Image Copyright 2006- Sons of Liberty Riders
October 26, 2006
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SONS OF LIBERTY RIDERS E-NEWS
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Contents:
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1. Oregon - Governor’s Advisory Board makes recommendation on MSF proposal
2. Freedom to Fascism Video - Watch it Free!
3. Motorcycles will continue to be allowed in Raleigh resort
4. Bikers want harsher penalities in fatal accidents
5. Enuff is Enuff
6. If You're Not Part of the Solution, You're Part of the Problem
7. Women warm up to Harleys
8. Keeping eye out for cops won't do
9. Malaysia - More bike lanes a must
10. Main Street biker preacher killed in motorcycle accident
11. Candidate Seeks Textbooks As Shields
12. Cop's Corner - Motorcycle Safety
13. On the Lighter Side of the Saddle Bag.......
14. Show your support for the fight.
http://www.solriders.com/products/
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1. Oregon - Governor’s Advisory Board makes recommendation on MSF proposal
BikePAC of Oregon News Release
Governor’s Advisory Board makes recommendation on MSF proposal
Last Friday, October 20th, the Oregon Governor’s Advisory Board for
Motorcycle Safety had the final deliberations of the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation’s request to offer DMV skills test waivers. The Advisory
Board was originally charged by the Oregon Traffic Safety Commission
(OTSC) to evaluate the proposal and issue a recommendation. Hearings and
deliberations have been ongoing for over a year. After a full and
thorough hearing the committee has unanimously recommended that the
state of Oregon not accept the MSF program as an approved course for DMV
skills waiver.
This meeting, postponed from September 15th, dealt with the operations
side of MSF’s proposal. Despite the fact that this was the last chance
for the MSF to speak to its case, no one from the MSF showed up at this
meeting. Even Betsy Earls the MSF attorney in Oregon was not in
attendance. There was one woman present who stated she was Counselor
Earls’ assistant.
There was no public testimony taken, there was only a report from ODOT
Transportation Safety Division Director Troy Costales. Under Oregon
statute they are required to produce an Operational Impact Statement.
According to ODOT, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation never produced a
business plan, despite numerous requests for such a plan. Mr. Costales
stated that as recently as a few weeks ago that a written request to MSF
was made for this plan but no answer was received. Without the
requested information from MSF, ODOT was forced to produce a very
ambiguous report. Other issues were raised regarding the operations of
the request from MSF. For example, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s
original proposal stated that no funds would be requested from ODOT. Yet
during the slideshow presented by Dr. Ochs, it was stated that funds
would be requested. MSF’s representative was given the opportunity to
speak and the representative from the MSF present stated that she didn’t
think she was authorized to speak for the MSF.
The OTSC meeting that will take up this issue is Tuesday, November 28th
at 9:00AM in Salem. The meeting is usually held at the Transportation
Safety Division office. Confirmation of this will follow at a later time.
For more information, contact:
Ken Ray
Executive Director, BikePAC of Oregon
ken@consultken.com
www.bikepac.com
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2. Freedom to Fascism Video - Watch it Free!
Long video - but worth the time to watch.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=Freedom+to+Fascism
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3. Motorcycles will continue to be allowed in Raleigh resort
Motorcycles will continue to be allowed in Raleigh resort
GLADE SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) -- The state Supreme Court has refused to get
involved in an attempt to keep motorcycles out of Glade Springs, a gated
resort community in Raleigh County.
Earlier this month, justices unanimously refused to hear an appeal filed
by attorney Warren Thornhill III, who had sued EMCO Glade Springs
Hospitality in April 2005 on his own behalf and also on behalf of
several other property owners. The lawsuit came in the wake of an
announcement that motorcycles would not be prohibited from traveling a
2.2-mile portion of the resort's main road from the entrance to the
clubhouse area.
The property owners pointed out that motorcycles hadn't been allowed in
the development for more than 30 years.
In February, Raleigh County Circuit Judge Robert Burnside refused
Thornhill's request for injunctive relief. He also ruled that residents
and resort managers had misunderstood the resort's rules for decades.
Based on his review, Burnside said motorcycle restrictions in Glade
Spring's bylaws only involved off-road use.
Elmer Coppoolse, president and CEO of the management company, said that
since Burnside's ruling, motorcycles have been allowed anywhere in Glade
Springs.
