The Future

Al Gore recently published a book called "The Future". It should be noted that he was writing it during the Mayan Apocalypse buildup and his book has no mention of that hoax. It's not light reading but it helps me go to sleep. Unlike Lester Brown's "Plan B" which was written by research assistants and edited by Brown, Gore's book really reads like he wrote every word...which means it's boring as hell. His attempts at jokes are painful..."I'm a recovering politician..." or "Note to PETA, I'm not in the chicken housing business anymore."
And his attempts to be a commoner are even worse, "I favor the African saying, "When you pray, move your feet."
OK, Al. You really make me feel like you are totally in touch with your average farmer in Malawi.
But he's an intellectual force who probably didn't deserve to be President since he really is better than your every day postal worker. A world full of Al Gore's would be totally awesome and a world full of Oggy Bleachers would be a mess.

Yah-Vah

That's how this Jawa moped is pronounced. Yah-Vah.
It's the first moped to have a transistorized ignition system and the last Jawa I will work on. But it's a piece of history that deserves some respect.
I have current but no spark becacuse something called a Tranzimo unit and a Thyristor and 4 v high tension coil have been swapped around 5 different kinds of Jawa mopeds when the decaying remains of eastern Europe tried to keep up with Italy and chaos reigned.
Inadvertently, this project has led to a line of customers out the door waiting for me to fix their motorcycles since I'm doing the work at an auto garage and there is only one motorcycle mechanic in town who seems to have pissed off a bunch of people with his "take the money and wait" attitude. But I don't really want to spend 8 hours working on Honda Shadows and ATVs and "can you figure out why my $30,000 Harley won't run?"
fortunately my lack of tools limits any project I can get involved with.

Washing of The Water

My first introduction to Peter Gabriel was on MTV. Sledgehammer was an odd video. I preferred Madonna's striptease offerings at the time. Later I learned he was in Genesis. Sometime in 1992, when I was out of the loop of modern culture he recorded this song. I nearly shit myself when it came on my iPod randomly today. It's pretty much impossible to sing without getting emotional but I'll give it a shot when I figure out the chords and melody - and how to avoid the falsetto. I wonder if he was listening to Jackson Browne albums when he wrote this song...

Look At Me Now

I think this song is appropriate for my current emotional state.

Film Reviews By An Illegal Alien In Mexico

I became an illegal alien somewhere between Piedras Negras, Mexico, the busy frontier town, and Montclova, Mexico, a town of paint stores and stray dogs. My last chance to obtain a tourist visa, or some kind of official evidence that Mexico agreed to let me tour her land, was at the border when I innocently rented a taxi and asked to be taken to "El Centro De Autobuses."

I'd read that visas are not required. Only a passport. Well, the truth is that you are supposed to buy a 180 day tourist visa at the border. If you arrive by plane then it's part of the plane ticket. If you arrive by land then you are supposed to find the immigration office and fill out the paperwork, especially if you are driving a car since you can't import your vehicle without the tourist permit, but definitely if you are walking. I did none of this, innocently ignorant at first, and then flagrantly irresponsible later.

This post is basically a self portrait so...

My planning for the trip was like this:

(V.O.) Oggy: Should I go to Mexico? Hmmmm. Fuck it. Yes. Pack your shit and go.

Oggy packs 2 extra shirts, the pants he is wearing, socks, bongos, claves, a songbook, presents for Mynx and his passport. Less than most people take to the gym.

(Cut To)

Oggy to Landlord: Hey, can you drive me to the bus station?

Landlord: What for?

Oggy: I'm going to Mexico.

Landlord: When will you be back?

Oggy: A week or two. I'll send you a postcard.

Landlord: Ok.
Oggy: One more thing...
Landlord: What?
Oggy: I might be bringing back a wife.
Landlord: ????Uh????
Oggy: There's my bus, gotta go...!

(Cut To)

Oggy getting on a bus bound for the border. Waving goodbye to puzzled Landlord.