HONOR ME WITH FLAGS IF YOU WILL
HONOR ME WITH PRAYERS AND PRAISE
BUT IF MY CAUSE WAS DESERVING OF YOUR HONOR
THEN PICK UP MY RIFLE
SO THAT MY DEATH WILL NOT HAVE BEEN IN VAIN

(have a good weekend)Add to Technorati Favorites

A soldier mourns the loss of a brother

On 4-8-08 we posted on Patriot Guard Run to Honor Charles Jankowski (here), killed in Iraq. Here is a comment that was lefts at that posting:

"Ski was in my unit here in Iraq, he was the primary husky driver which is a one man vehicle in a route clearance team. And I want everyone to know that because of him, many lives were saved on the routes that he cleared of explosives. We have shed many tears since March 28th, a day that none of us in HHC 2-3 BTB will ever forget. Ski was our first KIA, we only have a few more months left here. We were so damn close! It hurts that when you lose a close friend over here that even though they are gone you still have to drive on and complete the mission, but that’s the job we chose and that’s the job that Ski chose. But know that all of us had his family in our hearts, and wished like hell we could have been there as they laid their hero to rest. I plan on printing out this article and distributing it throughout the company. I want to personally thank all of you that took time out of your busy lives to pay tribute to our brother. That means more to us then you could ever know."Add to Technorati Favorites

FREEDOM or Stiffer Penalties-Florida SB1992 HB1111

Whether or not you ride a motorcycle, if you have a commercial drivers license, if you have a fondness for freedom of expression, if you wish to keep your fingerprints to yourself, if you feel like treating one group of people differently than another based solely on their lifestyle is wrong then you need to read SB1992 and HB1111 in the Florida senate and and then ask yourself if you are willing to sacrifice Freedom for a little safety and/or security. Because if you are, then as Benjamin Franklin noted, you deserve neither.

These bills are currently running through the house and senate at break neck speed and every time they get from one committee to the next they are radically changed.

As motorcyclists we all want the stiffer penalties for people that run over us provision of the bills. But at what price?

I contend to you that it is BLACKMAIL for the legislature to say if you want your right to drive on the public highways without being the target of some cell phone gabbing, child slapping, burrito slurping, text messaging soccer mom, student, politician or any other person so ignorant to as to believe that running over you is less important than than avoiding you, then you have to trade some of your rights and pay more of your money to get it.

I find it interesting that all the conservative right to lifers and second amendment freedom fighters consider the life of a motorcyclist insignificant enough not to be deserving of it's own separate stand alone bill. This is hypocrisy at it's highest and government at it's lowest.

Lawmakers and charities have no problem taking our money, but who among them gives a damn about our lives other than to throw lip service into a morass of loose end oversites that every legislator that has a pet peeve is racing to add there two cents to.

We have the right to a stand alone stiffer penalties bill. But we will only get it if we fail to capitulate to the back room bargaining and legislative blackmail that would give with the one hand and take with the other. We must stand for this, our rights and tell the legislators to take SB1992 and HB1111 and STICK EM!

I HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE PROTECTED AT THE COST OF BEING CHAINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Add to Technorati Favorites

SB1992, HB1111-BULL

Heard on WFLA morning talk show w/ Preston Scott related to SB1992 any of the pictured "Bull Nutz" hanging from your truck, car, or motorcycle will net you a moving violation. $60 fine and points on your license.

As Florida rushes frantically to become the first state in the country to be declared an OFFICIAL POLICE STATE we will assume that sooner or later before this bill (1992) is done rushing through the legislatures that they will throw in Bicycles, skateboards, golf carts, assisted living vehicles, rollers skates, trains and airplanes.

Now in the midst of a state budget crises I can only commend the legislators for taking the time
to spend our taxpayer dollars on any amount of time to write and debate this portion of the bill
in order to protect our morals and insure our sensibilities are not offended.

Hopefully the girl pictured here admiring the Bull statute on Wall Street in New York City, a popular picture taking spot, is not a Floridan as I am afraid were she to return home she would be immediately arrested, thrown in stocks, accused of being a witch, and ordered to denounce all "BULL" or be burnt at the state.

To those who may have a fondness for Rocky Mountain Oysters (aka Bull balls, raw, fried, stewed and BBQ'ed) might we suggest that you have them delivered to your home via UPS so as not to risk being stopped by the Gestapo, whoops I'm sorry, the police, on the way home from the butcher shop lest one of the boys in blue catch a whiff of them babys and decide to call in the search dogs.

