Happy Father’s Day!
Maybe I’ll take an Indian Run to Century Motorcycles for their Father’s Day celebration. I was a lousy father to my son, Frank. I wasn’t around most of the time. I was a better father to his kids, who are terrific, Frankie, Maxine, and Olivia. And a helpful father to Sin Wu’s kids, Kraig, Kyle, and Karley.
I learned the wrong way, what’s most important to kids. I was involved with some group homes for abandoned kids. If parents go wrong, disappear or go to jail, Kids can be adopted or put into Foster homes. If that doesn’t work for them, because of the damage the parents inflicted on them, they are moved to group homes. A group home is like a dorm for a gang of kids. It’s highly disciplined and regulated.
The key with group homes is to bring the kids back from the brink of going to juvenile hall or worse, to prison. I discovered, in working with these kids that the most important part of parenting is being there for your kids. When a kid is missing a parent, it’s like they’re missing a limb. They don’t feel whole anymore.
The key is not to get married and especially not to have kids until there’s a serious level of commitment for their future. Sorry to ramble. Let’s hit the news:
IS OUR PROPERTY GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT–
Law Enforcement now using ERADs, seizing cash without an arrest, a warrant and due process.
Life as a motorist in America is never easy. Not only do motorists have to contend with red-light cameras with sometimes shortened yellow lights, we have to deal with automated speed cameras, speed traps, road blocks, wolf pack ticket blitzing, racial profiling, driver responsibility programs, automated license plate readers, drone surveillance, implied consent laws and of course, the granddaddy of them all, civil asset forfeiture (CAF). If law enforcement thinks your vehicle has been involved in a criminal act, law enforcement can seize your wheels and whatever else may be in your car. No warrant or arrest is necessary. Even though law enforcement could always take your cash under CAF, police now have a new tool in their arsenal called an ERAD or Electronic Recovery and Access to Data device.
Firstly, an ERAD can be used by a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop to find out how much cash a suspected driver has on any magnetic-striped card. This includes a prepaid debit card, a store gift card, a bank debit or credit card. Secondly, police can only use the cruiser-mounted scanners to freeze and seize money loaded onto any prepaid debit cards. Thirdly, police cannot freeze or seize money from bank debit and credit cards but have the capability to retrieve and store your bank and credit card information and view it at a later time. The scanners can also indicate personal information about who owns the account and where they live.
The news broke last week that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol bought 16 of these ERAD devices. They’ve been using them since May to seize assets of supposed drug dealers, to uncover cases of identity theft, and to search out credit card fraud. Apparently, there are a number of departments around the country that are using ERADs but for some reason, the news from Oklahoma caused quite a stir.
T. Jack Williams, ERAD Group president and one of the leading magnetic stripe card consultants for law enforcement, says, “Prepaid cards are cash. They are not bank accounts.” Because of this difference, Williams adds that freezing or seizing funds from prepaids is not the same as freezing or seizing funds from bank or debit cards. Prepaid cards come from pooled accounts held by financial companies and apparently are not protected by the Bank Secrecy Act. Williams adds, “Individuals do not have privacy rights with magnetic stripe cards because the information on the strip literally has no purpose other than to be provided to others to read.”
The use of ERADs provides incentive for law enforcement to continue some of their more contentious practices of racial profiling. Low income workers are sometimes paid with prepaid debit cards making them possible targets. Prepaids are also the way some people do their banking now. Not everyone who uses a prepaid card is a drug dealer, an identity thief, or commits credit card fraud. ERAD readers only compound law enforcement abuses of civil forfeiture.
Civil asset forfeiture is big business. During and after the 2008 recession, CAF ballooned at the Justice Department and the US Treasury from under $1 billion dollars in 2006 to about $4.5 billion in 2014. The states do their share too. New Jersey law enforcement agencies, for example, seized more than $72 million in private citizens’ assets between 2009 and 2013. These asset seizures came with no reporting requirements and often placed enormous burdens on family members who had nothing to do with the alleged offenders’ activities.
Only two states, Nebraska and Wisconsin, require law enforcement to prove potential criminal activity. Oklahoma State Senator Kyle Loveless would like the same for his state. He has tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation that shifts the burden of proof to the state, so that property owners no longer have to prove their property is innocent in civil court. Loveless’ current legislation also includes transparency measures to track seizures and determine how the forfeited money is spent.
