tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99149482024-03-13T03:55:46.559-07:00The Cheezer's random thoughtsRandom thoughts and Random interestsThe Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-89398647899147140412013-02-10T15:10:00.000-08:002013-02-10T15:10:14.017-08:00Reebok Crosswalk has a near fatal flaw<span class="userContent">If you have the Reebok Crosswalk and are
aggravated by the excessively loud beeping, there is a fix! Found this
with a web search. Yes, plagiarism, actually, this guys a genius. <br /> <br />
"First, you have to have the treadmill plugged in. While holding down
the Stop button, insert the key into the console and then release the
Stop button. Now the lower display screen should display the following:
upper le<span class="text_exposed_show">ft corner will show the number
of hours that the treadmill has been operated, the lower right corner of
the display will show the total number of miles (or kilometers) that
the walking belt has moved, an "E" for English miles or an "M" for
metric kilometers will appear in the upper right corner of the display.
The lower left corner of the display will show the volume level. To
change the volume level, press the incline increase button. Now just
remove the key from the console to exit information mode! I hope that
helps!"<br /> <br /> It helps! Problem solved.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">I have called Reebok customer service, they have told me there is no way to reduce the volume. Really? Well, there is a cure, and I no longer have to lock up the dog when I use the treadmill. </span></span>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-82313140511502662222013-01-15T16:07:00.000-08:002013-02-11T15:31:28.790-08:00Form letter to all Oregon law makers and their responses<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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There have recently been a few shootings in well
populated areas. These shootings have given rise to activists trying to destroy
the constitution and demonize law abiding citizens. They want to strip the
rights of innocent people that have followed the law. </div>
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Recently, I ran across a form letter with links to send
it to Oregon lawmakers. Of course, now I can't find the link. I decided to send
it to all of them. </div>
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The letter reads:</div>
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“Subject: Gun free schools? How about a gun free capitol?</div>
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Dear XXXXX,</div>
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Since the murders in Sandy Hook there has been a rush to
enact new restrictions on law abiding gun owners. When Representative Dennis
Richardson suggested allowing school employees (who we trust with our children)
to have the tools to protect those children, he was ridiculed. One legislator
called his plan "goofy," another said he did not think "adding
guns to the equation" was the answer. If you agree with that assessment
can you tell me when you plan to introduce legislation to remove the many armed
men who protect you at the Capitol? Or are politicians more important than
children? I look forward to your response. “</div>
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The responses started coming in rapidly. Interns must
have gotten their new laptops and phones recently. Below are the responses I
have received so far. Most I am happy to read, a few are from elected officials
that need to be removed from office for failure to defend the constitution. I'll post more as they come in.</div>
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</span></span></span>Thank you for your email and thoughts regarding
possible upcoming gun legislation. I oppose any further restriction on
possession of firearms and actually oppose many of those already in place, both
at the State and Federal levels.</div>
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Best regards,</div>
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Sen. Doug Whitsett </div>
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</span></span></span>Are you in my District?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are then you should know we’ve had law
enforcement officers in many of our District’s schools exactly like Rep
Richardson suggested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of those
funded by federal grants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Academy’s
position is an active shooter will either flee or commit suicide upon sighting
the first armed opposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that
means arming a teacher or other administrator if the District or LEA cannot
afford an officer in the school then so be it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many States are moving this direction.</div>
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Sen. Brian J. Boquist</div>
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</span></span></span>Nick,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
support our Second Amendments rights.</div>
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Rep. Bill Kennemer</div>
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</span></span></span>Good Nick. Thank you for taking the time to
write Rep. Roblan such a thoughtful email in response to the recent massacre of
26 people in a Connecticut school and responses relating to Rep. Richardson’s
suggestions to said massacre. </div>
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Rep. Roblan agrees that Sandy
Hook has led to a rush of judgment on both sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In recent days, the facts have revealed that
the Connecticut shooter had no prior criminal record, was an honor student who
stole the guns from a collector – his mother and was medicating with
antipsychotic drug for his severe mental psychosis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is also true with regards to the
shooters of the last several high profile shootings around the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In the spirit of Bipartisanship
– a model of co-governance that marked our historical last two sessions
(Roblan/Hanna) - Senate-elect Roblan hopes to work closely with Rep. Richardson
to find that nexus where legislators on both sides of the aisle can work
together to find sensible solutions to keep our communities safe.</div>
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As for the questions you raised
below, they are predicated on agreeing with an assessment that is related
solely to stricter gun laws, but avoid the tougher questions relating to the
mental health system and improved access to drug treatment programs. </div>
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Again Nick, thank you for your
thoughtful email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will print a copy
for Rep. Roblan’s review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure you
understand that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the issue of gun
violence/regulation is a complex one, not easily resolved via email.</div>
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Rosie Shatkin</div>
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Legislative Policy Advisor</div>
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Sen. Elect Arne Roblan SD 5</div>
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(Coos, Newport, Tillamook)</div>
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</span></span></span>Thank you for your email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am opposed to any new
restrictions on law abiding gun owners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As both a retired cop w/ 31 years in law enforcement and a Democrat, I
frequently remind my legislative colleagues that law abiding gun owners pose no
threat to public safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have opposed,
and will continue to oppose, efforts to ban CHL holders from K-12 and higher
educational campus, so called "assault weapon" bans, and any other
unecessary restrictions on Oregonians' 2nd Amendment rights.</div>
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Thanks,</div>
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Rep. Jeff Barker</div>
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</span></span></span>Thank you for taking the time to write Rep.
Hanna with your concerns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of the
conversation around gun laws, post Sandy Hook, is among people who have never
learned how to safely and properly handle a gun, let alone shoot one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s unfortunate that so many of these folks
rush to conclude that guns must be banned or otherwise restricted in order to
achieve a safe environment for the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s akin to banning forks because of the obesity epidemic.</div>
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Rep. Hanna is both a
responsible gun owner and an active support of our Constitutional rights to
bear arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does not plan to introduce
or support any legislation that would restrict these rights for law-abiding
citizens.</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Ruth Miles, Legislative Assistant</div>
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Representative Bruce Hanna, 7th
District</div>
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</span></span></span>I have not and will not support any legislation
that further erodes our God given, and Constitutionally guaranteed rights and
freedoms.</div>
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I will be working with Rep.
Richardson during the coming months to present a balanced, common sense
approach to school safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, like Rep.
