Image Copyright 2006- Sons of Liberty Riders
December 10, 2006 ©I.M.R.A., Inc 2006
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SONS OF LIBERTY RIDERS E-NEWS
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Contents:
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1. U.S. DOT Announces 2006 SeatBelt and Motorcycle Helmet Use Stats
2. What you buy is being watched - and maybe reported!
3. Law Doesn't Help Stop Biker Deaths
4. Court Says FBI Can Use Your Cell Phone To Spy... On You
5. Live in Oregon? Motorcycle panel seeks volunteers
6. Economics 101
7. Motorcycle ban one of many sweeping edicts in China
8. Want to Run for Office?
9. Bikers work to curb hiring of day laborers
10. Scope of 2nd Amendment's Questioned
11. MMA Call To Action
12. Traffic Safety Facts 2005 Annual Report: Early Edition
13. Concealed Weapon Keeps Man Safe in Attempted Carjacking
14. Agency Toughen Voting Security Program
15. From the Lighter Side of the Saddle Bag
16. Show your support for the fight.
http://www.solriders.com/products/
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1. U.S. DOT Announces 2006 SeatBelt and Motorcycle Helmet Use Stats
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Hello all.
More from NHTSA....they seem to like our grant program after all.
Please pass on to whomever you like.
Jeff Hennie
NHTSA 13-06
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Contact: Rae Tyson
Telephone: (202) 366-9550
U.S. DOT Announces 2006 SeatBelt and Motorcycle Helmet Use Statistics
More Americans must take steps to protect themselves on America's
highways to reduce rising fatality numbers, U.S. Secretary of
Transportation Mary E. Peters said today while releasing a study
announcing slight changes to the seatbelt and helmet-use figures from
2005 to 2006.
Citing new data from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey
(NOPUS), Secretary Peters said that seatbelt use in the U.S. now stands
at 81 percent, down slightly from the 2005 use rate of 82 percent. She
noted that in the West, belt use climbed from 85 percent to 90 percent
between 2005 and 2006; and it rose from 82 to 83 percent in the South.
However, in the Northeast, belt use fell to 74 percent, down from 78
percent; and in the Midwest it dropped to 77 percent from 79 percent.
"A seat belt can't work if it isn't on," said Secretary Peters.
"Whatever it takes, we all need to do a better job making sure everyone
chooses to buckle up."
The Secretary noted that the Department is working with states to
promote seatbelt use, providing more than $123 million in 2006 incentive
grants to states with primary seatbelt laws. The DOT's National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration also coordinates the national Click It or
Ticket law enforcement campaigns, which mobilize thousands of police
agencies across the country to vigorously enforce state belt laws.
The Secretary said the latest new data also shows that 51 percent of
motorcyclists in the U.S. now wear helmets, up from 48 percent in 2005.
She noted that motorcycle helmet use rose in the West between 2005 and
2006 (from 50 to 72 percent); and in the Northeast (from 42 to 47
percent). However, the use rate fell in the Midwest (from 53 to 50
percent) and in the South (from 49 to 45 percent). (The only helmets
counted in the survey were those that comply with DOT standards.)
"All across America, every single day, helmets save lives," said Nicole
R. Nason, the NHTSA administrator.
Administrator Nason said NHTSA recently began to offer federal grants to
states for programs to reduce the number of motorcyclist crashes. This
year, for example, the agency will provide $6 million in grant funds to
states for motorcycle safety training and motorist awareness programs.
She said the agency will also create a public service announcement to
promote helmet use and a consumer video for its website on how to choose
a safe and well-fitting motorcycle helmet.
Click to view: "Seatbelt Use in 2006: Overall Results"
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2006/810677.pdf
Click to view: "Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2006: Overall Results
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2006/810678.pdf
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2. What you buy is being watched - and maybe reported!
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06341/744228-85.stm
Store's call led to bomb sweep
Parts found in man's Upper St. Clair home, dorm room at Cal U.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Federal agents were trying yesterday to figure out why a college
student stashed more than a dozen devices that appeared to be pipe
bombs or components of bombs at his parents' house in Upper St. Clair
and in his dorm room at California University of Pennsylvania.
Whatever Michael Blattner was up to, if anything, authorities said
that employees at the Home Depot in Bridgeville, where he bought some
of the materials Saturday night, did the right thing in calling the
cops.
"It was very, very commendable," said James Tanda, supervisory agent
with the Pittsburgh office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives. "For a retailer to take the time to call us
is always appreciated."
