The Bucks HOG FAQ

What is a FAQ?: FAQ is an abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions. You'll find FAQ's on different subjects all over the internet.

On this page, you'll find sections concerning:

• Membership is open to anyone who shares our enthusiasm for motorcycling, and who are already members of the National H.O.G. organization. Application and Renewal information (and fees) is available on our Applicants Page.
• The club meets 7:30 PM, every third Monday at the United German Hungarian Club, 4666 E. Bristol Rd, Oakford, PA 19053-4753. Anyone interested in joining is invited! You must hold a National HOG card to join a chapter.
• Besides being part of a great chapter, you'll be eligible for a FREE membership in Brian's H-D Loyalty Advantage Program (LAP) which entitles you to rebates and discounts on most purchases at Brian's H-D. Sometimes Brian surprises us with even greater sales and savings throughout the year.
• In the colder months you may here many members referring to the "Polar Bear Club". If you are interested in riding all year and would like a description, Click Here!
• Members are encouraged to contribute to our Newsletter.
• Newsletters are published at least six times per year. Electronic (PDF) Newsletters are available in the "Members Only" section of this web site and is the default method of delivery. Mailed hardcopy of the Newsletter is available upon request.
• Members ask "when is it OK to wear the club colors". The answer is, whenever you feel it's appropriate. There are no official guidelines or prohibitions at this time. However, when wearing the club "colors" act responsibility and respect the fact that you are representing all the members of our organization.
• Viewers ask why portions of the web site require a password to access. Particularly pages such as the "Classified" section and "Members Links" page, members would like as much exposure as possible.
  Ironically, "exposure" is much of our concern. First off, There are exclusive benefits of chapter membership. While having it on-line is a great convenience for members, it takes away from the exclusivity of the benefit if items like our newsletter were available for all the world to see. The "classified" section adds both legal and financial risks related to listing classified information, and also a competitive risk to our sponsoring dealer. Many ads could directly compete with our sponsoring dealer and the H-D dealer network. Privacy is another issue. The internet is filled with low-lifes who cull names when exposed for all to see. For that reason, we want to keep classifieds and other selected pages within our "family" and only for the benefit of our chapter members. Members are invited to obtain a Logon and Password VIA eMail to the WebMaster. Include your FULL NAME and HOG ID# and the words "HOG PROT" in your eMail. The password will change annually. Note: Requesting access to the members only section will automatically subscribe you to the eGroup.
• The authors of this web site are devoted to maintaining a family-oriented and non-political experience. For that reason, you may not find links and other references to items that do not fit our perspective.
• In order to maintain privacy and avoid spammers who cull lists of names for their garbage mailings, our policy is to not publish last names of people on our web site (except club officers who by nature of their position remain publicly accessible).
• Q: What is an EmotIcon?
  A: Although, not specific to H.O.G, EmotIcon's are ICON's for expressing EMOTion.

  /ee-moh'ti-kon/ /n./ An ASCII glyph used to indicate an emotional state in email or news. Although originally intended mostly as jokes, emoticons (or some other explicit humor indication) are virtually required under certain circumstances in high-volume text-only communication forums such as Usenet; the lack of verbal and visual cues can otherwise cause what were intended to be humorous, sarcastic, ironic, or otherwise non-100%-serious comments to be badly misinterpreted (not always even by newbies), resulting in arguments and flame wars.

  Hundreds of emoticons have been proposed, but only a few are in common use. These include: (These may become more comprehensible if you tilt your head sideways, to the left.)

  :-) `smiley face' (for humor, laughter, friendliness, occasionally sarcasm)
  :-( `frowney face' (for sadness, anger, or upset)
  ;-) `half-smiley' (ha ha only serious); also known as `semi-smiley' or `winkey face'.
  :-/ `wry face'
  'Smiling PIG / HOG' EmotIcon.

  It appears that the emoticon was invented by one Scott Fahlman on the CMU bboard systems around 1980. He later wrote: "I wish I had saved the original post, or at least recorded the date for posterity, but I had no idea that I was starting something that would soon pollute all the world's communication channels".

