Hey,
I have a few questions in this post. Let me know your thoughts. I’m reading a book called “Factfullness.” It’s supposedly about how life is currently wonderful on this planet, but the author falters with his claims. I will continue reading.
In some very basic ways he’s right, then he stabs his remarks with other issues not so upbeat. Generally the planet is safer and less children die needlessly all over the world. The is more education and more rights for women.
Okay, that being written and confirmed, how are you doing? How do you feel about life? I’m sorta confused about government, our punishment society, scams, taxes, new regs, etc. I think we are overloading the working public with bullshit and they need to backoff. Is that possible.
I’ll give you an example. I went to a public meeting recently and a very cute Hispanic woman attended with her husband. He never said a word, but when it was her turn she spouted complaints about infrastructure, etc. Then she said her street is a mess. When will she have street sweeping services?
I couldn’t resist. I told her I sweep the street around my building at least once a week. It’s simple, I sweep when I want to. It’s exercise and I do a much better job than any street service. Plus, if she receives this service her street will be peppered with restrictive signs about when and where you can park on what days. You will need to add to your list moving your car one day and moving it back another. When you fail you will be fined. Plus your taxes will increase to pay for these services. Hell, just sweep once in a while…
I always come back to the biker code. At one time we didn’t own shit but one motorcycle, a few parts, some tools and a bottle of whiskey. Ah, the good days.
Let’s hit the news.
NMA ALERT–Problem Solving Ain’t What It Used To Be:
One valuable piece of analytical advice that has stuck with me in the many – too many – years since attending engineering school and participating in the requisite lab experiments is, “let the data lead you to a proper solution.”
With that thought in mind, let’s look at the following pedestrian fatality statistics in the United States over the 17-year period of 2000 to 2016. The data source is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, with 2016 being the most recent information available from the federal agency.
With amazing and tragic consistency, a significant factor in over two-thirds of the fatalities appears to be pedestrians not following the safety rules of the road. Certainly motorists bear responsibility for being attentive and reactive to the actions of others on the road, but two things are lost in the demands of Vision Zero proponents to curtail motorized traffic: A fair analysis of what the numbers are really telling us and the notion of personal responsibility.
Most pedestrian fatalities occur outside of sanctioned crosswalks, exacerbated by visibility issues during dusk or nighttime hours and often by pedestrian actions. While some large metro areas like New York City are budgeting significant sums of money for reconstructing streets, the emphasis of that spending often is on reducing car lanes, lowering speed limits, and adding speed cameras to deter drivers from, well, driving.
Meanwhile the data point to pedestrian behavior as being the most significant hurdle in reducing walker fatalities. Instead, cities are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on measures to restrict the mobility of the vast majority of commuters. How vast? The Brookings Institution reported this breakdown of commuter modes of transportation based on the 2016 U.S. Census:
76.3% Drove alone
9.0% Carpooled
5.1% Public transit
5.0% Worked from home
2.7% Walked
1.2% Took a taxi or rode a motorcycle
0.6% Cycled
If commercial vehicles were included, the ratio of vehicular traffic to pedestrians and bicyclists would be even greater.
To address the issue of pedestrian accidents, taxpayer dollars would be better spent improving the visibility of crosswalks and intersections for pedestrians and drivers alike, even to the point of separating street-crossing areas from the flow of traffic in densely populated metropolitan areas. Pedestrian education programs, perhaps most effectively through public service announcements, should emphasize street-smart safety rules such as:
Ø Make yourself as visible as possible, particularly during evening hours, by wearing bright clothing and reflective materials
Ø Cross streets at well-marked crosswalks/intersections
Ø Obey traffic signals and WALK signs but still look both ways and across all lanes before crossing
Ø Don’t step in front of a vehicle until you are certain the driver is going to stop
Ø Walk on the sidewalk. If there is none, walk facing traffic and be especially alert
Ø Don’t compromise your senses of sight and hearing. Just as distracted driving can be dangerous, distracted pedestrians can put themselves unnecessarily at risk
The pedestrian numbers tell a clear story, one that doesn’t require obstructing the largest class of road users to provide the greatest safety benefit.
by Gary Biller, NMA President
AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER--at the Kustom Kulture Artisan Show
September 7 – 9, 2018
The Kustom Kulture Artisan Show presents the Cherokee AMD Showdown is the show to qualify for the AMD Championship in Germany.
The 3-day event is scheduled for September 7th – 9th in the North Carolina mountains and promises Great Riding, Great Music and 18,000+ in prizes. Details – custombikeshows.com.
Trophies For Top 5 FreeStyle Competitors
Over 18,000+ in awards – The Kustom Kulture Artisan Show presents the Cherokee AMD Showdown is hosted at the Cherokee Fairgrounds Display Hall where competitors are competing in 3 classes.
Let’s Go to Germany to the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – The FreeStyle winner receives a full ride to Germany for the AMD World Championship.
To enter the Artisan Show, or for more info on being part of Grease & Gears, builders need to log on to www.custombikeshows.com.
NEW BIKE SUGGESTION–
I’ve been thinking about getting a new bike…maybe a Vee Rod
Here’s a V for your Rod
–El Waggs
HERE IS SOCIALISM THAT USA openly participates in for non-citizens of USA – for endless decades – using American taxpayers money.