ATF, Upper St. Clair police and the county bomb squad went to the
Blattner home on Harrogate Road Tuesday night and removed several
devices that could have been assembled to form pipe bombs from Mr.
Blattner's bedroom.
Earlier in the day, campus police had found an array of similar
devices spread out on the floor of his dorm room in Residence Hall A.
The devices, which he apparently kept in a foot locker without his
roommate's knowledge, were in various phases of assembly.
Mr. Blattner has been cooperative from the start, telling police and
agents that he was experimenting with the materials as a hobby and
that none of them would really work.
On campus, where he was a freshman honor student, he had a reputation
as something of a loner who liked to play around with firecrackers.
Police have found no evidence that he had intentions to blow anything
up, but authorities are withholding judgment until an analysis by the
county bomb squad and ATF is complete.
If the devices turn out to be operable, Mr. Blattner could end up
charged in either state or federal court.
Regardless of how the case turns out, it was a suspicious clerk who
got the ball rolling. Local Home Depot employees said they aren't
allowed to talk, and the corporate public relations office in Atlanta
issued a statement saying only that "we commend our associates for
their actions in this matter."
But Collier police said they would recommend commendations for the
store manager, the clerk and the investigating officer, Robert
Ferrence.
ATF and police have protocols for monitoring purchases from gun
dealers and companies that sell specific items that could be used by
bomb makers, particularly ammonium nitrate fertilizer. But law
enforcement relies on retailers to pay attention to more routine
purchases that could be suspicious.
Home Depot wouldn't say what it was about Mr. Blattner that raised
eyebrows, but police said the clerk thought something wasn't right
because Mr. Blattner appeared to be a juvenile. He's 18 but looks
younger. So why was a kid buying black pipe and end caps?
On Monday, the store manager called Collier police, who then contacted
Mr. Blattner's parents. They did not return a message yesterday, but
they explained to police that their son was a "handy kid."
After learning he was a student, Collier police contacted campus
police, who went to the dorm Tuesday morning and found the bomb pieces
on the floor.
Upper St. Clair police said they don't believe anyone in the community
was in danger. Campus authorities said the same.
Mr. Blattner has been suspended from school but will have a hearing
within 10 days. Until then, he's not allowed on campus.
(Torsten Ove can be reached at tove@post-gazette.com or 412-231-0132.)
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3. Law Doesn't Help Stop Biker Deaths
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http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/news/opinion/16194340.htm
Law Doesn't Help Stop Biker Deaths
Last year, South Carolina reached a new milestone in motorcycle deaths
with 94 recorded fatalities. This year, with three weeks left to go,
the state already has reached an all-time high of 102 motorcycle
deaths.
State police are alarmed, according to a story in The (Columbia) State
newspaper, and are reaching out to biker groups and dealers to find
ways to reduce the carnage. In November, police and officials from the
S.C. Department of Public Safety met with motorcycle advocates in
hopes of forming a task force to study the problem.
Technically speaking, the percentage of deaths involving motorcycles
compared to the overall number of riders in the state is somewhat
smaller than in some past years. But that gives police and safety
experts little comfort.
Since 2000, the number of registered motorcycles on the road has risen
from 51,436 to 86,603. The increase in the number of riders coincides
with the rising popularity of motorcycles among baby boomers with
little riding expertise. Middle-aged men are buying their dream bikes
and killing themselves on them.
In almost three-fourths of the fatal crashes - 74 of 102 - bikers
contributed to their own deaths, either by driving under the
influence, speeding or simply driving off the road into ditches and
trees. Drivers in other vehicles caused only about one in five
motorcyclists' deaths.
But perhaps the most telling statistic is the obvious one: In
four-fifths of the crashes - 81 of 102 - the motorcyclists weren't
wearing helmets.
Safety experts estimate that 37 percent of motorcycle fatalities could
be prevented with helmets.
State officials and motorcycle dealers alike embrace the idea of more
training for novice riders. Many dealers encourage buyers to take a
beginner's motorcycle course, and state officials are considering ways
to increase the number of courses offered.
That makes obvious sense. People need to know how to operate a
motorcycle before they try to drive one.
Unfortunately, state law permits just about anyone of legal age to
operate a motorcycle simply by passing a vision test and receiving a
180-day learner's permit. The state expects people who get the permits
to return for a motorcycle license, which requires a skills test like
that given for a license to drive a car. But the learner's permit
allows people to legally operate a motorcycle for six months before
getting a license. A required training course might help reduce
accidents.
