It's not what we thought!

The role of the artist. The post Questioning the validity of art itself: Patti Smith’s improvised, apocalyptic masterpiece first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company took one of the biggest gambles in marketing history. It changed the formula for its widely popular soft drink and branded it “New Coke.” The result was an unmitigated disaster. Sales crashed, and the company became the brunt of jokes on the late-night talk shows that were popular in that era. Fast forward to 2024 and political image makers have created the “New Kamala.” They have repacked the unpopular far-left vice president of the failed administration currently in power as a moderate offering a “new way forward.” Unlike Coca-Cola, Democrats are unable to go back to their original product — Joe Biden — and are stuck with a failing replacement. There is an old saying in advertising that good advertising makes a bad product fail faster. Thus, as Kamala’s summer of joy fades into the autumn of reality, voters are finding she is not as advertised. The underlying problem for Kamala Harris and Democratic candidates all across Rush Limbaugh’s fruited plain is that not only their record — but the present reality — on the two issues voters care about most (the economy and immigration) cut against them.   Yes, government statics show the rate of inflation has declined, unemployment is low and the jobs market is strong, and the Fed has implemented an election year interest rate cut. But, with inflation having soared over 20 percent on the Biden–Harris watch, voters are not feeling the joy. Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, is being touted as the most important battleground state. There is no path to the White House for Kamala Harris if she loses Penn’s woods and a very narrow path for Donald Trump if he loses the state. Harris has not been successful in untethering herself from the Biden record. In recent interviews in sympathetic venues, she has been unable to articulate even one difference she has with Joe Biden. That effectively undercuts the “new way forward” message. Various polls have shown that voters believe they were better off during the first Trump administration than they currently are under the Biden–Harris administration. The Commonwealth Foundation’s most recent Common Ground poll conducted the last week of September found inflation and rising costs to be the top concerns of voters. The poll’s analysis states: “Nearly seven-in-ten registered voters say inflation and price increases impact their family’s ability to maintain their standard of living … over half of all voters surveyed say their economic conditions are worsening.”  The poll digs deeper: “High energy costs contribute to the inflation squeeze. According to the survey, 77% of respondents say their energy bills have increased over the past two years (33% saying “a lot”). A significant majority (71%) say they are concerned about their ability to afford their family’s energy needs.”  Voters clearly feel that both the state and nation are headed in the wrong direction. The Commonwealth Foundation voter poll found that 68 percent of respondents believe America is on the wrong track, while only 26 percent think the country is going in the right direction. Fifty-seven percent say Pennsylvania is on the wrong track, while 33 percent think the state is headed in the right direction. The Fall 2024 Keystone Business Climate Survey, conducted by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, found the owners, top executives, and managers of businesses in the state to likewise be in a surly mood. By a three-to-one margin, respondents to the poll say the state’s economy has gotten worse, not better over the past six months. Forty-five percent said the state’s business climate has gotten worse over the past six months; just 17 percent say it has gotten better. For comparison, in the Spring 2024 Keystone Business Climate Survey, 36 percent of respondents said business conditions had gotten worse in the preceding six months, while 26 percent felt conditions had improved.  Inflation is clearly the key factor. Forty-six percent of the business leaders responding cited inflation as their top challenge, with 42 percent citing concern over current economic conditions and 37 percent citing concern over future economic conditions. Ninety percent of those participating in the Fall 2024 Keystone Business Climate Survey said inflation has impacted their business, with 49 percent saying the impact has been significant. On the other major issue — immigration — 56 percent report that illegal immigration has had a negative impact in Pennsylvania, with 31 percent saying the impact has been significantly negative. Fifteen percent believe illegal immigration has had a positive impact on the state. And so on, from the board room to the kitchen table, Pennsylvanians are unhappy with the current condition of the economy and think things are headed in the wrong direction. The problem for Kamala Harris is, as it was with New Coke, is that consumers simply don’t like the product. The question is: Will Donald Trump be the Pepsi Cola who benefits from that failure? Lowman S. Henry is Chairman & CEO of the Lincoln Institute and host of the weekly American Radio Journal and Lincoln Radio Journal. His e-mail address is lhenry@lincolninstitute.org. The post Kamala Harris: The New Coke appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The woke Left continues to push for Indigenous People’s Day to replace Columbus Day, but Americans are pushing back. In this episode of The Spectacle Podcast, hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay discuss how Americans are over DEI holidays like Indigenous People’s Day. They also discuss the forgotten history often dismissed by the Left, such as the true origins of slavery. Scott harkens to a scene from Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which accurately depicts the relationship between the natives and colonists. (READ MORE: Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Cherokee Leader Stand Watie) Tune in to hear their discussion!    