Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Things I never paid attention to with the California DMV car registration renewal form
It doesn't make sense that California has a registration fee, which is the form, and the reason they send it, and what you expect to pay to keep your car registered... though why cars must be registered is absurd to me. What, does the government need to know that you have a car? Do they need to know what cars, how many, how old, and the serial number of them? No idea what that information can do for the public good.
So anyway, what is the different license fee? Are we being charged to display that license? Why aren't we being paid to advertise the state we live in on a envelope sized aluminum tag on the back of our car?
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Avoid New Mexico's Dona Ana County traveling friends... they locked a guy in solitary for two years without a trial. No judge, no sentence, no charges. True story
Meanwhile, his relatives were trying to find out: where's Stephen?
for most of his 22-month detainment, was that he was in "deplorable" conditions of his solitary "pod," court documents state, except for a 14-day period in May 2007, when he was sent to New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas, N.M., for a psychiatric review. He had lost a third of his body weight by that point, documents say, and had bed sores and a fungal infection on his skin.
It wouldn't be until months later that Slevin's sister, whose name and location [attorney Matt] Coyte did not give, found out what her brother was going through: Forced to pull out his own tooth because he was denied access to a dentist, he told reporters on Tuesday. Toenails curling around his foot because they were so long. Basically forgotten about in his dark cell for more than 22 months.
“There was no doctor looking after him. There was a nurse, the nurse practitioner.”
But the so-called nurse practitioner only had a bachelor’s degree in psychology and no actual medical qualifications, KOB reported.
Dona Ana County officials were tight-lipped about the case, refusing to answer questions about whether any jail employees were reprimanded or fired over Slevin's treatment.
So, I won't be driving through that county... ever.
News excerpts from http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10243856-letters-from-solitary-confinement-reveal-dwi-mans-despair but you'll find the same info everywhere around the internet... this is appalling. Nothing about being a citizen with constitutional rights was ever applied to this man until his lawyer got the County of Dona Ana of New Mexico sued.
And if you think this is just an isolated incident, and that this Dona Ana County doesn't have problems?
(Mayor Elect) Daniel Salinas, of Sunland Park, was arrested overnight Monday on bribery and conspiracy charges alleging he gave acting Police Chief Luis Monarez his job in exchange for persuading Monarez’s sister not to run against a Salinas ally for City Council, according to Dona Ana County Assistant District Attorney
Salinas had already posted $50,000 cash following his arrest in late February on extortion and other charges related to accusations that he and the city manager tried to force an opponent out of the mayor’s race with a secretly recorded video of him getting a lap dance.
Side note, from the DSC show on 100.7 Jack FM news, the opponent mentioned above was running for Mayor, and while giving a job interview and accompanied by his election campaign manager, the interviewee started up music and stripped off her top. Bingo, caught on film, total set up. Feb 24 podcast #4 of 4 http://www.sandiegojack.com/global/Story.asp?s=12880043
That set off a widespread probe that has resulted in eight arrests of current and former city officials on bribery, extortion, voter fraud and other charges.
From the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/sunland-park-nm-mayor-elect-accused-in-lap-dance-video-arrested-again-for-other-alleged-plot/2012/03/20/gIQA20JfPS_story.html
Why did I post this? We all drive, and occasionally we drive through some scary places. I don't want you to go through there without being warned. Seriously.
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Costco is the defendant in a class action lawsuit over selling gas over 60 degrees without a pump that automatically adjusts for hot temperatures
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
The Chicken War, and the Chicken Tax, and what they have to do with trucks made in Europe and Asia
Largely because of post-World War II intensive chicken farming and accompanying price reductions, chicken, once internationally synonymous with luxury, became a staple food in the U.S. Prior to the early 1960s, not only had chicken remained prohibitively expensive in Europe, it had remained a delicacy. With imports of inexpensive chicken from the U.S., chicken prices fell quickly and sharply across Europe, radically affecting European chicken consumption. In 1961, per capita chicken consumption rose 23% in West Germany. U.S. chicken overtook nearly half of the imported European chicken market.