Still, the most obvious remedy is a mandatory helmet law for all
riders. Current state law requires helmets only for those younger than
21.
Chances, however, are slim that the General Assembly would pass a
helmet law. The anti-helmet lobby is strong, and many lawmakers regard
wearing helmets as a personal choice that should not be required by
the state.
But if bikers bristle at helmet laws, are they any more likely to
accept mandatory education and training programs or other requirements
that might save lives? That seems doubtful.
But as long as South Carolina allows virtually anyone age 15 or older
to buy and ride motorcycles without any more than a vision test - and
with the optional use of helmets - we should expect fatalities to
continue to rise.
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4. Court Says FBI Can Use Your Cell Phone To Spy... On You
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http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=5777429&nav=2FH5
12/06/06
Court Says FBI Can Use Your Cell Phone To Spy... On You
by Vic Walter and Krista Kjellman, ABC News
Cell phone users, beware. The FBI can listen to everything you say,
even when the cell phone is turned off.
A recent court ruling in a case against the Genovese crime family
revealed that the FBI has the ability from a remote location to
activate a cell phone and turn its microphone into a listening device
that transmits to an FBI listening post, a method known as a "roving
bug." Experts say the only way to defeat it is to remove the cell
phone battery.
"The FBI can access cell phones and modify them remotely without ever
having to physically handle them," James Atkinson, a
counterintelligence security consultant, told ABC News. "Any recently
manufactured cell phone has a built-in tracking device, which can
allow eavesdroppers to pinpoint someone's location to within just a
few feet," he added.
According to the recent court ruling by U.S. District Court Judge
Lewis Kaplan, "The device functioned whether the phone was powered on
or off, intercepting conversations within its range wherever it
happened to be."
The court ruling denied motions by 10 defendants to suppress the
conversations obtained by "roving bugs" on the phones of John Ardito,
a high-ranking member of the family, and Peter Peluso, an attorney and
close associate of Ardito, who later cooperated with the government.
The "roving bugs" were approved by a judge after the more conventional
bugs planted at specified locations were discovered by members of the
crime family, who then started to conduct their business dealings in
several additional locations, including more restaurants, cars, a
doctor's office and public streets.
"The courts have given law enforcement a blank check for
surveillance," Richard Rehbock, attorney for defendant John Ardito,
told ABC News.
Judge Kaplan's ruling said otherwise. "While a mobile device makes
interception easier and less costly to accomplish than a stationary
one, this does not mean that it implicated new or different privacy
concerns." He continued, "It simply dispenses with the need for
repeated installations and surreptitious entries into buildings. It
does not invade zones of privacy that the government could not reach
by more conventional means."
But Rehbock disagrees. "Big Brother is upon us...1984 happened a long
time ago," he said, referring to the George Orwell futuristic novel
"1984," which described a society whose members were closely watched
by those in power and was published in 1949.
The FBI maintains the methods used in its investigation of the
Genovese family are within the law. "The FBI does not discuss
sensitive surveillance techniques other than to emphasize that any
electronic surveillance isdone pursuant to a court order and ongoing
judicial scrutiny," Agent Jim Margolin told ABC News.
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5. Live in Oregon? Motorcycle panel seeks volunteers
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http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2006/12/08/news/community/3loc15_motorcycle.txt
Motorcycle panel seeks volunteers
SALEM ˜ Two volunteers are needed for the Governor‚s Advisory
Committee on Motorcycle Safety, which advises the governor and the
state Department of Transportation‚s Safety Division on motorcycle
safety issues.
The committee focuses on rider education, prevention of drinking and
riding, road hazards unique to motorcycles, motorist awareness of
motorcycles, sharing the road and other issues. Committee members are
appointed by the governor and serve four-year terms.
Applicants with motorcycle endorsements on their driver licenses who
reside outside of the Portland area are preferred. Applications are
due by Dec. 31.
For application materials or information, call 503-378-6246 or see
www.governor.oregon.gov.
˜ Gazette-Times
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6. Economics 101
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Subject: Economics 101
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2006 19:46:44 EST
From: SoEastBiker
... but not Liberalism 101 unless you can accept that the liberal
doctrine is that YOU PAY so that I can be elected to make YOU PAY
more so that I die rich and powerful while YOU SCRATCH your head.
