Hey,
I want to jump right into the news. I need to scramble back into the shop and start work on the Salt Torpedo firewall final aluminum construction. We have just eight days before we should be rolling out towards the salt. Not sure if we will make it.
We have several hoops to jump through before we get there. We need start-up and test. Then we need two tests on the road, one around the block and one at about 50 mph. We need someone to inspect this beast and determine whether we will pass the inspection. We need a few days to plan and pack for the trip. I will need to rent a trailer and find a room or two in Wendover.
I never went after sponsorship funds because I wanted to see if it would work first. As you will see in the news, someone else built a belly tank trike, which was on display at a show recently. Would like to know more about it.
Let’s hit the news. There’s shit to do.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
QUICK, BIKERNET READER’S COMMENT–
The Short Happy Life of Easyriders Magazine
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/The_Short_Happy_Life_of_Easyriders_Magazine.aspx
Great article! Easyriders has always been a big part of my life! I loved it!
I just bought the latest issue. This is the last one. Does this mean active subscribers got ripped off.
I want to write my own report on the impact of Easyriders on my life.
–Stealth
Charlotte, NC
NEW ZEALANDER’S USA ROAD TRIP—Day 43: From Crazy Horse it is to the town of Custer as we make our way to the
Custer State Park to do the Wild Life Loop. Apart from the deer crossing
the road, this was the only one of three that I managed to get a photo.
We had stopped to take a photo of a lone buffalo when an oncoming
rider warned us about a herd on the road and how the queue of vehicles
is quite long trying to get through. He was right about that, but with
us facing into the oncoming herd, all we had to do was wait until the
walked past us.
We did hear some one tooting a horn at the buffalo, which we thought was a bit unwise of the motorist safely in his four walls
while us bikers are totally exposed to them. Cindy was a bit unsure of being this close to the buffalo, but the buffalo could not have cared less about us. It is quite something to be in the midst of all of this
and a song came to mind. ‘You Can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd’.
You may be able to in this herd but it would not be recommended. Later we
were to see a warning sign about approaching buffalo no closer than a
100 yards. I am sure that they have not told the buffalo this. Perhaps it is one thing to have them walking past you on the road, and another approaching them on foot.
I was the third biker in a line and with the stories of a long line of cars and buffalo still to go and of bikes stopped because they had overheated trying to get through the herd, the biker in front of me
decide that he did not need such a harassment and did a three-point U-
turn and went back the way he had just come.
He had to fight his way through the herd going the same way, while three minutes later, we were out of the herd altogether. A few minutes spent getting around the
vehicles passing the stopped bikers letting their engines cool down, there is only one other rider in front of us on an empty road. It a slow sort of a trip out of the park and it was nice to get out onto the open
road again in the fading light.
All the lights in the country side did look pretty but the darkness does
make it difficult to see an exit even if the GPS does tell you it is there. Lucky the I 90 cuts across out direction of travel through Rapid City and I am able to get out onto and head west to Sturgis. I did
notice one car going our way with no lights on at all!
I was going to try and catch-up a bit closer to him just to see how far he would go
before he realized he had no lights on or a State Trooper pulled him
over. At a steady 75 mph I did not catch up to him but I could make him
out every so often as a black shape out in front amongst the other
traffic. I never saw any red and blue flashing lights nor did we get
stopped because someone had run into him, and this was some ten minutes
after I had spotted the no light thing. We arrived safely back to our
tent feeling kind of weary.
–Graeme Lowen
QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY– A small church had a very attractive big-busted organist named Susan, and her breasts were so large that they bounced and jiggled while she played the organ.
Unfortunately, she distracted the male part of the congregation considerably. The very proper church ladies were appalled.
They said something had to be done about this or they would have to get another organist.
So one of the ladies approached Susan very discreetly about the problem, & told her to mash up some green persimmons & rub them on her nipples and all over her breasts, which should cause them to shrink in size, but warned her not to taste any of the green persimmons, because they are so sour they will make your mouth pucker up & you won’t be able to talk properly for a while.
The voluptuous organist reluctantly agreed to try it.
The following Sunday morning the minister walked up to the pulpit and said,
“Dew to thircumsthanthis bewond my contwol, we will not hab a thermon tewday.
–SAM BURNS
SON FRANK DISCOVERS NEW/OLD ARTIST—I knew Robert Kalafoot back in the day. An Amazing Artist!
