Thanks to the gang from the Waffle House in Mauldin for having us out and having a blast!  They even let me cook,  Yes cook,  for customers… and NO ONE got sick.

When an openly gay high school senior was voted prom queen at his Los Angeles high school last weekend, the school’s students and officials not only accepted it, they basked with pride in being one of the most diverse and tolerant schools in the nation.

“Tears were almost falling down my face,” said Sergio Garcia, 18, of the moment he was named prom queen at Fairfax Senior High School in Hollywood Saturday night, where he beat out eight girls for the crown. “It was a really emotional moment,” Garcia told ABCNews.com.  

Hoping to pursue a career in cosmetology after his June graduation, Garcia said that the large majority the 547 seniors in his class were in support of his bid for prom queen and not prom king, the title some might deem more appropriate for a male student.

“Prom queen suited my personality the most,” said Garcia. “I need to prove to myself I could be myself.”

I read this story several times before I could comprehend it all.

Its clear to me that high school is VERY different from when I attended. 

Some people just seem to have “It” while others like myself are doomed to never experience the feeling of winning big $$$ !       Last night one person in South Dakota won the Powerball worth $232 million.While the other day a New Jersey Grand Mother stepped up to the craps table at a local casino and proceeded to roll and win for the next 4 and a half hours winning a huge pot of cash laughing and giggling all the way to the bank.      For me the whole idea of winning at any of these games of chance or legal betting is just a pipe dream. I have never as much as won $5 on a scratch off game. I’ve tried them all, been to Vegas, even tried a little Bingo once, but after the old lady next to me kept winning card after card, I just walked out with my head shaking. I remember being on a gambling boat in Louisiana drop quarter after quarter into a slot machine and at one time actually filling up my collectable cup and feeling like I was on the roll of rolls. I look down the row and see this guy, who looked like hobo all dirty and smelly and I noticed how each time he slotted a quarter, boom money would just pour out of the machine. He must have had 6-7 collectable cups full of quarters. So I proceed to attack the machines with all my one cup of winnings and within minutes, I didn’t have enough left to by a cup a coffee.      Then there was my short stint as a high roller at the dog track. I was living in Houston, and they opened up one of the largest dog tracks in the country. Well you got to at least go out and give it a try I thought to myself. I remember my first wife’s grandfather from Wisconsin was supposed to be really big into the dogs so we talked to him about how to get out there and win. What special things we should look for when researching dogs before making our bets. He said “if the dog takes a dump on the way to the starting gate, run to the window and drop a bet on it to win!” I thought, “hey now, there’s a true strategy”.  I’ve got the edge now I’m going give it a shot. I went out there to the track and bet on every dog the went to the bathroom, and you know what? I was winning I mean I was wasn’t  Mr. Big but I think I won something like $200 half way through the night.I’m even sharing my “secret” now with other people who think I know what I’m doing. But just as I began to think of how I may have found a new way to make a living, I started to get cocky; making that trifecta bet’s or big money on one dog to win etc, and as the dream of living the high life faded along with my winnings I ended up shelling out another $75 for drinks and food and left the place in the hole that much.        So you see, I think some people just have that great thing called dumb luck and others like myself, well the best thing we can do every time we start thinking about winning the big lotto,  just walk up to some stranger and hand them the $5 bucks you were about to spend on a some quick picks. Of course then you’ll see that person in the paper a few days later standing there holding one of those giant checks worth millions and the headline of the story says…  stranger gives man $5 who then uses it to buy lotto ticket and wins millions!

In the last few minutes an interview with Matt Lauer and Sara Jane Moore has just concluded. 

Does the name “Sara Jane Moore” ring a bell? It should, just over 30 years ago she tried to kill President Gerald Ford.  That assignation attempt came just 2 weeks after Lynette ”Squeaky” Fromm had tried to do the same thing. 

After 30 years in federal prison she is out on parole and living somewhere in America.  I’m not going to get into the parole system, how people should be treated after an attempted presidential assignation, etc.  Those arguments will be held by others. 

My point in talking about her today is her face.  Yep, her face.  I was struck by the fact that an age that most are contemplating retirement, Sara Jane Moore is just beginning her life, at least life without bars.  When I saw her face, I found it hard to believe she was the same person that squeezed the trigger, with murder in her heart. 

30 years later, she is a grandmotherly type with a soft voice and passive eyes.  Imagine what lies behind those eyes,

I promised to do a little blog about the Myrtle Spring rally, and well, time got away from the old man.  So here we find ourselves around the old e-campfire swapping stories of the once proud event that had been a huge economic plus to Horry County.

Last year the human hemorrhoid known as Mayor Rhodes decided to squash the annual arrival of spring….and Harley riders.  To an extent far greater than I expected, he succeeded.  But it’s the way this bag of douche went about the process that frosts my shriveled old nuggets.

