Belt Drive Betty's Blog

And so it goes...life on the Internet

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<span style="color: #e69138;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The human race sometimes astounds me until I remember I am a member of the human race. I get frustrated and discouraged like every human being and today is one of those days. I am amazed at the number of people who, even in the biker world are self involved, self centered, rude, hurtful and yes even down right hateful. </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And then it hits me...</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I realized this morning, that I must be getting old, the changes I see in the biker culture - well some dismay me heartily. I must be getting old because I am old enough to remember the true Biker's Code. What happened to Honor? Honesty, Kindness, Compassion, Caring...what happened to Integrity, to Acceptance? The Internet has done a lot to change communication and while much of that is a good change - in the riding world - I am not so sure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bikers,  at least the ones I am accustomed to, generally are straight talkers.  That doesn't make them great writers. The skill of conveying feeling on  the Internet is just that - a skill.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If, like in riding, you don't learn and master the skills necessary for survival, then you are going to go down, and hard. Our community has a hard enough time with persecution that it amazes me how a group of people who have been criticized and in many cases condemned or tarred the way we are - how quick to sling mud, throw stones and generally be unthinking and unfeeling many are.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The internet is a great tool on many fronts but it can also be a detrimental one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have learned, the hard way, that people read what they want to read, Or not in the case of directions or instructions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">People can not see your body language, hear the intonation of your voice. They can not hear the evil little giggle of teasing or the deep tones of sadness and hence, unless you are an exceptionally talented writer - it can be very, very easy to hurt someone's feelers or to bring them to the point of hostility, anger and resentment.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next time you write something on the internet, think first. Think of what you really want to say, what you want to convey and write a draft or two before you send it...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh and if your anger and hostility - or your frustration, confusion or embarrassment get the better of you, instead of telling the world about it - why don't you exercise a little discretion and common sense and tell the only person who can explain or rectify things - FIRST. The person whose written words angered, or hurt you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Telling me and 3-400 other people about person XYZ who hurt you might make you feel better and vindicated but it is not going to get you the results you really need.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can tell you from experience that the written word can and will be taken out of context.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As effective of a communicator as I can be - I HAVE and probably will again, put my foot in my mouth or hurt someone. Not because I intended to, but like the usually dry humored and often misunderstood British - people did not understand, could not understand the intent of what I was saying. Generally a phone call solves the issue, sometimes it does not.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like the accusations that were leveled at me, by a person who considers themselves a biker, over alleged misappropriation of funds - he wrote it, sent it out to about a 1,000 people - it was completely untrue and had the person who shot their mouth off ever come to me - <b>asked ME</b> about what went on - I could have relieved their fears - but I was never given that chance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nope, there was no honor there. The Biker's Code was completely ignored and I was blamed for something I DID NOT DO. Why? Because this person didn't stop to think about the ramifications of what they had to say <b>or the media by which they chose to say it.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The  Internet is a great communications tool, but, like any tool, it needs to be used safely and I am not talking viruses and trojans - I am talking about being smart in what you say, how you say it and what your intent is and WHO you say it to.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To the viscous, the petty and the small - you have just found the greatest way to spew your hatred, self centered ness and your petty ness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>For the rest of you </b>- use it for the good it can do and if the words some one writes hurt you - take it up with them. If your words hurt someone - pick up the phone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like everyday - I welcome it when you jump in on the topics of the day...talk to me people!</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The news is quiet this morning and the slave driver I work for tells me it's time to get invoicing done so until Monday - be safe, think before, during and after you write something and have a great weekend.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cceedd; line-height: 18px;">Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bustedknucklechronicles.com/">www.bustedknucklechronicles.com</a></span></span></span></span></span></div>

And so it goes...life on the Internet

The human race sometimes astounds me until I remember I am a member of the human race. I get frustrated and discouraged like every human be...

Biker Kidz....supporting Little Warriors & The Katelynn Stinnett Memorial Ride

Belt Drive 0 Community 8:24 AM

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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Our competition to find great photos to grace a calendar all about the kidz of our community kicks off today.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">We are looking for kidz from babies to 12 years old dressed in biker gear  (tee shirts, actual riding gear etc) We intend to support two wonderful kidz causes - the <a href="http://www.littlewarriors.ca/">Little Warriors </a>for awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and the <a href="http://www.ksride-hr.com/home.html">Katelynn Stinnett Memorial Ride </a>in memory of Leslie "Cricket" Lee.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunties, moms and dads - get ready at 9am MST time we begin accepting your photos!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> - You must be a registered member of <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> and your contact information NEEDS to be accurate as we will be needing releases signed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I have a newspaper to finish and a ton of meetings to attend today - it is my hope you will check out the final day of voting for MR & MS January(voting ends at 5pm MST time today) - we begin accepting submissions for MR & MS February tomorrow morning at 9 AM MST...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">The news feeds are quiet today compared to yesterday but still a ton of news to catch up - check it out at <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> where we sift through the news so you don't have to!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cceedd; line-height: 18px;">Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bustedknucklechronicles.com/">www.bustedknucklechronicles.com</a></span></span></span></span> </div>
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Biker Kidz....supporting Little Warriors & The Katelynn Stinnett Memorial Ride

Our competition to find great photos to grace a calendar all about the kidz of our community kicks off today. We are looking for kidz f...