"We've had no negative reaction,'' Coppoolse said. "I don't think it has
been a nuisance. I think it's all going well. People are accepting of it.''
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4. Bikers want harsher penalities in fatal accidents
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD01102206.htm
Bikers want harsher penalities in fatal accidents
By JAY STAPLETON
Staff Writer
The streets that lead to Daytona Beach are lined
with spots where motorcycle enthusiasts
have lost their lives.
Some of the dead during past Bike Weeks and
Biketoberfests were at fault, unwisely mixing
alcohol and speed. Others, like Jody Driggers,
were just waiting for the light to change
when they met their end.
With an estimated 100,000 motorcycle engines
popping and roaring through town this weekend
for Biketoberfest, and coming off the deadliest
Bike Week in history in March, rider safety
remains a hot topic.
At last year's fall biker event, five riders died
during the event's long weekend, and
motorcycle advocates say laws need to be
tightened to protect them because they're more
vulnerable than those who travel on four wheels.
Bike Week 2006 helps make their case. The Daytona
Beach News-Journal combed through crash
reports and court and autopsy records and found
that of the 16 men and women killed on roads
in Volusia and Flagler counties during last
spring's event, seven deaths resulted in traffic
citations, with no criminal cases filed.
Three deaths involved a single motorcycle
resulting from rider error. Two of those three
riders were drunk, records show. Those were the
only local alcohol-related deaths during
the event.
Bikers were to blame in three multiple vehicle
crashes, and one crash resulting in two deaths
involved two bikers, with one determined to be at fault.
Car or truck drivers were to blame in six of the
deaths. Jody Driggers was among them. His
death stands out, biker-rights activists say,
because he was doing no more than sitting at
a stoplight on International Speedway Boulevard
when he was hit from behind by a sport utility
vehicle.
"I remember that case," said James "Doc"
Reichenbach II, president of ABATE of Florida and
chairman of the board for the National Coalition
of Motorcyclists. "I'm tired of going to
funerals."
His group is trying to stiffen penalties for
motorists who cause a biker's death by violating
right of way and crashing. Reichenbach
acknowledges it's up to the police officers at the
scene to charge motorists who are at fault. "We
need to find a way to make these officers
charge them with vehicular homicide," he said.
During Bike Week 2006, the six drivers of cars or
trucks who were blamed for biker deaths
all are still licensed drivers and none went to jail.
The American Motorcyclist Association has a
campaign to get three measures passed in all
50 states that would increase penalties for
drivers who commit traffic offenses that kill
or injure others, regardless of the vehicles the
victims are driving, including laws that
would result in more license suspensions.
New York passed such a law in August authorizing
mandatory license suspensions for motorists
convicted of violating a right of way resulting
in the serious injury or death of another
person.
But drivers involved in Bike Week crashes say
they did pay, up to $500 in fines, in some cases.
"It's something I'll have to live with for the
rest of my life," said Gene Wesley Miller,
75, an insurance adjuster from Minnesota who
police blamed for the rear-end crash that
killed motorcyclist Driggers. Miller was cited
for careless driving, paid a fine of $500
and had to fight in his home state to keep his license.
HARSHER PENALTIES SOUGHT
Miller's punishment was not enough for Alecia
Driggers of Tarrytown, Ga., who still hears
the crunching sound of glass and metal that took
away her 39-year-old husband of 20 years.
She was on the back of Jody's Harley-Davidson on
West International Speedway Boulevard at
the intersection of LPGA Boulevard in Daytona Beach.
"It was clear and sunny," Alecia Driggers said.
Shortly before noon, they had just watched the
manatees at Blue Spring in Orange City and
were headed to the Daytona Beach Flea Market on
Tomoka Farms Road for a little shopping in
what was Alecia Driggers' first Bike Week trip.
"We were approaching a red light; he had geared
down and we were pretty much at a stop,"
she said.
But after the noise of screeching brakes and the
impact, she found herself pinned under
Miller's SUV.
"Jody was laying there facing me," she said. "He
died at the hospital two hours later."
Alecia Driggers knew then that her life would
never be the same. In addition to losing her
husband, she underwent weeks of surgery and therapy. She still feels the pain.
