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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

TOP GUN Director Tony Scott Taking on Drug Trafficking Film NARCO-SUB

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OFF THE WIRE
Eric Whitman
 dailyblam.com

With several projects to which he is already attached, the Unstoppable director is picking up yet another from the scriptwriter of Safe House David Guggeneheim.
Not much is known about the plot of David Guggeneheim's script except for the subject matter expressed in its title. Narco-Subs are submersible vehicles used for drug trafficking in South and Central America. They are especially built small for stealth to avoid radar.
This adds to an already full slate for the prolific filmmaker. Most recently, he was reportedly in the running to direct a remake of the Western classic The Wild Buch and is heavy into pre-production on the Sonny Barger biopic Hell's Angels about the infamous biker gang of the same name that has Stephen Gaghan on writing duties. That project is looking for it's lead. It has been reported that the filmmaker is seeking out Jeff Bridges, who has his own very busy schedule.
Also on the table are the Top Gun reinvention, an adaption of John Grisham's The Associate, and the crime drama Potzdamer Platz. As a producer, Scott has several television projects brewing and has his brother Ridley's much anticipated spiritual successor to the Alien franchise entitled Prometheus and Liam Neeson starrer The Grey, both of which release next year.

AUSTRALIA - Danny Green fight | Venue fights back against cheeky bikie ploy


OFF THE WIRE
TARGET PRACTICE: How our iPad reported the Rebels bikies ploy to identify themselves at the Danny Green fight. Source: PerthNow

BIKIES will be banned from wearing any clothing that bears words or symbols depicting their gangs after an 11th-hour liquor licence change for tonight's Danny Green bout.

The Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor today moved to amend the licence for Challenge Stadium after PerthNow revealed on its iPad last night that Rebels bikies had come up with a unique way to avoid laws banning them from wearing club colours or insignias at the fight.

Rebels bikies said they intended to wear T-shirts emblazoned with "Rebels MC'' purchased from Target department stores in a bid to escape scrutiny.

But today, police from the Licensing Enforcement Division requested an added licence condition to ban "any clothing bearing the name of any outlaw motorcycle gang''.

The change comes in addition to existing laws that outlaw bikie club patches or insignia on jackets, clothing, accessories and visible body markings, such as tattoos.

Police warned yesterday that bikie gang members would be refused entry to the bout if they donned club colours or insignias, as part of a massive security crackdown.
A contingent of police, including the Gang Crime Squad, uniformed officers and tactical response teams, will man the event which will see Green take on Krzysztof "Diablo'' Wlodarczyk at 7.15pm.

The strong police presence comes amid expectations there will be a hefty showing of Rebels, Comancheros and Coffin Cheaters at the fight.

Gang Crime Detective Inspector Jeff Christmass said officers would be out in force at the venue and expected bikies to attend "as usual''.

Det-Insp Christmass said bikie members were not permitted to wear their "club colours'' or insignias inside the venue, but PerthNow understands that Rebels members want to wear the Target T-shirts.

In 2007, police fined 11 members of the Rebels bikie gang for failing to leave boxer Green's world title fight in Perth.

The Rebels were fined $200 each for being in breach of liquor licensing conditions by wearing clothes identifying them as part of an outlaw motorcycle gang at the event.

At the time, police said the venue licensee had requested all 11 Rebels leave but, when they refused, police issued fines.

Last November Gypsy Joker Graeme Slater, who was acquitted of the murder of former police chief Don Hancock, was arrested before a Green fight at Challenge Stadium, accused of disorderly conduct for repeatedly swearing at police.

Det-Insp Christmass said police did not intend to screen patrons for weapons and security arrangements were a decision for the venue operators.

VenuesWest chief executive David Etherton said high-level security would be in place at Challenge Stadium tonight, saying every patron would be scanned for weapons before entering the event.

"There will be 73 security guards at the venue as well as the usual significant police attendance,'' he said.

"Patrons entering through all entry doors will be scanned as they have been in the past.''

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/danny-green-fight-venue-fights-back-against-cheeky-bikie-ploy/story-e6frg14c-1226210604025

Wreaths Across America - Massachusetts PGR Escort Dec. 5, & 6, 2011

Wreaths Across America - Massachusetts PGR Escort Dec. 5, & 6, 2011

Once again this year, we are honored with the escort of the wreathes for ANC through our State on their trip to Arlington National Cemetery.

Staging:
At the first Southbound rest stop on route 95 in Massachusetts fro 09:30 am to 10:15 am on Dec. 5th      MAP LINK
KSU: 10:15 am

The escort is scheduled to arrive at the Topsfield Fairgrounds at 11:00 am and to depart at 12:30 am. The next and fial stop in Mass willbe at the Elks parking lot in Auburn, Mass. where they will be parked for the night.    
MAP LINK

The escort is scheduled to depart the Elks at 07:30 am, with a fuel stop at the Lee rest area on the MASS Pike. They are expected to arrive at Orange County Choppers in Newburgh, New York at 2:00 pm.

Anyone wishing to hold a flag at the stops will do so on their own as flag lines are not planned this year.

RIDE CAPTAIN: Tim Shea.     < SPAN class="ecxBlockEmailWithName">tshea-fri.eng@rcn.com


 
Thanks,
Don Pearce
Taunton, Massachusetts
Assistant State Captain, Patriot Guard Riders
__._,_.___

MASSACHUSETTS - Patrick-Murray Administration to Offer "Veteran" Designation on Driver’s Licenses and ID Cards

