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IN FLORIDA, A NEW BILL BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE AIMS TO CHANGE LET THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME– Florida fines a driver speeding 6 mph over the limit $25. A driver caught speeding over 26 mph owes $150. The rest of the state’s traffic offenses follow the same theme: The severity of the crime determines the severity of the punishment. But a new bill before the state Legislature aims to change that.
Like speeders, there’s a big difference between a person driving after two drinks and a drunk who drives after 10. However, proposed legislation would force Florida’s judges to ignore that difference and punish drivers charged with driving just a sip over the limit with the same sentence given hard-core offenders: ignition interlocks.
Ignition interlocks are in-car breathalyzers that measure a driver’s blood-alcohol concentration (BAC). If a breath sample registers above a pre-set level, the engine will not start. These devices were originally developed for chronic drunken drivers with extreme alcohol levels. Already, many courts in Florida and across the nation successfully prescribe interlocks to keep alcohol abusers and repeat offenders off our roads. But now anti-alcohol activists are looking for a new target.
Proponents of the bill claim the measure will fight the drunken-driving problem. National statistics, though, prove that the problem has been reduced to a few individuals who severely abuse alcohol and still choose to drive. Mandating interlocks for first offenders doesn’t focus on those dangerous criminals.
With an average BAC of .19 percent — more than double the legal limit — the average drunken driver in a fatal crash has slurred speech, uncoordinated movements and delayed reactions. That’s the scenario many people imagine when we hear about drunken driving. In reality, it takes only one drink to get arrested for driving while intoxicated in many states. Even though all 50 states list 0.08 BAC as the legal limit, many law-enforcement agencies have adopted the notion favored by the Ohio State Highway Patrol: “There is no absolute ‘legal limit’ except ‘zero.’ “
The bar has been set so low that last year, police arrested drivers in Oregon and Florida for drunken driving even though they were completely sober. One arrestee was presumed drunk simply because he struggled with a field test of counting down from 1,030 in increments of 7.
Unlike those booked for other crimes, most innocent DWI suspects will never be able to remove the arrest from their records — even if they were never actually charged or convicted. (Keep in mind that drug users, wife beaters, and burglars can clear their names.)
States can already arrest us for driving after any alcohol consumption. So it’s rational to assume that many first-time offenders are not guilty of drunken driving, but of drinking and driving. Which is perfectly legal in all 50 states.
A couple of beers at a ball game, a glass of wine at an anniversary dinner, a wedding toast or two: Moderate drinking — not enough to render you “impaired,” let alone drunk — may soon be all it takes for drivers in the Sunshine State to be charged with drunken driving and saddled with an interlock in their car.
Other states have gone so far as to propose “universal” legislation — lobbying for mandatory interlocks in every car in the state. This kind of silliness may sound far off, but it’s closer than you may think.
Saab, Nissan, Toyota and other car manufacturers are already developing new interlock technology that could be manufactured as standard equipment. In early 2007, Nissan unveiled a concept car fit with odor sensors to “sniff” any alcohol in the cabin. A host of other equally intrusive prototypes — such as dashboard-mounted monitors and steering wheel and gear-shift detectors — can sense if you had Irish coffee for dessert.
This kind of zero tolerance is not anti-drunks. It’s anti-drinks.
It’s important to remember that drivers who speed or talk on their phones are more likely to crash than those who have 0.08 BAC. Though these reckless behaviors contribute to a growing death toll, Florida legislators are not clamoring to mandate speed-capping technology for first-time speeders.
If our representatives are serious about improving traffic safety, they should heed an age old saying: “Let the punishment fit the crime.”
— Sarah Longwell | Special To The Sentinel February 4, 2008
–from Rogue
PRO MOD HYABUSA READY–We have completed our Pro Mod Hayabusa! Initial testing is complete. You can check on our progress at our website.
With all the excitement surrounding the 2008 season we can’t wait to get started. This month we are featuring some of the AMA Dragbike contingency products we carry.
MPS is very excited about the addition of the Vance & Hines “Indy Series” sidewinder exhaust systems to our line of performance products. The Vance & Hines name has been synonymous with quality since their inception and we are proud to offer these exhaust systems. We have them introductory priced at $1000.00 for this month only.
We are also featuring two products from Daytona Sensors. Both the WEGO III Wide Band O2 logger and the NC-2 Progressive Nitrous Controller/Logger. Both parts are 10% off this month and pay AMA Dragbike contingency money.
Big Introductory Discount!Save $185.00!Part Number Description Sale Price Discount Code 74-73-101-2 VHM Sidewinder Exhaust Hayabusa 99-08
–MPS Racing
info@mpsracing.com
BIKERNETMETRIC.COM GET’S THUMBS UP– Those guys did a beautiful job on that otherwise fugly Yamaha 850 Special. I mean wow, pretty little scoot except for that faggoty red seat. With 0.1% exceptions seats should be black but that’s just my partly drunken opinion. Yes it’s 0800 and I am drinking some Sierra pale, but, I did work all fucking night at the paper mill. BTW, I bought some Tullamore Dew and we liked it.
I tried a new single malt Scotch called Laphroaig. Not sure how they pronounce it but it is really good. It’s gotta earthy taste to it. My buddy Rod an me liked it quite a bit ,especially with the tin of smoked oysters and Saltines. We got pretty liquored up that evening. Rod an me go back aways and our women like each other, so we have good time the four of us.
Got fucked up, shot off his black powder cannon, BBQ’d some rib-eye, drank up the ale and Tullamore and dabbled in the Laphroaig. Of course, we had to go to the bar and boogie to some live music down at Henri’s a few miles off. Rod was pissed we didn’t ride but hell, it’s been snowing off and on for weeks and raining the rest of the time so riding is ,well optional. Snowing like a bitch right now in fact, but the beer tastes good and it is the weekend.
