last picture is a composite created a year later when I was bored and began tinkering with a few old pictures using my favorite photo editor, Adobe Photoshop Elements. For the final image I replaced the dull plain sky, and added a water reflection to the Hudson River in New York Harbor.

Some hardcore purist photographers criticize composite pictures. They argue that it is not real photography because the image has been manipulated. I am not a professional photographer. As long as I like the final result, I am having fun and not hurting anyone, that is all it matters to me.

Foto Friday - February 23, 2024

This picture was taken two or three years ago, from Camden NJ waterfront, while I was waiting for the 4th of July fireworks.

The reason why it was never posted until today, is because I was not happy with the colors of the image. Too much distraction due to the mismatched vibrant colors.

Today, I decided to make some adjustments into a black/white picture to give it a more nostalgic and dramatic feeling. In my opinion, the photo looks a lot better in black and white without the distractions of color. The contrast between the subject in the image is more defined, and in my opinion the subject appears to be better isolated.

Nada Dura Para Siempre, Todo Tiene Su Final

Hoy me acabo de enterar , que el que yo consideraba el mejor website de fotografia, cerro sus puertas al final de 2023. 

Photography On The Net era mi foro de internet favorito, en lo que respecta a intercambiar fotos, ofrecer opiniones y adquirir conocimientos sobre temas relacionados a la fotografia.  Como dice la cancion de Hector Lavoe y Willie Colon, "Todo Tiene Su Final". Fue divertido participar en el website Photography On The Net, mientras estuvo activo en el internet.

Three Kings Day Celebration

Last night I was talking with my niece who lives in Puerto Rico, about “El Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos”. Three Kings Day is one of those childhood traditions a lot of families still keep in the island.

In Western Christianity, Three Kings Day commemorates the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus Christ.

For those not familiar with this tradition, Three Kings Day marks the Epiphany. Catholics believed the Three Wise Men or Magi followed the Star of Bethlehem and arrived with gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold for the newborn King, baby Jesus. In the Latino community, Three Kings Day “Día de los Reyes Magos” is always celebrated 12 days after Christmas Day, ( on January 6 ). It is my favorite day of the whole "Christmas" celebration.

For decades, Puerto Rican children have celebrated Los Tres Reyes Magos in the same manner as our grandparents did when they were children. As far as I remember, when I was a kid, none of my friends nor their families exchanged gifts on Christmas day.

I was about seven years old, when I was asked to be one of the Three Kings in a school play. I didn't want to do it, but with a little encouragement from mom I agreed. She even helped to create my King costume. Everything was going well until right before I climbed on stage. I was absolutely terrified. I took a deep breath, stepped on stage and stage fright took over me. I forgot my lines and mumbled the name of the King I was representing, "Yo soy Melchor", I am Melchor. Everyone laughed but me, it was so embarrassing.

I am sure many of you, regardless of religion, have your own holiday traditions. I remember how a day like today, every January 5, we were given a box, and mom or a family member would help us cut grass/hay for the camels. Afterwards we will place the box under or next to our beds along with a glass of milk or water for the camels to eat and drink. Going out to cut the grass for the camels was always an exciting field trip, it was a lot of fun. We were taught to make sure the camels and the Three Kings received their food in appreciation for our gifts. In the morning we were supposed to find toys under the Christmas tree....and we did.

I remember waking up early in the morning on January 6, running to see the gifts that the Three Magi left for us under the Christmas tree. From the balcony we could see kids in the neighborhood riding their new roller skates, and others in their shiny bikes or tricycles, and the old style skate boards.

We never received bicycles, skates or expensive toys; growing up my family didn't have lots of money. But for us, receiving something that day was very much appreciated. What is important, was knowing that despite all the struggles, we had our family together. I miss those days.

[ Please note, this post was originally written by me on another platform on January 6, 2008. The top picture of the Three Kings, was taken two days ago at the Mall. ]