Civil asset forfeiture never bodes well for motorists or any American not charged with a crime since it tramples our Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful search and seizure and our Fifth Amendment right to due process.?
—NMA
HOT STURGIS PROPERTY AVAILABLE ACROSS FROM EASRIDERS CAFÉ—If you need a spot, or an entire lot on Lasalle across from the Easyriders café with alley access, don’t hesitate to contact Robbin Scroggie.
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Massachusetts AG Attacks ExxonMobil for Not Believing CLIMATE CHANGE–
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has looped in another victim in her climate change fraud investigation.
Ironically, Alex Epstein, one of the recent individuals called upon in the investigation has made his climate change views perfectly clear in his 2014 book, “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.” Nonetheless, he has been named in a subpoena by Healey’s office where it demands 40 years of correspondence between ExxonMobil and universities and free market groups.
ExxonMobil was quick to respond to the subpoena.
“Attorney General Healey is abusing the power of government to silence a speaker she disfavors,” said the motion.
Then Healey countered the motion by accusing Exxon of engaging in “an unprecedented effort to limit the ability of state attorneys general to investigate fraud and unfair business practices and to protect Massachusetts consumers, investors and the public.”
Although Exxon doesn’t do business in the state of Massachusetts, Healey spokeswoman Cyndi Roy Gonzalez referred to the motion as “a clear attempt to delay and distract from the real issues.”
“Our investigation is based, not on speculation, but on inconsistencies about climate change in Exxon documents which have been made public,” said Gonzalez. “The First Amendment does not protect false and misleading statements in the marketplace.”
Since late March, attorney general Healey has made it her mission to use the system to pursue “fraud” allegations against fossil fuel companies and their supporters engaged in climate “denial,” according to The Washington Times.
Now, she is going after Exxon.
“Fossil fuel companies that deceived investors and consumers about the dangers of climate change should be, must be held accountable,” said Healey. “That’s why I too have joined in investigating the practices of ExxonMobil. We can all see today the troubling disconnect between what Exxon knew, what industry folks knew and what the company and industry chose to share with investors and with the American public.”
Exxon and the institutes named in the subpoena see this as a threat to freedom speech and civil liberties as Healey abuses her power.
“The great irony here is that we’ve acknowledged the risks of climate change for more than a decade, have supported a carbon tax as the better policy option and spent more than $7 billion on research and technologies to reduce emissions,” said Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers. “It should make people question what this is really all about.”
So what is the real agenda of this “investigation?”
According to Exxon the mission by both the democratic attorneys general and climate change advocates “unmask the investigation launched by the Massachusetts Attorney General for what it is: a pretextual use of law enforcement power to deter ExxonMobil from participating in ongoing public deliberations about climate change and to fish through decades of ExxonMobil’s documents in the hope of finding some ammunition to enhance the Massachusetts Attorney General’s position in the policy debate concerning how to respond to climate change.”
Editor’s note: This is a huge abuse of power by Healey. They will cost ExxonMobil and the people of Massachusetts millions of dollars in legal fees and accomplish nothing.
–by Kerry Lear : Guest Writer
—Punching Bag Posts
SPEAKING OF MASSACHUSETTS–MMA Update: Anti-Motorcycle Articles
DEFEATED in Yarmouth!
Your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association is pleased to report the two anti-motorcycle issues brought forward to Yarmouth
Town Meeting by a single resident petitioner have been defeated!
As proposed, the first Special Article sought to order the Yarmouth Police Department to “require, certify and document for the public record that all participants are in conformance withTown of Yarmouth Code 104-3, Noise from motor vehicles; MGL
CH90, SEC16, Offensive or illegal operation of motor vehicles;
540CMR 3.02, Allowable Noise Levels for Motorcycles;
540CMR4.06(4), Muffler and Exhaust; and any other applicable
existing or future town or state statutes.
”The second Special Article ordered that the Yarmouth Police Department “shall collect
data on the results of the [sound] check and have them available in the public record.”
Both articles would have applied to any “motorcycle ride, parade” and/or “motor vehicle sound check event sponsored, hosted, promoted, advertised, or otherwise involving the Yarmouth Police Department”, most likely targeting two of the biggest rides on Cape Cod, specifically the First Responders Ride held in May and Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen, which is held in July.
Both articles were strongly opposed by your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association, heard by the Yarmouth Board-of-Selectmen during an open meeting in March, and then brought to Town Meeting as opposed by the Board of Selectmen. When called, though the petitioner had the requisite signatures to bring these overburdening anti-motorcycle petitions to Town Meeting, the residents of Yarmouth soundly defeated these articles by not seconding the articles as they were moved to the floor.
