A Brief Look at the Past year

I don't know what the hell I was thinking when I started this thing a little over a year ago. But it has obviously taken on a life of it's own. We have tried to stay primarily focused on items of interest to the Local Biker and learned quickly that so much of what goes on elsewhere affects us locally. I think we have stayed fairly true to our mission to stay focused on individual rights and Freedoms. We have focused more on Veterans than we would have imagined. But the times demand it and so we will continue to support Veterans and those who currently serve however we can.

This Post should make 534 posts for the year. Some stupid, some just for the hell of it and some dead serious. We are now popping close to 2000 page views a month. Some from places I would have never imagined, such as Tajikistan and some I can't even pronounce. To the best of my knowledge we haven't been hit by Ireland yet but then I'm not sure they have computers in the Taverns, and you know us Irish.

We readily admit that we don't come close to the readership of the sites that follow Brittany, Paris, American Idol and the like. Unfortunately I am not aware of any site focused on America and Freedom that does. Thats sad. But we ain't changin.

If I were to post all the pics from the last year that I really liked there would be no room here. But there all scattered about in the links to the right.

There is no way in hell one person could have come up with all the stuff we have tried to come up with. There have been so many people that have contributed, I won't begin to mention them for fear of leaving somebody out. To all of YOU, THANK YOU! And of course Thanks to our Advertisers who contribute not because there gonna make a billion off this site, or the newsletter "Let Freedom Reign", but because they believe in what we hope to accomplish. To Protect OUR Rights and Freedoms, with out taking ourselves to seriously I hope.

To all who have ridden in the PGR runs and the runs that benefit those less fortunate than yourselves Thank you. To those who see the American Biker as nothing more than a profit cow to be milked without supporting us in return, "Put it where the sun don't shine!!!" And thank God for the good fortune to be born in a Country that enables me to piss em off whenever I can. A SUPER Thank you to those that serve and those that have served because their country has asked them to. It is only because of them we can do this gig.

HAVE HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GIVE EM HELL. Ride free..............rc

your MC seat may put lead in your Ass but the Black Teddy is Safe

December 29, 2007 Those leather goods could feel like lead
Imported products may be hazardous to health

By WILLIAM COVERT
Correspondent

DAYTONA BEACH -- With the reality of a global economy and different countries' approaches to regulation, cowboys, bikers and other leather consumers need to be more aware of practices overseas and the journeys their exotic hides have made. "Most of the leather that's for motorcycles is from Pakistan," said Barney McCarthy, owner of Barney's Leather on North Beach Street.

In Pakistan, the leather is tanned with lead-based chromium, which can be an environmental concern. Tanning is the process that turns skin, which can decompose, into leather. It's done using natural or chemical additives, or a combination of the two. Most American leather is tanned overseas, so even if a product says "Made in the USA," that may just mean assembled here with leather treated elsewhere.

McCarthy carefully sources his leather to determine what chemicals were used by the tannery.

"The (Environmental Protection Agency) governs how we treat leather here, but not what comes in," he said. "That's why China can make toys with lead paint and they can come in here, but we could never make (the toys) like that." He spends quite a bit of time making sure the overseas tanneries he uses aren't using lead-based chromium, McCarthy said. Instead, he looks for a combination of vegetable tan -- using tannin from tree bark -- and a process using a chemical like chromium sulfate. "People buying boots from China, I'm wondering if it's like putting on toxic shoes," he said.

He's not aware of anyone having a reaction from lead in tanned leather, but the lack of government oversight is causing problems for the environment in the countries where the tanneries are located. "Overseas in Pakistan or China, people are getting really sick over there; they just pour all the chemicals in the water and people drink it," he said. America produces "the best cowhide in the world," but it's generally sent overseas to tan because domestic tanneries couldn't stay open -- a few still work for shoe companies but that's all he knows of, McCarthy said.

