.| UrbanNerd |.

I just put up 2 posts on Vespaway.com to catch you up on my test drive experiences on the Vespa GT:

Read here about the GT handling & weight

Read here about others test riding the bike too

I posted this on Vespway.com today, it has to be my favorite scooter story in recent memeory, here is the quote form the article (you just can’t make this stuff up) :

The Associated Press – ATHENS, Ga.

Bern wrote a letter to each of the club members and requested they pay for the repairs, which will cost more than $200. Bern has threatened to press charges if the students don’t pay up by Sunday.

As you know, Vespa has provided me with a Vespa GT for 2 weeks to use as I see fit. Well I have had it for 24 hours and I really, really like it. Check out my list of pros and cons here on Vespaway. Additionally, I wrote an entry about my jaunt over to the Piaggio offices in NYC to get the bike, read about it here.

So I am picking up a new Vespa GT in about 45minutes from the Piaggio offices in Manhattan. But I only get to keep it for two weeks. I will take plenty of pics and am detailing my compare/contrast of the GT verses the ET4 on Vespaway.com.

Read my vespaway post here.

For just this ONCE, God Bless “moral outrage”. Normally I am appalled by people who become morally outraged. But, in this case it has helped speed up the release of Civilization IV.

What is so special about Civilization IV? Well Civilization was one of the games that truly got me Hooked On Computer Gaming. That game coupled with early versions of Prince of Persia and SimCity made for many hours of gaming fun on my 8088 in my younger years.

So how does “moral outrage” help speed up the release of a sequel to this much loved game? Well, you see, one day so called “moral people” became outraged when they found out that Grand Theft Auto, which is adult rated and contains a great many Images of Violence, had a sexual Easter Egg in it! Oh bother, you were okay with little Johnny shooting cops and beating hookers, but God Forbid he ought to see an animated sexual scene. Well this has had a harsh financial impact on the makers of GTA, Take Two Interactive. The financial impact is so bad, in fact, that Take Two has moved up the release date of Civ IV (because they expect many more than just I are all worked up into a froth of anticipation).

So, thank you, just this once, “moral outrage”.

I wrote about some changing culture in two stories today at Vespaway.com. They seem to be unrelated at first glance, but the reality is that they are both a sign that this country is moving towards a scooter culture, and God bless us for that. This first article is about an all girl scooters club in Idaho (IDAHO, people!!). The fact that such a specifically targeted club is forming in Idaho speaks well to the culture of scooters penetrating Americana. The second and more important article discusses a dramatic increase in scooters seen on College Campuses, and the Campuses adjusting to accomodate them. Again this indicates a changing culture in America, but this time in a much more important sector. The young college kids are giving up riding around in SUVs as a “cool” vehicle and instead are adopting scooters. Young people who buy and ride scooters will become adults who do so as well. When these people leave college and move to (insert city name here) they will bring their scooter loving habits with them.

All of this combines to achieve what I have been predicting on this blog since I started: In 5 years time the Urban American Landscape will be tied to the scooter. Every American city will discover what cities all around the world already knew: scooters are the *perfect* urban transport vehicle. Can I get an Amen? I thought so.

If you read me on Vespaway, then you know my moral outrage & my utter dismay! Why why why has NJ chosen to outlaw 50cc scooters? Do they hate me? Is it personal? Can;t they find something better to do with their time? Granted, I drive a 150cc bike, but STILL! *sigh*

Scooter sales are UP in the United States according to two different sources I quote in my recent VespaWay entry. I predict that the sales number will continue to rise, as long as gas prices go up. Next summer may see $4 a gallon gas.

But while sales are UP, George Clooney has let me down when he turned down a free Vespa that someone gave him; read my other VespaWay entry here.

Date: Saturday September 24th
Time: ride from Manhattan will leave at 10:30am, work begins by 11am
Cost: Free, unless you need me to order some parts
Where: meet at 10:30am at Thompson & Watts, ride through the Holland tunnel to Bayonne (6 miles). Those who aren’t coming from Manhattan can meet directly at my place (I will email address once I have list of RSVPs)

Work will primarily be done on the new Twist and Go Scoots, however this does not mean that if you have an older scoot that you are not welcome. Food will be served (BBQ) and there will be beer.

Please send me an email RSVPing, also let me know what parts you will need ahead of time. Cut off date for ordering parts will be Friday the 16th.

Not to be outdone by the Muslims and Christians, the Jews have joined in:

Rabbi: Hurricane punishment for pullout

Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef: Hurricane Katrina result of Bush’s support for disengagement, failure of New Orleans’ black residents to study Torah. ‘This is the punishment for what Bush did to Gush Katif,’ rabbi says

Hurricane Katrina is a punishment meted out by God as a result of U.S. President George W. Bush’s support for the Gaza and northern West Bank disengagement, Shas spiritual leader and former Chief Sephardic Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said Tuesday.

Notably, the rabbi chose to openly declare what many ultra-Orthodox believers have said for a while now, namely that recent naturally disasters in the U.S. are a direct result of American support for the pullout.

read more of the craziness here.