Category Archives: Freedom

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --As the global leader in fueling personal freedom, self-expression and independence, Harley-Davidson (HOG) today announces the launch of a second installment in its popular Dark Custom campaign called United By Independents.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120910/CG71647-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120910/CG71647-b)

The campaign, featuring #StereotypicalHarley riders, was first developed on Harley-Davidson's Facebook app "Fan Machine" by fan Harold Chase and was then cast on Twitter. The final 60-second spot, featuring 16 real Harley-Davidson riders and Twitter followers from around the world, makes its national advertising debut on the FX hit series Sons of Anarchy beginning with the Season Five premiere Sept. 11, 2012.

The campaign runs through November 2012 and will continue with a promotion through Harley and SOA that gives fans an opportunity to express their individuality and defy stereotypes by customizing a new Street Bob motorcycle online with H-D1 Bike Builder. This online tool now offers the most expressive paint sets, accessories and apparel than ever before with the all-new Hard Candy Custom. One lucky winner will win a personally customized Harley-Davidson Street Bob motorcycle and a trip to Los Angeles to visit the set of Sons of Anarchy and hang out with cast members. The partnership with FX and SOA also includes exclusive online promotional videos from the creator of SOA, Kurt Sutter, along with key cast members who share their stories about what it means to ride, featuring their own personal customized Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

"United by Independents is as much a rally cry to discover your ultimate self-expression and personal freedom as it is a celebration of fans and riders that continue to defy stereotypes of what it means to be a Harley-Davidson enthusiast," said Dino Bernacchi, Harley-Davidson Director of North American Marketing Operations. "The campaign is cast entirely through social media with real riders from across the globe and from all walks of life who are united by their shared passion for the brand and their love of riding."

Earlier this year, Harley-Davidson asked its more than 4 million Facebook and Twitter fans to share how they defy stereotypes by posting their photos using the hashtag #StereotypicalHarley. From the thousands of responses received, Harley-Davidson created the first installment of the United by Independents campaign, which debuted in February 2012 as part of the launch the Sportster Seventy-Two.

The second installment features the new H-D1 Street Bob and Hard Candy Custom that will launch Sept. 11 on SOA but will also appear in big partner properties like Marvel's The Avengers DVD release and this fall's FX premiere of The Ultimate Fighter along with other UFC properties. Both videos are available on Harley-Davidson's Dark Custom website at http://www.darkcustom.com.

Continuing its mission to defy stereotypes, Harley-Davidson remains the market share leader in heavyweight motorcycle sales among young adults ages 18-34 in the U.S. and has long been at the cutting edge of personalization and customization, as evidenced by Hard Candy Custom, the star of Harley's 2013 model-year line-up. The new formula for old-school cool, Hard Candy Custom is a styling movement that spans generations, cultures and markets from Brooklyn to Yokohama. Rooted in themes first seen in the chopper era of the late 1960s, Hard Candy Custom embraces a trend that's reemerged from garages around the globe: dazzling metal flake paint, brilliant chrome and styling details in accessories, gear and apparel that are both current and nostalgic.

Also announced was the addition of the Street Bob to Harley-Davidson's H-D1 Factory Customization program, allowing customers to build the Street Bob of their dreams and have it delivered to their door right from the factory within a month. Hard Candy Custom and the new H-D1 Street Bob are featured in Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy. To learn more about the motorcycles, visit http://www.darkcustom.com.

Read the original here:
Harley-Davidson Calls On Fans To Unleash Their Own Personal Freedom And Independence

September 9, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY-The Florence Freedom were down to their final out Sunday night when Drew Rundle ended the game with a 3-run homer, giving the Freedom a 7-5 win.

With the Freedom trailing 5-4 and with two runners on, Rundle sent a 2-1 changeup from Gateway Grizzly closer Richard Barrett(0-1) over the right field wall to tie the series at two and send it back to Gateway for a decisive game five Monday night.

The Freedom took a 1-0 lead in the second off a solo homerun by Eddie Rodriguez.

Gateway came right back and placed five runs on the board in the fourth, but the Freedom began to chip away at a 5-1 deficit.

In the sixth, Rundle hit an RBI double to the gap in right center field to cut the lead to 5-2. Then in the seventh, Peter Fatse singled home two runs on an infield single. There was also an error on the shortstop Richie Jiminez Jr which allowed the second run to score.

With Gateway leading 5-4 in the ninth, the Freedom started their rally against Barrett. David Harris drew a leadoff walk. Junior Arrojo then lined a single into center. After Fatse flew out to left field and Rodriguez reached on a fielder's choice, Rundle then extended the Freedom's season with his heroics. Rundle was mobbed at home plate by his teammates as they celebrated his game winning homerun.

