tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268201692012-01-15T09:32:10.167-05:00"We're our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves." - Tom Robbinspunkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.comBlogger10821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-86653783956776922892010-04-04T14:45:00.002-04:002010-04-04T15:01:13.138-04:00

As promised here are some photos of my new (to me) 2005 Piaggio BV200. Not a lot of modifications to this beauty yet. Lucked out, and we had OEM side-cases, a wind-screen, and a top-box in stock.The windscreen can be adjusted to two different heights, and has two parts to the shield, so that buffeting is reduced. The screen was pulled off a crashed bike, and required some sanding to remove

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-7339401839740991642010-03-13T02:07:00.004-05:002010-03-13T02:44:44.284-05:00

Here's to my new-to-me scooter, a full dress 2005 Piaggio BV200 I picked up for next to a song and some sweat equity. It's deep blue with sidecases, a topcase, and windscreen. 16" wheels, front and back disc brakes, and a liquid-cooled, carbed, 200cc single cylinder four-stroke engine. Power outlet and light in the underseat compartment.Straight Eurotrash pimpin, y'all!While I was troubleshooting

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-8186292911200820812009-12-05T00:22:00.002-05:002009-12-05T00:39:08.316-05:00

I worked with Micheal Meyer for several years at Art Outfitters in Little Rock Arkansas.Mike and I were instant, and irrefutable friends. He was an old school punk guy, I was an old school punk guy, we work together,, we had many friends and acquaintences together, we went to the same art openings, we shared an easy an instanteous friendship, which I for one took too much for granted.And now he

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-76073576465761180472009-11-24T19:07:00.000-05:002009-11-24T19:08:49.088-05:00

Best thing I have ever seen on Youtube.

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-47166444973361958762009-11-06T22:14:00.002-05:002009-11-06T22:22:55.369-05:00

A couple weeks ago, the New York Times ran a story about Tom Boissonnault, a technology teacher at Eastchester Middle School in Eastchester, N.Y.Mr. Boissonault, it seems struck upon the brilliant idea of teaching kids about design and engineering through the hands-on project of restoring a 1966 Vespa Allstate. Not just any barn find, this classic Vespa had been dredged from the bottom of a lake!

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31312615828091594942009-11-05T12:19:00.002-05:002009-11-05T12:26:10.407-05:00

So I rarely have the time to devote to this blog these days, and it looks like that is only going to be increasingly true over the next few months.HOWEVER, I will be blogging all sorts of Power Sports goodness at the new Branchville Motors & Vespa Ridgefield blog.Check it out!This way I can blog about cool scooter and motorcycle stuff during the down times at work, without violating my old-school

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-66212575154711564552009-08-19T00:16:00.002-04:002009-08-19T00:24:39.726-04:00

I was watching "Walk the Line" with Zoe the other day... and the scene where Johnny is talking about playing Folsom, and the record execs are telling him his church going audience won't approve... And the man in black says, "Well then they ain't real Christians." I've been thinking about that, and about how my Mama has always claimed religion would be alright if more Christians were religious the

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-55509210378725935012009-08-16T01:24:00.002-04:002009-08-16T01:43:49.222-04:00

I guess parenthood has made me tragically unhip... I had no idea that Camper Van Beethoven had gotten back together, but here they are, performing that late 80s college radio classic "Take the Skinheads Bowling"Schweet!and along a similar vein, I recently found this info graphic, which illustrates the history of Mod culture in the US. While it doesn't specifically mention scooters, or SHARPS, it

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-45893478667245065632009-08-16T01:19:00.001-04:002009-08-16T01:20:31.700-04:00

I know I haven't been blogging lately, but I ran across this on Reddit tonight, and thought that it was meme worth spreading.

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23247461816341642652009-04-14T07:37:00.002-04:002009-04-14T07:42:51.671-04:00

Recently, my buddy Klint renamed his Technoccult blog, Renegade Futurist, and his focus for the blog seems to shifted some.No worries, though, he's posting some awesome stuff like this "Rules for the Cult of Capitalism":3. When the government charges for its services (taxes), this is theft. When private enterprises charge for food and rent, this is just. 4. Theft is the worst crime known to man.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-52910155476949397602009-04-13T23:28:00.002-04:002009-04-13T23:38:56.706-04:00

Every scooterist has faced this at one time or another, those damned traffic light sensors that your scooter can't trigger.I've seen discussion of this on several scooter forums, but really never expected to see it addressed in the mainstream media. But apparently, the Columbus Dispatch has tackled a story that other papers have been afraid to touch... perhaps out of fear of losing the

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-67176465494827708902009-04-13T22:26:00.003-04:002009-04-13T22:43:26.982-04:00

Somehow, I got the latest issue of American Scooterist today. My dues for Vespa Club of America must have expired two years ago, and I never changed my address with them when you changed coasts.Not that I'm complaining.If like me, you are interested in the history of American counter-culture, the Beats, and scooters, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this issue.Proving there is nothing new

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-14077297656748813742009-04-12T01:37:00.003-04:002009-04-12T01:50:42.063-04:00

As is my wont of late, I am late in this post in observation of the late Dave Arneson, who failed his last saving throw versus Cancer earlier this week.This means that the two main minds behind the origins of Fantasy Role Playing Games, have left us.I know there were some issues about Dave not feeling he got his due credit for his role in the creation of Dungeons & Dragons, though for me

