Fed Reb

Curry Excuses Voter Fraud Committed By The Bayhs

2011-10-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Marion Co. Prosecutor Terry Curry is once again demonstrating that he is nothing but a political hack prosecutor. The partisan Democrat has cleared former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh and his wife, Susan, of vote fraud allegations despite the fact that they are claiming as a voting residence a condominium on the city's northside at which they have never lived and everyone, in fact, knows that they live in their multi-million dollar mansion in Washington where their boys are enrolled in school. From the Star:

“The mere fact that a person maintains a residence in a state other than Indiana – even if the out-of-state property is more valuable than the Indiana property – is insufficient to conclude that the person has committed fraud by voting in Indiana,” Curry wrote. “In fact, the documents attached to Mr. White’s complaint, namely the Indiana voter registration records and property tax statements, lend support to the notion that the Bayhs do not intend to abandon Marion County as their residence.”

Case dismissed. But the mere fact that Charlie White resided his entire adult life in Hamilton County, Indiana resulted in 7 felony charges being brought against him by an out-of-control partisan Democrat special prosecutor. Who cares about that? Curry also dismissed a complaint filed by Secretary of State Charlie White claiming that the Bayhs were committing fraud by claiming a homestead property tax exemption on the condominium in which everyone knows they've never resided. Curry says it's a civil matter. Of course, when it involves sweet and innocent Evan there could be no criminal intent. Adding further insult to injury, Curry suggested White violated state law by accessing "confidential voter regisration information." Uh, sorry, Terry, those records are a matter of public record. The Democrats accessed those same records to go on their witch hunt against White. How dare you suggest this was a violation of law to look at the Bayhs' voter registration records.

This is just further evidence of what a complete mockery our legal system in Indiana has become. Everyone knows the prosecution of Charlie White is a deal hatched by the political insiders to destroy him no matter how far they must reach to ignore the rule of law. Just remember, there are two justice systems in this state: one set of laws for the ordinary people, and a special set of laws for the elites. If you're someone like Evan Bayh, you can do whatever you please without ever being held accountable for your actions. If you are a little guy like Charlie White, you are disposable and the law will always be used like a hammer to crush you. Don't forget that. Just go ask the executives at OmniSource if you don't believe me. That's the company that made a $300,000 pay off to Curry's office in consideration for Curry agreeing to drop the case his predecessor brought against the company alleging it had purchased millions of dollars worth of stolen metal while it employed nearly 50 off-duty IMPD police officers for protection.

One further note, Mr. Curry might want to inquire as to why Democratic-appointed staff members at the State Elections Division were using state resources (copying machines, maps and supplies ) on state time to gather documents to help the Indiana Democratic Party prepare its legal challenge against White.

Mega Bloks and Need For Speed team up on toy line

2011-10-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

Mega Bloks and Need For Speed team up on toy line

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 09:48 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Video, details and links to buy after the jump!

Now this is awesome! Need for Speed, has set itself apart by delivering an extension of its racing gaming series into the toy world. Mega Bloks actually announced this Electronic Arts partnership back in February.

Featuring authentic cars from the game, there are three Porsche 911′s featured and a Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel Launcher. But wait, that’s not all… there are 2 Audi R8′s and a Custom Garage which includes parts to to make the R8 into the Audi R8 LMS car. On another note, our good friend Andy Blackmore’s Ford Mustang RTR-X is also in the mix so be sure and grab that one!

“We are thrilled to announce with our partner, Electronic Arts the launch of the first construction toy line based on the Need for Speed franchise,” said Vic Bertrand, Chief Innovation Officer of MEGA Brands. “This series will appeal to building fans and collectors alike with authentic vehicles and playsets that offer endless possibilities to build, race, customize and display!”

These are becoming harder to find!

Build & Race (1:55):
Audi R8
Porsche 911 Turbo
Nissan GT-R
McLaren MP4-12C
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Chevrolet Camaro SS
*Need for Speed key launcher, Compatible with all action scale accessories and parts, 14 pieces included

Build & Customize (1:38):
Porsche GT3 RS
McLaren MP4-12C
Nissan GT-R
Ford Mustang RTR-X
Audi R8

Need For Speed Mega Bloks Porsche Wheel Launcher
Unique Steering Wheel with push-button launchers
Race to the ramp and perform crazy stunts to cross the finish line!
Includes Porsche 911 Turbo action scale vehicle!
Real game sounds!
50 pieces

Mega Bloks Need for Speed Custom Garage
Buildable custom scale Audi R8 and Exclusive R8
360-degree display turntable
Display wall for all customizable parts
280 pieces

Mega Bloks Need for Speed Porsche GT3 RS
Exclusive buildable 1/14 collector scale Porsche GT3 RS from Need for Speed
Authentic Porsche pieces like roll cage, functional doors, realistic headlights, high rear foil and real rubber tires let you control construction and customization
For true car collectors and fans of Porsche and Need for Speed!

Check out Toy-R-Us and Bad Ass Toys

Need For Speed The Run demo out for XBOX 360

Mega Bloks and Need For Speed team up on toy line

Flying Lizard Launches Performance Product Line at Rennsport Reunion IV

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 11:49 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Flying Lizard Motorsports unveiled today a new line of performance products at Rennsport Reunion IV at Laguna Seca. The performance products allow customers to quickly and easily set up a wide variety of cars at home, shop, and at the racetrack. The products are ideal for all levels of auto enthusiasts: from those looking to improve the performance of street cars, to club racers and professional racing teams.

Flying Lizard Chief Engineer Craig Watkins will demonstrate the products during Rennsport weekend Oct 14-16 at the Flying Lizard exhibit. The exhibit also features a retrospective on the team’s history from 2003 to 2011 and a full retail store. It is located at the Flying Lizard transporter in the main paddock near the pit lane entrance. All weekend, the team will host a series of pit stop demonstrations and presentations on race setup and race strategy. The full weekend schedule is below.

The performance products are SmartStrings, SmartCamber, and SmartSetup.

SmartStrings is a setup tool which allows customers to precisely align all four wheels and ensure that the front and rear axles are parallel. SmartStrings may be used in all types of real-world conditions from a home garage, to the shop and at the track.

The SmartCamber Gauge accurately measures camber, regardless of the surface angle on which the vehicle sits. SmartCamber utilizes precise digital technology and can be used with a wide variety of wheel and tire combinations. In most cases, camber can be adjusted without removing hub caps or lug nuts or lifting the car off the ground.

SmartSetup Fixtures attach to the wheel hub and are used in place of wheels. The aluminum wheels stay attached to the hub while all the adjustments are made (camber, toe, ride height, corner weights, etc.). The bearings at the bottom of the fixtures eliminate the problem of “stiction” (tire carcass distortion) caused by suspension setting changes.

The three products are sold separately. Special introductory pricing is available onsite only at Rennsport Oct 14-16, 2011.

SmartStrings list price is $410. Rennsport price: $380.
SmartCamber Gauge list price is $270. Rennsport price: $240.
SmartSetup Fixtures list price is $5,000. Rennsport price: $4,000.

SmartProducts are available at the Flying Lizard exhibit at Rennsport and at select dealers. For additional information and a list of authorized dealers click here.

Rennsport Schedule

Friday, October 14
10:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
10:15 am – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler. Featuring the new Flying Lizard Performance Products
11:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
11:15 am – Race Strategy 101 — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
12:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
12:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
1:15 pm – Racing at the 24 Heures du Mans — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
2:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
2:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
3:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
3:15 pm – Race Strategy 101 — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
4:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
4:30 pm – Q & A — Porsche Factory Drivers Joerg Bergmeister & Patrick Long

Saturday, October 15
9:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
9:15 am – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
10:00 am – Q & A — Porsche Factory Drivers Joerg Bergmeister & Patrick Long
11:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
11:15 am – Race Strategy 101 — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
12:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
1:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
1:15 pm – Race Strategy 101 — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
2:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
2:15 pm – Racing at the 24 Heures du Mans — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
4:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
4:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler

Sunday, October 16
9:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
9:15 am – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
10:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
10:15 am – Race Strategy 101 — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
11:00 am – Pit Stop Demonstration
11:15 am – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
12:00 pm – Racing at the 24 Heures du Mans — Chief Strategist Thomas Blam & Team Manager Eric Ingraham
1:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
1:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler
2:00 pm – Pit Stop Demonstration
2:15 pm – Set up to Win: Racecar Setup Discussion — Chief Engineer Craig Watkins & Crew Chief Tommy Sadler

Flying Lizard Teams with The Racer’s Group on No. 66 Porsche Entry at Daytona

Flying Lizard Launches Performance Product Line at Rennsport Reunion IV

Biden Says A Vote Against Obama's Jobs Bill A Vote For More Rapes And Murders

2011-10-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable the things that come out of this guy's mouth, laying aside the threatening tone that so often accompanies what he says. Why people in the media don't question the mental fitness of Joe Biden to hold high office is beyond me.

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

2011-10-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

How To Paint A Car – Learn From An Expert!
How To Re-Paint A Car – Part One – General Info
How To Repaint A Car – Part Two – Preparation
How To Repaint A Car – Part Three – Dent Repair

How To Paint A Car – Learn From An Expert!

Posted: 15 May 2011 07:03 PM PDT

As much as I hope that the articles I’ve written on respraying a car have been helpful to you, I am only a rank amateur and the little knowledge that I do have is the result of watching other people and plenty of my own trial and error. If you are keen to learn from [...]

How To Re-Paint A Car – Part One – General Info

Posted: 14 May 2011 08:22 AM PDT

With Mechanical Repairs off my list of things to do for a while due to ongoing problems with my back I thought I would do a tutorial on what I know about Re-Painting a car. No, I am not talking about getting a tin of Mission Brown Enamel and the widest brush you can find [...]

How To Repaint A Car – Part Two – Preparation

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 04:37 PM PDT

Finally! Part Two is here – The all important preparation. Between the camera taking an early holiday and my good ‘ole back injury flaring up again nothing much has been happening around here, and I apologize for that. Anyhoo, on with the show. Our ‘ guinea pig’ VN Commodore is for the most part a [...]

How To Repaint A Car – Part Three – Dent Repair

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 08:50 AM PDT

Our project VN Commodore is finally back in the garage and ready for some straightening and painting. Repairing Dents In this part I would like to talk about dent repairs. Our Commodore is reasonably straight with only a few ‘shopping trolley’ dents that need to be repaired, however the methods used here can also be [...]

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-19T17:13:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

Hear the New Ducati Superquadro Engine

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hi guys, here is the Superquadro, Ducati’s most powerful twin-cylinder production engine on the planet and destined to power the new Ducati 1199 Panigale with absolute performance perfection. Listen to the sound.

In this radically new engine, out of its five hundred parts, only fifteen have been carried over from the old engine. Superquadro, which means it’s supersquared (the bore/stroke is greater than one) results in 195hp at the flywheel.

Be sure to voice your opinion at Ducatist.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Democrats Challenge McCain 2008 Petitions For The Second Time In Retaliation

2011-10-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE
A former White House intern for President Barack Obama who is supporting his re-election uncovered evidence that Obama's 2008 presidential campaign in Indiana forged signatures in Indiana's 2nd congressional district in order to get his name on the Indiana presidential primary ballot. Ryan Nees, now a student at Yale University, joined Howey Politics and the South Bend Tribune in a joint investigative effort that uncovered hundreds of forged signatures on both Obama's and Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential Indiana campaign petitions. The damning disclosures led Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker to force the resignation of St. Joseph Co. Democratic Party Chairman and 2nd District Chairman, Butch Morgan, despite the lack of evidence Morgan was personally responsible for the forgeries and Morgan's insistence of his innocence. Hey, he needed a fall guy. Now, Indiana Democrats have launched an effort aimed at retaliating against Indiana Republicans and the 2008 campaign of Sen. John McCain, neither of which had anything to do with the joint investigative report by Howey Politics and the South Bend Tribune. Indiana State GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb has, however, called for a Justice Department investigation based on the findings of the investigative report and Parker's own admission that fraud occurred. WISH-TV's Jim Shella, who is pretty much a shill for the Indiana Democratic Party, reports on the Democrats' retaliatory efforts:

Boxes from 2008 were unsealed at the state Election Division. Democrats are sifting through petitions required to place John McCain's name on the ballot. They say they found irregularities including what looks like a forgery of the clerk's signature in Boone County. They're not done researching signatures.

"But based on what we've seen today," says State Democratic Chairman Dan Parker, "if you looked at them one by one, he did not have enough to qualify in the 4th Congressional District."

That means he didn't have enough to qualify statewide.

Back in 2008 there were questions about McCain making the ballot deadline and he addressed them during a February 2008 campaign visit.

"I will rely on the governor heavily to make sure I am on the ballot," said McCain at the time, "and knowing his efficiency I'm sure that he can do that."

It's a matter that was dropped until a South Bend newspaper found problems with Obama petitions in St. Joseph County. That sparked a scandal that caused Democratic Party leader Butch Morgan to resign. The state GOP Chairman called for a federal investigation. Now Eric Holcomb questions the Democratic motives.

"I get the feeling though this might be a fishing expedition on their part," he says. "They're trying to deflect attention away from the crime that's occurred."

But Holcomb doesn't rule out Republican crimes. "If there's fraud it needs to be exposed," he says. Suddenly, the search is on.