"There's also a lot of emotional stuff I'm having
to deal with," she said, weighing the cost
of losing her husband with the punishment Miller
faced. "He took a wonderful person away."
Miller says he paid thousands to fix the damage
to his SUV. He's no longer comfortable
driving around motorcycles.
"It was just a horrible day," Miller said from
his home. "I guess that's all I can say."
Reichenbach said one reason those who have fatal
crashes with motorcycles are not treated
more harshly is because of the social stigmas
attached to the biker culture. He admits that
too many bikers cause their own deaths by
drinking and driving during Bike Week events.
"The lifestyle has carried such an image over the
years," he said. "People say 'whatever,'
because you've got hair down the middle of your
back. These are just solid citizens who care
about their state and their country. We're
mothers, fathers, patriots. All we want is to be
treated like everybody else."
LAW LIMITS CHARGES
Punishment for offenses is dictated by law.
"We have to prove criminal intent before we can
charge vehicular homicide," said Trooper Kim
Miller, a Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman and
no relation to the driver that hit Driggers.
Ben Fox, a prosecutor who specializes in DUI and
manslaughter cases, said a person would have
to be drunk or intentionally and recklessly do
something criminal -- not speeding or running
through a red light -- to be charged criminally in the death.
"I agree motorcycles are more vulnerable," Fox
said. "You have to be on the lookout for them."
That vulnerability is clear in the autopsy
reports of those who died on Volusia and Flagler
roads during Bike Week this spring. The injuries
were severe. Many died of blunt force trauma
to the head.
Jody Driggers was the father of a son and a
daughter. He ran an excavating and concrete
business
with his family. He'd ridden a motorcycle for
years and came to Bike Week events in Daytona
Beach
often.
"He worked hard for everything he had," his wife
said. "He never cheated anybody."
Alecia Driggers hopes to visit Daytona Beach for
Bike Week next year to help spread awareness.
She got back on her own motorcycle for a ride recently.
"It was emotional," she said, "so I didn't go far."
jay.stapleton@news-jrnl.com
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5. Enuff is Enuff
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Not many people outside my circle know that I commute 400
miles for work, living in Arizona and working in San Diego. I
make the run once or twice a month, half of it is California
(helmet mandate) and half is Arizona (no mandate for adults). I
would take the beanie off at the AZ line and enjoy the rest of the
ride home.
This trip home was for my daughters dive competition. Yes, she
qualified for the State competition. It was also her 16th birthday, as
well as her first homecoming dance with her boyfriend. I also
spent the weekend playing with my 10 month old grandson, while
discussing politics and liberty with my son and his girlfriend. My
only reason for pointing out all the kid interaction is because on
the ride thru Arizona I made a major decision based on my kids
and their futures. I will lay that all out in this writing.
In my opinion, way too many people fear the government, the
laws, and the police. They fail to realize that this government is
here to serve US, the people. They are not our parents, nor our
caretakers. They are to do our will, not impose their will on us.
Whether it is about safety, income, or sexual preferences, our
elected officials have absolutely NO right to impose any mandates
on us outside of what is mandated in the constitution. Period. They
need to learn this, and soon, before it is too late.
So, along these lines, I made a decision. I chose to make it my goal
in life to follow the mandate handed me as a founding member of
Sons of Liberty Riders as it pertains to the helmet law in
California, and help those in other States to do the same. Our
mandate, as active members of SoLR, is to teach, educate, and
lead like minded people. This does not mean lots of talk about
what we should do, or what we want to do. This mean deliberate
actions to make a change, while leading others in the same
direction. It means having people follow your lead and they learn
and help others make changes. That is how it has to work, in my
world.
Forget making changes through the political system, thru your
“friendly” legislators. They are not your friends, they have careers
to protect. They may claim to support you, but when it comes to
those campaign dollars, we lose to the big pockets out there. This
has been proven over and over, is many States with helmet
mandates. I, for one, am sick and tired of it.
Today, I left Arizona and had about 3 hours of thought time, to
ponder our helmet fight and what we can do. We had a helmet
protest in Sad Diego this summer, where 200 riders showed up and
16 of them actually made a point and got a ticket. Less than 10%,
not a good showing at all. At that rate, no one will take us serious.
A different plan needs to happen.