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23071863374696391542009-04-01T21:57:00.004-04:002009-04-01T23:20:46.123-04:00

And Hello again!Well, I have to plead fatherhood for the umpteenth time on my lack of posting recently.But it is Spring, and I have a new (to me) scooter.It's a 1992 Honda Elite 80. This little beauty came into the shop as a trade-in on a new Vespa, and I just couldn't bear to see him go to the wholesaler. So, I sold my Honda Magna 500, and bought this little guy. Probably the best downgrade of

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-12856926473910837812008-12-20T17:05:00.002-05:002008-12-20T17:12:09.061-05:00

If you are up for some in depth reading, I suggest you check out this open letter to Barack Obama from Punk-Rock-Patriarch Jello Biafra. It's the sanest thing I've read in some time.IRAQ – TRY THIS!The closest thing to a solution I have heard was offered clear back in April 2004 by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (www.oic-ico.org). The OIC is comprised of 57 Islamic countries ranging

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-20117708329310901142008-12-04T21:12:00.006-05:002008-12-04T21:42:52.035-05:00

I just have no idea what to make of this story.In the months prior to 9/11, Israeli Art Students with loose links to Israeli Ecstasy traffickers attempted to infiltrate DEA offices; visited DEA agents at their homes; and lived near the 9/11 hi-jackers.If you think this sounds like the ravings of that guy on the bus who smells like stale milk and wears mismatched shoes, I don't blame you. But I

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-33353132838895778972008-11-30T11:44:00.007-05:002008-11-30T12:08:53.545-05:00

For your Gernsbackian delight, Well Medicated blog has a post up with 45 covers of classic pulp science magazines. Check out the title link for all kinds of groovy domed houses, jet-packs, and flying cars. I have of course selected all the cycle related covers, for your immediate edification.via bOINGbOING

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-53889126925082318302008-11-25T07:52:00.002-05:002008-11-25T07:58:53.673-05:00

A Kent County man who got fed up with the run-around his requests for two-wheeler specific parking received from the local council, took matters into his own hands and painted the lines for a cycle parking spot himself. This story just made my morning.He painted a space for one motorcycle and carefully added the letters ‘MC’, only to realise there was no way he could park his bike in it. “It

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-57568116951584974442008-11-24T21:29:00.005-05:002008-11-24T22:55:10.356-05:00

Since moving to Fairfield County, I've heard a lot about Marcus Dairy, a local diner which is something of a biker Mecca. "Will you be at the Dairy Sunday?" is the local motorcyclists' version of "See ya later." I hadn't really gotten a chance to go, until Oct. 12, which just happened to be the last "Bike Show" there. No scooters in attendance, but there was plenty of target practice for shooting

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-39495305374979865002008-11-23T23:22:00.003-05:002008-11-23T23:24:27.884-05:00

Check the title link for the most compelling argument for wearing a helmet you'll see this week.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-63165678064137470562008-11-23T22:29:00.003-05:002008-11-23T23:12:48.012-05:00

This article on Nissan's plans for moving towards electric vehicle and zero-emissions vehicle production, and their maneuvering for the creation of infrastructure necessary for such a proliferation, is pretty damn interesting:Nissan is bringing the first of their electric cars to market by 2010 in many locations around the United States. According to Alan Buddendeck, Nissan’s VP for North

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-48348074258323420622008-11-19T21:43:00.003-05:002008-11-19T21:46:27.774-05:00

CNN has a story up about some new bikes coming to market, which utilize a belt, much like most scooters, instead of the traditional chain...kind of interesting...

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-36490141794887879672008-11-12T20:53:00.005-05:002008-11-14T23:10:26.451-05:00

Yes, I know I promised to keep the baby blogging to a minimum, but I've got relatives crying for blood over the lack of baby pictures.Besides, just look at this cutie! I know drag queens who would kill for those lashes.Amongst the overwhelming flood baby shower gifts, and even enough hand-me-downs to cloth an Appalachian village of infants and toddlers, was a 10 mega pixel DSLR.One of the other

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-12103189986055065132008-11-11T00:29:00.003-05:002008-11-11T00:38:01.828-05:00

Yet another documentary on the coolest little music scene you've never heard of, this one about the Rockingest of the Little Rockers, TC.I can't wait to see this one, TC is one of those characters that once you meet him, he's burned into your psyche. He changed the way I looked at Metal (the man is like a Man-O-War song made flesh) and the way I look at shoes. Plus in the above preview, there are

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31473375644196217542008-11-10T23:59:00.004-05:002008-11-24T23:57:49.470-05:00

I just got a report on a new animated movie co-written by David Abramowitz, and using the voice talent of well, most of the cast of Highlander the Series, as well as Adam Baldwin, from Firefly. Sounds pretty cool.The Dragon's Highlander correspondent reports:War of the Worlds: Goliath that was co-written by David Abramowitz and is voiced by Adrian Paul, Adam Baldwin, Peter Wingfield, Elizabeth

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-10262394145988071582008-11-10T00:48:00.004-05:002008-11-10T01:32:08.052-05:00

