It’s All About Kids

The 8th Annual Musician’s Toy Run Benefit is set for this Saturday, November 7th at Trails End Saloon.   The ABATE/Shriner’s Toy Run is a motorcycle event sponsored by ABATE of Oregon where hundreds of riders take toys to the children at Shriners Hospitals for Children.  The actual Toy Run will take place on December 6th.
Like previous [...]

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Starting A Rumor

Two-hundred Washington state patch holders protest — peacefully and with style and grace?
If there is anything melding Government policies together these days, it is the proclivity to wage all kinds of wars within.  Thin as it is, “declaration of war” has been entreated frequently, from war on drugs, war against politics/graft, war against pay-day loans, [...]

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Backward Looking

As a motorcycle enthusiasts should we care about the Healthcare debate?  In a word, YES!
Looking in our rear view mirror, there is precedent for all of us to be concerned with in regards to any health care legislation coming out of Washington. For example in 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [...]

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Babies, Bikers and Glam Rock

Twisted Sister (“We’re Not Gonna Take It”) is an American heavy metal band known for delivering youth anthems, wearing outrageous clothes, gawdy make-up and having wild hairstyles during their performances.  One could debate that glam rock peaked in the mid-80s with MTV, yet the band has sold over 10M records and earned 35 gold and [...]

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Good Intentions Of Washington State Legislature

The good news is that motorcyclists in Washington State survived another year of legislative damage.  John Davis of Northwest Cycle Report provides a post mortem blog of the Washington State legislative session.  Below is a brief sample:
“HB 1403 (Addressing the detection of motorcycles and bicycles at vehicle-activated traffic control signals.) got caught up in the wrangling [...]

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Expect The Unexpected

Regardless of one’s stance on motorcycle clubs, rider associations, riding groups, or one-percent clubs, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the surging use of technology to reach out across the motorcycle base in the nation. In some instances, simple email proves useful for coordinating events, or the more sophisticated computer/cell/social networking/BB’s technology helps members interact and [...]

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Public Safety Costs Cancel Snohomish Bike Show

I’ve posted previously on the unintended consequences of aggressive police staffing at biker rallies and the Snohomish Antique and Classic Motorcycle Show is the latest Northwest victim.
Until this year the Sky Valley chapter of A.B.A.T.E paid about $5,000 for security and no other event in the city had been required to have more than two [...]

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Giving Motorcyclists A Voice In Olympia

If you’re anything like the rest of the motorcycle world, how the economy will perform in 2009 weighs heavily on your mind as well as how the legislators plan to regulate motorcycle issues.
After a successful election season the Washington State elected officials return tomorrow (January 22nd) for the new legislative session.  “Black Thursday” is the [...]

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Black Monday

Is a widely used reference to October 19, 1987, the day the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped a record 508 points, or nearly 23%. Disarray in the financial markets resulted from a combination of trade deficits, budget deficits, and potential government regulation of mergers and issuance of junk bonds.
My reference to Black Monday is not [...]

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ABATE Toy Run Makes Christmas Brighter For Kids

An unusual clear and brisk December day in the Northwest meant a huge turnout for the ABATE Toy Run.  Thousands of donated toys this Christmas will make it a little brighter for the kids at the Portland Shriner Hospital. 
All types of motorcycle enthusiasts riding BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha were in attendance to [...]

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