Richardson believe every Oregon school has employees who are ex-police and ex-military
that already have some training and would volunteer for regular/continued
training to be a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>school protector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, possibly retired police officers that
would like to do some volunteer work or work part time for a small amount of
money to patrol a school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believe
these are possible options for consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, we realize that we need to consider other factors like
mental health, and access to weapons by mentally unstable people.</div>
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I recently talked to the chief
law enforcement officer in one community that is developing a plan with
business people and employees within a two block area of the local school to be
trained and act as school protectors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
can figure out how to keep our kids safer at school, and do it safely and cost
effectively without banning guns and stripping law abiding citizens of their
Constitutional rights.</div>
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The Clackamas Town Center
incident shows the power of one trained citizen with a CHL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, any plan needs to be well thought
out but I believe we can develop a plan that allows local school districts and
communities to keep their kids safe without the foolish thinking of disarming
citizens.</div>
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Sincerely,</div>
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Rep. John Huffman</div>
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</span></span></span>Whoa!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps a little research would prove beneficial before you fire off a
letter like this-do your homework. Not only do I support Rep Richardson I fully
and whole heartedly agree with his Concept. </div>
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Once you've done a little
research you will likely find that I am a lifetime member of the NRA, co
chairman of the oregon sportsman caucus and serve on the executive council for
the National Legislative sportsman caucus. </div>
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Needless to say I fully support
the second amendment and will defend it with my life-so what exactly was your
concern. </div>
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Rep. Esquivel </div>
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</span></span></span>Thanks for writing regarding gun violence at
Sandy Hook Elementary School. It is a tragic loss. I agree that we must be
careful not to overreact and pass restrictive laws that will not solve the
problem. I have read that Maricopa County in Arizona has enlisted volunteer
deputes to guard schools as unpaid “posse” members. I have also heard of a
school district in Texas that armed and trained teachers who voluntarily offer
to guard their schools. These are promising moves, I believe. As a gun owner, I
too value my Second Amendment rights and I will be careful to guard them.</div>
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Regards,</div>
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Sen. Betsy Close</div>
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</span></span></span>Thank you for your email about gun free
schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that individuals should
have the right to purchase certain types of firearms for self defense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also believe that carry concealed permits
should be an option for some people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, I do not agree that allowing school employees to bring
concealed weapons to school is an effective deterrent against school
shootings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The biggest problem I have with
this plan has to do with how teachers store their firearms once they bring them
to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If teachers choose to lock up
their firearms in order to keep them away from their students, these weapons
lose much of their value as a tool for protection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if teachers do not keep their
weapons under lock and key, they may be an effective deterrent but there is a
danger that students will be able to access them.</div>
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Once again, thank you for your
email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though we may disagree on this
issue, please do not hesitate to contact me again with your ideas or concerns.</div>
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My best,</div>
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Elizabeth</div>
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Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
MD<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: orange;"> Best response to date! District #6 is very fortunate. this was received 2/11/2013 </span><br /><br />
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<br />
<div class="Legislative">
I wanted to take just a moment and respond to your email
concerning Gun Control, Gun Rights, Second Amendment issues etc.</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Please know that as far as I am concerned there is no
wavering on the Second Amendment. In my opinion the Second Amendment
allows us as US Citizens to protect ourselves, our families and our
property. It allows us to have a militia if this country were to be
invaded and specifically gives us the right to bear arms to keep our own government
in check if deemed necessary.</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Limiting us, as Americans, access to guns in general or to
specific guns and ammunition is a blatant affront to the Constitution of the
United States and specifically – the Second Amendment.</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Now, is there work to be done – most certainly – but we
need to focus on what needs to be done and what will make a difference.
Our national and state mental health programs need to be examined closely and
changes made where appropriate. We need to reexamine the reasons we declare
different areas “gun free” zones. Does it make sense to announce that our
schools and our theaters are “gun free” zones and then NOT expect those areas
to be targeted? </div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Recently I had an individual verbally reprimand me for
using the statement “common sense” – but I believe that we need to apply common
sense to these situations. If you are a criminal or suffering from mental
health issues and you determine you want to hurt someone are you going to go to
the local police station where you know there are people who protect themselves
with firearms? I think not – Common Sense tells you to find an area where
there are no guns allowed.</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
I believe there is much work to be done in order to deter
individuals from harming themselves and others with any weapons – guns being
the main topic of discussion at this time. It horrifies me to think of
what happened in Connecticut at the school and in theater in Colorado – but
limiting law abiding American Citizens access to firearms is not the answer. </div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Thank you so much for corresponding with me on these
issues – I look forward to hearing from you again. I am here to assist
you in any way possible and I appreciate you staying in touch. </div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Kindest Regards</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Sal</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
Rep Sal Esquivel</div>
<div class="Legislative">
District 6</div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
<div class="Legislative">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #3c3c3c; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary
to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,
shall not be infringed.”</span></div>
<div class="Legislative">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<![endif]-->The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-90214564923840615302011-11-08T15:43:00.001-08:002011-11-08T15:43:17.214-08:00I love emails like this<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">To All My Valued Employees,
<br />
<br />
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this
company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed
for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The
economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.<br />
<br />
What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in
this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to
vote for - it is against the law to discriminate based on political
affiliation, race, creed, religion, etc. <br />
<br />
Please vote for who you think will serve your interests the best. However, let
me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in
your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts
employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business
owner there is a back story. <br />
<br />
This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and
hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You saw my big
home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury
conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see
is the back story. <br />
<br />
I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot
studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an
office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the
way, would eventually employ you. <br />
<br />
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back
into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective
transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on
weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was
married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest
$50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived
in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting
Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the
Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was
birthed in the 70's. <br />
<br />
My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however,
did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business --- with a vision
that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my
friends supposedly had. <br />
<br />
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at
about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, I don't. There is no "off" button
for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to
yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and
breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no
weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like
a 1 day old baby. <br />
<br />
You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the
Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices
I've made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the
right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who
didn't. <br />
<br />
The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same
luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes,
business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not
without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing
you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell
you why: <br />
<br />
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have
state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes.
Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire
a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to
pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the
accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote
a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know
what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.<br />
<br />
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who
has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per
year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home
pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? <br />
<br />
Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and
you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get
rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in
jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the
economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government
mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead
of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent
it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My
employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of
promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now. <br />
<br />
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and
shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you
defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and
always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly,
the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential
drivers of the American economic engine. <br />
<br />
Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can
keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes
are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire
you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government
to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't
my problem anymore. Then, I will close this company down, move to another
country, and retire. <br />
<br />
You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and
gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be
destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship. <br />
<br />
While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the back
story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars
is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the
economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will
endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the
one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you "It's
the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't. <br />
<br />
If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at
the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled
the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens,
you can find me in the South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no
employees to worry about. <br />
<br />
Signed, Your boss, </span></i>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-57994017053312390512011-05-02T02:54:00.000-07:002011-05-02T03:13:56.929-07:00Obama says Osama is deadSo the exalted one says he has had Osama Bin Laden killed. Here's how I understand things as of right now:<br />About a week ago the US military attacked an estate that housed Osama and killed him. Tonight the results of the DNA identity was confirmed to be that of Osama Bin Laden. A few hours after the announcement another report came out stating Osama has been buried at sea.<br />It just doesn't feel right. So many reports of Osamas death have been printed from so many sources since 2001 and now we hear from Obama at a time when his popularity is very weak and he has announced he will be running for re-election. Great timing!<br />So the question is out there: Has Osama been dead all along and the announcement is intended as a boost to Obamas election bid? Or has it just happened and and the US dumped the body ASAP to keep other things secret. The body dump is just too soon. Why dump it just hours or less after the announcement? What's the point? No, I don't trust Obama. How can you trust a man that spent millions of dollars keeping his birth certificate private and then releases it with seemingly nothing out of the ordinary about it? He intentionally creates suspicion and then we are supposed to forget that?<br />Now Osama is dead and the body dumped? What is going on that needs so much misdirection?The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-56585936166328587442011-04-21T20:37:00.000-07:002011-04-21T21:47:58.781-07:00Ugly Drum SmokerI have been wanting to build a smoker or BBQ for quite a long time but they seemed expensive. Bricks are permanent and I rent so that isn't gonna work well. I don't have a welder so making a 55 gallon barrel BBQ is kinda difficult and cutting one in half can be quite a chore. Not to mention getting the straight line.<br />Then I discovered the UDS. A 55 gallon drum that retains its shape and sits on its butt. No cutting! I searched the web for instructions and found <a href="http://www.theqjoint.com/forum/showthread.php?3941-Building-a-basic-drum-smoker-%28UDS%29">The Q Joint</a> and it includes pictures, instructions and a parts list. Pretty cheap to get going over all.<br />You don't have to go all out and you can buy cheap if you need to and improve later. You don't even have to paint it! But I strongly encourage you to burn out your barrel with high heat. The exterior paint will burn off and it will stink. The interior seal should burn off as well. Some guys go so far as to sand the interior down to bare metal. We'll see where I end up. I burned it pretty good and I dread having to stick my body inside that drum and sanding.<br /><br />I got this drum for $15!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zx7sed-1oYE/TbD7MJSwZTI/AAAAAAAAASw/y9p4shyQIS0/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zx7sed-1oYE/TbD7MJSwZTI/AAAAAAAAASw/y9p4shyQIS0/s320/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598250522893116722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Picked up some materials from Lowes and my buddy and I started drilling and attaching parts<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vPNk3pZErc/TbD8VnneJ9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/rC_y52Yvers/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_vPNk3pZErc/TbD8VnneJ9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/rC_y52Yvers/s320/005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598251785163515858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hlvrr1AdTAo/TbD8WgihQYI/AAAAAAAAATI/U4TXBAFIieE/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hlvrr1AdTAo/TbD8WgihQYI/AAAAAAAAATI/U4TXBAFIieE/s320/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598251800443568514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The red inside the barrel is the food safe coating and it has to be burned out<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zosXU_bT4aM/TbD-QxMlBCI/AAAAAAAAATY/3J319WkNiTk/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zosXU_bT4aM/TbD-QxMlBCI/AAAAAAAAATY/3J319WkNiTk/s320/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598253900858983458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aY5jug-V-zk/TbD-SFHKebI/AAAAAAAAATw/C8Bu1IJIdrk/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aY5jug-V-zk/TbD-SFHKebI/AAAAAAAAATw/C8Bu1IJIdrk/s320/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598253923384850866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I0tArF7oFQY/TbD-S_U-DXI/AAAAAAAAAT4/OAXWe1bsmCM/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I0tArF7oFQY/TbD-S_U-DXI/AAAAAAAAAT4/OAXWe1bsmCM/s320/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598253939012013426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HT4mZZxrzJo/TbD-RiZyvSI/AAAAAAAAATo/KyTTefhdc_Y/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HT4mZZxrzJo/TbD-RiZyvSI/AAAAAAAAATo/KyTTefhdc_Y/s320/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598253914067746082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HN99IK1aiB4/TbD-RHir19I/AAAAAAAAATg/A1TdK5Nakzc/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HN99IK1aiB4/TbD-RHir19I/AAAAAAAAATg/A1TdK5Nakzc/s320/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598253906857285586" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My Buddy Steve is a bit of a perfectionist Machinist and that's a good thing. I left for the weekend and came home to the barrel being painted and read<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaWLscGQRqI/TbEAUlnpKMI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/q7nb6YC5bUI/s1600/022.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaWLscGQRqI/TbEAUlnpKMI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/q7nb6YC5bUI/s320/022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598256165494008002" border="0" /></a>y for assembly.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9LizqlQ3nTQ/TbEAVCOr1OI/AAAAAAAAAUY/TwitCPz0P5I/s1600/026.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9LizqlQ3nTQ/TbEAVCOr1OI/AAAAAAAAAUY/TwitCPz0P5I/s320/026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598256173173953762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e1f8wtjX0cY/TbEAUIvHa-I/AAAAAAAAAUA/RGCO2gMp2Xw/s1600/012.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e1f8wtjX0cY/TbEAUIvHa-I/AAAAAAAAAUA/RGCO2gMp2Xw/s320/012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598256157740723170" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yu4rWpmLvvY/TbEAUUavZkI/AAAAAAAAAUI/4VoKf4JqSlA/s1600/013.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yu4rWpmLvvY/TbEAUUavZkI/AAAAAAAAAUI/4VoKf4JqSlA/s320/013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598256160876488258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The biggest issue seems to be the fire basket. We tried a cable handle but that just let the basket fall upside down. So Steve went to town and build handles and a lift stick. Freaken sweet set up! We'll add a pan on the bottom of the legs to catch ash so we can avoid tipping the drum upside down to empty too often.