How to accomplish it...A Special Announcement

Belt Drive 1 Community 8:25 AM

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<i><span style="font-size: small;">I was recently inspired by two women, both for <b>VERY </b>different reasons.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Joey Carrothers Csapo is the coordinator for the Newcastle Pub's Poker Run for Little Warriors in Edmonton. Joey is an amazing woman. Strong, vibrant and passionate. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">She is a safety coordinator, rides and happens to be married to an old friend of mine.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Joey is looking for silent auction items for the Little Warriors Poker Run Fund Raiser, last year she and her team raised an astounding amount of money for this very worthy cause and that got me thinking...how could I get involved? She needs assistance this year and I myself was a Little Warrior, a survivor of Sexual Abuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then there is Cricket - Leslie Lee - Cricket was a founder of the Katelynn  Stinnett Memorial Ride, a national child abuse  prevention and awareness movement in the USA, she was also a member of the Borrowed Angels Charity Riders. Cricket, who had been honored by the Kentucky Legislature for her good works was recently murdered. Although I never had the privilege of meeting her - I knew of her.  Again, I found myself wondering - how could I get involved? Again, I was physically abused as a child....the connections were growing stronger and stronger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I came up with an idea - a Biker Kidz Calendar. Calendars are a great way to put a face to the community, to a cause and so I decided that we will host a contest to find 13 Kidz - Biker Kidz to grace a 2012 Calendar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>We want to feature Kidz who are dressed in "Biker Gear"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Babies, pre school, up to 12 years old.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is going to be a much faster contest than the Men and Ladies of Riding Calendar Contests- the reason being the riders need the summer to get great shots to go in the calendar - Grand Parents, Mom's, Dad's and aunties and uncles generally have a brag book at the ready.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">The Entry information: </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-h6jBbqSxSsEOyHsMZTdeDxOk5SWETKYsK3UeFSsflflsowHz7zj-Md0FsrzuLZtjDSGRrqpAkv1TMSJjqmOac0XvJbaB7SgXRNglGjeu2xY5iXjn6BpkFLKdfrNKR0HdOPe/s1600/Kidz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-h6jBbqSxSsEOyHsMZTdeDxOk5SWETKYsK3UeFSsflflsowHz7zj-Md0FsrzuLZtjDSGRrqpAkv1TMSJjqmOac0XvJbaB7SgXRNglGjeu2xY5iXjn6BpkFLKdfrNKR0HdOPe/s320/Kidz.jpg" width="247" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As you will see we will start off with one week to submit photos, then begin voting for January. We will begin accepting submissions for February at the same time voting is going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I really want to produce this calendar in time that the proceeds could go to Little Warriors via Joey & her Fundraiser and also to benefit the Katelynn  Stinnett Memorial Ride - that ride is slated for June - but I think we can get enough Pre Orders to make a donation in time for the ride and maybe another after the ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I want to do this to honor my friend Joey and to pay tribute to a woman whose courage and dedication I admired from afar - Cricket... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Biker Kidz are the future of <b>OUR </b>Community - I think they would be wonderful representatives of the love, compassion and dedication the riding community has to it's families and I feel that this calendar has the opportunity to create awareness of what happy, healthy, whole kids look like....So - what say you? You up for the idea?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you are - we begin accepting submissions tomorrow!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Like all of our contests you have to be a registered member to enter - please help me out by providing accurate information on how to contact you because we WILL need Waivers signed! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is a WHACK of news today and I encourage you to go on over to <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> where we sift through the news so you don't have to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Have a Fabulous Tuesday everyone and remember -Voting for MR & MS January ends tomorrow and we begin accepting submissions for February on Thursday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cceedd; line-height: 18px;">Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bustedknucklechronicles.com/">www.bustedknucklechronicles.com</a></span></span></span></span></div>

How to accomplish it...A Special Announcement

I was recently inspired by two women, both for VERY different reasons. Joey Carrothers Csapo is the coordinator for the Newcastle Pub'...

Get over yourself...