At the 2014 summit in Wales, NATO members made a “Defense Investment Pledge” to move towards spending 2% of GDP on defense within a decade (for those member states not already doing so).
In 2017, total defense spending by NATO members was $900 billion. This accounted for 52% of overall global military spending.
HOWEVER ONLY Five member countries of NATO are meeting 2014 NATO spending goals.
Despite recent spending increases among some member countries, only five of the 29 are currently meeting the 2% spending goal:
the USA, Greece, the UK, Estonia and Poland.
Defaulting on these payments do not affect the defaulting member nation’s protection by NATO at all.
MORE IMPORTANTLY ALL OF THEM ONLY have to pay 2% of their GDP for the NATO monetary dues.
Of course 2% of GDP of USA is huge amount for NATO membership compared to 2% of GDP of Greece (basically bankrupt since 10 years) for same NATO member benefits.
US SOCIALISM – ONLY FOR NON-US CITIZENS. MAKE WAR LET THEM EAT CAKE.
Military expenditure by the US in 2017, at $610 billion – the highest in the world.
China, the second largest spender globally, increased its military spending by 5.6 per cent to $228 billion in 2017.
With spending of $69.4 billion, Saudi Arabia had the third highest military expenditure in the world in 2017.
THE ONLY NATION among these top 3 spending nations officially engaged in a known War from past 20 years or more till today is of course USA.
US President Dwight D Eisenhower advocated that the nation guard against the potential influence of the military–industrial complex, in his farewell address.
Eisenhower having proven himself in World War II, had then served as Army Chief of Staff. Eisenhower then served as the first Supreme Commander of NATO.
As US President, after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Eisenhower authorized the establishment of NASA. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and sent Army troops to enforce federal court orders that integrated schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. His largest program was the Interstate Highway System. He promoted the establishment of strong science education in USA.
Eisenhower served as a president for two full terms.
In his farewell address to the nation, Eisenhower expressed his concerns about the dangers of massive military spending, particularly deficit spending and government contracts to private military manufacturers.
Here he invented the term “military-industrial complex” – now understood as a Frontier / Old West nation
– based on the social Darwinist idea of society as a struggle for survival based on military strength
– leading to set up of a society designed to be continuously and perpetually at war, to keep expanding its territory or its political influence
– peace being un-profitable to it’s financial growth / GDP.
Eisenhower Presidency was followed by the next elected US President which was J.F. Kennedy. J.F. Kennedy’s efforts earned him death via an unsolved assassination.
Sources for numbers: www.sipri.org
–Wayfarer
Political Commentary
Bikernet India News Bureau
Wayfarer@bikernet.com
QUICK, OPEN THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY–
After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can’t face each other, but still they stay together.
I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
–from Sidehack Jerry
BOB BELLINO RECEIVED WFT LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Western Flat Track (WFT) Association presented Bob Bellino with a Lifetime Achievement award for their appreciation of his endless promotion of their sport. WFT is based in central California. The award was presented on June 30th at the races in Santa Rosa at the Chris Beck Arena. Congrats Bob, you deserve it.
Take a look at the WFT facebook page. It looks like barrel racing, yes that’s right, might be their newest event. Horses vs Motorcycles. Hope they send us a video. https://www.westernflattrack.com
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ASCOT RIDERS BY NAME
The Vintage Flat Track web site has listed Ascot riders, and more, alphabetically. There is lots of good stuff on this site and an excellent forum. Great place to have all your racing or motorcycle questions answered. www.vft.org/ascotriders/ascotriders-alph-html
GAVIN TRIPPE R.I.P.
March 20, 1940 – July 2, 2018. Promotor and Publisher extraordinaire, Gavin Andrew James Trippe, tragically lost his life in a car accident, at the age of 78. His contributions to the sport of motorcycle racing are massive. For details of his full life please read Issue 27 of Cycle News. (www.cyclenews.com) there are two tributes, one by Larry Lawrence. Gavin and his partners had visions and the guts to act on them. We are forever grateful. Condolences to his family and many friends. We will miss you.
Gavin’s celebration of life will be on Wednesday, July 25th at 4pm at Marbella Country Club. 30800 Golf Club Dr., San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. There will be limited food service with a cash bar.
TONY KRETZ CELEBRATION OF LIFE
There is going to be a Celebration of Life Luncheon to remember Tony Kretz. He passed away in June because of a heart attack. It will be Sunday, July 22 from 11:30-3:30 at Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar B Que. 4611 Chino Hills Parkway, Chino Hills, CA 91790 (909) 597 1227. Please RSVP to Rosemary McNair (Tony’s sister) (714) 655 1227
JIM FRANCE AND FAMILY RECEIVE THE 2018 IMRRC’S ARGETSINGER AWARD
A celebrated group of International racing stars, captains of the motorsports industry, local dignitaries and race fans gathered at the Corning Museum of Glass to honor the France family. They received the Cameron R. Argetsingeer Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports. Those of us involved with motorcycles were represented by Trailblazer Chairman, Don Emde. There were many speakers and a question-and-answer session between the Frances and the event’s Master of ceremonies. We congratulate the entire France family. The IMRRC is the International Motor Racing Research Center. It is located in Watkins Glen, N.Y. and is an archival library dedicated to the preservation and sharing of the history of motorsports, all series and all venues. It contains collections of books, periodicals, films, photographs, fine art and other materials. www.racingarchives.org
TAKING A ROAD TRIP TO OREGON THIS SUMMER?