Listen to The Spectacle with Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay on Spotify. Watch The Spectacle with Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay on Rumble.  The post <i>The Spectacle</i> Ep. 157: Indigenous People’s Day Is Over. Americans Choose Christopher Columbus. appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

This election cycle has been a bit of an odd one. There are plenty of important policy issues that could define it — the border, taxation, inflation, or foreign aid, for example — but none of them (despite how much Americans care about some of them) have risen to the fore. Instead, Americans — particularly young Americans — are having an identity crisis about a far more fundamental issue: sex. (No, this isn’t about to become a discussion of the marital act. I’m using that word in its more antiquated sense to refer to the binary biological human types.) (READ MORE: Is This Right? Is America Now R+7?) The crisis is so palpable that the Free Press called sex the defining issue of the election, and in the context of this election, we’re being asked to choose role models. When Tim Walz joined the Democratic ticket, liberal journalists and campaign strategists were convinced that he would be the silver bullet they needed to win the male vote. “Any liberal Democrat whose resume includes football coach, military veteran and sharp-shooting hunter is a challenge to MAGA mythology,” Francis Wilkinson wrote recently. Wilkinson might have been on to something if Walz could hold a gun comfortably and hadn’t lied about the details of his military service record. Democrats would like Tim Walz and Doug Emhoff to represent the new American man — a man who can dabble in sports and hunting but isn’t afraid to let the woman in his life run the show (or the country). It’s the American man radical feminists have always wanted. I can’t speak as a young man, but I can imagine it’s an uninspiring model. As a young woman, I can tell you it’s certainly an unattractive model. Of course, I’m not the first person to make note of all this, and I’m hardly the first person to say that it doesn’t seem to be working all that well. (Nate Hochman wrote a fantastic article for our latest magazine on the growing conservative cohort of young men, so definitely check that out!) Unfortunately, it might just be working well enough in this particular election. (READ MORE: Why I’m Voting for Donald Trump) According to a recent Harvard Youth poll, voters under 30 favor Kamala Harris by a 2-to-1 ratio. Another poll has young women in that age group favoring her by a 3-to-1 ratio. What many of us conservative commentators haven’t really talked about is the fact that the Democratic war on women, particularly young women, is working quite well. To be fair to the Trump campaign (which has barely even tried to reverse the trend), Democrats have won the votes of young women for quite some time now. But, it seems that women in general are particularly energized this year by the fact that Kamala Harris (a woman) is running for president and is extraordinarily vocal about “women’s rights” (especially women’s so-called “right” to kill unborn children). The Democrats’ new American man, with his feminine-flavored masculinity, may not be superbly effective, but their vision of the American woman as a girl-boss certainly is. Kamala Harris, having employed her feminine wiles to achieve power in California and then, perhaps by accident, having been propelled first to the vice presidency, and then to the presidential campaign stage, is the role model young women are being urged to support. (READ MORE: Krugman Tries to Denigrate Trump, Stumbles, and Flips Out) Because young women, by and large, haven’t discovered via experience that traditional forms of femininity are far more rewarding than the pant-suit feminine model they’ve been taught to try and emulate, Kamala Harris is (and this may come as a shock to the readers of this magazine) an attractive and even inspiring role model. Instead of making the election about policy and politics, Harris and Walz are playing to the identity crisis many young Americans are in the midst of. They’re forcing us to make a decision about what it means to be a man or a woman in our society. The post At Stake in This Election: Manhood and Womanhood appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