Economics 101 Sometimes politicians, journalists and others
exclaim; "It's just a tax cut for the rich!" and it is just accepted
to be fact. But what does that really mean ? Just in case you are
not completely clear on this issue, I hope the following will help.
Please read it carefully. Let's put tax cuts in terms everyone can
understand. Suppose that every day, ten men go out for dinner and
the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way
we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing. The
fifth would pay $1. The sixth would pay $3. The seventh would
pay $7. The eighth would pay $12. The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men ate dinner in the
restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement,
until one day, the owner threw them a Curve. "Since you are all
such good customers," he said, "I‚m going to reduce the cost of your
daily meal by $20." Dinner for the group of ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So
the first four men were unaffected, they would still eat for free and
the same amount but what about the other six men - the paying
customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone
would get his Œfair share?" They realized that $20 divided by six is
$3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the
fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to eat their
meal. So, the restaurant owner suggested that it would be fair to
reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded
to work out the amounts each should pay. And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100%
savings). The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% savings). The eighth now
paid $9 instead of $12(25% savings). The ninth now paid $14 instead
of $18 (22% savings). The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16%
savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four
continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men
began to compare their savings. "I only got a dollar out of the
$20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he
got $10!" "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only
saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than
me!" "That's true!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10
back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!" "Wait a
minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything
at all. The system exploits the poor!" The nine men surrounded the
tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up
for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it
came time to pay the bill, They discovered something important. They
didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the
bill! And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors,
is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get
the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them
for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact,
they might start eating overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat
friendlier.
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7. Motorcycle ban one of many sweeping edicts in China
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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16197396.htm
Motorcycle ban one of many sweeping edicts in China
By Tim Johnson
GUANGZHOU, China - When officials decided that swarms of motorcycles
and scooters had become a plague on the streets of this huge city,
they didn't wobble in their course of action.
The solution? Ban motorcycles.
As of Jan. 1, the city's 260,000 or so registered motorcycles will be
forced off the roads. Tens of thousands of people who use the vehicles
to make deliveries or otherwise earn livings must turn in their
motorcycles or take them out of the city.
After six decades in control, Communist officials are accustomed to
issuing sweeping draconian edicts such as this, confident that they
unfailingly act for the benefit of all. Citizens end up angry but are
helpless to act on their frustrations. They simply must accept what
the one-party state decides to hand to them.
Recent days have provided other examples. On Dec. 1, Shanghai shut its
Pudong international airport with no warning, rerouting or turning
back domestic and international flights for several hours. The reason
for the rare closure was deemed a state secret. Some media hinted that
it might have been for an anti-terrorism drill.
A day later, 10,000 homes in Urumqi, the largest city in far west
China, were left without heat for four days in sub-freezing
temperatures. A coal-fired boiler blew out because the city had bought
substandard coal. As some residents rushed to buy electric heaters,
the power utility said it would proceed with scheduled power outages
Dec. 4-8 to upgrade its system, leaving masses of residents not only
shivering but also without power.
"We never thought the upgrading project would coincide with the
suspension of heating, but some old equipment is dangerous and must be
replaced," Zhao Hongjun, a municipal power official, told state media.
Officials show little concern for the inconvenience they cause.
"These guys have no sense of civil rights. There's no consultation,"
said Joseph Cheng, a political scientist at the City University of
Hong Kong. "They don't have this belief that stakeholder rights have
to be respected. They just have this abstract sense of the public
good."
One of the most recent examples is in Guangzhou, formerly known as
Canton, the center of an industrial zone that manufactures everything
from cars to golf clubs.
The city is China's fifth-largest auto market, with 900,000 vehicles
jamming its roads. Adding to traffic problems, motorcycle and scooter
prices have plunged, causing throngs of residents to eagerly turn to
two-wheeled motorized transport. Apart from the 260,000 registered
motorcycles, another 100,000 unregistered ones ply the streets, as
well as 100,000 or so electric bicycles. The ill effects have
accumulated.
City officials blame exhaust-spewing motorcycles for increased
pollution and other problems. Motorcycles were involved in about half
the city's accidents last year, when crashes left 311 people dead,
according to the public security office, and snatch-and-run gangs of
thieves menace pedestrians. Through the first nine months of this
year, police tallied 3,432 cases of robbers using motorcycles.
Guangzhou isn't the first city in China to ban or sharply limit
motorcycles, scooters and electric bikes. Shanghai and Beijing also do
so to some degree. But Guangzhou is taking action after hundreds of
thousands of consumers have already bought the vehicles.
