Born to Ride TV Show 718 - Pt. 1 Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Born to Ride TV heads to the Black Hills of South Dakota for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Ron Galletti, mounts up on his Harley Davidson motorcycle and cruises the mountains.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttjw8wFrc3E&hl=en

Animal Abuse - When Is It Going To Be Taken Seriously?

You've probably heard the names Bundy, Dahmer, Gacy; all names of notorious killers and what do they all have in common? They started out as animal abusers. What about the names; Kip Kinkle and Luke Woodham or Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold? Not quite so well known except in some circles and in the minds and memories of their victims and families. These two pairs of names belong to teenage boys who went on killing sprees, the second pair are the infamous Columbine High School killers. What do they all have in common? They all tortured and killed animals, sometimes bragging to their friends. Now what about the names; Dasha Lombard, James Manzanares, and Nicholas Stogdon? Probably not unless you live in Alamogordo, MN and either know them or were paying attention to the news in late spring in this year, 2007. They are three 'children,' aged 15, 14 and 13, at the time, who found a wandering puppy and decided to have some fun. They taped the dog's muzzle shut with packing tape, stabbed her with a knife and screwdriver and proceeded to drop a 40 lb concrete block on her. When questioned about it, the response was, "It was just a f------ dog!" These 'children' were completely unaffected by the torture they inflicted on this innocent and defenseless animal.

And this was not the first brush with the law for any of them. These three teens are not new to their antisocial behavior. Lombard was charged with having a deadly weapon on school property, charged with criminal damage to property when she allegedly spray-painted an elementary school playground, previous charges include shoplifting and resisting, evading and obstructing an officer as well as numerous incidents of trouble at school, usually involving verbally abusing teachers. Manzanares' priors include shoplifting (including one incident where he was with co-defendant Stogdon), disorderly conduct, larceny, receiving stolen property and burglary. Stogdon was charged several times with shoplifting; twice for battery on a household member; for running away; and for burglary.

There was a case in Macon, GA earlier this year in which three boys, two 14 year olds and a 13 year old burned two dogs to death. Prior to this they had been in trouble with the law and after their arrests but while they were in their parents' custody, they proceeded to commit other crimes. Each of these boys was sentenced to 60 days detention. That's it, just 60 days detention!

Then we have one of the latest to add to this list of horrors by 'children' against animals. A 5 month old Chihuahua mix, Tobey, was stolen out of its own yard in Guadalupe County in Texas by three 'children.' The 12, 14 and 16 year old boys took this little puppy to an abandoned house and proceeded to throw the puppy out of a second story window several times until its back legs were broken, hung it in a tree by those mangled and broken legs, beat it with a nail studded board, lit it on fire and finally cut it head off. The boys were arrested at the scene and when questioned, they showed absolutely no remorse for the torture they inflicted on this tiny puppy. At most, these three boys will remain in juvenile detention until they are nineteen.

These are just a few of the many, many incidences out there and these are just juvenile cases. You can bet in the future you will be hearing about some of them again. Their names and faces will grace the front pages and be the leading story on newscasts and their crimes will not be against just animals but against people.

Every day I hear stories of animal abusers getting sentences so lenient that people hearing about it are just shock and incensed;

Charles J. Friel III, 22, of Allen Street in Philadelphia beat a dog that was in his care and left it chained to a tree with skull and rib fractures to suffer and die a horrible death last year and was sentenced to probation.

John W. Meyer, 41, of Shotkoski Drive of Hoffman Estates, IL, killed a puppy for urinating on the rug. He threw a 7 month old, 4 lb Chihuahua 14 foot across the room against a wall then slapped the tiny dog so hard he broke one of its legs, all of this in front of two children and he was sentenced to probation.

Marlene S. Diaz, 24, of Cooper Street in Manchester, Connecticut had a tiny little Chihuahua locked in the basement for so long and under such terrible conditions that when the dog way found after an anonymous tip by a Connecticut Natural Gas employee, she weighed about a third of what she should have weighed. She was nothing but a skeleton covered in skin and a vet had no other option but to euthanize the dog due to the severity of her condition. Diaz was sentenced to probation.

Maryanne Adams, of Greenwood Lake, NY starved a dog to death. A beautiful St. Bernard husky mix that she adopted from the humane society was left in the yard, no food, no water, freezing cold, to die a horrible death. And her sentence, community service! Warwick Town Justice Daniel Coleman didn't even care enough to give her probation, let alone a real sentence!

These are just a few cases in which the criminals were actually identified and convicted. They are all a matter of public record. But what about all the cases of animal abuse and cruelty in which no one is ever identified? The monsters out there still walking the streets free to inflict their atrocities on other animals or to work their way up to human victims.

Laws that target animal abusers far too often are either too lenient, too vague or unenforced. There are still 7 states that do not even have felony provisions for cruelty to animals; Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah. There are still two states which do not have felony provisions for dog fighting; Idaho and Wyoming.

