105 YEARS OF LOUD

So Milwaukee is in an exuberant state of elation, because it is again another 5 years into the history of Harley Davidson.

And the crowds rejoice. Thunderously.

I do have some questions that arise as a side effect of all the media hullaballoo surrounding the festivities.

1. If I were to get 7 or 10 friends together, and we purchased buttless chaps, leather vests and called ourselves a "gang" would that term really apply? Especially if we were to use Pogo sticks as our mode of transportation? Technically, by the rationale that a collection of people using the same mode of transport, and wearing similar gear constitutes a "gang", we should be able to call ourselves just that. I mean, after all, technically, Pogo sticks are indeed a method of travel, albeit an inefficient and uncomfortable one. We could be "Hades' Hoppers".

2. A group of Harleys collective clamor is capable of ripping the shingles off of my roof. This is legal. If I have a hole in my muffler, I can be pulled over and prosecuted for noise pollution. Why is that? If a pair of those motorcycles rides past my car, and the driver's side window is open, I'm deaf for 10 minutes. It seems like a double standard in my opinion.

3. A Harley Davidson motorcycle is called, for short, a "Harley". How do you suppose Davidson and his descendents feel about that?

4. Could extensive and long term vibration from motorcycles cause you to be incontinent?

Now, mind you, I'm not some sort of anti-biker person. I have several in my immediate family, and I love them dearly. It's just living in the Milwaukee area, and having wall to wall coverage in the media blasted into my face caused me a touch of annoyance. As an example of my impartiality, I am a huge Green Bay Packers fan and I was ready to throw my television, my radios, and by extension my car, because I am technically incapable of removing a stereo from a vehicle off of a cliff, because of the monolithic coverage of the whole Brett Favre la-dee-da in recent weeks.

I think the Media should stick to one mantra.

Is it new?

I do not need interviews with people, some shocked souls who seem stunned by the question asker being there, who are just hanging around some sort of festivity. Especially when the tv journalists are asking questions about something that was revealed 3 days ago, or has been going on for a week.

Because just talking about news does not make it news.