THE "RONALD REAGON" DINNER THEATER AND CREMATORIUM.
"One picture is worth 1,000 denials".



WEIRD NEWS
Hells Angels founder sues HBO

Sonny Barger claims he was cut out of new biker series '1%'
By Nellie Andreeva and Eriq Gardner
April 20, 2008
HBO might have a biker-sized legal problem on its hands with its
motorcycle-themed drama pilot "1%."

Hells Angels founder Sonny Barger filed a lawsuit last week against
the pay cable network, the production company behind the project and
its writer/executive producer Michael Tolkin claiming that the
concept and the script for the show were developed with his
collaboration. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court,
contends that HBO, the White Mountain Co. and Tolkin cut him out of
the project and violated many of his publicity rights when he
demanded changes to protect his own brand.

"1%" originally was set at the Carefree, Ariz., chapter of the Death
Rangers, one of the toughest motorcycle clubs in the country, and
centered on Misfit (Donal Logue), a Silicon Valley member who is sent
to the troubled chapter to bring it under control. The project was
ordered to pilot in October.

In the complaint, Barger says he first optioned his best-selling
autobiography to 20th Century Fox for movie development. Fox then
hired Tolkin (Robert Altman's "The Player") to write the script.
Barger claims he also shared with Tolkin a series of novels he had
been working on about a fictional motorcycle club. Together, the two
pitched HBO on a motorcycle club-centered series, and HBO
subsequently turned to Tolkin to create it.

However, after Barger objected to some of the elements in the pilot,
HBO "refused to acknowledge the contributions or authorship" of
Barger and didn't seek permission to "use or publish the name,
trademark, persona or likeness of Sonny Barger for any purpose," the
suit said.

Barger was given the option of serving as a consulting producer on
the project but turned it down. There was also talk of his appearing
in the pilot in the potentially recurring role of Chief, the oldest
member of the Death Rangers, but the casting never materialized.

Among the objections Barger lists in the suit are "that some
characters introduced by Tolkin too close resembled or depicted
living persons (in particular a character named 'Chief,' which for
decades has been a well-known nickname or alias for Sonny Barger),
that some actual place names used in the script were too identifiably
associated with Sonny Barger and the Hells Angels (such as the
primary location being Carefree, AZ, which is the town adjacent to
where Sonny Barger presently resides, and that the principal
character has moved from Northern California, which is exactly what
Sonny Barger did)."

Barger, repped by attorney Fritz Clapp, wants the court to declare
the "1% Script" as a joint work of Sonny Barger Prods. and Tolkin,
enjoin Tolkin and HBO from selling or exhibiting the program, and
award compensatory damages for exploiting Barger's publicity rights.


VOLKS WAGEN LOOKS TO MANUFACTURE MOTORCYCLES NEXT
Reports in parts of the financial press are suggesting German car
manufacturer Volksvagen are looking to add a motorcycle manufacturer
to their range.

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung, The Ducati market may be a target.


HARLEY RESALE MARKET DRIVES DOWN PRICES.
MARKET TURNS, USED HARLEYS DRIVE DOWN LONG ANTICIPATED VALUES.
I heard it several times before and it made me think a lot. "Why
would I buy a
brand new Harley when there are so many used ones available with low
miles, a
long remaining factory warranty and sold at such a big discount?" And
this
remark was not coming from individuals hunting for a bargain on the
used bikes
parking lot of a Harley Dealer, but from people calling desperate
Harley owners
caught upside down in the 130% Harley-Davidson <http://www.harley-
davidson.com>financing
trap and real estate melt down. Except if you are a "buy only new"
guy or
looking for a model produced only in 2008, what would you not look
for bargains
in your classified or on eBay? In addition, most of those who can
really afford
a brand new Harley are going to customize it, and it always starts by
throwing
away some factory parts. So, why not let the seller pay for these
unused parts?
We are now in situation of paradox. Harley-Davidson
<http://www.harley-davidson.com>main
competitors are no more the other manufacturers, but Harley owners
who are
flooding the market with used bikes. Harley riders competing with
their bikes
manufacturer! Never seen before. The solution? As Harley did it,
limit
production. What else? Let the market absorb its excesses, and like
for the US
real estate, it will probably take a couple of years.



WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO TAG AREAS TO SMALL TO FIGHT
BACK.
COOK ISLANDS, POLYNESIA.
HELMET LAWS INSTITUTED
Polynesia


April 2, 2008
Helmets will become compulsory on the Cook Islands from 12th April.
Failure to wear a helmet while riding will be punishable by an
instant $100 fine and 30 days in jail.
90% said NO to helmets!

Saturday March 29: 2008, Ninety percent of voters in the Cook
Islands News text poll are against compulsory crash helmets.
This was revealed yesterday after two days of polling drew 883 valid
text votes.

Of that number 797 said 'no' to compulsory helmets and 105
said 'yes'. Regardless of the voting desires, There are no longer
any non helmeted riders in any part of the cook islands. This move
was endorsed by the World Health Organization which is rummored to be
going after the smaler markets establishing helmet laws before
entering the larger financialy dominent countries.



M.P.G for motorcycles,, whose measuring.
Susan Carpenter, who writes the motorcycle columns for the Los
Angeles Times, has a new piece out that explores how motorcycle
manufacturers measure the gas mileage of their
vehicles...


Since there's no standardized motorcycle MPG test, where are these
fuel-economy figures coming from? In the case of Yamaha, Suzuki and
Harley-Davidson (which has been providing MPG figures since 1982),
they're based on the EPA emissions test the manufacturers are already
required to perform to sell bikes in the United States.

Here's a link to her full article...
http://www.latimes.com/.../la-hy-throttle2apr02,0,498246.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/highway1/la-hy-
throttle2apr02,0,498246.story

It's perhaps good reading to understand a little understood aspect of
the industry standards. But what Susan is actually doing is setting
up a question that will likely raise its head in the months to come.

And that simply is a challenge to the fact that motorcycles are offen
a greater fuel efficiency and cost of ownership compared to cars.



WORLD RECORD FOR WHEELIE SET.
INDIA, ROUGH RIDERS COME OF AGE.
NATIONAL PASSION OF BIKERS IS STUNT RIDDING, AND THEY ARE REAL GOOD
AT IT.


23 year old Gurpreet Singh decided he wanted to set a new record for
India's longest wheelie. So he performed a 12 kilometre stunt - an
impressive performance which was very well done earning him the
world record holder for distance wheelie.

Unfortunately, he decided to make his record attempt on the Greater
Noida expressway! To compound his stupidity, he had not made any
arrangements with the authorities. Singh was arrested for 'rash and
negligent riding' and now awaits sentencing.
Motorcycle Used : Hero Honda Karizma 223 CC . 16.8 Bhp Rear tyre :
110/18 Front : 100/18 No performance modifications, except a slightly
deflated rear for more traction The wheelie was carried for 12Kms and
the bike stuttered because of insufficient fuel supply courtesy
gravity. He was in condition to to at least 15Kms. The attempt was
made at AM in the morning withe first ray of light in minimal traffic
We had ourselves called the media to showcase how stunts should be
done in a safe way. He was wearing full riding protection. The media
had removed all our safety announcements on video and did not mention
the riding gear he was wearing.

INDIA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AT PRESENT WHICH HAS SUCH A
LARGE SPORT BIKE CULTURE.
If you want to have a lowdown on the furore created by this click on
site;
http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=16335.
Photo of driver;
http://www.xbhp.com/autopictorials/data/500/sitting.jpg


REAL THINKER
10,000.00 of damage done with snow shovel and jack daniels.
Snow Rage, instead of Road Rage in North Dakota.
(04-01) 17:44 PDT Bismarck, N.D. (AP) --
A South Dakota man faces three felony charges after he allegedly got
drunk and went on a rampage with a snow shovel at a Bismarck gas
station.
Tyler Kraft, 20, of Timber Lake, allegedly threatened two other men
with the shovel on Saturday and used the shovel to damage a vehicle,
a gas pump and glass doors at the station.
Police estimate total damages at more than $10,000.
Kraft was charged with terrorizing, criminal mischief and unlawful
entry to a motor vehicle, and being an idiot.



WEIRD NEWS.