These are not opinions, these are facts! And it is also a fact that there is a strong and indisputable correlation between animal abuse and interpersonal violence. This is one of the biggest reasons that animal abusers need to be dealt with harshly, not just for the cruelties inflicted upon innocent and defenseless animals, which is certainly bad enough, but for the cruelties that many of these abusers will go on to inflict on human victims.

Isn't it past time for our judicial system and our lawmakers to start taking animal abuse seriously? It's time to stand up and speak out for those without the voice to speak for themselves! It's time to demand justice for the innocent victims!

Will you sit back and like so many people, just ignore it because you think it doesn't involve you or will you stand up and take action? Don't wait until it's too late and it's your beloved pet or maybe your child, spouse, parent or family member who is affected. Write, call, email and fax your legislators and demand change. Isn't it time to take animal abuse seriously?

The author of this article, Deanna Raeke, is a pet owner, pet lover. She dedicates her time to animal advocacy and welfare and just about anything that has to do with dogs. For information on current dogs news, tips and information, please visit For the Love of the Dog. For information for your pet's health, naturally, visit Natural Health for Pets

Foreclosure Law Thursday, November 25, 2010

Even if you have suspected that your home would go into foreclosure, perhaps you were misinformed and believed you had to wait until you received a notice of default from your lender before you could do anything. Maybe even now that you have received the notice, you are still stunned and paralyzed with the fear of losing your home.

No matter what your situation may be at the moment, if you have just received a notice of default and are facing a foreclosure, now is an excellent time to get started on understanding the foreclosure laws that apply to your particular situation and to begin seeking help from professionals who can help to end foreclosure proceedings against your home and restore your home loan to a proper state of payment. Most importantly, you can achieve a peace of mind and return to sleeping at nights knowing that your home is not in jeopardy of being taken from you.

It cannot be overstated that foreclosure law is different from state to state. For example time frames for each state are as follows:

Alabama: 49-74, Alaska: 105, Arizona: 90+, Arkansas: 70, California: 117, Colorado: 145, Connecticut: 62, Delaware: 170-210, District of Columbia: 47, Florida: 135, Georgia: 37, Hawaii: 220, Idaho: 150, Illinois: 300, Indiana: 261, Iowa: 160, Kansas: 130, Kentucky: 147, Louisiana: 180, Maine: 240, Maryland: 46, Massachusetts: 75, Michigan: 60, Minnesota: 90-100, Mississippi: 90, Missouri: 60, Montana: 150, Nebraska: 142, Nevada: 116, New Hampshire: 59, new Jersey: 270, New Mexico: 180, New York: 445, North Carolina: 110, North Dakota: 150, Ohio: 217, Oklahoma: 186, Oregon: 150, Pennsylvania: 270, Rhode Island: 62, South Carolina: 150, South Dakota: 150, Tennessee: 40-45, Texas: 27, Utah: 142, Vermont: 95, Virginia: 45, Washington: 135, West Virginia: 60-90, Wisconsin: 290 and Wyoming: 60.

Just as each state has a different time frame, the laws that govern the particular state are different from the next state as well. There is no way to list all of the different laws that are applicable in their respective states. Even if it were possible to list all of the laws here, it would be impossible to keep the listing current as laws can change from state to state and year to year, depending on the state's government and legislation.

Both judicial and non judicial forms of foreclosure regulations are used from state to state. Likewise, the sale publication and redemption period can vary, including some states where the court decides what the redemption period will be. There are many different web sites that offer some general information about foreclosure law for each state. These sites should not substitute for learning about the foreclosure law in the state applicable where the property is that you are concerned with.

Although foreclosure is a lender option to allow the lender to gain back the property or cash for the property, foreclosure law is designed to help the homeowner take advantage of the opportunities that exist with foreclosure time frames and various other laws within each state that work to help the homeowner stop foreclosure before losing their home. 

Click here to keep your home and get free advice from one of our foreclosure experts today.

Deadwood, South Dakota Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Riding through Deadwood during the 207 Black Hills Motorcycle Rally



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqDgPVT1m7U&hl=en

cheyenne frontier days 025

Little Sun Drum and Dance Group at Cheyenne Frontier days 2009 This Lovely Lady is performing the hoop dance. Her name is Jasmine Pickner and her Native American background is Crow Creek Dakota. She is from Rapid City, South Dakota.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frpp4O_1TlU&hl=en

Burden Of Proof In Special Education Due Process Sunday, November 21, 2010

Are you the parent of a child with autism that has struggled to get them an appropriate education? Have you considered filing for due process for your child with a learning disability? Have you wondered who has the burden of proof, in a due process hearing? In 2005 The US Supreme Court heard a case on burden of proof in due process; the case was 546 US Schaffer v. Weast. This article will discuss burden of proof after the Supreme Court case Schaffer vs. Weast.

The question before the court on this case was At an administrative hearing (due process) assessing the appropriateness of a IEP, which party bears the burden of persuasion? The justices ruled that the burden of proof in a due process hearing challenging an IEP, is placed upon the party seeking relief, in other words the party that filed.