Sent by Steve Johnson
If you are in the vicinity of Salem, Oregon, make a detour to the Powerland Heritage Park. It is a complex of 14 museums that preserves anything vintage with an engine. Automobiles, Motorcycles, Tractors, Gas & Oil Engines, Trucks, Railroad. It is located at 3995 Brookland Road, Salem, Or 97303 (503)393 2424 https://www.airstreaming.net/theres-no-place-like-home/northwest-vintage-car-motorcycle-museum/
Maybe you should allow more than one day.
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM THIS SUMMER
There is always something new at the museum store. How about a World Tour in the vault presented by Hagerty. Do you have a private event coming up? Have it at the Petersen’s. Catch one of their Cruise Ins. There are educational crafts on the weekend in July. How about their movie night? Take the kids. Take a private of group tour. Would you like to volunteer. Would you like to be a member and get special discounts and notices. Extended hours in the summer – 10am-8pm. AND IT IS AIR CONDITIONED.
WWW.PETERSEN.ORG (323) 930 2277
RECORDS WERE BROKEN AND TIED AT NEW YORK
The sold out crowd at the AFT Harley-Davidson Short Track races at Weedsport Speedway in New York had a great show. Records were broken. Jared Mees won the event on his FTR 750 Scout. The win gave him a Grand Slam. He has won a Mile, ½ Mile, Short Track and TT, all in the same season and is now tied with Ricky Graham with his 39th career win. He has won 9 of 11 races this season. Tanner Dean went wire to wire to win the AFT Singles.
OFF TO THE BLACK HILLS FOR MORE AFT RACING
AFT racing continues in the Black Hills. Coming up on Sunday, August 5th is the Buffalo Chip TT and then on Tuesday, August 7 the Black Hills ½ Mile. Don’t miss the Peoria TT on Saturday, August 18th.
KEVIN SCHWANTZ TO BE INDUCTED IN THE 2019 MOTOR SPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA
Congratulations, Kevin, on your coming induction. It is a great honor. The ceremony will take place on March 11 & 12 , 2019, at the Daytona International Speedway. And you are in good company. Other inductees who will be taking the stage are Augie Duesenberg, Dario Franchitti, Phil Remington, Dan Schumacher, Tony Stewart and Linda Vaughn.
OFF ROAD ELECTRIC BIKE
A Swedish company, Cake, is developing a line of lightweight, off road electric bikes. Their Kalk model has a solar charger that takes about 90 minutes to recharge. The bike weighs only 150 pounds. The price is around $13,000. https://ridecake.com
EVEL RETURNS
Travis Pastrana put on quite a show in Las Vegas. If you missed it, or didn’t get enough of it, Check out issue #27 of Cycle News or Google Travis Pastrana Vegas Jump He is definitely a Rock Star. There were thousands of live spectators and many more thousands glued to their TV’s. Good show Travis.
SUZUKI MOTORS OF AMERICA SOON TO OPEN NEW PLANT IN JAPAN
Five years after It was announced, Suzuki will soon open a new manufacturing plant near its parent company in Japan. Most of Suzuki’s 2 wheelers sold in America, will be manufactured in Japan where engineering, development, engine production and assembly will take place. ATV’s, for worldwide distribution, are still manufactured in Georgia.
HR857 HAS PASSED THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
It’s not done yet, but a good start. The bill will establish or expand six OHV areas, plus a lot more items that concern off road users. The AMA is working on this.
WHAT’S IN CYCLE NEWS
The weekly articles by Larry Lawrence are always good. In Issue 26 he wrote about the Elgin 250. This is about America’s 1st major road race that took place in Elgin, Illinois, 35 miles from Chicago, on July 4th, 1913. The race, on an 8.5 mile course, was won by Charles “Fearless” Balke. Issue 26
Rennie Scaysbrook wrote of his third attempt to conquer Pike’s Peak. The last two tries were sponsored, among others, by Cycle News. Carlin Dunne was also riding for Team Cycle News. After 12.92 miles and 156 turns Carlin won and Rennie was 0.692 seconds behind him. One of the closest finishes in Pike Peaks history. Issue 27
You will also enjoy the motorcycle photography. It is some of the best. www.cyclenews.com AND IT’S FREE !!!
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO’S ON THE STURGIS MUSEUM WEBSITE
To find the videos of their Hall of Fame inductees, open www.sturgismuseum.com. Go to the Hall of Fame on the right. Then scroll to year of your choice and click. If you scroll to bottom and click on 2016, then to the right, you will find Trailblazers Hall of Famer, Buddy Stubbs. Click and play.
150 MPH ON A LAWN MOWER?
The Honda Mean Mower V2. Mean Mower races in the near future? http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/07/10/150-mph-on-lawn-mower-honda-mean-mower-v2-takes-aim-html
50 YEARS AGO IN CYCLE NEWS
Walt Fulton took his first national win at the Mini-Roadrace National’s at scaled down Heidelberg Raceway in Pennsylvania. Chuck Minert won Antelope Rambler’s motocross at Saddleback Park. Lou Peterson 2nd, Eddie Mulder third. Gary Nixon won the 10-Mile Charity Newsies. Torsten Hallman won the Firecracker International MX. Other riders were Bill Nilsson, John DeSoto, Russ Darnell and J.N. Roberts. George Kerker won Heavy Production class at Orange County Int. Raceway.