–Bandit
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE & ITS FTR750 CAPTURES SIXTH PODIUM SWEEP OF 2019 AT SACRAMENTO MILE–
Defending AFT Twins Champion Jared Mees Earns Fourth Victory of Season;
Points Leader Briar Bauman Records 10th Podium Finish of Season with Second-Place Finish; Indian Motorcycle Privateer Davis Fisher Secures First-Career Twins Class Podium
Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, and its championship-winning FTR750 secured its sixth podium sweep of the 2019 season. Reigning back-to-back AFT Twins Champion Jared Mees displayed his dominance over the field by holding off his Wrecking Crew Teammate Briar Bauman to win the Sacramento Mile. Bauman, the current Twins points leader, finished second, while Indian Motorcycle Privateer Davis Fisher rounded out the podium with his first-career Twins podium.
The Sacramento Mile was a gritty battle between Wrecking Crew teammates Mees and Bauman down the stretch. Mees seemingly held firm control over the Main until the defiant Twins points leader chose to take matters into his own hands and overtook the defending champion. However, Mees rallied to regain the lead and kept Bauman at bay to narrowly escape with the victory, despite one last-ditch effort from Bauman.
“Just as Briar bounced back from the Buffalo Chip TT with a win at the Black Hills Half-Mile, Jared returns to the top of the box in Sacramento after a tough finish in Rapid City,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “With six races left, Jared reminds us all he’s the reigning back-to-back champion and he’s not going to let Briar run away on the leaderboard.”
With seven races remaining in the season, the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking crew currently sits atop the points standings with Briar Bauman in first with 218 points, Jared Mees in second with 191 points and Bronson Bauman in third with 163 points. As was evident this past weekend, the race for the top spot in the Twins class is heating up and the three relentless riders are looking to continue their dominance over the field.
The season continues August 17 at the legendary Peoria TT. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information Indian Motorcycle Racing’s sponsors, visit their websites: Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, S&S Cycle, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties, Alpinestars, Bell Helmets and J&P Cycles.
THE BIKERNET CHOW HALL RECIPE OF THE WEEK–
Korean BBQ at home with Terry Park and A Biker Dude!
Watch as Terry takes us through all of the ingredients, steps, cooking and the proper way to eat Korean BBQ. This was hands down one of my favorite meals of 2019! Terry is an amazing Chef and an incredible host!! Thank you so much Terry, for sharing your home, food and hospitality with us! Now go cook some Korean BBQ! Get some!!
To see more cooking videos click here,youtube.com/c/ABikerDudeand subscribe! Follow me on IG at A Biker Dude
The Whistleblower Who Exposed Google’s Deep Conspiracy To Overthrow The U.S. Government— Zachary Vorhies discovered the pure evil intent of Google when he realized that it intended to overthrow the U.S. government. He put his career on the line to expose hundreds of internal Google documents. ? TN Editor
A Google insider who anonymously leaked internal documents to Project Veritas made the decision to go public in an on-the-record video interview. The insider, Zachary Vorhies, decided to go public after receiving a letter from Google, and after he says Google allegedly called the police to perform a “wellness check” on him.
Along with the interview, Vorhies asked Project Veritas to publish more of the internal Google documents he had previously leaked. Said Vorhies:
“I gave the documents to Project Veritas, I had been collecting the documents for over a year. And the reason why I collected these documents was because I saw something dark and nefarious going on with the company and I realized that there were going to not only tamper with the elections, but use that tampering with the elections to essentially overthrow the United States.”
In June of 2019, Project Veritas published internal Google documents revealing “algorithmic unfairness.” Vorhies told Project Veritas these were documents that were widely available to full-time Google employees:
“These documents were available to every single employee within the company that was full-time. And so as a fulltime employee at the company, I just searched for some keywords and these documents started to pop up. And so once I started finding one document and started finding keywords for other documents and I would enter that in and continue this cycle until I had a treasure trove and archive of documents that clearly spelled out the system, what they’re attempting to do in very clear language.”
Shortly after the report including the “algorithmic unfairness” documents was published, Vorhies received a letter from Google containing several “demands.” Vorhies told Project Veritas that he complied with Google’s demands, which included a request for any internal Google documents he may have personally retained. Vorhies also said he sent those documents to the Department of Justice Antitrust Division.
After having been identified by an anonymous account (which Vorhies believes belongs to a Google employee,) on social media as a “leaker,” Vorhies was approached by law enforcement at his residence in California. According to Vorhies, San Francisco police received a call from Google which prompted a “wellness check.”
Vorhies described the incident to Project Veritas:
“they got inside the gate, the police, and they started banging on my door… And so the police decided that they were going to call in additional forces. They called in the FBI, they called in the SWAT team. And they called in a bomb squad.”