Subsequently, the Dutch accused the U.S. of dumping chickens at prices below cost of production. The French government banned U.S. chicken and raised concerns that hormones could affect male virility. German farmers' associations accused U.S. poultrymen of artificially fattening chicken with arsenic. In fact, U.S. chicken farmers, with Food and Drug Administration approval, had treated chicken feed with antimony, arsenic compounds, or estrogen hormones to stimulate growth.
The period from 1961–1964 of tensions and negotiations surrounding the issue, which took place at the height of Cold War politics, was known as the "Chicken War".
Eventually, the tariffs on potato starch, dextrin, and brandy were lifted, but over the next 48 years the light truck tax ossified, remaining in place to protect U.S. domestic automakers from foreign light truck production (e.g., from Japan and Thailand). Though concern remains about its repeal, a 2003 Cato Institute study called the tariff "a policy in search of a rationale."
As an unintended consequence, several importers of light trucks have circumvented the tariff via loopholes—including Ford (ostensibly a company the tax was designed to protect), which currently imports the Transit Connect light trucks as "passenger vehicles" to the U.S. from Turkey and immediately shreds portions of their interiors in a warehouse outside Baltimore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
26 yr old Kyle Busch... Nascar Sprint Cup driver, in serious danger of losing his regular drivers lisense for 128 in a 45 in South Carolina
His nickname "Wild Thing"..., his crime? Nearly 3 times the speed limit.
Careless and reckless driving plus speeding. His wife was in the car with him.
On two lane Perth Road near Troutman, N.C. in a yellow 2012 Lexus LFA sports car, unregistered, still a dealership supercar he was loaned by Toyota-Lexus.

A very special supercar by Lexus, a 552-horsepower LFA coupe that began production in December with a very serious price tag of $375,000. Just 22 of them have been delivered so far to U.S. customers, with 500 examples planned worldwide.
Really? (as they say on Saturday night live) You really had to find the top speed of a Lexus?
If convicted, Busch can lose his license for up to a year and face $1,000 in fines.
"I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away," Busch explained. "I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road."
Kyle is already on Nascar probation for infamous rule 12-4-A, "actions detrimental to stock car racing," from the Darlington incident with Kevin Harvick http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/NASCAR-Kevin-Harvick-and-Kyle-Busch-clash-after-Darlington-Cup-race (Harvick climbing out of his car to take a swing at Busch who stayed in his car. Harvick's ends up crashing into a wall) , but NASCAR decided Busch's speeding on a 2 lane at a splinter under 3ximes the posted limit didn't fall afoul of that rule... could it be that to link this incident to that would possibly result in a loss of championship points?
Near that area several other notable people have died in higher speed collisions.
Some info from http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=newton_david&id=6587895 and http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-kyle-busch-ticket-bait-lexus-lfa/
Photos from http://photos.speedtv.com/gallery/2012_Lexus_LFA/slideshow
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Bikers are getting a shot at repealing the helmet law in California
http://www.ride2repeal.com/ or send them email at Ride2Repeal@gmail.com
Monday, 7 February 2011
New California traffic laws and fines

Traffic Tickets Fines (January 2011) thanks to Patricia Cummings, Manager III
Court Liaison Officer CPD – Justice and Government Liaison Branch
Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days................. $154
Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance) ....$800
Failure to stop at a red signal. .......................................$400
Failure to stop at a stop sign. ........................................$154
Unsafe Speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit..............................$154
Unsafe Speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.............................$280
Passing a school bus with flashing red signals..........................$600
Drive using wireless phone not hands free, First offense ...............$80
Drive using wireless phone not hands free, For each subsequent offense. ....$110
Drive while wireless device to send, read or write text.................$80
Minor drive using wireless phone........................................$80
Parking in a bus loading area .........................................$1000
Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense................$1000
Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense..(there is nothing in the statute to indicate increased sanctions for subsequent offenses)
Unlawful material on vehicle windows...................................$114
Adequate muffler required .............................................$114
Mandatory use of seat belts............................................$80
Mandatory use of child passenger restraints............................$400
Headsets/Earplugs over both ears.......................................$114
Motorcycle safety helmet requirements..................................$114
No evidence of current registration....................................$200
2011 Bail and Penalty Schedule, direct from the State of California:
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/documents/2011_jcbail.pdf
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Motorcyclist training. Anyone under 21 wanting to drive a motorcycle will be required to complete an approved motorcycle safety course. Upon completion, the driver will receive a motorcycle instruction permit that must be held for six months before receiving a motorcycle driver license.