40 YEARS AGO
Jim “The Animal” Fishback on cover after winning San Bernardino. Steve Eklund won 3rd straight AMA GNC at San Jose Mile. Randy Mamola won the AFM Golden Gate Challenge Road Race . Kent Howerton and Rick Burgett won the RedBud Natl. MX in Michigan. Rick Burgett won 500cc National MX at Mt. Morris. Jimmy Ellis won both 250cc motos. Jay Springsteen won the Castle Rock TT. Kenny Roberts won 250cc event at Assen. Interview with Gary Scott.
30 YEARS AGO
Eric Geboers won the 500cc USGP at Hollister Hills. Steve Morehead won the Lima Half Mile. Johnny O’Mara won the 125cc class at Mammoth Mountain MX and Rick Johnson won the 25cc and Open Expert classes. Scott Parker won the ½ Mile at Middletown, NY. Jeff Ward (500cc) and Guy Cooper (125cc) won the RedBud National MX. Larry Roeseler won the Trask two-Day Qualifier.
SPEEDWAY RACING
COSTA MESA Friday, July 13 (FAIR) Freestyle Motocross Invitational/ Sidecars
Saturday, July 14 Fair Derby and SideCars Racing at 7:30pm
INDUSTRY RACING Wednesday, July 18 All Divisions and SideCars Racing at 7:30pm
FAST FRIDAYS Friday, July 15 North vs South Racing at 8pm
Friday, July 22 Speedway, 25 lap main
PERRIS RACEWAY Saturday, August 4 Speedway Racing at 5pm
BIG TIME SPEEDWAY IS OFF FOR THE SUMMER
FLAT TRACK RACING AT PERRIS RACEWAY
Saturday, July 14th Round 5 SCFTA Championship Series Gates 12:30, Practice 3:30, Racing to follow
Saturday, July 28th Practice 4-9pm
Saturday, August 11th Round 6 SCFTA Championship Series
4TH ANNUAL AJ HERERA MEMORIAL RACE AT VENTURA
Saturday, July 21 you will find a lot of entertainment and good racing at Ventura Raceway. There will be Flat Track, Speedway, and Extreme Side Cars. The program will include Pro Singles and Pro Twins. They will again have the “Running of the Bulls”. Grand Marshall is Sammy Tanner and Special guests Eddie Mulder and “Mad” Mike Hughes. Pit gates open at 11am, Gen Gates and vendors open at 2pm. Racing at 5:30
BSA OWNERS CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sunday, July 22 is the “Rim of the World” Ride. It starts at “Douglas Motorcycles” 390 N. H. St. San Bernardino. Arrive at 9, ride at 10am. (951) 440 3521 or (661) 703 9249
Sunday, July 29 is the Long Beach Motorcycle Swap-meet. www.socalcycleswapmeet.com
Sunday, August 5 is the “Cool Ride”. Meet at 9am at Gateway Plaza Shopping Center, 101 Fwy at Topanga Cyn. Blvd. Ride at 10am. (31) 398 6406 or (661) 703 9249
ENDUROCROSS PLUS eMTB ENDUROCROSS CHALLENGE SERIES SEASON OPENER
YA GOTTA SEE THIS !!!!
Saturday/Sunday, August 25-26 is the kick off of the EnduroCorss Series. It will be held at the Prescott Valley Event Center in Arizona. There is a special attraction at 4 of the 6 scheduled races. This series, within a series, brings pedal-assist electric mountain bikes together with America’s most extreme indoor off-road motorcycle competition. FANS CAN TEST RIDE the latest models on a purpose-built test track. The opportunity is open on Saturday and Sunday at Reno, Denver and Nampa. Test for yourself and watch the racers during Sunday’s eMTB Challenge. Electric Bike Events has programs for test of ebikes for riders and dealers and supports major industry events with test track programs.
SOCAL NORTON RIDES
Sunday, July 15th is the Norton Club’s ride to Wrightwood. It is a one day ride through the Angeles National Forest via Hwy 2 to Wrightwood for lunch. Meet at Luck Baldwin’s Trappiste located at 1770 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. Ride departs at 9am SHARP. www.socalnorton.com
Saturday, August 11 is their “Prince of Darkness” night ride. Over Mulholland Hills to Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake for a bite to eat. Meet at the Los Feliz Café, located at 33207 Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Angeles Ride departs at 6:30pm SHARP
HOOLIGAN RACES COMING UP
Friday, July 27 is the Dirt Squirt at Castle Rock Washington and on August 8th, don’t miss the Hooligans at the Buffalo Chip TT in Sturgis SD. www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/indian-hooligan
RACING AT GLEN HELEN www.glenhelen.com (909) 880 3090
Saturday July 14 REM MX/MX Practice
Sunday July 15 SoCalOTMX/ ARX MX (Vet Track)
Saturday July 21 REM MX/ MX Practice
Sunday July 22 SRA GP
Saturday July 28 REM MX / MX Practice
Sunday July 29 OTHG MX
SOCALOTMX www.socalotmx.org (909 730 8667
Sunday July 15 Glen Helen Main Track
Sunday July 22 Cahuilla Creek Veteran
CALVMX WWW.CALVMX.NET
Saturday July 14 Round 6 Perris MX Big Track Sign up 11, Race 3-8
PUT THESE FUTURE EVENTS ON YOUR CALENDAR
47TH ANNUAL DOUG BINGHAM MEMORIAL SIDECAR RALLEY
Sunday, October 28th at the William S. Hart Regional Park. Camping is allowed starting Friday. No motorhomes or house trailers. They are on Facebook. Russ216norton@yahoo.com
MOTOCLIMB SUPER SERIES
The IRC Carnegie Classic is one of a four part series of hillclimbs. On October 6-7 it will be in Tracy, California. This series will bring the top competitors from both coasts. Check Facebook.