OFF THE WIRE
Patrick-Murray Administration to Offer "Veteran" Designation on Driver’s Licenses and ID Cards
New initiative part of Administration’s comprehensive plan to enhance veterans services
BOSTON – Tuesday, November 8, 2011 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today announced that the Patrick-Murray Administration's Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will begin offering Massachusetts veterans the option to have the word “Veteran” appear on their driver’s license or ID card, starting in January, 2012.
“With over 393,000 veterans across the Commonwealth, we need to do our part to increase awareness about available resources for military servicemen and women,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Services. “With the RMV already designating ‘Veterans’ on license plates, we’re now extending that designation to include state identification cards and licenses as a means to better inform these deserving men and women of services and benefits they have rightfully earned.” 
The "Veteran" designation is designed to increase awareness about available resources and benefits. The feature will provide valuable information to first responders and will help the Department of Veterans’ Services notify veterans of benefits they are eligible to receive.  
"The Registry of Motor Vehicles is excited about the new veteran designation, which is a free service upon license renewal," said MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian. "Veterans who have not accessed Department of Veterans' Services will find a wide of array of benefits are available."
There is no additional cost for the "Veteran" designation, as long as it is added during an individual’s license renewal process. Standard license renewal and duplication fees apply.
“Having an official 'Veterans' designation on Massachusetts licenses and IDs has been a long-standing request of the Commonwealth’s veterans community,” said Secretary of Veterans’ Service Coleman Nee. “This designation will not only make it easier for veterans to take advantage of special discounts and incentives offered to them by the private industry, but it will also help our first-responders and benefits specialists to identify and coordinate veterans with resources and services that they have earned, especially in times of crisis. On behalf of the veteran community, I thank Secretary of Transportation Rich Davey and Registrar Rachel Kaprielian for their hard work and dedication in making this proposal a reality.” 
Massachusetts joins a series of states that offer a "Veteran" designation, including: North Dakota, Utah and Georgia. The RMV expects this designation to be available to customers by mid-January 2012. 
Last week, Governor Deval Patrick declared November 2011 as “Hire a Veteran Month,” and the Patrick-Murray Administration announced a series of new initiatives and resources to support the hiring of Massachusetts veterans, while increasing access to additional services. Governor Patrick also launched an Interagency Task Force on Hiring Veterans and directed all Executive Branch agencies to promote the benefits of hiring veterans. The announcements build on existing partnerships and business collaborations initiated by Lieutenant Governor Murray. 
As part of the comprehensive series of veteran-related initiatives launched last week, the Patrick-Murray Administration also announced it will: 
  • Propose up to $2.86 million in additional funding for enhanced veterans services in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget.
  • Partner with major trade associations to encourage them to hire veterans and circulate information on veterans’ benefits.
  • File legislation as part of the Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal to provide the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership with $500,000 in funding to train and employ veterans who qualify for state benefits.
  • Support the collaboration of military, state, and community resources to establish a Military Child Educational Awareness Program, an expansion of the Massachusetts National Guard’s successful pilot program for military children in the Massachusetts school system.
  • Create a Student Veterans sub-committee of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services.
  • Create a Veterans’ Re-Employment and Training sub-committee of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services. 
“As we look forward to honoring on veterans on November 11th, we should remember what John F. Kennedy once said: ‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them,’'' said John Regan, Chief of Staff,  to Senator Mike Rush who is currently serving In Iraq. "Massachusetts, led by the Patrick-Murray Administration and Veteran Services Secretary Coleman Nee, continues to provide services and programs for our veterans, which makes Massachusetts the envy of the nation when it comes to caring for our veterans. This RMV program, directed by Registrar Kaprielian, is yet another example of this.” 
“In August of this year, I filed similar legislation allowing distinguished veteran’s whom reside within the Commonwealth a way to effortlessly prove their service,” said Senator Michael Rodrigues. “I offer my highest praise, and commend the Administration for launching this initiative to expand and continue supporting Veteran’s within our state.”
“Massachusetts is a leader in veterans' benefits and a veteran designation will ensure that our service men and women are connected with the many services available to them,” said Senator Stephen M. Brewer. “I am pleased to team up with the Patrick-Murray Administration on this important initiative. Our veterans have advocated for this and I am pleased that action has been taken to initiate this practice.”   
“An optional "Veteran" designation on identification cards is a small but significant way to help veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned,” said Representative James E. Vallee. “I hope this initiative will help us better serve those who have served our country and Commonwealth.” 
“As the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, I think this is a great idea and I’m proud to have supported legislation in our Committee that would accomplish the same goal to allow veterans to have their status recorded on their identification cards and licenses," said Representative William Straus. "I’m hopeful that this status designation leads to an increase in support for veterans in need.”  
For more information about the Department of Veterans Services: http://www.mass.gov/veterans
-For more information on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation RMV: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/rmv/



 

I'm writing to express my support for the repeal of the Massachusetts Helmet Law.


Please note: The Adult Helmet Choice Bill for Massachusetts Riders is MMA-Authored S.1726, NOT S.1749.

Non-MMA Individuals who have been pushing S.1749 as the Helmet Choice Bill to support are misinformed. S.1749 has been designed and written solely to allow Out-of-State Riders with current Helmet Choice in their states into Massachusetts with these same privileges. The goal of MMA-Authored S.174...
9 is to entice these out-of-state riders into Massachusetts so they would end their boycott and spend their tourism dollars within the borders of Massachusetts.

Simply put, passage of S.1726 will allow all Riders Helmet Choice, whereas S.1749 will not provide the Massachusetts’ Riders that choice!

The MMA does support both bills, but S.1726 offers choice for ALL riders, and its passage would render S.1749 moot.

Dave Condon
Chairman
Massachusetts Motorcycle Association
 I'm writing to express my support for the repeal of the Massachusetts Helmet Law.
 
For years motorcyclists have been forced to wear a so called piece of safety equipment that has not ever been proven to be safe at speeds we ride at. Not only that, but only a paltry 4% - 7% of all helmets are ever tested, and the fail safes in place for recalls is quite scanty.
 
Massachusetts is a mandatory health insurance state, so it cannot be argued that people should carry health insurance if they want to ride without a helmet; it's already mandated.
 
You can't legislate prevention from "stupidity".... you can only impose fines for it. Those that want to ride impaired or beyond their means will continue to do so, and give those of us who don't a bad name! Drivers who continue to drive distracted by their cellphones or by shaving or reading the newspaper will still continue to do so until they're stopped, or lose their license.
 
Why is it motorcyclists, in often cases the victims, have to be penalized because their choice of transportation is two wheels and not four? If helmets save so many lives, mandate that they be worn in all vehicles!
 
Take a look at the numbers, do the math, percentage wise motorcyclists cause less accidents and claims wise their loss ratio is a lot lower than auto claims. In fact they're almost insignificant in the large scheme of all drivers on the road.
 
As a licensed Massachusetts Insurance agent I have seen more auto accidents per capita than motorcycle accidents, and in most cases with less severity.
 
Education for drivers and motorcyclists will save more lives than any helmet will! Most  MA. drivers still do not know that a motorcycle is a motor vehicle and has the right to share the road with other vehicles; and until that fact reaches the over 4 million drivers in the state, then there's no helmet out there that will save a motorcyclist from harm!
 
I do a daily newsletter that goes out to motorcyclists all over the country, and I cannot tell you how many times I read where the helmet did not save the person's life, or it came off as a result of the impact.  Are there times when helmets save lives, yes, of course.... but where else in society is it mandated that a piece of so called safety equipment be mandated equipment? No where, because other sectors would be up in arms!
 
Also, with the gambling bill being approved into the state; how much more revenue do you think would come into MA if we had a "choice" helmet law here? MILLIONS!  Each year I go and enjoy Sturgis and Laconia. We could have a nice rally here, there are beautiful vistas here in MA, but due to our helmet law, most riders would rather avoid or just ride on through to NH, rather than stop and spend their monies here.  In Sturgis, people make enough off of the rally to pay their bills for most the year!! Read the stats!
 
It's time to allow responsible adults choose in MA. Educate, not mandate.
 
Please support Senate Bill No. 1726.
 
Thank you!
 