Leaders in both parties say this is not about undoing the 2008 election but rather about catching those who committed fraud and fixing the system for 2012. There is no desire to eliminate the requirement for 500 petition signatures in each Congressional district, only a desire to tighten enforcement and make sure the signatures are real.

News flash to Shella: John McCain wasn't facing a contest in the Indiana primary and he lost the general election. What his 2008 campaign did or didn't do to make the Indiana ballot is irrelevant now because he already had the nomination wrapped up before the Indiana primary. The delegates won by Obama in Indiana helped him secure a narrow victory at the Democratic National Convention over Clinton. Shella's disingenuous report, while acknowledging McCain's petitions were challenged in 2008, makes no mention of the fact that Thomas Cook, a paid staffer for the Indiana Democratic Party at the time, filed a formal complaint with the Elections Division against the McCain campaign arguing that it failed to file a sufficient number of signatures on its petitions to make the Indiana Republican primary ballot. Shella's report gives the impression the Democrats dropped their complaint against McCain, which is not true. The state Election Commission actually heard two complaints Cook filed against McCain and dismissed both after determining they were without merit. A Democratic clerk in Monroe County had miscounted the number of petition signatures contained on McCain's petitions. The Commission unanimously rejected Cook's challenge to McCain's petitions. Here's what the Star reported then, which also neglected to point out that Cook was a paid staffer for the Indiana Democratic Party, instead characterizing him as a student blogger:

Arizona Sen. John McCain is set to appear on Indiana's May 6 primary ballot after the Indiana Election Commission on Wednesday unanimously denied a challenge to the GOP presidential candidate's status.

Indiana University student Thomas Cook, who runs the political blog www.BlueIndiana.net, filed a challenge with the commission last month. He alleged that McCain's campaign fell a few signatures short of the 500 needed in Indiana's 4th Congressional District to place McCain on the primary ballot.

State law requires presidential candidates submit 500 signatures of registered voters from each of the state's nine congressional districts.

After questioning by the bipartisan commission, Republican officials said they tallied 514 signatures in the 4th Congressional District; Democrat officials came up with a total of 511. The discrepancy came because the Democratic official did not count three signatures from Monroe County because the form did not list the congressional district.

The commission also denied a separate challenge from Cook. McCain's campaign filed two requests for placement on the May 6 primary ballot -- one on Feb. 12 and another Feb. 22. Cook argued that each request should be handled separately, requiring McCain to submit the required signatures for each filing.

The commission denied that challenge and agreed to lump the two filings together.

The fact that the Democrats have chosen to reopen the boxes containing the McCain petitions comes as no surprise. Barack Obama's 2008 campaign chairman in Indiana, Kip Tew, threatened to retaliate against the Republicans in a message he posted on his Twitter account after Holcomb called on the Justice Department to investigate the findings of the 2008 presidential campaign. Cook is now employed as a public spokesman for U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett, a highly-partisan Democrat who formerly served as Secretary of State and as Indiana Democratic Party Chairman, along with a string of unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate, Congress and Attorney General, before his appointment by Obama. Tew is very close to Hogsett and has worked with him in previous Democratic administrations. Cook poked fun at Ryan Nees' involvement in the investigative report when the first news reports were aired, a move that would seem at odds with someone employed by the U.S. Justice Department. But this is a Chicago-run Justice Department so what more should we expect? "Fast and Furious?" Hell, yes.

UPDATE: Forget about a Justice Department investigation. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana received orders from Washington not to investigate the crimes committed by Obama's 2008 presidential campaign in Indiana. Instead, he has asked the Democratic county prosecutor, Mike Dvorak, to conduct the investigation:

A northern Indiana county prosecutor says he will oversee the investigation into apparently forged signatures on Democratic presidential candidate petitions after federal officials declined to take the case.

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak says the U.S. attorney's office for northern Indiana told him it wouldn't investigate allegations of fraudulent petitions to place a candidate on the primary ballot but would review instances of voter fraud or vote tabulation misconduct.

Dvorak says he has asked Indiana State Police to investigate what the South Bend Tribune reports are pages from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton petitions for the 2008 primary with names and signatures that appear to have been copied by hand from another candidate's petition.

No surprises here. I told you the Justice Department wouldn't investigate any crimes committed by the Obama campaign. The entire Obama presidency is based on a series of forgeries, including Obama's forged birth certificate, his forged Selective Service registration, and his forged social security number. Why should the Justice Department care about a few forged petitions from his 2008 presidential campaign, if it doesn't care about the forgeries committed by The Usurper In Chief?

Daily Automotive

2011-10-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

Daily Automotive

Audi S3 Sportback

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:04 PM PDT

The new Audi S3 Sportback has been immortalized in some spy photos while he was engaged in a series of important tests on the hot streets of California. One area that is not a coincidence, because the German manufacturer has certainly chosen this goal to test this model at high temperatures. Protected by the camouflage, which is typical of the prototype of German car manufacturer, this is the new flagship of the A3 family and is ready to arrive in dealerships by the end of next year.

The car was built starting from the third generation of the Audi A3 and will be characterized by the front that is inspired by those who are the latest models in the carmaker. The images are not available to many, but leave out the headlights are combined with LED technology. The new Audi instead is matched as ever Four-wheel drive and manual six-speed dual-clutch S Tronic or 7-speed.

In addition, the new Audi S3 Sportback will see under the hood the presence of the 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine. Compared to the current version, which has 265 horsepower, the power available to the new S3 will exceed 280 hp and accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.4 seconds will occur. The new Audi S3 Sportback should be presented during the Paris Motor Show 2012, an event that is scheduled for next October. The car will be available on the Italian market from a price of about 42,000 euros.

Need For Speed The Run demo out for XBOX 360

2011-10-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

Need For Speed The Run demo out for XBOX 360

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:12 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Race for your life in the NEED FOR SPEED™ THE RUN demo. In the Desert Hills of Nevada you find yourself at the heart of the pack. Battle the unforgiving desert heat and technically demanding terrain as you use all your skills to fight your way to the front in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

Once past the desert, you face treacherous Independence Pass. The clock is ticking, a mountain is crumbling in front of you and a rival is one step ahead. Refer a friend and race in the new Porsche 911 Carrera S.

“It’s called The Run. An illicit, high-stakes race across the country. The only way to get your life back is to be the first from San Francisco to New York. No speed limits. No rules. No allies. All you have are your driving skills and sheer determination as you battle hundreds of the world’s most notorious drivers on the country’s most dangerous roads. In Need for Speed The Run, you’ll weave through dense urban centers, rocket down icy mountain passes and navigate narrow canyons at breakneck speeds, all the while evading a relentless police force prepared – and willing – to use lethal force to take you down.”

BUY NOW | Add to Xbox LIVE download queue

- Major Nelson

Forza Motorsport 4 demo out now for XBOX360

Need For Speed The Run demo out for XBOX 360

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

2011-10-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

Autofix has been hacked!

Posted: 17 Oct 2011 08:36 PM PDT

Hi Folks, as you may have noticed, the site is looking a bit different at the moment. Autofix was hacked earlier this week but we are working hard at getting things back to normal as soon as possible. Thank You for your patience. Related ArticlesNo Related Post

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2011 BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials

Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Here’s a video clip of the 2011 BUB Speed Trials at the Boneville sand flats. In this video, you will see Jay Allen, Wink Eller, and Chris Rivas and their tremendous S&S V-Twin performance parts powering their machines.

Jay Allen sets a new land speed record, Chris Rivas once again takes the front with his Aero Glide for fastest bagger, and veteran land speed racer Wink Eller tries out a new ride. Be sure to check out the end when George B. Smith, CEO of S&S, returns after taking a 20 year break.

George apparently did right by taking that 20 year break because he has made great improvements to the S&S performance products. Okay y'all that's all I have for you today.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS or receive new posts by Email.

Fox News Reports On Growing Petition-Forging Scandal

2011-10-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Check out today's Fox News report on the growing petition-forging scandal that is enveloping Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign effort in Indiana. Notice that State Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker is quoted as saying he wants the "person" responsible for the petition-forging to be held accountable as if there is a single culprit. The state party has forced its St. Joseph Co. Chairman and 2nd District Chair Butch Morgan to resign, even though he claims he had nothing to do with the petition-forging scandal. A forensic document expert for the South Bend Tribune has identified the signature of a long-time Democratic volunteer, Dustin Blythe, as one of the signatures that appears on several pages of the forged Obama petitions. He now works for the St. Joseph Co. voter registration board. The expert claims, however, that there appears to be the signatures of others who may have participated in the forging of the petitions as well. A source told the South Bend Tribune that at least 7 persons were involved in the petition-forging scheme.

Bicycle Bandit Strikes Again

2011-10-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

The notorious downtown bicycle bandit strikes again. For the umpteenth time he has broken into our building and stolen personal property. This time he stole items from two cars in our garage. He even took time out for a snack and hung around quite awhile last night before departing on his bicycle, no doubt one of the many he has stolen in the downtown area. A quick check of our surveillance camera system revealed it was the same guy who has struck our building on multiple occasions. Despite being identified and fingerprinted by police, he remains at large and able to strike anywhere he pleases downtown with impunity. I approached a police officer this morning after we discovered the break-in to inform him of the thefts. He was busy issuing a traffic citation to one of my neighbors on the street in front of our building. He said, "Thanks for telling me." Why bother filling out a police report, eh? We can't let the Mayor's meme that "crime is down" get in the way of reality. It's funny how favorable the crime statistics can appear when you simply don't bother writing reports up on them when they are reported.

Strider Records to close physical location in two weeks

2011-10-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

The good news is that after 32 years, Strider Records is staying in business. The bad news is that, after 32 years, Strider Records will be closing their physical location at 22 Jones Street in the West Village at the end of this month. There have been close calls before, but this time it's for real. I confirmed this with the owner last night via phone.

Long one of the best sources for oldies, and long out-of-print vinyl, they will remain open online at StriderRecords.com. Now through the end of the month, most of the inventory is discounted. Get yourself down to 22 Jones St or call 212-675-3040 for more information.

Dan Wheldon 1978-2011

2011-10-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

Dan Wheldon 1978-2011

Posted: 17 Oct 2011 06:36 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

5 Lap Salute video after the jump!

Rest in Peace Dan.

Yesterday, the motorsport world lost a great driver and friend. Dan Wheldon (33) was killed in a horrible crash yesterday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This was the final race of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship season.

Dan’s resume includes the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. Dan Wheldon wiki

Dan is survived by his Susie Behm and 2 sons, Sebastian (2) and Oliver (7 months). The family lived in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

FC Barcelona wins Audi Cup 2011

Dan Wheldon 1978-2011

Jackie Nytes Self-Dealing And Anti-Taxpayer To The Very End

2011-10-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

City-County Councilor Jackie Nytes envisions herself as a quite public finance wizard who towers over her colleagues with her intellect and gravitas. During the debate tonight on the passage of next years' City-County Council budget, Nytes sought to console angry Unite Here folks, a coalition of hotel workers who lost their bid to make it the public's responsibility to pay them what their employers won't pay them. Never mind that taxpayers have subsidized the hospitality industry to the tune of more than a billion dollars when you add up all the public dollars that have been spent propping up the convention and professional sports franchises downtown. Nytes and her fellow Democrats think we should help pay for their workers' wages as well. The Republicans on the council turned back efforts to amend the public subsidy for the hotel workers into the Department of Metropolitan Development's budget.

Nytes told the disappointed Unite Here activists after they engaged in a rude public outburst following the vote that brought the council meeting to a halt for about five minutes while they hurled insults at the council that they should blame the citizens who took to the streets four years ago to protest higher property taxes for their defeat. Of course, she's referring to the decision of the state legislature to cap property taxes. Yeah, you already knew Nytes was a self-dealing political insider who has made a lot of money off of public service, and who has utter disdain for ordinary taxpayers. But blaming property taxpayers for the wages that privately-owned hotels pay their workers? How low can you stoop, Jackie?

Speaking of Nytes making money off her public service, she made a feeble attempt to prove what an ethical councilor she is by asking to be recused from voting on the public library's budget. Nytes recently got named the new CEO of the library, a post that promises to pay her at least $125,000 a year. Lest we forget that Nytes formerly worked as the CFO for the library when it first spent its way into a financial disaster by going on a building binge that hit property taxpayers deep in the pocket. No sooner had Nytes explained why she was recusing herself from voting on the library's budget than Councilor Barbara Malone chimed in to congratulate Nytes on her new position. Malone added with a straight face that Nytes had played a critical role in crafting the library board's budget with $3 million in additional funding that she had just asked to recuse herself from voting on. Nytes nervously giggled realizing that the empress had been revealed to be wearing no clothes. Nytes' voice on the council is one that certainly will not be missed after she leaves it to take her cushy new job. Let's hope there will be someone on the next council who will keep a close eye on her management of the library.

UPDATE: On a lighter note, in the rush to tout the passage of the 2012 budget, Mayor Greg Ballard's press office put out a statement touting a "responsibly balanced budget." "Despite these tough economic times, we achieved this budget with no taxing and no borrowing," the statement read. "No taxing or borrowing?" Now that's a first. Realizing the mistake, Ballard's press office minutes later released a corrected statement: "Despite these tough economic times, we achieved this budget with no additional taxing and no borrowing." Well, at least he's dropped the "honestly balanced" meme. The budget only appears balanced because of a series of smoke and mirrors budget tricks.