So, even though I haven't been blogging much since Zoe was born, I have found time to be a little productive. Take for instance the jacket pictured above.I picked up the jacket cheap, it wasn't new, but it sure didn't look used, except for the fact that the design seems more late 80's than contemporary. The jacket was purchased with the intention painting it and selling it. Having a new baby is a

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-50415326141966550702008-11-08T23:46:00.004-05:002008-11-09T01:00:07.115-05:00

So after the dust settled from my crash I was of course looking for a new ride. Like I mentioned in the post about the wreck, insurance paid off well. From that angle, the timing of the accident was good, prices for vintage scooters have been crazy this year. The flipside of that was that prices were higher on scoots I was looking at for a replacement. On top of everything else, some unexpected

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-92711809491345222008-11-08T00:25:00.003-05:002008-11-08T00:28:40.072-05:00

Wired is calling the above pictured Chicara Art IV the world's coolest moped.Perhaps, it is definitely pretty cool... but look at that riding position! It must also be the world's least comfortable moped, and that's saying something.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-22367761988878831412008-11-07T22:48:00.003-05:002008-11-08T00:03:32.797-05:00

Now here we have a rat-bike of another color.I had been thinking lately about the mainstreaming of the rat-bike aesthetic. The Bonneville Black is one of Triumph's best selling bikes (the 2009 blacks are already sold out in the US), Harley's Nightster is getting quasi-favorable reviews even in the usually rabidly anti-cruiser motorcycle press, and matte black helmets are on every powersport

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-44163842316154042282008-11-03T22:53:00.002-05:002008-11-03T23:03:11.554-05:00

The folks who organize the annual "Ride to Work" event are pushing the idea of "Ride to Vote."Sounds good to me. Democrat, Republican, Green, or Libertarian, hop on your scooter, cruiser, electric bicycle, sport bike, or moped and vote, gul-durnit!

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-60699576502571837272008-11-03T00:44:00.003-05:002008-11-03T00:48:56.331-05:00

Though it looks red, this bike green in at least two ways. First it is an electric motorcycle, and second it was recycled from a 1984 Honda Interceptor.Even better the owner/creator has posted an Instructable of his process.Sweet!

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-62220794058612611332008-11-03T00:01:00.005-05:002008-11-03T00:10:39.688-05:00

Keeping with the Steampunk vibe of the last few posts, and catching up on some things I've been meaning to post is this great interview Alex CF.(Above is Werewolf Anatomical Reasearch Case III)T: You started doing your assemblage work in earnest after retiring your comic series Wilderemere. When exactly was that? A: About three years ago. I had invested everything I had into my comic career, but

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-25599446917162741532008-11-02T23:01:00.003-05:002008-11-02T23:55:25.325-05:00

Just stumbled across this great essay by Bruce Sterling, who some would credit with birthing Steampunk, (though he is humble enough to credit earlier influences), on where Steampunk came from, and where it just might be going.Ruskin wrote an extremely influential and important essay which changed the world. Everything Ruskin says in that essay is wrong. The ideas in there don't work, have never

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31416317243292908942008-11-02T22:18:00.003-05:002008-11-02T22:39:23.671-05:00

Man, is this thing gorgeous!This keyboard was commissioned by a female client and has some elegant, feminine design features such as violet LEDs, an acanthus-leaf pattern etched into the brass, and a soft burgundy wrist pad that is removable for cleaning. It also has a built-in "buttonless" touchpad mouse in the center (tap

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-42077073240006799752008-11-01T22:46:00.000-04:002008-11-03T00:35:16.265-05:00

Yamaha dual fuel motorcycle revealedA conventional full-sized fuel tank is fitted above the engine like any other bike, but tucked tightly behind the cylinder and below the fuel injector body is a second tank designed to contain either ethanol or a petrol/ethanol mix such as E85 (which is 85% ethanol mixed with 15% petrol).

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-39973935939732634292008-10-29T22:18:00.004-04:002008-11-02T21:53:29.630-05:00

Twenty-two years oldwalked like an old mangood leg pulling the badlife is quickwhen that cagehas your name on ithe could limpand he could flyflying is fastermangled fleshand mangled steelbroken and emptyhe left flyingand he won't have to limpno moreflying is fasterwhen that cagehas your name on itflying is fasterfaster than the cagefaster than the speed of lifeI'm still playing catch up on the

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-40016112916862440622008-10-29T22:01:00.003-04:002008-10-29T22:18:38.768-04:00

Yup.I hate to report that one of the reasons my posting has been so sparse lately is that Quell was totaled a little over two months ago.Fortunately, I was pretty much unscathed. The incident occurred at low speed, and I was wearing good gear.At the instant of initial impact until I had pushed the scooter out of the middle of the road, every curse word I know, and a few I made up on the spot,

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-58952427515481591822008-10-27T00:52:00.003-04:002008-10-27T01:31:45.995-04:00

Yes, I realize I've fallen off the face of the earth.It has been a crazy Summer, what with Zoe being born, and working at a scooter dealership during the busiest year of scooter sales in American history. There have been some other developments in last couple months which I'll catch y'all up in due time.I've managed to squeeze a couple minor creative projects into my schedule, and I hope to

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-51123749331084785812008-10-10T07:24:00.000-04:002008-10-10T07:24:53.156-04:00