Procedure requires the article to be moved to the floor, and then seconded, and then discussed, and then voted upon. Because neither of the articles were seconded, they both failed and were summarily dismissed.
Your MMA notes that hundreds of Yarmouth residents were in attendance, and none of them beyond the petitioner wanted to see these articles advanced. The residents of Yarmouth have spoken and their silence was profoundly deafening! Yarmouth has adopted and supports the MMA’s “When in Town, Throttle Down” campaign and continues to work with the MMA to educate riders and the public regarding motorcycle sound issues.
Your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association once again thanks the Town of Yarmouth, its residents, first responders, and especially its Board of Selectmen, for their leadership in assuring that the rights of free citizens are upheld.
For more information, see www.MassMotorcycle.org or contact
LegislativeDirector@MassMotorcycle.org.
ROCKING K CUSTOM LEATHER WORKING WITH BIKERNET AND 5-BALL TO CREATE AN ULTIMATE COOL VEST–
Montana, The Land of Creativity, has a tradition of breeding a“can-do”creative
spirit. The Montana Arts Council’s Montana Circle of American Masters
(MCAM) honors that spirit while celebrating and reminding us of who we are
and where we live.
Only 39 artists have ever received this honor to date and Montana is the only state in the Union that honors their American Masters in this important way.These artists are masters of their medium, creating their work for use in their culture or as a reflection of it. Their art permeates their lives and fills our world,
often without our awareness of its beauty or uniqueness.
Howard Knight was honored by Montana as a master of classic leather tooling. And he’s working with Bikernet and 5-Ball Racing to modify a Flat Out Vest for an H-D Museum effort. Hang on for more reports.
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
HER MISSION IN LIFE IS MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS
http://www.bikernetbaggers.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=13085
I am so proud of you, Diane. Keep up the great work, and I know that your son is so proud of you.
AS am I.
— Jimari Hallam
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY ON FATHER’S DAY–Two West Virginia rednecks are out hunting, and as they are walking along they came upon a huge hole in the ground.
They approach it and are amazed at the size of it. The first hunter says, “Wow, that’s some hole; I can’t even see the bottom. I wonder how deep it is?”
The second hunter says,” I don’t know. Let’s throw somethin’ down there, listen and see how long it takes to hit bottom.”
The first hunter says, “Hey, there’s an old automobile transmission over there. Give me a hand, we’ll throw it in and see.”
So they pick it up and carry it over and count one, two, three and heave it in the hole. They are standing there listening, looking over the edge, when they hear a rustling behind them. As they turn around, they see a goat come crashing through the underbrush, run up to the hole and, without hesitation, jump in headfirst.
While they are standing there staring at each other in amazement, peering into the hole, trying to figure out what that was all about, an old farmer saunters up. “Say there,” says the farmer, “You fellers didn’t happen to see my goat around here anywhere, did you?”
The first hunter says, “Funny you should ask, but we were just standing here a minute ago and a goat came running out of the bushes doin’ bout a hunnert miles an hour and jumped . . .headfirst into this here
hole!!”
The old farmer said, “Naw, that’s impossible . .. I had him chained to a transmission.
–from Jerry and Rogue
2WHEELERS SNEAK PREVIEW–
Arlin is building a bike with Denise Goodson. He wanted you to see the sticker of yours on his shop tool box.
I have a photo of the bike and him I will send along after asking Arlin about the Stats on the bike. It has an Indian Motor. Thanks a bunch.
–Donna
LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–
2010 Harley Davidson Sportster 48 XL1200X.
Our Price
$8,995
Exterior: Silver
VIN: 1HD1LC326AC431760
Mileage: 13,187 miles
SMOKE OUT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, BUT GET THE PAST VIDEO FROM CHOPPERTOWN RIGHT NOW! CHANCE OF A LIFETIME–
Hey Guys,
The wildest show on the planet is rocking Rockingham right this minute, and we thought you might enjoy the Road 2 Smoke Out movie this week for just $4.99 so you can experience just what it’s all about! Click here to download in now.
Click below to enjoy some of our best pics of the week from the Choppertown Nation too – Thanks as always guys!