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pL4m8bauQVk/TbECNfdI8JI/AAAAAAAAAUw/JiD4e0zcsYI/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pL4m8bauQVk/TbECNfdI8JI/AAAAAAAAAUw/JiD4e0zcsYI/s320/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598258242603511954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2KmZnNEk9mU/TbECNuyOQYI/AAAAAAAAAVA/t3DPQIKe-Jg/s1600/020.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2KmZnNEk9mU/TbECNuyOQYI/AAAAAAAAAVA/t3DPQIKe-Jg/s320/020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598258246718472578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-81HX4Zz3Xhg/TbECMi4xTHI/AAAAAAAAAUg/PF-Hou9ed0o/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-81HX4Zz3Xhg/TbECMi4xTHI/AAAAAAAAAUg/PF-Hou9ed0o/s320/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598258226344840306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfK-dWjhs5I/TbECM0qdT3I/AAAAAAAAAUo/tpZgL2ee2ZA/s1600/Handels%2Bwith%2Blift%2Bstick.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 104px; height: 104px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfK-dWjhs5I/TbECM0qdT3I/AAAAAAAAAUo/tpZgL2ee2ZA/s320/Handels%2Bwith%2Blift%2Bstick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598258231116648306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yFhl4M99nXE/TbECNan17pI/AAAAAAAAAU4/tg3Ij1Gv8qU/s1600/Issue%2Bwith%2B1st%2Bgen%2Bfire%2Bbasket.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 104px; height: 104px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yFhl4M99nXE/TbECNan17pI/AAAAAAAAAU4/tg3Ij1Gv8qU/s320/Issue%2Bwith%2B1st%2Bgen%2Bfire%2Bbasket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598258241306226322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />All said, we spent approximately $125 and that includes paint, barrel and bits and pieces. The build took about a week off and could be done in just a weekend if you don't spend too much time on the fine details. But details make it look damn good without looking like you spend a grand. It also helps to have a metal guy doing most of the work. without Steve this build wouldn't look quite so nice.<br />Also check out <a href="http://www.bbqbug.com/forums/general-bbq-grilling/832-our-uds-cooker-how-build-one-part-1-a.html">The BBQ Bug</a><br />There are hundreds of pages out there with info and pics. Read a few and make your own!The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-2471268086223723672011-01-16T16:03:00.000-08:002011-01-16T16:45:18.186-08:00Oregon gun lawsWith all the recent rhetoric from those that fear guns I decided to do a little research about what my rights are as an Oregon resident. There are some very good sites out there that are informational and help keep us all legal. The problem is, the Constitution gives us the right to bear arms. Any law restricting that right flies in the face of the constitution. Many people may disagree with that blunt statement. But think about it. The 2nd amendment guarantees us the right. There was no exceptions or exemptions.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am2">A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed</a><a href="http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am2">.</a><br /><br />The above link has a "note" that goes a bit into discussion about the altering of the 2nd Amendment. I haven't read it all but what I did see, I'm not a fan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt2_user.html#amdt2_hd2">Cornell University Law School has a little to say about it too.</a><br /><br />But I live in Oregon and want to be sure I don't give anyone a reason to arrest me. Here are a few more links to read. Be legal. Carry Legal. Defend your right.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.opencarry.org/or.html">www.opencarry.org</a><br /><br /><a href="http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3474&d=1280899231">Oregon Gun Rights</a><br /><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/html/amdt2_user.html#amdt2_hd2"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></a>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-50236494207913518122010-12-04T12:00:00.000-08:002010-12-04T12:29:12.240-08:00Dutch Brothers coffeeI love Dutch Brothers coffee stands. There are 2 in my town and they have great staff, great service and great coffee every single time I go there. I go there way too often.<br />This time of year you start seeing window painting on businesses. You see winter scenes, "holiday" decor. The DB I frequent also has window painting. It's Rudolf the red nosed reindeer with the word balloon saying "Happy Holidays!". I have issue with this. Rudolf is a Christmas character. If you are going to use Christmas characters, then say Merry Christmas!<br />This is kinda a thing with me. And I'm not silent about it. I tip more when someone says Merry Christmas. I go out of my way to say Merry Christmas when someone says happy holidays. So I wrote an email to the the DB headquarters via their website. 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your kind feedback. I am in complete agreement regarding Christmas! Happy Holidays just doesn't do it for me :)</p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">I will pass your comment onto the owner of the Newberg location. He will love to hear it!</p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Merry Christmas,</p><p style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">I will continue to frequent DB and support them as much as they support our community.They made a mistake with the window, I hope they correct it. You can bet I will remind them often.</span><br /></p>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-91562133495462080652010-11-13T19:16:00.000-08:002010-11-13T19:26:09.293-08:00Bill Sizemore<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> 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Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Today I had the pleasure to meet the infamous Bill Sizemore and hear him speak. I'm still trying to wrap my head around him. I have read and heard so much about him, the real man is lost in the misinformation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I get that his biggest goal is to break the unions of their stronghold on Oregon politics. The unions are hell bent on destroying him. It’s truly David and Goliath. And that, right there, is why I like him.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">His tactics have been questioned heavily but the result is an Oregon system of getting measures on the ballot that appears to be better for the people and more difficult for unions and big money. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">But has he hurt the process? Have his tactics made it more painful for grassroots organizations to initiate change? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Just the mention of his name can send chills down the spines of people getting a process going. Will his involvement at any level, hurt or help them? Is he an asset or liability? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Love him or hate him, he has influence. He has access to donors, experience and support that any political group needs and pays dearly to acquire. But who can afford him? That knowledge is well beyond the financial reach of small groups or new entrants into the political arena. And again there is the name. Ignore the financial cost if you want to hire him. Can you afford to have his name tied to your cause? Even if you agree with his cause, would his reputation turn you away? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Bill Sizemore is a force to be reckoned with, and I would hate to be on the wrong side of him. But can you afford to have him in your corner?</p>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-8113287861428380242010-06-25T23:16:00.000-07:002010-06-25T23:18:03.601-07:00If George W. Bush had...<table style="border: 1px solid; margin-left: 10pt; border-collapse: collapse;" width="762" border="1"><tbody><tr><td><span style="color:#0070c0;"><b>HOW TO SELL ... TOOTHBRUSHES</b> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;">The kids filed back into class Monday morning. They were very excited,Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;">productive salesmanship. </span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;">Little Sally led off, "I sold Girl Scout cookies and I made $30.00," she said proudly, "My sales approach was to appeal to the customer's</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;">civil sprit and I credit that approach for my obvious success."</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "Very good," said the teacher.</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> Little Jenny was next. "I sold magazines," she said, "I made $45.00 and I explained to everyone that magazine's would keep the up on current events."</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "Very good Jenny," said the teacher.</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;">Eventually, it was little Johnny's turn. The teacher held her breath. Little Johnny walked up to the front of the classroom and dumped a box full of cash on the teacher's desk. "$2,467.00", he said.</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "$2,467.00!", cried the teacher, "What in the world were you selling?"</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "Toothbrushes", said little Johnny.</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "Toothbrushes", echoed the teacher. "How could you sell enough toothbrushes to make that much money?"</span></div> <div><span style="color:#0070c0;"> "I found the busiest corner in town", said little Johnny. "I set up a Dip & Chip stand and I gave everybody who walked by a FREE sample."They all said the same thing, "Hey this tastes like dog shit!" Then I would say, "It is dog shit. Wanna buy a toothbrush"? Little Johnny continued, "I used the government approach of giving you something shitty that they say is good, and then making you pay to get the shitty taste out of your mouth."