On Oct. 16, 1978, the cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic Church elected Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to sit on the Chair of St. Peter. Wojtyla took the name Pope John Paul II, having succeeded John Paul I, who died suddenly after serving as Roman pontiff for only 33 days. Though few recognized it at the time, the papal election of Karol Wojtyla was the beginning of the end of the Soviet empire. As George Weigel explained in The End and the Beginning, John Paul II, only eight months after his election, “ignited a revolution of conscience in his native Poland — a moral challenge to the Cold War status quo that helped set in motion the international drama that would culminate in the collapse of European communism in 1989 and the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991.” Wojtyla and his countrymen and countrywomen had suffered under the twin evils of 20th-century totalitarianism: Nazism and Communism. He was, wrote Paul Johnson in John Paul II and the Catholic Restoration, “the first pope from the Slavic east and the first pope with direct experience of the greatest challenge Christianity has ever faced, totalitarian atheism.” Weigel notes that one person who did recognize the potential impact that a Polish pope would have on the Soviet bloc was Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the famous Soviet dissident and author of The Gulag Archipelago who, from his exile in Cavendish, Vermont, said of Wojtyla’s election: “It’s a miracle. It’s the first positive event since World War I, and its going to change the face of the world.” Solzhenitsyn understood better than most the political fragility of the Soviet system and the power of spirituality to move men. Karol Wojtyla possessed intellectual curiosity, physical courage, and immense spirituality. He needed all three when he traveled to his native Poland on June 2, 1979, for a nine-day pilgrimage in which more than 12 million Poles came to see him in person. He broadcast to his fellow Poles and to the men in the Kremlin that “Christ cannot be kept out of the history of man in any part of the globe,” and “[t]here can be no just Europe without the independence of Poland marked on its map.” “That,” writes Paul Kengor in A Pope and a President, “was a shot heard in Moscow.” John Paul II, wrote Malachi Martin in The Keys of This Blood, “had opened the first effective challenge to the political order of the Soviet satellite system, and of the Soviet Union itself.” The Soviet empire had suffered the first tremors of a theological and political earthquake. The atheists in the Kremlin understood the threat that Pope John Paul II posed to their East European empire and to the very survival of the Soviet Union. Wojtyla’s message did not stop at the borders of Poland — it reverberated throughout the enslaved nations of Eastern and Central Europe. Two years later, another tremor struck the evil empire when workers in Gdansk, Poland, founded the Solidarity trade union in a direct challenge to the so-called “workers’ state.” But even before the rise of Solidarity in Poland, the men in the Kremlin issued a directive to the secret police, quoted in Kengor’s book, that stated: “Use all possibilities available to the Soviet Union to prevent the new course of policies initiated by the Polish pope; if necessary with additional measures beyond disinformation and discreditation.” Kengor notes that the directive was signed by nine members of the Soviet leadership, including Mikhail Gorbachev. George Weigel writes that “within a year after John Paul’s election, the Soviet political leadership and … Soviet intelligence considered the Pope the single greatest threat to their position.”  The Kremlin set in motion the assassination attempt against John Paul II on May 13, 1981, in St. Peter’s Square. Turkish terrorist Mehemet Ali Agca shot the pope. The late journalist Claire Sterling was perhaps the first non-governmental official to connect the dots, which led back to the Bulgarian secret police and ultimately the Soviet KGB. Sterling laid out the scheme hatched by the Kremlin in her book The Time of the Assassins, an example of investigative journalism at its best. Since then, other sources agree with Sterling that the KGB was behind the assassination attempt on the pope.  The assassination attempt failed. The Polish pope continued to send tremors throughout the Soviet empire. And he was joined in this by President Ronald Reagan, who rhetorically consigned Soviet communism to the “ash heap of history,” and substantively implemented policies — economic, military, technological, geopolitical — that further undermined Soviet power in the satellite empire and within the Soviet Union itself. No one tells that story better than Paul Kengor in his book A Pope and a President.  Joseph Shattan in his book Architects of Victory named John Paul II as one of the heroes of the Cold War. Shattan notes that even former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev admitted that, “Everything that happened in Eastern Europe in these last few years would have been impossible without the presence of this Pope and without the important role — including the political role — that he played on the world stage.”  The unraveling of the Soviet empire had many other causes, including its own systemic weaknesses, both economic and political. But that unraveling can all be traced back to Karol Wojtyla’s election as pope. Which means, Catholics believe, the hand of God was involved. READ MORE: The Synod on Synodality: Petering Out Into Irrelevance? The Vatican–China Pact Has Proved to Be a Catastrophe Pope Francis Equates Opposition to Illegal Immigration to Abortion The post 46 Years Ago, the Soviet Empire’s End Was Set in Motion appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

from The People’s Voice: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Joseph P. Farrell, Giza Death Star: When I opened my email a few days ago and saw this story that had been shared by G.A.C.(with our thanks!) I immediately filed it in my “finals” folder, because it’s one of those stories that might be just a “minor” blip on the radar, or it might […]