Stay independent,
–Zack and Scott
“The detail that the builders give in this flick about their bikes really brings everything home.” ~John P. verified buyer
This film captures the experience of the original garage-built chopper rally and the culture of infamous biker magazine The Horse Backstreet Choppers. The story of real men and women who burn the midnight oil with wrenches in their hands and grease under their fingernails.
SPEAKING OF FILMS- – Riding Morocco: Chasing the Dakar on National Geographic
A new film is set for worldwide release on National Geographic featuring Christophe Barriere-Varju from Multi-Award Winning film Dream Racer, and former Miss Australia and Miss Universe Australia, Laura Csortan.
Two adventure bikers take on the journey of a lifetime travelling through Morocco, North Africa, on the trail of the ultimate biking challenge, the Dakar Rally. One rider, Christophe Barriere-Varju, has competed in the Dakar Rally four times.
The other, Laura Csortan, has never set a wheel off road before. Starting in Marrakech, Morocco, they must make their way through mountains, gorges, rivers and deserts to reach the Moroccan Sahara.
Christophe will be sharing his knowledge of what it takes to be an off-road adventurer whilst Laura will be pushing her biking skills to the limits and experiencing a journey like never before. Will they make it to their final destination of the Sahara Desert or will the journey of a lifetime be too much for an off-road novice?
Riding Morocco: Chasing the Dakar is being broadcast across 170 countries worldwide, playing in Australia on the 17th of June at 10:30pm, the United States and the United Kingdom on the 18th of June.
To get access to the complete worldwide TV Schedule:
http://natgeotv.com/asia/riding-morocco-chasing-the-dakar/other-regions
To watch the film preview and to find out more about Riding Morocco: Chasing the Dakar please click on these articles:
http://www.motorcyclelife.com.au/australian-dakar-rally-competitor-model-take-epic-moroccan-adventure/
ACTION FROM THE SMOKE OUT—Paul Aiken is on the Smoke Out case in RockingWorld, NC. “It’s all changing,” said Commander Edge, the Smoke Out Doctor. Paul won’t sell many billet parts, but he will check all the action.
Saturday, the Stealth, Bikernet Southern Feature Editor, will roam the aisles looking for hot bikes. We’ll bring you more reports later this week.
–Bandit
[page break]
EBR Motorcycles factory race team, Splitlath Motorsports, introduces Shelina Moreda racing the EBR at the Chinese Pan Delta series–
Splitlath Motorsport, the factory racing team of EBR Motorcycles, has exciting news for the huge and highly competitive Chinese Pan Delta series. Having won nearly every round in the series in 2015, and the first two races of 2016, they are taking a dramatic new step. Shelina Moreda, the charismatic female Californian rider, has joined the team of the “Mighty Winged Horse” to compete in the series, which to date has not seen a female competitor.
Splitlath team principal, John Dimbylow said, “Shelina was a natural choice for us to move forward after winning every race so far that we have competed in out here. We have proven the EBR American Superbike is able to take the measure of other brands every time with an experienced Superbike rider in the saddle.
We want to expand on our American story, and think the massive 70,000 plus fans will love to see a ‘California girl’ on the EBR, as motorsports here have been male dominated until now. We have known Shelina for some time and have spoken about working with her previously, but finally this has materialized. We hope she will be an inspiration for women in China and demonstrate that women can succeed in anything that they put their mind to.”
While the testing period is much shorter than the team and Shelina would have hoped for, as this is the first time for her on an EBR 1190, she is working with chief mechanic Tony Pogue, a long term friend, and the garage is buzzing.
“I am absolutely stoked to have the opportunity to race a Splitlath EBR race bike in China,” said Shelina. “It’s my first time on a liter class Superbike, and my first time ever in China. It will be fun to raise some eyebrows among the all-male racers here at Zuhai, aside from the awesome 4-wheel girl, Chloee Wong, China’s premier female race car driver, whose garage and workshop the Splitlath team work from. They are not used to seeing pigtails on the track! This team is extremely supportive, always smiling, and I get to work with my good friend Tony Pogue as my chief mechanic.”
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Parties interested in racing partnership opportunities with EBR Motorcycles should contact info@ebr.com.
MEANWHILE BACK IN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
‘Mama, look what I found,’ the boy called out.
‘What have you got there,
dear?’
With astonishment in the young boy’s voice, he answered, ‘I think it’s Adam’s underwear!
–from Jerry and Rogue
NEW HOT ROD WEB SITES NOW OPEN–Announcing Our New Websites!
We are excited to announce the launch of our brand new streamlined websites for both Ol’ Skool Rodz and Car Kulture Deluxe!