Bike commuter haven offers storage and showers - Oct. 10, 2008An idea whose time has come.The Freewheel Midtown Bike Center, where riders can take a shower, access lockers, lock up their bikes, and enjoy discounts on tune-ups and rentals. A shower costs $3 per day, or cyclists can shell out $110 to join the Commuter Club, which covers all costs and gives them priority access to lockers and

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-70306963961431434522008-08-15T00:04:00.002-04:002008-08-15T00:39:13.679-04:00

Stories about celebrities riding scooters are almost as common these days as the boilerplate fluff pieces linking rising scooter sales with rising gas prices. In other words, not really worth me commenting on. But this story about David Duchovny purchasing a Vespa to fill the holes left by electric car is worth checking out."I’ve had my RAV4 EV [Toyota’s all electric 4x4] for the last four years,

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-49707681324946579362008-08-13T22:55:00.006-04:002008-08-14T23:25:19.171-04:00

My recent post Buddha was Deadbeat Dad has elicited more thoughtful responses (three!) than just about thing else I have posted in over two years of this blog's existence.I feel little bad that the angle I took in that post was a little of the devil's advocate. At the same time, well, it got at least three people to thinking and writing, so whatever.Above is a picture of Hui Neng, a pivotal

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-83478755241559337662008-08-13T22:41:00.004-04:002008-08-13T22:55:49.237-04:00

Fatherhood has put a serious dent in my blogging, but not in my thinking, the B.S. -ing philosophizing part of my brain has gone into overdrive, I just have little time to record it.Recently though I received the following email from Booboo Tannenbaum, and I thought I should share it. I'll comment on it in more depth in a later post.Dear Honky-Tonk Dragon--I bounced onto your website the other

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-28150392613445941102008-08-05T00:01:00.004-04:002008-08-05T21:24:17.042-04:00

That's right folks, the Dragon is a daddy!Jes had about 31 hours of early labor and about 2.5 hours of active labor. The attending midwife and nurse both were amazed at how quickly and smoothly Jes delivered.Mom and baby are both recovering fine, thanks for asking.So far Zoe has been a joy. She is a calm, curious infant whose most frequent expression is dubious but observant.Though I son't intend

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-71007655928500482482008-07-31T07:38:00.003-04:002008-07-31T07:45:32.340-04:00

Sorry about the long hiatus from posting... strangely, my instinctive response to Jes's swelling belly has been to spend all my free time either in the studio, or curled up on the couch with her.This morning though, I was searching for some unique cloth to make a baby sling out of and found this great baby-mod print. It's cotton thermal, so I don't know that it would be good for a sling, maybe a

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-35865115731580098872008-07-30T07:36:00.003-04:002008-07-30T07:46:57.518-04:00

Who says good old hard Science Fiction is dead?Check out this piece by George Dyson on Edge, Engineers Dreams. It's deeply researched, historically accurate, with a geek's lovingly obsessive attention to detail. This is what Science Fiction is supposed to be, a lens through which we get hazy glimpses of tommorrow.I'd tell you more about the story, but it's short, and I'm avoiding spoilers.via

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-12729255026463951212008-06-22T07:24:00.003-04:002008-06-22T07:30:48.660-04:00

Warren Ellis has a great little rant up about his experience of creativity:I still get asked with appalling regularity “where my ideas come from.” Here’s the deal. I flood my poor ageing head with information. Any information. Lots of it. And I let it all slosh around in the back of my brain, in the part normal people use for remembering bills, thinking about sex and making appointments to wash

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-71753335607912932612008-06-17T00:00:00.003-04:002008-06-17T00:33:54.653-04:00

So this past weekend, Jes and I attended the wedding of one of her childhood friends. Perhaps you can tell from the photo above, it was a little non-traditional.Still, it was the most beautiful ceremony I have ever seen.The ceremony was a mish-mash of Wiccan and Native American rituals, which was surprisingly poignant and non-New Age-y.With the recent developments in California about gay marriage

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-21179705993134079922008-06-13T20:01:00.002-04:002008-06-13T20:13:21.951-04:00

Unless we get our act together, the US is going to find itself left behind in the 21st century. There is no denying the current energy crunch, and those who would rather debate the possibility of global warming, rather than seek solutions are short-sided and irresponsible. Yet as this perfect storm of an energy crisis is ravaging the pocket books of average Americans, our leaders are cutting

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-32319295837602043452008-06-13T19:36:00.003-04:002008-06-13T19:40:34.268-04:00

Proving that personal vehicle experimenters are just a hair away from Steampunk mad-scientists is this gorgeous trike, complete with leather trunk. Lots more drool-worthy photos over at Jake Von Slatt's blog.Man, love those white tires, nothing says turn of the century like skinny white rubber!