HENRY RIFFLES SHIPPED LOADED. C.E.O. SHOWS CONCERNS.
" WE WOULD NEVER WANT ANYBODY TO GET HURT BY OUR PRODUCTS"?
RIFFLE MANUFATURE SHIPS LOADED RIFFLES.
[04/04/08] PTD New York. A.P.
A riffle manufacturer asked arms dealers nation wide to do extra
inspections after discovering it had accidentally shipped hundreds
of guns loaded with live ammunition. Henry Repeating Arms, a maker
of lever-action rifles like ones used in the 1860s and 1870s, said a
thorough round of inventory checks revealed no other loaded
weapons. "We would never want anybody to get hurt," We simply do not
want anyone saying they were shot with one of our shipments.? the
company's president, Anthony Imperato, said this week. As a rule,
firearms are distributed unloaded to prevent potentially deadly
accidents. Imperato said the company's mistake was related to one of
its quality control measures. Every gun made by Henry Arms is test-
fired before it is sold, a common practice in the industry. The
rifles are then supposed to be checked to make sure no rounds remain,
but Imperato said an error allowed a few guns to be distributed still
loaded for the test firing procedure.


KEITH RICHARDS , ROLLING STONED.
REGAINES SOBER TRUST BY POSEING.
Keith Richards For Louis Vuitton
Published March 13th, 2008
Keith Richards, a true rock n' roll star. Elegantly wasted, he poses
front of the camera of star photographer Annie Leibovitz for the next
ad campaign of Louis Vuitton http://www.louisvuitton.com/ (I remind
you that 15 years ago I created a custom bike called "Harley
DavidStones". Guess why?). The selected shot can be seen HERE.
http://www.louisvuitton.com/
As Keith states at the end, his picture is very Rembrandt...ish and
besides "I want the public to know i just dont get stoned every day,
somedays i dont."?



DEVIANT REPORTS

BARRY MANILOW, could now pose for Texas chain saw masacre.
Barry Manilow a case study in plastic surgery gone bad.
Mr Manilow now has the look of living in a Wind tunnel.
When asked if he was pleased with his results Mr Manilow quickly
responded yes," I love the new look, It helps keep me youthfull "
He also indicated he and Paris Hilton may be joining efforts to
produce offspring to keep the beautifull people idea a float.

Barry Manilows music is currently being utilized as crowd control in
urban settings and a number of continents around the world.
www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/archives/007243.html



DEVIANT REPORTS
Vagos M.C. sueing A.T.F. Some of you may recall a couple of years
ago when
the Bureau of Alcohol Tabacco and Firearms busted several members of
the Vagos
MC in Riverside County, CA.
They busted into their homes, dragged out their women and children,
one of them
still naked from taking a shower, confiscated their properties,
arrested the
men, and later discovered they had nothing on them.
Now, those members are suing the ATF and it looks like a no brainer
for the
plantifs.



MAGGOT REPORTS
MOTORCYCISTS CAUGHT SPEEDING IN IRAN RECIEVE PUBLIC WHIPPINGS
[ PHOTOS BELOW}
Bring the kids for a picnic in the public square, what fun.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran - Foreign Affairs
Committee, reports
today that Iran will be cracking down heavily on motorcyclists who
violate traffic laws, with 74 lashes of a whip in public.
Iran has long used public lashings as a punishment for traffic
offenses, but
this is the first time they've actually announced it as
official.

Read the full article here.. [ WITH PHOTO] .
<http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5127/1/>


INDIANA JONES NBR.4, MAKES HIS DEBUT ON A HARLEY CUSTOM SPRINGER
Always nice to see a motorcycle starring in a movie. Lucas Film and
Paramount are about to release May 22nd the 4th Indiana Jones movie
in the unforgettable series, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of
Crystal Skull." The movie stars are Harrison Ford, the young rising
star Shia La Beouf and a heavily modified new Harley-Davidson Softail
Springer <http://www.harley-davidson.com>. The motorcycle was
customized to fit into the time period of the movie. To celebrate
Harley involvement, each dealer will have the opportunity to obtain
30 sets of tickets to the movie at no charge. These tickets will be
used in local markets to help drive customer traffic to the
dealerships during the peak of riding season. The promotional period
will be May 1-June 1, 2008. ??Dealers will receive a pack of 30
uniquely coded, branded cards to hand out to qualified customers.
Each card will have the value of two movie tickets



BIKER WARNINGS ON TABLE NAPKINS.
Europe markets safety issues while bikers dine.
Use of table napkins to send messages of safety being used in Europe.
Police thru out Europe have unveiled their latest weapon in the
battle to improve road safety for bikers... table napkins.