After months of hard work and dedication, the new sites are live a www.olskoolrodz.com and www.ckdeluxe.com.
They are so much more user-friendly and quicker loading than the old ones, more like the vibe you get from leafing through our magazines.
We are bringing tons of great features to the screen now for our loyal fans. We’ll update regularly with new car and event features, exclusive content like this Nailhead powered Ford, as well as tech articles like this one on valve springs.
Best of all, you can access all of this content anywhere you go because our new, responsive layouts adjust any of your devices. Need to get a new subscription or renew your old one? It’s easier than ever before. Looking for some cool Rodz or CK DeLuxe swag? It’s right at your fingertips.
What are you waiting for? Go check out the new websites now! And while you’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on events, sales, and more!
And thanks for your years of support for Ol’ Skool Rodz and Car Kulture DeLuxe! You’ve made them the top-selling hot rod and custom kulture mags anywhere!
–Koolhouse Publishing
LAS VEGAS BIKE FEST SPONSORED BY BIKERNET.COM ANNOUNCEMENT–Thursday, June 16th at 10:30am PST, Las Vegas BikeFest announced on a LIVE Facebook Stream the first of the four motorcycles we will be giving away at this year’s Las Vegas BikeFest.
Please check out the announcement video to see what the first bike is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9G4p6zJnvU
We will be unveiling the next three bikes very soon. If you have any questions about the motorcycle giveaways or Las Vegas BikeFest, please feel free to reach out to me at any time.
Thanks for your support.
–Candice Cooley
www.LasVegasBikeFest
ccooley@convexx.com
Save the Date! 16th Annual Las Vegas BikeFest – September 29 – October 2, 2016
Visit us at: www.lasvegasbikefest.com
AUSTRALIAN RACE NEWS–Blind rider going for world record
Riding a motorcycle at 265km/h is hairy enough but doing it blindfolded?
Many would have to see it to believe it.
But Ben Felten from NSW, who is totally blind, is on track to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest motorcycle ever ridden blindfolded.
He is also set to be the first blind person in the world to compete at a motorsport event.
Australian former Grand Prix road racer Kevin Magee has just been given the green light to act as Mr Felten’s navigator at Speed Week 2017 when he attempts the record of 265.33km/h, currently held by the UK’s Billy Baxter.
Magee, of Vaucluse, would ride behind Mr Felten and use analog radio to direct him as he gradually builds up to the lightning speed.
“I basically tell him to go left or right with increasing levels of urgency, depending on how much I want him to turn,” said Magee.
“My voice acts as his eyes.”
Ben Felten will attempt the record on the Lake Gairdner salt flats in South Australia.
He was “confident” Mr Felten could break the record because he himself had already ridden the bike, a Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa, at 323.5km/h, or just over 200 miles per hour.
“Ben can well and truly break the record. It’s just up to us now.”
Magee concedes he was “bewildered” when he first heard about Mr Felten’s plan to ride a bike blindfolded.
“But going blind was one of my biggest fears growing up and my mum was a volunteer for the guide dogs so I thought: ‘in legacy of her, I may as well give this guy a hand’,” he said.
“I’m glad my experience with racing over the years is being put to good use and not being wasted.”
Magee, a Fox Sports commentator, raced in 36 grand prix during his career and won the 1988 Spanish Grand Prix.
Mr Felten said communication would be the key when he literally puts his life in Magee’s hands.
“The biggest thing I have to contend with is trust so having someone like Kevin, who will be my eyes, gives me the confidence,” he said.
“When you’re doing 250km/h, you are travelling about 70m per second so he has to get his communication absolutely precise and I have to respond to that instantly.
“Because if we make one error in that second, that is the difference between running off the track or staying straight.”
Kevin Magee after the World 500cc Grand Prix at Eastern Creek in 1991, his second Grand Prix after a head injury and brain surgery after crashing in the American Grand Prix in April 1990.
Mr Felten, who has ridden motorbikes since he was seven, said all his hopes and dreams of being a professional racer “evaporated” when he was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition at age 16.
By 37, he was totally blind.
This did not stop him pursuing sport and has a host of medals and records to his name in rowing and cricket, including the Jim Anderson Memorial Award for distinguished service to sport and administration.
Magee is confident Ben’s bike can break the record.
He also attended the blind cricket tour of South Africa in 2005 as part of the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation.