  FAQ specific to .PDFs:

• Many documents on the BC HOG web site are .PDF (Portable Document Format) files. The popularity of the .PDF format is due to their being common to just about any computer platform. There are .PDF readers available for Mainframes, Linux, Macintosh and of course the PC computer. The PDF format squeezes incredible amounts of space from a document which makes it smaller and open faster. PDF's are searchable, the text is copyable, and colors, graphics, and fonts are maintained.
• Most new computers have "Adobe Acrobat Reader" pre-installed. If your browser is not PDF capable, or if you do not have a PDF viewer, the Adobe Acrobat Reader/Viewer is a FREE download (click on the "GET ACROBAT READER" for more info. Note that Adobe sells software and they tend to hide the free stuff. You may have to drill down through their site to find the FREE Acrobat READER, not to be confused with the FULL version of Acrobat).
• You can save a .PDF to your local computer. RIGHT click on the link and select "Save Target As:", to download the PDF to your hard drive (pay attention to where you save it so you can find it later). Then you can view the file even when you're not connected to the net.
• As far as our newsletters are concerned, since the PDF is digitally created from a Word document, the output will be clearer than the mailed copy and if you print it, will not include the tears, folds, grime and other “features” that the Postal Service adds. Viewing the newsletter on-line equates to huge postal, paper and printer savings for our organization.
• There is a known bug in viewing .PDF’s VIA the Microsoft Internet Explorer which has existed over multiple versions of both Acrobat Reader and MS-IE. From time to time you may click on a .PDF link, and when Acrobat Reader starts, the document appears empty / blank. There are two easy work-arounds:
  a) Use Netscape instead of Internet Explorer – or
  b) Download the PDF to your hard drive per the instructions in the previous paragraph and then view the file directly from Acrobat Reader which will circumvent MS Internet Explorer.
• The .PDF files are not (easily) available to users of WebTV.
• Question: The URL's and eMail addresses in the on-line Newsletters appear to be links, yet when I click on them, nothing happens. I thought .PDF's supported clickable links?
  Answer: Yes, that's correct however in order to convert the text to working links increases the size of the .PDF file. In order to keep the Newsletters smaller and easier to view on-line and download, we have disabled that option. Additionally there's little or no color and even photos in the hardcopy Newsletter have been stripped. We relocate the photos to the "Photos" page of the BC Hog web site where you can view them separately (and in color). Unfortunately most of us still don't have high speed internet access and anything added to a .PDF will equate to a bigger file and longer download. As the technology and speed evolves, we will start to activate more of the features available with PDF's.

• "eBCHog" is an electronic Mailing List (ListServ, ListBot, eGroup, eMail List, etc.) which echoes messages sent to it, to the subscribers of the list. The address for the Bucks HOG "eBCHog" is: eBCHog@YahooGroups.com. Any eMail sent to that address (you must be a subscriber to send messages) will be forwarded to all other members of the List. There are rules in the acceptable use of the "eBCHog" however.

  If you have not been receiving Broadcasts or broadcasts appear sporadic:
  Many ISP’s have implemented SPAM filters without fully informing their customers. Find where your SPAM filter settings are and where your SPAM is (temporarily) dumped. Most likely, you’re going to find your [eBCHog] broadcasts as well as other eMail you’ve been waiting for.

  Next, you need to alter your SPAM filter settings. I can’t tell you the various options employed and you may have to experiment. There may be a “White List” or list of "Approved Senders" where you can add addresses of anyone you want to insure is not filtered. Find that and add eBCHog@YahooGroups.com and “balford.com”, as well.

  Refer to the following suggestions before you post:

• Keep postings within 3 and 6 days of an event.
• Expect delays up to 24 hours for moderation or maintenance, before you see your message echoed. Give the system time to work, don’t resend broadcasts.
• Avoid posting an event until a preceding one has occurred, when feasible.
• When a Monthly Meeting precedes the topic of your intended broadcast, relay your message VIA the Meeting and Newsletter, first.
• If you have more than one subject to announce, combine them into a single broadcast.
• Refer to a calendar while you post to avoid incorrect posting of dates or times.
• Use punctuation, capitalization and avoid abbreviations to aid in readability and credibility.
• Read and Re-Read your message before you click on the button. Is your message accurate, readable and understandable? Remember, you might be familiar with what you are broadcasting but it's important that the reader understands and values your post.

