Posts Tagged ‘travel’

Where Do You Find Gay Spirituality?

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

What exactly do we mean when we talk about gay spirituality? Since many of us grew up in religious organizations that told us we were abominations and unworthy sinners there are plenty of people within the GLBT community that aren\'t interested in religion. Others want some validation from the church and thus look for meaning in religion. If you take your spiritual journey, you\'ll find that the process can definitely be satisfying.

Many of us began our own form of gay spirituality when we were young. Growing up in our churches we heard things, realized things, and felt like an outsider standing within the ring of fire.

It is not surprising that a great number of individuals chose to go from their churches directly into movements and social causes. Small groups have formed that help to deal with the whiplash many were left with.

There are all kinds of ways that one may try to find spiritual answers. When gay spirituality was first even mentioned, there was no such thing as an open and affirming church. Instead, there were a few select individuals who saw the plight of our spiritual journey and went out of their way to reach out to the community. Some turn toward that effort and others still turn away, looking for validation in the eyes of their childhood church.

It can be a painful road if you come from a religious background. You may have been subjected to prayer sessions that were supposed to \"cure\" you or religious studies that openly humiliated you. Thus, in today\'s GLBT community there are many who find spirituality solely within themselves.

Sometimes your spiritual answers are all around you. You might find that the miracle of your partner or the miracle of having a family together is enough of an answer. You may be wandering the world and simply gathering bits of a spiritual journey. You don\'t have to receive your gay spirituality badge from an actual religious figure if you don\'t want to. Your journey is very much within your own control and you have many choices. You can change your options whenever you please as well, making your choices ever more abundant.

Gay spirituality isn\'t just about acceptance. It is about a sense of self and in some cases a sense of dignity. There are plenty of cast outs that would love to come full circle, hear their childhood church admit fault for treatment of their gay membership, and feel righted after being mistreated. Yet we can only take that idea so far. It\'s about understanding and then reconciling that the religious teachings that we experienced were created by people. The actual spiritual journeys are felt internally and can\'t be taught. It is a noticeable and distinct feeling.

In today\'s world your spiritual existence comes from within. You can join churches and other religious organizations that are accepting and welcoming. But until you find that gay spirit is more about finding that spark within you, the journey can become too hard. Learning to take the journey from within makes it all worthwhile.

Discussion by Howie Holben with info on gay retreats and gay weekend breaks.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Towing Services Are Economical And Essential

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Everyone has witnessed the aftermath of accidents when the battered cars are towed away by tow trucks. The benefits of these towing services are many.

The crime rate is growing rapidly and the prospect of being alone in the evening walking through a dark stretch of highway is frightening. Women especially are vulnerable when they are driving alone or with children through an isolated area. We would love to all be constantly protected from both hidden and obvious dangers at all times but, the reality is, we are not.

A number of situations arise in ones lifetime where you may need the services of a towing company. If you are in an accident and the car is damaged extensively then you will need to find the nearest towing company which can be a hassle. The company may be expensive and you may not be carrying enough to cover the costs. Getting your car to the garage and getting it fixed may cost you the same as getting it towed to the mechanic in the first place.

If your car breaks down suddenly then you may also need to contact towing services. Cars are vulnerable to time and parts erode over the years. Your car may break down at anytime for numerous reasons and most of the time it happens when you least expect it. Finding a mechanic close by may not be an option.

A mechanic\'s shop may be too far out and you will need to find some emergency road services to help transport your car, which is an added cost to getting your car fixed and up and running again. You can avoid this hassle if you have a plan in advance where you get roadside assistance and it includes the price of towing at a reasonable rate.

Roadside assistance plans offer a number of services that are included in the monthly fee. The fee is reasonable and it prevents you from having to pay a hefty sum all at once in case of an emergency. The fee includes a variety of services besides towing such as offering to come and fix your flat tire anywhere you may be. It also includes various other benefits like bringing you a battery in case of a failure.

The roadside plan helps you out of most auto related issues. They will help you if you run out of gas suddenly or get locked out of your car. Every time such incidences happen you would have had to pay a huge amount for towing services and finding a lock smith at odd hours. Having a road side plan will take into consideration all situations where you may be helpless and stuck with your car. They will help you in every emergency situation moving your car safely and securely.

Keep in mind the numerous emergency situations you may find yourself in and realize that anyone may need towing services at any point in time. Having a decent roadside assistance plan will ensure that you get help swiftly and economically.

There comes a time when you need roadside assistance during an automotive crisis. Consult with the Abrams Towing in Mississauga for more information on responsive, resourceful, and reliable emergency road service.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The History Of The Motorcycle Past Present And Future

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Many of the \"facts\" in this story are based on Legend and Myth as much of the history of the Motorcycle and it\'s Culture was lost in the Great Rebellion of 2057.

Taken from a history book in the year 2095... Motorcycles And The Culture They Inspire 1868-2017

Motorcycles started out as steam engines strapped on to bicycles in 1868. Soon after the gas engine took its place and by the 1900\'s there were Motorcycle shops and Dealers all over the World. For awhile, Motorcycle\'s were simply used as transportation. In 1907, when Henry Fords, Ford Motor Company, released the Model-T at a price many could afford, the Motorcycle soon went from a necessity to a luxury item.