“But over a few rums when I was 42, I realised my time was up in cricket and I thought: ‘what was my childhood dream? It was to ride motorcycles’.”
He was 100 per cent committed to breaking the record.
“I’ve put my life savings into this project … I’m absolutely committed.”
Mr Felton would attempt the record at Speedweek 2017 on the salt flats at Lake Gairdner in South Australia, to be held from February 27 to March 3.
He has also been invited to enter as a competitor in the Modified Production Fuel 1350CC class.
WACO REPORT– Texas (KWTX) The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Wednesday upheld a lower court decision reversing the gag order issued in the case of one of the bikers arrested in connection with the deadly May 2015 shootout at Waco’s Twin Peaks restaurant.
Local authorities have frequently cited the gag order in refusing to comment on any of the pending cases against bikers charged in the May 17, 2015 shootout between rival gangs and police that left nine bikers dead and 20 more injured.
State District Judge Matt Johnson issued the gag order on June 30, 2015 in the case of Matthew Alan Clendennen of Hewitt, after ruling that Dallas lawyer F. Clinton Broden, who represents Clendennen, could obtain surveillance video of the shootout from the owners of the Waco Twin Peaks franchise, but could not release it to the public.
But on Aug. 7, 2015, the Waco-based 10th Court of Appeals reversed the order, saying the district court “abused its discretion” by issuing it.
In response McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna asked the Court of Criminal Appeals to stay the ruling and appealed the 10th court decision.
On Wednesday, the criminal appeals court denied relief and lifted the stay.
“While Mr. Clendennen certainly does not welcome the publicity that has surrounded this case, neither will he allow the police and the District Attorney’s office to manipulate the public unchecked,” Clendennen said in a press release Wednesday.
Reyna issued a brief statement Wednesday afternoon in which he said, “The gag order was requested by the state to help preserve and maintain everyone’s right to a fair trial.”
“While we may not agree with the Court of Criminal Appeals, we respect their decision,” he said.
“With that said, the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office will continue to make every effort to preserve everyone’s right to fair trial by not commenting any further on this matter. In short, we will leave our talking for the courtroom,” he said.
Broden’s appeal was supported by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which on July 24 filed a brief with the court on behalf of a group of major media organizations including The Associated Press in support of the challenge.
The nearly 40-page amicus curiae–or friend of court–brief argued that the gag order “placed unconstitutional restrictions on speech and prevents members of the media from gathering the news and reporting on matters of significant public interest.”
–KWTX.com Staff
–from Rogue
CONGRESS IS A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED UNDER RICO LAW–Congressman Who Voted For Drug Testing Food Stamp Recipients Busted For Cocaine.
Representative Trey Radel was a major proponent of Republican legislation to make food stamp recipients submit to drug tests before receiving assistance.
The proposal for those on food stamps to urinate in cups to prove they’re not on drugs received widespread praise from Republicans. But only a month after he backed the proposal, police busted the Florida Republican on a charge of cocaine possession.
That’s right, the Republican politician who wanted to drug test poor people – those tests incurring huge tax-payer expenses – was himself using drugs.
“It’s really interesting it came on the heels of Republicans voting on everyone who had access to food stamps get drug tested,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said to BuzzFeed. “It’s like, what?”
The House approved an amendment by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), back in the summer of 2013, that allowed states to decide whether or not to test people on food stamps.
The amendment passed by voice vote. That means there was no record of who voted which way for the amendment.
But later, Radel voted for even further-reaching legislation that allowed for broader food stamps restrictions, including Hudson’s measure.
Hudson cited state legislatures around the country, which had proposed similar things in recent years. But in time these efforts would prove ineffective – a waste of tax-payer money, that actually found virtually no one on food stamps using drugs.
“This is a clear and obvious problem in our communities as nearly 30 states have introduced legislation to drug test for welfare programs,” Hudson stated. “We have a moral obligation to equip the states with the tools they need to discourage the use of illegal drugs.”
Back in June of 2012, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) asked why recipients of crop insurance and other government benefits haven’t also been targeted for drug testing.
“Why don’t we drug test all the members of Congress here,” McGovern asked. “Force everybody to go urinate in a cup or see whether or not anybody is on drugs? Maybe that will explain why some of these amendments are coming up or why some of the votes are turning out the way they are.”
In fact, the majority of Americans support such a measure. They want to see politicians drug tested. After all, they are the ones passing so many of the drug laws in this country, and they are doing so on our dime. Isn’t it time that they step up to the plate and prove they aren’t using drugs like Rep. Radel was?
