Edition 1-21-06

 

  from ctv Canada
Late night raids of Hells Angels Motorcycle gang chapters resulted in 27 arrests Wednesday as part of a major police sweep across northwestern Ontario. 

A two-year investigation, dubbed 'Project Husky,' involved police forces in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. The probe into alleged biker activities led police to conduct 15 raids.

Senior Hells Angels were believed to be arrested, including allegedly high-ranking member Andre Watteel. 

Five others described as 'full patch' members are among the people arrested and facing drug related charges.

Arrest warrants have been issued for another four people who escaped the raids.

Police say $2.3 million worth of cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and other drugs were seized along with an unknown number of weapons. Cash and a recreational vehicle were also seized by officers.

"This operation will have a significant impact on the Hells Angels in Ontario and the local community," Insp. Don Bell, head of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) biker enforcement unit said.

"We feel we may have dismantled this chapter (in Thunder Bay). However, we'll have to wait and see what the actions are of the Hells Angels." 

Just a stunt Hells Angels spokesperson Donny Peterson called the raid a publicity stunt.

"There's a federal election going on," Peterson said. "This is smoke and mirrors so they can say they are being tough on crime."

He told The Canadian Press that the raids have not impacted the biker gang.

"You'll see the Thunder Bay chapter going along just fine for many years to come," Peterson said.

During a news conference in Thunder Bay, police played a video of officers using an explosive device to open the gang's vacant clubhouse door. Investigators said it was done to get inside and ensure they could retrieve evidence. Peterson said explosives were used "for the benefit of the media." 

Secret operation Even local police had no idea of the raids until after the fact, with one officer describing the extensive probe and ensuing raids as "very hush-hush.'' "We're still in the process of sorting everything out,'' Bell said from the police command post.

"The operation is ongoing right now, but suffice it to say that it's your traditional charges that are associated with outlaw motorcycle gangs.'' While the focus of the probe was northwestern Ontario, the raids also involved action in Quebec and Alberta, Bell said.

Police in Calgary said their involvement involved only the execution of a search warrant.

"That resulted in the seizure of some documentation,'' said Calgary police spokesman Don Stewart.

A spokesman for Surete du Quebec in Montreal referred calls to provincial police in Thunder Bay.

The raids are another blow to the Hells Angels, who have 34 chapters in Canada.

Last year, 45 members or associates were charged or convicted in a major RCMP operation in British Columbia, and Quebec has also successfully prosecuted several leading members of the gang.

Canadian authorities estimate there are about 1,200 motorcycle gang members in Canada, most of whom belong to the Hells Angels, the Outlaws and the Bandidos. 

 Removing makeup: 
Wet face with warm water, spread a handful of whipped cream on your face, rinse clean with warm water, and blot dry. 
FLFLHTC:  I can think of better uses for whipped cream.

Switch off the oven, hotplates and iron a few minutes before you need to stop using them - they will stay hot for a long time. Heating devices use more power that anything else. 
 

Preparing To Wallpaper: 
Before wallpapering a wall, apply a coat of clear varnish to any grease spots. This will prevent the grease from soaking through the new paper. 

The Eye Of The Needle: 
Squirt a bit of hair spray on your finger and apply it to the end of a thread. The thread will stiffen just enough to ease it into the eye of the needle. 

S.C. BILL WOULD MAKE STOP LIGHTS OPTIONAL FOR BIKERS With 44 years of motorcycle riding experience, Billy Richardson knows what he likes - "You're out in the open a lot more, it's more relaxing" - and what he doesn't. "I get upset sitting at the traffic lights and waiting all the time," he says. 

It's a problem that not only irritated him, but it prompted him to write a bill.
A piece of legislation that - if passed - would turn sensored stop lights into stop signs for motorcycle riders.

Richardson proposed the legislation because he says most bikes aren't heavy enough to set off sensors, so unless a car pulled up, the light wouldn't change.

"We want the freedom to go if the road is clear. We're not going to pull out.
Trust me, ain't no motorcycle gonna pull out in front of nobody," he says.

They would, though, get to go straight, go left, whatever, when drivers of cars couldn't.

He says he has a lot of support and hopes to soon get the green light to go on red.

"We've got good positive feedback about it and I feel good. I won't lie about it, I feel good," he says with a grin.

Richardson says Minnesota, Tennessee and Arkansas already have similar laws in effect.
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) announces President Bush has sent the nomination of Nicole R. Nason from Virginia to the U.S. Senate to assume the position of Administrator at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

"Let’s hope Ms. Nason has a better approach to motorcycle safety than her predecessor." said Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. "In all seriousness, the MRF does look forward to continuing to work with NHTSA when comes to focusing on motorcycle safety.", he continued. "The recent formation of the NHTSA motorcycle safety network’s quarterly meetings which include the involvement of the MRF, AMA, NHTSA, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, SMSA, MSF and law enforcement is a positive sign NHTSA does want input from the riding community.", Hennie added. 

NHTSA will be the lead agency in administration of the $25 million motorcycle safety grant program contained in SAFETEA-LU (PL 109-59). Inclusion of the grant program in the bill was due singularly to the efforts of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and its members. 

Currently Ms. Nason serves as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Governmental Affairs. Previously, she served as Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Congressional Affairs for the United States Customs Service. 
Ms. Nason also served as Communications Director and Counsel to Representative Porter J. Goss. Earlier in her career, she served as Governmental Affairs Counsel at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Ms. Nason received her bachelor's degree from the American University and her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve.