“[T]his is a large way in which [Google tries to] intimidate their employees that go rogue on the company…”
Partial video of the incident was provided to Project Veritas. San Francisco police confirmed to Project Veritas that they did receive a “mental health call,” and responded to Vorhies’ address that day.
“Google Snowden moment”
Project Veritas has released hundreds of internal Google documents leaked by Vorhies. Among those documents is a file called “news black list site for google now.” The document, according to Vorhies, is a “black list,” which restricts certain websites from appearing on news feeds for an Android Google product. The list includes conservative and progressive websites, such as newsbusters.org and mediamatters.org. The document says that some sites are listed with or because of a “high user block rate.”
–Technocracy News
WOMEN RIDERS NOW ON SUMMER TIPS–As riders, summer heat isn’t just uncomfortable for us, it can be downright dangerous. So, we decided to throw together some tips on staying cool – without sacrificing protection. In this issue, we also review a premium new open-face lid from Arai, discuss CE certification and what exactly it means, and more!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@womanrider) to keep up with our daily shenanigans and adventures and post your own photos to share with other Woman Riders as well!
Baby, it’s hot out there. Heat isn’t just uncomfortable for us motorcyclists – it can be downright dangerous. Here are our tips for staying cool in hot summer temperatures.
Happy riding!
–Jenny Smith, Editor
Go to Women Riders for the full story. –Bandit
BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–
golden
[gohl-duhn]
adjective
1.
indicating the fiftieth event of a series: a golden wedding anniversary.
QUOTES
Museums and towns across the country geared up for their own golden anniversary celebrations, including Wapakoneta, Ohio, Armstrong’s hometown that was serving up “cinnamoon pancakes” and “buckeye on the moon sundaes.”
— Marcia Dunn, “Apollo 11 Astronauts Reunite on 50th Anniversary of Moonshot,” Associated Press, July 19, 2019
ORIGIN
The adjective golden is obviously a compound of the noun gold and the suffix -en, which is used to form adjectives of source or material from nouns. The odd thing about golden is that it is first recorded only about 1300. Golden is a Middle English re-formation of gold and -en that replaced earlier Middle English gulden, gilden, gelden, gylden “made of or consisting of gold,” from Old English gylden, gilden “golden.”
Golden age occurs in The Works and Days of the Greek didactic poet Hesiod (c700 b.c.) and has persisted throughout Western literature. Golden mean “the perfect moderate course or position that avoids extremes” entered English in the 1540s. Golden mean was also formerly called the golden mediocrity, a literal translation of Horace’s aurea mediocritas (Odes 2.10).
The golden mean as an ethical principle is usually associated with Aristotelian ethics, it being a virtue, the midpoint between two opposite extremes, as, for example, the virtue of courage being the golden mean between the two opposite vices of cowardice and foolhardiness.
The Americanism golden handcuffs “a series of raises, bonuses, etc., given at intervals or tied to length of employment in order to keep an executive from leaving the company,” dates to the mid-1960s; golden handshake “a special incentive, such as generous severance pay, given to an older employee as an inducement to elect early retirement,” dates to the late 1950s; and golden parachute “an employment contract guaranteeing an executive of a company substantial severance pay and other perquisites in the event of job loss caused by the company’s being sold or merged,” dates to the early 1980s.
MYRTLE BEACH BIKE WEEK DEAL— Biker-Friendly Resort Rolls Out Offer for
Myrtle Beach Bike Week Fall Rally
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (August 15, 2019) – The DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront has announced a special offer designed for visitors cruising into town for the upcoming motorcycle events in Myrtle Beach, including the Fall Rally (Sept. 30-Oct. 6). Conveniently located on Ocean Boulevard, the property is minutes away from many of the festivities.
With rates starting at just $119*, two-wheeled travelers will receive a full hot breakfast with their overnight stay, complimentary access to the onsite bike wash station and ample free parking for bikes and trailers. The offer is valid for stays between May 9 and Oct. 13, using rate code 0MC.
Situated on a quarter-mile stretch of serene Atlantic shoreline, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront rests at the south end of Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Boulevard. Its central location puts resort guests just minutes from the energy and excitement of area biker activities, as well as Market Commons, an outdoor lifestyle center featuring retail outlets and numerous dining options. Ideal for guests of all ages, the property boasts private balconies with outdoor seating for all rooms, oceanfront dining, six pools, 18-hole miniature golf course, and expansive lawns for endless enjoyment.
For more information about DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront or to make a reservation, call 800-770-6895 or visit www.myrtlebeachresort.doubletreebyhilton.com.