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-25302056338934307282008-06-12T23:20:00.003-04:002008-06-12T23:27:43.810-04:00

Jess, of Modern Vespa fame, is reporting that two retirees in their 70s are about to tour from San Francisco to the Big Apple on MP3 500s:Rosenbaum and riding partner Chase met on a motorcycle trip in the late 1990s and have since tamed blistering deserts and the world’s tallest mountains in 40 countries. Buddy, a retired clinical psychologist and academic and Bob, a semi-retired industrial

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-13825072492521343182008-05-26T01:54:00.002-04:002008-05-26T02:17:22.281-04:00

I guess I mentioned I have been painting quite a bit lately, and when I'm not painting, I'm researching painting and art links.So the time has finally come to spin off another blog, the new one is called Ben Artstrong, and I'll be blogging more there about my painting projects and the rants they engender.It's strange, Honky-Tonk Dragon began as a place to gather links and such for a graphic novel

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-51271048268241944252008-05-26T00:34:00.002-04:002008-05-26T00:47:53.072-04:00

It had been awhile since I'd checked in on Sci-Fi author Will Shetterly's blog.Recently he posted something about his dad, who seems to have an enviable attitude towards aging and his golden years:Dad left La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, on May 15, 1998, sailed once around the world in a small sailboat, the Vaya, then decided to do it again "now that I know how." He returned to La Paz on his

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-15649398554510459152008-05-25T23:52:00.002-04:002008-05-26T00:12:52.666-04:00

I've long been fascinated with Buddhism, and to this day my life is enriched by wisdom gleaned from its philosophy, and by its existential technologies.But I have a major problem with the mythology and base theology of Siddharta.I won't get into all of that here, but Buddha's abandonment of his family troubles me. Especially since, the more I contemplate the changes parenthood will bring to my

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-89744918529770150042008-05-25T23:38:00.003-04:002008-05-25T23:51:03.355-04:00

Came across this story recently about a few folks who are using full electric vehicles in conjunction with solar panels.Darrell Dickey regularly commutes to work 24 miles, one way, by bike. But when it's too cold or wet for the bike, or when he and his family travel long distances from their home in Davis, California, he drives a battery-powered electric vehicle that he charges with

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-49641516209551936692008-05-25T23:21:00.003-04:002008-05-25T23:36:03.696-04:00

Well it's been a crazy coupla weeks for your humble Dragon.Work has been insanely busy, and my Mom came out for a visit, which is why I haven't posted in awhile.When I've had a rare moment to myself, that wasn't spent staring at the walls and catching my breath, I've been painting and researching painting.I finally was able to chat with the infamous Pirate Papa for a bit recently, and that was

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-7945321976213580712008-05-08T07:18:00.004-04:002008-05-08T08:06:58.707-04:00

We strip-mine your underground cultureTake the bite out and rinse it cleanGive ourselves credit for creating itThen sell it back to youAt twice the price- Fleshdunce, by The Dead KennedysWill Steampunk survive being the next big thing? There were a couple of things this morning which some might interpret at signs of the coming Steam-pocalypse.First is the mere existence of this story in the New

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-44708816615821744002008-05-07T23:40:00.003-04:002008-05-08T00:54:49.495-04:00

It must be Spring, because the scooter bloggers are posting in earnest again.Many of the bloggers are commenting on the deluge of news stories of people turning to scooters to beat $4 a gallon gas prices. The more astute of you might notice that the previous link is to ScooterFix, which is the new incarnation of Crystal Waters & company's Girl Bike. Girl Bike has been one of the longest running

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-6701480582101542482008-05-03T22:44:00.006-04:002008-05-03T23:30:38.960-04:00

Blessed Mother by Kevin KresseI am so overwhelmed with various emotions about being an expectant father, that it has been very hard for me to blog, or do much else productive.I've been organizing the studio, though, as I have the premonition that this surge of feeling will eventually manifest itself in some creative work.Though we are socially conditioned to see artists as hedonistic libertines,

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-86983815362550090662008-05-02T21:18:00.005-04:002008-05-02T23:32:33.001-04:00

So Jes went in for her first prenatal exam yesterday...Apparently, our estimates were just a tad off... where we'd thought she was 12-15 weeks along, turns out it is more like 25 weeks...We checked out the birthing center we'd like to use, and it's pretty nice.Jes also had her first sonogram, (seen above) looks like it is a girl. The experts tell us she is doing just fine.I however have quit

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-35778256987806300482008-04-28T08:39:00.013-04:002008-04-29T00:19:28.103-04:00

It's taken me longer than I'd hoped to get back to my ongoing series on safety gear for scooterists.Since the news of impending paternity came in the middle of this series on safety gear, my priorities have changed. I don't have any plans to quit riding. Since $4, or even $5 a gallon gas seems likely by the end of the year, I hope to be using the Vespa even more for low-load trips. Plus I have no

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-26617077408151979362008-04-25T23:55:00.002-04:002008-04-26T00:04:03.504-04:00

More proof, if any were needed, that Lou Reed is the most underrated song-writer of the 20th century.Some great jams here, but the vocals are a little muffled.And so you can truly appreciate Lou's take on a middle-aged hipster staring down paternity's double barrels, I give you the lyrics:It might be fun to have a kid that I could kick aroundA little me to fill up with my thoughtsA little me or

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-48634149363130106532008-04-25T19:52:00.003-04:002008-04-25T22:37:24.642-04:00

Well today is the second Anniversary of my first post here on Honky-Tonk Dragon. Over 1100 posts and 75,000 hits later, it might seem like a good time for reflection, and indulging in laser accurate probes of hind-sight. I'm sure I'll get to that eventually, but right now, I'm looking toward the future, for reasons which will become obvious in a moment.The announcement part of this post is

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-22423416019360142032008-04-22T00:56:00.004-04:002008-04-22T01:45:20.566-04:00