Hey, I don’t know what to make of today. It’s nuts. I’m reaching out the JD Vance’s staff today. Maybe I can interview him in Sturgis, SD. We’re burnin’ daylight. I need to roll over to Scott Jacob’s and deliver some books. The Goat team is here trimming trees. I got the ’58 chevy running semi-strong. Still needs some details worked out. It might snow tomorrow and I’ll cover it for the winter. Today may be the last opportunity to exercise the classic. I’m getting close to turning back to the Knucklehead and finishing the wiring. I’m looking at a Titanium Elishewitz knifle. I feel it’s time for a change. I carry a knife every day, everywhere. As soon as I forget it, I need to cut open a box… Let’s hit the news and don’t forget to vote… The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. The News was provided by the Bikernet Team including the Redhead, Bob T. Sam Burns, Laura, Barry Green, El Waggs, J.J. Solari, Amy White, Jenn and the rest of the crew. Electric Motorcycle Company Energica Shuts Down Company to Will Liquidate Assets. EV world is shrinking. fast. Is this the “Truth” about the Wall Street money trail I have been howling about on Bikernet.com since over one year ? The scam, the mass-perpetration and self-perpetuation of a technological hoax and overall financial Ponzi scheme, the magnitude and scale of this fraud that even duped multiple governments of major nations around the world. Once EV is out of USA, you can rest assured, no matter the investment in infrastructure or technology or capital expenses–other nations and at least majority of its businesses and citizens will have no interest in pursuing EV technology. Currently, the handful of minions are latching on to the “dream” or rather the Fantasy Fiction (’cause it ain’t Science Fiction) due to the continued market share and sales of Elon Musk’s Tesla. The technocrat has strategically endeared himself to Presidential candidate and former-President of USA Donald Trump. People can be sure, Trump knows cons when he sights one. Energica board of directors tried to attract funding instead of having improved their tech, business process and revenue streams. To pay off the company’s creditors and debt obligations, the board decided to fully liquidate all of its assets rather than going the Cake route of declaring bankruptcy and then finding a new owner. Maybe that shows some level of “honor” — to sell off whatever possible to pay their dues rather than further milk and misuse the financial systems made available to businesses for their success. Right to Repair — Freedom Of Choice Wear A Helmet If You Want To Wear One Earlier today, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a study claiming that since the mid-1970s more than 20,000 motorcyclists would have survived crashes had they been wearing a helmet. In total, the IIHS report says, 11% of motorcyclist fatalities over nearly 50 years would have been prevented by helmet usage. While we understand and respect the mission of the IIHS to reduce traffic injuries, fatalities and property damage, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) finds it necessary to point out three principal tenets of our position on helmet usage. First, since our creation, the MRF remains steadfast in the belief that those who ride should decide. Fundamentally, we believe that each rider is in the best position to evaluate the choices they make when riding, which includes the choice to wear a helmet or not, as well as the type of helmet. Second, the absence of a helmet mandate in the 33 states with freedom of choice does not force motorcyclists to ride helmetless. These choice states simply allow a rider to make their own decision. Thousands of riders in states that do not have helmet mandates ride with a helmet and we support their right to do so. Additionally, states with universal helmet laws do not claim 100% compliance. Finally, a primary part of our legislative agenda and messaging is crash avoidance. A crash that does not happen is always safer than a crash that occurs. As such, focusing on avoiding or preventing a crash before it happens is far more valuable than making a crash “safer.” For this reason, the MRF has always supported rider training and motorcycle awareness as proactive measures. This report demonstrates that motorcyclist fatalities are a growing concern for policymakers. While the MRF and IIHS view this topic differently, we will continue to work on areas where we find common ground. Let Those Who Ride Decide Join The MRF www.MRF.org BILL MAY AND THE BILL MAY REPORT– Hey Bandit congratulations on setting records with the salt trike. That’s awesome. Regarding the ’58 Chevy feel free to call or text me anytime for info. I just put a new engine in this ’40 ford. It was running rough and he thought it had a bad valve, so he wanted me to pull the heads and have a valve job done. When I pulled the right head the gasket was blown completely out between the two middle cylinders. Valves were fine. I was cleaning the head surface on the block and found a big old crack right where the gasket was blown. So the guy I’m doing it for ordered a new motor.–Bill May “I will call you shortly. ” –Bandit 100-WORD FICTION CONTEST RETURNS– The Last Cut.                                                                                                    