Politricks

Google News is the layman's stethoscope for keeping a skeptical eye on the world media's sickly heartbeat. This week I've been keeping a close eye on the democrat's response to Nader's candidacy and here is what I've learned:

Nader is evil because:

1. He steals progressive votes from the major democratic candidates.
2. Our political system has no need for a third party.
3. He won't win so he shouldn't run.
4. He cost Gore the 2000 election (the dems really get pissy on this one)

The more I think about these points the more pissed I get at the democrat machine and the political status quo in general.  Our current system is rigged so that if you want to run for president and have any success at all you must possess a fortune; millions and millions of dollars.  You must have roots in Washington, you must know people.  You absolutely must sell your time and political clout to corporate sponsors; even Obama claiming to stand on moral high ground has received millions from huge corporations sponsoring his campaign.

To hear democrats say that Nader steals votes, or has no relevance or place is ridiculous.  There is a large contingent of people upset with the way things are, people who vote with their mind not guts.  To say that a candidate shouldn't run if he doesn't have a chance of winning is censorship of the worst kind yet this is exactly what we have heard from both Clinton and Obama.  I wonder if they would have said the same words to the civil rights leaders, or Susan B. Anthony when she fought for suffrage and women's rights.  Both movements were unpopular, but should they have been stopped because not many people believed them at the time?  No, of course not.  Every single movement starts as a minority opinion; this is the very essence of change, a small group identifying a larger problem and then setting about making it right.  Should we silence a group because they are numerically small?  

I would argue that it is the responsibility of a good citizen to seek out positions and stances that are not popular, examine them with reason, and stand firm against the torrent of popular opinion.  Every movement starts with vanguards and is sustained by stalwarts; social history shows that holding the path is never easy yet the rewards are beyond measure.  Every generation has a form of authority which commands the masses to fall in line, to fit within neatly constructed boxes of opinion, but this must be challenged on all levels.  

We should also expect to be marginalized as extreme or written off as unimportant.  This is an effective tool the majority uses to avoid actually engaging the issue at hand.  Nader's campaign is currently being written off by the mass media, but does that make it any less important?  

I'd say that being marginalized is a sign that we are on the right path.  Being written off, rather than debated means something.  The internet is a great way to raise a collective stink; so in the meantime keep riding, thinking and being thorns in the ass of popularity.   It is truly worth it.

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Oh yeah, today is Natemare's big 24th birthday, happy B-day NATE!!

Ralph Nader Runs in '08

Its about goddamned time; Nader held off quite a while this time around before finally announcing his candidacy for president. Hell, the scurried reactions from Obama and Clinton alone are worth the long wait; their squirming was predictable, yet still loathsome. Clinton immediately blamed Nader for costing Gore the election in 2000, an accusation I have never understood. What is it with Democrats and their hatred of Ralph Nader? Here we have a man who has spent a lifetime campaigning on behalf of consumers, workers, and the environment, even back when it wasn't popular to do so, if you read his record, its all there. Yet the democrats persist in believing Nader takes their votes, as if Green Party members were too damned stupid to know any better. This is why I hate the two major parties; their eternal insistence on either 'A' or 'B'; and the absolute rejection of anything that doesn't fit the mold. Sure, one can declare themselves an independent, but if you listen to the dems and reps talk you'd think independent was just a label for someone who hadn't decided either A or B.

After listening to one too many nauseous Obama speeches on 'hope' I wasn't going to vote this election, but now with Nader in the ring there is finally someone I can vote for in good faith. I suppose this is what the Democrat leaders can never understand; some of us don't buy into the 'lesser of two evils philosophy' when it comes to politics, some of us don't compromise when it comes to our leaders, and lots of us wouldn't vote for your corporate asses even if Nader wasn't running.

If the democrats can't win by double digits, even with Nader on the ballot, then scrap the project because you have failed as a political movement.

Nader in 08!!!

Seasons

Its going to be a good one.

Lunar Eclipse - Demons in the Dark

A few things were rattling around inside my mostly empty head tonight:

We were treated to a full lunar eclipse tonight. I made a point of spending an hour outside under the stars to chart the slow progression of the earth's shadow as it cast itself over the moon, and then moved back away. I couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like for European explorers in ancient times when they would visit the natives of some far-off land and impress them with predictions of eclipses, accurate down to the hour. Surely the natives would have thought them in possession of divine knowledge. I'm sure the white man's 'fire sticks' helped to solidify their deistic image even further.