The following bullets are sequential in importance and will be broadcasted periodically to insure that new members see them, and old members can review them. Not to nag you, we just want to keep eBCHog clean, friendly and something everyone can enjoy. It's kinda' like those super fast legal disclaimers at the end of automobile ads. The first SEVEN are the MOST IMPORTANT. If you understand these and basic Netiquette, we will get along just fine.

1. The primary mission of "eBCHog" is to facilitate communication amongst the membership of the Bucks County Chapter of The Harley Owners Group. Despite it's title and purpose, this forum is not affiliated with The Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. or the Harley Owner's Group (HOG). It is not even affiliated with the Bucks H.O.G, but rather a communicative tool started by, and for the members of Bucks H.O.G. All rights are reserved by the list-owner.
2. When you REPLY to an eBCHog post ("eBCHog" broadcasts are easily identified by the [eBCHog] in the beginning of the SUBJECT line), your reply is echoed back ONLY to the original sender. If your reply is of interest to the entire group, remember to alter the "SEND TO:" eMail address to: eBCHog@YahooGroups.com (NEVER use REPLY-TO-ALL). Responses applying to only one person should be directed to that one person but when responses serve the interest of the majority of the members, by all means reply to the group. We want to be enlightened whenever possible!
3. Keep to the subject(s). Postings should relate to Bucks HOG, National HOG, local motorcycle events, and anything else associated and of interest to the membership of the Bucks H.O.G. Depending on traffic, subject matter may be relaxed to include discussions pertaining to Harley-Davidson, Buell, motorcycle maintenance, riding clothes and other threads of related interest. The KEY word is "related". We might have an interest in money or eating but if it doesn't relate to why we joined Bucks HOG, it doesn't belong on THIS List.
4. Holiday greetings, political announcements, cartoons, jokes, virus warnings, chain letters, advertisements, etc., are off-topic, PERIOD! However, sympathy messages, get-well notices, baby announcements, etc., if about specific HOG brothers or sisters, will be invited (Posting of any specific injuries or medical info. is prohibited by (HIPPA) law). The rule of thumb is: it's ok to make an announcement, but we don't need every other list member echoing the announcement. For instance, Joe announces VIA eBCHog that Fred's wife just had a baby. Any list member who now wants to congratulate Fred, should do so VIA private eMail, not VIA the newsgroup. In other words, once Joe broke the news, we don't need to see Harry, Frank, Sue, Fred's niece, the dog, etc. all congratulating Fred VIA eBCHog, Fred knows that we all care. Better yet, jump on your scoot and take a baby gift over to Fred's house!
5. If you read it in a newspaper, another Newsgroup, etc., it does not belong here. That is copyright infringement! We are not trying to be the clearing house for all MC information. Don't post something just for the sake of posting. If you're responding to a question that someone has asked, you may quote a very small portion of previously published material, otherwise if it's posted somewhere else, that's simply old news. There are hundreds of NewsGroups associated to motorcycling where general discussion and news is perpetuated. Our NewsGroup is about Bucks County, HOG, and issues that relate to us currently and directly.
6. Do not include the address of this List as part of another eMail list or group. Multiple eMail addresses may be displayed when sent as part of a group list and breach privacy. In other words, if you send a broadcast VIA eBCHog, it can ONLY be sent to that single eBCHog address. If you want your message to reach additional personal eMail addresses too, send to them in a separate eMail.
7. Postings are to be made in PLAIN TEXT ONLY. No HTML, formatted text, RTF, 'wallpaper' backgrounds, electronic 'stationary' or other graphical kludge allowed. And NO ATTACHMENTS! The moderator has a good virus scanner and a fast T-1 connection to the internet, but since I cannot speak for the rest of the subscribers, NO attachments, NO graphical text. Graphical kludge may result in your message being chewed up and spit into cyberspace without warning that the server rejected it. Your only clue is when something you broadcast is not echoed back to you.
8. In order to protect the interest of participants, as well as the Chapter, Sponsoring Dealer, and the eBCHog Newsgroup, please refrain from possessive language when posting rides or events. Phrases such as; "I am leading a group", "My Event", "Bob's Ride meets", should be avoided. Preferred examples are; "A Club Ride departs from Brian's H-D at ...", "The Penguins will gather ...", or simply, "A Group is meeting ...".
9. Discussions between only two people or posts not applying to the majority of the List members are never appropriate. That is what personal eMail is for. Discussions between one person and their self is also inappropriate. That is what psychiatrists are for. :8)
