SANTA MARIA – Not much is left of a Santa Maria Police cruiser after it was wrapped around a tree early Sunday morning.
The powerful impact nearly split the squad car in two stopping just short of the officer sitting behind the wheel.
"That car is the worst police traffic collision I have seen here at this police department in 35 years", says SMPD Chief Dan Macagni.
Macagni says Officer Damon Badnell was responding to a call for help from another officer on foot chasing a burglary suspect in the north end of town.
"It had just rained, the roads were slick and for unknown reasons he lost control of the car at Main and Broadway", Macagni says.
Officer Badnell is being treated for broken bones at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where doctors are optimistic about his recovery.
A three year veteran of the Santa Maria Police Department, Damon Badnell is a husband and father who grew up in the area and was just awarded by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for making the most DUI arrests in the city.
"It's unbelievable he's alive and survived this crash", adds Chief Macagni.
A new Gyroscopic OnBoard Camera is being used in the Live MotoGP International Broadcast this weekend for the first time at the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Because a normal asscam ain't good 'nuff.
The new Gyroscopic OnBoard Camera was developed by Dorna Sports SL, marking the start of a new generation of OnBoard cameras, including miniaturised motors. For years, Dorna Sports' Technical and R&D department have been looking for a compact electronic module aimed at tracking the exact position of the bike on a race course and determining its lean angle in real time.
It was not until November 2009 and the Valencian Grand Prix that the ideal solution was found, as UAV Navigation offered their services. The Spanish company, specialised in Flight Control Systems, made the most of the experience they acquired in the Red Bull Air Race in order to bring a package adapted to the constraints of MotoGP, with two accelerometers, a triaxial gyroscope, a GPS and a micro-chip providing real-time data on the location of the bike and also the exact coordinates of the three gyro sensors, thus giving a better indication of the bike behaviour on track.
This data stream is processed in real-time to control a miniaturised motor placed in the Gyroscopic OnBoard camera, which rotates its lens according to the movements of bike - the movements of the lens actually compensating the movements of the bike in order to maintain a fixed horizon line, as the riders see it - so that the resulting footage is not a shot moving with the bike, instead the bike is moving around a reference point, giving a better perception of the riders' dexterity in throwing their +210 hp prototypes through hair-raising-fast corners and audacious moves.
Soon all riders will be replaced by microchips in the UAV MotoGP.
Bonnaroo concert, motorcycle stunt show and Police State drug bust was on the same weekend, a tough act to compete with, for those who enjoy paying cops $100,000 for hotel accomodations. Even Bonnaroo had 25,000 less than last year, perhaps due to ticket prices between $250 and $1,200. Only one dead spactator. Several stunters blogged they went to Bonnaroo instead of KOTS.
Vincent Fernando, CFA Business Insider July 1, 2010
Despite a small rebound from crisis-lows, this long-term chart from Deutsche Bank keeps the rebound in perspective.
Americans’ discretionary spending remains at the lowest level in at least 60 years, as a percentage of GDP. This is despite strong sales of iPads and iPhone 4’s, which makes Apple’s (AAPL) continued success with new product launches even more commendable.
Note that we’d need about 5x the recent rebound to return discretionary spending back to previously normal levels.
Yet in a twist, Deutsche believes that since discretionary spending remains depressed, there’s less room for a large negative economic surprise on this front going forward.
Deutsche Bank’s Peter Hooper:
Finally, the U.S. economy today bears little resemblance to its pre-crisis state. Discretionary spending on durables and structures by households and firms (which drives recessions) has already been compressed to historic lows (Chart 15), and substantial progress has been made in mending balance sheets. Thus, there is much less “scope” for a sudden downturn than there was three years ago.
The economy suffered as discretionary spending dropped during the crisis. Yet the U.S. economy is now less dependent on this spending, since it remains far smaller as a proportion of GDP than before. Basically, people aren’t buying anything discretionary, so there’s little potential downside from this part of the economy.