Betsy E Lister
Inductee to the Sturgis Hall of Fame 2010 
Founder of the longest ongoing international eZine bikerbits
Owner of Lister Insurance Agency Inc. Medford, MA.
Charter Member of BOLT and Treasurer
AMA Member
MRF Member
MMA Member
Boston HOG member and past officer
 
 

CALIFORNIA - SRPD watching for motorcycle violations

OFF THE WIRE
http://roadwarrior.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/13635/srpd-watching-for-motorcycle-violations/ SRPD watching for motorcycle violations

 by Road.Warrior
Santa Rosa police on Tuesday will pay extra attention to traffic violations by motorcyclists.
Sgt. Lance Badger said extra officers will patrol the city’s main streets in an effort to catch violators — both motorcyclists and drivers of cars and trucks — with the intent of reducing the number of deaths and injuries in motorcycle accidents.
He said the patrols will be all day but officers especially will look for violations from 4 to 7 p.m. during heavy traffic volumes.
“California collision data reveals that primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes include speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs,” Badger said in a statement. “The Santa Rosa Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.”
He noted motorcyclist deaths had risen from 204 in 1998 to 560 in 2008 but dropped to 394 in 2009 and preliminary 2010 numbers indicated they would fall to 353. During 2010-2011, Santa Rosa police investigated 53 injury collisions involving motorcyclists, he said.
Tuesday’s extra enforcement is funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety.
Here are some safety tips offered by police:
–Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.
–Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
–Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a motorcycle — motorcycle signals often are not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.
–Allow more following distance, three or four seconds, when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. And don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
–Never drive while distracted.
For motorcyclists:
–Position yourself in the lane where you will be most visible to other drivers.
–Never driving while impaired.
–Wear a Department of Transportation-compliant helmet.
–Use turn signals.
–Combine hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention.
–Avoid riding in poor weather conditions.
–Wear brightly colored protective gear.
–Use reflective tape and stickers to increase visibility.
–Share the road.

AMA - Educate Your Elected Officials on the Recreational Trails Program

Record Keepers: Short Story of Murder and Freedom

For a short time, I'm giving away copies of my short story Record Keepers.
Shawna returns to Kaleva to save her mentor only to learn that a secret is sometimes the best fertilizer to grow a happy future.
If you go to my site at http://www.theresachaze.com/
Please share the link

Described as a woman who has the courage to play with dragons, Theresa Chaze has gone where fools and angels fear to tread and has flourished.  To read the treatment of her military series, Operation Home Base and excerpts of her screenplays go to her site at http://www.theresachaze.com/
Courage isn't the lack of fear, but the ability to set it aside and  focus on what is truly important

Fog Of Sparks

OFF THE WIRE
agingrebel.com
A few details are finally starting to emerge about the brawl between members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club and the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club on the casino floor just outside Trader Dick’s Lounge at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada on September 23.
Jeffrey “Jethro” Pettigrew, President of the San Jose charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club died as a result of the fight. Two Vagos, Leonard Ramirez and Diego Garcia were shot. Three men, San Jose Vago Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, former Los Angeles Vago Stuart Gary “Jabbers” Rudnick and San Jose Hells Angel Cesar Villagrana have all been indicted for conspiracy to commit second degree murder for their actions before and during the brawl.
Some Background
There was a round up of Vagos on October 6 in a media event called Operation Simple Green. The ATF, the motorcycle club police, although present during the October 6 raids has been entirely invisible since the September 23 shootout and there are two possible explanations for that. Either John Ciccone and other well known biker cops have completely abandoned their careers or the ATF is hiding to avoid public scrutiny of their investigative methods and procedures.
Shockingly, last week it was announced that “a 27-year veteran of the…Vagos motorcycle gang” had given 278 pages of testimony to a Nevada grand jury. The “Vago” testified “under the condition of confidentiality.” There has been no explanation of why any Vago would do this. Until now there has been no speculation about what he might have to gain other than a clean conscience. This witness piled most of the blame for this tragedy on Rudnick’s shoulders.
“Jabbers has a big mouth,” the witness said. “He’s always had a big mouth.”
People who “love” Rudnick agree and add that, “he just doesn’t like Hells Angels.” Since Rudnick was voted out bad from the Vagos soon after the shooting he makes a convenient scapegoat.
Rudnick is now very alone in his solitary cell at the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. He will probably be extradited to Nevada within two weeks and spend Christmas in a jail cell there. He would make a convenient target for the ATF if the ATF had not so obviously gotten out of the business of investigating motorcycle clubs. Most witnesses agree that Rudnick almost singlehandedly started the fight in Sparks.

San Jose Angels And Vagos
Contrary to what has been previously reported here, the Vagos were not surprised to see Angels at the Nugget. The Angels had rooms there. They had a souvenir and tee shirt stand set up outside the hotel.
A few Vagos suspected that the ice chest that the Angels’ hang arounds hauled everywhere contained guns. The ice chest contained ice and beer. Most Vagos already assumed that.
The San Jose Angels were not there to fight anybody. Most of the San Jose Angels and San Jose Vagos knew each other and got along. Some of them had known each other their whole lives. There was no friction in San Jose as there had been a couple of years before in Santa Cruz. Despite a very widely circulated story to the contrary, what happened in Sparks had nothing to do Starbucks.

The Fight
What happened in Sparks was that Pettigrew and Rudnick just did not get along. The two proud men stared at each other like pit bulls. Senior Vagos calmed the situation. Moments before the fight began, Pettigrew walked over to Rudnick, said something like “How are you doing,” patted Rudnick on the back and simultaneously touched Rudnick’s patch.
Rudnick seethed over that and as Pettigrew limped away Rudnick rose, spread his arms wide and said something like, “So hey! Are we done here or what?”
Pettigrew, according to witnesses, turned, walked back and broke a beer bottle on the side Rudnick’s head. Rudnick punched Pettigrew and knocked him down. Pettigrew rose with a small caliber pistol in his hand and shot Leonard Ramirez and Diego Garcia.
Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, seeing two of his club brothers shot, pulled a .40 caliber pistol and shot Pettigrew in the back. Official documents state that Gonzalez shot Pettigrew four times. Pettigrew’s autopsy revealed he had been shot five times. There is a persistent, plausible but unverified rumor that a security guard fired the fifth shot and that shot might have been the fatal shot.
Almost simultaneously, one or more Vagos stabbed Pettigrew. Some of the stab wounds were apparently inflicted by the bottle with which Pettigrew had just hit Rudnick. And Cesar Villagrana, in the midst of this mayhem, pulled and began firing his .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He fired at least ten shots at the ceiling and floor while shouting, “Get down! Get down!” There doesn’t seem to be any reason to believe that Villagrana was actually trying to assault any Vagos in the crowded casino because he did not actually shoot any. A reasonable person might conclude that Villagrana was trying to put a stop to the fight before anyone else got hurt.

Simple Green
The Simple Green raids on October 6 were precipitated by the shootings in Sparks. One of the key items sought in those raids was the .40 caliber pistol Gonzalez used to allegedly kill Pettigrew. Those raids culminated an investigation officially led by a San Bernardino city police officer named Erick M. Bennett with the aid of the California Department of Justice but not the ATF. Sources describe Bennett as “a hard charger” and “clean.”
This state investigation utilized at least six wiretaps and two confidential informants. The Aging Rebel has been told that those informants were a Vago named Mario Ayala and a longtime friend of the Vagos named Jacob Canceli. A prime objective of the raids was to attempt to coerce Vagos into volunteering information about Pettigrew’s homicide. One of the homes raided that day was Jabbers Rudnick’s. Rudnick was detained, refused to cooperate and was then set free.