We may laugh at the natives now, how could they be foolish enough to attribute simple astronomical predictions to the realm of the gods, but are we 'moderns' really so different? Millions of people in the scientifically enlightened west believe that the positions of the planets in the Zodiac affect our lives in predictable ways. People believe that drinking water endowed with the mystical memory of certain molecules can cure any illness. Others believe that crack-pots like chiropractors and acupuncturists can actually heal the body in ways that scientific medicine cannot.

Billions of people the world over believe that the universe was created in 6 days, 6000 years ago because a creator God was lonely and wanted to be worshiped. Do their beliefs carry any more weight than the natives own?

I think in some ways we are the natives of those forgotten years. We may understand the mystery of the eclipse but we greedily clutch at so many other psychological comforts, and like the natives we cannot be persuaded of more prosaic explanations for the realm of the gods. We want mystery, we shun the light and instead turn towards the dark. We find comfort there, safety in numbers and community. It is surprising how easily the still small voice of reason can be silenced by our more impressionable side.

It has been said that any technology sufficiently advanced will appear as no different than magic. I often wonder about this. Is our species really ready to branch into the enveloping cosmos? We have such a strong opposition to rational thought; what if we encounter life much more advanced than us. What will we do?

I think it is a safe bet that the fate of our species is directly tied to how well we listen to reason, even though we may not like what we hear.

Music Theory

I've been thinking a little about musical theory lately, a subject I am by no means qualified to write about, however this is exactly why this website exists; it is a canvas for this kind of unrequested mental diarrhea. I am aware that the term 'diarrhea' carries some baggage with it, but I don't think it is a word that always reflects on the quality of these posts... it just often does.

That being said, here goes a quick though: I've been listening to a lot of traditional music the past couple years, mostly Irish rebel music which centers largely on the period starting with the Easter Rising massacre in 1916 through the troubles of later times. I think there is something about great tragedy and the constant struggle against an unrelenting political pressure that brings out extremes in human nature, and this I think is the root of why tradition Irish music is just so good. The Irish conscience of the past hundred years has been molded into an expressive force by the British occupation and this can be seen in the poetry and songs which have resulted. I know that Ireland isn't unique in using words and song to express rebellion, but the way they do it is what I find so interesting; the melodies, the prose and the song structure.

There is a dark side to rebel music; Ireland is no exemption. Sometimes when I listen to these songs I can't help but wonder if the bands aren't glorifying certain historical occurrences that would best be thought of in a more... sober light.

I the thesis here is that tragedy shapes a people's expressiveness. I'd like to do some more research on what makes the Irish scene unique.

As a closing thought... the more I listen to traditional music, the more I can't stomach 'modern' songs. Really, seeing a performer on a stage singing yet another 'love song' or whining about life in middle class suburban America makes me throw up a little in my mouth. No substance, no quality!

Life without a Car

Contented pedestrian says his life is simpler and healthier without a car

Now if we could just get a few thousand more of these guys this town would start looking a lot better.

An Unexpected Epic Ride

This morning, Nate headed off to work, so I threw a bar in my camelbac, pumped up the tires a bit, and headed out for a spin to see where the Prophet would take me. I guess I should have foreseen the adventure that would arise. First, I thought I would just hit UH for a couple laps, but figured it wouldn't hurt to get in a hill or two on the way there, so I took the hilly back route up to the school. But, when I got to my turn, I decided I wanted a little more hill, so I would just proceed further up the hill, and drop down to the trail from above the school. Of course that plan didn't last long either, because when I spotted Saddle road looming ahead of me, I couldn't resist the temptation. I figured, so what if it is 11 AM and the sun is beating down on my back, already causing me to sweat profusely. Besides I was only going to ride up a mile or two, then turn around. And then I got the idea to hit up Jungle Run 4 miles up. But when I got there, I wasn't quite ready to start heading down, so I continued on up the hill to my next destination, Mile 6 where Wainuenue hits Saddle. And I'm sure by now you can see where this is heading. Yes, when I got to mile 6, I thought mile 7 seemed a better end, so I pushed further up the hill. And when mile 7 arrived I was only gradually climbing and it didn't seem right to turn around until I reached a steep seemingly unsurmountable hill. A half mile or so later, and what should appear, but a trail on my right. Now, of course I had no intention of following this very far, but seeing as I was on my full-suspension mountain bike, it would be wrong to pass up a trail for all road riding. Then what do you know, two No Trespassing signs, a thigh deep river crossing, mud (not mud puddles) 8 inches deep and covering my rotors, an old growth forest, and 10-15 miles of trail later I found myself on Stainback highway 10 miles above Kulani trail. Now you would think I would have been content to just fly down the hill and back home, calling it a day, but you would be wrong. When I approached Kulani it just seemed, like the hill, too tempting to pass up. Unfortunately I only made about half way through the trail (Just past "the Mall") when my legs completely died on me, and I decided to call it quits and head back to the bike shop, then home, food and a hot shower. Ahh, how I love the adventures of a biker!