Thousands of napkins will be distributed to roadside vans and cafes,
featuring the slogans 'Bikers Don't Crunch After Lunch" and "Dead
Tired or Just Dead'.

Assistant chief constable Graham Sunderland said "We hope that by
targeting people at the roadside with our safety messages, we can
prompt them to take a little more care, and prevent further
collisions from occurring."



INDIAN MOTORCYCLES BACK ON TRACK.
So, when you will read this, I will be in Kings Mountain, NC ready to
meet with the Executive Team of Indian Motorcycle
<http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/>;. Thank you for all the comments
you made and questions you asked (although some went way off topic)
and I will relay your concerns and interrogations. As an introduction
to the post(s) I will write when I return, below is the transcript of
my Pre-Launch Press Tour invitation.
"On behalf of the entire staff at Indian Motorcycle Company
<http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/>;, we welcome you to Kings
Mountain, NC. For the two past years, we have been eager to share
what we are doing with the motorcycle community. We are thrilled the
time has finally come to host you in our factory. We hope you will
find the rebuilding of an American Icon as interesting and exciting
as we do. Our objective is to provide you with a thorough, in depth
look at our company and convey the sense of pride and enthusiasm we
feel for our historic brand. We are dedicated to restoring the rich
heritage of Indian Motorcycle to its former glory and we greatly
appreciate you joining us on this exhilarating journey". Stephen
Julius, Chairman Of The Board. Steve Heese, President.


IN SPITE OF MARKETS, MOTORYCLE SCOOTERS AND WOMEN BUYING MOTORCYCLES
FLOAT THE MARKET AND BRING IN THE NUMBERS.

TOP US MARKETS FOR MOTORCYCLE OWNERSHIP
A new study from The Media Audit reveals that Spokane, Washington is
the top market in the U.S. for motorcycle ownership. Among adults who
live in Spokane, 18.5% own a motorcycle, compared to 9% for all U.S.
adults. Other markets with a high percentage of motorcycle ownership
include Riverside-San Bernardino,California (18.4%), followed by
Reno, Nevada (15.2%), Boise, Idaho (14.8%) and Salt Lake City, Utah
(14%).
According to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), new motorcycle
retail sales equaled an estimated $10.7 billion in 2006, the highest
level in 25 years. The MIC attributes the recent growth to the rise
in popularity of motor scooters and increase in female riders.
Today, there are more than 450 models on the market, from cruisers to
sport bikes to smaller fuel efficient commuter bikes.
According to The Media Audit, a majority of motorcycle owners are
married (59.2 percent) with an average age of 41 years. Adults who
own a motorcycle earn $77,714 in annual household income, a figure
that is $12,424 higher than the household income for the average U.S.
adult.
Rounding out the top ten markets for motorcycle ownership are Eugene-
Springfield, Oregon (13.8% adult motorcycle ownership), Colorado
Springs, Colorado (13.1%), Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin - home of
Harley Davidson Motor Company (12.9%), Portland, Oregon (12.4%), and
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota (12.3%).



EUROPEAN BIKER MARKETS SURGE IN SPITE OF UNDERTOW OF EFORTS TO CURB
MOTORCYCLES THRU OUT
EUROPE.

OVERSEAS CYCLE SALES SURGE
The European PTW (Powered Two-Wheelers) motorcycle market is still
flourishing. After breaking the 2 million units threshold in 2005, it
touched the 2.5 million units landmark at the end of 2007. Last year
the PTW market grew by a remarkable 10.1%.
According to figures transmitted by the ACEM statistical
correspondents the trend of the 50cc segment (mopeds and scooters) is
now positively oriented after 10 consecutive years of decline, and
the volume approaches one million units. For 2007 the registrations
of motorcycles over 50cc recorded the 5th consecutive positive year
with +3% and 1.5 million units.
Since 2002, when the PTW registrations reached their lowest point
(1,873.822 units), the market has recovered steadily and in 2007 it
reached 2.5 million vehicles, with a +32% increase over the past five
years.
The current fleet of PTWs in Europe amounts to approximately
30,000,000 vehicles. Over the last few years, EU market trends
clearly show that motorcycles answer the mobility needs of an
increasingly higher share of the European population.