So, as of today, my beanie will spend most of the rest of its life in
a saddlebag. I will be wearing my “soft helmet” anytime I ride in
California, if anything is on my head. I came up on the California
border today and kept going, lidless, and waited for my ticket. My
goal was to see how far I got with nothing on my head, and what
reaction I got from the Sheriff, Highway Patrol, or Border Patrol. I
rode the whole way to La Mesa without being stopped, although I
saw 3 police and was waved through the border checkpoint. When
the Sheriffs Deputy saw me and did a double-take, I pulled over
and waited for him to come get me. I waited long enough to drink
a bottle of water and said to hell with it and left.
I enjoyed the spectators, those passing me on the highway.
Truckers blew their horns as I passed them, and cars and trucks
passing me gave me thumbs-ups. I was definitely noticed and
considered this a learning experience for them all. There were not
many bikes out, but the few that I saw gave a small wave as they
passed.
The average ticket in California for an improper helmet or no
helmet is $100, give or take. I have made my own personal fund to
cover many tickets, assuming I lost in court. I do not plan to lose,
but need to cover it just in case. Either way, I am now guaranteed
months if not years of riding free in California, until a judge
finally agrees that this motorcycle helmet law is unconstitutionally
vague. The police have no idea what a “proper helmet” is, and
there is no list anywhere that we can find of proper helmets, so no
matter what I wear I will stand a chance of getting a ticket. I
choose to define my own helmet and make them prove it is not
“proper”, by law.
Quigley has been doing this for years in Northern California, so
this is hardly some new idea from me. He made a decision and led
me and educated me by doing it. Now it is my turn to help in
Southern California. That is how it should work, in my world.
So, those of you in helmet mandate States … go ahead and keep
on doing what hasn’t worked for years. Keep droning on with the
mantra “We were close, maybe next year” while an army of civilly
disobedient riders enjoy the hell out of making our choice in spite
of unconstitutional laws mandated to us, the owners of this United
States.
Animal
Sons of Liberty Riders
ps.... forward this anywhere, we need people willing to push the
limits.
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6. If You're Not Part of the Solution, You're Part of the Problem
From: Dan Spotten
I attended a candidate debate last night for those running for the Iowa
State House in my District #71. Held in a small room in the community
center, the placed was packed with people standing outside in the hallway.
I have a personal relationship with the incumbent and both other
candidates running. I was able to ask two questions (one about concealed
weapons permits and one about Iowa's open primary laws where a person is
able to register for either party to vote in the other's primary and
affect the outcome) A total of 22 questions were asked and answered by
each candidate. I took copious notes and have offered the local paper to
put together an article and corresponding spreadsheet noting the basic
"support, oppose or no opinion" answers to each of the questions posed.
I'm telling all you about this in hopes that it might inspire others to
get involved in the political process and that life does NOT resolve
around motorcycle helmets alone. If you're ALL not part of the solution,
you are part of the problem.
-spotman
Sons of Liberty Riders
Iowa
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7. Women warm up to Harleys
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/15854446.htm
Women warm up to Harleys
ROBIN ROGER
Herald Staff Writer
PAUL GONZALEZ VIDELA/The Herald
SARASOTA — It was ladies' night in Sarasota but
the only bars the women bellied up to
were the handlebars of a Harley.
Rossiter's Harley-Davidson held an event only for
women to allow them to ask questions
about owning and riding their own motorcycles.
They called it the "intimidation-free
zone."
"It can be intimidating to walk into a
Harley-Davidson shop, but it's not the same as
it was 20 years ago," said Lori Sinclair, manager
of Rossiter's Harley-Davidson on
Cattleman Road. "There's so many women out there
who want to ride and they don't realize
how easy it is.
The bikes can weigh more than 500 pounds and cost from $6,500 to $36,000.
Forty women attended the garage party, which was
from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Though
the party was not a sales event, a similar night
a few months ago at Rossiter's Bradenton
location resulted in two sales.
The event is an example of how more and more
companies are marketing to women. Women make
more than 85 percent of consumer purchases,
according to the newsletter Marketing to
Women, and they have influence over 95 percent of
purchases. The publication calls it
a $5 trillion market, and includes things
traditionally thought of as "male categories"
like automobiles.
"People are realizing the financial power of
women," said Terri Antonelli, general manager
of Rossiter's Harley-Davidson. "And they're going after that dollar."