In addition to passing a tax increase on the residents of the city of Myrtle, he also rammed through changes to the “vendor permit” process, noise ordinances and a well published override of state law concerning helmets.  Thaaats right, his highness deemed it necessary to ratchet up the requirements for helmet use.  If he came to Greenville, made a “right turn on red” and suddenly got a ticket he would scream that state law permits it.  Logic aside, there are lawsuits in place and that aspect of the changes will be decided in court.

Speaking of court, the administration ordered the police to setup clusters of officers at major entrance points to the city and stop riders for anything, everything or nothing. According to a contact with the SCHP the local peace officers were told to stop them all, write as many tickets as possible and arrest when able.  The local traffic court system will be a mess for a long time.

Now, it is with great sadness I report that even though it was just the city that became an a-hole landmass, it had a huge impact on the southern and northern adjacent cities of Garden City, Surfside, Murrells Inlet, North Myrtle Beach, etc.  The mood was nasty and confrontational and the crowds small….at least for the first weekend of the event. 

In the city of Myrtle, hotels that 1 year ago were sold out with rooms renting for $140 per night, were 40% occupied with rates at $35 per night.  Restaurants were doing minimal business, as were bars, grocery stores, etc.  It seems odd that the ballsack they have for a mayor, was able to slip them the sausage in two ways.  First he raises the tax on the same people that saw their income plummet for a 10 day period.

Below are some shots I took while in the southern end between Friday and Monday.

This was at the Suck Bang and Blow location on 17 By-pass.

One year ago this entire area would have been jammed with bikes and people.  What you see here is the result of the “best intentions of government meddling in private business.”  My bike looks a little lonely doesn’t it? 

These are from the Rats Hole.  This is favorite destination for bikers that in the past would have over 1,000 bikes on the ground at anytime on the same day a year ago.    
Well you get the “picture.”  Many of us showed up rather than swallow the attitude doled out by the mayor of Myrtle.  I asked a number of residents if they were going to take the insult of being told that they weren’t welcome in their own town by an elected official and what the odds were we might see a recall election.  Reactions were mixed. Opinions varied.  That in itself is the most troubling.  People accepting this type of treatment from some ass clown doing a part time job. 

If people that drove SUVs were suddenly told they weren’t welcome, they could not rent hotel rooms, or drive the streets of a city without police harassment, there would be an uproar. 

Let the same gasbag inflict that same mistreatment toward motorcycles that pay taxes, buy tags, and supply a huge boost to the economy and some see no problem. 

Extend that scenario, beyond motor vehicles, and apply it to people.
Lets’ say the same “rules” and effort to discriminate is applied to a minority.
Pick one…any one, and consider the sh*t storm that would erupt.
My point is, let it succeed with one component, and I suspect others will be targeted. 

Far fetched? Maybe…..maybe not.

This looks interesting, check it out & tell me what you think.

*WARNING* Offensive Language. From Ozzy, your kidding!  Plus he flips you the bird.  You have been warned!

WRECKAGE OF MY PAST from MIKE PISCITELLI on Vimeo.

The next few weeks will be busy with motorcycle events. 
Here are a few you may consider as all are to benefit others.

May 23 – Cruzin for Cade 
Poker run to help with medical expenses for Caden Landreth of Pelzer with two years of chemo treatment relative to her leukemia. 
Ride starts at Sues, Hi-way 81 in Anderson.
For info call 864-380-5823

June 6^th

2^nd annual Poker run for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Upstate.
Ride starts at the WROQ studios n on Garlington and ends at Chief’s of Easley.
Info at 864-419-1858

Drive for Hope Poker Run.
Benefits the Greenville Disabilities and Special Services board.
A not for profit org that works with kids and adults with lifelong special needs.
Starts at Holiday Inn / I-85 and Augusta Road. 
Ends at Greenville Harley.
Info at 864-4499-6195

June 13

Poker run to benefit the Burton Center, a non-profit, multi-county agency providing services for people with disabilities and special needs.
Starts at the Burton Center, 2605 Hwy 72 – Greenwood.
Ends at the Greenwood Civic Center.
Rally after the ride, with live music, food, etc.
info at 864-942-8974.   

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m watching the series “Life After People” on the History channel.

I noticed a commercial for a show tonight at 8pm. 
It’s titled “How Bruce Lee Changed the World.” 

It’s official…..television has run out of ideas.

Been a busy week and I will do a more ‘in-depth” review of the Myrtle Beach Sping rally in a few hours.

To hold you over here is a “nugget” from the beach.

So, I’m walking around and I saw real evidence of the impact of the economy.

Times  are tough all over.

Larry