Super Cow!

Friday Rant: CRAIGSLIST ANGER

Craigslist Follies:

Specialized Hardrock - Asking price: $250

"So I have this bike my friend gave me before he moved back east.
I have no idea what year it is, frame size, or anything. Its mountain bike sized. Aftermarket premium seat/stump guard. Email if you want to take a look. Its in great condition."


Where to begin with this one... Let me start with what we don't know about this bike.

• Model Year
• Model type
• Frame Size
• 'Anything'

Now lets establish what we do know:

• It is most likely a bicycle
• Its 'mountain bike sized'
• 'After market premium seat'
• has a 'stump guard'
• great condition
• price: $250

I'm tempted to really go crazy on this one, but I have a strong feeling the poster is at least mildly retarted, perhaps with a slight case of downs syndrome or autism. That being said, I am actually quite curious about this 'stump guard' and what exactly it does. I've smashed into a good number of stumps in my day, so if there is some component out there that would help to to avoid those goddamn trail terrorists, I just might be willing to drop the $250 clams. Plus, I'd being helping a retarted kid, and that would make me feel good.

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2001 Klein Adept Comp - Asking price: $2500

The frame is a 2001 Klein Adept Comp, Jamaican Gold Paint. The only stock parts are the shock, rims, and hubs. I'm 6' 2" and this fits like a glove. All aftermarket parts are 2007 unless otherwise noted.

Fox Float Fork:

Rock Shox Reba Race w/Pop-Loc 100mm

Headset: Cane Creek S-3 Crankset:

Race Face Evolve XC 175mm 22-32-44 w/external BB

Stem: Sette Edge 120mm 10deg 25.4mm clamp Bars:

Sette Vector 7075, flat, 5deg sweep, 25.4mm Grips:

Sette V-type Seat Post: FSA FR200 Saddle:

Titec Pluto, Ti-Rails Front Derailer:

2006 XT Rear Derailer:

XTR Top Normal, long cage, w/avid rollamajig (sweet)

blah, blah blah

What an idiot. For those who aren't familiar with Klein, they were a company famous for their intensely ugly full-suspension bikes which were legendary for their poor performance. I can only imagine how tangibly horrid this 'Jamaican gold' Klein must look resting in a noon-day sun... Who is this guy kidding? As a cheap bastard, I know that every single part he bought for this shitty frame comes directly from Pricepoint's Bargain Basement page. Realistically this bike should be selling for $400 TOPS. This guy must be a roadie, or ride a 29er rigid single-speed because only someone with a seatpost permanently lodged up their lycra-clad butt would dare ask $2500 for this POS.

Oh and by the way, in case you think I fished for these, I selected both these adds from the 4 most recent posts on Craigslist's Bellingham bike page. PEOPLE ARE STUPID!

Our Buddy Neil

I've discovered one of our long lost friends having fallen down the map to the state of Texas where he currently resides with our other buddy Paul creating sweet blues/rock tunes. His band is called Both Feet. bothfeetmusic Their website has a few of their songs, but I've got what I consider the best right here. Have a listen!

Sweet Mary

Muslims are at it again

Violent protests are once again erupting throughout the Middle East in reponse to the re-printing of cartoons which depict the Muslim prophet Muhammed. The Danish cartoonist, Kurt Westergaard, has already received death threats, been victim of an attempted murder, and has received scathing condemnation from heads of state in Kuwait.

