And just for the record...

A few of my writings have referred to global warming and the effects of pollution. I am neither an environmental scientist or any other qualified professional on the topic, far from it honestly. There is a lot of debate rolling around about whether global warming is actually a problem or if we're just seeing the effects of the downside of a continuing cycle that has been happening for thousands of years. For everyone's sake, I hope it's the latter. I don't know if pollution from our automobiles is actually as harmful as some are trying to tell us it is or if its worse than we thought. I have never claimed to be too much of an environmentalist. I do my best to be responsible for my waste, not to be a total pig and trash any place that I feel inclined but, I don't always recycle when I should or go out of my way to buy products that are better for the environment either. I struggle with this issue a lot being a car and motorcycle enthusiast and an aspiring father who will eventually leave this world behind to my children and theirs. I don't ever want to give up on the culture that I have been drawn to since I was a young boy and I sometimes feel like I am betraying that every time I write about global warming and oil alternatives. I also don't want to be the a gung-ho big block cowboy that disregards the possibility that these issues are real and leave a mess for the next generations of my family to deal with.

As long as I'm making confessions, I am also not an economist nor have I ever held an executive position in the oil industry however; I can say with a great amount of certainty that fuel prices are extremely excessive and if something doesn't happen soon, our economy will be "running on E" and we'll all be asking for oil alternatives just to be able to afford to drive to work every day. These oil companies need to be regulated before they do more economic damage than they already have. It can get worse, and it will if nothing is done about this.

As I work towards educating myself as much as possible on these issues, I want to let my brothers and sisters of the Ol' Skool Kulture know that I haven't "turned to the Green side" and left them for dead. I plan on building a led sled when I get out of school and it will most likely have a big nasty motor that would make any grown hot rodder cry. I plan on teaching my kids all about the car and the culture. On the flip side, doing what any father or hopeful future father would do, I'm trying to protect my own and leave them with a good, healthy life when I go.

I haven't forgotten you....

It's been too long since the last time we were together. Life has taken a lot of twists and turns, time has been running as if it were scared by something but, amidst the craziness of life, I've been thinking about you more and more lately. I have been approached by a few people recently with an opportunity for us to be together again and I'm not sure what to do. I was hoping that writing to you may help me decide what happens next for you and I. I remember when we spent hours together every day creating some of the best memories I'll ever have. I've been feeling guilty for leaving you behind, but honestly you would hate it here. I know, we would be together here but we would never be able to spend any time together and that would be hard for both of us. I know you're safe and warm now, and I want you know that I'm coming back to you.

I remember the first time I saw you... I was only ten years old and you were one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. You were hiding in the basement, just waiting for me to find you sitting there waiting for me. I did a double take and actually jumped as I rushed towards you. I was so excited that all I could do was smile as I started hitting you uncontrollably. I continued the beatings every day and we both knew it was meant to be.

As we grew closer, I bought you little gifts to make you look more beautiful and to let everyone know you were mine. A new cymbal, that double kick pedal you'd been asking for and don't forget when I bought that new rack (you know, that one we planned on using together on the road). Yeah, we've really had some good times together. I've laughed and cried with you, taken you on many travelling adventures, spent countless days in the studio with you...

Well, I guess what I'm trying to say to you Tama Rockstar DX, Zildjian K/Z Series cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra Pedals, Roc-N-Soc Throne and Vic Firth sticks is that no matter what happens next, you are still in my heart and I haven't forgotten you.

Who's kidding who?

This past Tuesday, which was appropriately April Fool's Day, the Associated Press reported that the executives of "Big Oil" went before the U.S. Congress to defend their record $123 billion in profits and to fight for their $18 billion in tax relief. They are asking Congress not to refuse these tax breaks or they may not be able to afford to invest in alternative energy research. "On April Fool's Day, the biggest joke of all is being played on American families by Big Oil," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass. during the hearing.

Meanwhile, in the hallowed halls of Chevron Corporation, Chairman David O'Reilly(who opted not to testify in this week's Congressional hearing) received a 17% raise in 2007 totaling a salary of 15.7 million for the year. That doesn't include the 600,000 stock options he excersized after a 27% increase in Chevron's stock price, putting a modest 18.2 million in his pocket book. This is just one example of the excess and greed happening right here in our backyard, at our expense.

Being a brain wielding human, it is hard for me to believe that someone isn't capitalizing on the misfortune of the other 99% of our population. We're slowly slipping into a full blown recession and are watching gas prices rise like a thermometer in hell, but these select few corporate tyrants are living like a Pharaoh.

Oil and energy alternatives will not happen tomorrow. It takes time to research the next major move for our entire energy infrastructure, and even more time to build it once we've found an answer and I will support these efforts however I possibly can. In the meantime, energy providers should not have an open ticket to dictate prices and rape the American public. Someone once told me not to "shit where I eat"... I think someone should send that message to "Big Oil".