Today, nearly one in 10 motorcycle owners is a
woman, according to the Motorcycle Industry
Council, a nonprofit organization in California.
The number of women owning motorcycles
has grown 36 percent since 1998. In 2003, 635,000 women owned motorcycles.
"We're getting more adventurous and doing things
like sky diving and bungee jumping,"
Antonelli said. "We want to be out there having fun too."
Rossiter's sells a motorcycle to a woman nearly
once a week, Sinclair said. Part of that may
be because of the sales team. It includes a
female sales manager and salesperson. The vice
president and general manager also is a woman.
The store also features other merchandise like
women's T-shirts and pink leather jackets that
appeals specifically to women.
Riding a bike can be empowering as Roe Hyer found
out. The East Manatee resident started
riding a motorcycle after a brush with breast
cancer. She said women have been gaining control
of their lives and, among other things, many now
want to get behind the controls of a motorcycle.
"I always looked at a bike as a man thing because
of the power," Hyer said. "I rode for years
on the back of a bike. I thought, why don't I buy a bike myself?"
But even though women have the purchasing power,
owners may find it difficult to get them in
the door of a traditionally male-dominated business.
Kim Walker, owner and marketing director of Peak
Automotive in North Carolina, found a way —
by listening.
"We listen to women. We know what they want, we
know what they're looking for," Walker said.
Walker recently joined the advisory panel of
www.askpatty.com, a Sarasota-based Web site
providing advice for female auto consumers.
Her business has been known for being
female-friendly since it geared its marketing
toward
women two years ago. The company made the change
because that was what its customers wanted,
she said. More business followed suit.
"Women feel intimidated when they have their car
repaired," she said. "They feel they're
going to be taken advantage of. We won't tell
them something's wrong when it's not."
In addition to creating an environment of trust,
Walker said her auto shop has a cafe, a
section for kids to play and wireless Internet
access, so women can work while they wait.
They can even have a glass of wine.
All of Peak Automotive's advertising has lots of
pink in it and shows busy women multitasking.
Between 70 and 80 percent of Walker's clientele
are women, and most of them are working moms.
Most of them say they heard about Peak Automotive
from a friend, a sister or a co-worker.
And the word of mouth is paying off. Peak
Automotive sees an average of 80 new customers a
month, Walker said.
"And once customers come in they stay with us,"
she said. "Our customers have called us
female-friendly. And if they say it, we're going to say it too."
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8. Keeping eye out for cops won't do
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/classifieds/automotive/15827392.htm
Keeping eye out for cops won't do
By DAN X. McGRAW
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
So you're driving down U.S. 287, cruising 80 in a 70 mph zone through Rhome.
Your radar detector isn't making a beep -- it appears to be a ticket-free trip.
A few days later, however, a letter from Nestor
Traffic Systems in Rhode Island arrives with
pictures of you and your vehicle. There's also a speeding ticket tucked inside.
Such a scenario may soon be played out.
Rhome city officials are negotiating a contract
with Nestor to use a scanning-lidar camera to
monitor speeders on highways, city streets and in
school zones. "Lidar" is short for "light
detection and ranging."
Adapted from red-light cameras, the 11-megapixel
camera would photograph the driver and the
vehicle's license plate in the presence of an
officer in a car or a command center, said K.C.
Schoenthal, the Rhome police chief.
The officer would watch the road as the system,
mounted outside on a tripod, scans 100 times
per second. When a speeder trips the system, the
officer confirms the violation, Schoenthal
said.
"It's like radar on steroids," Schoenthal said.
"It is an officer using more technology to
get the whole image. It also allows the officers
the safety of not having to pursue the
violator."
Because the officer monitors the system, a ticket
is considered a moving violation, unlike a
red-light camera ticket, which is just a fine,
Schoenthal said. That means recipients may
fight the citation in court or take a defensive-driving course.
"All options would still be there for people
taking care of the ticket," Schoenthal said.
James Mallory, a Fort Worth lawyer who handles
tickets, said there are a few holes in the
way the system delivers the tickets.
"If the officer stops and you sign for the
ticket, you are going to know you got a ticket,"
Mallory said. "With this ticket, if you have
moved and your mail hasn't forwarded, you
wouldn't know you got a ticket. The next thing I
guess they would do is issue a warrant
for your arrest."