The muslims calling for the death of the cartoonists are claiming offense as the crime against them. Whats the deal with religious people and being offended? Tell someone their beliefs make no sense or draw a picture of their prophet and they tell you they are offended, as if being offended constitutes an actual argument. Once again, proof that faith is the antithesis of reason.

We should not respect the elevation of faith above discourse. We should oppose any laws which will ban 'hate speech' against anyone or anything. I think it is clear that the freedoms we enjoy in the west exist because we have muzzled the advocates of archaic beliefs. Mr. Jefferson, build up that wall!

I was there, hiding in the bushes

I secretly snapped this shot of Nate giving the spandex clad 40-somethings waking 'natemares' as he decimated them in style, while wearing running shoes and heavy pants at the same time.

Racing for Anthropology

Anthropology is about the study of people, living and dead. Ethnographic anthropology studies groups of people, their use of language within the group as well as the social dynamics that make up the structure of society. Because I have very little time on my hands, as evidenced by the fact that I rarely contribute to this fine page, I decided to kill very many birds with just one stone.

My choice of topics for a project in my Ethnographic Field Techniques class were limited by time and I did not want to spend hours of my only day off from work and school attending a Buddhist temple to learn social structures. Then I had a brilliant idea. I would go to the Friday ride and listen to the banter between seasoned riders, explore the inner-workings of the mountain biking subculture that exists in Hilo and all their quirks. So for the last 3 weeks I have attended the ride with the sole (expressed) purpose of furthering the ethnography of mountain bikers. Though many would say I have other selfish motives at play here, I would, well, have to agree. The first time I showed up I watched attentively to the well known traditions of the pre-ride warmups and circling like vultures around the entrance of the trail, waiting for the 4:00 second hand to strike.

I kept to the rear of the pack with my guide, Chris while we watched some of the riders struggle up the first major hill before shifting up a gear and powering past. 2 laps later and I finished in 4th out of about 25 or so. About what I normally place when I try.

The following week, the rain is coming down strong and only 18 riders show up, but it is a good strong group and I quickly catch up to Ernie, the lead rider for the day. Half way through the trail I pass and lead the way, but quickly decide that I like to be a sheep more than a shepherd when it comes to racing. I let Chris pass me and there he stayed in front of me until I washed out near then end and finished 30 seconds back in 2nd place. A good ride for the most part.

Last Friday I was under hydrated but started again with Chris in the back of the 25 odd group. I was stuck behind a slow guy and took the first opportunity to pass on the double track. There were tons of trees down and many of the guys do not hop them over if they are more than a foot high. 5 or 6 trees later and I am pushing the top 5. A tree down halfway down a hill and I'm 4th. The bridge over the waist high log and I am second behind the guy that ran the trail last week. He's going a little harder than I want to go but I push away the pain and follow inches from his tire. Clay, the next youngest from me passes me on the double track and I get pushed to third for a while. Clay and I dont let up on the lead guy for the next 2 miles and after a grueling short, technical hill, the lead pulls over to let Clay and me pass. We are at the final mile of the trail and Clay isn't letting up. I lied to myself on the grueling hill that it was the last one and if I pushed hard on it, I could rest for a bit. Not so. I have to fight to keep within a few meters of Clay as he tries to pull away, he does a little bit, but every obstacle that he slows to hop over, I bound over with increasing speed and soon I am back on track but with no suitable places to pass. Coming out of the final trail into the double track leading up to 4 corners, Clay leads the way to a tree lying 2.5 feet high over the trail and fails to make it over. I make it and tear off to the start of the trail. We have to ride the first part of the trail backwards now, and my lead is instantly eaten up when I wash out over the corner leading back into criterium. I pretty much want to die at this point, but I know that the last (another lie) hill will make or break my finish. I spin to an easy gear to prepare for the hill well in advance to be sure that Clay slows down too, to catch him off guard for the hill. Then, at the start of the hill, I shift up one and mash, pulling away. At the top of the hill I look back and dont see Clay, I pump the bike though some more corners and look back again, no Clay. He didn't make it. Then I set my jaw and grind my up the last (no lie this time) hill to the finish. 1st. My first 1st out here. Yay for me.

I suppose that I am going to have to introduce variables like this into the biking culture in order to test how I am effecting the culture. Anthropology is a science isn't it?