Mr. Hooper points this out as part of a broader analysis about where the economy could be at risk, the chart above isn’t ‘good news’, it’s just tapped out as a source of further major negative surprises. The economy is now driven in different ways than before, less by big-ticket consumer spending and of course less by the housing industry.
Destination Motorcycles in Farragut TN had their free Bikini Bike Wash and free cookout on Saturday 10 July. Big discounts for cash buyers of naked or barely covered Ducatis, KTMs, BMWs, Triumphs, Vespas and Piaggios. Big profits on t-shirts. Something about a vintage bike show. A good time was had by all. Never saw a $5000 door prize or Camero. Then it was off to slay the Dragon and its minions.
$70 digital camera without reflector, desaturated without photochop. Shoulda backed it in for better lighting and background.
Bikini babe Sara was once a pro stunter with Chuck Malott at Vertical Limits, winning Sickest Trick at Bikestyles Stunt Games in the current issue of Throttle Nation magazine.
Vertical Limits at Destination MC
Music by The Lords of Acid: Robot Love; Boom I Fucked Your Boyfriend; Heaven Is An Orgasm. Lords of Acid & Thrill Kill Kult Sextreme Ball in Knoxville on Sunday, August 8 2010, at The Valarium.
THE DRAGONATER WINS IN TRAFFIC COURT AT DEALS GAP, RAISES SPEED LIMIT TO 65 MPH ON THE DRAGON - NOLLE PROSEQUI BY BLOUNT COUNTY ATTORNEY GENERAL. NO TESTIMONY, HEARING NOR TRIAL WHATSOEVER. 60 MPH SPEEDING TICKET DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, COSTS PAID BY THE STATE, IN BLOUNT COUNTY GENERAL SESSIONS COURT WITH JUDGE BREWER. THP TROOPER RANDALL HUCKEBY ADMITTED ON VIDEOTAPE DURING TRAFFIC STOP THAT ALL SPEEDING TICKETS NORTHBOUND ON US129 AT MILE MARKER 0.5 ARE FEDERAL JURISDICTION, NOT STATE JURISDICTION (VIDEO BY THE DRAGONATER). HUCKEBY WAS ALSO CAUGHT ON VIDEO SPEEDING AT 60 MPH ON THE DRAGON, WITHOUT THE MANDATORY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIREN REQUIRED FOR IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION (VIDEO BY THE DRAGONATER). TDOT ADMITTED IN WRITING THAT THE MANDATORY TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SURVEY SPEED AUDIT WAS NEVER PERFORMED, IN VIOLATION OF TN CODE, THUS THE POSTED 30 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON THE DRAGON REVERTS TO THE DEFAULT 65 MPH IN TN CODE. THE DRAGONATER ALSO MADE VIDEO OF TROOPER HUCKEBY SPEEDING UP TO 60 MPH ON THE DRAGON IN A 30 MPH ZONE, WITHOUT MANDATORY EMERGENCY LIGHTS NOR SIREN, IN VIOLATION OF TN CODE, AND PERJURY IN HIS PERSONNEL FILE, WHICH SHOWED HIS $100,000+ SALARY. 2007 TDOT SAFETY AUDIT REPORT CONFESSED THAT THP'S JOB IS TO BAN ALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ON THE DRAGON, SO THP TICKETS INCREASED 11,400% IN BLOUNT COUNTY. THP'S STALKER RADAR OPERATOR MANUAL CONFESSED THAT RADAR CANNOT MEASURE THE SPEED OF VEHICLES WITHIN 18 MPH OF ACTUAL SPEED. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FULL EVIDENCE FILE. UPDATE 7 MARCH 2011
On the day Deals Gap reopened in TN, this little monster was hiding under my tarp. Didn't see it until I'd folded and carried the tarp, where it was visible as I set it down. Second one so far, this was not as large as the other. I hate my garage.
