Out with the Old and in with the NEW

In a couple of days we bid farewell to the old www.beltdrivebetty.com

Ali almost has our new forums done, the

new BDB Groups area for those who want a place to host their group forum for free.
We still have the classifieds and job listings to pull over, but other than that, we are there!

We still have small tweaks and fine tuning to do on the new site, but we are slowly working out the kinks. In all I am very please with the results!

I need a sports editor, someone who is interested in sifting through the feeds and posting the articles and links in our sports section.

I need moderators for our own BDB Forum.

If anyone is interested in giving me a hand, I'd love to hear from you.

Have a safe day - ride like they are out to get you - because, they are.

Belt Drive Betty

Rights - what rights?

The chair I sit in at work everyday is an interesting one.
It provides me a vantage point on what's going on in the world of motorcycles that few have.

I get to see it all from road racing, motocross and drag racing news to the politics of being a cruiser/touring rider.

Off road riders are constantly fighting to keep places to ride, street bikes are always subject to extra police services scrutiny and if you ride with a club anything that happens with 1% clubs has the potential to disrupt your riding life....

Like most people who ride a motorcycle I just want to ride.

I really don't care about what the supposed good guys and bad guys get up to....but and there is always a but....if you do keep an eye on what's going on, if you keep yourself educated and informed you can prevent yourself a world of frustration.

In the US right now the Mongols MC - a 1% MC, is under siege in a way that has a potential to affect the rights of others....what do I mean?

Well....a judge in the US has decided to grant Federal Prosecutors the rights to the "gang's" name and all associated imagery.

Intellectual Property is now under attack.

And I quote:
“U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper on Wednesday granted an injunction that prohibits gang members, their family members and associates from wearing, licensing, selling or distributing the logo, which typically depicts the profile of a Mongolian warrior wearing sunglasses. ……That way, federal authorities say, they could outlaw the gang in part by preventing them from using the name and imagery, and by seizing property and assets that carry it, including clubhouses, motorcycles and even gang members' clothing. This would allow any police officer "who sees a Mongol wearing this patch ... to stop that gang member and literally take the jacket right off his back," U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien told Reuters."

I guess that means that if these guys wear their logo as a tattoo that the authorities can either peel the hide off of them or confiscate the person wearing the tattoo....

Now you ask; how does this order affect the ordinary rider….

And I further quote:
"The judge initially issued an injunction Tuesday, but that order was limited to barring the sale or distribution of the logo. New language was added, saying the gang members and their affiliates "shall surrender for seizure all products, clothing, vehicles, motorcycles ... or other materials bearing the Mongols trademark, upon presentation of a copy of this order."

You can be sure that Canadian authorities are going to watch closely what happens with this newest twist in the "fight against crime" south of the border and will be looking for ways that they can implement the same strategy here.

When that strategy is implemented here in Canada - not if it is implemented but WHEN - if you have certain paraphernalia/intellectual property on you or your machine, on your tool box or the wall of your home or garage - the government may actually lay claim to it...because they would own the trademarks and the intellectual properties.

Think of the sweeping ramifications - books, pictures, posters, stickers, tee shirts, jewellery, tattoos and art work- all of these items are covered under intellectual property.

Here's a scene that has played out in my head, you tell me if you can see it happening:

You have a "Support XYZ MC" Sticker on your bike- you bought it because you either thought it was cool or you support freedom of expression. You have been at an event where a 1% MC has attended. (Remember - These gents are always followed to events by their ever faithful watchdogs, undercover officers - who photograph and catalogue everything including license plates.)

You are stopped by an officer who doesn't particularly care for you, he sees the sticker, he confiscates your bike and a case is built against you that you are a "Known Associate/Affiliate" because you, your bike and plate were photographed at an event with 1% ers present.....it costs you a filthy fortune to prove your bike is yours courtesy of hard work - Extreme? Perhaps - but is it possible? YUP as long as police officers are human - it’s possible...

Everything 1% clubs do affects the rest of us who wear black leather BECAUSE of the Police Services and governments of all levels - in my humble opinion, who don't exercise much in the way of common sense at times and their knee jerk reactions to situations often gives us laws that frankly are ridiculous and some are down right scary.

If you look at Myrtle Beach SC and the fact that they as a municipality have decided to super cede State law by introducing their own helmet law....

Look at my own bike show in Olds AB - the police services used the 1% clubs potential for attendance at the event to create fear in the municipal government and to extract $10K out of me for enhanced policing and they put so many restrictions on the event that I almost ended up in jail and lost $100K.

To educate yourself as to the latest in the saga I recommend you read:

http://www.newsone.ca/ottawarecorder/stories1/index.php?action=fullnews&id=42919

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/GAM.20081023.INGRAM23/TPStory/TPComment

If you are lucky enough to still be riding - please ride like they are out to get you....