Speed marched into his apartment and hung his cut on the backside of the hallow door. He stared at his tattered 1%er patch. Speed could not stand how the government turned on bikers and motorcycles. His old lady, Casey wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and said, “It’s all going to be alright Babe.” Speed stared into her glistening emerald-green eyes and at a smile capable of melting cast iron. “Everything will be all right in the end,” he said and kissed her ruby red lips. “If it’s not all right, it’s not the end.” –Gearhead BREMBO ACQUIRES ÖHLINS, LEADING MANUFACTURER OF PREMIUM SUSPENSION TECHNOLOGY With Öhlins, Brembo expands its offerings for the automotive market to enhance its role as a Solution Provider of integrated, intelligent solutions to its customers This deal marks the largest acquisition in Brembo’s history and further strengthens the Group’s brand portfolio Öhlins has a strong racing heritage and presence in major championships as a renowned supplier for MotoGP, Formula 1, Superbike, NASCAR, and others Bergamo (Italy), October 11th 2024 – Brembo today signed an agreement with Tenneco, a portfolio company of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., for the acquisition of a 100% stake in Öhlins Racing, the leading manufacturer of premium, high performance suspension technology for motorcycles and cars in the Original Equipment, Motorsport, and Aftermarket segments. “Öhlins is a strong fit for Brembo. It is a world-renowned brand, with a solid business and an unrivaled reputation, both on the racetrack and the road,” said Matteo Tiraboschi, Brembo Executive Chairman. “We welcome Öhlins to our Group as a great opportunity to expand our offerings for the automotive market. With this addition, we take another step forward in our strategy to provide integrated intelligent solutions to our customers, leveraging synergies across key technologies in the vehicle’s corner.” Founded in 1976, Öhlins Racing is based in Upplands Väsby (Stockholm), Sweden, and has a strong international footprint. Öhlins employs approximately 500 people across two production facilities located in Sweden and Thailand, two R&D centers in Sweden and Thailand, and four distribution and testing branches in the U.S., Germany, Thailand and Sweden. Öhlins’ suspension technology is renowned for precision, performance, and innovation. Brembo leads the world in the design and production of high-performance braking systems and components for top- flight manufacturers of cars, motorbikes and commercial vehicles. Founded in 1961 in Italy, Brembo has a long- standing reputation for providing innovative solutions for OEMs and aftermarket. Brembo also competes in the most challenging motorsport championships in the world and has won over 600 titles. See more at www.brembo.com PREVIOUSLY THE NEWS WAS—-BREMBO MAKES A BOLD MOVE– In a deal valued at $405 million, Brembo signed an agreement with Tenneco, a portfolio company of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., for the acquisition of a 100% stake in Öhlins Racing today. “Öhlins is a strong fit for Brembo,” explains Matteo Tiraboschi, Brembo Executive Chairman. “It is a world-renowned brand, with a solid business and an unrivaled reputation, both on the racetrack and the road. With this addition, we take another step forward in our strategy to provide integrated intelligent solutions to our customers, leveraging synergies across key technologies in the vehicle’s corner.” THE BUILDER OF THE WEEK– Tony Benassi lives in Ghisonaccia, France, and is from Poggio-di-Nazza, France. –Sam BurnsFeature Bike EditorBikernet.com(TM) CHOPPERS MAGAZINE–Issue Number 16 Now Available $14.00Limited copies of Issue 16 now available This Issue features Born Free 15, Motor Bike Expo, the Texas Fandango, and Fücker Chopper Fest. Along with some killer builds from Frank Ball, Brian Boles,  Devin Corbit, Robert Mayer, Brent Law, Alleyway Kustoms. We also have Danger Dan’s Baja Run and a pullout centerfold of Nick Resty’s Amoeba Chopper. Don’t let this one get away from you. BRAND NEW BIKERNET READER COMMENT– THE BANANAS BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS– for September 26th 2024 https://www.bikernet.com/pages/THE_BANANAS_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_September_26th_2024.aspx Used to be a member years ago. I reread your book Orwell and am currently reading Outlaw Justice.  I always did and do relate to your books like it’s my own life.  I no longer ride a V-twin, but bike life is bike life. Currently riding a 2016 BMW GS.  Great machine for this area here on the west side of WA. Your books, and articles are amazing and thanks for letting back in the Cantina.  I’ll be posting some more? –Miguel MarloweOlympia, WA BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS NOW OPEN– HARRIS finally breaks down and visits a remote northern reservation. With news crews following her around as they tour the place, the Vice President asks the chief if there was anything they need. “Well,” says the chief, “We have three very important needs. First, we have a medical clinic but no doctor to man it.” Harris whips out her cellphone, dials a number, talks to somebody for two minutes and then hangs up. “I’ve pulled some strings. Your doctor will arrive in a few days. Now what was the second problem?” “We have no way to get clean water. The local mining operation has poisoned the water our people have been drinking for dozens of years. We’ve been flying bottled water in, and it’s terribly expensive.” Once again, Harris dials a number, yells into her cellphone for a few minutes, and then hangs up. “The mine has been shut down, and the owner is being billed for setting up a purification plant for your people. Now what was that third problem?” The chief looks at her and says, “We have no cellphone reception up here!” –El Waggs FOSSIL FUELS ARE MAKING HURRICANES BETTER NOT WORSE– like Hurricanes Helene and Milton better Fossil fuels have created unprecedented safety from extreme weather—and