Edition 12-11-05

 

TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: 


If your making Christmas decorations that have fake snow on them, use salt instead of glitter. It's much cheaper... 

Posted on Mon, Dec. 05, 2005 

High court allows Hells Angels' lawsuit against San Jose officers Bay City News Service The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to block a civil rights lawsuit filed by San Jose Hells Angels motorcycle club members against local law enforcement officers over a raid in which three dogs were shot.

The high court left in place a decision in which the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in April that the Hells Angels could proceed with their lawsuit in federal district court in San Jose.

The lawsuit against seven San Jose police officers and a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy stems from raids conducted by the officers in January 1998 to investigate a beating death at the Pink Poodle nightclub in San Jose in 1997.

A Rottweiler and two other dogs were shot at two residences and the officers allegedly seized ``truckloads'' of personal items.

The appeals court said in April that the officers' alleged actions would amount to an unconstitutional search and that the lawsuit could go to trial.

The appeals court said the shooting of the dogs was unreasonable because the officers ``had a week to consider the options and tactics available for an encounter with the dogs.'' The court said, ``Nevertheless, the officers failed to develop a realistic plan for incapacitating the dogs other than shooting them.'' In today's action, the Supreme Court refused to review the officers' appeal of the circuit court ruling.

Subject: Southern Grandma 

Lawyers should never ask a Southern grandma a question if they aren't prepared for the answer.

In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand.
He approached her and asked, "Mrs. .Jones, do you know me?"

She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams, I've known you since you were a young boy, and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."

The lawyer was stunned! Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"
She again replied, "Why, yes, I do. I've known Mr.
Bradley since he was a youngster too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem.
He can't build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women, one of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."?
??
The defense attorney almost died. The judge asked both counselors to approach the bench, and in a very quiet voice, said, "If either of you bastards asks her if she knows me, I'll throw your sorry asses in jail for contempt."

December 10, 2005 

#05NR32 - MRF and American Iron Magazine address EPA Issues The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, in conjunction with American Iron Magazine is requesting the help of all motorcycle shops, builders, parts and engine manufacturers, and custom motorcycle owners in protecting your right to legally build and ride custom motorcycles. 

We are asking you to furnish the information necessary to persuade the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make changes to the new highway motorcycle emissions regulations. We will be asking the EPA to allow individuals to build more than one EPA exempt custom motorcycle in their lifetime and to allow small volume manufacturers and shops to build more than twenty-four custom EPA exempt motorcycles per year. Our proposal to EPA will incorporate a "non-conformance payment". In addition, our efforts will include legally modifying existing motorcycles under the same type of program. 

The published article also highlights the possible effects on the aftermarket industry of a Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) request asking EPA to issue a "letter of guidance" which would allow MIC member companies to sell EPA certified engines for use in kit bikes. 

Read the full story in the January 2006 and February 2006 issues of American Iron Magazine, the January issue of MRF Reports, or online at http://www.mrf.org/epa.php and the American Iron website at http://www.aimag.com/. The questionnaire will appear in the January 2006 MRF Reports, the February issue of American Iron and on the MRF and American Iron Magazine websites. Your participation is critical to the success of the project. Please complete the questionnaire today and return it to the MRF at the address listed. You are encouraged to make copies and give them to your friends and shop owners in your area. 

"The Motorcycle Rider Foundation is the only national motorcyclists rights organization working with EPA to preserve your right to build and ride the custom motorcycle of your choice" said Dave Dwyer of the MRF Board of Directors. 

"We have been involved with EPA from the beginning of the rulemaking process and we intend to keep working with EPA officials for as long as it takes to effect meaningful change on the rules. The lifestyle choices of our members depends on the survival of the motorcycle aftermarket industry and their survival is dependent on our success in securing the creation of a non-conformance payment program for custom and modified motorcycles". 

WORD of the DAY

nictitate \NIK-tuh-tayt\ verb

: to wink

Example sentence:
Some flecks of dust had fluttered into Myron's eye, causing him to nictitate uncontrollably.

Did you know?
"Nictitate" didn't just happen in the blink of an eye; it developed over time as an alteration of the older verb "nictate," which also means "to wink." Both verbs trace to the Latin word for winking, "nictare." The addition of the extra syllable was apparently influenced by Latin verbs ending in "-itare," such as "palpitare" and "agitare" (which gave us "palpitate" and "agitate," respectively). Today, "nictitate" has a special use in the animal world. Since the early 18th century, scientists have used "nictitating membrane" to describe the so-called "third eyelid": the thin, usually transparent membrane in the eyes of birds, fishes, and other vertebrates that helps keep the eyeball moist and clean.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.