It was the eleventh win for the Freedom this season when trailing after the fifth inning.

The Freedom bullpen pitched five perfect innings after starter Andres Caceres went four innings giving up five hits on five runs (one earned). Brandon Mathes struck out four batters in his four innings of perfection. Jorge Marban(1-0) then collected the win pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.

The Freedom and Grizzlies will play a fifth and final game to determine who will play in the Frontier League Championship Monday night. RHP Brad Allen (1-0, 0.00) will make the start for Florence. RHP Tim Brown (1-0, 2.25) will take the mound for the Grizzlies. The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 7:20 on Real Talk 1160 and realtalk1160.com.

Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

The rest is here:
Rundle's Three Run Homer Keeps Freedom Season Alive

Janis Upchurch, like most, remembers exactly where she was on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

I was teaching first grade, Upchurch said. We heard about it, turned on the TV, and thats when the towers started to fall. My son was in elementary school at the time, but that event made up his mind about joining the Marines.

Upchurch, the president of Blue Star Mothers Chapter 12, was one of 50 to 75 people who participated in the 2012 Freedom Walk on Saturday morning. The event was started five years ago to commemorate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as well as honor all retired and active duty military, police and fire personnel.

Gary Young, an Air Force veteran, brought his sister and son with him for the walk. Young said he has been involved in the event for all five years, and he wouldnt miss it for the world.

I like the purpose behind it, Young said. Id like to see more people participate though. I dont think anyone has forgotten about what happened, but it would be nice if they came out and joined with us in remembrance.

There were snacks and drinks preceding the walk, as well as a short ceremony consisting of a prayer, the singing of the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the playing of taps by Muskogee High School Band Director Steve Wiles.

Oscar Ray also gave a short speech where he addressed the importance of remembering the tragedy, but also the higher importance of celebrating the heroes and their accomplishments.

Im pretty sure when the families who lost someone that day remember their loved ones, they smile, Ray said. This should be more of a celebration of life than a somber remembrance.

Thea Devers, who also is an Air Force veteran, said she spent the morning of Sept. 11 at work and couldnt believe it when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.

I was a courier for the White House and the state department, Devers said. The Pentagon was one of my many stops. It could have been me in there when it happened. I thank God I missed it.

See the article here:
Participants: Freedom Walk a time of remembrance

Credit: James Lynch Jr. | The News Herald

Freedom senior James Caldwell (right) gets to the sideline on a long kickoff return against Draughn on Friday in Morganton.

Freedom High senior running back David Burgess said after Fridays 34-14 home win over Draughn that 1,000 yards was his goal this season.

Reaching that mark is almost a foregone conclusion after the game of his life.

Burgess racked up 230 yards on the ground in the first half alone and finished the Patriots victory over their county rivals with 287 yards and four touchdowns on just 18 carries. His total shattered his previous career high of two weeks ago by more than 100 yards.

In the process, Burgess eclipsed the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his varsity career and now has a county-best 704 yards and 11 TDs on 67 attempts this fall.

We started off the game trying to run it inside on them, Freedom coach Mike Helms said. Then we went to the spread, and thats what really worked for us. Davids a special kid and he had a special game. Weve grown to expect that kind of thing from him.

(Burgess) just broke tackles and made us miss, Draughn coach Scott Lambert added. Theyve got some very talented athletes over there.

Burgess 67-yard touchdown run made it 6-0 Freedom after one quarter. The Wildcats (3-1) stormed back, though, to lead 14-6 with 4:42 to play until halftime after TDs on the ground by Adam Estep (17 carries, team-high 68 yards) and Dustin Bryant (11 carries, 37 yards).

Freedom (3-1) had a quick answer. Burgess pulled within one yard of 2,000 after a 7-yard dash up the middle into the end zone, set up by a 63-yard kickoff return by James Caldwell. His two-point conversion reception from quarterback Shawn Fairchild knotted the score.

The rest is here:
Freedom's Burgess runs for 287 yards, 4 TDs in win over Draughn

September 8, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY-The Gateway Grizzlies spoiled the first ever home playoff game for the Florence Freedom with a 5-2 win on Saturday night at the Home of the Florence Freedom.

The Grizzlies now lead the best of five division series 2-1 with the Freedom facing elimination Sunday night.

Gateway got a solid start from Chris Enourato(1-0) who limited the Freedom to five hits in his five innings while striking out four. The only run he surrendered was an RBI groundout by Pierre LePage in the third inning, which gave the Freedom a 1-0 lead.