Mallory said it would also be a burden on the
prosecution to prove the person photographed
is the person ticketed.
Marble Falls, a town northwest of Austin, has
signed a contract with Nestor to use the
scanning-lidar camera. Rhome would become the
second city in Texas to use the system.
Schoenthal said it's attractive because the
system pays for itself through the tickets.
"It's not going to cost taxpayers a thing," he said.
And it won't make the city rich either, Schoenthal said.
"This isn't a 'gotcha' program," Schoenthal said.
"This isn't going to turn into a cash
cow. There are things in place to make sure that doesn't happen."
Under Texas law, cities with a population below
5,000, like Rhome, can collect fines
up to only 30 percent of the municipality's revenue.
In 2005, Rhome wrote 641 tickets for speeding out
of 1,407 tickets issued, which brought
in $95,447, Schoenthal said. The city's revenue
was $1.4 million, according to the city's
Web site.
Because cities must cap the tickets and fines
they hand out each year, not everyone caught
by Nestor's system will receive a ticket, Schoenthal said.
"You set the criterion so you can say, 'Anything
over this will get a ticket,'" Schoenthal
said. "The idea is it will change drivers'
habits, and if it does that, it is doing its
job."
Because the pictures are so clear, the camera
also could curb another common driving
violation: not wearing seat belts. But Schoenthal
is waiting to see how the system handles
speeders first.
There may be some glitches in the system. It
requires the violator to be visible to be
caught, and some speeders could be blocked by other vehicles, Schoenthal said.
But he said he still has confidence in the system.
"The other day, we had four trucks traveling
bumper to bumper traveling over the speed
limit," Schoenthal said. "It hit every single one of them."
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9. Malaysia - More bike lanes a must
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/26/nation/15827395&sec=nation
Samy: More bike lanes a must
By PARVEEN GILL
KUALA LUMPUR: Works Minister Datuk Seri Samy
Vellu wants to have more motorcycle lanes
on federal roads although the initial proposed
RM136mil project under the Ninth Malaysia
Plan was rejected.
Samy Vellu said he would submit another proposal,
drawn up by the Public Works Department,
to the Cabinet. And he is not going to stop at asking for RM136mil.
“I am not going to keep quiet. The proposed sum
was intended to build 150km of motorcycle
lanes at 15 locations but it was rejected,” he said.
“In the wake of the rise in motorcycle accidents
on federal roads, the Government should
do something about it and I am going to prove that the project is necessary.”
Samy Vellu said the money would be used to build
more motorcycle lanes along Federal Route
II (East to West) and all motorcycle lanes would
be separated from other roads used. The
width of the lanes would be three metres.
He added that there was no need for more
motorcycle lanes along Federal Route I, between
Bukit Kayu Hitam and Johor Baru (North to South),
as there were sufficient lanes for
motorcyclists.
“I was a motorcyclist for 12 years and in that
period I met with accidents 17 times due
to oil on the roads.
“Although motorcyclists nowadays are lawbreakers
and have no respect for traffic laws,
we still need to look after them,” Samy Vellu
said before launching the Malaysian Indian
Metal Traders Association’s 16th annual general
meeting at a hotel here yesterday.
He added that under the 8MP, some RM127mil was
spent to build 114km of motorcycle lanes
at 12 locations, including Batu Pahat, Kluang,
Muar, Pontian, Kuala Muda, Hilir, Dungun,
Kemaman and Alor Star.
On another matter, Samy Vellu said that following
a meeting with Selangor Mentri Besar
Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, the latter had
agreed to review the licensing quota
system for scrap metal dealers.
“Under the system, the local councils would only
issue 10 licences and since this would
affect many scrap metal dealers, the MB has
agreed that the system be reviewed again.
This is necessary so that it will not affect honest dealers,” he said.
He disagreed that the current government had
tendered fewer projects under the Ninth
Malaysia Plan (9MP).
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi had announced a total of 880
major projects to be carried out under the 9MP.
“My ministry has already tendered a total of 195
projects involving more than RM3.594bil,”
Samy Vellu said.
“I do not want to say who is right and who is
wrong but I just want to clarify that many
projects have been undertaken and hundreds of
contractors have been awarded the tenders.”