"It's definitely unfair," said Huang Shugen, a 58-year-old retired
train driver. "I spent 30,000 yuan (about $3,800) on the motorcycle
together with the license plate."
But Chinese have learned through decades of Communist rule that
there's little sense in fighting policy changes.
Beijing maintains a firm grip in many areas of life, such as a
one-child policy for most families. In rural areas, where unrest is
rising, farmers largely have protested over land seizures, often
because they think corruption is involved. Otherwise, many Chinese see
their lives improve on the crest of steady economic growth, and that
has given them patience, political scientists say.
On other matters, especially in the cities, officials implement
policies and consider public opinion largely as an afterthought.
"They take these steps and see if people moan and groan. The
downstream consequences are not considered very much," said Russell
Leigh Moses, a U.S. political scientist based in Beijing. "These guys
are interested in managerial efficiency."
Traffic planners in the West can only dream of the freedom that
traffic engineers in cities like Guangzhou have in imposing measures
with little regard to public opinion.
"Public participation is really great - I wouldn't trade it for
anything - but there are inefficiencies. The idea behind this is to
avoid becoming like Taipei or Hanoi, to avoid cities becoming full of
dirty, two-stroke type of vehicles," said Christopher Cherry, a Ph.D.
candidate at the University of California at Berkeley writing a
dissertation on sustainable transportation in China.
Guangzhou authorities are offering some compensation, depending on the
age of the motorcycle or scooter, often amounting to $100 to $200.
Owners also receive about $8 for the scrap value of their vehicles.
Officials say they'll give some job training to those who needed their
motorcycles to earn livings, but they haven't provided details.
Junkyards are already filling up with motorcycles. At the Huawu
Recycling Co. scrap yard, in the shadow of Guangzhou's Olympic
Stadium, some 20,000 motorcycles, carrying such brand names as Xingfu,
Luhao, Senkou and Zhujiang, fill the fields.
"After the ban, there won't be many motorcycles on the streets. It
will improve the traffic. Accidents will be reduced, and motorcycle
robberies will be reduced," manager Ye Quanyong said.
Some citizens are dubious of the reasons for the ban, wondering if
officials are seeking to promote usage of public transportation or
even stimulate car sales.
One of the consequences of the motorcycle ban might well be more cars
on city streets. As it is now, 150,000 or so new vehicles are added in
Guangzhou each year.
Huang Weiying, the owner of a 125cc red Pearl River brand motorcycle,
said he wasn't too unhappy about having to give it up.
"I just bought a small car," he said, a blue Chinese-made Chang'an
sedan.
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8. Want to Run for Office?
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Subject: Want to Run for Office?
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 14:35:35 -0500
From: girlgeekdel
While doing some research, I came across this story on Carol
Shea-Porter's election to Congress in New Hampshire's 1st District.
It relates the pros/cons, ups/downs of the entire process.
This was a "grassroots campaign from the ground up". She was outspent
5 to 1 by the incumbent (Source: Wikipedia). I found this
inspirational....some of you may as well.
The lead-in to the story is:
Our opponent had a 10-1 money advantage, multiple union endorsements,
the big DCCC endorsement, paid DC staffers and some quiet support from
the State party (which officially remained neutral). We had a
wonderful candidate, an energized grass roots army, a great strategy,
and the technical ability to target our efforts better than the
professionals. We didn't just outwork them, we out smarted them as
well.
And that would be a really great story of people powered
politics...except we were about to write a better one.
The complete story is here:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/14/153031/83
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9. Bikers work to curb hiring of day laborers
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1203labor-church1203.html
Bikers work to curb hiring of day laborers
Jessica Coomes
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 3, 2006 12:00 AM
A biker group that opposes illegal immigration staked out a Cave Creek
day labor pick-up spot Saturday, trying to convince supporters that
day-labor centers fuel illegal immigration.
This was the third Saturday in a row the motorcycle group, American
Freedom Riders, protested at Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal
Church in Cave Creek, which has run the day-labor program for six
years.
About 100 supporters of the Cave Creek church that runs the labor
program for mostly undocumented immigrants responded by praying
together for answers to the immigration quandary.
The quiet battle of wills was peaceful, and, in fact, church
supporters shared doughnuts with some bikers.