Indiana Democratic Party Forces Party Official Out Over Petition-Forging Flap

2011-10-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like the Indiana Democratic Party has selected a fall guy for the petition-forging scandal that has raised serious questions about the legality of the 2008 Indiana Democratic presidential primary. A South Bend Tribune/Howey Politics investigation uncovered evidence that dozens, if not hundreds, of names had been forged on the 2008 petitions filed by the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2nd congressional district. According to the findings of the investigation, without the forged signatures, Obama would have lacked a sufficient number of signatures to have been a candidate in Indiana's 2008 Democratic primary. State Democratic Chairman Dan Parker released a statement to the media this evening saying that St. Joseph Co. Democratic Chairman Butch Morgan has resigned. That seem to come as news to Morgan's attorney according to the South Bend Tribune. Parker issued this statement to the media:

"The Indiana Democratic Party has been notified of Butch’s resignation. We continue to support the ongoing investigation to determine how this isolated incident occurred and hold anyone involved accountable.

"On a personal note, I have known Butch for nearly two decades, and I want to thank him for his longstanding commitment to the Democratic Party, its candidates, his community and our State."

Morgan's attorney, Shaw Friedman, told the Tribune that Morgan was only considering taking a leave of absence from his party positions. "As of this hour, no resignation letter has been submitted," Morgan's attorney, Shaw Friedman, wrote in an e-mail to The Tribune. "He is considering taking a leave of absence while this matter is under review, but there has been no resignation letter submitted." According to a report in yesterday's Tribune, a forensic document expert had determined that the signature of a long-time Democratic volunteer, Dustin Blythe, matched the signature on some of the forged Obama petitions. Party officials later appointed Blythe to a position in the St. Joseph Co. voter registration office. It should be observed that Parker released his statement to WISH-TV's Jim Shella, who is pretty much a stooge for the Indiana Democratic Party. Shella didn't bother to confirm with Morgan whether he had actually resigned as the South Bend Tribune did.

UPDATE: Message delivered? Morgan released a statement to the South Bend Tribune resigning late last night after the State Democratic Party Chairman beat him to the punch by announcing it for him:

"I regret having to resign and hope no one will misinterpret the reasons for my resignation," he said in a written statement. "I have done nothing wrong and I look forward to an investigation that will exonerate me of any wrongdoing.

"It has been an honor for me to have served in these capacities," he continued. "I have worked hard to elect outstanding men and women to public office.

"In the midst of recent controversy," he concluded, "it is best that I not be a distraction to the efforts of candidates who are running for office in the current municipal elections."

The Tribune relates how the resignation flap unfolded:

He issued his statement Monday night after several confusing hours during which state Democrats were reporting his resignation and his attorney, Shaw Friedman, was saying Morgan was merely considering a leave of absence.

Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker said in a news release at 6:15 p.m. that the party had been notified of Morgan's resignation.

The Tribune then contacted Friedman, who said Morgan had not resigned.

"He is considering taking a leave of absence while this matter is under review," Friedman wrote in an e-mail, "but there has been no resignation letter submitted."

The state Democrats responded by producing an e-mail supposedly from Morgan with the label "Media Release" written above Monday's date. The statement said Morgan had stepped down at 6 p.m.

Friedman looked at the statement and said it appeared to be a draft put together by a local party volunteer, but it was not supposed to be released. He reiterated that Morgan had not resigned.

Finally, about 10 p.m., Morgan released a genuine statement that he had decided to resign after local party leaders and friends had asked him to consider various options, including a leave of absence.

Yeah, message delivered, Butch, You're taking the fall for this one whether you want to or not.

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

2011-10-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

AUTOFIX.COM.AU

Chev Tuned Port Injection Conversion – The Finish

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:29 AM PST

A quick update for those of you interested in the Tuned Port Injection conversion that we have been doing on a 350 fitted to an 80 series Landcruiser. After deciding that we wanted the ecu inside the car and up under … Continue reading →

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2012 ZX-14R vs. Plane

Posted: 16 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hey, what’s going on everyone? Here is the fully revealed new 2012 Kawasaki Zx-14R. Check it out.

Hey, what’s going on guys? Below is a video showing the new 2012 Kawasaki Zx-14r apparently racing with a plane. The good thing is, you finally get to see what the new bike looks like in action. Check it out.

Be sure to log on to Ninja Boards to voice your opinions.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Holcomb On The Audacity Of Arrogance

2011-10-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Indiana Republican Party Chairman Eric Holcomb released this video message today in response to the Democrats' 2008 petition-forging scandal involving the nominating petitions for the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2012 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade Mini Site

Posted: 15 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

What’s up people? Honda has put up a mini-website dedicated to the new 2012 Fireblade. It promises to tell the full story of the bike which will mark the 20th anniversary of the Fireblade series next year. Honda is keen to stress the easy-to-ride Total Control philosophy which has shaped the Fireblade dynasty.

You only need traction control if you are an inadequate rider, the site seems to imply. Sketches on the site show how good the 175.7bhp 2012 ‘Blade would look in plain titanium grey, except it doesn’t come in that color.

There’s also an interesting graph which shows how much less stiff the new wheels are when not leaned over, and how much more so when they are. There are sections devoted to Concept, Styling, Engine, Chassis and Tech Spec. Check it out here.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Dan Wheldon RIP

2011-10-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Dan Wheldon - RIP

RIP: Dan Wheldon

2011-10-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

IndyCar Racing League CEO Randy Bernard just announced the tragic death of race car driver and two-time Indianpolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon as the result of a horrific 15-car crash at the series' last race of the year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Wheldon, 33, was the winner of this year's Indianapolis 500, his second trip to Victory Lane. In celebration of his life, the race has been called. The remaining drivers in today's field are being led in five parade laps as a salute to his life. Wheldon is survived by his wife, Susie Behm, and two sons, Sebastian and Oliver. Wheldon was a native of Emberton, England. The Star has more on the tragic day in Indy Racing here.

Wheldon's Twitter account reflects some of his last thoughts:
"Big pay day today, $5,000,000 at stake!!! Heading to the track."
A friend tweeted him jokingly suggesting he pay drivers to pull over and let him win. Wheldon responded, "That' not the way to win my man."

His last comment: "Green!!!"

The video below shows the view from the onboard camera in Wheldon's car just moments before his fateful crash:

UPDATE: The Star's Bob Kravitz has a fitting tribute to Wheldon here. For a perspective from England, see a story in today's Daily Mail here. News came following Wheldon's death that he had just signed a contract Sunday morning to race next season for Michael Andretti's racing team.

Movie of the Week - Dressing For Pleasure

2011-10-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

A rare look at the entire 1977 UK documentary on fetish fashion which includes appearances by Malcolm McLaren, Jordan, and others who were the leaders of the UK punk scene. Some of this footage would later appear in McLaren's The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. For more, check out this article on the film, and this article on it's maker, John Samson.

Long-Time Democratic Volunteer Fingered In Democrats Petition-Forging Scheme

2011-10-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

Dustin Blythe Photo From Facebook

A long-time Democratic volunteer and employee of St. Joseph County Voter Registration Office has been fingered by a forensic document analyst hired by the South Bend Tribune and Howey Politics as one of several persons responsible for forging signatures on the 2008 ballot petitions filed by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The handwriting of Dustin Blythe, 37, has been linked to nine pages of the forged Obama petitions according to the South Bend Tribune. From the Tribune's Kevin Allen and Erin Blasco:

A Mishawaka man has been linked to some of the pages filled with fake signatures submitted as part of Barack Obama's petition to be on the 2008 Indiana primary ballot.

A forensic document analyst hired by The Tribune and Howey Politics Indiana identified Dustin Blythe, 37, by matching the handwriting on his voter registration card and two political petitions with that on nine suspicious pages from the Obama petition.

The analyst, Erich Speckin, concluded that all of the printing on the nine pages definitely is Blythe's, and the signatures likely are his, as well . . .

Blythe is a Democratic appointee who works in the St. Joseph County Voter Registration Office. According to county personnel records, however, he didn't work in voter registration in early 2008 when the signatures were being collected. His employment in the office began in August of that year. He is known to be a longtime Democratic party volunteer.

Blythe declined to comment for this article.

His attorney, Andre Gammage, said Blythe is innocent.

"He hasn't done anything and doesn't know anything about any signatures being manufactured or forged," Gammage said in a phone interview. "That's the reason he doesn't have anything to say. His comment is he didn't do anything."

Gammage also questioned the reliability of handwriting analysis as evidence. "They're not fingerprints," he said. "They're not that exact."

The forensic document analyst determined that Blythe, who describes himself as a Progressive Democrat on his Facebook page, did not act alone. Speckin believes the handwriting on the Obama petitions included those of three other persons. The Tribune says a source with knowledge of the petition-forging says there were seven people, including Blythe, involved in the effort to fake petitions. As to the forensic document analyst's qualifications, the Tribune writes of him:

Speckin said he has testified as a handwriting expert in more than 100 trials. He also has been retained by federal, state and local governments, law enforcement agencies and private individuals.

Blythe sporting an Edwards t-shirt with Obama volunteer Troy Warner

With these latest findings uncovered by the Tribune and Howey Politics, we now know that the petition-forging of Democratic petitions wasn't the act of a lone, rogue renegade; rather, it was a conspiracy involving multiple persons. The only person identified to date, Blythe, is not new to Democratic politics, and he was rewarded by the Democrats with a job in the voter registration office of St. Joseph Co. after the forging of the petitions occurred. Indiana Republican Party Chairman Eric Holcomb's call for a Justice Department investigation is well-supported by the evidence uncovered to date from this investigative reporting series. The chairman of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign in Indiana, attorney Kip Tew, is less enthusiastic about an investigation. In fact, he appears to have made a less than thinly-veiled threat in response to Holcomb's call for an investigation. Tew offered this comment dated October 10, 2011 on his Twitter account to Holcomb's request for an investigation: "Holcomb is barking up a tree he may regret."

B-Sides & Broken Hearts: read it

2011-10-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

It's about time I give a shout out to Caryn Rose who was nice enough to share a copy of her terrific new novel, B-Sides & Broken Hearts, with me. Now I'm usually not much of a fiction guy, but when it comes to writing about music, and conveying how it can make you feel, there are not too many folks who do it better than Caryn. And B-Sides... is definitely full of deep feelings about music, records, and lives lived to a good soundtrack. Thank you, Caryn.

- B-Sides & Broken Hearts - website
- On Amazon

Mayoral Debate Disappointment

2011-10-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

I wasted an hour tonight watching a debate between Mayor Greg Ballard and Melina Kennedy. I suppose if you are very uneducated about the facts you may have been moved by one of them, but I certainly was not. Whoever wins this race will continue the leadership by misinformation that seems to be a prerequisite for holding public office in this country today. There were so many misstatements by both candidates the list is too long to detail here. Perhaps the biggest whopper of the night came when Mayor Greg Ballard responded to a dig Kennedy made at his management of the police department by promoting Lincoln Plowman to a position in charge of investigations. Plowman, of course, was subsequently convicted of bribery and attempted extortion, which makes Ballard's argument that he has been raising the professional standards at IMPD since he became mayor a tough sell. Ballard blamed Plowman's promotion on Sheriff Frank Anderson. While Plowman did join IMPD as a result of the merger of the two police agencies, it was Mayor Ballard who reorganized the management of IMPD after he was put in charge of IMPD and promoted Plowman to the command position in the investigations division. Plowman had actually sued Anderson for failing to promote him when he was in charge.

The two candidates continue to hit each other on taxes. Ballard blames Kennedy for income tax increases he promised to roll back but chose to keep after becoming mayor. Kennedy blames Ballard for raising 140 taxes and fees, but she didn't say which, if any, of those tax and fee increases she would repeal if she is elected mayor. Ballard takes credit for property tax reductions that were entirely the result of action taken by the governor and state legislature. The two continue to spar over who created or lost more jobs as if we're to believe that government and not the private sector creates jobs. Kennedy says Ballard said he wouldn't ask the city to host a Super Bowl game until he had hired 750 new police officers. Ballard says he doesn't recall making any such promise. Ballard likes his deal privatizing the city's parking meter assets for 50 years. Kennedy doesn't like it. There was lots of talk about education, which sounds good, but there's not a lot the mayor can do about it. That's pretty much how it went for an hour. Neither offered much hope for what they could offer the city in leadership during the next four years.

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

Ducati Fight For Me Aftershave

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hey guys, Jon here again. Are you a hardcore Ducati fan? Do you make other people refer to you as a Ducatisti? Well, you’re obsession is not complete until you get your hands on Ducati aftershave. Yup, aftershave. It’s called Fight for Me.

A bunch of pretty Italian ladies turned out last week to mark Ducati’s latest range of male grooming products.

Starting with the Fight For Me aftershave, Ducati plans to roll out a range of man-scaping products under the intriguingly named brand.

Here is the video of then event.

Be sure to voice your opinion at Ducatist.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Claudia Cardinale digs vinyl

2011-10-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Claudia Cardinale,

merci.