Well it's taken me longer than I expected to get back to the topic of riding gear for scooterists, and I apologize for that.Originally, I planned on doing only one post on the whole topic, but after starting with Leather Jackets, I realized this is a topic which needed more in depth coverage.The topic of safety gear for scooterists doesn't get discussed enough. To a lot of folks, the possibility

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-18343655025394968402008-04-20T02:20:00.003-04:002008-04-20T03:55:31.895-04:00

Just got this disc in the post from the Dragon's Arkansawyer correspondent, Iain de Sane, and I gotta say it is a Drive-in Classic!Now Iain has been raving about this film to me for some time, and quite honestly, I thought his hedonistic lifestyle had finally caught up with him, and he was just getting the name of that Astronaut Farmer flick wrong... How wrong I was...The American Astronaut

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-60158351115315143402008-04-17T18:47:00.003-04:002008-04-17T22:44:51.813-04:00

This weekend there is free shipping at SpreadShirt. I suppose you could use this on any old graphic, but why, when you can get these fantastic scooter designs by yours truly. You can see all my images here.This offer is good April 19th and 20th, in the US and Canada, just use code SPRINGFREE (or CADSPRINGFREE for Canada) when asked for a coupon or voucher code as you order.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23504752392247764272008-04-13T22:19:00.008-04:002008-05-03T23:34:38.775-04:00

Just finished this painting, and I'm pretty happy with it. It is the most intensive piece I've completed in like four years. There are little bits I was tempted to keep refining, but a voice inside my head started saying, "Step away from the easel, and no one will get hurt..."This of course is a reference to an old artist's joke:Q: How many people does it take to paint a painting?A: Two. One to

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31516363351387706072008-04-13T08:56:00.002-04:002008-04-13T09:14:14.003-04:00

I just found this lovely series of videos of comics writer Alan Moore discussing several of his projects. If you are a fan of Mr. Moore, then you probably are aware of most this stuff. It's highly entertaining, nonetheless. If you only vaguely recognize the name, (and you should as the man behind the comics which inspired the films V for Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and the

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-2090025635273509312008-04-12T00:41:00.004-04:002008-04-12T01:20:47.097-04:00

Heather McDougal over at Cabinet of Wonders, has a wonderful (pardon the redundant pun) post up about the joys of French comics:For a number of years now, I have gone to France as often as I and my family can afford, and each time we make a pilgrimage to a particular store in St. Michel that sells literally thousands of these kinds of comic books, along with videos, manga, and other things.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-89026265423624834712008-04-11T23:41:00.003-04:002008-04-12T00:41:04.123-04:00

Which do you want first, the good or the bad?Ah, you're like me, you want the bad first, with the good to follow to cusion the blow, well...One of my favorite blogs is going into extreme slow down, if not ceasing to post altogether. Yup, Steve Williams over at Scooter in the Sticks is moving on to greener pastures. This makes me very sad, as Steve frequently came the closest to describing the

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-43305181244568502382008-04-10T22:34:00.009-04:002008-04-11T00:15:33.989-04:00

Piaggio is supposedly releasing a series of various decals for the Vespa S. It seems a little odd that these stickers are being tied so closely to the S. Like they won't stick onto a GTS? The sets of stickers are fairly pedestrian, Italian flags, Union Jacks, racing stripes... yada, yada, yada... Follow this link, and it will take you to the S accessories page where you can see pictures of the

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-42176187275572005232008-04-09T22:46:00.003-04:002008-04-09T22:55:56.904-04:00

Linux News is reporting that H.R. Block virtual offices within Second Life are giving away Vespas (you know, virtual Second Life Vespas)As the tax deadline nears, H&R Block is serious about giving real-life advice to made-up characters.Why?Because those characters are controlled by real people, otherwise known as potential clients.This is no digital dalliance. Last year Computer World magazine

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-5190804066439311312008-04-08T19:43:00.002-04:002008-04-08T19:50:55.063-04:00

The Rezistor - World's Quietest Vespa | V is for Voltage CommunityA member of the V is for Voltage EV community has converted a 1970 Vespa 50S Special to a DIY electric scooter. Apparently he recently won best Rat scoot at a Portland scooter rally.Very Impressive!

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-23099294865275433202008-04-08T19:27:00.002-04:002008-04-08T19:33:07.464-04:00

Dezeen » Blog Archive » NE apartment by Yuji Nakae, Akiyoshi Takagi and Hirofumi OhnoThis is one of the cooler things I've seen lately. Three Japanese architects have designed a unit of eight apartments specifically for two-wheeling residents.The C-shaped unit has an open, central common area which connects to the street, a kind of shared driveway. Each apartment has a small garage off of this

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-60137114538294342192008-04-07T16:13:00.013-04:002008-04-08T00:54:33.041-04:00

I've been promising you for awhile, and myself for even longer, that I would post something in depth about riding gear for scooter riders.Well, I just stumbled upon this recent article in the New York Times about leather jackets, and thought it was a good place to start. It's a strange article, with an accompanying set of photos of male models posing on Vespas. One of the photos even features a

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-29483412009825502942008-04-07T13:45:00.002-04:002008-04-07T14:25:09.666-04:00