*$22 resort fee applies.
VINTAGE RIDES REPORTS FROM NEPAL–After our Frozen Ride tour in 2017, our photographer friend Thomas Goisque left for Nepal a few months ago.
For this ?latest Royal Enfield tour, ?his plans didn’t include ?smooth asphalt roads. On ?his agenda : rocky passages, sandy paths, ?difficult trails and spectacular views of the canyons and the Annapurna range. Discover the photos taken on his journey that were the subject of an article in the ?latest issue of Figaro Magazine in France.
Upper Mustang: Adventure in the Forbidden Kingdom
2nd to 11th November 2019
Mustang: the Legendary Expedition
16th to 29th November 2019
Photo credits: Thomas Goisque
–Vintage Rides
(By appointment only)
128 rue de la Boétie
75008 PARIS
hello@vintagerides.com
+442032898785
BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
SALT TORPEDO Chapter 21: Too Close to Bonneville
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/SALT_TORPEDO_Chapter_21_Too_Close_to_Bonneville_.aspx
Good god man! this has been a heart-pounding adventure!!! Are you there at Bonneville!
— Koz Mraz
garyjmraz@gmail.com
La Quinta,, CA
Not quite. The motorcycle meet is from the 25 to the 29th.
THE MAV ARTS WEEKLY WINNER—Just back from GenCon this last week and another great show with friends, fans and supporters but whenever I’m at big shows that have large companies presenting their products I’m always reminded of what I call “The Invisible Wall”.
The Wall is a catch-22 of circumstances wherein an artist like myself and many others are at a show to hopefully interact with art directors and/or share their work and contact information but this very often ‘not’ the case.
Because the shows are so busy, the decision makers are often booked with other meetings with other large companies discussing licensing, new contracts and lots of other details of this past or coming year. This means that the individual artist often gets squished out or minimized.
I’m not suggesting I haven’t landed some large clients at shows, I’m just bringing to light the fact that sometimes the best you can do is get a name or email of someone to follow up with and then the ball is in your court.
So, my suggestion for emerging artists who are reading this is get used to having very thick skin and coming up against walls and obstacles that you will need to overcome or find another route to the goal you want to achieve.
I often like to tell people “If I find the door is closed….I will find a window to climb in…but you will not keep me out!” Moore News from Monte coming soon about our upcoming Kickstarter and lots of other great ideas are being hatched!
— BAM! – Monte – #ExpectMoore
We have Two Weekly Winners This Week!
Congratulations to
Daniel H. of Grove City, OH
and
Dale Mayer of Carmel, IN
They both win the print pictured above,
entitled “Steamy Spinner”
If you want to be the next WEEKLY WINNER, enter at this link. Remember, only one entry per drawing period, no purchase necessary, good luck!
–Monte Moore
COMMENT OF THE WEEK-– Australia PM adviser says climate change is ‘UN-led ruse to establish new world order’
–from Sam Burns
SALT TORPEDO DAILY REPORT—Yesterday I handled the cotter-key safety wiring on the front axles. I finished the canopy latch, welded it, painted it and installed it into the top of the body.
I was sketchy about the wiring and discover a couple of mistakes, corrected them, finished the wiring and made the hot lead to the battery. Amazing, the puppy turned over. I need to add another quart of oil.
I started to make up the sparkplug wires, when I discovered late model coils use a different connector to the coil. I went out to Jeremiah’s Dyna and pulled a plug wire and checked it out. After almost 100 years of doing it one way, they shifted. Frankie is going to Bartels’ to see if I can get a couple of ends, without it costing me a fortune.
I fixed the brake lever return spring, which was too long for our system and reinstalled it. Then I shifted to making cardboard patterns for the firewall. I need to order 3M heat sealant today and get it shipped my way. I’ve found firewall grommets. I’m beginning to build confidence in this area.
Today, I will study how the Shrouds safety team installs the parachute. It’s ready to go back into the body. Then it’s all about making the firewall work, over the next couple of days. I’m hoping for start-up on Monday when Micah comes back, and if we’re lucky we will make our first rolling run around the block. Hang on.
–Bandit
[page break]
LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–
2017 Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide for $19,995.00
See it here:
https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=7177132
With its batwing fairing and angular saddlebags, Harley-Davidson’s Street Glide—its top-selling Touring model in the U.S.—cuts an iconic profile.