</span></div> <div> </div> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#a9150f;"><b> </b><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?</b></span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had given Prime Minister Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when PM Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States, would you have said that he is clueless.</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas, would you have thought he was a self important, conceded, egotistical prick.</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Quatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word "advice" would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potato as proof of what a dunce he is?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America, would you have approved.</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had proposed to triple the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>If George W. Bush had then proposed to triple the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#a9150f;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>If George W. Bush had called this a Muslim nation, would you have approved?</b></span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="color:#a9150f;"><b>So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 10 months -- so you'll have three years and two months to come up with an answer.</b></span></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;color:#7030a0;">Remember in the early days of the campaign, Oboma stated that we should be a multi-language nation to be able to converse with other?</span></div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;color:#7030a0;"> Guess who knows and speaks more foreign languages than Oboma, yes, it is George W. Bush.</span></div>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-87551068346159428292010-05-23T07:17:00.000-07:002010-05-23T07:42:25.061-07:00It's been a long timeIt seems I don't blog list I used to. I was strongly motivated a few years back but seem to have lost it. Some things have changes, career, time, family and facebook.<br />Yeah, facebook seems to have stolen a lot of time from independent bloggers and redirected us to "social networking". Isn't the internet already "social networking"? Oh well. Now that I think about it, isn't facebook just AOL recreated? Most of us make fun of those that have an AOL email address and can't imagine why people still subscribe. But then we join facebook and it's just AOL with a new User interface and name. Talk about going full circle. I started on AOL back in 1996 when that was pretty much the only option. Then I got a taste of the "real" internet and ran away from them. Seems that maybe they had a good business plan anyway. Not sure where they went wrong and facebook stepped in.<br />Well, I hope to return to blogging soon. There is so much happening in the world that needs to be talked about. We have a huge oil leak in the gulf coast, a US government that is hell bent on making us a socialist country, <a href="http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/05/20/democrats-want-to-regulate-bloggers-shut-us-up/">a congress that is hell bent on shutting down free speech </a>and local politics all over the country going crazy to try and get back our constitutional rights while others try to take them away. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLt3GgDQgVY&feature=player_embedded">We have a Mexican President telling America how to govern itself</a>. What? Yeah, a 3rd world country full of corruption is trying to tell us how it's done. And our President is listening. So much going on! I have to get writing again.The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-20437177958629680492010-02-28T12:55:00.001-08:002010-02-28T12:55:47.822-08:00I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION.LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT.<br />IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12<br />YEARS HARD LABOR.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED<br />INDEFINITELY.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE<br />JAILED.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE<br />HEARD FROM AGAIN.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE<br />BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN<br />INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.<br /><br />IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET<br /><br />1 - A JOB,<br />2 - A DRIVERS LICENSE,<br />3 - SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,<br />4 - WELFARE,<br />5 - FOOD STAMPS,<br />6 - CREDIT CARDS,<br />7 - SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,<br />8 - FREE EDUCATION,<br />9 - FREE HEALTH CARE,<br />10 - A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON<br />11 - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE<br />12 - AND THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT<br /><br />I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION.The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-37324577495545225092009-12-11T07:22:00.000-08:002009-12-11T07:31:21.175-08:00Portland Public Schools has failed its English language learners<![endif]--> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">OFIR members and supporters:<br /><br /></span><b><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">After five or more years learning English as their second language, (ELL, ESL), in Oregon schools</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">, <span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">75 percent of those students still are not proficient in English according to a report out today</span>.<span style=""> </span></span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> </span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">In the Salem-Keizer School District 84 percent of the students in their ELL program fail to meet minimum standards.</span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> </span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">The Oregon Department of Education, (ODE), gives an extra $2700 per ELL student to each school district.<span style=""> </span>Despite spending 50 percent more per student there is a 75 percent failure rate.<span style=""> </span>Obviously spending more money doesn’t equate with success.<span style=""> </span></span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> </span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">Until the Oregon Legislature deals with the failures and waste of money by the Oregon Department of Education, OFIR will urge voters to reject any increase in taxes.<span style=""> </span>We urge members to vote against Measures # 66 and # 67, the tax increases that will be on January ballot.</span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> </span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">If you wish to call the Oregon Department of Education the number is:<span style=""> </span>(503) 378-3600.</span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">The headquarters of the Salem School district is:<span style=""> </span>(503)<span style=""> </span>399-3000.</span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></span></b></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> </span></p> <p class="nospacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">Most Oregon schools slow to get English learners proficient<br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"><br />By</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <a href="http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/bhammond/index.html">Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">December 10, 2009, 5:00AM<br /><br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></span></span></b></p> <b><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">After five or more years learning English as their second language in Oregon schools, 75 percent of those students still are not proficient in English according to a report out today.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"><br /><br /></span><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Portland/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Portland Public Schools</span></a></span><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;"> <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">has failed its English language learners for so long that the state this fall </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://media.oregonlive.com/education_impact/other/Document.PDF"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">cut off federal funding</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"> for students with limited English proficiency, a loss of more than $600,000 a year to the state's largest district.</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"><br /><br /></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">The Oregon Department of Education says it's crucial that schools help students gain proficiency in English, and the U.S. Department of Education says five years should be enough time for a typical student to master the language.<br /><br />But most districts aren't coming close to that target.<br /><br />Half the state's English language learners are concentrated in just seven school districts, including Portland and Beaverton. And in four of those --</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Hillsboro/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Hillsboro</span></a>, <a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Reynolds/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Reynolds</span></a></span>, <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Salem-Keizer/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Salem-Keizer</span></a></span> <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">and</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Woodburn/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Woodburn</span></a></span> <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">-- fewer than one-quarter of the students are fluent after five or more years, according to today's accountability report.