Nobody Accepting Blame For Democrats' 2008 Petition-Forging Scandal

2011-10-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

While Indiana Democrats are readily conceding that signatures were forged on the nominating petitions for the 2008 Indiana Democratic primary presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, nobody is taking responsibility for what occurred. The Chairwoman of the St. Joseph Co. Republicans Party has called on her Democratic counterpart, Butch Morgan, to resign without accusing him of forging the signatures. Morgan denies any wrongdoing but has lawyered up. Obama's 2008 chairman, Kip Tew, doesn't help Morgan out by telling the Tribune that Morgan's organization played a role in circulating the petitions under examination. From today's Tribune story by Kevin Allen:

The chairman of the St. Joseph County Democratic Party is rejecting a Republican call for him to step down in light of recent news that hundreds of local signatures were faked on petitions used to qualify the party's presidential candidates for the Indiana primary in 2008.

Butch Morgan, the county's Democratic chairman since 1995, said Friday through his attorney, Shaw Friedman, that there is no reason for him to resign.

"There is no evidence that Butch Morgan condoned, authorized or directed the forging or alteration of any of the questioned petition signatures," Friedman wrote in an e-mailed statement to The Tribune . . .

According to Kip Tew, former chair of the Obama campaign in Indiana, the St. Joseph County Democratic Party was among the groups and individuals that helped collect signatures to put Obama on the ballot in 2008. "Without a doubt," he said.

But that is not uncommon, Tew noted. Local party organizations often participate in petition drives on behalf of candidates for federal office.

Candidates for president, governor and U.S. senator in Indiana need to collect 500 signatures from registered voters in each of the state's nine congressional districts to qualify for statewide ballot.

Friedman said Morgan, who also is chairman of the state's 2nd Congressional District for the Indiana Democratic Party, doesn't remember -- nor should be expected to remember -- all of the volunteers who helped the party collect petition signatures during the 2008 campaigns.

Fleming clarified in an interview Friday that she does not believe Morgan was actively involved in the apparent fraud.

Speaking as someone who circulated nominating petitions for presidential candidates when I was actively involved in Republican politics in Illinois, both on behalf of the candidate and the delegate candidates who represented the candidate at the party's national nominating convention, I know that it is a process that is closely monitored by the candidates' national campaign. In Illinois, candidates not only had to gather a sufficient number of signatures to get their name on the statewide ballot, they also had to get a sufficient number of signatures for the slate of delegates who was pledged to support the candidate in each of the state's congressional districts. The campaigns had a team of lawyers who reviewed all of the petitions before they were filed with the state's Board of Elections. Any suspect petitions were discarded. It was not unusual for a lazy volunteer to simply use a voter registration list to fill out the petition sheets themselves rather than make the effort to circulate them to gather the signatures, but those petitions usually stuck out like a sore thumb.

What I don't understand is why these nominating petitions in Indiana aren't required to have the name of the person who circulated them affixed at the bottom of each page. As a petition circulator in Illinois, I had to sign a statement under penalties of perjury that I was the person who circulated the petition and had asked each person who signed the petition to attest they were a registered voter in the congressional district before they affixed their signature to the petition.

If Indiana had a similar requirement as Illinois, there would be no question who was responsible for submitting pages of forged signatures on behalf of the Obama and Clinton campaigns. Obama's campaign chairman, Kip Tew, is a lawyer who has long been active in Indiana Democratic politics, as has St. Joseph Co. Democratic Chairman Butch Morgan, who also serves as the chairman of the 2nd District. As critical as the signatures are to getting a candidate they back on the ballot, you can bet Morgan or Tew, if not both, know exactly who circulated those ballot petitions. It is incomprehensible that Tew would not have had a team of volunteer lawyers reviewing those petitions before they were filed on behalf of the Obama campaign. Similarly, former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, and by extension, the Indiana Democratic Party, was running Hillary Clinton's primary effort in Indiana. The state party and Bayh camps know who circulated her petitions, as well as their Democratic-backed candidate for governor, Jim Schellinger.

Let's not forget how Obama first got his start in politics. When he ran for the state senate in Illinois against a popular long-time incumbent, he got a team of lawyers to scour her petitions, as well as those filed by all of his other opponents in the Democratic primary. His lawyers successfully challenged the validity of enough of his opponents' petition signatures to get all of them removed from the primary ballot, thereby allowing him to win the Democratic nomination by default. In his heavily-Democratic south side Chicago district, the primary election was the general election for all practical purposes. Obama's national campaign was being run by veterans like David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel, who you can bet had someone on the ground in Indiana scrutinizing the petition-gathering process, if not undertaking it themselves.

At the same time the camps of the two major Democratic candidates were filing pages of nominating petitions for their candidates with forged signatures, they were scouring the nominating petitions of Sen. John McCain, who was running unopposed, with a fine tooth comb. A paid PR flack for the Indiana Democratic Party, Thomas Cook, actually filed a formal complaint challenging the sufficiency of the McCain petitions, arguing that his campaign failed to file enough signatures in the 9th congressional district. His complaint was heard and eventually dismissed by the state's Recount Commission. If the Democrats had time to scrutinize McCain's nominating petitions, you can bet they were also closely examining their own. Perhaps persons at the very top of the Democratic Party knew their campaign petitions were vulnerable to challenge, and that's why they dispatched a paid operative to file a complaint against McCain's petitions as a preemptive strike assuming the Republicans would file a complaint challenging either or both candidates' petitions. There is also the added fact that Clinton's Indiana effort was being headed by the same Bayh-controlled state party apparatus that was backing the failed gubernatorial bid of Jim Schellinger. Whoever winds up getting the blame on the Clinton/Schellinger side of the investigation, you can bet sweet and innocent Evan will be protected from any blame.

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

K&N High-Flow Air Filter

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Welcome to another update on Project Corona. We previously finished installing the engine in the new frame, finished installing a new radiator, and refitted the ceramic-coated headers. In this video, we will be reinstalling the air box with a new K&N 1,000,000 mile lifetime guaranteed washable high flow air filter.

We are starting the installation by cleaning the air box with a spray cleaner and removing the old dust and grime. After installing the air filter, we applied the indicator sticker on the inside of the air box to alert any future users that the air filter is cleanable, and does not need to be replaced.

When re-installing the air box, we took time to align the clamps for the air intake trumpets to allow ourselves easy access to the tightening screws. We also located the tubing and electrical wiring that need to be plugged into the air box before placing the air box, then ensuring they remained connected and snug after the final placement and tightening of the air box.

Well, that is the end of this video, but not the end of Project Corona.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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AutoMild.Com

2011-10-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

AutoMild.Com

New Sedan Sport, Alfa Romeo 4C

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 04:41 AM PDT

The 4C sporty sedan is a new car concept from Alfa Romeo which is intended as lightweight 2-seater coupe which is completed with mid-attached engine plus rear-wheel drive. The Alfa Romeo 4C is expected going to market in 2012. The 4C sporty sedan was ever presented at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The car that [...]

Daily Travels - Uptown Q train

2011-10-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

Before and After: John, I'm Only Dancing

2011-10-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Before - David Bowie

During - The Polecats

After - The Chameleons

Alright already - The Vivian Girls

Another Shock Report: Without Forged Signatures, Obama Would Not Have Been On Indiana's Primary Ballot

2011-10-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

The South Bend Tribune has turned in yet another bombshell report on the petition-forging scandal that has enveloped Barack Obama's historical election victory in 2008 and, in particular, his unlikely win in the November, 2008 election in the state of Indiana. When the Tribune and Howey Politics first reported on their discovery of dozens, if not hundreds, of forged signatures on the primary ballot nominating petitions of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker quickly dismissed the significance of the finding, claiming the forged signatures would not have made the difference over whether either candidate made it on to Indiana's 2008 Democratic primary ballot. The Tribune's investigation has reached the opposition conclusion. The headline in today's paper reads, "Fake signatures may mean Obama didn't actually qualify in Indiana."

Minus suspected fakes, then Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama likely fell short of the number of signatures needed to appear on the 2008 Indiana primary ballot, and it's possible his opponent, Hillary Clinton, did as well, according to information obtained by The Tribune as part of an investigation into suspected ballot petition fraud.

Trent Deckard, Democratic co-director of the state Election Division, in an e-mail Thursday told The Tribune Obama's 2008 petition for primary ballot placement in the state contained just 534 certified signatures in the 2nd Congressional District. Clinton's petition contained 704 certified signatures, he said.

Presidential candidates must collect at least 500 signatures in each of the state's nine congressional districts to appear on the statewide primary ballot in Indiana.

As reported Sunday, The Tribune, in conjunction with Howey Politics Indiana, has uncovered scores of fake signatures on both the Obama and Clinton petitions in the 2nd Congressional District and specifically St. Joseph County.

Dozens of people whose signatures appear on the Clinton petition have told The Tribune they did not sign the document, and Erich Speckin, a forensic document analyst hired by the paper and Howey Politics identified at least 19 suspected fake Obama petition pages.

Those Obama pages account for more than 100 signatures, meaning, minus the fakes, the former senator likely would not have qualified for ballot placement in the state.
Whether Clinton, a former senator and now secretary of state under Obama, would have qualified is harder to determine. The Tribune has identified 35 fake signatures on her petition in the district at this point.

That said, Speckin identified a number of suspected fake Clinton petition pages as well.

Clinton narrowly defeated Obama in the Indiana primary, and Obama won the state in his general election victory over John McCain . . .

Some may seek to minimize the impact of this revelation because Obama lost the Indiana primary as offering evidence it would have made no difference to his 2008 presidential prospects, but the reality is quite different. Indiana became a pivotal state for the Obama campaign. Unprecedented resources were spent here both during the primary and general election. Obama's campaign had to face off against the Bayh Democratic political machine, which was backing Hillary Clinton's campaign. If he had been kept off the ballot in 2008 because his campaign failed to file a sufficient number of signatures--as the Democrats attempted to keep John McCain off the ballot in 2008--it could have been a fatal blow to his campaign for the Democratic nomination. Even in losing, Obama's narrow loss to Clinton was portrayed in the media as a victory for his campaign because of how close he came to winning here and provided his statewide effort momentum going into the November general election against McCain
.
As the Tribune has previously reported, the investigation of the case is presently in the hands of St. Joseph Co. Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, who himself was the victim of a forged signature on at least one of the Clinton petitions. State GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb, who has called for a Justice Department investigation, believes as I do that Dvorak should recuse himself from investigating the case:

Holcomb, who has called on the Department of Justice to investigate the Clinton and Obama petitions, also responded to a report that the suspected fake Obama petition pages passed through the county voter registration office on days when the Republican member of the office was out.

"The evidence currently suggests this was clearly not a clerical error or simple oversight," Holcomb said. "Multiple crimes have been committed in a brazen violation of the public trust against the people of Indiana and our electoral process." . . .

Holcomb also suggested St. Joseph County Prosecutor Mike Dvorak, whose office is looking into the Obama and Clinton petitions, "recuse himself from any investigation being conducted by his office."

"Believing Prosecutor Dvorak is a victim of this crime, it's essential to maintain complete impartiality in investigating this important case," he said. "Therefore he should step aside and cooperate with those assigned to the investigation."

Dvorak's name and signature appear twice on the Clinton petition. He told The Tribune one of the signatures is his but did not respond to a question about the validity of a second signature sent to him a few days later, saying the matter was now under investigation.

The state Democratic Party declined to comment on the ballot question Thursday. It did, however, question the Election Division's signature totals for Obama and Clinton in the 2nd District.

Again, it remains mystifying how the media in the rest of the state and nation can continue to bury the damning discoveries made by the Tribune/Howey Political Report's investigative report into the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. How much longer can they ignore this story?

chrisescars.com

2011-10-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

chrisescars.com

1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible – Custom Car Of The Week

Posted: 14 Oct 2011 04:28 AM PDT

This week’s custom car is a two door 1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible. This Barracuda is the work of Time Machines in Hudson, Florida and is actually a combination of two cars. The body is that of a 1971 Cuda but the chassis and engine are from a 2001 Dodge Viper.

Continue reading: 1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible – Custom Car Of The Week

Chrises Cars

Friday Ephemera - Suicide

2011-10-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

Suicide album ad, ZigZag magazine, 1980

Forza Motorsport 4 Launch Party from Petit Le Mans

2011-10-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Forza Motorsport 4 Launch Party from Petit Le Mans

Forza Motorsport 4 Launch Party from Petit Le Mans
Lamborghini Officially Opens Two New Dealers In South Africa
Bentley Opens Doors To Manufacturers Of The Future
Volkswagen up! iPhone, iPad app launched on iTunes

Forza Motorsport 4 Launch Party from Petit Le Mans

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 09:42 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Video after the jump!

If you read Forza player Don Ente’s excellent piece on the Forza 4 Launch Party at Petit Le Mans in last Friday’s Week in Review, you probably wish you’d been there. Well, we don’t have a time machine to take you back to the event, but we do have a new video that was shot at the event, so you can see some of the incredibly exciting racing action on track and on screen.

Watch attendees and fans play Forza Motorsport 4 in the tent, and listen to what the fans had to say about the event and the game. It’s an exciting video, so don’t miss it—it’s here below, and also on the Media page.

2nd Annual Audi Fan Party at Petit Le Mans

Forza Motorsport 4 Launch Party from Petit Le Mans

Lamborghini Officially Opens Two New Dealers In South Africa

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 06:28 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Automobili Lamborghini officially opened two new dealerships in South Africa, one in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town, in the presence of Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

The two dealerships are operated by Lamborghini's new partner for South Africa, Pearl Automotive. Both South African dealerships have also taken the opportunity to formally launch the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, revealed at the Geneva motor show earlier this year, together with the first cars arriving in South Africa this month.

