Legislative Update

From the associated Press. How absurd can government get? The answer is that it depends on our involvement.
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Sputnik

Fourth grade students in Cincinnati, Ohio, play tag together at recess, but now some schools across the country are banning the game, saying it "progresses easily into slapping and hitting."

By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
Some traditional childhood games are disappearing from school playgrounds because educators say they're dangerous.
Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., banned tag at recess this year. Others, including a suburban Charleston, S.C., school, dumped contact sports such as soccer and touch football.
In other cities, including Wichita; San Jose, Calif.; Beaverton, Ore.; and Rancho Santa Fe., Calif., schools took similar actions earlier.
The bans were passed in the name of safety, but some children's health advocates say limiting exercise and free play can inhibit a child'sdevelopment.
Groups such as the National School Boards Association don't keep statistics on school games.
But several experts, including Donna Thompson of the National Program for Playground Safety, verify the trend. Dodge ball has been out at some schools for years, but banning games such as tag and soccer is a newer development.
"It's happening more," Thompson says. Educators worry about "kids running into one another" and getting hurt, she says.
In January, Freedom Elementary School in Cheyenne prohibited tag at recess because it "progresses easily into slapping and hitting and pushing instead of just touching," Principal Cindy Farwell says.
Contact sports were banned from recess at Charles Pinckney Elementary early this year, says Charleston County schools spokeswoman Mary Girault, because children suffered broken arms and dislocated fingers playing touch football and soccer.
Some schools that ban games at recess allow children to play them in gym class under supervision.
Critics of the bans say playing freely helps kids learn to negotiate rules and resolve disputes.
"They learn to change and to problem-solve," says Rhonda Clements, an education professor at Manhattanville College.
Joe Frost, emeritus professor of early childhood education at the University of Texas-Austin, sees playground restrictions as harmful.
"You're taking away the physical development of the children," he says."Having time for play is essential for children to keep their weight under control."

Thought you might find this interesting.
Sput

URGENT MESSAGE !

Today at the state capitol Representative Dan Frankel (D-23 Allegheny)issued a Dear Colleague letter to all Members of the House ofRepresentatives to sign on his bill as co-sponsors for a new Pennsylvaniamandatory helmet law for ALL riders.

This is a serious situation. YOU must take the following actionimmediately!

Send an email message, call, or write to YOUR REPRESENTATIVE and ask them NOT TO BECOME A CO-SPONSOR on the Frankel proposed bill.

Be polite, and tell them in your own words why you believe motorcyclists should continue to have the right to make a choice in the use of a helmet when riding a motorcycle.

DO NOT contact Rep. Frankel UNLESS he is your Representative. Also, do not contact your Senator. This proposed bill only applies to the House of Representatives.

I also ask you to consider making a contribution to BikePAC. $10 - $15 -$20 or whatever you can spare. We will need funds now more than ever to defeat this attempt to once again rob us of our freedom.

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma are lobbying Pennsylvania to re-enact a mandatory helmet law.

In addition the American Automobile Association (AAA) is also pushing for a mandatory helmet law for all motorcyclists.

This is serious business ! Don't put off what needs to be done today!

Charles

ATTENTION ALL BIKERS: PLEASE MAKE THE CALL AND FORWARD THIS EMAIL:
Original Message---From: tshep@centurytel.netSent: Friday, June 09, 2006
Michigan has repealed their mandatory helmet bill but it still has to go to the Governor to be signed into law but she is expected to VETO it:Her name is Jennifer GranholmHer telephone number is 517-373-3400Every biker in the nation needs to flood her office with phone calls telling her how nice it would be to vacation in Michigan
Bob
***
When you call, here are some statistics you can share with the goodGovernor:
A. The percentage of all multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents caused byinattentive or negligent cagers: 67%
B. The percentage by which statistic "A" can be reduced by mandatory helmetlaws: 0%
C. The percentage of all motorcycle accidents caused by the inattentionalblindness of cagers: 50%
D. The percentage by which statistic "C" can be reduced by mandatory helmetlaws: 0%
Get more useful bikers rights advocacy information here:
http://www.ldrlongdistancerider.com/forum.html ***
Please call, and please forward this email to bikers everywhere,
Bruce@LdrLongDistanceRider.com
http://www.ldrlongdistancerider.com/