Belt Drive Betty

A quiet news day

It's a pretty quiet news day which is good for me as Ali, Arlene and I work on getting the last of stuff transferred over to the new site.

Still a couple of small quirks to work out but it is coming nicely.

Your help to point out bugs and quirks on the new site is greatly appreciated.

If you are lucky enough to still be riding....ride like they are out to get you.

Belt Drive Betty

Hells Angel's Bunker Blown Up - Deja Moo?

As the old helmet sticker says - Deja Moo - a feeling I've heard this bull before.

It sounds like someone is out to deliver a message to the Hell's Angels or maybe as some of the mainstream media are surmising - they did it themselves to prevent loosing it to the government.

Either way - I can't imagine how the people of Montreal feel - not knowing if another war is looming between the Hells Angel's and some unnamed (and at this point by the public anyway) unknown rival.

If there truly is some kind of war brewing the police services must be going nuts. Can you imagine the media circus and nightmare this will become?

This is not good for those of us who ride as it will mean more misconceptions, more fear mongering and more bull.

Like everyone else we have to wait and see what transpires and suffer the consequences of the actions of others....or do we?

Perhaps if each rider who just wants to ride makes sure that they let others in their circle of influence know who they are and what they stand for - well maybe we can do some small amount of damage control to for our community....one community, one rider at a time.

To read up on what's been going on with the Hells Angels and the destruction of their bunker go to: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081019/hells_bunker_081019/20081019?hub=CTVNewsAt11 and here at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/10/19/bikers-fire.html?ref=rss

No matter the reason for this bunker being blown up - you can be certain it will affect all of us who wear black leather - one way or another.

Please ride safe out there -

Belt Drive Betty

Here we go again....

Why is it that the main stream press and the police services find it necessary to use the word Biker or Outlaw MC instead of saying what they mean?

How hard is it to use the term 1% Outlaw MC?
In my world that term "1%" makes a lot of difference - does it in yours?

What is the difference between an Outlaw MC and a 1% Outlaw MC?
Do you know?

What is the difference between bikers and and Outlaw MC members?

What is the difference between a Riding Club, and a Motorcycle Club?

So many in our own community don't even know the difference!

It is tough to get non motorcycling people who don't really care who we are to educate themselves to know the difference, so when police services spokespeople from the Surete du Quebec - like the gal last night on the CBC National News say and I quote " This is biker related"

What the hell is Joe Q Citizen supposed to think about us and our community?

OK, so some guys from a 1% Outlaw MC stole a whole bunch of explosives - what has that got to do with bikers?

1% ers live a very different lifestyle from those who ride with Outlaw MC's, AMA sanctioned MC's, Social Riding Clubs and independent riders.

The poem and video "You didn't See Me - I was just a biker" (When you click the link go to the bottom of the page to see the video) tries to put a face to the rest of us however the police services and mainstream media keep muddying the waters and confusing people by using the term "BIKER/S" in inappropriate ways and I get so fed up.

Maybe a class action discrimination lawsuit would change the way our community gets talked about...just a thought.

And that's my tirade for the day...

PLEASE - ride like they are out to get you...stay safe.

Belt Drive Betty

Forging Ahead

MSN is shutting down their groups and offering to transfer them over to something like Facebook - I haven't looked at this new offering but have been told it's not really very nice.

Ali and I have come up with a strategy to help out all the rider forums that are affected by this so if you have or are part of an MSN Forum and looking for a new home we have 2 options to offer so email Ali at ali4evr@gmail.com or myself at bdbetty@gmail.com.

Other than that we are just working away at working out the little quirks and kinks on the new sites....man I am pleased and I know they are just going to get better with time!

Ride like they are out to get you...be safe

Belt Drive Betty

WOW

I am very pleased with the look and feel of the new web site...Ali, I know we still have an enormous job ahead of us, BUT - WOW - Thank you....we riders have some pretty cool digs now...

We still have our riding club links and archives to sort and re name and starting next week we should be able to update the event calendars for 2009 as many clubs will have settled on dates by then...yes - there's a lot to do and we need YOUR help!

www.beltdrivebetty.com/Motorcycle_Media - Please - if something acts weird or doesn't look right - let ALI know... ali4evr@gmail.com

If you are looking for your daily news fix from a riders perspective you'll need to go to www.beltdrivebetty.com/Motorcycle_Media as we are no longer going to update the news on the old site. When Ali gets the last few major kinks fixed we will be closing down the old sites.
That should happen in the next few days.

If you are lucky enough to be riding today...please ride like they are out to get you.

Belt Drive Betty