"I am delighted to be in South Africa during the official openings of two important new dealerships within our worldwide network, but also to launch our flagship V12 super sports car, the Lamborghini Aventador," said President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

"Lamborghini is already a well-recognized and aspirational luxury brand in South Africa and we are pleased to have appointed our new partner Pearl Automotive, which will now spearhead the development of our extreme, uncompromising and Italian super sports car marque in the region."

- Lamborghini

Lamborghini opens a new dealership in Lugano

Lamborghini Officially Opens Two New Dealers In South Africa

Bentley Opens Doors To Manufacturers Of The Future

Posted: 10 Oct 2011 08:38 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Bentley Motors today showed the diversity of career paths on offer in the automotive manufacturing sector. Children from surrounding schools were invited to the Company’s Crewe headquarters to experience some of the skills and craftsmanship necessary in the creation of the world’s finest motor cars. The event formed part of a combined Government-industry initiative, ‘See Inside Manufacturing’, which aims to inspire and encourage young people to consider careers in manufacturing, especially within the automotive sector.

Business Secretary, Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, said:

“For too many young people the word manufacturing is a turn off. A worrying poll out last week found that only one out of ten children aged 11 to 14 thought that engineering was an important job and even ranked being a politician as a better choice of career!
“We are determined to shake up old fashioned views of manufacturing. Through the Government’s See Inside Manufacturing campaign and Bentley’s event at Crewe, we will give young people the chance to see the exciting face of modern manufacturing which is highly skilled, high tech and highly paid.”

110 pupils aged between 10 and 15 tried their hand at different skills used by Bentley. Five ‘Have a Go’ areas were created where children could try activities such as stitching a steering wheel, assembling a Bentley V8 engine rocker shaft, CAD drawing and clay modeling an alloy wheel in the same fashion as Bentley’s own design team.

Together with their teachers, the pupils were then given a tour of the facilities where they were able to see for themselves how cars such as the new Continental GT and the unique Mulsanne are created, with their unparalleled levels of quality, craftsmanship and engineering excellence. The children were also able to see how technology has evolved in the automotive sector by comparing the latest products from the luxury British marque with two heritage cars – including W. O. Bentley’s own 8 Litre – all of which were on display in front of the main entrance.

Speaking about the event, Member of the Board for Personnel, Christine Gaskell, said:

“The automotive sector is a fantastic industry in which to pursue a career. The diversity of job opportunities is incredible and the support available to young people considering this option is now significant. The UK is home to most of the world’s high luxury car manufacturers as the skill levels we demand are unmatched. We want to ensure those skills are passed on to a new generation and hope initiatives such as “See Inside” will help inspire the young people we will need”.

Royal College of Art students create Bentley state of the art womenswear

Bentley Opens Doors To Manufacturers Of The Future

Volkswagen up! iPhone, iPad app launched on iTunes

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:49 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Volkswagen’s new city car, the up! is now racing away in the virtual world. With immediate effect, the “Volkswagen up! Challenge – Game App” is available free of charge from iTunes. The car racing game can be played on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

Now, Volkswagen’s new small vehicle can be put through its paces virtually. In the game app, the user can drive the up! over six different city race circuits. The up! can be controlled either using the touchscreen or by moving the unit itself. The app has three difficulty levels and three game modes. In the time trial mode, the user plays alone. Alternatively, users can race against up to five other drivers or, in the multiplayer mode, compete with a maximum of three other players. If several users are racing against each other on their iPhones, spectators can follow the race on their iPad using the “observation mode” option. The app can be linked to Facebook, allowing users to share the results with their friends.

In line with the design of the up! campaign, the virtual circuits are shown in blue and white. Apart from the game function, the app also features an up! showroom, with a 360° presentation of the new city runabout from Volkswagen.

- VW

SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED coming to iPhone, iTouch and iPad

Volkswagen up! iPhone, iPad app launched on iTunes

Matt Tully Proves Why The Star Can't Be Saved

2011-10-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

One thing that you can always count on from Matt Tully's columns in the Indianapolis Star is that he will always write what he thinks will keep him in good favor with the political insiders no matter how stupid it makes him look. Like the rest of the mainstream media in this state, he long ago tried and convicted Charlie White on trumped up charges Democrats lodged against him during last year's Secretary of State race. Tully fell for the allegations hook, line and sinker because he believed that the African-American candidate, Vop Osili, deserved to win simply because he was black and Indiana already has too many guys that look just like White. Even after a three-member Recount Commission ruled unanimously in White's favor, Tully, like the Democrats who are now referring to the respected Democratic appointee to that Commission as Pontius Pilate (a play on Bernie Pylitt), continues the drum beat that White is obviously guilty until proven innocence. Oh, the irony of someone who professes to be such a defender of social justice caring less about justice when it involves someone with whom he holds in disdain. And so it is when White points out the blatant hypocrisy in how he is being judged in comparison to other politicians held in high esteem by the political insiders, Tully takes pen to hand and derides him as simply being bizarre.

Tully begins his obligatory column to curry favor with those who feed him stories so he can continue working his 9 to 5 job without breaking a sweat by referring to White as a "poor lost soul." Taking a page out of the One's Alinski playbook, the name-calling comes out in his second sentence--"ill-equipped, felony-charged embarrassment of a secretary of state is at it again." Unwilling to accept the possibility that Evan Bayh has long played fast and loose with the same voting residency law that Democrats have sought to hang White over, he refers to White's factually-based complaint against Bayh as "a strange attack" representing "bizarre behavior" in "sad attempt to win back a career and a reputation."

Instead of trying to refute any of the facts White lays out in his complaint against Bayh, which not even Bayh would attempt to do in a brief e-mail he had an assistant send to the Star calling "baseless" the allegations contained therein, he says it reads like someone with "a scary obsession with Bayh." Once again, refusing to accept the outcome of a unanimous Recount Commission ruling in White's favor, Tully restates the fact that he was indicted by a Hamilton Co. grand jury, he has been called on by leading Republicans to resign--notably ignoring the fact that those calls all came in the rush to judgment before anyone had bothered to analyze the evidence more closely as the Recount Commission did, and that his actions are not defended by people within his own political party. Of course, Tully thinks that Mitch Daniels is the Republican Party in Indiana. Yeah, Mitch would like Charlie to leave his office so he can appoint someone of his own choosing to the office.

Next, Tully says that while White has been "pummeled by the Democrats", the case against him is "not partisan." Yeah, right, and pigs can fly. Let me point out to Matt as I've done repeatedly over the past four years that when I discovered that the Democrats had allowed a man to serve as my Indianapolis City-County Councilor for nearly four years who had never resided in my council district, and the Democrat's own chief elections officer in Marion County, Clerk Beth White, had allowed his name to be placed on the ballot for re-election knowing that he had completed a statement of candidacy admitting he didn't live in his council district, there were no formal complaints filed, special prosecutors or criminal cases brought. Beth White's excuse: "It wasn't my job to file a complaint against him." That Democrat was allowed simply to step aside for the sole purpose of launching the career of Andre Carson, and the matter was totally dropped without any consideration of any laws that were broken by the Democratic office-holder or the chief Democratic elections officer who had a legal obligation to uphold the law. Nor would Tully bother to study the facts of the Evan Bayh residency case challenge brought by Republicans in 1986, which if he had bothered to do so would have convinced him that the charges against White didn't come close to the evidence compiled against Bayh. Incidentally, the evidence against Bayh was initially gathered in an investigative report by one of Tully's predecessors at the Star back in the days when the Star actually engaged in investigative journalism. I don't recall reading any news stories suggesting that the Star reporter was stalking Bayh.

Tully can only continue to hang his hat on the fact that criminal charges against White are still pending, which as far as he is concerned is tantamount to his guilt. Has Tully ever actually sat down with a respected criminal defense attorney and discussed the substance of those criminal charges against White, particularly in light of the fact that the entire premise upon which they are based was completely shot down by the Recount Commission? Of course not. Tully, like everyone else who has preordained White's fate, will not be confused with the facts, let alone the law. Thank you, Matt, for once again reminding us why the Star and other newspapers like it is part of a fast-dying industry. You have lost the respect of the people whose trust and belief you require as a credible and honest journalist. Forget your colleagues public campaign to "Save The Star." You have earned the loss of that trust, and you will never get it back. Good luck in your next career, wherever that may take you.

NOTE: When Matt Tully sat down to write a column for today's Star, he had a choice of writing between two big political stories this week. He chose to ignore the bombshell report of how the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton forged dozens, if not hundreds of names, on their 2008 Indiana primary ballot nominating petitions in order to gain access to the ballot. A former Indiana Democratic governor has come forward and said he name was forged on Obama's petition. The names of the St. Joseph Co. Prosecutor and other prominent local officials were similarly among the forged signatures. Even the Indiana Democratic Party Chairman has conceded fraud occurred. The fact that Tully chose this story and this particular spin on the allegations Charlie White made against Evan Bayh should tell you all you need to know about Matt Tully and why you cannot trust the wisdom of anything he writes on the political front. Oh, and who was in charge of Hillary Clinton's campaign in Indiana in 2008? Well, of course, it was the sweet and innocent Evan Bayh.

UPDATE: My good friend and fellow blogger, Debbie Schlussel, has a spot-on take of the 2008 petition-forging scandal involving both the Obama and Clinton campaigns in Indiana that is being ignored by Tully and other members of the mainstream media and reminds us of her discovery that Obama's Selective Service Registration records were also forged:

It's a case of Forgery You Can Belive In . . .

You know that if this was one of the Republican campaigns, it would be national headlines. I’ve already told you about Barack Obama’s forged Selective Service Registration form for the draft (probably because he broke the law and never actually registered for the draft when he was supposed to). And, no surprise, Obama and his minions have an apparent pattern of forgery . . .

Again, it’s a story that should make national headlines and involve Watergate-style investigation. But since the participants have a capital “D” (and a capital “L” for liberal) after their names, that ain’t gonna happen in either case.

Yes, Obama’s “Hope” is not only phony, it’s forged.

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

Ducati’s 195bhp V-twin Superquadro

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hi guys, this is the radical, all-new 1200cc Superquadro engine which will power Ducati's eagerly awaited new superbike, the 1199 Panigale. Check it out.

Ducati chief Claudio Domenicali reveals the engine is: incredibly “oversquare” where piston diameter, or bore, exceeds stroke. The engine is dubbed Superquadro which is Italian for “Super square.” It is also claimed to be riddled with advanced technology both in design and construction, and be phenomenally powerful. Ducati claim 195bhp, over 20bhp more than the outgoing 1198.

You can see it’s very compact, while clever design features enable massive weight reductions of the overall bike. That’s it for now.

Be sure to check out Ducatist for more Ducati fun.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Before and After: Class War

2011-10-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Before - the Dils

After - DOA

State Investigators Search Local Stagehands Union Offices

2011-10-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

The office of the local International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees was searched today by the Indiana Department of Labor as part of an ongoing investigation of this summer's stage rigging collapse at the State Fair grandstand that killed seven and injured dozens more. A spokesman tells WRTV that the search warrant was carried out because the union had refused to provide information requested of it. The spokesman emphasized the investigation was not criminal in nature.

IDOL spokesman Robert Dittmer stressed that the inquiry was not criminal in nature. He said investigators sought a search warrant after requests for information were denied by the union.

"To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation into the terrible tragedy at the state fair, no further information regarding the investigation will be released until the entire report is presented publically," Dittmer said in a statement.

A State Fair contract for stage performances at the grandstand gave the local union responsibility for the set-up of the stage rigging used the night it collapsed prior to the start of a Sugarland concert. One stage hand worker working on the stage rigging the night of the collapse was among the dead. Under the contract, the union was responsible for obtaining all permits, approvals and licenses, as well as ensuring that health, safety and environmental standards were met. The contract stated, however, that the union would not be liable for injury to any person or damage to property arising out of the acts or omissions of its union workers.

Suicide is a solution - CBGB 1978

2011-10-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

CBGB & related ads, 1978, Village Voice via Its All The Streets You Crossed

Forza Motorsport 4 T-Shirts Now Available

2011-10-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Forza Motorsport 4 T-Shirts Now Available

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 09:02 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Now that Forza Motorsport 4 is here and you’ve spent hours on it, your avatar is decked out in FM4 gear, it’s about time you were!

The team over at Turn 10 Studios have announced four brand new t-shirts designs! Cover yourself in FM4 gear while your out power-braking the local red-lights or sitting at home topping your rivals. Save over $2 right now with pre-ordering!

Premium Quality T-Shirt, 100% Cotton, Soft Garment, Fitted Tee, Officially Licensed

Faster Than You:

Forza 4 community represent! Show off your love for Forza (as well as your skill in the game) with this design that will put everyone who sees you in their place. Just don’t blame us if you get beat on the track… Pre-order

Bernese Alps:

Forza Motorsport 4’s brand new Bernese Alps track is the inspiration for this shirt. This design features a track dossier on the track itself as well as a detailed map on the track itself, perfect for studying your racing line even when you aren’t in front of your Xbox 360. Pre-order

Forza:

This retro-inspired design features a blue and orange vertical racing stripe and the Turn 10 logo on the sleeve. Perfect for the old-school racer. Pre-order

Sideways:

Drifers unite! The Fujimi Kaido track logo is front and center on this bold black design. Pre-order

Forza Motorsport 4 demo out now for XBOX360

Forza Motorsport 4 T-Shirts Now Available

Why The Difference In Heating Bills?