The Grizzlies took the lead for good in the fifth. Jonathan Johnson was hit by Freedom starter Andy Clark(0-1) with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1. Chris McClendon then reached on a fielder's choice to produce another run for a 2-1 lead.

Clark worked 6.1 innings giving up four hits on three earned runs. He struck out six, but also hit three batters.

The Freedom attempted a comeback against the Grizzly bullpen in the eighth. Drew Rundle's RBI double against Zach Treece cut the deficit to 5-2. However that would be the closest they would get as Richard Barrett earned his second save of the postseason retiring the Freedom 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Rundle and Peter Fatse each provided the Freedom offense with two hits. McClendon went 1-5 with 2 RBI, while Rogelio Norris went 1-4 with a solo homerun for the victorious Grizzlies.

The Freedom and Grizzlies will play game four of their divisional series Sunday night. LHP Andres Caceres (7-3, 3.90) will make the start for Florence. RHP Paul Tremlin (7-4, 3.72) will take the mound for the Grizzlies. The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 5:50 on Real Talk 1160 and realtalk1160.com.

Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

See the original post:
Freedom Fall in Game Three 5-2, Trail 2-1 in Series

Local residents set to participate in Saturdays Freedom Walk have different reasons to participate.

Downtown Muskogee Inc. Director Jonita Mullins, who began the event in 2009, said its a solemn occasion for her, meant to honor those whose lives were lost especially Ron Milam, the Muskogee graduate who died at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

Muskogees Fourth annual 9/11 Freedom Walk will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, beginning at the Muskogee Civic Center Plaza, and following the Centennial Trail to 21st Street and back.

Its not meant to be a fundraiser or a competition anything other than spending a little time in quiet reflection, Mullins said. The trail is perfect for that, so quiet and beautifully isolated, youll hardly know youre walking through town.

The event is to remember civilians and veterans who lost their lives on 9/11. Those planning the event hope veterans, non-veterans and their families will participate in the walk.

The walk began in 2009 when the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical center sent Mullins information on Freedom Walks being held across the country.

It started at the Pentagon to commemorate the people that were lost there, Mullins said. And as a city that has a strong veteran presence, I thought it would be a win-win for everyone.

Kelvin Brown, a veteran, also is helping plan the event. For him, its about drawing attention to the communitys veterans and their needs.

Im big on the fact that we just need to bring more attention to how veterans live from day to day, he said. When you go and serve and are put into financial hardships, then come home and lose stuff, its terrible. So anything that helps bring attention to veterans thats big for me.

Brown said last years Freedom Walk was his first helping with the planning.

Link:
Freedom Walk symbolizes different things to varied participants

BY TEO A. BABUN JR.

Five nuns from Our Lady of the Good Shepherds congregation returned to Cuba on Aug. 28 with a small statue they had taken 50 years ago when they left after Cubas communist revolution. As recognition of the Cuban governments advances toward freedom of religion, the Episcopal Conference of Cuba noted that the religious act was another sign of the improved relations between the church and the government.

Interestingly, this past summer, during remarks on the State Departments annual report on International Religious Freedom, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, Freedom of religion is not just about religion. For Cubans, in particular, this is very true.

In Cuba, every aspect of life is controlled by the state. Freedoms in general and specifically freedom of religion are not fully available, and persecution of those who publicly profess a creed exists today. Freedom of religion is a right that every human being should be allowed to enjoy without restriction of any government or political entity.

Religion in Cuba must be presented in the context of its recent history, in a spirit of truth and justice, putting aside our personal interests or agendas with no other objective except the truth.

When we talk about Cubans and religion, we must begin with what the people in Cuba have experienced and are experiencing today.

From the 1960s until 1990, discrimination against Christians slowed the growth of churches. Christians suffered under Cuban communism. In the early years some pastors and priests were placed in re-education camps a type of concentration camp where they were forced to perform manual labor in agriculture in order to survive and where many met their death. These so-called camps were part of a rehabilitation program known as military units to help agricultural production or UMAP by its Cuban acronym.

Christians and their families could not receive a good education or good jobs. This pushed religious people to the lowest levels of society. Even by the mid-1980s, Cubas government declared Christians could still not hold jobs where they would influence other people, especially children. This means no Christian teachers, social workers, counselors, etc. The result of these restrictions was that very few people wanted to be associated with Christianity as it would lead to the loss of job or status, as well as other discrimination.

One of the hardest realities of this strategy is that children are shamed by their teachers and others to disown religious symbols and renounce religious practices.