MINI MADNESS MX
Round 2 will be held on Saturday, October 13 at Perris Raceway. Check them out on Facebook.
www.facebook.com/Mini-Madness-MX-135920579780511/
RIDER ROUND UP AT THE RANCH
CALENDAR BIKE BUILDING CHAMPIONSHIP
The event is on Sunday, October 7th at the Paramount Ranch State Park in Agoura, California. It is an old western town movie set at Paramount, near the Rock Store on Mulholland Drive. The event will feature a bike show, bike building championship, vendors and exhibitors, live music, food trucks, BBQ & draft beer. You can ride your bike onto the set, park and explore. http://www.fastdates.com/bikeshow.htm
JGDesign@fastdates.com www.exilecycles.com
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DON’T MISS THE PAST GIRLS OF BIKERNET—There’s a bunch of fabulous girls and bikes in the Cantina and we’re always looking for more.
–Bandit
ME AND WILL, THE MOVIE–Me and Will is a 1999 road drama film directed by Melissa Behr and Sherrie Rose. It is also written by Melissa Behr and Sherrie Rose. It stars Sherrie Rose, Melissa Behr, Patrick Dempsey, Seymour Cassel, Grace Zabriskie, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Wirth, Johnny Whitworth, John Enos III, and Julie McCullough.
It was produced by Melissa Behr, Sherrie Rose, Pierre David, Joey Forsyte, Jason Hall, Gary Kohn, and Vesco Razpopov. The music was done by the musician Shark.
The movie’s tagline is Nobody rides for free. In the film, two women (Rose and Behr) meet while going to rehab. They discover that they’ve both longed to ride Captain America’s red, white, and blue motorcycle from Easy Rider, and they escape the rehab clinic and go on the highway in search of their dream bike.
Former Hells Angels Leader Tells his Story in ‘Outlaw’–Los Angeles Premiere at the Whitefire Theatre
After enjoying packed performances in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Palm Desert, California, as well as Las Vegas and St Louis, former Hells Angels leader George Christie brings his critically acclaimed one-man show, Outlaw, to the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks for an August 2 opening.
The production, which chronicles Christie’s nearly 40-year reign as head of the Ventura chapter of the Hells Angels, will be his first public appearance in Los Angeles since undertaking several events to sign copies of his memoir, “Exile on Front Street: My Life as a Hells Angel…and Beyond.” The book served as the basis for the new theatrical production.
“The book has a lot of inside information about the Hells Angels, but the one-man show is more personal,” Christie said. “I also talk about what’s happened in my life, since I left the club in 2011.”
During his years with the Hells Angels, Christie survived prison, multiple investigations, prosecutions and assassination attempts. Through it all, he considered himself to be a peacemaker in the outlaw biker community.
With a reputation firmly established in popular culture, the Hells Angels have developed a modern mythology around themselves that presents as many questions about the group as answers. Are the Hells Angels organized criminals or compassionate givers to charity and the community? What really goes on behind closed club meeting doors?
Now retired, Christie is a media consultant as an expert on the outlaw lifestyle. He is the author of three books and his History Channel six-part series, Outlaw Chronicles, has led him to his live stage show.
Written and directed by Richard La Plante, Outlaw received standing ovations during its world premiere run in Southern California.
“I think most people who had a problem with George in the past, realize that it was a long time ago,” La Plante said. “George has put the controversies behind him. That’s what the show is about.”
Outlaw is produced by Charles Lago in association with Clago Productions.
Outlaw runs August 2 through August 24 with performances on Thursdays and Sundays and later in the run on Fridays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for all performances. Whitefire Theatre is located at 13500 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. For reservations, call (213) 713-9149 or go to www.Clagoproductions.com and for more information please visit www.GeorgeChristieOutlaw.com.
BIKERNET HISTORICAL CLARIFICATION–
Wow… Who knew Santa Claus had a sister? Her name is Santa Monica.
—Sam Burns
BIKERNET GUN NUT REPORT–Judge Brett Kavanaugh Has Earned NRA Members’ Support
NRA members can feel confident throwing their enthusiastic support behind President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Throughout his time on the bench, Judge Kavanaugh has demonstrated deep respect for the Second Amendment as construed in Justice Antonin Scalia’s landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
Moreover, his record on the Second Amendment is well established. As Second Amendment scholar and University of Denver Law Professor Dave Kopel wrote earlier this week, “No nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court has had such a detailed record on Second Amendment as does Brett Kavanaugh.”