-----------------------------------------------------
Ride Free ~Suds & bttrfly
http://sudsandbutterfly.homestead.com/

TO ALL BIKERS AND BIKE SHOPS
Deadline to take action is June 21st, 2006

BY 2010 YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ADJUST HOW YOUR BIKE RUNS IN YOUR SHOP. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR EXHAUST OR RUN STRAIGHT PIPES WITHOUT BEING IN VIOLATION OF THE EPA’S STANDARDS

THE EPA IS ALLOWING EACH AMERICAN TO BUILD ONE KIT BIKE PER LIFETIME THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO MEET EPA STANDARDS AND YOU CAN’T SELL THE BIKE FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER COMPLETION.

YOU CAN NOT TAKE A FACTORY BUILT EPA APPROVED BIKE AND REBUILD IT. IT MUST BE A NEW ENGINE



IF YOUR KIT BIKE IS WRECKED, STOLEN, OR LOST, YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK. YOU ONLY GET ONE KIT BIKE IN YOUR LIFETIME.

THE EPA IS ALLOWING BIKE BUILDERS TO PRODUCE ONLY 24 CUSTOM BIKES PER YEAR/AND THE BIKES CAN ONLY BE LEGAL TO RIDE ON THE STREET IF YOUR RIDING IT TO A BIKE SHOW. BIKE #25 AND ONWARD MUST MEET EPA EMISSION REGULATIONS.

AS OF THE END OF 2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON INC. WILL REMOVE ALL AFTERMARKET PARTS FROM THEIR DEALERSHIPS AND WILL PLACE A COMPUTER CHIP IN NEW ENGINES THAT WILL KEEP IT FROM RUNNING IF THERE IS ANY CHANGE IN THE AIR INTAKE OR EXHAUST, OR FUEL. THEY DID THIS ON THEIR OWN.

TO STOP THIS WE ARE ASKING ALL BIKERS AND SHOPS TO SEND TYPED OR HANDWRITTEN LETTER’S TO:
Marianne L. Horinko
Enviromental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave.
N.W. Washington, DC 20460

DO NOT COPY THE SAME LETTER AS THE EXAMPLE ATTACHED, EACH LETTER MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.


EPA Example Letter for Bike Shops

MRF -- EPA Questionnaire

The next Austin Minutemen meeting has been moved to July 10th, Monday at 7:30 at the Moose Lodge on EM Franklin, Ragu will be acting coordinator.
Thanks
Terri Williams
TMRA2 State Secretary

SENATORIAL DISTRICT
CAUCUS SCHEDULE
Friday, June 9th
3:00-5:00pm
Fort Worth Convention Center
Here is the time and location for the District Caucus meetings for the upcoming weekend. To have a part in electing your State Executive Committee Members and permanent committee members it is imperative that you attend these meetings.
Sputnik
SD 1, 201 A - SD 2, 121 D - SD 3, 203 B - SD 4, 202 C
SD 5, 204 B - SD 6, 204 A - SD 7 Ballroom B - SD 8, Ballroom
SD 9, 116 - SD 10, 121 A - SD 11, Ballroom A - SD 12 121 F
SD 13, 121 B - SD 14, 102 - SD 15, 203 C - SD 16, 201B
SD 17, 101 - SD 18 110 A - SD 19, 121 E - SD 20, 202 A
SD 21, 100 - SD 22, 110 B - SD 23, 200 - SD 24 104
SD 25, 202 B - SD 26, 121 C - SD 27, 201 C - SD 28, 202 D
SD 29, 203 A - SD 30, 113 A & B - SD 31, 111