I say have them delivered to your home because I'm sure eating them in public will now also be against the law for fear somebody may actually be able to figure out what the hell it is you are eating and call homeland security (yes there are Federal references in this bill). Those in Daytona Beach should be exceptionally worried since the city implemented it's plan to do a DNA swab on anybody stopped for anything and "BULL" is found to be emanating from your breath or mistaken as a long lost relative.

Thank you God for the vigilance of legislators of undisputed moral character and their ability to recognize a threat when they see one. Thank God that while the state of Florida's economy crumbles our legislators understand the importance of pushing all issues aside while they play with "balls." Especially those that come in neon colors and flavors.

One might wonder however, if some of our male legislators may not have found the display of these articles offensive due to their own lack of such. For if just one had any cajones at all you would think they mights stand up and holler to their confederates, "are you all NUTS?" And of course we all no the answer to that one now don't we?

All I can say is this whole bill smells like a load ofAdd to Technorati Favorites

American Motorcycle Issues action alert on Florida SB1992

Action Alert

	Action Alert 04/17/2008Motorcycle Provisions Added to Senate Bill 1992 Bill ordered engrossed April 17

Florida motorcyclists concerned about legislation that toughens penalties for certain traffic offenses, including reckless driving and traveling in excess of 50 mph over the posted speed limit, have been following House Bill 137 and Senate Bill 802 closely.

Another senate bill important to motorcyclists has been gaining momentum and is worth watching.

The latest version of Senate Bill 1992, the committee substitute for the committee substitute for the committee substitute (CS/CS/CS) contains the following items of interest to motorcyclists:

Lines 625-635:

• Requires both wheels on the ground at all times; provides exceptions due to road surface or other circumstances beyond control of the operator.
• Requires license tag to be permanently affixed horizontally to the ground and may not be adjustable or capable of being flipped up.

Lines 985-1003: Provides enhanced penalties for moving violations causing serious bodily injury or death to motorcyclists:

• Violation resulting in serious bodily injury is a misdemeanor of the second degree and requires:
  • fine of not less than $500
  • a minimum of 30 days' imprisonment
  • attendance in a driver improvement course
  • revocation of driver's license for at least 30 days
• Violation resulting in death is a misdemeanor of the first degree and requires:
  • fine of at least $1,000
  • a minimum of 90 days' imprisonment
  • attendance in an advanced driver improvement course
  • revocation of driver's license for 1 year

Lines 1053-1061: Changes definition of a motorcycle to exclude a vehicle where the operator is enclosed by a cabin.

Lines 1062-1076: Deletes requirement that the owner of a motorcycle must present proof that he or she has a valid motorcycle endorsement prior to original registration of a motorcycle.

Lines 1248-1254: Requires organizations to execute a contract on or before July 1, 2008, to be eligible for reimbursement under the Florida Motorcycle Safety Education Program.

Lines 1869-1877: Increases fee from $15 to $20 for a Class E driver's license or a license restricted to motorcycle use only.

Lines 1878-1883: Increases fee from $20 to $27 for an original driver's license restricted to motorcycle use only.

The provisions in lines 625-635 are taken from the current versions of HB-137 and SB-802. Riders should be concerned with the "... while sitting astride the seat, with both wheels on the ground at all times, ..." provision because many street riders stand on their pegs or floorboards in preparation to surmount obstacles such as potholes, road debris, etc. This technique is taught in the Basic RiderCourse and should not be used as a pretext to stop a motorcyclist for "reckless operation." See the MSF Basic RiderCourse handbook, page 34 for details.

It's important that YOU contact your state senator to let him or her know how YOU feel about the motorcycle provisions in SB-1992.

Don't know who your state senator is? Visit the AMA Rapid Response Center, enter your ZIP code in the space provided, and click the "GO" buttonAdd to Technorati Favorites.

SB 802 becomes SB1992 and we are all in Trouble

Tuesday I attended a committee hearing where stiffer penalties amendment to SB802 was heard.

Put in my little ticket to speak. Sought clarification as to whether or not SB802 had in fact been rolled over into 1992. The committee chair did not seem to be aware of that status. Senator Garcia's aide clarified for him the fact that SB802 had been rolled into 1992 (yes it confuses me too).

Stated my belief that 1992 was a constitutional train wreck and that I knew to many bikers that would not wish to be protected at the expense of their freedom.

They asked does that mean you are in opposition to the amendment to which I replied in the affirmative. They thanked me for my opinion (but did not offer any KY)

Doc the president of ABATE of Florida was next to speak. He waived his time other than to say I was wrong bikers support this bill.

And thats the news from the capital