He would be no better than the draft dogging crook we got in there now.

We can stop the political debates right here and now

Yep, nothing to gain by politics that bunch isn't worth wasting the breath. Anyone had good enough weather to be flying lately? We have more rain coming this weekend. Today is bright and sunny but in the 40s.

Yeah, I was just pointing out the hypocrisy that leads to the FAA thing we all have to deal with now.

I had a doctors appointment today, My luck it's cold and rainy. I get in the car head down the driveway turn on the windshield wipers and head lights, three swipes and the wipers are dead. The rains not that bad so I continue, after the doctor visit I get in the car - Dead battery (left the headlights on) After a jumpstart I head home, half way there I had to relieve myself, but there is no where to go, Yea that's right I just got out of the shower and the car is wet -Inside- not to mention my clothes. Am I pi..ed? (no pun intended) you bet! so i will sit here in my robe thinking about taking a nap but I am afraid of falling out the bed or something.

And it's not even Monday.

It sucks getting old but beats the alternative! ;)

Not when you know the One who holds eternity in His hands! ;)

He just looked at my fat ass and laughed. :(

Another example of multinational capitalism, and mods, this is not politics it's economics! https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/...-2xgkgko7DuiGs

I'm glad I'm nearly 72!

You see a lot of that now. I wonder how Triumph sells break down by country?

Apparently European sales of Triumph motorcycles are holding their own but sales in Asia and the Americas are declining. https://motorcyclesdata.com/2020/02/...h-motorcycles/

I have heard motorcycle sales in general are off in North America.

With all the jobs in Asia who has the money for a bike?

It's simple ----no job ------ no money ----- no bike!

Yes, it does seem sales are down everywhere in our local area here in eastern New Mexico and Texas Panhandle. 2 motorcycle repair shops folded, Gears -n- Gadgets in town and Big Mike's Bikes in nearby Farwell. The motorcycle dealers are dependent upon repairs and accessories to buffer declined sales. The RV sector with 4 wheelers seems to be doing OK, or at least it has the illusion of that. But here there are a lot of ranch land, motocross tracks, state parks, etc. to buffer the increased limitations of recreational riding in our "closed" national parks.

Seems to get a good deal on a new or used car, I have to drive at least 100 miles away. I get a general impression that people are so into getting loans for everything, especially in economically depressed area that I live in, that a cash customer is no longer valued or treated with respect. There is little discount, little incentive to pay cash. Yet, even with such all told, I have learned there is much freedom maintaining a debt free life, even if it seems the culture goes counter grain to it. Bottom line, you naturally have more disposable income at the end of the month.

There is a philosophy promoted as gospel that one should keep loans and keep everything monetarily fluid (loans that is), but I have found just the opposite true. Yes, one pays a little more in taxes because of the decreased tax write-offs, but overall I have had more disposable income because I don't have that interest burden tax.

Anyway, my 2 cents for what it's worth. (Very few have listening ears these days in my sphere of influence.

Or as someone said about five hundred years ago,

"...Never a borrower not a lender be, for a loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry...."

I'm at that stage in life when debt retirement is the first priority. Still occasionally an emergency comes up. Like my old car reaching the point it wasn't worth repairing.

While it's true that a Mortgage was good for tax reasons, and an RV loan is considered a mortgage, and the interest could be written off same as a house, since the latest tax cuts were enacted, the personal exemptions are better than what used to be gained with the mortgage interest and real estate taxes. I filed basic last year, didn't need to file the advanced tax form last year. There was about a $400 refund difference between the two.

Been spending the day making cut files for the Top Flite Gold Edition Giant Scale Corsair. Putting together a sheet inventory list now and gathering costs so I can figure out a good selling point for short kits. Fun stuff. There are 59 sheets to be cut. Next step is to get my card stock cut to sizes and cut out templates to compare to the plans and if all is good, cut my first kit.

50+ years old into RC boats 20 years
 

Been away from hobby for 14 years and time to get back in. Starting with a gas cat.

There was a Triumph motorcycle dealer near me but it went out of business 2 years ago. There is also a BMW motorcycle dealer near me that seems to be doing well.

So, what you guys think, I just finished creating the cut jobs for a Top Flite Gold Edition Giant Scale Corsair. The material costs came out to $161. Would a short kit be worth $250 on this? All wood is from National Balsa. I spent about 18 hours programming and optimizing it to give some idea how much time goes into it. Each piece of plywood is about 15 minutes cutting time, and there are 11 sheets of ply so add another 3 hours for that and there are 26 sheets of balsa, 5-10 minutes per cut between the 1/8th and 1/4 sheets. At least 8 hours of machine time when adding it all up. So the first kit is 36 hours of work.

If I charge $10 an hour laser time, thats $80, plus material costs, comes out to $241, so let me know if it is a fair price for something that is now unobtainium from Tower.

True but except for thy sagely advice, 500 years of history obviously have gone largely ignored or lost. (Do they even teach history and literature these days in US schools?) Or as expressed in Proverbs 22:7, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

I've given away the last several vehicles I have owned, were still in good running condition but old. Found that certain vehicles depreciate so much that purchasing a good low mileage used one has spared me emergencies, plus, replace the weak areas (belts and hoses, alternators when approaching 100k miles, etc.) has helped to avert most if not all emergencies. But, everyone needs to find what works for them.

Some 25 years ago, we paid off our house. Even though we paid a little more in taxes (they didn't have the larger personal exemptions as they do now), overall we were still in better shape financially versus not paying off the loan. I just can't see paying several times over the value of the home in the form of interest. If one were to take their hourly rate and divide that into the interest paid, then again dividing by the average hours in a work day would see how many days of their life was spent in just paying the interest tax.

Welcome to the discussion, Kwally. When you get a chance, please show some photos of your build progress.

The Harley Davidson dealer is still hanging in there along with the Yamaha/Kawasaki and Honda/Polaris/Victory dealers, but we don't have a Triumph dealer. I think there may be one 95 miles away in Lubbock, Texas.

I'm not the best source of opinion on this, but doesn't seem you are asking outside of what is reasonable. Those companies who are able to wholesale obtain balsa may have a slight edge on you, as you got your balsa retail, no? Yes, more and more I see more things that are unobtanium. ;)

The escrow for the taxes and insurance costs more than the actual mortgage payment. $10K a year in tax and insurance. Outrageous taxes and yet, crappy roads and schools. How did that happen?

Well you have to pay to support all those politicians unemployable relatives!

Ugh, I keep hoping to hear in the morning news that the Governor has dropped dead from a heart attack. Wrong, I know, but can't stand. Raised gas taxes, plate fees, wants to institute a progressive tax, and a state exit tax. He has pulled funding for the State Police so now it takes months instead of weeks to get a FOID card or CCW. Latest I heard was mandatory gun owners insurance. I so hate this state, but stuck here for a while longer until my horses pass. I don't want another horse property.