In the 1940\'s, the Motorcycle Culture really took off. An organization called the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) held races and events all over the United States of America. In 1947 the AMA held an event in Hollister California. This event was attended by many of the AMA Racing Teams and Motorcycle Clubs. This event marks the beginning of the separation of Motorcyclists which eventually led to the end of Motorcycling in the year 2017. Newspapers, being what they where in 1947, got a hold of some pictures of Motorcyclists having fun at the event. The press decided to embellish the facts and transformed the story into a torrid tale of Bikers taking over a small town! More negative news stories soon followed. Soon after Hollywood began releasing movies that portrayed Motorcyclists as lawless and evil.

The American Motorcyclist Association, trying to end the bad press, responded by basically saying that the Newspapers had lied and that it was only 1% of the Motorcyclists that caused problems. This resulted in the first ripple in the Unity of the Motorcycle World and the Medias\' hatred of Bikers. Around the same time, the AMA began adding new requirements for motorcycles to be able to race in AMA sanctioned Races. Those whose motorcycles didn\'t meet the new AMA requirements started their own Race Leagues. Because the new Race Leagues/Clubs were not AMA sanctioned, they soon became known as Outlaw Race Leagues/Clubs. Although many Bikers raced in both the AMA and Outlaw Leagues, another great separation had begun.

By the late 1960\'s, the separation of the Motorcycle Community was becoming more evident. There were now three basic Motorcycle groups. The American Motorcycle Association, Outlaw/ 1%er Clubs(All 1%ers were Outlaws, but not all Outlaws were considered 1%ers) and Independent Riders. Over the years, the AMA continued to grow. In addition to racing, they began to champion Motorcycle Rights and Safety. As time went on, others formed independent groups whose goals were similar to that of the AMA. The inability or outright refusal of these groups to work together with each other, resulted in further separation of the Motorcycle Community and Culture.

In the 1970\'s, rifts began to grow between some of the Outlaw/1% Clubs. By the 1990\'s, the media had inflated these conflicts into stories that rivaled the tall tales of the old west. These tall tales where ment to invoked fear of the Outlaw/1% Clubs in the public. Everyone was lied to,. They were told to stay away from and fear all Outlaw/1% Clubs. The media began referring to Motorcycle Clubs as Motorcycle Gangs, a term meant to further instill fear into the heart of the Public. Stories and rumors began surfacing, claiming these \"Gangs\" were ruthless and would kill or maim people for little or no reason at all. By the early 21st Century, every minor conflict between Outlaw/1% Clubs was made into a book, made for TV movie, or docudrama. Titles like \"Motorcycle Gang Wars In Your Back Yard\" were common. Although real wars, conflicts, and suffering were occurring worldwide, the Corporate owned media chose to report fiction over fact.

In 2009, a conflict between two rival Clubs was captured on Video at a \"Biker Build Off\" event. The coverage by the media and negative publicity that followed was so overwhelming that in 2010, the United States Government passed a law banning all Outlaw/1% Clubs. In response, the Outlaw/1% Clubs put aside their differences and formed \"Bikers United\". The Bikers fought back stating the law was unconstitutional and un-American. Even as late as 2010, Many Americans still clung to the misguided belief that they had rights and lived in a free Nation. The Bikers fought hard and came very close to winning, but without the support of the Motorcycle Rights Groups,The many other Clubs, and the Independent Riders, all of whom had been brainwashed into believing the Outlaw Clubs were criminal organizations, they were defeated.

Many of the Outlaw/1% Clubs tried to stay together. The Clubs went underground, but after many raids and constant Government harassment, they all but disappeared. In 2013, in an effort to ensure that the Outlaw/1% Clubs never returned, the Government decided to outlaw all Motorcycle Clubs and organizations. The AMA, the many Clubs and Motorcycle Rights Organizations United in an effort to battle the Governments oppression. They tried to use many of the same tactics and strategies that the Outlaw/1% Clubs used. Unfortunately, the Government was much smarter and stronger this time around. They had learned many lessons in their fierce battles with the Outlaw/1% Clubs, and they used what they had learned against the united Clubs and Organizations. With no Outlaw/1% Clubs left to assist them and without the support of the Independent Riders, the United Clubs and Organizations were defeated.

In 2015, the Government passed a law that made it illegal to even look like an Outlaw on a Motorcycle. The Independent Riders banned together to try and fight the law, but by this time their numbers were few and there wasn\'t anyone left to show them how to fight for their rights. After a brief protest, they too were soundly defeated. In 2017, What was now a \"Global Government\", in its infinite wisdom, decided that Motorcycles posed a danger to the public. They passed a law banning the manufacturing of Motorcycle\'s and their use! They ordered that all existing Motorcyclesbe destroyed. This brought to an end, the History of Motorcycles. It would take until the year 2093 before anything even close to resembling a Motorcycle reappeared.

As a Historian looking back at the History of Motorcycles and the Culture it created, it amazes me how powerful the Motorcycle Culture could have been had they not let every little thing separate them. Instead of embracing something they all had in common and working together to protect it, they instead let their differences, the media, and the government divide them. By the time the Bikers realized how much they were connected and needed each other, it was too late. Their numbers were certainly sufficient to achieve victory, but their failure to come together as Brothers and Sisters and work for the common good ultimately caused their demise. Had they been victorious, it may have been enough to stop all of the oppression and tyranny that soon followed. History is full of stories just like this one, over and over again. The ones who love and honor Freedom the most are taken down first and the rest soon fall like dominoes. Until the Great Rebellion of 2057, we as a Global Society did not realize how important it was to put aside our differences. It may have taken awhile, but we finally figured it out...Just in time!

Your Bro L. J. James AmericanBikerX.com

LJ hosts a online Bike Show every week . The show can be heard live or Replay . LJ works to show the truth between real Motorcycle Clubs and programs like sons of anarchy

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,