10. Although the robot will do it's best to keep postings free of attachments and potential viri, there is no guarantee. We can only urge you not to open ANY attachments or suspicious posts.
11. Messages MUST have an entry on the SUBJECT: line (that pertains to the body) and at least TWO characters in the BODY. Otherwise they will evaporate into cyberspace.
12. When you broadcast, it should be echoed back to you. You can also check the Archives to insure it was delivered. If not, the question is whether it wasn't sent, or whether it just didn't come back to you. It's probably because you had nothing in the SUBJECT line or BODY, the system stripped invalid graphics or your ISP suspected it as SPAM. You're welcome to eMail: wayne@balford.com and I'll try to help you determine the problem.
13. When replying, Do not copy the ENTIRE original post. Nobody wants to read the same message over and over when it is copied in it's entirety through a thread of messages. Responses should include ONLY enough of the original text to convey the topic of the response.
14. A "Digest" version (Digest means individual broadcasts will be held and bundled into one eMail every couple days) is available, if you wish to avoid multiple messages in a day.
15. If you own a commercial site and would like to put your site URL in your signature line, you MAY. Please keep your signatures to a minimum amount of text.
16. SPAMmers are the scum of the internet and they're ruining this wonderful medium by obligating us to wade through crap and risking an inadvertent click of the delete button on a message we didn't intend on discarding. You might get away with it once but your subscription to this list will be abruptly termina {click}...
17. As fans of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and H.O.G it is in poor taste to publicly speak in negative terms about the Harley-Davidson Motor Company or H.O.G. eBCHog may have members that are employed by Harley-Davidson and / or associated dealerships and as a professional courtesy to them do not refer to dealerships as "Stealerships", "Stealers", or any other disparaging manner. DO NOT USE THIS LIST AS A FORUM TO GATHER SUPPORT FOR YOUR OWN AGENDA. If you don't like Harley's, the company or organization, you're subscribed to the wrong list, you are the weakest link, Goodbye!
18. Profanity, racism, flames, insults directed toward another members scoot, etc. will not be tolerated. Insults directed at non-HOG members and non-Harley's, might be excused (haha).
19. eBCHog is open to all members of Bucks HOG, in good standing. Non-members and members whose memberships lapse may be removed from the list at any time without notice.
20. As the List owner we reserve the right to refuse any person(s) subscription or service for any reason, other than the provisions which protect the American Public from discrimination such as color, race, creed, religion, gender, sexual preference, disability, or any other protected group as it is known in the United States. This List is open to people of all countries but the official language of the list shall be English.
21. This e-mail list is a restricted membership publication. It may not be redistributed in whole or in part by any means without explicit prior permission by the Copyright holder(s). All receiving addresses shall be a single reader unless otherwise authorized in advance. If for any reason the list is disbanded the list content shall remain the property of the List Owner unless the original author of the posted material requests ownership of it. ANY printing, reprinting, quoting, copying, cutting and/or pasting, forwarding, or direct sending or ANY material from this list to ANY other person, forum, or venue shall be considered grounds for immediate termination of the offending person's account and permanent removal from the list and/or copyright infringement actions.
22. The First Amendment does not apply to privately owned and distributed publications.
23. Messages are monitored and may be edited (without notice) or returned to the sender, based on quality, content and forum guidelines.
24. The rules of Netiquette, common sense, and courtesy will be used as a guideline for this list and enforced without hesitation. Using those guidelines will earn you the utmost respect within this community. Offenders of the proceeding rules will be: a) Set to NO Posting {read only}, b) Purged from the list, c) Banned (forever) from the List. But not necessarily in that order.
25. The List Owner reserves the right to change any or all of the above rules, regulations, Terms of Service or guidelines without prior notice.
26. To unsubscribe from the list, send a blank eMail to: eBCHog-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com (unsubscribing will preclude you from future updates to Member Only access).

You should also refer to the Safety Page, for other tips and guidelines.

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