2011-10-13T04:53:00.000-07:00

This week, Citizens Energy announced that Indianapolis' average residential heating bills will be one percent higher this winter than they were last winter. The projections put the average heating cost for a Marion County customer at $615 for November through March. Last year's projected cost was $609 according to a Citizens Energy spokesperson. Compare those costs to residential users of NIPSCO in northwest Indiana. NIPSCO announced its residential customers would see a 7.7% drop in heating bills this winter. According to the utility, average customers can expect to pay about $461 in gas bills for the winter heating season. Last winter that same customer paid $499 for those five months. In other words, Indianapolis customers of Citizens Energy pay 33% higher prices for their heating than NIPSCO customers. Citizens Energy, unlike NIPSCO, supposedly operates as a non-profit utility. So why does the for-profit utility charge its customer 33% lower prices for natural gas to heat their homes? If someone has the answer to that question, I would appreciate knowing it. Natural gas prices have been trending lower due to increased domestic production.

The Ballad of Mott the Hoople

2011-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to see the recent doc about Mott the Hoople last night at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center as part of the New York Film Festival. That's Ian Hunter over on the left during the Q&A following the film. Already available on DVD in the UK, it will reportedly be available in the US in November. Order it here.

I highly suggest seeing it if you need to be reminded how incredible a great rock 'n roll band can be. Apparently, I needed to be reminded. Just fantastic.

Read Larry Jaffee's memories of being a long time fan over at Rock's Back Pages.

Daily Travels - Uptown Q train

2011-10-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2012 Kawasaki ER-6n

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hey, what’s going on everyone? Kawasaki's ER-6n has been heavily updated for 2012 as these pictures below show.

The naked middleweight shares mechanical components with the faired ER-6f and gets the same changes as that bike, including a new twin-tube steel frame, new swingarm, re-tuned engine and revised seating position.

The bodywork has gained better-defined angles and curves and the headlight and instrument panel have become more compact-looking.

Optional anti-lock brakes are another significant addition. Kawasaki is really pushing the "craftsmanship evident in the smallest detail" in response, perhaps, to criticisms of the fit and finish of earlier ER-6 models.

That’s it for this time. Be sure to share your opinions on Ninja Boards.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Bayh Calls White's Vote Fraud Allegations Against Him Baseless Without Explanation

2011-10-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

Former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh has sent an e-mail to the Indianapolis Star claiming that Secretary of State Charlie White's allegation that he and his wife are committing vote fraud by voting from a north side condominium at which they've never resided, and committing homestead exemption fraud by claiming that same condominium as their principal residence, as "baseless."

“Mr.White's assertions are baseless,” Bayh said in an email from his assistant Wednesday . . .

“His situation is factually and legally different than mine,” Bayh said, but he did not elaborate.

Bayh is correct that his situation is "factually and legally different" than White's. White has resided at all times in Hamilton County, Indiana where he is registered to vote. Aside from the time Bayh served as Secretary of State and Governor, he has resided in Washington, D.C., except for a short period when he was a child. He moved with his parents to Washington when his father was elected to the U.S. Senate. He only returned to Indiana to attend undergraduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington, and to clerk for a federal judge during law school. After his graduation from the University of Virginia Law School, he took a job as an attorney at a D.C. law firm. He only claimed a residence owned by his father in Indiana for voting purposes so he could run for office here. As soon as he finished his public service, his claim that he didn't lose residency in Indiana no longer holds true. Neither he nor Susan would ever live in that cheap condo he is claiming as his personal residence. It's as believable as their former registered voting addresses claiming they both resided at the homes of Fred Glass and Philip Lehmkuhler. If you believe that, then you believe the Bayhs are swingers. It's nothing but the best for them. They reside in a palatial, $2.3 million home in Washington. He is flat out lying to claim they reside in Indianapolis. Evan and Susan Bayh are flagrantly violating the law.

Charlie White is only accused of voting from his ex-wife's home (a home the couple jointly-owned prior to their recent divorce) instead of registering at a condo he purchased as his residence for his second marriage. He did not move into the home until he and his second wife were married, at which time he changed his voting registration. Nobody questions the fact that White has always lived in Hamilton County where he was registered to vote; they only challenge whether he should have voted in one particular election at the precinct of his ex-wife's home or at the precinct in which his new home is located. The three-member Recount Commission concluded that he broke no laws with respect to his voting residence. Nonetheless, the Democratic Party has continued its quest to personally destroy and bankrupt him by dragging out the process through an appeal. White is seeking to dismiss dubious criminal charges a Democratic special prosecutor convinced a grand jury to file against him. A motion filed by his attorney challenge both the validity of the grand jury proceedings conducted by the special prosecutor and the sufficiency of the multiple indictments returned by that grand jury.

chrisescars.com

2011-10-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

chrisescars.com

Top Ten Worst General Lee Wannabes

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 11:44 AM PDT

The General Lee was the name given to the orange Dodge Charger that stared in the American TV show “The Dukes of Hazzard”. The show was a huge success in the eighties and sparked an enormous liking for the Dodge Charger.

Thirty years after the show and the Dodge Charger still has a huge following with many people from all around the world attempting to transform their own vehicles into the General Lee.

Continue reading: Top Ten Worst General Lee Wannabes

Chrises Cars

Former Gov. Joe Kernan Says His Name Was Forged On 2008 Obama Primary Petition

2011-10-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

The petition-forging scandal enveloping the 2008 Indiana primary presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is deepening. Former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan has come forward and told a South Bend Tribune reporter that a signature purporting to be his on one of the Obama petitions is a forgery."No, not at all," Kernan said when asked if the signature next to his name on the Obama petition looked like his own. "Nor does the printing look like mine." Kernan is among a dozen Democrats who have stepped forward to claim their signatures had been forged on the presidential primary ballot petitions following a bombshell joint investigative report published this past weekend by the South Bend Tribune and Howey Politics, which concluded that up to hundreds of signatures contained on the petitions were forged by one or two persons.

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker has acknowledged that fraud took place, but he insists there were not enough signatures forged to have made a difference in either Obama or Clinton qualifying for the hotly-contested Indiana primary in May, 2008. Parker has also attempted to deflect blame for the forgery scandal by noting that a Republican elections official in St. Joseph County signed off on the petitions filed by the Obama and Clinton campaigns. The South Bend Tribune, however, has since learned that the Republican official was actually out of the office for several days when the petitions in question were filed. A stamped signature bearing her name was affixed to the petitions in question by a new employee of the elections staff who was in her first week of work on the job during her absence. The same cannot be said for the veteran Democratic employee of the office who signed off on the petitions. Erin Blasko explains:

Suspected fake petition pages to place Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the ballot during the 2008 Indiana primary passed through the county voter registration office on days when the Republican head of the office was absent, The Tribune has learned.

The pages in question bear the stamped signature of Republican Linda Silcott, indicating Silcott was not in the office at the time to sign the documents by hand. By comparison, most of the other, non-suspicious pages examined by The Tribune contain Silcott's written signature . . .

Typically, petition pages in St. Joseph County are signed by hand by both the Republican and Democratic members of the Board of Voter Registration.

In early 2008, however, Silcott missed a number of days of work because of the death of her husband. Consequently, her first deputy, Mary Carrol Ringler, often stamped Silcott's signature on the pages.

Each of the suspected fake petition pages bears Silcott's stamped signature, indicating the documents passed through the office on days when she was off.

Though Ringler was the only person permitted to use the stamp, she kept it in an unlocked desk drawer, Silcott said.

In addition, Ringler only began working in voter registration on Jan. 22, 2008. The suspicious petition pages are dated Jan. 28 and 29 and Feb. 4 and 5, within the first two weeks of her arrival.

Ringler told The Tribune Tuesday she could not recall how often she used the stamp during the 2008 primary. "Honestly, I don’t know," she said. "I know I didn’t do a lot petitions that year because I was brand new." She said she mainly uses it on purchase orders now.

Pam Brunette's written signature also appears on the backs of the suspicious petition pages. She is the Democratic member of the Board of Voter Registration.

Brunette did not respond Tuesday to a call seeking comment about the stamped pages. She said last week that voter registration workers “are not handwriting experts, so our job is basically making sure the papers are complete.”

Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White, who has been plagued the past year by Democratic efforts to prove he committed vote fraud during his election for his office by casting a vote at his ex-wife's home, has refused to comment publicly on the petition-forging scandal. White is considered the state's top elections officer, although the Indiana Elections Division administers the enforcement of Indiana's election laws. Yesterday, he filed a complaint in his individual capacity against U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh and his wife, Susan, accusing them of vote fraud and homestead exemption fraud. Indiana GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb has called for a Justice Department investigation. St. Joseph Co. Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, a Democrat, is reportedly probing the matter. He, however, has acknowledged that one of the two signatures of his that appeared on the Clinton petitions was forged. Democratic officials insisted last year that a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate Charlie White's alleged vote fraud, which occurred and resulted in the special prosecutor obtaining a multi-count criminal indictment against him by a Hamilton Co. grand jury, even though the state Recount Commission, including the vote of the Democratic member, later unanimously cleared White of being an illegally registered voter as charged by the Democrats.

Hypocrisy really knows no bounds when it comes to the Democratic Party. To think these same people had one of their paid campaign staffers, Blue Indiana blogger Thomas Cook, file a complaint seeking to block Sen. John McCain's placement on the Indiana Republican primary ballot in 2008 because his campaign allegedly failed to file a sufficient number of signatures at the same time they were engaged in serial forgery to obtain sufficient signatures for their candidates. Cook, who has since become a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett, has used his Twitter account to poke fun at the investigative report uncovering the serial forgery and bemoaning the fact that he didn't get a mention for his role in challenging McCain's ballot petitions.

If you can just get your mind together...

2011-10-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

2012 Kawasaki Ninja ER6f

Posted: 10 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

What’s up people? Kawasaki’s ER-6f has been given a complete makeover for 2012, but you might have to look hard at these pictures to spot the difference.

Despite similar styling to the current version, the budget middleweight gets its biggest round of changes since its launch six years ago.

Updates include a completely new tubular steel chassis, a ‘banana’ shaped twin-tube swingarm, adjustable-height windscreen, higher-performance engine and new exhaust and instruments.

Kawasaki won't yet reveal details like peak power, weight or all-important price.

But the firm says the 649cc parallel-twin engine delivers “increased engine performance” and “more torque in the everyday range”.

Figures should be slightly up on the existing model’s 72bhp and 49lbft, while the riding experience should be enhanced by better power delivery.

Be sure to share your opinions on Ninja Boards.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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White Files Vote Fraud And Homestead Fraud Complaint Against Evan & Susan Bayh

2011-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

Embattled Secretary of State Charlie White has filed a complaint in his individual capacity with Marion Co. Prosecutor Terry Curry charging former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh and his wife, Susan, with vote fraud and homestead exemption fraud to illustrate the hypocrisy of the witch hunt Indiana Democrats have pursued against him for the past year to destroy him politically and financially. White wants a special prosecutor appointed to investigate the allegations contained in his 5-page complaint against the Bayhs. White charges that the Bayhs have continued to cast votes and claim a homestead exemption on a $58,000 condominium on the city's north side where neither has ever resided since he left the Senate earlier this year following his retirement. "It is time for the Indiana Democratic Party's hypocrisy to stop with their persecution of me and my family for personal gain," White said. White charged that both Bayhs are "alleged felons" based on Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker's definition of residence for the purpose of casting votes.

White contends that the Bayhs principally reside at their $2.3 million home in Washington, D.C. while Evan travels to various cities to perform work on behalf of his five employers, none of which are located in Indianapolis. "He no longer serves in the U.S. Senate and no longer has legal immunity to vote here," White said. White accuses the Bayhs of a pattern of claiming places as their voting residence at which they never lived. He noted that the Bayhs twice voted using the residence of Philip Lehmkuhler as their home. Lehmkuhler served in the cabinet of Bayh when he was Indiana governor and now works as an Obama appointee at USDA as Indiana Director. During another period, the Bayhs cast votes while claiming the home of Fred Glass as their voting address. Glass, who is now Athletic Director for IU, once served as Bayh's Chief of Staff and later as a partner at Baker & Daniels, which has a Washington lobbying practice, where Bayh was paid $1 million for a short stint as a partner while he campaigned for the U.S. Senate after leaving the governor's office. The Bayhs later purchased a condominium at 1142 Canterbury Square on Indianapolis' north side, which they have claimed as their voting address and for which they receive a homestead exemption. By all accounts, the Bayhs have never lived at the 1142 Canterbury Square address off of 86th Street west of Meridian. The Bayhs typically stay in hotels during their visits to Indiana.

