Motorcycle Christmas Cards

RIVERSIDE: Quadriplegic artist said he feels no anger

Quadriplegic artist Don Bania Jr. first met Rocky Loving more than 20 years ago at a trade fair.

Bania, 59, creates original designs with a pen or pencil held in his mouth and was selling his line of note cards and greeting cards. Loving stopped by the booth to admire his work.

"He was very friendly, very likable," Bania recalled. "He told me about his organization."

Loving said he employed disabled people packaging artwork by disabled artists and told Bania he wanted to purchase his cards for that purpose.

"I said 'great,' " Bania said this week. "But I never had the suspicion that he would be mass producing these (cards) for over two decades."

Bania said he never gave Loving permission to reproduce and sell his designs and never received compensation from the sales.

Bania's and Loving's worlds intersected again last month when Riverside police Detective Brian Money contacted Bania about greeting cards bearing his name confiscated during a May 24 raid of Loving's company, United Handicap Assembled Products.

"I was shocked and so surprised," Bania said this week in a telephone interview from his Corcoran, Minn., "And then I went online and saw eight of my cards they had been selling."

United Handicap says on its website that it helps disabled adults become self-sufficient, including artists whose cards are featured on the website.

Police launched their investigation after receiving a tip that the company's telemarketers were using questionable business practices including faking being developmentally disabled to make sales.

Money said the company is being investigated for theft by false pretenses, false advertising and labor code violations.

Money said this week he is still reviewing documents and doing follow-up interviews which he anticipates will lead to charges being filed..

"We removed 85 boxes of documents," Money said.

Money said he has been unable to contact Loving. Loving did not respond to calls or e-mails seeking comment for this article.

While inspecting some of the products confiscated at United Handicap during the raid, Money said he came across greeting cards that identified Bania as the artist.

BMW Motorrad: Motorcycle Christmas Cards | Motorcycle News

Motorcycle Christmas Cards

Christmas is just around the corner - a time to give special thought to relatives and friends.

For this reason, BMW Motorrad is offering all motorcycle fans the opportunity to send personal Christmas greetings via bmw-motorrad.com/christmasconcert with the Christmas Concert E‑Card.

In the video on the website, motorcyclists use their BMW motorcycles and helmets as musical instruments to back an electrical guitarist playing the traditional American carol "We wish you a merry Christmas."

At the end of the carol, one of the riders opens his helmet visor, smiles and presents a sign with Christmas and New Year's greetings from BMW Motorrad.

The video of the Christmas Concert E-Card can be sent directly from the website, either as it is or in a personalized form.

For personalization purposes, a portrait photo can be uploaded and integrated in the face area of the motorcyclist. The sign can also be adapted to show personal greetings or wishes.

The BMW Motorrad Christmas Concert E-Card is available from bmw-motorrad.com/christmasconcert .

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