Local traffic citations. Local law enforcement officials will no longer be authorized to ticket drivers for moving violations under municipal law or local ordinances. Under the new law, all moving violations must be cited under an appropriate section of the state vehicle code, which specifies penalties. This law takes effect July 1, 2011 and will provide uniform punishment for moving violations throughout the state.
Carpool lanes. Solo drivers in certain "green" (fuel-efficient, low-emission) vehicles with a DMV-issued carpool lane sticker will be able to continue using the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes until July 1, 2011. In addition, a new class of plug-in hybrid vehicles will also be able to use HOV lanes starting in January 2012.
Drunk drivers. If a person is convicted of three or more DUIs in a 10-year period, judges will be authorized to revoke the drunk driver's license for 10 years. This law does not take effect until January 1, 2012. The purpose behind the new law is to reduce repeat offenses by drunk drivers and decrease the number of drunk driving fatalities.
Higher traffic citation fines. All moving violation ticket fines will increase by $4. This law will remain in effect until 2016. Every vehicle-related or traffic infraction will cost $4 more than they did in 2010, raising an extra $34 million for Medi-Cal.
Street-sweeper cameras. Local agencies are now permitted to install cameras on street sweepers in order to digitally photograph illegally parked vehicles parked on streets during posted street sweeper times.
Other safety changes require all motorcycle drivers to complete a fifteen hour training course before earning a learner’s permit and laws increasing reckless driving penalties for paparazzi chasing celebrities.
A new law makes adults liable if an underage guest gets drunk and causes a car crash.
cities to install and operate cameras on street sweepers to digitally photograph vehicles that are parked on streets when street sweeping is posted to occur. Critics of the law are already comparing the plan to an Orwellian Big Brother plot, but this program literally would only photograph cars that are parked illegally.
Thanks to cuts to the state’s Medi-Cal program, motorists caught breaking the law will be charged $4 for the next six years to pay for emergency air-lifts.
a last new law wasn’t about change but about preserving the status-quo for “clean cars” and the state’s HOV Lanes. Hybrid vehicles adorned with the “yellow sticker” advertising its clean air status will be allowed to use HOV lanes as though they had multiple passengers until July 1 of this year. Cars with “white stickers” showing that they are electric or “compressed natural gas” will have HOV privileges until January of 2015. The new law creates a third sticker, for plug-in hybrid vehicles, to be issued and to allow access to HOV lanes also until 2015.
Mobile Billboard Advertising Displays (AB 2756, Blumenfield) This bill created Section 395.5 of the Vehicle Code, which defines “mobile billboard advertising display” as an advertising display that is attached to a wheeled, mobile, non-motorized vehicle that carries, pulls or transports a sign or billboard and is for the primary purpose of advertising. This bill also amended Section 21100 of the Vehicle Code to give local authorities the ability to adopt rules/regulations by ordinance/resolution to regulate mobile billboard advertising; this includes establishing penalties that could authorize removal of the mobile billboard advertising display. In addition, VC Section 22651 was amended to say that the mobile billboard advertising display may be towed when left parked or standing in violation of a local ordinance. Warning citations advising of the consequences, including towing of the mobile billboard display, are sufficient enough warning to the public.
registered in California, which does not bear the required applicable federal Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label consistent with federal regulations. This law only applies to motorcycles manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2013, or a motorcycle with after market exhaust system equipment that is manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2013.