<br /><br /><b><span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;">In Salem, which has more English learners than any other district -- 5,700 -- only 16 percent mastered English after five or more years in English as a second language classes, the state reported.</span><br /></b><br />State monitors are upset with Portland's performance because the state notified the district in 2005 that it was violating federal education law. The district fixed the problems to the satisfaction of state monitors in 2006, but when the state checked again in 2009, the district had slipped back into some of its old ways.<br /><br />Among the problems found in early 2009 and still not fixed to the state's satisfaction: Some Portland schools don't give English learners enough language support to learn the core subject matter for their grade level, and not every student is being taught English language development using research-backed techniques.<br /><br />Assistant State Superintendent Colleen Mileham notified Portland in late September that the state would withhold federal funds, a step it rarely takes, to communicate how important it is to consistently serve English language learners well.<br /><br />Schools across the state generally do a good job helping students progress through the early stages of speaking, reading and writing English, the state report says.<br /><br />The problem occurs when schools try to move students to advanced and proficient levels so that they can exit the English as second language program. Helping students master complex verb tenses, idioms and advanced academic language is challenging, says Kim Miller, statewide coordinator of English as a second language programs.<br /><br />Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, the state expects schools to get half their English language learners proficient within five years. Only 16 of the state's 200 school districts managed to do that, and only two of them --</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Redmond/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Redmond</span></a></span> <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">and</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/district/Eugene/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Eugene</span></a></span> <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">-- served a large number of English language learners.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://www.redmond.k12.or.us/14541051515300390/site/default.asp"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Martha Hinman</span></a></span>, <span style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);">Redmond's director of student services, said teachers there make sure they spend enough time and concentrate on the right skills to get students up to speed in academic English. For non-native English speakers, mastering academic language in math, science, health and literature, as required, is "really tough," Hinman says.<br /><br />The state education department is supposed to require big changes in school districts that chronically fall short. If a district fails to succeed with its English learners for four straight years, federal law gives the state two options. It can require a district to change its "curriculum, program and methods of instruction" or it can withhold funding and require that educators responsible for the poor results be replaced.<br /><br />Oregon mainly opts to require curriculum and teaching changes, says Jake Weigler, communication director for the agency. 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Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(13, 13, 13);"><br />Schools guide<br /><br /></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://schools.oregonlive.com/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">» Search for your district</span></a><br /><br />- <a href="mailto:betsyhammond@news.oregonian.com"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Betsy Hammond</span></a> <a href="mailto:betsyhammond@news.oregonian.com"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">betsyhammond@news.oregonian.com</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2009/12/most_oregon_schools_too_slow_g.html"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2009/12/most_oregon_schools_too_slow_g.html</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /><br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></span>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-58600793202298103002009-11-18T15:39:00.000-08:002009-11-18T15:40:12.791-08:00Write your local newspaper!Barack Obama's " Organizing for America " has put the call out for people to email their local papers and write a letter to the editor. They have created a VERY easy and fast way to write all your local papers with just a few key strokes. PLEASE take a minute to do this today and jump behind enemy lines to help kill the bill. Forward this to everyone you know.<br /><br />Here's what we need to do :<br /><br />1. Go to: <a href="http://my.democrats.org/page/speakout/posthouseLTE" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://my.democrats.org/page/speakout/posthouseLTE</a><br /><br />1. Put in your Zip code. You will be redirected to a page where you enter all your address information.<br /><br />2. Check all the boxes for all of your local papers. But, DO NOT CLICK NEXT or you'll send someone else's message.<br /><br />3. NOW CAREFUL THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART ! DO NOT CLICK NEXT. Instead Click " 2. Compose Letter " this is in the top middle of the page. This will allow you to compose your own letter to the editor against the healthcare bill.<br /><br />4. Write your letter to the editor against the healthcare bill.<br /><br />5. Now click Next<br /><br />6. Preview your letter to the editor and click Send Email<br /><br />Source: my.democrats.orgThe Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-61081986481529371892009-09-18T07:19:00.000-07:002009-09-18T07:20:32.400-07:00The rest of the email<b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> Tax his land,<br /> Tax his bed,<br /> Tax the table<br /> At which he's fed.<br /> <br /> Tax his tractor,<br /> Tax his mule,<br /> Teach him taxes<br /> Are the rule.<br /> <br /> Tax his work,<br /> Tax his pay,<br /> He works for peanuts<br /> Anyway!<br /> Tax his cow,<br /> Tax his goat,<br /> Tax his pants,<br /> Tax his coat.<br /> Tax his ties,<br /> Tax his shirt,<br /> Tax his work,<br /> Tax his dirt.<br /> <br /> Tax his tobacco,<br /> Tax his drink,<br /> Tax him if he<br /> Tries to think.<br /> <br /> Tax his cigars,<br /> Tax his beers,<br /> If he cries<br /> Tax his tears.<br /> <br /> Tax his car,<br /> Tax his gas,<br /> Find other ways<br /> To tax his ass.<br /> <br /> Tax all he has<br /> Then let him know<br /> That you won't be done<br /> Till he has no dough.<br /> <br /> When he screams and hollers;<br /> Then tax him some more,<br /> Tax him till<br /> He's good and sore.<br /> Then tax his coffin,<br /> Tax his grave,<br /> Tax the sod in<br /> Which he's laid.<br /> <br /> Put these words<br /> Upon his tomb,<br /> Taxes drove me<br /> to my doom...'<br /> <br /> When he's gone,<br /> Do not relax,<br /> Its time to apply<br /> The inheritance tax.</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <br /> <b><br /> Accounts Receivable Tax<br /> Building Permit Tax<br /> CDL license Tax<br /> Cigarette Tax<br /> Corporate Income Tax<br /> Dog License Tax<br /> Excise Taxes<br /> Federal Income Tax<br /> Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)<br /> Fishing License Tax<br /> Food License Tax<br /> Fuel Permit Tax<br /> Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)<br /> Gross Receipts Tax<br /> Hunting License Tax<br /> Inheritance Tax<br /> Inventory Tax<br /> IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)<br /> Liquor Tax<br /> Luxury Taxes<br /> Marriage License Tax<br /> Medicare Tax<br /> Personal Property Tax<br /> Property Tax<br /> Real Estate Tax<br /> Service Charge T ax<br /> Social Security Tax<br /> Road Usage Tax<br /> Sales Tax<br /> Recreational Vehicle Tax<br /> School Tax<br /> State Income Tax<br /> State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)<br /> Telephone Federal Excise Tax<br /> Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax<br /> Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes<br /> Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax<br /> Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax<br /> Telephone State and Local Tax<br /> Telephone Usage Charge Tax<br /> Utility Taxes<br /> Vehicle License Registration Tax<br /> Vehicle Sales Tax<br /> Watercraft Registration Tax<br /> Well Permit Tax<br /> Workers Compensation Tax<br /> </b></span><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; color: black; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><br /> </span><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 13.5pt; color: maroon; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"></span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 13.5pt; color: black; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most</span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; color: black; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 13.5pt; color: black; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 10pt; color: black; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><br /> </span><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 13.5pt; color: maroon; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><br /> What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'<br /> And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?