It was overhauled for 2014 as part of Project Rushmore, including a High Output Twin Cam 107 V-twin with more torque, a redesigned batwing fairing with a new Splitstream vent, a hydraulic clutch, a beefier fork, optional Reflex Linked Brakes, dual halogen headlights, a new audio system, redesigned saddlebags, One-Touch latches and ergonomic switches, fresh styling and more.
For 2017, the Twin Cam 103 has been replaced by the air/oil-cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107 and, like all bikes in the Touring line, it gets all-new Showa suspension and an Assist and Slip Clutch. The 2017’s counterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight 107 chugs along with a mellow idle while the 2016’s Twin Cam 103 bounces around in the frame like a Mexican jumping bean. The 107 runs smoother and it runs cooler.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT:
The 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special is a cut above its predecessor, this one with rare sky blue two tone paint. Color matching inner fairing and matching cooler shroud.
S&S black tipped exhaust! Helmut lock. Linked braking, a high-end infotainment system, a security system, and upgraded paint are the primary differentiators from the standard Street Glide.
Engine vibrations have been reduced a claimed 75 percent. Shorter riders will find the Street Glide Special more accommodating this year. Heat dissipation has been improved. A slip-assist clutch is standard.
Comfort has improved by leaps and bounds due to suspension upgrades. The 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with BOOM! Box 6.5GT audio system works flawlessly. 4 pt. docking hardware in place if you wanted to add backrest or luggage rack.
This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 100 point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!
YO, WHAT THE HELL?–I used to think I was just a regular person, but I was born white, which now, whether I like it or not, makes me a racist.
I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist.
I am heterosexual, which now makes me a homophobe.
I am mostly non-union, which makes me a traitor to the working class and an ally of big business.
I was baptized a Christian, which now labels me as an infidel.
I am retired, which makes me useless.
I think and I reason, therefore, I doubt much that the main stream media tells me, which must make me a reactionary.
I am proud of my heritage, which makes me a xenophobe.
I value my safety and that of my family and I appreciate the police and the legal system, which makes me a right-wing extremist.
I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair compensation according to each individual’s merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist.
I (and most of the folks I know), acquired a fair education without student loan debts and little or no debt, which makes me some kind of an odd underachiever.
I believe in the defense and protection of my country and I honor those who served in the Armed Forces, which now makes me a right wing-militant.
Please help me come to terms with the new me… because I’m just not sure who the hell I am anymore!
Funny … it’s all just taken place over the last 7 or 8 years; prior to which I had no confusion or delusions about myself.
As if all this nonsense wasn’t enough to deal with … Now I’m not even sure which toilet to go into!
–EL Waggs
Racing Swingarm Enhances Bagger Performance–C&S Custom Releases a Hoglite Street or Strip Racing Swingarm for Harley Baggers
C&S Custom announced today they are shipping their Street or Strip Competition Hoglite® Racer Swing Arms for late model 1997 – 2019 Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles focused on enhancing speed, performance and traction through weight reduction, adjustable shock-height and axle positioning.
The high-tech, aerospace-quality Hoglite® swingarm is designed to boost the performance of the Harley-Davidson touring models.
The C&S Custom’s engineered enhancements deliver significant weight reduction with a structurally enhanced swingarm fabricated using extruded 6061-T6 aircraft-quality aluminum construction. Additional weight savings include a lightened hollow-tube axle. This combination delivers a 43% reduction in weight of factory swingarms.
Racing Bagger Swingarm
These Hoglite Racer Swing Arms feature three (3) adjustable shock-height positions built in the swingarm and 4″ worth of adjust ability from the three (3) slot axle adjusters. The axle blocks will accommodate 3/4″, 25mm, and 1″ axles. Air tanks, extended lengths, NOS brackets and powder coating are options.
Unique to the C&S Custom’s products are the spherical bearings which are designed for improved handling and maneuverability. Harley-Davidson’s factory brakes, spacers and rear wheel bolt up and require no modification.
“Not only is the C&S Custom’s team wringing every ounce of weight from the Hoglite Racer Swing Arms, they’ve overbuilt them to handle high torque and horsepower, including turbos and super chargers,” explained Brad Mock, General Manager.
Hoglite swingarms are direct stock replacement or custom built to a specific application. Hoglite coatings include thousands of powder-coat colors, chrome, and contrast cuts.
C&S Custom utilizes proven technology to deliver a custom look at affordable prices. Pro-consumers who have mechanical ability should budget a weekend for the conversion.
Visit the company online at www.candscustom.com/, as new and innovative products are continually profiled.
GUN NUT REPORT— 200 House Democrats Sign On to Assault Weapons Ban Bill of 2019
There are currently 235 Democrats in the US House of Representatives. In light of a report by The Hill today, that raises a question…are the other 35 or so on vacation?