The Witness
The witness who testified before the Nevada grand jury might have been one of the Vagos who was detained that day. However the most likely candidate to have offered 278 pages of testimony was Jacob Cancelli. Cancelli was already cooperating with some police agency, but not the ATF according to the official narrative, during the long investigation of the Vagos that preceded the Sparks shootings.
The witness only testified before the grand jury because that was enough to return an indictment. He is unlikely to testify at trial, if there is a trial, because to do so would subject him to cross examination.
Canceli, who used to live in Mission Viejo, California, was accused of stock manipulation and defrauding investors of more than $700,000 in 2009. He pled guilty and his sentencing has been continued several times. He is currently scheduled to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware on December 13. It is a federal case.

WASHINGTON DC - ATF and DOJ Break the Law

OFF THE WIRE
Jim Ross Lightfoot
canadafreepress.com
Following a widely watched hearing conducted by the US House Government Oversight Committee July 25, 2011, William G. McMahon, (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)‘s deputy director of operations in the West, William D. Newell Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the agency’s Phoenix office and David Voth, field supervisor who oversaw Operation Fast and Furious that allowed over 2,000 rifles to walk into the arms of Mexican Drug Cartels, were whisked away to the safety of ATF Headquarters fortress on New York Avenue in Washington, DC.
Many that viewed the hearing and most ATF agents in the field believe these men should have been arrested, or at the least fired, for their gross incompetence and outright violation of US Law.
Attorney General Eric Holder has fought the Congressional Committee at every turn and evidence has grown to implicate his involvement in Fast and Furious to a degree that the number of Congressmen calling for his resignation increases each day.
Is indictment of Holder, Newell, McMahon, Voth and others in ATF management just around the corner?
There is not space enough in this column to go into great detail, however, here are a few facts you can check for yourself.
Let’s start with the murder of Border Patrol Agents Brian Terry and Jaime Zapata, not to mention every other cop and civilian harmed by a Fast and Furious gun. Each has been deprived of their Constitutional civil rights at the hands of ATF and DOJ Attorneys under the color of law.
42 U.S.C. § 1983 now reads in part:
Every person who under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, (shorten at this point to save space)
How about the commission of wire and mail fraud? There are huge wire fraud implications resulting from EVERY email, fax, and Teletype that occurred with the intent to mislead the true actions of Fast and Furious.
All prosecutable under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 , carrying penalties that include “shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.”
18 U.S.C. 371, CONSPIRACY provides in part, “outlaws conspiracy to commit any other federal crime.”
In the words of an ATF agent intimately familiar with Fast and Furious, “You can commit a conspiracy with an unindicted co-conspirator. It appears this is the one that will kill them (ATF and DOJ Attorneys) in relation to very act the cartel/straw purchasers committed, including murder. In order to avoid this, they have to admit they are acting under color of law for ANY Law Enforcement protections. The problem with that is that acting under color of law requires you are within the scope of your duties and advancing legitimate law enforcement actions.”
It is obvious to even the casual observer that Fast and Furious had no legitimate law enforcement purpose.
For the sake of the good agents within ATF, the Constitution and the future of our country, hopefully, Congressman Issa and Senator Grassley will be joined by many other Members of Congress in pushing for full disclosure and then let the evidence lead where it will.
That very well could conclude with the clanking of jail cell doors on public servants that have subjugated their duties to satisfy personal agendas rather than serve the country they took an oath to protect.

James R. Lightfoot, (Lightfoot Strategies served in Congress six terms, starting in 1985 and retiring in 1997. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal and General Government (TPS) of Appropriations, he had jurisdiction over 40% of Federal Law Enforcement (Customs, Secret Service, ATF, FLETC, and IRS enforcement).

NEVADA - Gaming: Nugget insists it is safe; PR experts question casino's post-shooting response

OFF THE WIRE
Bill O'Driscoll
 rgj.com
When bad news hits a business, experts say how that business responds through public relations channels is always debatable.
Did a local icon, John Ascuaga's Nugget, manage the Sept. 23 biker gang shooting inside its casino, on one of the busiest weekends of the year, sufficiently?
Nugget officials say their response, while muted, was appropriate. Public relations experts wonder in hindsight whether more should have been said, especially to the issue of safety.
One and done?
In the two months since gunfire left one dead and two injured during the annual Street Vibrations event, one Nugget news release pertaining to the incident has been issued.
In a statement the next day, the Nugget stressed that safety was the No. 1 priority but distanced the property from the incident insofar as "no employees or guests of the Nugget were injured."
The Nugget reopened within 24 hours (as did Harrah's Laughlin in 2002 after a biker gang shooting left three dead), and since the incident was a criminal matter, the release stated, all inquiries should go directly to Sparks police.
Earlier this month, Nugget officials downplayed questions on post-shooting safety in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal, stressing instead the coincidental tie of the incident to its location.
"We have a safe environment here," said Beth Cooney, Nugget executive director of marketing. "Unfortunately, it happened to happen here. Once the gangs left the facility, the threat went away."
Experts say that from a public relations standpoint, the Nugget's approach was standard: The less said, the better.
"It's a judgment call," said Bob Felten, assistant professor of journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. "By communicating aggressively, you keep the story alive. So there's some potential negative in something that (can) be reported once or twice as opposed to something that has a regularity that can be repetitious."
Staying in the news
The story line, though, grew beyond the Nugget's control.
The day after, Sparks officials declared a 24-hour state of emergency and canceled the rest of the Street Vibrations celebration within their city.
Three weeks later, a man was fatally shot in San Jose, Calif., during the funeral for Jeffrey Pettigrew, president of the San Jose chapter of Hells Angels, who was killed in the Nugget shooting.
On Nov. 9, the state reported a 3.5 percent drop in September gaming revenues in Sparks, and officials cited the early end to Street Vibrations tied to the shooting as a factor.
And 10 days ago, Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, a member of the San Jose Vagos motorcycle club, pleaded not guilty in Washoe District Court to an indictment charging him with murder and conspiring to fight with his rivals in the Nugget shooting.
Cooney was asked how the Nugget, in the wake of the shooting, has been made safer for its tourist base as well as the Reno-Sparks community.
"It's difficult," she said. "We're not going out and saying we're safe. It implies we weren't safe before. It was between two groups. They were here for Street Vibrations, not on any given day but for that event."
The Nugget's response so far is noteworthy, Felten said.
"The general rule in crisis communication is you want to be as open with the public, particularly your customers, as possible," he said. "The case often cited is the (1982) Tylenol poisoning case. Even though the maker had no direct connection to the poisoning, it responded in an open fashion with a massive recall.
"Many people say that over-response is an example of how (Tylenol maker Johnson & Johnson) built a perception of responsibility to the customers," Felten said.
'Memory'
for violence
Michael Fineman, owner of Fineman PR in San Francisco and an expert in crisis communications, questioned the Nugget's reluctance to openly address the safety issue.
"I don't think there's any reason to clam up and put your head into the sand and not talk," Fineman said. "It seems to me there is a better way to respond than the initial statement. They should be a little more demonstrative to the issue of public safety and how this put so many patrons in jeopardy. It could have been handled better."
Fineman said the public "has a memory" for violence, adding, "A large segment will stay away if they think it only attracts a violent sort of group."
"The question remains, what are they going to do to ensure better security and make sure it doesn't happen again?"
In the Gazette-Journal interview, Cooney said Nugget officials met after the shooting to discuss their public relations response, including "how we would deal with it and what message we wanted to put out."
"Our focus is on gang-related activities and how to best handle it as we go into next year's (Street Vibrations) event," she said.
She also said a "no-color" policy was enacted this month, which means signage in the Nugget during future Street Vibrations events will proclaim it off-limits to anyone wearing gang colors or symbols.
"It will be, 'Take it off or be asked to leave by our security force,'" Cooney said.
Beyond Street Vibrations, Cooney said only that Nugget in-house security is "very adequate, very visible and it's served us well."
Nugget public affairs spokeswoman Missy Hinton said the property will "continue to put out positive messages not specific to the incident."
Brand reliance
Felten said he expects the Nugget has privately assured its clientele present at the time of the shooting that the hotel-casino is safe.
"The Nugget is known for their personal service. My expectation is they were proactive with those impacted," he said.
Cooney confirmed, saying, "We've contacted all the customers, we offered them, depending in some cases, some comps, things that would make them come back and have a better time."
To the Reno-Sparks community, where John Ascuaga's Nugget has been a fixture since it opened in 1955, Felten suggested that the hotel-casino is banking on its good name.
"They've got a strong credit line, if you will, they built over years and years with the community," he said. "So the assumption is, they handled (the shooting) as best they could."
At least two area residents said they had no problem going back into the Nugget.
"Of course, we went back," said Mike Lander. "It was a one-time incident created by biker gangs, not the casino. It was a biker deal. People die driving on I-80. I still drive there, too."
Added Jon F. Krause, "I was actually excited to see Gordon Lightfoot, so I really did not think too much about the shooting. I noticed security guards and felt safe being at the Nugget."
Fineman said his bottom-line advice in crisis communications is for businesses to do their best to tell their side of the story.
"In some way, you have to be able to say, 'We're instituting security measures, showing some sort of goodwill to the public and the community,'" he said. "They always need to be able to say something."
Felten said how a business handles bad news is always open to debate.
"It's a judgment call, and a difficult one, as to whether it's best to more publicly address the situation or let it play out as a police/court story," he said of the Nugget shooting.
"What do you want to tell everyone? It's business as usual? It was an extreme event. To make it seem less than extreme, you don't want to convey that. You look at the weight of that and make a judgment."

