8 Year Old Wins British Comedy Award
Britain has always been ahead of the curve when it has come to comedy. It took years before America understood the sharp wit of Monty Python, or the deadpan comedy of shows like The Office.
And now, Britain has a new take on comedy. The key is to just let the kids improvise, and no one is better at that than Ramona Marquez of the new sitcom, Outnumbered.
Tiger Woods in the News Again…For Golf?
Tiger Woods has been the subject of late night comedians and gossipy news anchors for the past few weeks. But today, the world was reminded why Tiger Woods became a household name in the first place.
He is the worlds greatest golfer, and has now been named the world’s greatest athlete of the decade by the Associated Press.
Landing Gear Gives Paraplegic Rider Chance to Ride Again
In 1983 Scott Tyson lost the use of his legs in a motorcycle accident. Sixteen years later, five students from the University of Minnesota gave him the ability to ride again.
“It was spectacular,” said Tyson. “It’s hard to explain, but it was almost like I could walk again.”
The motorcycle that the students created has a modified kickstand that works like the landing gear of an airplane. When the bike slows down, a kickstand with wheels lowers to the ground, enabling the bike to stand upright. When the bike speeds up again, the kickstand retracts under the bike.
Marylin Manson and Interscope Part Ways
Manson’s last album, The High End of Low, didn’t do as well as he, or his record company Interscope had hoped. It isn’t clear if that is the reason behind the split, but Manson, and his long time record company will be parting ways.
After debuting at number four, The High End of Low went on to record the lowest record sales for Manson in over a decade. But perhaps it’s good news for the aging shock rocker.
Rolling Stone Officially Loses Touch With Music
Rolling Stone has recently released a statement regarding its inability to relate to the modern music world. The statement comes in the form of a list, which attempts to identify the best music of the decade.
The list is consistently laughable, until it unveils that the best band of the past decade, was Green Day. Then the sadness, the pity, and the fear set in. The music industry has become so diluted that Green Day has risen to the top.
Backflip on a Harley
New Harley Dirt Bike Makes First Appearance at 2009 Gladiator Games
For ten years the FMX Gladiator Games have showcased the world’s greatest freestyle motocross riders. Last weekend the Gladiator Games celebrated its tenth anniversary and had something special in store for everyone to enjoy.
As the night came to a close, Chuck Carothers revved an engine and got ready for the show’s finale. He would ride a Harley Davidson XR 1200 off a ramp and do a full backward rotation.
So maybe it wasn’t a dirt bike, but it was a Harley, and Carothers made it look as nimble as it could possibly be. The Harley XR 1200 is nearly 600 pounds of bike and it proved to be a little too much to handle as Carothers hit the ground.
A few months earlier Saul Kain of Australia completed a back flip and landed a similar Harley XR 1200. But the bike Kain rode was heavily modified toward FMX riding. The bike Carothers rode at the Gladiator Games was completely stock. He even left the headlight on.
5 Greatest Lyrics From the 5 Greatest Songs About Motorcycles
There is a certain feeling that comes over all riders when they hit an empty stretch of two lane highway. No matter where they are coming from, and no matter where they are going, they all experience the same indescribable feeling. These artists did their best to put that feeling down into music. Here are the five best lyrics, from the five best songs, written about motorcycles.
5. “The Other Kind,” by Steve Earle
The hardcore troubadour captures the feeling of losing yourself on a bike so perfectly in this song.
“Nowadays I got me two good wheels
And I seek refuge in aluminum and steel
It takes me out there for just a little while
And the years fall away with every mile”
Chris Birch Repeats at The Roof of Africa Rally
Chris Birch rode a KTM 300 across the finish line on November 28 to win his second straight title at The Roof of Africa Rally.
In second was fellow New Zealander Rory Mead, who finished two hours behind Birch, but only 12 seconds ahead of South Africa’s own Jade Gutzeit.
Birch, who was the first rider on route made a wrong turn at an intersection and had to return to the starting line. His time was corrected, but the grueling three days of racing took its toll. “It was really tough, I worked hard today,” said Birch. “All I could do when I re-started was to focus and ride my absolute best, but I am very happy to take the trophy home this year.”
The Roof of Africa Race is held in Lesotho, in Africa, and is considered to be the mother of hardenduro races. It attracts riders from all over the world. This year their were 102 riders participating in the race from 14 different countries and five different continents. Out of the 102 riders who started the race, only 23 finished.
photos by Hubert Stanka
The AMA Hall of Fame Inducts New Class in December
The American Motorcyclist Association will induct a new class of motorcycle innovators, racers, and entrepreneurs to their Hall of Fame on December 4 and 5 at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The AMA Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class in 1998, expects a large turn out of previous Hall of Fame members to attend the ceremony. They will be congratulating the AMA’s 2009 amateur racing champions on Friday night, and welcoming a new class of Hall of Fame members on Saturday.
Harley Plans to Stay in York
By Dan Evon
Harley Workers Stuck Between a Rock and a Harley Plant
Harley-Davidson issued a tentative agreement Friday regarding the future of its York, Pa., plant, and the nearly two thousand union workers employed there as part of the Motor Company’s plan to drop costs by $150 million by 2014.
For months, workers at the York plant have feared that the factory would shut down and move to a more cost effective area like Shelby County in Kentucky.
Now Harley plans to cut the work force in half, bringing the numbers down to roughly 800 permanent workers at the York plant, with another 200 to 300 temporary workers. The contract also states the full health benefits that Harley workers currently receive will be cut to an 80/20 split.