[N]early 200 House Democrats have now signed on to legislation — authored by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), the head of Democrats’ messaging operation — banning semi-automatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. With 198 co-sponsors, the bill is just 20 votes shy of the number needed to push it through the lower chamber.
The bill in question is HR 1296, also known as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019. That’s a bill that Cicilline introduced in the House in February. Now, after the El Paso and Dayton shootings and various reports of wobbliness in the Senate and White House, congressional Dems are smelling an opportunity.
The bill would outlaw . . .
Semi-automatic rifles and pistols with a military-style feature that can accept a detachable magazine;
Semi-automatic rifles with a fixed magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds;
Semi-automatic shotguns with a military-style feature;
Any ammunition feeding device that can hold more than 10 rounds;
And 205 specifically-named and listed firearms.
Note the use of the singular ‘a’ when referring to “military-style” features. The Clinton 1994 assault weapons ban outlawed firearms with two such features. The latest bill bans guns with only one…meaning millions more firearms would be outlawed than a generation ago.
What would constitute an “assault weapon” under HR 1269?
The term semiautomatic assault weapon means any of the following, regardless of country of manufacture or caliber of ammunition accepted:
(A) A semiautomatic rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
(i) A pistol grip.
(ii) A forward grip.
(iii) A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock, or is otherwise foldable or adjustable in a manner that operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of the weapon.
(iv) A grenade launcher.
(v) A barrel shroud.
(vi) A threaded barrel.
(B) A semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
(C) Any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment, or accessory that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machinegun.
(D) A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
(i) A threaded barrel.
(ii) A second pistol grip.
(iii) A barrel shroud.
(iv) The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.
(v) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.
(vi) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when unloaded.
(vii) A stabilizing brace or similar component.
(E) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
(F) A semiautomatic shotgun that has any one of the following:
(i) A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock.
(ii) A pistol grip.
(iii) A fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 5 rounds.
(iv) The ability to accept a detachable magazine.
(v) A forward grip.
(vi) A grenade launcher.
(G) Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
(H) All of the following rifles, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon thereof:
The bill then goes on to list dozens of specific AR, AK and other firearms…rifles, pistols and shotguns. There’s more, but that’s the gist of it. Note that, like the ’94 assault weapons ban, the current bill would grandfather currently owned firearms.
According to The Hill . . .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a staunch Second Amendment advocate, has no intention of bringing the legislation to the floor, and President Trump has said there’s “no political appetite” for such a ban; both men are allies of the National Rifle Association, which is vehemently opposed to any ban or moratorium.
We certainly hope that report is accurate. And this one isn’t:
— BY DAN ZIMMERMAN
Truth about Guns
Industry, Mainstream Media Taking Notice of Women Riders–All across America, more women are finding joy on two wheels, and spending money on motorcycling, and it’s generating media coverage. Bloomberg Businessweek writer Hannah Elliott has just presented a look at who these women are and why they are riding.
“It’s not just anecdotal,” said Andria Yu, director of Motorcycles.org, the industry’s media outreach program based at the MIC. “The 2018 MIC Owners Survey found that among all motorcycle owners 19 percent are now women. This statistic and others from the MIC survey are cited in Elliott’s story, and we are aiming to have our data featured by other mainstream media throughout the summer.”
“Female riders offer enthusiasm and youth, and, yes, they’re spending money that brands crave.”
— From Motorcycle Makers Are Getting Hip to Women-Only Rallies,
by Hannah Elliott, Bloomberg Businessweek
–MIC
NEW FROM BILTWELL–High Speed – Low Drag: New Borrego Gloves
Our new 100% leather Borrego Glove has rugged reinforcements in friction zones coupled with perforated panels for increased air flow. A positive wrist closure and high-impact knuckle guards contribute to the coveted CE rating, but we’ve made them aesthetically low-key so you don’t look like a transformer while riding.
NHTSA study shows motorcyclists are reluctant to wear high-visibility gear–
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a report examining why motorcycle riders choose to wear – or not wear – high-visibility gear and what can be done to encourage greater use rates.
The NHTSA notes that motorcyclists are far overrepresented in traffic fatalities, with more than 5,000 riders dying in crashes each year in the USA. Many of these collisions are attributed to a motor vehicle driver not seeing the motorcyclist, making rider visibility paramount to safety. Conducted as part of the National Cooperative Research and Evaluation Program (NCREP), which is managed jointly by the NHTSA and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the research ‘Motorcyclists’ Attitudes on Using High-Visibility Gear to Improve Conspicuity:
Findings From a Focus Group Study’ reports that most participants did not regularly wear such gear. Those who did wear the ideal safety gear explained their decision was based on having been in a crash with a motor vehicle or personally knowing another rider who had been affected.