John Crivellari, owner of House of Leather next to the Banned Bookstore on Ridgewood Avenue, said most of his products were made in the USA. "Nothing from overseas that I'm aware of -- the bustiers come from San Francisco, the other clothing comes from California or San Antonio, Texas," he said.

A black leather teddy in his store costs $69.99.

"The person that wants the leather stuff, they want actual real leather, they don't want imitation, so they're willing to pay for what it costs to be made," Crivellari said.

At Skip's Western Outfitters on West International Speedway Boulevard, salesman Kyle Coots said his store sells exotic leather, with the most popular being ostrich and gator tail. His store also carries elephant, but only from animals that died of natural causes."The elephants, they all die of natural causes . . . they're not going to go kill an elephant. The money we get off the (elephant) boots, some of it goes back to the wildlife refuge" where the elephants came from, he said, so their hides actually help support the living population they left behind.

Men we must sacrifice for our Women Folk. By them all Leather TeddiesAdd to Technorati Favorites

OUTLAWS LIVE BEYOND THE LAW

IN A SENSE THEN,
WE LIVE BEYOND SOCIETY

HAVE WE A COMMON GOAL,
THAT GOAL IS TO TURN THE TABLES
ON THE NATURE OF SOCIETY

WHEN WE SUCCEED, WE RAISE
THE EXHILARATION CONTENT OF THE UNIVERSE

WE EVEN RAISE IT A LITTLE WHEN WE FAIL

Start Your New Year Off by Striking a Blow for YOUR rights.

It's a given that Richard "Quiq" Quigley (12-25-1943 to 9-15-2007) is going to go down in Motorcycle history as the definition of "Freedom Fighter".

What is not yet a given, is what the end result of his hard work and personal sacrifice will be. Unfortunately he passed away before he could see the end result. Fortunately there are those who refuse to let his war against the California Helmet law die.

But they can not do it alone and need your help. "Quig" did most of the groundwork himself and was able to get his case to the point where "good" attorneys are needed. This ain't cheap and every dollar is needed.

Why is this important to you whether you live in a free state or not? Whether you wear a helmet or not? Whether you ride a bike or not?


Because this case is about more than helmets. It's about bad and arbitrary law. It's about police departments ignoring Judges orders demonstrating contempt for the legal process. It's about one individual have the courage to stand up and fight for us all.

It has been reported that the AMA, MRF, NCOM/AIM, Boo Coo attorneys that can afford to purchase glossy ads to let you know how much they care about YOU and most SMRO's (with the exception of ABATE of Delaware and a few local ABATE chapters), have yet to pony up.

If you are a member of any of these organizations you may wish to ask your ""leaders" why?

But until then, as usual and like Quig, until some of the big guys come around the little guys are going to have to take care of business . Below is an excerpt and link to a page where you can donate. Read the page at least. Just imagine if everyone who rode a bike donated the price of a six pack. Remember, it is not about helmets. It is about bad law and bad government!

From: http://www.strawberryfields4evr.com/JudicialQandA.html

Read this update to be sure you know everything there is to
know about the Civil case against the California Highway Patrol
(CHP), and the status of the Contempt Of Court charge against
the CHP. The CHP refused to obey the Judge's order to sign
off the helmet tickets as fix-it tickets. So far, by reading all the
legal documents filed by the CHP and their lawyer, the Attorney
General, it looks like the only hope the CHP has of winning this
case is to delay the case until most motorcyclists are too busy
with getting biker friendly politicians elected -

an important task -
but the timing of all this is important. We can't afford to find out
in 6 months that we are 'behind the 8-ball' and too busy with the
election without the money to fund the lawyer for these cases.

Let's put our money where our mouths are now, send the bucks
to the Fund to end the helmet law now, then when the next
election is over we can ride free and helmetless and the
politicians we helped get elected will not try to write another bad
helmet law into the lawbooks.

Scroll to near the top of the page and donate now to the Fund to
win the Civil Case.Add to Technorati Favorites