the recent hurricanes would’ve been far worse without themBy ALEX EPSTEIN Myth: Hurricanes Helene and Milton show that we’re experiencing unprecedented danger from extreme weather thanks to fossil fuels. Truth: Fossil fuels have made us much safer from extreme weather—and the recent hurricanes would’ve been far worse without them. Truth: We’re experiencing unprecedented safety from extreme weather. Media reports would lead us to believe that hurricanes like Helene and Milton are proof that fossil-fueled “climate change” is making extreme weather much more dangerous by virtue of being more intense and/or frequent. Mainstream data and climate science show otherwise. Myth: We’re experiencing unprecedented danger from extreme weather. Truth: We’re experiencing unprecedented safety from extreme weather, including a huge drop in extreme weather deaths in recent decades. All media reports on extreme weather should acknowledge this, yet none do. You wouldn’t know it from typical media coverage, but we are far safer from extreme weather like Milton in today’s fossil-fueled world compared to the past. Climate-related disaster deaths, i.e. extreme weather deaths, are down 98% over the last century!¹ Myth: Extreme weather deaths may have decreased, but damages have increased. Truth: Despite many incentives for global climate-related damages to go up—preferences for riskier areas, government bailouts—GDP-adjusted climate-related damages are flat.² 3 keys to understanding climate damage statistics: 1. Damage should be measured as percentage of GDP not compared dollar-for-dollar to a poorer past with less wealth at risk. (E.g., Miami Beach) 2. More people today choose to live in damage-prone areas. 3. Government bailout policies increase damage. Myth: The damage of Milton shows how destructive today’s climate has become. Truth: The damage of Milton shows how wealthy and populated Florida has become.³ Fossil fuels have driven our record safety from extreme weather. Myth: Fossil fuels shouldn’t get credit for our incredible resilience to extreme weather, only blame for making weather worse. Truth: There’s definitive proof that fossil fuels drive our resilience to extreme weather, while there’s little evidence they’re making weather worse. Myth: Storms are a bigger danger than ever thanks to fossil fuels. Truth: Storms are a smaller danger than ever thanks to the fossil-fueled machines that build sturdy buildings, as well as fossil-fueled weather warning systems and fossil-fueled disaster relief efforts.⁴ Death rate chart, storms Myth: Floods are a bigger danger than ever thanks to fossil fuels. Truth: Floods are a smaller danger than ever thanks to fossil-fueled flood control infrastructure and disaster relief.⁵ Death rate floods Myth: Fossil fuels don’t deserve much credit for plummeting climate disaster deaths; it’s “resilience.” Truth: Fossil fuel energy makes us resilient through plentiful infrastructure-building, heating and cooling, irrigation, transportation, etc. Myth: We don’t need fossil fuels to protect ourselves from extreme weather—we can just use alternatives. Truth: There is no near-term replacement for fossil fuels for the 1/4 of the world that uses abundant energy—let alone the 3/4 of the world that doesn’t. Fossil fuels will for decades remain uniquely able to provide low-cost, reliable energy to billions. That’s why fossil fuels are 80% of world energy and still growing.⁶ Alex is sorta long-winded with his reports, pun intended. If you want to dig into his entire report head over to his web site or read one of his informative books. “Energy Talking Points by Alex Epstein” is my free Substack newsletter designed to give as many people as possible access to concise, powerful, well-referenced talking points on the latest energy, environmental, and climate issues from a pro-human, pro-energy perspective. CHOOSING HEADLINERS FOR THE CHIP– Securing bands for The Best Party Anywhere® is no easy feat. It often takes the entire year before all the variables fall into place. But the process always starts by listening to requests from fans like you. Planning is currently underway, and lots of you have been asking about bands and listing ones you’d ride across the country naked in a blizzard to see perform. The following is a list of 25 bands that fans like you have put on the Chip’s radar. Are these the bands you’d go nuts to see join the Sturgis Buffalo Chip lineup in 2025? See the Bands at www.buffalochip.com LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–Stock# 14207 2016 Harley Davidson FLHXS Street Glide Special with only 36,562 miles! The time has come for you to trade up for one of these Street Glide Specials here at Lifestyle Cycles, with a 103 motor and touring comfortability this is the bike you’ve been looking for! Screenshot * Two-Up Touring Seat * Chrome Engine Guard with Highway Pegs * Rider Floorboards * Passenger Mini Floorboards * 103 Cubic Inch Twin Cam Motor * Vance & Hines Chrome Covered Intake * 4 Point Docking Hardware * Vance & Hines Chrome Dresser Duals * Rear White LED Tail Lights * Stock 6-Inch Chrome Handlebars * Chrome Avon Contour Grips * Dual Front Brakes * Front White LED Tur Signal Lights and LED Headlight * New Front and Rear tires * Heel/Toe Shifter * 6-Inch Smoked Windshield This bike is only $16,995.00 Plus license, $85.00 documentation fee, and local sales tax. NO HIDDEN FEES like some dealers. And we have no reconditioning or prep fees. This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 103-point safety/mechanical/structural inspection.This motorcycle has not been refurbished and does not come