AUSTRALIA - Shot bikxx Toby Mitchell knew he was a target


OFF THE WIRE
Toby Mitchell remains in hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Source: Herald Sun

TOBY Mitchell knew he was a hunted man months before the botched hit on him outside his clubhouse.
The Herald Sun can also reveal a gunman out on bail is one of a network of criminals who will be scrutinised over the shooting in Brunswick on Monday.
The gangland figure - a former trusted ally of Carl Williams - is believed to have become embroiled in a grudge against the champion kickboxer.It is believed to have been ignited by an alleged Bandido bashing of Roberta Williams' partner, Rob Carpenter, this year.
It is not known if Mitchell ordered or meted out the alleged punishment.
The Herald Sun will not name the man for fear of reprisals against him. Police are racing against time to lock up the shooters, fearing more bloodshed if they do not find them first. In a day of drama yesterday:
POLICE raided and seized items from the Bandidos clubhouse, including CCTV.
MITCHELL declined to help police.
BANDIDOS members were warned by senior detectives not to seek revenge.
A BURNT-out Ford became a key clue in the manhunt.
Roberta Williams yesterday denied any knowledge of the shooting, declaring Mitchell was a friend.
Williams also doubted she knew anyone with a motive to shoot him.
"I've got no idea why my name has been thrown into the muck," she said.
Williams said there had not been an incident between her partner and any Bandido member.
She harboured no ill-will towards Mitchell
"Are you going to shoot someone just because of a bashing?" she said.
"I wouldn't do it to Toby's mother. Toby's mum is the most beautiful lady."
Asked whether she knew Mitchell had enemies, she said "obviously but it isn't me. I wouldn't want anything to happen to the bloke. I have nothing to lie about".
Friend Danielle McGuire, flanked by bikies as she visited Mitchell at Royal Melbourne Hospital yesterday, was once the de facto wife of Tony Mokbel.
The jailed drug boss made contact with Mitchell last year after being blindsided by the relationship and angered at a lack of access visits with his daughter.
Mokbel at first believed Comanchero Melbourne chapter president Jay Malkoun was linked with Ms McGuire before learning it was the Bandido enforcer.
Meanwhile, Det-Supt Brett Guerin said one family had been lucky not to become unintended victims of the shooting.
"This man was driving down the street with his young children yesterday afternoon, and were it not for the intervention of the car seat or window pile we'd have a dead kid or a dead citizen," he said.
Forensic teams yesterday were examining a burnt-out Ford Territory used by the gunmen found late on Monday in Parkville.
A senior Bandido yesterday told the Herald Sun the victim was not yet in the clear. "He's coming good but we will need to see how he pulls up from the coma - that's the real test," he said.
He was shocked by the shooting. "It's lucky no one else was killed. Some people just don't give a s---. It's such a public place to go and do something like that."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/shot-bikie-toby-mitchell-feared-he-was-a-target/story-e6frf7jo-1226209608346

AUSTRALIA - Civic restaurant manager hits out at raid

OFF THE WIRE
CHRISTOPHER KNAUS
 canberratimes.com.au
ACT police raided the bar in October.ACT police raided the bar in October.
The manager of London Burgers and Beer, Tony Soprano, has lashed out at police, describing a drug raid last month as a ''joke'', which had severely impacted on the business. Organised crime detectives raided the Civic restaurant in late October after receiving a tip-off. They spent a day searching the venue for any link to illicit drugs.
No charges have been laid and no one has been arrested.
Speaking for the first time since the incident, Mr Soprano described the police raid as a ''big mistake'', which constituted an ''outright attack'' on the business.
The London Circuit premises shut down for more than a week after the incident, following probes from health and work safety agencies.
Those inquiries were reported to have found minor breaches, mostly relating to emergency exits.
''The raid was a joke, to put it mildly. The things that we eventually got shut down for were even more of a joke, to be honest with you,'' Mr Soprano said.
''When you've got 20-odd police officers in suits, confining you to a booth, while they go through the place from head to toe for 6 hours and find absolutely nothing, it makes you wonder what they base their information on.''
But ACT Policing maintains it is continuing its investigation and is still analysing items seized from London Burgers and Beer.
Mr Soprano said police took a video recorder hooked up to security cameras, and had interviewed all of the business's staff.
ACT Policing said it was not investigating any link between London Burgers and Beer and the Rebels Motorcycle Club.
However, it would not say whether detectives had believed the venue had an association with the Rebels before the raid.
Mr Soprano emphatically dismissed any link between the two.
''The Rebels have no interest in London Burgers and Beer, it's got nothing to do with the bikie club, it's just a business on its own,'' Mr Soprano said.
''It's got shareholders and directors. The London Burgers and Beer is not in any way, shape or form, owned by the Rebels Motorcycle Club,'' he said.
He said the business would remain at the London Circuit site for the long-term, and there were plans to expand it as a franchise.
The raid had hurt the business financially.
''At the end of the day, all it was was a major hindrance, a disturbance, and an outright attack on the business ...,'' Mr Soprano said.
''We had to keep our staff on wages for over a week even though we weren't open, because people have families to worry about. Effectively, it cost us a lot of money.''