–by Counter Current News Editorial Team
–from Rogue
BEAUTIFUL HOT ROD CATCHES FIRE–
Bummer dude!
I shot these pictures today at the L.A. Roadster Show at the Pomona Fairplex (where I have a booth this weekend). I happened to be shooting this rod just moments prior to the fire.
I then watched as the owner got in and started the car, which instantly began leaking gas underneath the engine.
That was quickly followed by the car bursting into flames. Fortunately the driver got out ok.
–Larry and Bob Clark
larry@retrovisions.com
BIKERNET ATTORNEY ESCAPES TO SHANGHAI–Saw this in Shanghai, and thought you might want to expand your line of 5-Ball biker accessories.
–Rob Scroggie
CANTINA INTERNATIONAL NEWS–Protesters’ bark unleashes Chinese dog eaters’ bite– YULIN – International groups and celebrities, backed by millions of foreign petitioners, have rallied against an annual dog meat festival in the Chinese city of Yulin: but the protests may have backfired, residents say, spurring more people to eat man’s best friend.
“My store’s dog-meat sales are much higher than before, last year was up more than 50 percent,” the owner of Yulin Number One Crackling Dog Meat Shop said.
The city, deep in the poverty-stricken southern Chinese region of Guangxi, has drawn international fury for the beating and boiling alive of animals in the belief that the more frightened the dogs, the tastier the meat, activists say.
More than 10,000 animals are killed for the summer solstice festival, which has drawn the notice of celebrities such as British reality TV star Simon Cowell who denounced it as “barbaric”.
This year’s event is scheduled for June 21, but tensions are already growing.
Last month, activists from China’s nascent animal-rights movement stopped a Guangxi-bound van carrying 400 dogs and cats, some still wearing pet collars.
But campaigners’ efforts have had a perverse effect, locals say.
“Because of the protests, more people know that Yulin has a dog meat festival, so everyone comes and tries it,” said the dog meat seller, surnamed Lin.
“As we get closer to the dog meat festival, all Yulin’s hotels are completely full.”
Ms Lin has opened a dog meat delivery service because “large numbers of people are placing orders online”, she added.
Even dog lovers in Yulin say that protest tactics have backfired.
“I used to think our enemy was the dog meat lovers,” said the operator of a new dog shelter, who asked not to be named. “Now I see our enemy is the activists from outside.”
He fiercely opposes the dog trade and has adopted a retriever rescued from a market, but believes that international protests are “sabotage” that drive people to ferociously defend their custom.
Local patriotism and cultural pride make outsiders bad messengers for change, the shelter operator said.
Foreigners often encounter hostility in Yulin, with butchers known to knock cameras out of visitors’ hands.
“When foreigners come to China and say China has this or that problem, people get disgusted with you and won’t listen,” he said.
“Because of media hype, more and more dog meat is eaten.”
–by AFP Bangkok Post
–from Art Hall
Bikernet International Editor in Charge
QUICK, New Bikernet BAGGERS Reader Comment!–BAKER DRIVETRAIN CURE FOR H-D PRIMARY NOISE
http://www.bikernetbaggers.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=12987
My biggest concern is the noise coming from the primary, on my 2015 Roadglide. There was very little noise on my 2004 Roadglide. This bike clacks and jerks anytime the throttle is eased off .
Will your compensator alleviate this clatter, and jerking? I already purchased your primary chain adjuster. I haven’t installed the adjuster as yet.
Been procrastinating as to what to do about the primary problem.
— Dan Jaram
dan54180@gmail.com
North Ridgeville, OH
I’m sure the Baker System will do the trick. And actually, no installing the primary adjustment fix may be adding to the noise.–Wrench
THERE ARE TWO MAJOR ISSUES AFOOT—First there are couple of congressional mantras. To be a big guy in Washington D.C. you need to pass laws, which will carry your name into the history books. It actually should be the opposite. The guy who eliminates the most laws should be made iconic.
There’s another major problem. They are forced to follow party lines or die trying. It’s no longer a government, but a daily contest between the parties. Not good for the country.
And finally, if there was a program I might support it would be educating potential married folk and especially folks who were thinking about having babies. A brother said recently about the Gorilla shot, “There are only a few of these Gorillas left on the earth and we shot it, when we are having kids by the bus loads.” Don’t tell mom I passed this along.
Have a helluva day!
–Bandit