with any warranty expressed or implied! EXTENDED WARRANTIES are available! Fill out an online application today. We have EZ FINANCING Lifestyle Cycles is located at 1510 State College Blvd,Anaheim,CA,92806. Open 7 days a week. NOT LOCAL? WE HAVE SHIPPING AVAILABLE! Call today (714) 490-0155. www.Lifestylecycles.com GAME OVER CYCLES NEWS FLASH– During the Eternal City Motorcycle Show, which took place on the last weekend of September in Rome, the Polish company Game Over Cycles (GOC) won an award in the competition organized at the prestigious event. GOC’s The Recidivist won the Special Prize in the Custom Contest organized by the Italian magazine Low Ride. The best custom vehicles from all over Italy and Europe took part in the competition. GOC was the only foreign company awarded in the competition. The Recidivist is a custom machine inspired by the world of tattoos. Motorbikes are commonly adorned with tattoo motifs using an airbrush, however the uniqueness of The Recidivist lies in the fact that the bike’s entire construction is covered in tattooed skin branded directly onto the bike’s tires, tanks, seat, rear fender, lamp, and the sidecar, which is an integral part of the vehicle. All this makes The Recidivist the world’s first tattooed motorcycle. The Eternal City Motorcycle Show is one of the largest motorcycle events in Italy. This year on 30 000 square meters 300 exhibitors presented their offer, and the event was visited by 25,000 guests over two days. “We are glad that after the trophies won in Austria, Germany and the USA, we were also recognized in Italy, a country that loves motoring, especially motorcycles. The Recidivist still amazes people, and we bring home another respectable award, so it is a reason to be proud and happy,” said after the competition founder and owner of Game Over Cycles, Stanisław Myszkowski. Game Over Cycles (GOC) is a Polish custom motorcycles manufacturer formed in 2012. The company is known for its original creations. Machines created by Game Over Cycles have won awards at world’s biggest custom bike competitions. The company has already won 31 awards, including 24 international ones, of which 8 trophies were received at the European Bike Week (EBW), the largest motorcycle festival in Europe and 9 awards in the homeland of bike customization, the United States of America. www.gameovercycles.com ASSALT WEAPAN BONNEVILLE WIND TUNNEL UPDATE– We have pictures, videos, and data from every run. There is just too much to share until I can get home, lay it out on the computer for proper observation. In short, we gained 25 m.p.h., we know our front and rear lift, how much horsepower to get 200 m.p.h., how much down force we have, and we are making these gains with 28 less required horsepower. Observed the yarn on the Dioro Jeans sticker located back and bottom of the front fender. It is blowing FORWARD. We observed many interesting instances of both good and bad design, rider position, and slight changes on bodywork. Keith Ball’s original design was actually pretty darn slick and well executed. This was certainly worth the money. Now, we will prepare the entire motorcycle for racing, dyno test at Michael Beland ‘s A1 Cycle dyno facility and then return to the A2 wind tunnel for final details. Then……we go in search of 200 m.p.h. I would like to thank the following Honorary Rough Boy Racing members for their generous monetary donations in helping me to get The Assalt Weapan Panhead back to Bonneville. Rod Balch, Joe Sparrow, Rod Sturgeon, Dan March, Craig Ziggy Zoet, and Andy Anderson. I spent all y’all’s money and it was worth it!! Love y’all. Berry WardlawAccurate EngineeringDotham, Alabama BANDIT’S 5-BALL EMPORIUM NEWS– Oh Hell, where to start. Danial James is at it again as our exclusive fine artist. He just can’t stop. If you see any images here you’re interested in you can call me, the Redhead, the Emporium captive, or Danial directly. We built a sign for out front, so folks know we’re open from either direction. I’m working with talented woodworker, Nikki, and she made a platform for my new drill press on top of an old butter churning machine I picked up from Mike the Picker in Whitewood. I think it worked… –Bandit ACTION FROM THE VENICE VINTAGE RIDERS– This month we head south… We’re getting a bit creative with our south-bound route this month, due to some road closures. Our final destination is Ballast Point Brewing Company.  They’re going to keep the back of the parking lot reserved for us. Meet:1625 Abbot Kinney Blvd.Venice, CA 90291 Destination:Ballast Point Brewing Company110 N. Marina Dr.Long Beach, CA 90803 9AM – Meet10AM – Kick stands up! All years, makes, and models are welcome! Make sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram, or go to venicevintage.com for the latest updates on our events calendar. See you there! -VVMC NEW FROM THE FEULING CROWD– VVT Cam Bolt Torque reaction tool. This tool allows removal/install of the VVT cam bolt, referenced by the factory as the spool valve. . With the Introduction of the VVT engine in the new 2023 CVO the process to access the camchest has come with a few extra steps. There is a special tool needed to hold the Cam Phaser Assembly in place in order to remove the spool valve bolt and access the camchest, we now have that tool available for you! TAUBLIEB Films Announces World Premiere of “PAY DIRT: The Story of Supercross” at Newport Beach Film Festival Narrated and Executive Produced by Academy Award-nominated actor JOSH BROLIN Monster Energy and TAUBLIEB Films are thrilled to announce the world premiere of the highly-anticipated documentary Pay