I've always loved Creature Comforts, but I thought it was just this single short about Zoos. So discovering this short from Aardman productions on art was a real delight. Then I found there are a whole bunch of these shorts available on YouTube on topics ranging from the upcoming presidential election to being a bird. Still this one above is my current favorite.via Art News Blog

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-14939884104348884452008-04-07T01:14:00.002-04:002008-04-07T02:18:26.828-04:00

Labels are such weird things. We protest being confined to them by others, and then turn around and wrap ourselves in their comforting detachment.The world of two-wheelers and two-wheel afficiandoes is more fractured and contentious than the genres of music store. Taste in music is how adolescents define themselves and make a place for themselves in the fringes of society. Taste in two-wheelers

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-75788200840898196752008-04-07T00:08:00.003-04:002008-04-07T01:05:24.271-04:00

Since "Breaking Bad" is in reruns, I'm painting tonight. And going through my clip file, I discovered this blast from the past.This mural is the largest painting I've executed to date. It was never titled, but I'm posthumously saddling it with the name "Mother of the Other," which if my beer-addled brain serves me right, kind of sums up the gist of what I was shooting for.I was never completely

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-68612110362012804652008-04-06T18:10:00.003-04:002008-04-06T18:34:40.042-04:00

Chef Peter Ramstine is my kind of maniac. On April 1st (seriously) he began a journey through all of the state capitals and 8 Canadian Provinces on his yellow Vespa GTS. Along the way he will be volunteering where-ever he can. Look at this route!You can view the route and schedule in more detail here.Peter was originally inspired to start this journey after his experiences volunteering with

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-62950301854181060182008-04-06T11:34:00.004-04:002008-04-07T01:14:17.720-04:00

The first thing I was greeted with this morning upon firing up my browser was the news of Charlton Heston's passing, and the obligatory yet distasteful jokes about his "cold, dead hands."That Chuck spent his later years as a whipping boy of the Left has always troubled me. Though I may not have agreed with all his politics, I always respected Heston. He always gave me the feeling of being the

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-40116881207998748252008-04-05T00:41:00.002-04:002008-04-05T00:47:16.438-04:00

Or to steal a page from Warren Ellis's book:Q: Conan, what is good in life?A: Mashing-up Nihilistic British Pop music, virtuoso American rural folk music, and the best Gorram show to be canceled before it could find its niche.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-62299003431125561692008-04-05T00:23:00.004-04:002008-04-05T00:59:25.989-04:00

(Or judging from this promotional photo that has been circling the internet for awhile, maybe it's Six... ?)If you are wondering why the Dragon is blathering on like a five-year-old talking about Dinosaurs today, it might be because Battlestar Galactica is back with new episodes!(Pardon me whilst I do the "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy" dance.)It could also be that I just made the best batch of red

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-51943281051912018132008-04-05T00:04:00.003-04:002008-04-05T00:22:48.977-04:00

Leave it to John Rana, over at Who Rides a Vespa, to scoop the Norte Americanos on a neat Vespa ad campaign in our own backyards. Though he blogs from the Philippines, he's only one mentioning these groovy new ads from Vespa Canada for the new Vespa S.John quotes this article from Media in Canada :To create buzz for the Vespa S model- a replica of a classic '60s Vespa, with square mirrors and

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-90164856649321110422008-04-04T21:06:00.003-04:002008-04-04T21:24:49.058-04:00

There is a great story over on Boston.com, titled We Are Iron Man, which attempts to trace the literary and comic book influences on the classic Black Sabbath song "Iron Man".So what might a song whose themes were in all probability cobbled together from Iron Man's origin story and Ted Hughes's heady children's book mean? During the Vietnam War era, and again today, those of us who aren't off

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-88217270909151229092008-04-04T20:13:00.002-04:002008-04-04T20:23:39.242-04:00

Brass Goggles (Which seems to share a posting schedule with the Dragon) has a couple of posts up recently about Steampunk computer games.Dirk Valentine and the Fortress of Steam, is online game with old-school style controls and graphics. You can find it here.It looks like the perfect thing for cubicle inmates looking to kill some down-time.More interesting to me is Remnants of Skystone, an

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-42337667546484127812008-04-01T00:42:00.002-04:002008-04-01T01:10:48.431-04:00

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Pini's are publishing all of the ElfQuest saga online for free!For those of you non-geeks, who think ElfQuest is a euphemism for my search for a bar with a 50 cent Maredsous happy-hour, it is actually one of the longest running and influential independent comic series of all time.Ectoplasmosis probably sums it up best:• With Dave Sim’s Cerebus, it was

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-87919733297865217862008-03-31T23:58:00.002-04:002008-04-01T00:41:58.515-04:00

As I am sometimes wont to do, I have been hiding under my rock lately.Jes and I are still settling in here in New England, and I am still adjusting to my new job. It's looking more and more like Spring, and the shop is getting busier. I'm definitely glad I had a few months to get used to the place before the riding season hit, because if the last few weeks are any indication, it's gonna get

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-2135836990873470062008-03-24T13:25:00.002-04:002008-03-24T13:30:19.571-04:00

Sounds like it was a piece of guerrilla public art, erected on the MIT campus.My favorite so far.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-89372051906422238972008-03-22T08:11:00.002-04:002008-04-07T02:24:17.060-04:00

I'd like to say something clever about this, but am overwhelmed by its inherent cleverness. Sheer metal genius from Jay-Jay French, guitarist for Twisted Sister.