Worthy Mention. 
The President also nominated Roger Shane Karr, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Transportation. Karr will replace Nason.
January 18, 2006 This Travel Warning updates ongoing security concerns in Colombia and reminds American citizens of those concerns. This supersedes the Travel Warning issued May 4, 2005. 

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural, including border areas. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue to be victims of threats, kidnappings, and other criminal acts. 

Violence in recent years has decreased markedly in most urban areas, including Bogotá, Medellin, Barranquilla, and Cartagena. The level of violence in Cali and its surrounding areas remains high, largely as a result of the illicit drug trade. Many rural portions of Colombia also remain extremely dangerous due to the presence of narcoterrorists and Colombian government operations against them.

At least five Americans were kidnapped in 2004, and at least one in 2005. No one can be considered immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Terrorist groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), and other criminal organizations, continue to kidnap civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. The FARC have held three American official contractors hostage since February 2003. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to or strike deals with kidnappers. 
Consequently, the U.S. government's ability to assist kidnapping victims is limited.
VIRGINIA HELMET LAW DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY VAGUE Portions of Virginia's motorcycle helmet law were declared unconstitutional on Friday, December 
9, 2005 by a judge of the Newport News Circuit Court. In a ten page memorandum order, Hon. H. Vincent Conway, Jr. held that the portions of Va. Code subsection 
46.2-910 which defined the standards that a protective helmet must meet or exceed were unconstitutionally vague, denied due process and were unenforceable.
The decision marked another victory in the ongoing battle by the Law Offices of Tom McGrath to challenge Virginia's helmet law.

McGrath, who is the Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM) Attorney for Virginia, and his Newport News associate Matt Danielson concentrate their practice on representing injured motorcyclists. In addition, they provide legislative lobbying services and traffic citation defense for the motorcycling community.

In the past five years they have successfully defended over fifty bikers charged with violation of Virginia's helmet statute. Although the constitutional arguments have been raised many times before, the courts have previously ruled that the Commonwealth could not prove a violation of the statute and thereby avoided a ruling on the constitutional issues. Judge Conway did not follow this course and instead found at least some of McGrath's arguments to be persuasive.

"The impact of Judge Conway's decision is that any helmet selected by a motorcyclist in the city of Newport News now complies with the statute since the standards previously used have been invalidated," explained McGrath.


BIKERS PROTEST DISCRIMINATION AGAINST "COLORS" Almost all Southern California motorcycle clubs put their differences aside to band together to fight outright discrimination on Sunday, December 4, 2005 at the Veterans Stadium during a monthly motorcycle swap meet that bars patcholders from attending.

Popeye, a board member of the Confederation of Clubs of Southern California and member of the Vietnam Vets MC, attended to help organize the rally with Gill Mellen, ABATE of California public relations officer.

Everyone took turns at the entrance with picket signs that said, "Stop Discrimination Against Patcholders," "Together We Stand," and other such slogans.

"As people and vendors rolled up they were told not to go in if they wanted to stand up for equal rights and that the same people they were banning were the ones who made the swap meet great," wrote Karyn Chassman in Quick Throttle magazine. "A few vendors and lots of patrons turned around and left, which we applauded and cheered as they did."

The protesters hoped to resolve the problems between the patcholders and the swap meet and to make bikers aware of the injustice and prejudice going on around them that they may one day face.

All in all, the protest accomplished it's goals, as all parties involved, from the swap meet management to the Confederation of Clubs, are in communication and hope the resolve this matter positively and for the good of the entire motorcycling community.
VIRGINIA HELMET LAW DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY VAGUE Portions of Virginia's motorcycle helmet law were declared unconstitutional on Friday, December 
9, 2005 by a judge of the Newport News Circuit Court. In a ten page memorandum order, Hon. H. Vincent Conway, Jr. held that the portions of Va. Code subsection 
46.2-910 which defined the standards that a protective helmet must meet or exceed were unconstitutionally vague, denied due process and were unenforceable.
The decision marked another victory in the ongoing battle by the Law Offices of Tom McGrath to challenge Virginia's helmet law.

McGrath, who is the Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM) Attorney for Virginia, and his Newport News associate Matt Danielson concentrate their practice on representing injured motorcyclists. In addition, they provide legislative lobbying services and traffic citation defense for the motorcycling community.

In the past five years they have successfully defended over fifty bikers charged with violation of Virginia's helmet statute. Although the constitutional arguments have been raised many times before, the courts have previously ruled that the Commonwealth could not prove a violation of the statute and thereby avoided a ruling on the constitutional issues. Judge Conway did not follow this course and instead found at least some of McGrath's arguments to be persuasive.

"The impact of Judge Conway's decision is that any helmet selected by a motorcyclist in the city of Newport News now complies with the statute since the standards previously used have been invalidated," explained McGrath.


Frosty Funeral

pugnacious \pug-NAY-shus\ adjective

: having a quarrelsome or combative nature : truculent

Example sentence:
"Keep your pugnacious pooch away from my Snoodles!" Mrs. Slater shouted, and I thought, "How ironic that such a quarrelsome old lady thinks my docile dog wants to pick a fight."

Did you know?
Pugnacious individuals are apt to cry, "Put up your dukes!" When they do, they're packing an etymological punch. "Pugnacious" comes from the Latin verb "pugnare" (meaning "to fight"), which in turn comes from the Latin word for "fist," "pugnus." Another Latin word related to "pugnus" is "pugil," meaning "boxer." "Pugil" is the source of our word "pugilist," which means "fighter" and is used especially of professional boxers.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Drug free since 1-01-87
Young riders pick a destination and go. 
Old riders pick a direction and go.