In previous protests, the Rev. Glenn Jenks said the motorcycle riders
shouted things such as, "Go back to Mexico!" That is why Jenks called
the prayer service Saturday.
Jenks said he hosted the gathering for supporters to pray for answers
and to show that those backing the workers also have a voice.
"We recognize the laws, as they are, are unjust. Until and unless we
get just laws, there are victims, and these victims need to be cared
for," Jenks said.
About two dozen riders lined up their bikes near in front of Good
Shepherd's parking lot early Saturday.
They printed fliers detailing the illegality of hiring undocumented
workers and passed the information to people who stopped by the church
to pick up laborers.
Rusty Childress, who co-founded American Freedom Riders this summer,
said he wants employers to stop coming to Good Shepherd.
"That'll do it," Childress said. "That is the solution not only in
this small place but across the United States."
At the entrance to the church's parking lot, the protesters set up a
sign that said, "Smile for the camera."
They took photos of employers and will post them at
www.wehirealiens.com, Childress said.
Jenks said American Freedom Riders' presence will not deter employers
from picking up laborers.
One employer said of the protesters, "Tell them to get a job."
He picked up two workers before driving away.
Early Saturday, 47 people showed up looking for work, but only 31 got
lucky.
Jenks said it is slower on cold days and weekends.
Childress, however, said his group deterred employers from stopping
by.
"We made an issue of this and put public pressure," hesaid. "I think
we got them (employers) going somewhere else, perhaps."
Reach the reporter at (602) 444-6848 or
jessica.coomes@arizonarepublic.com.
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10. Scope of 2nd Amendment's Questioned
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-6265250,00.html
Scope of 2nd Amendment's Questioned
Thursday December 7, 2006 7:31 PM
By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - In a case that could shape firearms laws nationwide,
attorneys for the District of Columbia argued Thursday that the 2nd
Amendment right to bear arms only applies only to militias, not
individuals.
The city defended as constitutional its long-standing ban on handguns,
a law that some gun opponents have advocated elsewhere. Civil
liberties groups and pro-gun organizations say the ban in
unconstitutional.
At issue in the case before a federal appeals court is whether the 2nd
Amendment right to ``keep and bear arms'' applies to all people or
only to ``a well regulated militia.'' The Bush administration has
endorsed individual gun-ownership rights but the Supreme Court has
never settled the issue.
If the dispute makes it to the high court, it would be the first case
in nearly 70 years to address the amendment's scope. The court
disappointed gun owner groups in 2003 when it refused to take up a
challenge to California's ban on high-powered weapons.
In the Washington, D.C. case, a lower-court judge told six city
residents in 2004 that they did not have a constitutional right to own
handguns. The plaintiffs include residents of high-crime neighborhoods
who want guns for protection.
Courts have upheld bans on automatic weapons and sawed-off shotguns
but this case is unusual because it involves a prohibition on all
pistols. Voters passed a similar ban in San Francisco last year but a
judge ruled it violated state law. The Washington case is not clouded
by state law and hinges directly on the Constitution.
``We interpret the 2nd Amendment in military terms,'' said Todd Kim,
the District's solicitor general, who told the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia Circuit that the city would also have had
the authority to ban all weapons.
``Show me anybody in the 19th century who interprets the 2nd Amendment
the way you do,'' Judge Laurence Silberman said. ``It doesn't appear
until much later, the middle of the 20th century.''
Of the three judges, Silberman was the most critical of Kim's argument
and noted that, despite the law, handguns were common in the District.
Silberman and Judge Thomas B. Griffith seemed to wrestle, however,
with the meaning of the amendment's language about militias. If a
well-regulated militia is no longer needed, they asked, is the right
to bear arms still necessary?
``That's quite a task for any court to decide that a right is no
longer necessary,'' Alan Gura, an attorney for the plaintiffs,
replied. ``If we decide that it's no longer necessary, can we erase
any part of the Constitution?''
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11. MMA Call To Action
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From: "Webmaster"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 10:07 AM
Subject: MMA Call To Action
Here is a link to an editorial in AZCentral positioning the need to a
helmet law in Arizona. Please take the time to read this and reply in a
professional manner.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/1206wed2-06.html
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12. Traffic Safety Facts 2005 Annual Report: Early Edition
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Transportation Research Board:
http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail
http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7037
[PDF: 224 pages]
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSFAnn/TSF2005EE.pdf
Traffic Safety Facts 2005 Annual Report: Early Edition
Date Posted: 11/27/2006
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National
Center for Statistics and Analysis has released the early edition of
its Traffic Safety Facts 2005, which is a compilation of motor
vehicle crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and
the General Estimates System.