A total of 18 focus groups of motorcycle riders in California, Maryland, Michigan, and Texas were conducted to explore their attitudes toward wearing high-visibility gear to increase conspicuity. In most groups, only one or two participants said they regularly wear high-visibility gear. Participants recommended increasing the acceptance of high-visibility gear among motorcyclists through:
More attractive and appealing clothing, with a preference for retroreflective gear over bright colors;
High-visibility elements being universally incorporated across all branded motorcycle gear;
Clear educational messaging backed by statistics;
Financial incentives such as insurance discounts;
Gradual social norming, such as encouraging use during low-light conditions.
Based on the focus group discussions, several factors emerged as barriers to motorcyclists’ use of high-visibility gear. Many bikers were concerned that the look or style of the gear that did not fit in with their riding culture, even though they believe such apparel may be effective for increasing conspicuity.
Another barrier to use of high-visibility gear was riders’ skepticism that high-visibility clothing provides enough of a safety benefit to warrant its use and cost. In addition, many participants expressed the belief that high-visibility gear would not improve safety, largely because of the perception that motorists are distracted anyway, with several suggesting that the onus should be on drivers to look for motorcyclists.
GHSA member State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) are concerned about motorcyclist safety and working hard to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities involving them. Understanding why riders do or do not wear high-visibility gear will assist SHSOs in their messaging and outreach to the motorcyclist community. NCREP is a portfolio of research projects that are selected by SHSOs to help inform state policy, planning and programs on top traffic safety issues.
–BY ADAM FROST
Traffic Technology Today
THIS JUST IN FROM THE NMA—Federal Appeals Court Upholds Tolling For General Revenue
Federal Appeals Court green lights higher tolls for Pennsylvania drivers for use on transit and other unrelated projects.
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike can keep charging motorists hundreds of millions in tolls every year and use the cash for purposes wholly unrelated to use of the road. That was the decision handed down Tuesday by the Third Circuit US Court of Appeals, which rejected the challenge filed by the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the National Motorists Association (NMA) to this funding arrangement.
The groups had targeted a state law known as Act 44, under which the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has so far handed over $6 billion in tolling profits to PennDOT for uses that have nothing to do with servicing the toll road. According to the groups, the exorbitant tolls — double the amount needed to run the road — violated the Commerce Clause and hindered the right to travel. The three-judge appellate panel disagreed, pointing to a transportation funding bill that allowed the “use” of excess toll profit for transit projects.
“Congress… may authorize a state to take actions that burden interstate commerce,” Judge Patty Shwartz wrote for the court. “Congress’s authorization that toll revenues be used for purposes other than maintaining and operating the toll road, and servicing its debt, necessarily envisions that a public authority can collect funds that exceed a toll road’s costs before it can spend them.”
The federal law in question also requires a toll road to certify the toll road is “adequately maintained” before spending on unrelated items, but the Turnpike never submitted these certifications. The court remained unpersuaded.
“Their failure to comply with this condition, however, does not diminish the fact that Congress has legislated in the area of interstate commerce at issue and blessed the use of tolls for non-toll road purposes,” Judge Shwartz wrote.
The proper remedy, the court said, would be for US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to forbid the Turnpike from collecting tolls until it comes into compliance with federal law. The Pennsylvania Turnpike has run into legal troubles before. Pay-to-play scandals and what the state auditor described as an unsustainable business model are reflected in the rates charged to the public. A trip across the state costs $47.55 for a car and can cost up to $1836 for a commercial truck.
A copy of the ruling is available in a 100k PDF file at the source link below.
Source: PDF File OOIDA vs. Pennsylvania Turnpike (US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 8/13/2019)
–The NewsPaper.com
–from the NMA
CAMO GLOVES FROM GRIFTER–This is a Pre-sale Limited Release.
The Midnight MERC’s utilizes Urethane Coated Black Multicam Cordura Fabric that is combined with our black pebbled Bison, and features a black anodized rivet. Like all of our gloves, this glove is made in the USA. These may take a week for delivery due to demand.
CLIMATE DEPOT DOOMSDAY ALERT--Why Al Gore Keeps Yelling “Fire!”
Some years ago, I attended seminars regarding efforts to achieve operational changes in organizations. The notion was presented that people only change their habits, ie. leave their comfort zone, when they fear something else more than change. The analogy was drawn comparing to workers leaping from a burning oil platform, or tenants from a burning building.