Anyway, back at Henri’s we found a great band with a hot girl singer named Rae Anne. Slinky young thing but not too young. Red flowing curly long locks and some real hips on her I’ll tell ya. That gal can sing like the pro that she is. Good Gee-tars in the band ,too. We had a good time in the packed house, maybe too good cuz they cut us off after our first drink.
So we went home and cranked up the tunes and cracked open another bottle of hooch. The only bad thing that happened was when my girlfriend drove out the parking lot she mistook the curb for the ramp and while I was saying ,”Honey I don’t think…’ she powered the ’95 Tahoe over the curb onto the highway (known as “The Gauntlet” due to the heavy police patrol) and our friends from the city learned a little about a redneck night out in Longview,Washington. Actually I was proud of the way Kim handled launching the suv over the medium but our guests were bouncing their heads off the roof of the Tahoe like their seats were sprung. HAW!. Yeehaw.
So don’t feel too down about that gray day in Socal. We’d be glad just to get the garden hose thawed out, so we could wash the dead bugs off the scooter !
–Copey
HARLEY-DAVIDSON LAUNCHES A NEW CUSTOM SEAT PROGRAM– Select Pattern, Inlay Material and Stitching Colors in 800 Possible Combinations.
MILWAUKEE (Jan. 29, 2008) – A new Custom Seat Program from Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories lets a customer design a leather seat that is hand-built to their specifications. Available for the solo Brawler seat (P/N 52246-08, $399.95) or the two-up Sidekick seat (P/N 52193-08, $479.95) designed to fit most 2006-later FX Softail models and 2007-later FLSTF Fat Boy and FLSTSC Softail Springer Classic models, the Custom Seat Program offers 800 possible design and materials combinations, making it possible to create a seat that is truly individual.
The design process begins at the Custom Seat Program website, www.harley-davidson.com/customseat, where on-screen prompts help the customer select from two seat styles, eight stitching patterns including flames, skulls and tribal designs; eight inlay color options; and 10 stitching color options. When the design is complete, the customer takes a print-out of the seat design details to a local Harley-Davidson dealer, which will submit the Custom Seat Program order. The standard lead time for seat delivery is three weeks.
The low-profile Brawler and Sidekick seats selected for the Custom Seat Program are minimalist designs that hug the motorcycle. Each features a hand-laid fiberglass seat pan with a soft, felt-finish bottom that is scratch free. The seating surface is genuine leather, and the leather inlay options have a simulated exotic skin pattern. Each seat also has an embroidered Bar and Shield logo.
For additional information on Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit the Harley-Davidson Web site at www.harley-davidson.com. To find a dealer near you, call toll free 1-800-443-2153 in the U.S.A. or Canada.
THE MILWAUKEE IRON UNIVERSAL REAR COW CATCHER- Made to fit Stock Seat–Now available:A Universal Rear fender that you drill and mount yourself in between your current frame rails. Made of 11 Guage Steel Skirts.
This fender will allow you to keep your stock seat.
No frame modifications necessary with this fender. Just Drill, Mount, and Ride today.
–Milwaukee Iron, Inc.,
110 Ramsey Place, Lynchburg, VA 24501
phone: 434-385-1044
e-mail: sales@milwaukeeiron.com
Full product listing available at our website: www.milwaukeeiron.com
FROM THE BIKERNET MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION, AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE– From John Hopkins.
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.
3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.
WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s amino or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
BIKERNET WEEKLY PHOTO ART EXHIBIT– Is it just me or is it almost spring and time to ride already?
–Whiplash Biker Photog
mailto:whiplash@photo.net
BIKERNET SCIENTIFIC SURVEY–Dr. Phil was conducting a therapy session with four young mothers and their small children.
“You all have obsessions,” he observed.
To the first mother he said, “You are so obsessed with eating you’ve even named your daughter Candy.”
He turned to the second mom: “Your obsession is with money. Again, it manifests itself in your child’s name, Penny.”
He turns to the third mom: “Your obsession is alcohol. This, too, manifests itself in your child’s name, Brandy.”
At this point, the fourth mother gets up, takes her little boy by the hand and whispers, “Come on Dick, we’re leaving.”
–from Bob Clark
VETERAN’S PLATES IN ILLINOIS COMING– In the state of Illinois we have been working for 3+ years to get the SOS to approve veteran license plates. We finally met all of the requirements to get approval 6 months ago. At that time the SOS gave us a 90 day lead time before they would become available. November came and went so the Lt. Governors office was contacted. The SOS now says the plates will be available to veterans on or after April 1st of ’08. Up until 2 years ago MC plates were issued and renewed fiscally and expired on April 1st.
Taking that into consideration this means that a veteran will not be able to get these plates unless he or she is willing to pay twice in ’08 for the registration fee’s. First the renewal for the old plate, then the even larger registration fee a month later for the Vet plate. That is unless they are willing to run with expired plates for a month…
We are trying to plead our case to state government and were wondering if you had any advice to share. As well we have been trying to find out how many states offer veteran MC plates and hoping you might know the answer to that?
–Alan
awaschbusch@earthlink.net>
THERE YOU HAVE IT–Another killer news from the vast, unrelenting Bikernet staff. I reconsidered pounding the made overseas code again, but you get it. The bottom line is watching and taking heed of the Made In America slogan. Lean that way when you’re buying parts for your scooter, furniture and even at the grocery store. I know, I did it last night.
I don’t have a lot of extra cash to spend, but when it comes to the Code of the West we need to step up. Hell, look at what we pay for a tank of gas. If we all slowed down on gas consumption and used that coin to invest in more American made products, maybe the goddamn over inflated gas prices would come down.
If only we could ride more and drive less.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