White believes Bayh is claiming a residence in Indiana despite the fact that he no longer lives here so that he may one day run for governor again if he so chooses. "Evan Bayh, while living in a $2.3 million home in Washington, D.C. and making millions along with Mrs. Bayh, do not primarily reside in the $58,200 condominium in Indianapolis and should not have claimed a homestead exemption nor should they have voted here in the Municipal Democratic Primary of 2011," White stated. White calls on Bayh to use his influence over the Indiana Democratic Party to get the party to drop its challenge to his election. The Party has appealed its case to the Marion Co. Circuit Court after the Recount Commission unanimously sided with White in ruling that he was a legally registered voter in Hamilton Co. The Democrats have claimed White was not legally registered to vote because he had voted at his ex-wife's home for a period after their divorce but prior to his marriage to his second wife and moving into a new condominium he purchased to live with his second wife. White claimed that his personal financial struggles forced him to live with his ex-wife for a short period prior to his second marriage.

Separately, a highly-partisan special prosecutor, Democrat Dan Sigler, obtained a multi-count indictment from a grand jury against White on specious grounds arising out of his living and voting arrangement during the period in question. White's criminal defense attorney, Carl Brizzi, has filed a motion to dismiss all of those charges. His motion includes several claims of prosecutorial misconduct by Sigler and his son, who he hired to assist him without the permission of the court, during the grand jury deliberations. Brizzi claims Sigler failed to properly instruct the jurors on the required elements to be proven to establish the crimes with which he asked them to charge White, and that he withheld pertinent evidence from the grand jurors that would have led them not to bring charges against him. White's criminal trial is scheduled for late January. Marion Co. Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg has scheduled a hearing on the Democrats' appeal of the Recount Commission ruling in White's favor for November 23, two days before the Thanksgiving holiday.

UPDATE: Capital And Washington blog uses photographs of the homes in question to illustrate White's point about the Bayh voting residence question.

Do you think the Bayh's actual home is this run-down condominium development at Canterbury Square?

Or is it this palatial home in D.C.?

Tav Falco / Mondo Memphis tour

2011-10-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

Tav Falco will be making some somewhat rare appearances to promote his new book, Mondo Memphis, including a stop in Brooklyn at the Powerhouse Arena. Here's everything you need to know:

MONDO MEMPHIS is a dual, 450-page encyclopedic history and psychogeography of the city of Memphis, written by legendary performer Tav Falco and cultural critic Erik Morse and published by Creation Books. MONDO MEMPHIS is both an original history of the gothic South and an intertext of the urban legends, rural fables and literary clichés that have made the Bluff City simultaneously a metropolis of dreams and a necropolis of terrors.

Falco and Morse will talk on the topics of ‘Fantasy, Urbanity and Topography’, in which they discuss “writing” the space of the city/suburb (both in its Northern and Sun Belt incarnations) as a source of imagination, sensuality, horror and architectonics.

BOOK READING SCHEDULE

NOVEMBER

San Francisco

9th: City Lights Bookstore – 6:00 pm – www.citylights.com
with Tav Falco and Erik Morse
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

Los Angeles

10th: Stories Bookstore – 7:30 pm – www.storiesla.com
with Tav Falco and Erik Morse
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

Austin

11th: End of an Ear Bookstore – 4:00 pm – http://endofanear.com
with Tav Falco and Erik Morse
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

New Orleans

13th: Euclid Records – 4:00 pm – www.euclidnola.com
with Tav Falco
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

Brooklyn

16th: Powerhouse Arena – 6:30 – www.powerhousearena.com
with Tav Falco, Erik Morse and poet Kenneth Goldsmith
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

DECEMBER

Memphis
1st: Burke’s Book Store – 4:30 pm – www.burkesbooks.com
with Tav Falco
RSVP: Facebook - ReverbNation – MySpace

Is Dvorak Probe Of Forged Signature Scandal Proper?

2011-10-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker conceded in an interview with Howey Politics that election fraud did in fact take place in St. Joseph Co. during the 2008 Democratic presidential primary with respect to the petitions filed on behalf of the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. A joint investigation by the South Bend Tribune and Howey Politics published this weekend revealed that perhaps as many as hundreds of names of Democratic primary voters were forged on the petitions filed by the Obama and Clinton campaigns within the Second congressional district. Parker insists, however, that the number of forged signatures were not sufficient to have kept either candidate off the 2008 Indiana primary ballot. Quoting Parker, Howey Politics reports:

Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker believes there was election fraud during the 2008 ballot petition process in St. Joseph County, but emphasized that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would have qualified for the Democratic presidential primary. "Clearly someone did something wrong and they need to be found," Parker said. He acknowledged that St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak has now initiated a probe into who ordered pages of forged signatures on Clinton and Obama petitions. But Parker emphasized that even without the forged petition pages, both Obama and Clinton would have qualified for the primary ballot. "Both had their signatures in well in advance of the deadline," Parker said. "Both had more than enough signatures. Both would have qualified. If you look at every petition, both would have had more than 500 signatures."

Parker indicates that St. Joseph Co. Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, a Democrat, has initiated a probe into the investigation; however, according to the investigative report's findings, Dvorak's name was among those Democratic voters in St. Joseph County that was apparently forged on at least one of the primary petitions filed by the Clinton campaign. The report indicated that Dvorak's signature appeared twice on Clinton's petitions. Given that his own signature was forged and his partisan participation in the 2008 presidential election process, it would only seem appropriate that Dvorak seek the appointment of a special prosecutor. Democrats last year insisted that the Hamilton Co. Prosecutor, a Republican, appoint a special prosecutor to investigate vote fraud allegations against then-Secretary of State candidate Charlie White. Former Hamilton Co. Prosecutor requested the appointment of a special prosecutor and two prosecutors were named, one Republican and one Democrat, to carry out the investigation that resulted in grand jury indictments being returned against White. I don't know how Dvorak could possibly expect the public to respect any investigation he conducts given his personal involvement in the matter.

Yesterday, Indiana State GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb called on the Justice Department to open an investigation. Holcomb wondered whether the signature forging was confined to St. Joseph Co. or extended statewide.

This weekend's disturbing news that perhaps hundreds of ballot access petition signatures submitted by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are fraudulent raises real questions about the integrity of our process and whether or not those individuals should have been on the primary ballot in the first place. How deep does this problem go? Is it isolated to St. Joseph County or was it a broader, coordinated effort across the state? Why did the St. Joseph County Clerk not do her job in scrubbing the list and ensuring the validity of the signatures? Who forged the signatures and why?" Holcomb added, "This episode is a strong reminder of why Republicans statewide have fought to protect Indiana's Voter ID law and why an overwhelming majority of Hoosiers support the law. Later this week, I will submit a formal request to the Department of Justice for an inquiry into this matter. With candidates for office currently collecting signatures before the 2012 election cycle deadline, it is imperative we get to the bottom of this so it does not happen again."

Remarkably, this story has been largely ignored by the mainstream media in Indiana, let alone national news media, despite the story's implications. It has not been picked up by the wire services and has been largely ignored by the state's largest daily newspapers. The Indianapolis Star only mustered up a brief mention on its political online blog, Deep Fried Politics. No news story appeared in the paper today.

MTM is now on the iPhone

2011-10-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

MTM is now on the iPhone

Posted: 10 Oct 2011 06:45 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

MTM Motoren Technik Mayer proudly presents the iPhone App for their customers and fans. The new MTM app features content from Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Porsche and Lamborghini. Images, videos and more including dealer locations and info.

Head over to iTunes and download now

Subscribe to oneighturbo.com

MTM is now on the iPhone

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

ZX-14R Fastest Accelerating Production Bike?

Posted: 09 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hey guys, Jon here again. The 2012 ZZR1400 will be the fastest production bike in world off the line, according to Kawasaki. The official specifications haven't been revealed yet but sources in Japan say power is in excess of 200bhp.

To boost power from the current 187bhp, capacity has been hiked from 1352cc to 1441cc. Kawasaki, in an official statement, said the changes deliver "more torque at all rpm" and "significantly more power in the mid-high rpm range".

It seems no new bike would be complete without traction control and a selection of different power modes, and the new 14R is no exception, gaining both.

The chassis looks identical to the current aluminum monocoque but is claimed to be significantly enhanced. Styling remains similar, probably to avoid turning off the model's loyal following.

However subtle changes to the nose, side panels and seat unit bring it up to date and more in keeping with other bikes in Kawasaki’s range such as the latest ZX-10R.

Be sure to share your opinions on Ninja Boards.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Campaign Treasurer Removed Following Discovery Of Expenditure Discrepancies

2011-10-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

William Levin, an at-large Libertarian candidate for the City-County Council and one of the founding members of the Re-Legalize Indiana Political Action Committee, has removed the treasurer for Friends of Bill Levin and the PAC following his discovery that several hundred dollars in campaign funds had been spent for unauthorized purposes by the committees' treasurer, Holly Rivers. Levin filed a form with the Marion Co. Board of Elections today formally removing Rivers as campaign treasurer.

In a letter to the Board of Elections, Levin said he discovered a possible misuse of funds by Rivers on September 29. The following day he said he confirmed the misuse of the funds and relieved Rivers of her responsibilities as his campaign treasurer and the PAC's treasurer. Levin has filed a criminal complaint with an IMPD fraud detective who is investigating the allegations. Levin closed the bank accounts and reopened new accounts with the remaining funds. "I am ashamed and sickened that this has happened," Levin wrote. "It most certainly shall never happen again."

Increasingly, campaign committees are finding themselves the victim of fraud by those entrusted with managing campaign funds. Last month, U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein sued a former campaign consultant she claims "stole millions" from her campaign committee after the FBI arrested the consultant for stealing more than $670,000 from a California Assembly member's campaign committee she was managing. The Indiana Democratic Party and the Senate Republican Majority Committee have both been the victims of persons with authority over funds misappropriating large sums of money for their own personal use and the culprits were turned over to appropriate law enforcement authority for prosecution. There were reports a couple of years ago of a campaign worker for the Marion Co. Republican Party misappropriating campaign funds but party officials would never confirm that the theft of funds had taken place.

U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett's Spokesman Makes Light Of Forgery Allegations

2011-10-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

Thomas Cook

UPDATED BELOW--State GOP Chairmans Calls For Justice Department Investigation
One would think that the newly-appointed spokesman for U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett would know that as an employee of the state's top federal prosecutor he no longer wears his partisan hat that he wore for years as a paid staffer for the Indiana Democratic Party and as the publisher of the Blue Indiana blog. Nonetheless, Thomas Cook reacted on his Twitter account to a South Bend Tribune/Howey Politics investigative story over the weekend that uncovered credible evidence that 2008 primary ballot petitions filed by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for Indiana's Second congressional district were filled with forged signatures with snarky and derisive comments. Cook poked fun at the young reporter for Howey Politics who contributed to the report, Ryan Nees, and deadpanned the lack of credit attributed to him for his role in the McCain petition complaint:

I'm inclined to think the Ryan Nees brand of high school journalism was cuter when he was, you know, in high school . . .

Among numerous factual inaccuracies, how come I didn't get a name drop for the McCain ballot snafu?

You can bet if a Republican appointee in a U.S. Attorney's Office was caught making light of possible felonies committed by a Republican presidential campaign operative there would be immediate calls throughout the Omedia and Democratic blogs for his immediate firing. As we've come to understand, the rule of law only matters when it's somebody on the Right who is supposedly not following it. The Democrats don't even have to fear a simple press release from the Indiana Republican Party calling for an investigation, notwithstanding the Indiana Democratic Party's persistent antics over the past year to make Charlie White out to be a common felon unfit to hold public office and their tormenting of John McCain's presidential campaign in Indiana in 2008 when Cook filed a frivolous complaint to try to keep him off the ballot. It's funny how much ado the mainstream media in this state will make over such trivial matters and, yet, there is dead silence from the rest of the media on this story. The AP wire service picked up a story about Notre Dame switching from sheepskin diplomas but ignored this story. Great.

UPDATE: Perhaps my post shamed the Indiana Republican Party into responding to the South Bend Tribune/Howey Politics investigative report on the petition forging scandal involving the 2008 Obama and Clinton campaigns in Indiana. Late today, State GOP Chairman Eric Holcomb told the Star that he'll ask the Justice Department to open an investigation. I would prefer a state special prosecutor made of of one Republican and one Democrat--you know, the same treatment Charlie White got. The Star's Jon Murray reports on the Star blog, Deep Fried Politics:

Today brings a reaction from the Indiana Republican Party. Chairman Eric Holcomb says he’ll ask the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation. In a prepared statement, Holcomb says: “The integrity of every election is of the utmost importance. Hoosiers deserve the peace of mind knowing their votes were counted and their elections conducted in a free and fair way. This weekend’s disturbing news that perhaps hundreds of ballot access petition signatures submitted by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are fraudulent raises real questions about the integrity of our process and whether or not those individuals should have been on the primary ballot in the first place.”

Holcomb adds: “How deep does this problem go? Is it isolated to St. Joseph County or was it a broader, coordinated effort across the state?”

He also connects the story to the Indiana GOP’s push for a voter ID law a few years ago, saying this allegation in St. Joseph County is a reminder of the need for voting protections.

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker's response to the call for a criminal investigation is essentially that we didn't get caught in the act in 2008 so nothing should come of it regardless of how many crimes were broken, and if there is an investigation, John McCain's campaign should be investigated a second time after being investigated in 2008 as a result of a complaint filed by its PR fack, Thomas Cook.