</span></b>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-64786233438204469522009-09-18T07:17:00.001-07:002009-09-18T07:18:31.659-07:00As received in an email... Love these<b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:18;color:maroon;" >545 vs <u>300,000,000</u></span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:black;" ><br /> </span><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:maroon;" ><br /> EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.</span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:black;" ><br /> </span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:maroon;" ><br /> Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:black;" ><br /> </span><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:maroon;" ><br /><br /> 545 PEOPLE<br /> By Charlie Reese<br /><br /> Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.<br /><br /> Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?<br /><br /> Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?<br /><br /> You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.<br /><br /> You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.<br /><br /> You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.<br /><br /> You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.<br /><br /> You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.<br /><br /> One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.<br /><br /> I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.<br /><br /> I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason.. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking</span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;" > </span></b><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:maroon;" >thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.<br /><br /> Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.<br /> What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.<br /><br /> The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.<br /><br /> It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.<br /><br /> If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.<br /><br /> If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..<br /><br /> If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ.<br /><br /> If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.<br /><br /> There are no insoluble government problems.<br /><br /> Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.<br /><br /> Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.<br /><br /> They, and they alone, have the power.<br /><br /> They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.<br /><br /> Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.<br /><br /> We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!<br /><br /> Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.<br /><br /> What you do with this article now that you have read it.......... Is up to you.</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-size:10;color:black;" > </span>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-87116007394294800582009-09-17T11:19:00.000-07:002009-09-17T12:17:47.762-07:00The Constitution Party<a href="http://www.constitutionparty.com/"><img src="http://www.constitutionparty.com/images/CP468x60.jpg" alt="Click to the constitutionparty.com - Forging a Rebirth of Freedom" width="468" border="0" height="60" /></a><br /><br />I have been rethinking my political affiliation and I know the Republican party no longer represents the true Conservative. I have looked at the Libertarians, Republican and the Constitution Party. The Constitution Party seems to hold a majority of my values to heart. There are a few values I do not fully agree with but NO party exactly matches my beliefs. What to do? I will retain my registry as a Republican for voting purposes, in hopes that one day a TRUE Republican will return to be elected. Because the restrictions of voting in the primaries pretty much eliminates 3rd parties.<br /><br />Our Country has lost its way and is in the process of eliminating out Constitution. what made this country great is the constitution. What is destroying this country is bastardization of the intent of the founding documents. The words are clear. The intent is clear. The founders knew government would take away the very rights they had written into the document if they were not specific.<br /><br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Q:Is the Constitution Out of Date? </p><p>A: The Constitution was written to specifically define the powers granted (by the people)to the federal government.The powers enumerated in the Constitution, were set forth after grueling deliberation by the Framers who were living under the tyranny of British rule.The rights guaranteed under the Constitution dealt with basic rights that derive from "Natural Law" (i.e. God's Law) and those basics don't change over time regardless of how advanced technology or society becomes. </p><p>Natural law and unalienable rights are timeless. </p><p>The Founders knew that governments tend to become tyrannical if they have unchecked power which is why the basic freedoms of Life, Liberty and Property were codified as the framework of American liberty. </p><p>All of the rights mentioned in the Bill of Rights were specified because our Founding Fathers knew that each on would be necessary to reign in the central government. From freedom of speech, to the right to own guns, the right to a fair trial, the right not to be searched without a warrant, these enumerated guarantees stand the test of time because without each one, liberty would be compromised. Over the years the Constitution has been ignored and the problems our country faces are the direct result of allowing the federal government to have powers not granted to it by the Constitution.The question best asked is this: "Which amendment would you be willing to give up?"</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Please read <a href="http://www.constitutionparty.com/party_platform.php">The Constitution Party platform</a><br /></p><p>Read <a href="http://www.lp.org/platform">the Libertarian platform</a><br /></p>Decide for your self.<br />I would link to the GOP and the DNC but neither party represents the platform the were founded on or the people they were elected to represent. They are out of control self proclaimed royalty that needs to be stopped. They need to be fired. Some need to be prosecuted for treason and crimes against America. You decide.<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-47769459747073178632009-08-30T14:12:00.000-07:002009-08-30T14:17:02.325-07:00Read this and then take actionRead the link and then take action! Call your representatives! Elected officials need to know we are done! Enough destruction of free speech. Enough destruction of the Constitution! Democrats and Republicans alike! If they do not stand up against it, they are for it. Tell them how you feel.<br /><h1><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320096-38.html">Bill would give president emergency control of Internet</a></h1><blockquote>...would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license... </blockquote>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-57009550369633528512009-08-28T08:48:00.000-07:002009-08-28T08:49:59.849-07:00I'M NOT UNITINGI received this email and it so closely resembles my thoughts, I waned to share it:<br /><br />"I have noted that many elected officials,<br />both Democrats and Republicans, called upon America to unite behind<br />Obama. Well, I want to make it clear to all who will listen that I AM<br />NOT uniting behind Obama!<br /><br />I will respect the Office which he holds,<br />and I will acknowledge his abilities as an orator and wordsmith and pray<br />for him, BUT that is it!!! I have begun today to see what I can do to<br />make sure that He is a one-term President!<br /><br />Why am I doing this?<br />It is because:<br /><br />I do not share Obama's vision or Value<br />system for America;<br />I do not share his Abortion beliefs;<br />I do not share his radical Marxist's concept<br />of re-distributing wealth;<br />I do not share his stated views on raising<br />taxes on those who make $150,000+ (the ceiling has been changed three<br />times since August);<br />I do not share his view that America is<br />Arrogant;<br />I do not share his view that America is not<br />a Christian Nation;<br />I do not share his view that the military<br />should be reduced by 25%;<br />I do not share his view of amnesty and<br />giving more to illegal's than American Citizens who need help;<br />I do not share his views on homosexuality<br />and his definition of marriage;<br />I do not share his views that Radical Islam<br />is our friend and Israel is our enemy who should give up any land;<br />I do not share his spiritual beliefs (at<br />least the ones he has made public);<br />I do not share his beliefs on how to re-work<br />the healthcare system in America;<br />I do not share his Strategic views of the<br />Middle East, and certainly do not share his plan to sit down with<br />terrorist regimes such as Iran.<br /><br />Bottom line, my America is vastly different<br />from Obama's, and I have a higher obligation to my Country and my God to<br />do what is Right!<br /><br />For eight (8) years, the Liberals in our<br />Society, led by numerous entertainers who would have no platform and no<br />real credibility but for their celebrity status, have attacked President<br />Bush, his family, and his spiritual beliefs!<br />They have not moved toward the center in<br />their beliefs and their philosophies, and they never came together nor<br />compromised their personal beliefs for the betterment of our Country!<br />They have portrayed my America as a land where everything is tolerated<br />except being intolerant!