MAYBE FACES OF BOZO ON OUR BUS WOULD HELP.

MOTORCYCLE STUDY PROVES MOTORCYCLES THAT LOOK LIKE FACES HAVE LESS
ACCIDENTS.
Honda Motor Company scientists studying the way the brain reacts to
different imagery found that motorcycles that resemble a human face -
especially an angry one evoked with diagonal headlights and
abbreviated nose - are "significantly" more visible to other drivers.
Measurements taken with functional magnetic resonance imaging confirm
that a more lifelike front-end design "elicits a response similar to
that when a human face is seen," suggesting that other drivers will
more quickly recognize the motorcycle's presence and react
accordingly.
"People in four-wheeled vehicles will see not just motorcycles coming
at them but motorcycles with human characteristics and faces," says
Charles Kenny, president of Right Brain People, a consumer psychology
firm specializing in motor vehicles. "It connects to something very
basic in the psyche that goes back to when they were little children."
By way of example, Kenny points to the Disney movie Cars, and to
kids' toys such as Thomas & Friends trains, both of which cause
youngsters to emotionally identify with inanimate objects.
"The human brain," Honda's 2005 study explains, "exhibits a strong
response to facial patterns, especially to the eyes and mouth." The
observation led to the extrapolation that human-looking bikes are
more quickly recognized by motorists, making them more easily avoided.
Major manufacturers such as Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Buell,
Triumph and Ducati all feature 2008 sportbikes fitted with menacing
cat's eye headlights, and according to Money.CNN.com the new Honda DN-
01 deliberately incorporates a human look into its front view.
"The sportbike community really wants an aggressive, hard-edged
design," says John Paolo Canton, spokesman for Ducati North
America. "Nobody wants to buy a 300-km/h motorcycle that looks cute."
With motorcycle use worldwide near an all-time high, "conspicuity
enhancement" as researchers call it, can help promote awareness and
avoidance of motorcycles sharing the road.



FLORIDA FOLLOWS AUSTRAILIA IN CONFISCATION OF MOTORCYCLES
Florida adopts Austrailas law about confiscating your motorcycle.

Freedom Fighter (Member Hall Of Fame) alerts you about Florida Senate
Bill 802 and its companion House Bill 137 which includes confiscation
of vehicle for traffic offense). Rogue requests that all concerned
motorcycle riders contact Florida Legislators and request that Senate
Bill 802 NOT BE ALLOWED TO BECOME LAW. There is also Senate Bill 1992
<" target=_blankhttp://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?
Tab=session&Submenu=1&FT=D&File=session/2008/Senate/bills/amendments_c
om/html/sb1992AM039484.html>; that relates to racing on the street.
Realizing that this has been a problem much of the bill is
understandable. But upon close inspection, starting on line 235 and
specifically on line 238 it says "Seized and Forfeited'.
We are against the state taking a person's personal property for
motor vehicle violations. We feel that this opens the door to
overzealous actions by some in law enforcement for personal or
departmental financial gain. Citizens should insist that any law that
includes confiscation and or forfeiter also include that the agency
and that agency's personal cannot profit in Any Way for doing it.
With the budget problems that are being discussed at the capitol it
appears that some legislators are trying to raise funds and or
supplement some department's income by the confiscation of personal
property. Even though the confiscation of a motorcycle in the bill
has been removed, there are still many discrepancies in it. For more
information you also contact Rogue at: rogue@...



WEIRD NEWS
COSTS OF REHAB ESCALATE IN U.S. COMPANIES MARKETING TO GO OVER SEAS
FOR
TREATMENT. MUCH HIGHER SUCCESS RATIO NOTED.
The costs of rehab in the U.S are high, and the insurance is low.
Other
countries are now marketing to the U.S for over seas alchohol and
drug
rehabilition. Much less lower in costs. Much more intense in time [
8 months in
Israel] and much higher success ratio.
Click on web site below.

http://www.medicaltourismforyou.com/drugrehab.htm