The bulk of Judge Kavanaugh’s record on the Second Amendment comes from his 2011 dissent in Heller v. District of Columbia, or Heller II. The case concerned a challenge to Washington, D.C.’s ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic rifles and the city’s onerous firearms registration regime.
Under much constitutional precedence, courts are tasked with interpreting a law’s impact on a given right by using a system of tiered balancing tests, where they weigh the government’s interest against the right at stake. Fundamental rights are tested under a strict scrutiny standard, whereby the government has the burden of showing that a given restriction serves a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means to further that interest.
Lesser infringements are tested using intermediate scrutiny, which requires a restriction to serve an important government interest and that the means of doing so are substantially related to the interest. All laws are subject to the rational basis test, whereby a given restriction must be at least rationally related to a legitimate government purpose.
Many gun rights advocates have argued that, as a fundamental right, laws that infringe upon the Second Amendment right should be subject to strict scrutiny analysis. In practice, courts have used these balancing tests with little consistency and in a manner that frustrates the precedent set in Heller.
In Heller, Justice Scalia did not contemplate an interest balancing test for interpreting whether a restriction violated the Second Amendment. Rather, he made clear that bans on firearms “in common use” were impermissible and that some “longstanding” restrictions were acceptable.
In his 52-page Heller II dissent, Judge Kavanaugh recognized that Heller demanded that courts “assess gun bans and regulations based on text, history, and tradition, not by a balancing test such as strict or intermediate scrutiny.” Further explaining the method of analysis prescribed in Heller, Judge Kavanaugh quoted Justice Scalia’s concurrence in McDonald v. Chicago, writing,
it is that the Heller test will be more determinate and “much less subjective” because “it depends upon a body of evidence susceptible of reasoned analysis rather than a variety of vague ethicopolitical First Principles whose combined conclusion can be found to point in any direction the judges favor.”
Through this framework, while also adhering to Heller’s command about firearms “in common use,” Judge Kavanaugh determined that D.C’s ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic rifles was unconstitutional. Judge Kavanaugh explained,
In disapproving D.C.’s ban on handguns, in approving a ban on machine guns, and in approving longstanding regulations such as concealed-carry and felon-in-possession laws, Heller established that the scope of the Second Amendment right – and thus the constitutionality of gun bans and regulations – is determined by reference to text, history, and tradition.
Using this lens, the judge determined, “There is no basis in Heller for drawing a constitutional distinction between semi-automatic handguns and semiautomatic rifles,” and concluded,
the Second Amendment as construed in Heller protects weapons that have not traditionally been banned and are in common use by law-abiding citizens. Semi-automatic rifles have not traditionally been banned and are in common use today, and are thus protected under Heller.
Going further, Judge Kavanaugh also explained that if a court were to use a balancing test to analyze a firearm restriction, it should use strict scrutiny. Judge Kavanaugh determined that D.C.’s semi-automatic rifle ban would fail this test. The judge wrote,
Even if it were appropriate to apply some kind of balancing test or level of scrutiny to D.C.’s ban on semiautomatic rifles, the proper test would be strict scrutiny, as explained above…. D.C. cannot show a compelling interest in banning semi-automatic rifles because the necessary implication of the decision in Heller is that D.C. could not show a sufficiently compelling interest to justify its banning semi-automatic handguns.
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WORD OF THE DAY–
amour-propre
[a-moor-praw-pruh]
noun
1.
French. self-esteem; self-respect.
QUOTES
From the faces round him there fell that glamour by which the amour propre is held captive in large assemblies, where the amour propre is flattered.
— Edward Bulwar-Lytton, What Will He Do with It?, 1858
ORIGIN
The French compound noun amour-propre, literally “self-love, self-regard,” is associated especially with the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78), but the phrase is found earlier in the works of Blaise Pascal (1623-62) and François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-80). For Rousseau amour-propre is self-love or self-esteem dependent upon the good opinion of others, as opposed to amour de soi, which also means “self-love” but is directed solely toward one’s own well-being and is not dependent upon the good opinion of others.
The English lexicographer Henry W. Fowler (1858-1933), in his A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1926), acidly comments about amour-propre, “Vanity usually gives the meaning as well, &, if as well, then better.” Amour-propre entered English in the 18th century.
OFFICIAL GUN NUT REPORT–Justice Scalia Made Clear the Second Amendment and Heller Prohibit “Assault Weapon” Bans
FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2018 Justice Scalia Made Clear the Second Amendment and Heller Prohibit “Assault Weapon” Bans
On July 9, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) offered the following ham-handed statement in an attempted attack on President Donald Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Brett Kavanaugh is a true Second Amendment radical. He believes assault weapon bans are unconstitutional, a position way out of the judicial mainstream, far to the right of even late Justice Scalia.
Murphy’s comment gives the false impression that Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who authored of the majority opinion in the landmark 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller case that recognized the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, did not consider bans on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms (termed “assault weapons” by gun control advocates) to be unconstitutional.