In his last newsletter published only a few weeks before his death, Oswaldo Pay, a Catholic, wrote that it is shameful that a child must feel fear in her school because she attended a church service.

See original here:
In Cuba, religious freedom remains a dream

September 6, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Gateway Grizzlies SAUGET, IL - Freedom starting pitcher Brad Allen shutout the Gateway Grizzlies over eight innings and Florence held on for a 4-1 win Thursday night at GCS Ballpark in game two of the Frontier League Divisional Series.

The win tied the series at one with game three scheduled for Saturday night in Florence, KY at the Home of the Freedom. Right-hander Chris Enourato will get the start for the Grizzlies. First pitch is set for 5:05 CT.

Allen (1-0) allowed only two hits while striking out a career-high nine batters. A Richie Jimenez Jr. double in the third and an infield single by John Shelby in the fifth inning were the only Grizzlies hits against Allen.

Grizzlies starter Alex Kaminsky (0-1) matched Allen pitch for pitch until allowing a Peter Fatse RBI double in the seventh inning for the game's first run.

Kaminsky surrendered only one run on two hits in six and a third innings. He walked three and struck out four.

Florence added two runs in the eighth on a Grizzlies error and a David Harris RBI single. The Freedom got one more run on two hits and a Pierre LePage hit by pitch RBI in the ninth to take a 4-0 lead.

Jon Myers hit a solo home run in the ninth inning off of Freedom closer Jorge Marban to give the Grizzlies their only run in the game.

Playoff tickets are on sale through the Grizzlies Ticket Office. To get tickets, call 618.337.3000 or go online to gatewaygrizzlies.com.

Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Read the rest here:
Freedom Defeat Grizzlies to Even Divisional Series

Brian Uliana had arguably the best seat in the house for the Freedom High School football team's season opener last Friday at East Stroudsburg South.

The senior quarterback insists, however, the Patriots team he knows has yet to step on the field.

"Friday night taught us a lot of things," said Uliana of the Patriots' 16-14 loss to the Cavaliers. "One thing we learned is games aren't won just because you wear Freedom on your chest. That game was a big hit for us."

The Patriots have a chance to redeem themselves tonight when they host Central Catholic to open the Lehigh Valley Conference portion of their schedule. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.

"This team is hungry to get back on the field (tonight)," Uliana said. "People are going to have their opinions, but we know we're not the same team that took the field against East Stroudsburg (South). We have a lot to prove."

Freedom was in a similar situation a year ago entering Week 2. The difference being the Patriots were 1-0 heading into a meeting with Central Catholic, which was the defending PIAA Class AAA state champion at the time.

Uliana and the Pates stunned the Vikings 34-24, effectively putting the rest of the LVC on notice they were not a team to be taken lightly.

Tonight, the Patriots will be fighting to regain the respect they earned by going 8-3 in 2011 and battling to avoid going 0-2 and falling behind in the race for a possible District 2-4-11 sub-regional playoff berth.

"It's a lot like last year," Freedom coach Jason Roeder said. "We're in Week 2 and we have something to prove. And like last year, we're up against a real good Central Catholic team. It's a lot easier coming off of a win, but that's not the case right now."

Central Catholic may have lost to graduation the bulk of the playmakers that led it to back-to-back district titles, but the Vikings proved they're still dangerous with a 35-7 mercy rule win over Allen in their opener.

Read more from the original source:
Freedom High School football team looks to bounce back against Central Catholic

5 September 2012 Last updated at 12:29 ET

Olympic heptathlon gold medallist Jessica Ennis is to be awarded the freedom of Sheffield after councillors unanimously approved the honour.

Ennis, 26, from Sheffield, was crowned champion heptathlete on 4 August.

Ennis would now be consulted over when she was able to officially sign the scroll granting her the honour, Sheffield City Council said.

Freedom of the city did not carry any special privileges and was purely ceremonial, a spokesman said.

Julie Dore, Labour leader of Sheffield City Council, said she believed Ennis had been "overwhelmed" by the reaction her Olympic win had sparked in her home city.

She said she hoped the heptathlete would be proud to accept the honour of freedom of the city.

The award comes just days after Sheffield United renamed one of its stands after Ennis.

Club owner Kevin McCabe said it was a fitting tribute to honour Ennis' achievements during the London Games as she was "probably Sheffield's biggest ever star".

Since her Olympic victory, Ennis has received a number of accolades - of varying kinds - including becoming the cover star of children's comic the Beano and having a lion cub named after her.

Original post:
Ennis to get freedom of Sheffield