THE DRAGONATER WINS IN TRAFFIC COURT AT DEALS GAP, RAISES SPEED LIMIT TO 65 MPH ON THE DRAGON - NOLLE PROSEQUI BY BLOUNT COUNTY ATTORNEY GENERAL. NO TESTIMONY, HEARING NOR TRIAL WHATSOEVER. 60 MPH SPEEDING TICKET DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, COSTS PAID BY THE STATE, IN BLOUNT COUNTY GENERAL SESSIONS COURT WITH JUDGE BREWER. THP TROOPER RANDALL HUCKEBY ADMITTED ON VIDEOTAPE DURING TRAFFIC STOP THAT ALL SPEEDING TICKETS NORTHBOUND ON US129 AT MILE MARKER 0.5 ARE FEDERAL JURISDICTION, NOT STATE JURISDICTION (VIDEO BY THE DRAGONATER). HUCKEBY WAS ALSO CAUGHT ON VIDEO SPEEDING AT 60 MPH ON THE DRAGON, WITHOUT THE MANDATORY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIREN REQUIRED FOR IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION (VIDEO BY THE DRAGONATER). TDOT ADMITTED IN WRITING THAT THE MANDATORY TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SURVEY SPEED AUDIT WAS NEVER PERFORMED, IN VIOLATION OF TN CODE, THUS THE POSTED 30 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON THE DRAGON REVERTS TO THE DEFAULT 65 MPH IN TN CODE. THE DRAGONATER ALSO MADE VIDEO OF TROOPER HUCKEBY SPEEDING UP TO 60 MPH ON THE DRAGON IN A 30 MPH ZONE, WITHOUT MANDATORY EMERGENCY LIGHTS NOR SIREN, IN VIOLATION OF TN CODE, AND PERJURY IN HIS PERSONNEL FILE, WHICH SHOWED HIS $100,000+ SALARY. 2007 TDOT SAFETY AUDIT REPORT CONFESSED THAT THP'S JOB IS TO BAN ALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ON THE DRAGON, SO THP TICKETS INCREASED 11,400% IN BLOUNT COUNTY. THP'S STALKER RADAR OPERATOR MANUAL CONFESSED THAT RADAR CANNOT MEASURE THE SPEED OF VEHICLES WITHIN 18 MPH OF ACTUAL SPEED. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FULL EVIDENCE FILE. UPDATE 7 MARCH 2011
Deals Gap, Tenn. -- It's confirmed, the Dragon is now open 24/7 in Tennessee, without curfew. The gate doors at the TN/NC border have been removed, along with the closure signs, although the posts remain. A few closure signs still need to be removed in Maryville and Townsend. Troopers were shooting radar at Tabcat, joined by BCSO SUV. The opening time itself remained Top Secret. According to a worker from the site, the actual cost to the taxslaves was $9-million, not TDOT's reported "low-ball" $2-million "lowest bid". The rockslide cliff looks more unstable than ever...
The usual riffraff telling DC jokes, Gixxer07 banned by ETR
Dragonburgers, beer and DG Resort for sale
The fog of war at Deals Gap
Day 2: Saturday 10 July 2010
Trooper vs Dragonslayers at the Overlook
Already 8 cops vs Dragonslayers after Grand Opening, riding the OT clock at taxslave expense
Stealth mode without radar after sunset, then drove South to NC at a high rate of speed without mandatory emergency lights nor siren
Slayerhater strikes again, beware the bears at the Overlook
Stealth first responder flees Dragon with family
Dragon bites Harley, bloody oil all over 129
Kickstand draggin in corners punctured engine case
Sunset on a broken Harley
No photos of the elderly rentacruiser who dropped his security deposit, crushing himself between his hot pipes and an innocent biker pumping gas. Saved by the Dragonator before he could burn down CROT. Then he crashed again 30 seconds later, pulling out of the parking lot onto 129. Drunk, diabetic or Peter Principle?