Thoughts from the Front: Nerds

Nerds

Friday I walked down to the local game store to trade in two xbox 360 games towards the purchase of a new one, a great practice by the way... As I was browsing the shelf I noticed a couple squatty guys dressed in black with greasy hair shuffling about mumbling quietly to each other about this and that; by their habits I assumed they were nerds. As I reached up to grab a game off the shelf I suddenly heard a voice spark up directly behind me. I turned to see one of the nerds standing there staring, head slightly cocked to the side, at the game in my hand. "I like that game. My level character is a level 65 blah-blah and I've been really focusing on my magic spells, especially the fire ones. My brother thinks I'm being stupid, but his character is only level 43 and hes a soldier so I don't...." Nerd speak. I followed the nerd's points out, nodding in affirmation every so often while he droned on about the nuances of various different game details and his thoughts about them. I've talked to nerds before, so I knew the type and how to handle him, and after a while I put the game back on the shelf, grabbed another one and politely excused myself and paid the balance on my purchase. As I left the store I thought about my encounter with the nerd:

Nerds are not bad people; I'd say they are generally honest and well-meaning and while they don't have many social skills they are completely non-pretentious, something I really appreciate. The nerd in the game store had no problem with jumping straight into a conversation with me about the game I was holding, he completely dispensed with the usual BS and got straight to the point he wanted to make. Hell, if more people would just dump the BS small-talk life would be a lot smoother and less stressful. Think of how much energy it takes to pretend to like someone, or force a conversation where no conversation is needed; as an office worker this is a daily part of my life and I'll be the first to say I wouldn't mind to see it go away.

Types of People

In what I envision as the start of a theme, I present to you:

Types of People and their FoS rankings

FoS (Full of Sh!t) Turd scale: 1 = Barely Stinky - 10 = Methane induced death


The Traveler

This person is always planning something big, some crazy escape to far off-lands to experience 'real life, man'. Eschewing the more popular tourist destinations, the traveler seeks to find more authentic places to exploit through their travels, usually this means going to wherever the poor people live so that they can marvel at how good we Americans have it and how poor off the locals are. The traveler views the world as their playground; they think that the countries of the world exist solely as potential destinations for their exploration. The traveler is not content with reading or watching TV programs about foreign places, they absolutely must go there themselves. Naturally, the traveler is open-minded and will not judge any cultural practice, and thus unsurprisingly the traveler cannot understand concepts like 'war' or 'poverty' or 'religious hatred'. The traveler thinks that if we would all just love each other the world's problems would disappear; 'we just gotta listen to more Bob Marley, man.' The travelers feel a deep connection to the earth, and often view themselves as 'green' or environmentally friendly despite the fact that their carbon footprint would smash even your average Escalade driver.

The Traveler = 7 turds


The Hybrid Car Driver

A growing subculture of upper-middle class white people, the hybrid drivers view themselves as the vanguards of a new progressive green movement.
The hybrid car driver, with their massive trunk batteries finds inspiration from the fact that they get 36-40 mpg during city driving while the average SUV driver
sucks at least 10 mpg more than they. The hybrid car driver is not bothered by the fact that for 30 years compact cars have been getting comparable gas mileage; what is important to the hybrid driver is that their car looks different than everyone else’s. Because, as we all know, nothing says 'I am earth friendly' like a square shaped trunk. The hybrid driver doesn't care too much about annoyances like facts, what matters to them is that they can feel like an environmentalist without having to make any lifestyle change. Biking, walking, or taking the bus is fine, but the hybrid driver is too important to be bothered with the effort. The hybrid driver has a lot of opinions, but no motivation to actually carry them out; however it doesn't matter, their trunk looks different and their car has batteries. Where those batteries came from, and where they will go in a few years when they deteriorate doesn't bother the hybrid driver; because they are the vanguards, the leaders, and they have environmentally friendly square shaped trunks.

The Hybrid Car Driver = 8 Turds

Sheldon Brown passes away at 63 years of age

I was shocked to read today that Sheldon Brown, a long time inspiration to me, and many other cyclists passed away from a heart attack on Feb. 3. I have been reading Sheldon's website and journal on and off for a good 6-7 years and I can certainley credit his vision of the bike as formative in my own life. Sheldon believed the bicycle wasn't simply for fun and recreation, but could also be used as a positive force for health, the environment, and happier, friendlier communities. Sheldon also had a strong mind, I enjoyed reading his thoughts on religion, politics and the environment; and I know its a tired and overused phrase, but if more people thought like Sheldon Brown the world would be an unequivically better place.

