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  1. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    Actually, the VF750F compares favorably with many modern machines from a handling standpoint. Performance-wise, the bike broke ground: It was the first 750cc machine to achieve an astonishing 11.45-sec. quarter-mile time (Cycle magazine did this), and it had a top speed somewhere in the 140s...
  2. Jack Briggs

    Is it time to talk about coronavirus?

    I am thinking we are just shy of reaching a national panic mode. Too much bad news all at once is starting to overwhelm us. And the Dow skidded another 1,200 points today and now is in official bear territory. As noted, the NBA has suspended regular-season games. And we are all being advised...
  3. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    Walter, the 300cc Honda would be an excellent machine for an older guy. Me? I would prefer the Indian FTR 1200 or one of the Triumph vertical twins. Those machines suit my age and rusty ergonomics. And as for high-performance machines and their potential to reach 200 mph (sans throttle...
  4. Jack Briggs

    I've been on a Stephen King binge.

    In my view, it is a bit pedestrian for a King novella. But it is an enjoyable read nonetheless. After all, it was written by Stephen King.
  5. Jack Briggs

    I've been on a Stephen King binge.

    Johnny, that would be a novella called The Longoliers.
  6. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    No, John, I am not kidding. Part of the fun in having such power in any machine you own -- two- or four-wheeled -- is simply knowing you have it, whether you ever travel that fast or not. Currently, there are about twenty automobiles available in the U.S. that can "do" 200 mph. Admittedly, they...
  7. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    You know, picking up a downed streetbike is not easy. Imagine having to upright a fallen Gold Wing. Fully gassed, that machine weighs somewhere north of 900 pounds. And then, of course, if you're a fanatical perfectionist, there is the cost of replacing any scratched parts. One thing...
  8. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    Brian: The most popular motor vehicle in the world is the Honda Super Cub, a 125cc SOHC Single with a step-through frame -- but classified as a motorcycle. My first bike, Way Back When, was a Honda S-90. The Sport 90 boasted a 90cc Single. On such small machines one can learn to corner properly...
  9. Jack Briggs

    Is it time to talk about coronavirus?

    Meanwhile, the U.S. stock market experienced its single worst day since the 2008 financial crisis. According to the New York Times, we nearly are in bear-market territory. Bottom line: It isn't looking good at the moment.
  10. Jack Briggs

    I've been on a Stephen King binge.

    Pssst, Josh : It's From a Buick 8, not 6. Tino, go with Mr. King's last novel, The Outsider. Oh, and Josh mentioned Mr. King's novella, Elevation. It's quite lovely. As was Gwendy's Button Box.
  11. Jack Briggs

    Isn't it time to abolish DST?

    B-ROLL/Bryan: Let me guess. You live in Arizona. All: I never liked DST. I prefer standard -- "actual" -- time.
  12. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Brian: My understanding is that the Colorpoint Shorthair is a crossing of the Siamese with the American Shorthair. And that is certainly what Attila kept trying to tell me. Lovely, lovely cats.
  13. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Walter, that sounds like a Suzuki GS850. I've ridden a few of those. Did it have a blue gas tank?
  14. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Whoa, Brian, that cat looks like a Colorpoint Shorthair. Remember, my beloved Attila the Cat was a Colorpoint Shorthar. Lovely cat.
  15. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Brian, that is news to me. I, of course, have thought it was the other way around. But I do not want to say too many negative things about cat show Siameses (on the basis that all cats deserve love), yet I do prefer the more traditional look of the "appleheads." Meanwhile, I must note the lack...
  16. Jack Briggs

    Not to bore you, but I have to say some things about motorcycles.

    Though for different reasons from my absence here at HTF, I've been away from the world of two-wheeled adventure for some time. However, I have been drawn back to it due to the simple reason found in an old MC adage: Once a motorcyclist, always a motorcyclist. When I first moved to California...
  17. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Sounds like a fine Siamese to me.
  18. Jack Briggs

    Consumers cannot tell difference 8k vs. 4k

    Yes, what Josh said. Before digital projection overtook commercial theaters, I believe I read that the apparent resolution of 35mm film was at something like 6K to 8K. (Correct me if I am wrong.)
  19. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    That is a gorgeous cat, questrider/Brian! Again, classic Siamese cats are beautiful, which makes me wonder about professional breeders and what they are doing to Siamese cats entered into the so-called "cat shows": Those poor creatures are becoming so gaunt and angular that they barely resemble...
  20. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Peter, thank you. Great to see that you're still around.
  21. Jack Briggs

    Is it time to talk about coronavirus?

    Meanwhile, the news keeps getting worse about the virus. And this makes it an especially bad time over at the Centers for Disease Control, which has seen its budget for pandemic response slashed. I cannot go further on that without violating HTF's rules. But it would be more reassuring if our...
  22. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    It may be less active, and it may be true that Twitter and Facebook (both of which I tend to avoid) lure some of the less-committed HTF members, but I think something else is easing up the disagreements: Everyone is more accustomed to the Internet now. As a result, pretense subsides and genuine...
  23. Jack Briggs

    I will be dropping by more often.

    Thank you, Marko. Another thing I've noticed here lately (and I am far from complaining): A lot of members are showing images of their cats in their avatars. DaveF, for example, has an orange tabby staring at the camera from behind him. Another member has his cat showing affection toward him...
  24. Jack Briggs

    Just a couple of basic questions.

    For a few years I have been out of the loop, so to speak, on matters of home theater (among them, lack of a home in which to put said theater). Things are changing, however, and I just have a question or two about current display technology. I am eschewing anything exotic, such as OLED...
  25. Jack Briggs

    Who among us has seen The Beatles in person?

    No offense, but I really like Wikipedia.
  26. Jack Briggs

    Who among us has seen The Beatles in person?

    Is that your primary complaint, though -- that it's a romantic comedy with the music of The Beatles being almost beside the point?
  27. Jack Briggs

    How do you see the state of SF on TV and in Movies?

    From everything I have read about Gravity, that was my thinking as well (I've seen clips from the film).
  28. Jack Briggs

    Who among us has seen The Beatles in person?

    Interesting -- both viewpoints. From the reviews I have read, the protagonist appears to come into contact with others who remember The Beatles and inform him that he can meet a Beatles (sort of pun, there). How does this play out in the film? Go ahead and tell me. If you are afraid of...
  29. Jack Briggs

    The Stand-Stephen King

    Josh, that's an excellent point. Good post.
  30. Jack Briggs

    The Stand-Stephen King

    Also, Josh, you post is spot on. And it is good that you mentioned On Writing. Also worth reading: Dance Macabre.
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