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13. Concealed Weapon Keeps Man Safe in Attempted Carjacking
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http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=705091
Concealed Weapon Keeps Man Safe in Attempted Carjacking
December 6th, 2006 @ 10:00pm
Samantha Hayes Reporting
A Salt Lake City man says his gun saved his life today when a man
threatened to take his car. It's a story that adds fuel to the debate
over Utah's concealed weapons law.
The suspect in this case has not been caught-yet. It's probably fair
to say he'll think twice before ever threatening to steal someone's
car again.
Even when running errands, just like he was doing this morning, Mike
Taylor is on guard.
Mike Taylor, Concealed Weapon Carrier: "The police have their hands
full with everything and I don't think they could be every place at
once."
So Taylor was ready when, he says, a man threatened to steal his car.
Mike Taylor: "Finally he told me he was going to kill me and take my
car for himself. At that point I felt like he was going to kill me and
I feared for my life so I drew my firearm and called police."
He never fired a shot. Clark Aposhian, Bureau of Criminal
Identification Chairman says that is what usually happens.
Clark Aposhian, Chairman BCI Board: "We have not seen any type of
pattern of abuse or escalation of these types of robberies. We haven't
seen blood in the street that a lot of my adversaries or detractors
would talk about."
Maura Carabello, with the Gun Violence Prevention Center, believes
Utah's permit laws are lax.
Maura Carabello, Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah: "They could
injure themselves, often not well equipped psychologically; they often
don't know how to shoot or handle a weapon with proficiency."
She says what happened to Taylor is the best possible outcome, but not
always the norm.
Maura Carabello: "My reaction in general, though, is we are lucky. We
are lucky the permit holder is safe."
Taylor says he has carried the permit for six years; he didn't think
he'd need to use it this morning.
Mike Taylor: "I just came down to get my hair cut this morning."
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14. Agency Toughen Voting Security Program
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http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Electronic-Voting.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Agency Toughen Voting Security Program
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 7, 2006
Filed at 9:13 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's top election oversight board approved
guidelines for electronic voting machines, putting in place the first
federal standards but stopping short of requiring states to follow
them.
The Election Assistance Commission said the 68-page manual offers
standards for equipment and software, offering states the option of
having the congressionally created commission oversee the process
instead of relying on statehouse-mandated inspections.
''Ultimately, it brings accountability to the system,'' said Gavin
Gilmour, the commission's deputy counsel. ''This is a voluntary
program, but I would hope as many states as possible participate.''
Currently, about 40 states require machine certification, according to
the commission.
The group also accepted a new definition of ''election crimes'' and
commissioned the first government-sponsored national study on the
subject.
Election crimes have been defined as actions that allow ineligible
persons to vote, eligible voters to be excluded or other similar
interference. The new definition says such crimes generally involve
deceptions, coercion, damage or inaction.
The Election Assistance Commission's guidelines follow a series of
voting problems during last month's elections, though the changes
already had been in the works. They will go into effect in January.
v
Although the guidelines are voluntary, EAC commissioners could
decertify companies that don't voluntarily submit to more rigorous
security protocols -- the first time the agency has had such power.
The EAC will also have authority to spot-test questionable equipment
from companies that participate. The EAC may also require companies to
store their proprietary voting software in ''escrow,'' where
independent experts can review it.
Diebold Inc., Election Systems & Software Inc. and Sequoia Voting
Systems Inc. are the primary vendors of electronic-voting technology.
******
Associated Press Writer Rachel Konrad in San Francisco contributed to
this story.
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15. From the Lighter Side of the Saddle Bag
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Thanks to Duck for contributing this:
Friends vs. Biker Friends
FRIENDS: Never ask for food
BIKER FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.
FRIENDS: Will say "hello"
BIKER FRIENDS: Will give you a big hug and a kiss.
FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
BIKER FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.
FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
BIKER FRIENDS: Cry with you.
FRIENDS: Will eat at your dinner table and leave
BIKER FRIENDS: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing and just
being together
FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
BIKER FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
FRIENDS: know a few things about you.
BIKER FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
BIKER FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you.
FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
BIKER FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"
FRIENDS: Are for a while.
BIKER FRIENDS: Are for life.
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16. Show your support for the fight.
http://www.solriders.com/products/
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.......................
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