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-16487155459363397132008-03-20T19:33:00.003-04:002008-03-20T19:51:21.840-04:00

Looks like Joss Whedon is not quite ready to abandon the Firefly universe. The first issue of a new Serenity limited-series comic called Better Days was published just a couple days ago.I haven't been able to get my grubby little talons on a copy yet, but I'm pretty excited about the project, especially since it is set as a prequel to the feature film, so two of my favorite characters should

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-1097854751300093952008-03-17T20:53:00.003-04:002008-03-17T21:59:50.556-04:00

Monday nights are my Sunday night, the last night of my weekend, so I usually try to do something nice for dinner. It being St. Paddy's day, I thought a nice potato soup might be in order, since I didn't really feel up to doing corned beef and cabbage.Potato Soup is something of a tradition in my family. A quick and cheap comfort food that reminds me of my Gaelic and German roots. My grandmother

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-29691013833661634332008-03-11T22:46:00.007-04:002008-03-12T04:02:56.754-04:00

So it seems that Wired was actually working on a story about Gary Gygax to go with the upcoming release of 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. The whole of it is up, and it's pretty nice, they even talk to Dave Arneson some, who has been overlooked a lot lately for his contribution to the early development of the game.And of course, the good natured jokes about missed saving throws have given way to

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-76072628845039979422008-03-10T12:30:00.003-04:002008-03-10T13:24:40.590-04:00

Steve over at The Scooter Scoop recently conducted a survey which polled scooterists on what they would like in a dream scooter. (Though I participated in the survey, I didn't link to it, because The Scooter Scoop wasn't displaying in my browser for several days.)The results of the polling are pretty interesting. Though no brands are mentioned, the statistics give a pretty good idea of why Vespas

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-14113403641307424542008-03-06T22:35:00.004-05:002008-03-07T01:18:47.137-05:00

I was just watching CSI, and they ran an episode about a game that involved problem solving, which was described as being like clue, but the play-testing which the episode centered around seemed much more like a role-playing game. There was even a scene which showed a bag of dice and miniatures. I guess there are some geeks in scheduling at CBS.For the past couple days, most of my spare internet

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-31992737477953639772008-03-04T19:06:00.004-05:002008-03-06T22:58:20.211-05:00

If you felt a great disturbance in the force yesterday, like the wailing of millions of geeky souls, it was because Gary Gygax, creator of the original fantasy role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons has left the prime material plane.Nerds around the world are singing his praises on message boards, forums, and blogs. The stories are all very familiar, and mine doesn't stand out as being

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-47833022707548647922008-03-03T23:45:00.003-05:002008-03-04T00:54:28.719-05:00

I've just realized that we are rapidly approaching the Dragon's second birthday.And I guess it is about time that I publicly address the question of just what this blog is really about.Like writing an artist's statement, this is a project I've attempted many times, but never been able to satisfactorily complete. The working definition I've been operating under for at least the last year, is that

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-62272239797169331032008-03-03T23:25:00.003-05:002008-03-03T23:35:57.982-05:00

I've seen this a couple of places today, but the Make! Blog was the most recent.Jake Von Slatt, who I've mentioned more then once in these photons, has linked to a heart-struck young tinkerer who has turned his predilection to not-leaving-well-enough-alone to matters of the heart.Dave Veloz borrowed heavily from Von Slatt's designs to create a steampunk workstation based around a Mac Mini for his

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-11172010765088241802008-03-03T20:23:00.003-05:002008-03-03T21:33:40.069-05:00

2Stroke Buzz is also reporting that LML, the former Vespa licensee and manufacturer of Genuine's Stella, is going to be producing a four-stroke, manual-shift, P-series clone. Even better the scoot will be available in displacements up to 250cc!No word yet, if Genuine will be importing them stateside.I've also heard some rumors that Piaggio is at work on a similar project. I don't recall a link

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-34999170155567614222008-03-03T19:32:00.002-05:002008-03-03T20:01:57.727-05:00

No less a mainstream media institution than the WSJ ran a story recently about scooter usage by suit wearing executives in Paris.For Parisians in the business world, motor scooters -- two-wheeled vehicles with engines that are generally smaller than motorcycles and have automatic transmissions -- are an acceptable means of transportation. The convention has moved into the highest ranks of some

punkelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323231957389502125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-60986515606602867842008-03-03T11:29:00.005-05:002008-03-03T14:13:13.877-05:00

Well, it seems that Michael Morris read my belated post about his recent print exhibition, and was kind enough to send me images of my favorite pieces from that show.Above is Vitruvian Barbie, which obviously comments on ideals of beauty, both classical and modern, as well as consumerism and mass production. Those themes seem pretty accessible to any viewer with a passing exposure to pop culture

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26820169.post-73152895778993597242008-02-29T23:39:00.005-05:002008-03-01T01:23:03.125-05:00

Have I mentioned lately, how much I love my new job?I'm sure I probably have, but today was the best day yet at work.The day pretty much started with delivering a vintage Vespa to a customer in upstate New York. It was the first time I'd done a delivery, and I was very nervous about driving the shop truck with the hydraulic ramp. Plus, having just moved to New England, I'm not familiar with all

Honky-Tonk Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935718184841652867noreply@blogger.com0