10. Main Street biker preacher killed in motorcycle accident
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD05102606.htm
Main Street biker preacher killed in motorcycle accident
By M.C. MOEWE
Staff Writer
After three decades of preaching at Daytona Beach
bike events, 82-year-old Al Gannon
won't be coming back.
"He never made it home," said John Britz about
Gannon, who died in a motorcycle accident
Sunday while returning to his Tampa home from Biketoberfest.
No details were available Wednesday night from
the Florida Highway Patrol in Tampa, the
agency investigating the incident, but friends
said the accident occurred five minutes
from Gannon's house. Neighbor Denise Switzer said
Gannon died at an area hospital.
Gannon was a fixture on Main Street during
Daytona Beach motorcycle events as he worked
to introduce bikers to Jesus.
"All I can tell his friends is that he spent the
last two weeks doing what he really
loved doing -- preaching," said Switzer, who
lived across the street from Gannon in
Tampa for the past five years.
In Tampa, Gannon spent many evenings talking to
area prostitutes about God, Switzer said.
"He was a remarkable man," she said. "He tried to make a difference."
John Sanchez, owner of John's Rock & Ride in
Daytona Beach for 20 years, said he has
never known a bike event without Gannon, who
religiously parked his bike in the same
spot near Sanchez's store during events. "They
(Gannon and Britz) became like family,"
Sanchez said.
During cold spells, Sanchez would allow Gannon to
sit at his desk in the store. "He
was the only one I let do that," he said. "He'd
warm up then go right back out there."
Britz, of Export, Pa., and Gannon met 18 years
ago in Daytona Beach and had been meeting
there twice a year ever since.
"When I met him it was something that changed my
life," Britz said. "He taught me everything
I know about motorcycle evangelism." The two were
subjects of a front-page story in The
Daytona Beach News-Journal on Oct. 19.
Sitting on a metal folding chair last Wednesday
on Main Street during Biketoberfest,
Gannon said he couldn't imagine not coming to Daytona Beach.
"What God sent me here for is to give people the
opportunity to accept Christ for their
sins," he said. "There isn't one single soul here
that didn't have the opportunity."
Wearing a backward baseball cap, jeans and a
T-shirt, Gannon didn't look his age. Only
his hands, which would sometimes tremble when he
gestured, hinted that he was in his 80s.
Over the years, Britz had taken over most of the
preaching while Gannon often sat nearby
with a larged-lensed camera taking photos. They
bonded through their love of God and
motorcycles.
"I've had a bike all my life," Gannon said. "I've
ridden 2 million miles on a bike."
In 1991 he survived a near fatal bike accident
that happened near Starke. "I shouldn't
be here," Gannon said. "I heard them say I wasn't going to make it."
Nearly every bone in his face had been broken,
but miraculously, Gannon said, the wounds
healed and he spent only three days in a
hospital. His face bore several scars from the
accident but none overpowered his features.
As the news of Gannon's death began to sink in,
Britz, who was told Wednesday, said he
knew the hardest days were ahead. "When I get to
the street down there (Daytona Beach),
it's going to be tough," Britz said. "I'm going to be in the same spot."
mary.moewe@news-jrnl.com
.......................
11. Candidate Seeks Textbooks As Shields
http://wtop.com/?nid=316&sid=949111
Candidate Seeks Textbooks As Shields
Oct 19th - 8:08pm
By TIM TALLEY
Associated Press Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A candidate for state
superintendent of schools said Thursday he
wants thick used textbooks placed under every
student's desk so they can use them for
self-defense during school shootings.
"People might think it's kind of weird, crazy,"
said Republican Bill Crozier of Union
City, a teacher and former Air Force security
officer. "It is a practical thing; it's
something you can do. It might be a way to
deflect those bullets until police go there."
Crozier and a group of aides produced a 10-minute
video Tuesday in which they shoot math,
language and telephone books with a variety of
weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle
and a 9mm pistol. The rifle bullet penetrated two
books, including a calculus textbook,
but the pistol bullet was stopped by a single book.
Crozier said the demonstration shows that a
student could effectively use a textbook as
protection in a school shooting.
An Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman was skeptical.
"He probably needs to take a look at some
ballistics tests," Lt. Pete Norwood said.
"There are some rifles not even Webster's Dictionary will stop."