Sheldon had been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for a number of years, a disease which drastically cut his ability to ride his bikes, not to mention making walking and moving around difficult, and as of late, nearly impossible. But if you read his journal entries you won't get a hint of self-pity or anger; he somehow had the mental strength to take things in stride. I think Sheldon knew that living on this planet doesn't entitle us to anything; I always got a sense from his writing that life is something to be cherished because this is all we have and that we must appreciate it while we are here.

The community has lost a legendary advocate and a great person.

Dorel Aquires Cannondale

Its official. After courting a number of potential investors, Cannondale Bicycle Corp. was purchased Monday by Dorel for $200 million in a cash transaction. Dorel is best known for their Pacific Cycles division which supplies mass-merchant retailers with cheap bikes for discerning consumers. Dorel also owns Mongoose and GT.

Yesterday Dorel held a conference call with investors to announce the aqcuisition, you can listen to it here. The call is interesting, and to a long time Cannondale supporter, a little scary. Dorel's plan for their bicycle division, and therefore Cannondale is this:

• Establish Cannondale as the company's premium brand to be sold only in IBDs (independent bicycle dealers).
• Split Dorel's Bicycle division into two parts, Pacific Cycles which will focus on mass merchant sales, and Cannondale/GT which will be focused on high end R&D and elite markets.

Dorel's CEO, when questioned if Cannondale's production was to be moved overseas was vague. This is the part that alarms me the most. I truly hope Dorel will not model Cannondale after Specialized's brand theory of outsourcing everything to Asia and doing only R&D , design, and marketing in the states.

Dorel is a huge corporation, and to know that all future consumer Cannondale purchases will be supporting this company is dissappointing. However this is the modern economics model, hardly any indsutry is performed in the states anymore, and most of the dollars we spend benefit CEOs and shareholders.

It remains to be seen what Cannondale will become, we'll just have to stay tuned.

Thoughts from the Front

As February rolls hurriedly in, the knowledge that spring is not far off is comforting. Soon the rain and cold will be replaced by green trees, cherry blossoms, and warm blue skies; afternoon rides will become a norm and the thick mud will be reborn into buff singletrack.

Not all news is good however; to my dismay I read that the hit and run murderer Ashley Wick is back on the streets, free after her parents posted $50,000 in bail money. Apparently she had brain surgery as a young child, and will exploit a loophole in Washington law to gain an even lighter sentence than the maximum of 3 years. This is of course if she is even sentenced, I also hear that her rich parents have hired two powerful attorneys. Perhaps it is because this crime occurred in an area I frequent daily, or that I empathize with the student who died, but something strikes me as very wrong here. The small details too, such as the blood spilled at the crime scene, the arrogance of the murders parents, and the sickeningly self-righteousness that money can buy a way out of any situation grind against everything I know to be right. When I learned that the dead students parents arrived in America, mere hours after their son who was on life support died, I didn't know what to think. They were robbed of even a simple goodbye to their son. Ashley Wick drives free; having exploited the system in every possible way imaginable.

It crossed my mind today that perhaps I have given this sad story too much thought, or that my stance against the car culture is at times too strong. I was born as stubborn as anyone, but even I feel the sheep mentality calling in the back of my head every now and then. It is always non-offensive, appealing to a sense of shared apathy; that no one else cares so strongly about such things, that it is useless to stand in independence, that it would be easier to just give up contrarian opinions and meld minds with the collective conscious that inhabits this society. Perhaps it would be easier, but the small voice never calls strong enough. The French Philosopher Blaise Pascal addressed his Pensee to the one 'so designed as to find belief impossible' and while Pascal was writing about those who are born without the ability to live a life of faith, I think there are striking comparisons to be made with the contrarian spirit that inspires one to disavow other social norms. I find it simply impossible to fall in line with many of the creeds we are all supposed to adopt, and while it may sound self-righteous I really can't take full credit, the streak is simply born in, as it is in many people whether they have come to realize it or not. It is in this spirit that I must carry on in my own fight against apathy, hoping that by attempting to live in accordance with my personal views that I can inspire other in the same way that many people continue to inspire me.

Ride on.