The reason this case made it all the way to the Supreme Court is because Maryland, where this case originated, did not have a regulation stating who had the burden of proof. 10 States place the burden of proof at a due process hearing on the school district. These states are: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Washington DC, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, and West Virginia. These states are not affected by this ruling

17 States place the burden of proof on the party that files for a due process hearings. These states are: Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. These states are not affected by this ruling

The states that are affected by Schaffer vs. Weast are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Some states on this list may have passed laws, since this ruling that put the burden of proof back on the school district. Check with your state board of education to see if a law was passed in your state. If it was not, the burden of proof is on the party that filed.

Schaffer vs. Weast did have one positive section of the ruling. Justice Sandra Day Oconnor wrote: School districts may also seek such hearings, as Congress clarified in the 2004 amendments. They may do so for example, if they wish to change an existing IEP because the parents do not consent, or if parents refuse to allow their child to be evaluated.

What this means, is that school districts are required to file for a due process hearing, if they wish to change a child's IEP. Before this, school districts were able to implement an IEP without a parents permission. The only way they could not, is if a parent filed for a due process hearing. Since the burden of proof has switched to the party that files in some states, this section is important.

For example: If you live in Idaho, a state that requires burden of proof on the party that files, and your school district wants to change your child's IEP, without your consent; they are required by Schaffer vs. Weast to file for a due process hearing; and thus bear the burden of proof.

If the school district did not file for a due process hearing and the parent was forced to, they could ask a hearing officer to shift the burden of proof to the school district. This means that the school district, would have to prove that the changes that they want to make to your child's IEP, are appropriate.

By understanding the burden of proof in a due process hearing, you will be able to make an informed decision about whether to file for a due process.

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special education system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

The 7 Essential Mistakes Every Bowhunter Should Avoid Tuesday, November 16, 2010

As sportsmen and hunters, it is absolutely necessary to learn from every mistake we make. If not, the next outing can be just as frustrating as the last. The following 7 mistakes are the seven most commonly made in the sport of bowhunting and should be recognized and overcome as early as possible.

Misjudging Distance

The number one reason a bowhunter misjudges their mark is because they misjudge distance. Precision and estimation are highly important, vital aspects of the sport and without them, it is impossible to be successful. Getting a good rangefinder is an essential first step to solving this problem. Mark your yardage whenever possible and practice often at home or at a range to get a better idea of how far you are standing from any given target.

Poorly Placed Shots

If you miss the right position on the animal, your hunt can become a horrible situation. A wounded, lost animal can haunt a hunter for the rest of the trip and ruin a perfectly good outing. It is necessary, both technically and ethically, to be able to hit the kill zone on an animal when bow hunting. This means, you should be able to recognize where the kill zone is as well as have the right degree of accuracy in your shots to hit that position. If you do not feel you can do this, you should reconsider hunting with a bow until you have enough practice under your belt to do so.

Mishandled Equipment

If your equipment is not well maintained, it will not serve you well in the field. Your shots will be less accurate, your distance will suffer, and you will have less of a good time while shooting. This means you should inspect your equipment as often as possible and perform routine maintenance. Tuning should be done before you go out every time, checking to ensure the center is trued, the screws and limb bolts are all in good position and that your sight pins are checked.

Too Much Weight

Speed is not the end all of bowhunting. In fact, too many hunters place a premium of being able to get high speed into their shots rather than any number of other possibilities. Accuracy is much more important and for that reason, your draw weight should be set well within your comfort level. The extra FPS you gain is not worth the loss of accuracy and comfort in your shots. Also, remember that conditions in the field can greatly diminish the effectiveness of a weight you have tested before hand.

Shooting Too Fast

If you grow too confident in your ability to shoot and release quickly on the run, you will probably have limited success. As a bowhunter, or any hunter for that matter, patience is absolutely vital. You want to get into and out of a stand as quickly as possible with minimal impact. If you can calmly and quietly handle your ground each time out, you will be much more effective than if you bolt in and try to overwhelm your game each time you go out.

Stand Placement

When you place your stand, a lot of importance is placed in the location, height, and time of its placement. If you are too low, too early, or in the wrong place, you will only spook your game and ruin a good position. Your placement will depend partly on your personal preference, but remember to make the right adjustments for your surroundings and the effect they will have on your game. Anywhere between 14 and 18 feet is ideal, providing enough range to keep from spooking your next quarry and with enough freedom to move if necessary.

Moving Too Much

If you move too much in your stand, you will not be successful. You must be willing to stand quietly, patiently, and as still as possible while waiting. Deer are incredibly adept at picking up movement - it is a survival instinct. If you set off those senses, they will bolt. Always keep an arrow knocked when on a stand so that you can minimize movement before a shot.

The right balance of common sense and preparation can result in the perfect hunting trips and the right shots almost every time for you. Be aware of what is happening around you, do not over adjust, move, or grow impatient, and you can avoid many of the most common mistakes made by bowhunters.

Tony Brian is a freelance writer for outdoor sports magazines and a contributing writer for bt paintball gun specializing in bowhunting,bowhunters and eclipse paintball markers

Montana '06 chapter 2 - entering Montana Friday, November 12, 2010

Montana & Idaho chapter 2 - entering Montana. Music from one, "sunset zone"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ahYj-525Vo&hl=en