UrbanNerd.com

I sometimes get asked questions about scooters that people come across on ebay or the Internet that have insanely low prices. They are made by companies you have never heard of before, but are touted as 50 or 150cc scooters. They lead you to believe they are legal and worthwhile. I always tell people that you get what you pay for. In particular people ask “but didn’t your Vespa cost a lot for only being a scooter?” It did cost a lot, but then having a reliable vehicle that has taken me to and from work everyday for 2 years means a lot. Had I cheaped out on a bike I am sure that I would have had a bad scooter experience.

Anyway, this all too brief report wants to warn you that lots of bikes are in fact illegal, and it sucks to go to the DMV after gettign a deal on a scooter to only be turned away:

Products you buy online may be illegal in the United States. That’s the warning from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Motorcycles and scooters are illegally being imported to the U.S. They are sold online at websites like E-Bay and through private dealers. The vehicles do not meet environmental standards and cannot be registered in the State of Texas.

A number of people have already been turned away from registration at the Lubbock County Tax Office. “Without people actually seeing the vehicle for themselves, there’s no way to know it has appropriate labels indicating they do not pass EPA and DOT,” said Bobby Meeks, TXDOT Regional Manager.

Bobby Meeks says legal vehicles do have labels indicating they pass EPA standards.

I can remember, back in my younger years, sitting around with all of my buddies platying Risk. I never dreamed that one day Risk would be played online using the coolest map site around, google maps. But appears I was wrong. Have a gander.

I live in NJ, have I mentioned that? We are voting tomorrow. Besides the stories of the Senator who wants to be Governor being bashed by his ex wife in TV ads, it’s stories like these that really keep that whole NJ political mystique going.

N.J. judge orders list of adult deaths
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A judge concerned about the potential for voter fraud in Tuesday’s election has ordered the state to compile the names of all adult New Jersey residents who have died since 1985.
State Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg made the ruling Friday after learning that the official responsible for tracking deaths had failed to do so because he didn’t know it was his responsibility.

The case stemmed from Republican complaints that an estimated 13,000 people who apparently have died remain on voter registration lists, including 4,755 people who reportedly voted in last November’s election.

The state registrar of vital statistics is required to provide counties with an annual list of all people over age 18 who have died, so the counties can remove those names from voter registration lists.

State officials say the annual lists of deaths from 1985 to 2003 are available, but last year’s list remains incomplete and unverified. Deputy Attorney General Melissa Racsa said Joseph Komosinski, the registrar since 2003, “was unaware that this was one of his obligations.”

Feinberg ordered the office to turn over whatever information it had from 2004.

She said the lists must be distributed by Monday to all of the state’s 21 counties and both major political parties. She also ordered election workers to check the names of those who cast absentee and provisional ballots against the names of deceased residents.

“It is truly alarming,” Feinberg said of concerns that people might have used dead people’s names to illegally vote.

According to Howard 100 news and buzzmachine.com, Howard has been suspended tomorrow?!! If you know me, then you know I am a Huge Howard Fan (as is my wife). If you do not know me, well now you know! There is no man who is more of a champion of free speech on the airwaves today than Howard.

This from buzzmachine.com:

An eagle-eyed, rabbit-eared reader says that Sirius’ Howard 100 News is reporting that Howard Stern has been suspended tomorrow. I know nothing more yet; if you do, let me know. They’ve been bleeping like mad. It reached new levels of absurdity today as they bleeped the word “black” before hair and came in the studio to tell Fifty Cent that he had to stop saying “bitches.”

It is confirmed from HowardStern.com:

Sources tell Howard 100 News that Infinity Broadcasting has issued a one-day suspension to Howard Stern… for talking about Sirius Satellite Radio TOO MUCH! K-rock General Manager Tom Chiusano made the announcement as The Howard Stern Show was ending Monday morning. Stay tuned to Howard 100 News throughout the day… we’ll be providing live updates as information becomes available. Then join us at 6:00 eastern time for complete, in-depth coverage of Howard’s suspension. Howard 100 News will have all the details on how and why this happened… Howard’s history of suspensions… reaction from Sterns fans and the Wack-Packers… and what happens next! Only on HOWARD 100 NEWS can you get all the inside details on Howard’s suspension from old-fashioned radio.

Hang in there Howard, I have already purchased my Sirius Satellite Radio!

As I mentioned in last night’s post, riding my scooter to see Bill Clinton was a tremendous help. I did not even get word that I had tickets until 3pm on Wednesday, I could not leave work until 4PM, I had to pick up the tickets in Bayonne, get changed and then get back to Jersey City by 5:30/6PM to go through security checkpoints and get a good spot. I have listed the entire story with all the gritty details here on Vespaway, including this neat map of every point I had to cover in 2 hours or less:

I had the rare opportunity to see a United StatesPresident speak tonight and then got the chance to shake his hand! As luck would have it a friend of mine offered me two tickets to a Jon Corzine rally that former President Bill Clinton was due to speak at. It was sponsored by the Hudson County Democratic party and was held in Casino-in-the-Park in Jersey City. I will tell the full story tomorrow including how much my scooter helped out, but for now I wanted to post theses rather nifty picture that my friend Andrew and I took at the event. (click the pictures to zoom in)


Left to right: 1) The ticket that got me in 2-4)Security was tight, can you spot the secret service agent?


Left to Right 1) crowd warmer 2) national anthem 3) Bayonne Mayor Doria 4) Jersey City Mayor Healy 5) US Rep. Menendez


Left: Bill about to make his entrance, the rest are him entering


Bill speaks


Left: me with Bill, Right Andrew with Bill


Bill came down into the crowd, I shook his hand, but we didn’t get that picture

I like it! Check out the ads leveraging the issues of gas prices and congested commute (two of the reasons I ride my bike) (Images from AdRants)

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A Mayor on a Vespa, And Other Ways to Set Energy Examples
States and Cities Address High Fuel Costs

By T.R. Reid
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 28, 2005; Page A03

DENVER — The little red motor scooter pulled up beneath the tall dome atop Denver’s city hall, and the rider strolled right past the security guards into the mayor’s office.

Which was not surprising, because the man on the scooter was in fact Mayor John W. Hickenlooper, who tools around this sprawling city on a red Vespa as part of his effort to remind local residents of the need to save energy amid skyrocketing oil prices.

Like the popular Denver mayor, elected leaders all over the country are searching for ways this fall to respond to the surge in gasoline and heating oil prices. But global energy markets, coupled with pinched government budgets at the federal and local levels, make it difficult for governors and mayors to go much beyond symbolic measures such as lowering thermostats in public buildings and finding fuel-efficient ways to get around.