I just remembered, the fine for running a red light
went from $350 to about $430. This couldn't have anything to do with more cities, counties, states and our country going bankrupt and more stop light cameras getting installed, could it?
Read more...Saturday, 27 March 2010
Los Angeles Red Light cameras, the city says it's losing money on the whole thing
http://www.knx1070.com/Red-Light-Cameras--Good-or-Bad-for-LA-/6639883#
To listen to the podcast (it's a short news clip) click on the link.
Briefly, the city of LA stop light cameras make 4 million a month, and LA says it's costing them 100,000 dollars a month.... yeah, they say they are losing on the stop light camera system.
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Disney doesn't allow the use of Segways at the Disney resorts
If you are an individual with a disability which substantially limits your ability to walk and you use a Segway as an assistive moblity device and intend to visit the Walt Disney World or Walt Disneyland Resorts the proposed settlement, if approved by the court, will allow Disney to continue to prohibit the use of Segways by those with disabilities.
You will be forever barred from contesting the fairness, reasonableness, or adequacy of the settlement or from pursuing any claims against Disney related to the use of Segways at the Disney Resorts.
United States Department of Justice
Joins DRAFT In Opposing Disney Settlement
The Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice files an amicus brief in a rare objection strongly opposing the proposed settlement as "fundamentally unfair" to people with disabilities.
Click on links below to view PDF's
DRAFT Press Release
DOJ Objections to Proposed Disney Settlement
DRAFT Objections to Proposed Disney Settlement
Disability Rights Advocates For Technology http://segs4vets.org/
How does this apply to you? Well, if you hapopen to be injured in a auto colliosion that is due to someone elses poor driving, you might need a wheelchair or a Segway for ambulkatory assistance. Wouldn't you like to use it if you went to Disney? Seems to me that if you use a wheeled chair, a seeing eye dog, or are married to, related to or become wheelchair bound, you might find this affects you too.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Did you know unpowered kart racing has been made illegal in Los Angeles county?
Via: http://gowjobs.blogspot.com/2010/03/illegal-soapbox-racing-turns-out-its.html
the County of Los Angeles has put a code into place forbidding the use of non-powered vehicles on county roads with a grade of more than 3%, including skateboards, street luges and our "box-car coasters"
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Did you hear about the idea from C.A.R.B. to make it illegal to have low air pressure in your tires?
"California Air Resources Board and who have strong influence over Arnold and the Democrats in the Legislature. They want to make it a crime to have low air pressure in your tires. They use a “scientist” with a mail-order degree to certify the legitimacy of their slanted research. They pursue a unilateral, California-only approach to global warming that will cripple our economy unless the rest of the world takes a similar approach."
http://www.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/americas-finest/2010/feb/04/crusade-against-free-parking-mania-keeps-spreading/
last incredibly unreal concept from the idiots at CARB (Calif Air Resource Board) was to make it illegal to have black roofs on cars because it absorbs solar heat, makes cars warmer inside, and cuases people to run their AC more, increasing the load on a cars engine, and then decreasing the engines efficiency. Except that it really doesn't have much effect to run your AC, these aren't 1963 air conditioning units.
Lane splitting, I was curious and wondering about it, here's what you might like to know
According to law enforcement agencies, the California Vehicle Code doesn’t specifically say that lane-splitting is illegal. That doesn’t mean a motorcyclist might not get ticketed for it, though.
Motorcyclists could still be cited for unsafe driving and it’s up to the discretion of the ticketing officer and the court to determine what’s safe.
The California Highway Patrol’s Web site says lane splitting “is permissible but must be done in a safe and prudent manner,” while the DMV’s Motorcycle Handbook warns that lane sharing is dangerous.