 

AUSTRALIA - 'This is not the OK Corral': Cops plead with bikies not to retaliate as manhunt widens


OFF THE WIRE
Video: http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/motives-and-paybacks-is-this-a-bikie-war-2805144.html

Police say the shooting of a senior member of an outlaw motorcycle gxxg has more to do with his links to underworld crime than igniting a war between rival bikies.
But police say they will speak to members of the Bandidos, urging them not to seek retribution for yesterday’s shooting of Toby Mitchell in Brunswick.
They have also revealed they are hunting not one, but two gunmen in relation to the incident. Police have also confirmed a stray bullet hit a car with a man and three children inside.
Mitchell, 37, a Bandidos sergeant-at-arms and former champion heavyweight kickboxer, suffered up to six gunshot wounds when he was fired on in Barkly Square shopping centre car park about 4.30pm yesterday.
A four-wheel-drive used in the shooting was last night found burnt-out in Parkville.
Police are investigating whether the shooting outside Doherty’s Gym on Weston Street was payback for the recent bashing of a man with links to the camp of slain underworld killer Carl Williams.
In 2003, Mitchell was interviewed by detectives from the Purana Taskforce over the death of Mark Mallia, although he was not charged. Williams pleaded guilty to Mallia’s murder in 2007.
Mitchell has also been linked romantically with Danielle McGuire, the former partner of Tony Mokbel, who is in jail on drugs charges.
Mitchell was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for emergency surgery and is in a serious but stable condition. He has spoken with police, but was not co-operative.
Detective Superintendent Brett Guerin said police planned to urge the Bandidos not to seek payback over the shooting, amid fears of more bloodshed on Melbourne’s streets.
‘‘Our strategy today will be to engage with members of the Bandidos and just to make sure they understand this is not the OK Corral and the wild west,’’ he told 774 ABC radio.
‘‘It’s our job to enforce the law and it’s our job to identify those responsible for this and bring them to justice, not theirs.’’
Detective Superintendent Guerin said police had spoken with Bandidos members last night, and found them co-operative, although Mitchell had not been.
‘‘He’s not been forthcoming at all, but that’s not unexpected. Criminals do not normally help the police,’’ he said.
Detective Superintendent Guerin said there was nothing to suggest the shooting had anything to do with bad blood between the Bandidos and rival motorcycle gxxgs.
‘‘There are two pieces to the puzzle here. There’s Mr Mitchell’s involvement with an outlaw motorcycle gxxg and there’s his involvement with people involved in organised crime,’’ he said.
‘‘Our intelligence doesn’t lead us to believe there is anything going on within the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.
‘‘There’s no factional rivalry or anything like that. Nor does it appear to be any acrimony between the Bandidos and any other motorcycle gxxg.
‘‘We believe at this early stage - and I must stress it’s early doors with this particular inquiry - it’s more involved with Mr Mitchell’s personal involvement with men - predominantly men - involved in various aspects of organised crime.’’
After the shooting, heavily-armed police cordoned off the area where several bloodied towels lay. Members of the Special Operations Group also attended the scene.
The gunmen drove off in a charcoal-grey 2011 Ford Territory with stolen plates, WIA 651. That vehicle was set ablaze in Parkville Avenue, Parkville, about 10.20pm.
Detective Superintendent Guerin said it was too early to say if the shooting was an organised underworld hit, but said the way the attack was carried out suggested otherwise.
‘‘In terms of a professional hit, if the intention was to murder Mr Mitchell it was spectacularly unsuccessful,’’ he said.
‘‘He’s seriously injured of course ... but this was not of a nature where people lie in wait in the darkness of night in a quiet position, sneaking up and popping one in someone’s head to make sure.
‘‘This was a ... crime in action, I guess. Two men running after the victim in broad daylight, letting shots go indiscriminately.’’
http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/this-is-not-the-ok-corral-cops-plead-with-bikies-not-to-retaliate-as-manhunt-widens-20111129-1o3u5.html

What if the Constitution No Longer Applied?

OFF THE WIRE



If the Constitution no longer applies, then Congress, the President, and the entire federal government have no legitimate claim of authority.
If it no longer applies to them, then it no longer applies to the States and People, and we're under no obligation to recognize them as anything other than a criminal organzation engaged in extortion and bribery.

What if the whole purpose of the Constitution was to limit the government? What if Congress' enumerated powers in the Constitution no longer limited Congress, but were actually used as justification to extend Congress' authority over every realm of human life? What if the president, meant to be an equal to Congress, has become a democratically elected, term-limited monarch? What if the president assumed everything he did was legal, just because he's the president? What if he could interrupt your regularly scheduled radio and TV programming for a special message from him? What if he could declare war on his own? What if he could read your emails and texts without a search warrant? What if he could kill you without warning?
What if the rights and principles guaranteed in the Constitution have been so distorted in the past 200 years as to be unrecognizable by the Founders? What if the states were mere provinces of a totally nationalized and fully centralized government? What if the Constitution was amended stealthily, not by constitutional amendments duly passed by the states, but by the constant and persistent expansion of the federal government's role in our lives? What if the federal government decided whether its own powers were proper and constitutional?
What if you needed a license from the government to speak, to assemble or to protest the government? What if the right to keep and bear arms only applied to the government? What if posse comitatus -- the law that prohibits our military from our streets -- were no longer in effect? What if the government considered the military an adequate dispenser of domestic law enforcement? What if cops looked and acted like troops and you couldn't distinguish the military from the police? What if federal agents could write their own search warrants in defiance of the Constitution? What if the government could decide when you weren't entitled to a jury trial?
What if the government could take your property whenever it wanted it? What if the government could continue prosecuting you until it got the verdict it wanted? What if the government could force you to testify against yourself simply by labeling you a domestic terrorist? What if the government could torture you until you said what the government wanted to hear? What if people running for president actually supported torture? What if the government tortured your children to get to you? What if the government could send you to your death and your innocence meant nothing so long as the government's procedures were followed? What if America's prison population, the largest in the world, was the result of a cruel and unusual way for a country to be free? What if half the prison population never harmed anyone but themselves?
What if the people had no rights except those the government chose to let them have? What if the states had no rights except to do as the federal government commanded? What if our elected officials didn't really live among us, but all instead had their hearts and their homes in Washington, D.C.? What if the government could strip you of your rights because of where your mother was when you were born? What if the income tax was unconstitutional? What if the states were convinced to give up their representation in Congress? What if the government tried to ban you from using a substance older than the government itself? What if voting didn't mean anything anymore because both political parties stand for Big Government?
What if the government could write any law, regulate any behavior and tax any event, the Constitution be damned? What if the government was the reason we don't have a Constitution anymore? What if you could love your country but hate what the government has done to it? What if sometimes to love your country, you had to alter or abolish the government? What if Jefferson was right? What if that government is best which governs least? What if I'm right? What if the government is wrong? What if it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong? What if it is better to perish fighting for freedom than to live as a slave? What if freedom's greatest hour of danger is now?