The only candidate whose ballot access was challenged in 2008 was John McCain [the Republican candidate], who received a formal complaint about his filed petitions. The process was done in accordance with Indiana Election code. If the Republicans want to condemn this process, they’re condemning their own Republican county election board representative, who certified every single one of those signatures before they were sent to the Secretary of State. Both Democratic presidential campaigns had enough signatures to be on the primary ballot well in advance of the filing deadline WITH OR WITHOUT these signatures.

We fully support the current investigation of the activity that led to these alleged signatures, but we would urge Indiana Republicans to remember that this process is bi-partisan in each Indiana county, and there should be a full accounting of all signatures in 2008 filed by all candidates – Democratic and Republican.

chrisescars.com

2011-10-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

chrisescars.com

Lamborghini Aventador Review By Jay Leno

Posted: 10 Oct 2011 06:17 AM PDT

Jay Leno checks out the Lamborghini Murcielago’s replacement, the Aventador. Leno visits a Lamborghini press event and interviews the company’s President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

Continue reading: Lamborghini Aventador Review By Jay Leno

Chrises Cars

Even more Ruts news!

2011-10-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Looks like I was a wee bit premature in posting that piece earlier today on Ruts doings & goings-on. I somehow missed this story over at Louder Than War from a few days ago. It basically announces something I've known about for a few months now, but have kept under my hat out of respect to the band.

Basically the news is that Ruts DC are working on a second volume to their essential dub masterpiece, Rhythm Collision Vol. 1, recorded with the Mad Professor, and self-released in 1983. I've heard a couple of rough tracks, and they're well on their way to something hugely rewarding. And that ain't easy as Volume 1 is so incredible. Luckily they have Mad Professor behind the board for this one as well.

Not only are they working on the new album, they will also be joining Alabama Three for a few dates in the UK in November and December:

Nov. 17 - Manchester Ritz
Nov. 26 - Bristol Academy
Dec. 1 - Bournemouth Academy
Dec. 2 - London Kentish Town Forum

Don't forget about my interview with Dave Ruffy & Segs Jennings about the making of Rhythm Collision Vol. 1 over at Perfect Sound Forever. Thanks to Louder Than War for fighting the good fight.

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

Suzuki GSX-R600 Finale

Posted: 08 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hello, this is Paul with a departing update on the 2011 Suzuki GSX-R600 staff motorcycle. We have gained a more thorough understanding of the intricacies of the GSX-R brand the past few months, and this is my last look at this particular motorcycle, but not the last of the brand or model.

In this video, I will be giving a final overview of the motorcycle while explaining how some of the features compare, contrast, and complement the other Suzuki motorcycles. Overall, this enjoyable motorcycle fits into its niche superbly, allowing it to tackle any challenges we send its way.

Check back at for future Suzuki motorcycle updates as well as the latest in the motorcycling industry.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Ruts / Ruts DC related news

2011-10-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

Two brief items of note for Ruts fans: The fourth annual Paul Fox tribute show is taking place in Middlesex, London (ish), on October 15. See the flyer below for more info. Thanks to Martin P. for the news.

Also, the ever excellent Eccentric Sleeve Notes recently ran a great career overview and interview with Dave Ruffy from 2008 discussing the Ruts, Laurel Aitken, Prefab Sprout, Aztec Camera and Edwyn Collins. Read it here.

Movie of the Week - Groupies

2011-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Obama And Clinton Campaigns Forged Signatures To Make Indiana Ballot In 2008 Charges News Report

2011-10-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

The South Bend Tribune is reporting that a joint investigation by its newspaper and Howey Politics has uncovered dozens, if not hundreds, of forged signatures on the ballot petitions filed by the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to have their names placed on the Indiana ballot during the highly-contested and critical 2008 Democratic primary race. The allegations, if proven, represent crimes that could still be prosecuted. Forgery is a Class D felony with a statute of limitations of five years. Incredibly, the signature of St. Joseph Co. Prosecutor Michael Dvorak appears twice on petitions filed by the campaign of Hillary Clinton. Dvorak confirmed one of the signatures was his, but he declined to comment after being asked to confirm the authenticity of the second signature that appeared on a separate petition. More than thirty people whose names appeared twice on Clinton's petitions confirmed their signatures had been forged. A forensic signature expert confirmed the same person has signed signatures on petitions filed by the Obama campaign:

Erich Speckin, a forensic document analyst, examined the petitions at the request of The Tribune and Howey Politics . . .

He said there is clear evidence, based on the consistency of the handwriting, that about 10 pages in the Obama petition were filled in by the same person, and another person apparently filled in nine pages. He said it's possible another two people filled in several more pages. Each page in the petition contains up to 10 signatures.

"It's obvious. It's just terribly obvious," Speckin said, pointing to one of the writer's idiosyncrasies repeated throughout the petition's pages.

The full extent of the fakery, which appears to be limited to the state's 2nd Congressional District and specifically St. Joseph County, is not yet known. The situation, however, calls into question whether either Clinton or Obama, both of whom were U.S. senators at the time, should have been on the Indiana primary ballot.

What is remarkable is the forging of names of well-known Democrats on the petitions. In addition to Dvorak, the forged signatures included a former sheriff and county auditor, a county council member, a prominent South Bend attorney and two South Bend police officers. St. Joseph Co. Democratic Chairman Butch Morgan's signatures appeared multiple times on the petitions. He has lawyered up and declined to talk to the reporters investigating the story.

The irony in all of this is that an Indiana Democratic Party staffer and former blogger for the Blue Indiana blog, Thomas Cook, filed a formal complaint in 2008 against the campaign of Sen. John McCain complaining that the petitions he filed in order to make the Republican primary ballot did not contain a sufficient number of signatures. Cook has since completed law school at Indiana University and has become the spokesman for U.S. Attorney Joseph Hogsett's office in Indianapolis. Republicans called Cook's complaint a "hatchet job". Cook's complaint was dismissed after the allegations he made were proven to be untrue. Cook scrubbed the contents of his highly-partisan and sometimes controversial blog, Blue Indiana, some time ago. Some have questioned Hogsett for hiring such a highly-partisan political hack to work in his office. David Capp is the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana where the alleged forgeries took place. [An earlier post mistakenly named Jon DeGuilio, a former U.S. Attorney who is now the U.S. District Court Judge in the Northern District, as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District].

There should be a prompt investigation launched by a state special prosecutor to look into the findings of this investigative report. You can bet the Obama Justice Department won't allow the U.S. Attorney's in Indiana to open up an investigation, particularly since the occupants of those offices are Democratic appointees, one of whom, Joe Hogsett, was actively involved in the 2008 Obama campaign. Kip Tew, a close friend of Hogsett, chaired the 2008 Obama campaign. He is a partner at Krieg DeVault and has written a book boasting of the success of the 2008 Obama campaign effort in Indiana.

Teen At The Center Of Hinkle Gay Sex Scandal Now Working As Porn Actor

2011-10-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

It looks like the 18-year-old Pike Township high school student who hooked up with State Rep. Phil Hinkle at the J.W. Marriott after Hinkle answerered his Craigslist ad saying he was looking for a "sugga daddy" and offered to pay him $80, plus a generous tip for services rendered, has a new career. Towleroad quotes Kameryn Gibson's talent agency as saying he is now working as a gay porn actor under the stage name DeJuan Diamond for two different studios, Cocodorm and Thugboy. Towleroad has this statement from Gibson's talent agency, Flava Works:

It is no secret that many Republicans are closet homosexuals, while at the same time preaching anti-gay messages and protesting gay marriage. Now with DeJuan Diamond starring online ... Republicans will be able to enjoy the men they love right from the comfort of their home or offices.

Towleroad has some sage advice for Gibson:

Do yourself a favor, and use this brief reprieve from unemployment to get a degree or some vocational training, or just to do some serious thinking about what you want out of life. You've got some breathing room now. Use it wisely, or you'll be back on Craigslist in no time.

UPDATE: WISH-'TV's Jim Shella proves once again what an unethical slimebag of a reporter he is. He reads this blog and gets story ideas but pretends he originated them. He has a story this evening that begins: "There are new developments this evening in the sex scandal involving State Representative Phil Hinkle (R-Indianapolis.) A pair of pornographic websites are using Hinkle’s name in the effort to attract business. The websites have hired the same male prostitute that he did." "New developments this evening?"--more than 24 hours after the story ran on this blog. Nice, Jim. I guess we know what "24-Hours News 8" means.

Roger Williams RIP

2011-10-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

Roger Williams - RIP

Website

His version of "Born Free":

"Autumn Leaves":

Kennedy Versus Ballard Ads

2011-10-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

We've got about a month more of watching these endless number of campaign ads being run by the campaigns of Mayor Greg Ballard and his Democratic opponent, Melina Kennedy in the Indianapolis mayor's race, and I've had my fill of them already. I will say that from a stylistic standpoint, Ballard's ads are by far more professional and effective than the ones Kennedy is airing. Whoever is doing her media campaign should be fired because her ads are among the worst I've seen. Her negative ads, in particular, attacking Ballard's record are so poorly done they are actually counter-productive. If you're going to run a negative ad, at least produce one that is catchy and makes a real impression on the voter. I've always believed the most effective negative attack against an incumbent are those using his or her own words against them. Run a clip of the candidate saying one thing at one point and then saying something later that is totally contradictory of the earlier position, or run a clip of the candidate making a claim in his own words and then contrast that with the actual facts that vary from the candidate's claim. Just listening to a faceless person narrating facts with still picture images, particularly when the narrator has a forgetful-sounding voice, is a total waste of air time and money.

Lake County Lenient On Drunk Drivers

2011-10-09T05:11:00.000-07:00

People who have experienced a drunk driving arrest in Indiana generally have the same experience. If you are charged with the crime, you have little choice but to plead guilty because the prosecutor's office will generally tell you it won't plead down a drunk driving arrest. That's not the case in Lake County where less than half of the persons arrested for drunk driving are convicted of that charge. The Northwest Indiana Times has an interesting story discussing Lake County's lenient prosecution of drunk driving offenders.

Less than 40 percent of drunken driving cases filed in the last five years resulted in drunken driving convictions, a Times investigation found.

The Times analyzed more than 9,000 misdemeanor and felony drunken driving cases filed in Lake County between 2006 and 2010. The Times' analysis did not include drunken driving cases filed in city or town courts.

The Times' investigation also found:

• More than half of all drunken driving cases were pleaded down to misdemeanor reckless driving.

• About 2.8 percent of drunken driving cases were pleaded down to misdemeanor public intoxication.

• More than 700 defendants reoffended within the five-year period.

• Repeat offenders were responsible for 17.3 percent of all drunken driving cases filed.

• At least 28.8 percent of defendants charged with injuring or killing someone in a drunken driving accident had been charged with drunken driving before.

A former prosecutor who now is a defense attorney said Lake County is among the most lenient counties in the state in prosecuting drunken driving cases.

I wish the analysis had gone a step forward and tracked campaign contributions made by attorneys who represent drunk driving offenders. I would be curious to know if the attorneys who handled most of those cases were among the largest contributors to the occupant of that office. Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter tells the Times that the person's level of intoxication and whether there were aggravating circumstances such as death or injury or resisting arrest dictates whether the charges are pleaded down. Carter claims defense attorneys would threaten to take most of the cases to trial if his office didn't offer plea agreements, but most attorneys down in this part of the state who handle drunk driving cases tell you it's very hard to beat the charges at trial, and many defendants can't afford to contest the charges. Surprisingly, Lake County isn't the most lenient county on drunk drivers. That honor belongs to Floyd and Clark Counties in southern Indiana according to a former Lake Co. Prosecutor, Jack Crawford:

Crawford said drunken drivers receive the most lenient treatment in Floyd and Clark counties in southern Indiana, followed by Lake County.

"I know at first glance that might appear to be unfair," he said. "If you have the same law in one county, and you're convicted of it, shouldn't you receive either the same or at least close to the same penalty as if you were convicted in a county 300 miles away? Technically and legally, I suppose that's true, but, practically, it isn't true."

Inline Performance Magazine

2011-10-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

Inline Performance Magazine

Sad to See Yet Another Suzuki Go Home

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Hey, what’s going on guys? It’s time to send another Gsxr home to Suzuki. And I have to say that I’m most sad about letting this one go since I have ridden it more than the others. As I mentioned before, I have a soft spot for Suzuki Gsxr600s as it was my first “real” sportbike. Here’s my subjective view.

The 2011 version was all about reducing weight in order to take advantage of new found power gains in the low to mid-range for better acceleration out of corners. Performance-enhancing updates to the inline-four focused on reducing mechanical losses by cutting back on weight and reducing friction of engine internals.

While this really did not show up during regular city commuting, the often too spirited rides I took it out on late at night, when no cars were around, truly showed how light the Gsxr600 got this year. I was able to throw it to and fro, like it was a bicycle. In fact, it was so confidence inspiring, I was able to slither downhill as fast as I was going up.

If you guys knew me, you would know I hate going down the steep hills of San Francisco. The blind corners, and too many youthful crashes in the beginning of my riding career, have scarred me for life.

So cheers to you Suzuki. Thank you for giving me my confidence back.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of the 2011 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE at the pre-order price until supplies last.

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Al Davis RIP - He Did It His Way

2011-10-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

Al Davis - RIP

The Senders, 1977, Great Gildersleeves

2011-10-08T06:58:00.000-07:00


The Senders play Great Gildersleeves, from the January 2, 1978, issue of the Village Voice. Courtesy of Its All The Streets You Crossed Not So Long Ago.