Crozier said he got the idea after the April 1999
shootings at Columbine High School in
Littleton, Colo. The idea gained momentum after a
December 1999 school shooting in Fort
Gibson when a 13-year-old boy wounded five fellow
students. Crozier noted that a bullet
lodged in books in one student's backpack.
"You don't know where they're going to happen.
You don't know when they're going to happen.
There ought to be some kind of plan to react to it," Crozier said.
Six girls and a principal were killed in a recent
string of shootings in Colorado,
Wisconsin and at an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania.
Crozier faces incumbent Sandy Garrett, a
Democrat, in the Nov. 7 general election. A
spokeswoman for Garrett's campaign, Kimberly
Hawkins Sanders, said Garrett had no comment
on Crozier's idea.
.......................
12. Cop's Corner - Motorcycle Safety
Jacksonville, Texas
http://www.jacksonvilleprogress.com/opinion/local_story_297161203.html?keyword=topstory
Published: October 24, 2006 04:12 pm
Cop's Corner - Motorcycle Safety
By Jon Shobert
Jacksonville Police Dept.
I would like to introduce myself to the citizens
of Jacksonville that don't know me.
My name is Jon Shobert. I have been with the
Jacksonville Police Department for 4 years.
I started my career with the Jacksonville Police
Department in November 2002 as a
Communications Officer, which is also known as a
dispatcher. I also began as a nonpaid
Reserve Police Officer with Jacksonville in
November 2003. During my time as a dispatcher
I was promoted to Communications Officer II on
the midnight shift. I worked as a
Dispatcher and Reserve Officer until September
2005. In September 2005 I was transferred
to the Patrol Division as a full time Patrol
Officer. I am currently assigned to the
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift.
Due to a recent increase in the number of
motorcycle riders in Jacksonville, I would
like to speak to you about motorcycle safety.
First of all motorcycles are not as
stable as cars and trucks. Motorcycles are also
not as visible to drivers of other
types of motor vehicles. Also due to the size of
motorcycles, their speed and distance
is not as easily determined by other drivers.
Therefore, drivers of motorcycles should
train themselves to be more aware of their
surroundings and learn to prepare for the
mistakes of other drivers.
There is no predominate cause of motorcycle
accidents, however there are several things
an operator of a motorcycle can do to minimize
the risk of having an accident. First is
good riding skill. Second is a positive attitude
while riding. This means that if you
are upset about something don't ride. Thinking of
what ever made you upset takes your
attention off the road. A motorcyclist can also
minimize his/her risks by always
allowing an extra space between you and the
vehicle in front of you. The minimum amount
of time that should be between you and the
vehicle in front of you is 2 seconds. However,
depending on the road conditions, weather, and
light this amount of time should be
increased for your safety.
Another area that could increase your safety is
proper protctive wear. One option is to
wear a helmet. Remember, a helmet is required by
law unless you are at least 21 years
of age and either have taken the state recognized
motorcycle safety course or have proof
of at least $10,000 in medical health insurance
(not just the $10,000 in liability motor
vehicle insurance.) You should also wear good:
rubbersoled over the ankle boots with low
heels, goggles (or a face shield), gloves, and long pants.
All of these suggestions will help make you a safer motorcyclist. Just remember
motorcycles are fun but for riding to remain fun you also have to remain safety
conscious.
.......................
13. On the Lighter Side of the Saddle Bag........
Thanks to Chainsaw for sending this one:
1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt; The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. " Free" men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights you don't have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights reserved.
11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. 911 - government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. Criminals love gun control -- it makes their jobs safer.
20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.
23. Enforce the "gun control laws" we have, don't make more.
24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
26. ".. A government of the people, by the people, for the people..."
14. Show your support for the fight.
http://www.solriders.com/products/
.......................
If you need more info on this or any other subject just go to the Sons of
Liberty Riders Info Zone
http://solriders.com/ or http://bikers4row.org
-- Later Hawk
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Success is determined by EFFORT!!
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Anything can be accomplished, if it's planned right and you have the desire and creativity to execute it. Jesse "The Governor" Ventura
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Sons of Liberty Riders http://www.solriders.com/ or http://www.bikers4row.org
***********************************
Copyright 2006, Sons of Liberty Riders
©I.M.R.A., Inc 2006