Belt Drive 2 Community 7:06 AM

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<i><span style="font-size: small;">We are hosting some calendar competitions on <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"> - one calendar involves the guys - and is meant - a little tongue in cheek - to be a beef cake style calendar - The Motorcycle Men of 2012 Calendar. It will feature men who ride and hopefully show us a wee bit of skin...bare arms, abs both six pack and not...</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">The ladie's calendar is an empowerment calendar, meant to encourage other women to grab life by the handle bars.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I have recently gotten a few emails regarding the contests from people not happy that our site - a Canadian site, is allowing American women to enter and complaining there was not enough skin being shown in the men's competition. Give me a break....please!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">These calendars are for charity - they are meant to give us the opportunity to "meet" each other, have a little fun and do something good for our community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">With everything that is going on in the world right now - in Japan with the nuclear reactors threat of melt down, the Earthquake there, the Tsunami's that quake has triggered - the unimaginable suffering and devastation, in Indonesia where a Tsunami has hit, well I have to say I am disappointed with the dissenters of our contests. I don't mind questions - those I am happy to answer, but a few of these emails bordered on the really rude and insufferable. If you haven't gotten a response from me it's because I choose not to engage in the nastiness. To those who were rude and in My Humble Opinion - rather nasty - get over yourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The ladies calendar is meant to support the Women Who Ride - Rock - Breast Cancer Conga which is a cross border fund raiser for Breast Cancer Research and the Chrome Cowgirls and the good works they do down in the US,  (People will have a choice of which of the two charities they want to see their $10 go to when they PRE Order their calendars)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The men's calendar will support the CMTA's Injured Riders Fund here in Canada and in the US it will support the Patriot Guard and their HOTH - Help on the Homefront cause. (Again people will have a choice of which of the two charities they want to see their $10 go to when they PRE Order their calendars) Because I don't want to fill the calendars up with advertising we will be selling the calendars by pre order only. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now folks, I am glad there are people out there who take these calendars seriously - I am grateful and humbled that so many have gotten on board to participate, but remember, there are 13 contests in total, one for each month of the year in the calendar. If you don't win for January, you can try the next month...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ali and I manage 95% of everything by ourselves. We have Robert Burns of the Alberta Lonewolves who contributes to our news on a daily basis, we have Tracy from Patch Chick Resources who pitches in when she can and WyzWmn who posts biker puzzles in the forums every day for your playing pleasure. Once in a while we get help from a couple of gals in the East with the event calendar postings and we do have a number of the riding clubs starting to take the time to post their own events in the calendars instead of just emailing them for us to add - other than that - there are just two of us who do the work to keep the community informed and offer some contests to keep us amused and to hopefully support our community. Remember - membership on our site is free - the only things we charge for are the weekly Newspaper, The Busted Knuckle Chronicles, the patches we sell and if you order a phone book on line - we have to charge shipping...and our Road Side Assistance offerings from Best Roadside and MotoLimo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We do the very best we can - and your following the rules, reading the instructions and providing us with solid contact information at registration simplifies our job immensely and allows us to accomplish our work much faster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We want you to use our site with a measure of confidence hence we hand approve EVERYONE to prevent those slippery spammers from getting in to our site. We use 411 services and phone calls to verify information. We have found that the automated processes just do not keep the spammers out and so - hand approvals are necessary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It's a time consuming job phoning people and looking up the information but it is so vital to protecting our hard work and your memberships on our site. <b>We value each and every member and we want you to know that.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you will get involved, contribute to our site, get in on the forums and meet each other and just generally enjoy our site.  <b>I have something exciting to announce in the next day or so...so stay tuned!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Like very day - I enjoy it when you jump in on the discussions of the day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>In Other News:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In New York, a biker bar that fed the homeless, and those having a tough time making ends meet has had to stop that practice - <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/lastest-international/286-news-international-/9759-tough-times-undermine-generosity-at-ny-biker-bar">Click here to read why.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In New Hampshire a widow has opened a biker bar in her husband's memory. <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-lifestyle/449-2009-09-07-21-33-09/9755-widow-buys-bar-to-honor-memory-of-her-husband">Click here to read why.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In Florida a new bill to protect bikers is being introduce - find out what that's about - <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-law-and-politics/360-contacts/9752-bill-seeks-to-protect-florida-bikers-kill-a-motorcyclist-get-at-least-90-days-in-jail">Click here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Also in Florida, Bike Week is over and the mixed reviews are starting to come in. <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-travel-tourism/341-contacts/9751-bike-week-ends-results-mixed-economy-gas-prices-and-competition-from-other-areas-cited-">Click here to read about it. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In Indonesia a motorcycle rider was killed by the Tsunami that was triggered by the earthquake in Japan. <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/lastest-international/286-news-international-/9762-tsunami-waves-kill-one-in-indonesia-official">Click here to read more.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the UK a huge ride called the Ride of Respect is being planned. <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-travel-tourism/341-contacts/9758-motorcyclists-prepare-for-mass-ride-through-town">Click here to read more.</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">There is a ton of other news over at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com </a>where we sift through the news, so you don't have to!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Have a fantastic Monday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cceedd; line-height: 18px;">Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bustedknucklechronicles.com/">www.bustedknucklechronicles.com</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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Get over yourself...

We are hosting some calendar competitions on www.beltdrivebetty.com - one calendar involves the guys - and is meant - a little tongue in...