San Diego police Lt. Tim Saelens, who works in the traffic division, said motorcyclists who split lanes are sometimes cited under three sections of the state Vehicle Code: Section 22350, the basic speed law; Section 21658, which governs lane changes; and Section 21755, that allows passing on the right only under safe conditions.
From http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/19/sign-of-trouble/ via a tip from Zina at http://piratemonkeycult.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/molesters-and-whatnots/
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
What's with California Senator Lowenthal? He wants to eliminate free parking in California,... yeah, WTF??
He wants to change parking everywhere in California: http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/03/02/long-beachs-state-senator-lowenthal-takes-on-parking-requirements/
And eliminate free parking http://www.lbpost.com/ryan/8196 in the whole state of California, now isn't that jsut a new tax on cars... requiring them to pay to park everywhere, every time? How the hell can anyone with a real job pay for that, 'cause I gaurantee Senators don't pay for the gass hog vehicles they drive, are driven in, are flown in, or the fuel that moves the free gas hogs they are provided, nor do they have to pay for parking. But they are consistant in trying to eliminate any fun you can have with yours.
"Lowenthal reiterated his point that free parking is free only to the person parking, where the costs of parking lot construction and maintenance are passed on in the form of higher prices for goods and lower wages for employees. Lowenthal views the bill as a tool to encourage cities and counties to examine ways to manage their parking in order to meet regulations that they will be forced to adhere to by 2020. " Long Beach Post news, Feb 2 2010
Did you hear about the new "Move over" law? Similar to the double fine for speeding in a Construction Zone, it's to make it safer for Caltrans workers
There is a hoax email running around that the fine is 754 dollars, nope: http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/automobiles/a/move_over_law_ca.htm
and http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/moveover.asp both prove it was a hoax, and
it looks like the BS started here http://www.mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/335730-move-over-law.html
THE STRAIGHT SCOOP:
The “Move Over/Slow Down” law, signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger in October, adds Caltrans vehicles (with flashing amber warning lights) to the list of other emergency responder vehicles working roadside that require all motorists to move over or slow down when they see them. The revised law also removes a pre-existing 1/1/10 sunset date (when the law terminates), which now makes the safety protections permanent.
The previous law required motorists to only yield to law enforcement, emergency responders or tow truck operators who are working on the roadside.
The law does not apply when the vehicle with flashing warning lights is not adjacent to the freeway or is separated from the freeway by a protective physical barrier.
In California, violation of the new provision carries a fine of not more than $50. Comparing other states with similar laws, West Virginia has the steepest penalty: 60 days in jail and a $500 fine; Wisconsin’s penalty is a 15-day driver’s license suspension and a $40 fine.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
2010 California traffic ticket fines, they don't make sense relatively, but indicate that the state looks at these fines as revenue, not as a deterent
If you are looking for 2011 fines: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-california-traffic-laws-and-fines.html
Traffic Tickets Fines (01/06/2010)
Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 dayd..................................... $214
Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance) ....................$796
Failure to stop at a red signal. ..................................$436
Failure to stop at a stop sign. ....................................$214
Unsafe Speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.................$214
Unsafe Speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit...............$328
Passing a school bus with flashing red signals............$616
Drive using wireless phone not hands free, First offense ....................$148
Drive using wireless phone not hands free, For each subsequent offense. ...............$256
Drive while wireless device to send, read or write text.........................$148
Minor drive using wireless phone.....................................$148
Parking in a bus loading area ...................$976
Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense................$976
Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense...............................$1876
Unlawful material on vehicle windows...........................$178
Adequate muffler required ................................$178
Mandatory use of seat belts...............................$148
Mandatory use of child passenger restraints.....................$436
Headsets/Earplugs over both ears.....................$178
Motorcycle safety helmet requirements.......................................$178
No evidence of current registration...................................................$256