Unfortunately, Murphy is not the only individual to peddle this falsehood. Murphy’s fallacious claim was parroted by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), who tweeted, “Even Justice Scalia knew the 2nd Amendment has limits. It doesn’t guarantee access to every weapon, he said, and assault weapons can be banned.” In bemoaning Kavanaugh’s 2011 dissent in Heller II, where he concluded that D.C.’s semi-auto ban is unconstitutional, Brady Campaign Co-President Avery Gardiner contended that Kavanaugh’s view is “inconsistent w/ Scalia’s Heller opinion.”
Political operatives and partisan hacks aside, this deceit has infected those who should know better. Earlier this year, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts Judge William G. Young distorted Scalia’s views in his opinion in Workman v. Healy, which rejected a Second Amendment challenge to Massachusetts’ ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms. Young found that the banned firearms “are not within the scope of the personal right to ‘bear arms’ under the Second Amendment.” Suggesting that Justice Scalia would endorse such an outcome, Young concluded his opinion by writing, “Justice Scalia would be proud.”
Taken alone, Justice Scalia’s Heller opinion is enough to dispel this deception. In it, Justice Scalia made clear that the types of firearms protected by the Second Amendment include those “in common use at the time” for “lawful purposes like self-defense.” The AR-15, which is the favorite target of so-called “assault weapon” ban legislation, is the most popular rifle in America and therefore undoubtedly “in common use” and protected by the Second Amendment. Gun control advocates seem to agree that such semi-automatic rifles are common, considering they routinely complain about the “proliferation” of these firearms.
Further, in the 1994 case Staples v. United States, the Supreme Court determined that semi-automatic rifles were common. The case concerned the mens rea requirement for a conviction for possession of an unregistered machine gun. The subject of the case had argued that he was unaware that the AR-15 in his possession had been modified for automatic fire and was not simply a legal semi-automatic AR-15.
In the majority opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas made clear that the mere possession of a converted AR-15 is not enough to infer a mens rea sufficient for conviction, as some firearms are, “so commonplace and generally available that we would not consider them to alert individuals to the likelihood of strict regulation.” Justice Thomas went on to write that most categories of guns, including semi-automatic rifles, “traditionally have been widely accepted as lawful possessions.”
If after Heller there was any remaining doubt as to where Justice Scalia stood on this matter, he settled the matter in 2015. That year, Justice Scalia joined Justice Thomas in a dissent from the denial of certiorari in Friedman v. Highland Park, a case concerning a local ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms.
In the dissent, Justice Thomas lamented that despite the Supreme Court’s holdings in Heller and McDonald v. Chicago, “several Courts of Appeals… have upheld categorical bans on firearms that millions of Americans commonly own for lawful purposes,” which he made clear was “noncompliance with our Second Amendment precedents.”
Justice Thomas went on to explain,
Roughly five million Americans own AR-style semiautomatic rifles. The overwhelming majority of citizens who own and use such rifles do so for lawful purposes, including self-defense and target shooting. Under our precedents, that is all that is needed for citizens to have a right under the Second Amendment to keep such weapons.
KEEP THE BIKERNET BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS–
‘Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week.
A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.
Why do women live a Better, Longer & Peaceful Life, compared to men? A very INTELLIGENT student replied: “Because women don’t have wives!”
–from “SIDEHACK” Jerry
sidehackjerry@gmail.com
GAMES IN THE CANTINA—We paid for a games program to afford you of multiple games. I recently received a complaint about a game forcing the user to look at a bunch of ads.
This brings up a bunch of questions. Can we improve on this? Ads are against the code in the Cantina, unless it’s specifically attached to an article as a resource. Otherwise you shouldn’t see ads in the Cantina.
Could we buy just a small bundle of games? Actually, I would like to play Tetrus once in a while. Let me know if there are a couple of really cool games that would do the trick. Generally let me know your thoughts.
–Bandit
Bandit@Bikernet.com
Some REALLY GREAT POINTS!–
Enigmas
(1) Isn’t it weird that in America, our flag and our culture offend so
many people, but our benefits don’t?
(2) How can the federal government ask U.S. citizens to pay back
student loans, when illegal aliens are receiving a free education?
(3) Only in America are legal citizens labeled “racists” and “Nazis,”
but illegal aliens are called “Dreamers”.
(4) Liberals say, “If confiscating all guns saves just one life, it’s
worth it. “Well then, if deporting all illegals saves just one life,
wouldn’t that be worth it too?
(5) I can’t quite figure out how you can proudly wave the flag of
another country, but consider it punishment to be sent back there.
(6) The Constitution: It doesn’t need to be rewritten, it needs to be reread.
(7) William F. Buckley said: “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other points of view, and are then shocked and offended when they discover there are other points of view.”
(8) Joseph Sobran said: “‘Need” now means wanting someone else’s money. “Greed” means wanting to keep your own. “Compassion” is when a
politician arranges the transfer.
(9) Florida has had 119 hurricanes since 1850, but some people still insist the last one was due to climate change.
–from Sarge and Steve Jameson
SUNDAY QUOTE–
Our patience will achieve more than our force.— from Jack L. Salerno,
Tom Flynn
GREATEST CHARLIE BRECHTAL MOVIE EVERY MADE—We watched Charlie’s movie, Rebel on the Highway, last night after five shots of Jack Daniels. Charlie wrote, produced, played the music and starred in this film full of major players in our industry including our own Rogue, the Editor of Bikernet Baggers and several contributors to Bikernet and 5-Ball Racing, Tony Sanfelipo and Berry Wardlaw.