IRELAND - Stop treating motorcyclists like criminals of road

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/stop-treating-motorcyclists-like-criminals-of-road-16083877.html
Stop treating motorcyclists like criminals of road
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
legislation is being proposed that will actively discriminate against and criminalise motorcyclists because of the inadequacies and failures of others. In essence, the EU wants to enact into law various measures, under the guise of road safety, that will seriously curtail motorcyclists' freedoms by comparison to other road users.
The most idiotic of these is to force motorcyclists to wear full high-visibility clothing and make it a criminal offence not to.
The Irish Republic says it will enact this legislation unilaterally by 2014. Its road safety authority calls it a positive safety measure and - along with those who would make it a Europe-wide law - cites research allegedly showing motorcyclists are hard to see.
What this research underlines is that other road users aren't looking properly. If this notion is to be believed, we are being told that drivers will pull into the path of an oncoming motorcycle more often than they won't - even when that motorcyclist is dressed to the highest level of visibility.
The single most common causative factor in road collisions involving motorcyclists and other vehicles is that the other driver, usually of a car, didn't see the motorcyclist.
Making criminals out of motorcyclists only treats a symptom, not the cause, alienates a vulnerable class of road user that is already under pressure and is a lazy-minded and insidious approach to the problem.
MARTYN BOYD
Bangor, Co Down

LAKEPORT, CA - LAKE COUNTY - Investigation concluded

OFF THE WIRE
 record-bee.com
An investigation surrounding the events of May 14, when Lake County Sheriff (LCSO) Frank Rivero attempted and conspired to stop members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang at the county line, turn them around and deny them access to the county has been concluded by the Lake County District Attorney's Office.
A report provided by Lake County DA Don Anderson states: "This office will not be seeking any criminal charges against any person involved in this occurrence. At this time it has not been determined that any criminal activity took place by any law enforcement personnel that could be prosecuted at the state level. A violation of Title 18 U.S.C Section 242 is a federal crime, which this office cannot prosecute. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has requested a copy of this report for review."
Complaints were received that Rivero had approximately 30 patrol units respond to the county line with red lights and sirens when there was no immediate and imminent threat to officer's safety or the public. The purpose of the investigation was to determine if any crime was committed by any law enforcement personnel and to assist in establishing proper procedure protocol for future similar events.

New Mexico - Our View: Anti-gang unit dissloved due to lack of manpower

OFF THE WIRE
 lcsun-news.com
With gang violence continuing to pose a tremendous challenge for our community, we were concerned the learn recently that the New Mexico State Police had disbanded its local anti-gang unit.
The decision was forced by a manpower shortage, and will not impact local law enforcement efforts to combat criminal activity committed by gangs, said State Police Capt. Rich Libicer.
We'll see.
As a community, we've been wrestling with this issue for some time, and have learned a great deal about what works and what doesn't. We know that there is no one simple solution. It takes a combined effort of law enforcement, the courts, the schools and other community groups. Most of all, it takes a relentless pursuit, day after day, week after week, never letting up.
Can that kind of effort be maintained without a State Police unit devoted to its success?
The anti-gang unit was started in early 2009 with three officers: unit supervisor Sgt. Alex Horcacitas, Officer Greg Smith and Officer Scott Merrill. But, Horcacitas later moved to a full-time tactical position with the State Police's SWAT team, and Merrill was already being stretched thin due to his additional duties as an accident reconstructionist and the assistant commander of the local state police motorcycle team, State Police said it will now rely on the FBI's anti-gang unit, which includes the Las Cruces Police Department's five-person anti-gang unit and one deputy from the Doña Ana Sheriff's Office, with assistance
from other agencies when needed. State Police Officer Smith and Agent Carl Christiansen will now participate with the FBI's anti-gang unit.
"It just made sense, organizationally, to eliminate it as it existed because we didn't have the personnel to staff it," Libicer said. "But we're able to maintain that same initiative through the FBI, which is doing very exceptional things with gang enforcement, and we're going to be a part of that." We have a great deal of respect for the FBI, and we understand that consolidation is sometimes necessary in these days of shrinking budgets. At the same time, we think gang prevention has to be a top priority for local law enforcement, and are disappointed to see anything that would disrupt or take away from those efforts.
Libicer said he is hopeful the unit can be revived in the future if funding is restored.
"I know what the returns are and I know what those men accomplished," he said. "It definitely serves the taxpayers well to have that kind of unit going, but it's not going to happen until we can meet our mission obligations and still manage to do that."
We're hopeful that day will come quickly.

Wilkes-Barre, PA - COURT BRIEFS

OFF THE WIRE
 timesleader.com
An Ashley man pleaded guilty Monday to a charge stemming from a case in which police said he claimed to be an undercover cop.
Richard Hadvance, 22, of West Hartford Street, pleaded guilty to a single count of impersonating a public servant before Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley, who said Hadvance will be sentenced on Jan. 13.
According to court papers, on June 8, 2010, police said they responded to a fight between two people on Hazle Street in Hanover Township.
Police said a man told them Hadvance told him to not get into a truck and drive because he was too intoxicated and that Hadvance told him to put his hands on the dashboard and that he was an undercover cop.
WILKES-BARRE – An Ashley man pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a $3.5 million cocaine trafficking ring.
Joseph Janick, 47, pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organization, criminal conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver before Luzerne County Judge David Lupas.
Lupas said Janick will be sentenced on Jan. 17. Janick faces a three-year mandatory minimum sentence, Deputy Attorney General Tim Doherty said.
Prosecutors say Janick played a part in the ring that began in July 2008. The ring was busted in March 2009 when undercover agents raided a clubhouse and a member’s home, as well as four other locations. Police said Janick and several other people were members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and that thousands of calls were intercepted and controlled cocaine purchases were made.
WILKES-BARRE – A Luzerne County judge denied the request of a man serving 20 to 40 years in prison to be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea.
Judge Tina Polachek Gartley denied a post conviction collateral relief request of Anthony Bidding, 41, of Edwardsville, who had asked to withdraw his guilty plea because of a misunderstanding at the time of his sentencing. Bidding, his wife, Andrea, and her daughter, Erika Legg, as well as Andrea Bidding’s niece, Gabrielle Thomas, were charged with the October 2005 death of 73-year-old Peter Lach of Edwardsville.
WILKES-BARRE – A Luzerne County sheriff’s deputy charged with her role in the manufacturing and trafficking of methamphetamine waived her right to a formal arraignment Monday.
Tara Rushnock, 32, of Hanover Township, waived the right to her Jan. 27 arraignment through her attorney, Demetrius Fannick, entering a plea of not guilty and asking for a jury trial.
Rushnock was charged for her alleged role in the case in which 17 alleged meth labs were dismantled since June.
Rushnock faces a misdemeanor charge of intention to possess a controlled substance
WILKES-BARRE – A trial set to begin on Dec. 19 for a woman charged with the shooting death of her boyfriend has been continued to another date.
Demetrius Fannick, an attorney for homicide suspect Kathleen Jordan, said in court papers filed Monday that he was requesting the continuance because he is preparing for another homicide trial scheduled to begin on Dec. 12, and cannot prepare for both adequately.
Fannick said he is also waiting for paperwork to prepare for the trial, and asked for a continuance. Judge William Amesbury granted Fannick’s request, and said another trial date will be scheduled.
Kingston police and county detectives allege Jordan picked up a shotgun and fired at her boyfriend, Milo Vincent Reilly, 45, in a Valley View Drive, Pringle, house on March 8. Jordan claimed they were arguing for most of the day.


Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/crime/COURT_BRIEFS_11-28-2011.html#ixzz1fA3egXQV

STOP CENSORSHIP

Urge your lawmakers to oppose censorship – and ask Senator Wyden to read your name during the filibuster.

Urge your lawmakers to oppose censorship – and ask Senator Wyden to read your name during the filibuster.



Fill out this form to urge your lawmakers to oppose Internet censorship – and ask Senator Wyden to read your name during his filibuster.



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    The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) would ruin so much of what's best about the Internet: They will give the government and corporations new powers to block Americans' access to sites that are accused of copyright infringement, force sites like YouTube to go to new lengths to police users' contributions, and put people in prison for streaming certain content online.
    There's a good chance this legislation will pass – but Senator Ron Wyden is a steadfast opponent, and he says he'll try to block it by filibustering if it comes up for a vote.
    Sometimes filibusters last hours – or days – leaving Senators reading out of the dictionary or cookbooks to pass the time. But we've got a better idea:
    Millions of Americans support Internet freedom. What better way to demonstrate our strength than to ask Senator Wyden to read our names into the record during his filibuster? He's agreed to read censorship opponents' names from the floor of the Senate, and to try to enter the rest into the Congressional Record.
    Just fill out the form at left to stand with Wyden and ask him to read your name on the floor of the Senate. It will also generate a letter to your own lawmakers, asking them to oppose Internet censorship.

    Ariz. gun club offers Santa shoot

    scottsdalegunclub.com
    Want to improve the caliber of your family’s Christmas card this year? How about having your picture taken with Santa Claus and your choice of machine guns?
    For a fee of $5 for members and $10 for non-members, the Scottsdale Gun Club in Arizona will arrange a Yuletide photo op with Santa and a selection of automatic weapons valued at $170,000.

    "It's been really fun," said Brooke Rodda, a spokesperson for the club. "We've had a tremendous response from the community."
    The "unique" opportunity, Rodda said, permits families to handle weapons in a "safe, controlled environment." About 500 people turned out for the club’s first shoot on Nov. 26, and Rodda expects more crowds for the second "Santa and Machine Guns" event on Dec. 10.
    Among the firearms to choose from are M60s, M249s, M240s and a modified Ar15, as well as more traditional holiday props such as reindeer antlers.
    The event isn't attracting just gun enthusiasts:  "It has a broader appeal from families to older people," Rodda said.
    But if firearms don’t exactly convey your holiday message, Rodda says don't worry: Santa can be just as disarming for the camera without the weapons.

    Tuesday, November 29, 2011

    AUSTRALIA - Police probe gxxxland link to shooting


    OFF THE WIRE
    Gunshot victim Toby Mitchell.

    A SENIOR member of an outlaw motorcycle gang was shot in broad daylight in what was believed to be a revenge attack linked to prominent underworld figures.
    Police are investigating whether yesterday afternoon's shooting of Bandidos' sergeant-at-arms Toby Mitchell was payback for the recent bashing of a man with links to the camp of slain underworld killer Carl Williams.
    Mitchell is a former champion heavyweight kickboxer and has been linked romantically with Danielle McGuire, the former partner of Tony Mokbel, who is in jail on drugs charges.
    In 2003, Mitchell was interviewed by detectives from the Purana Taskforce over the death of Mark Mallia, although he was not charged. Williams pleaded guilty to Mallia's murder in 2007.
    Gunshots rang out across Brunswick's Barkly Square shopping centre car park about 4.30pm, when Mitchell was shot up to six times outside Doherty's Gym on Weston Street. It is believed there is also a bikie clubhouse in the street.
    Mitchell, 37, was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition to receive emergency surgery. It is believed several members of his motorcycle gang attended the hospital.
    One female witness emerged from the rear of a police car, where she was asked by police to remove her blood-stained singlet, replacing it with one provided by the nearby gym.
    After the shooting, Mitchell is believed to have made his way into the car park. Heavily armed police later cordoned off the area where several bloodied towels lay. Members of the Special Operations Group also attended the scene.
    The gunman drove off in a charcoal-grey 2011 Ford Territory with stolen plates, WIA 651.
    ''The situation is we have a gunman loose and we don't know where he is,'' Acting Superintendent Stephen Mutton said at the scene. ''We have a shopping centre here. There are a lot of families doing their day-to-day business. Fortunately, there was only one [person] seriously injured.''
    One regular at the gym said it was a quiet, family run gym. ''Sure there were some big guys around but it was pretty friendly, people usually respected each other,'' he said.
    It is uncertain whether the Brunswick shooting is linked to another shooting at the weekend in which a Comanchero gang member was shot in the foot.
    AAP adds: Police last night cordoned off a back alley in inner Melbourne where a four-wheel drive, believed to have been used in the shooting, had been set alight.
    Firefighters say the police declared the area a crime scene and believe the vehicle was used in the shooting at the Brunswick shopping centre.
    Firefighters were called to the blaze in Galada Street, Parkville, about 10.20pm.
    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-probe-gangland-link-to-shooting-20111128-1o3ee.html#ixzz1f0yEkLYO

    Easyriders Events Bike Show Tour..January 7th at the Anaheim Convention Center



    Easyriders 2012 Bike Show Tour invades the West Coast Saturday January 7th at th...e Anaheim Convention Center and January 14th & 15th at the Sacramento Convention Center. North America's Biggest, Baddest Bike Show ft the stars of the #1 hit TV show "Sons Of Anarchy" Tommy Flanagan "Chibs" & Winter Zoli "Lyla" meeting, signing autographs, and taking pictures with guests, the 2012 Tattoo Gallery, live music from HEMME, the word's top bike builders, "rock em sock em" women's roller derby action, the Purrfect Angelz from NBC's "America's Got Talent", & Easyriders Roadware Fashion Show. For complete event details, ticket info, to register your bike, and vendor info please go to www.EasyridersEvents.com or call 800-962-9857.