Al Gore is fronting an agenda to unplug modern societies, and thereby the end of life as we know it. Thus they claim the world is on fire, and only if we abandon our ways of living can we be saved.
The big lie is saying that the world is burning up when in fact nothing out of the ordinary is happening. The scare is produced by extrapolating dangerous, fearful outcomes from events that come and go in the normal flow of natural and seasonal climate change. It is not enough to admit that the things they fear have not yet occurred; we will jump only if we believe our platform, our way of life, is already crumbling.
And so we come to Al Gore recently claiming that his past predictions of catastrophe have all come true.
J.Frank Bullitt writes at Issues and Insights Gore Says His Global Warming Predictions Have Come True? Can He Prove It?
When asked Sunday about his 2006 prediction that we would reach the point of no return in 10 years if we didn’t cut human greenhouse gas emissions, climate alarmist in chief Al Gore implied that his forecast was exactly right.
“Some changes unfortunately have already been locked in place,” he told ABC’s Jonathan Karl.
“Sea level increases are going to continue no matter what we do now. But, we can prevent much larger sea level increases. Much more rapid increases in temperature. The heat wave was in Europe. Now it’s in Arctic. We’re seeing huge melting of the ice there. So, the warnings of the scientists 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, unfortunately were accurate.”
Despite all this gloom, he’s found “good news” in the Democratic presidential field, in which “virtually all of the candidates are agreed that this is either the top issue or one of the top two issues.”
So what has Gore been predicting for the planet? In his horror movie “An Inconvenient Truth,” he claimed:
Sea levels could rise as much as 20 feet. He didn’t provide a timeline, which was shrewd on his part. But even if he had said 20 inches, over 20 years, he’d still have been wrong. Sea level has been growing for about 10,000 years, and, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, continues to rise about one-eighth of an inch per year.
Storms are going to grow stronger. There’s no evidence they are stronger nor more frequent.
Mt. Kilimanjaro was losing its snow cap due to global warming. By April 2018, the mountain glaciers were taking their greatest snowfall in years. Two months later, Kilimanjaro was “covered by snow” for “an unusually long stint. But it’s possible that all the snow and ice will be gone soon. Kilimanjaro is a stratovolcano, with a dormant cone that could erupt.
Point of no return. If we have truly gotten this far, why even care that “virtually all” of the Democratic candidates have agreed that global warming is a top issue? If we had passed the point of no return, there’d be no reason to maintain hope. The fact Gore’s looking for a “savior” from among the candidates means that even he doesn’t believe things have gone too far.
A year after the movie, Gore was found claiming that polar bears’ “habitat is melting” and “they are literally being forced off the planet.” It’s possible, however, that there are four times as many polar bears as there were in the 1960s. Even if not, they’ve not been forced off the planet.
Also in 2007, Gore started making “statements about the possibility of a complete lack of summer sea ice in the Arctic by as early as 2013,” fact-checker Snopes, which leans so hard left that it often falls over and has to pick itself up, said, before concluding that “Gore definitely erred in his use of preliminary projections and misrepresentations of research.”
Unwilling to fully call out one its own, Snopes added that “Arctic sea ice is, without question, on a declining trend.” A fact check shows that to be true. A deeper fact check, though, shows that while Arctic sea ice has been falling, Antarctic sea ice has been increasing.
Finally — just for today because sorting out Gore’s fabrications is an ongoing exercise — we remind readers of the British judge who found that “An Inconvenient Truth” contained “nine key scientific errors” and “ruled that it can only be shown with guidance notes to prevent political indoctrination,” the Telegraph reported in 2007.
Gore has been making declarative statements about global warming for about as long as he’s been in the public eye. He has yet to prove a single claim, though. But how can he? The few examples above show that despite his insistence to the contrary, his predictions have failed.
Even if all turned out to be more accurate than a local three-day forecast, there’s no way to say with 100% certainty that the extreme conditions were caused by human activity. Our climate is a complex system, there are too many other variables, and the science itself has limits, unlike Gore’s capacity to inflate the narrative.
–by Ron Clutz
Science Matters
Posted on Climate Depot
THAT’S NOT ALL—We are still scrambling to get ‘er done. We still need to install the belt system and it’s still not here. And we need to install the fire suppression systems (2) and I need to drill a major hole in the top of the body to be able to reach the gas cap.
The list never ends, but it’s getting shorter.
Hang on for the next report. In the meantime, ride fast and free, forever!
–Bandit