It’s Charlie’s best cinematic effort to date using real, very old bikers throughout.
–Bandit
NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–
‘Lost Summer for Greenland’: ‘Record late snowpack—lingering into July’ – ‘A big shock’ – But the record cold & snow blamed on ‘climate change’
‘This year broke all records’
Greenland and Arctic record cold and snow are once again being blamed on “climate change,” according to an article in Scientific American. The July 13 article declares a “Lost Summer for Greenland” as “a record late snowpack—lingering into July” harms the shorebirds breeding season.
Jeroen Reneerkens, an avian ecologist at the University of Groningen who has studied Greenland’s shorebirds since 2003, expressed bewilderment at the winter conditions in summer. “The tundra was 100 percent covered in snow, and it was a very deep layer,” he says, estimating an average depth of about one meter. “It was a big shock to see the place like that,” he added. (Related article: GLOBAL COOLING: GLOBAL TEMPS HAVE DROPPED BY 0.65C (1.2F DEGREE) SINCE 2016)
The article reported: “This year broke all records,” Reneerkens says. “I know my literature about Arctic shorebirds very well and I have never come across something like this.” He is uncertain how this “disastrous” incident will affect the overall populations of these shorebird species. But “given the scale that this happening [on],” he says, “I do expect that this will have large consequences.” He estimates the record-late snowmelt impacted half of the global breeding area for sanderlings, red knots and ruddy turnstones.
And it’s not just Greenland experiencing a year without a summer. According to Scientific American, “Researchers elsewhere in the Arctic are also reporting unusually late snowmelt this year, with repercussions for shorebirds.
How does Scientific American account for the “lost summer for Greenland”? The article blames “climate change” for the record cold and snow. “Senner fears this nonbreeding year in eastern Greenland could herald an alarming trend. Climate models predict the Arctic atmosphere will hold more moisture as global temperatures rise, he notes. A wetter atmosphere means more snow in winter and spring, potentially causing late snowmelt to interfere with shorebird reproduction,” the article reported.
Article excerpt:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/late-snowpack-signals-a-lost-summer-for-greenlands-shorebirds/
Scientific American: Late Snowpack Signals a Lost Summer for Greenland’s Shorebirds
Sanderlings, red knots and ruddy turnstones failed to breed this year along the Arctic island’s east coast due to record snow cover
By Daniel Ackerman on July 13, 2018
Excerpts: Snowmelt usually allows shorebirds to begin nesting on eastern Greenland’s treeless tundra during the first half of June, says Jeroen Reneerkens, an avian ecologist at the University of Groningen who has studied these birds since 2003. However, when he arrived this year at Zackenberg Station on June 14 to survey sanderlings, a species of Arctic-breeding shorebird, he found they had nowhere to construct their nests. “The tundra was 100 percent covered in snow, and it was a very deep layer,” he says, estimating an average depth of about one meter. “It was a big shock to see the place like that,” he adds…
Late Snowpack Signals a Lost Summer for Greenland’s Shorebirds
The region’s tundra was still 80 percent covered in snow as of July 10, according to observations provided by a staff member at Zackenberg…Climatic challenges like late snowmelt in their breeding grounds only compound the birds’ plight… “A nonbreeding year is pretty extreme.” Senner says the case is reminiscent of 1992, when shorebirds suffered poor reproductive success after Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted the prior year. The tropical volcano belched atmosphere-cooling particles over the planet—including the far north, causing cold summer temperatures in the Arctic.
Although shorebird breeding success fluctuates by 20 percent or more from one year to the next, a nonbreeding summer appears to be unprecedented. “This year broke all records,” Reneerkens says. “I know my literature about Arctic shorebirds very well and I have never come across something like this.” He is uncertain how this “disastrous” incident will affect the overall populations of these shorebird species. But “given the scale that this happening [on],” he says, “I do expect that this will have large consequences.” He estimates the record-late snowmelt impacted half of the global breeding area for sanderlings, red knots and ruddy turnstones.
Researchers elsewhere in the Arctic are also reporting unusually late snowmelt this year, with repercussions for shorebirds. Richard Lanctot, a researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, believes record late snowmelt inhibited nesting near Utqiavik (formerly Barrow) on the northern coast of Alaska.
SO, WHATTA YA TINK? Is life nuts or what? So, I’m on a mission to find pure peace and tranquility. I will find it this year. The super-interesting aspect to life is in our brains. We get to think anything we want.
It’s like your brother’s house burns down. He can get so depressed he blows his brains out. Or he can party. He doesn’t need to mow the lawn ever again.
I can be depressed about what the government is doing to motorcycling. I can be pissed off over the Global Warming fraud, or I can party. I get to do anything I want as a biker every day. I’m going to build a streamlined trike, fix my Panhead, enjoy Sturgis, ride my Indian, finish my screenplay and start another book this year.
What could be better. I live with a beautiful Redhead in Motorcycle Nirvana on the coast of Los Angeles. Fuck it. Let’s party.
Ride Free Forever,
–Bandit