Dirt: The Story of Supercross, narrated by acclaimed actor Josh Brolin. The film will debut at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 3:30 PM at the renowned Lido Theater. Event Details:Location: Lido Theater, 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA 92663Date: October 19, 2024Time: 3:30 PM – 5:05 PM PDTTickets: Purchase at their website This extraordinary full-length feature documentary film captures the thrilling and tumultuous journey of Supercross, the sport that has captivated millions. From its grassroots beginnings to its transformation into a global phenomenon, Pay Dirt offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the sport’s greatest athletes, risks, rewards, and the passion that drives them. With the support of Monster Energy and Feld Entertainment, TAUBLIEB Films is proud to bring this story to life. “Monster Energy is excited to be a part of Pay Dirt, a documentary that dives deep into the electrifying world of Supercross. This film does an incredible job capturing the raw energy and intensity of our top athletes in the sport while offering an authentic glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of Supercross, making it accessible and thrilling for all audiences,” said Mitch Covington, Monster Energy Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing. Featured Monster Energy supercross athletes include legendary and current icons: Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto, Brian Deegan, and Haiden Deegan. “We’re only here because of the incredible support from everyone involved – from Monster Energy to Feld Motorsports – and, of course, the riders and production team,” said multi-Emmy-winning filmmaker Paul Taublieb, whose previous feature collaborations with Monster Energy include feature documentaries “Unchained: The Untold Story of Freestyle Motocross,” “FASTEST” and “Blink of an Eye.  “This is not a history of the sport, but rather, the story of the Supercross, and I’m humbled and grateful to be able to share this first screening at the great Newport Beach Film Festival.” “Pay Dirt is a project born from a deep admiration for skill, courage and sacrifices of the incredible athletes who ride Supercross, and features an all-star cast of riders including Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Ricky Johnson, Bob Hannah, Haiden Deegan, and many others, including, speaking from prison, the man who created the sport, Michael Goodwin.” added TAUBLIEB. “Our goal was to bring their stories to life in a way that not only resonates with die-hard fans but also introduces new audiences to the world of Supercross.” Following the Newport Beach premiere, Pay Dirt will have a special theatrical screening tied to the opening of the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross season at Anaheim 1. It will then be released in 500 theaters across the country. Shortly after that, the documentary will be available on popular streaming platforms. Buy Woke, Go Broke: The Failure of ESG Investing ALAS, the ESG and sustainability movement, a financial juggernaut in its heyday, has performed poorly in the past two years. This poor performance has been a result of a combination of factors including the boomeranging impact of Western sanctions on Russia energy exports, the collapse of “clean” energy stocks, the rise in interest rates, and the widespread backlash against ‘woke capitalism’ and climate change regulations in Europe and the U.S. ESG investment momentum has slowed on both sides of the Atlantic since 2022. In 2022, for the first time in more than a decade, investors pulled more money from funds marketed as “sustainable” than they added. In the first half of 2024, the U.S. ESG market experienced net outflows of over $13 billion, on the heels of a $9 billion outflow in 2023. Morningstar, a financial research firm, found nearly 2,500 fewer sustainable funds globally in 2023 relative to the prior year and 2024 is on track for an even steeper plunge. According to Torsten Lichtenau, Bain and Company’s global carbon transition practice lead, “When you look at the importance of [environmental, social and corporate-governance efforts], you can clearly see a huge peak in 2021 to 2022 where there was also a lot of action off the back of the Glasgow COP26 climate conference in 2021. Now it’s dropped back to 2019 levels.” Enter “competitive sustainability”, a buzz phrase of choice of its most vociferous proponents. The European Commission’s 2022 Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS) presented a “competitive sustainability” agenda for the EU covering four dimensions: productivity, environment, fairness, and stability. In a word salad worthy of Brussel’s unelected bureaucrats, it describes the agenda as one where “a fair, just, green and digital transition which requires sustainable social conditions, will serve as a foundation for future prosperity and resilience. Well-designed labour market policies and social protection systems are the basis for resilience and inclusive growth.” THE SHOVELHEADS OF THE WEEK– From Sam BurnsFeature Bike EditorBikernet.com Electric Enfield motorcycles ? Enfield is teasing an EV motorcycle ahead of EICMA on its Instagram and says it will be revealed on 4-Nov-2024 Refer https://www.instagram.com/p/DBJal9Xy6uQ/ Also see local news by clicking here. SHOVELHEADS OF THE WEEK– –From Sam Burns Feature Bike Editor Bikernet.com Join Bandit’s Cantina Quick and Support Bikernet Content The post THE CLOSE BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for October 17th, 2024 appeared first on Bikernet Blog - Online Biker Magazine.