<br /><br />They have been a vocal and irreverent<br />minority for years; they have mocked and attacked the very core values<br />so important to the founding and growth of our Country!<br /><br />They have made every effort to remove the<br />name of God or Jesus Christ from our Society! They have challenged<br />capital punishment, the right to bear firearms, and the most basic<br />principles of our criminal code; they have attacked one of the most<br />fundamental of all Freedoms, the right of free speech!<br /><br />Unite behind Obama? Never!<br /><br />I am sure many of you who read this think<br />that I am going overboard, but I refuse to retreat one more inch in<br />favor of those whom I believe are the embodiment of Evil!<br /><br />PRESIDENT BUSH made many mistakes during his<br />Presidency, and I am not sure how history will judge him.<br />However, I believe that he weighed his<br />decisions in light of the long established Judeo-Christian principles of<br />our Founding Fathers!!!<br /><br />Majority rules in America , and I will honor<br />the concept; however, I will fight with all of my power to be a voice in<br />opposition to Obama and "his goals for America ."<br /><br />I am going to be a thorn in the side of<br />those who, if left unchecked, will destroy our Country!! Any more<br />compromise is more defeat!<br /><br />I pray that the results of this election<br />will wake up many who have sat on the sidelines and allowed the<br />Socialist-Marxist anti-God crowd to slowly change so much of what has<br />been good in America !<br /><br />"Error of Opinion may be tolerated where<br />Reason is left free to combat it." (Thomas Jefferson)<br /><br />God bless you and God bless our Country!!!<br />(Please, please, please. Pass this on if you agree.)<br /><br />Thanks for your time, be safe. "In God We<br />Trust"<br /><br />'If we ever forget that we're one nation<br />under God, then we will be a nation gone under.'<br />- Ronald Reagan<br /><br />I WANT THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE BACK.....The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-31132063966327640732009-08-11T18:17:00.000-07:002009-08-11T18:18:05.152-07:00Maybe my brother is rightThe other night my brother asked me a question worth pondering:<br />"Does it half to be so black and white. That there is two teams? Why can't we all just get along and work together to dig our asses out of this deep hole we are ALL in."<br /><br />And it got me thinking. What am I pissed off about? Who am I pissed off at? The answer is the elected officials of the United States. They are the ones that started this "them vs us" mentality. They are the ones that push the American people to take sides, and we eat it up! It is no longer about what side you agree with or disagree with. It is now about who will stomp on your values and morals less.<br />America is great because of our God given rights that government can't take away. But we have a government that is hell bent to do just that.<br /><br />Democrats and Republicans in Washington DC are pushing thru legislation without knowing what they are agreeing to and refusing to listen to and interact with the people they are elected and paid to represent. We The People! I am angry that our children and our childrens children will be paying for the debt created in just the last 6 months alone. I'm angry that neither party stood up and said this is unconstitutional and illegal. I'm angry that racism in our government is only challenged when a white person commits it. It is intolerable from all people! I'm angry that our President has not defended America in a single speech in other counties but apologizes for our greatness. I am angry that I have to worry that my son will see the fall of America and the rise of communism or European socialism in America like that never seen before.<br /><br />I'm angry that our national guard is hiring and training for internment camp personnel. I'm angry that I can't trust our government to do what is right for Americans and so many Americans are blind to it. I'm angry it has been like this for years and it is just now that Americans are standing up and getting angry in public, and it might be too late.<br /><br />Our Democrat and Republican leaders are to blame for this. It is their job to protect our rights and represent us. To enforce the constitution and the Bill of Rights. To protect American land and people against enemies inside and out. To enforce the laws we have, not create so many that we loose our freedoms.<br /><br />I am angry that the people of America don't realize that it is competition and the human element that drives the success of America. Because we are competitive and capitalism represents the true human drive. There are winners and losers. There are have and have not. There are smart people, dumb people and everything in between. There are people that will only be able to scrub gutters and others that will cure cancer. There are those that are truly in need of assistance and those that are just lazy.<br /><br />This country was made great despite of political correctness and will be destroyed by it. We make our country strong by helping those truly in need and reprimanding the lazy for taking from them. We make this country great by being the best we can be and living with what we earn and not by demanding that those that worked smarter or harder, to support us or share what they earned. The wealthy have always been envied. They have always had more then the poor and they have always been the creator of jobs and helping others become wealthy.<br /><br />Our government is becoming or has become what our founding fathers tried to protect us from. Our government has forgotten its place. We the people have forgotten their place. It is time the government remembered who we are and what they are supposed to do. It is time We The People stop blaming each other and started holding the elected official accountable.<br /><br />If a bill is so complicated a lawyer can't figure it out and interpret it, chances are it is dangerous and needs to be scraped. If our elected officials have created so much chaos in the way the system works, then they need to be eliminated and the system reworked. Return to the simple wording. Make the bill about one thing. Do not reference 50 other documents from different branches of the government to bury the true meaning of the bill. State simply the result desired and the means to get there.<br /><br />I will continue to be pissed at "the liberal" because that is who I see as supporting huge government and squashing the rights of the people. I do not believe in being politically correct to spare the feelings of a few while the rights of many are stomped. I will not be quiet and watch the people be marched to the gas chamber. I will remain pissed at the republican party for not standing up and demanding the laws of this great nation be respected. I will remain pissed that the people we elected to defend us have only found ways to fatten their wallets at the detriment of We The People! I will be vocal when I see an injustice.<br /><br />There is a revolution coming. It will be bipartisan. When else in history have you seen so many people join together to confront our politicians about the job they aren't doing? Never before have conservatives stood up to be heard so loudly or in such mass. When politicians pay people to fill the meetings in their support, to make it look like they have more support than opposition, they need to be taken down. when the people are locked out of these discussions because they are "being disruptive" but aren't allowed access in any other way, the politicians need to be taken down. Next election, all of these self righteous, egotistical blowhards need to be unemployed and stripped of their golden benefits and life long salary. They need to be like the rest of us, you get fired and it all goes away. They are us! They were hired by us and need to respect us!<br /><br />So maybe my brother is right, maybe we all need to get along. The way I see it, we can all get along just fine when all Americans are treated equal and politicians remember we are their boss. Stop the corruption! Stop the self designated royalty! Take back our government together! Enough us vs them mentality and find the actual balance that made this country great.<br /><br />We need to join together and take back our country. We are Americans. Our ancestors fought for our rights to be a free country. To be free of socialism and communism. To be a capitalist nation. where those that work hard get ahead and those that don't, don't. A country where the government is intended for infrastructure and defense, not welfare and control. We tell the government what to do, not the other way around. They represent us, not themselves.The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-32353743631377812342009-08-07T11:03:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:28:36.157-07:00The clunker problemThe cash for clunkers program is flawed in so many ways, I can only hit a few at the moment.<br />We are destroying the opportunity for our young and lower paid citizens to own an affordable vehicle.<br /><br />When the vehicles are traded in, they are crushed. This removes the low cost used cars available to purchase and sell. It eliminates the used car industry effectively shutting them down, kills the u-pull it style junk yards and adding to our unemployed. Looking for a cheap car to get to and from work or school? Looking for that cheap car as a first car for the kids? Need an older car to teach your kids or yourself how to work on a car? They will soon not exist. Obama is putting a huge wall between the haves and have nots.<br /><br />Not everyone can afford a car payment and even less should. The way to financial freedom is to live within your means and that includes owning an affordable vehicle for transportation. Crushing our used vehicles is not the answer.<br /><br />what really happens to those cars? They are "crushed whole and shipped to china for recycling". You betcha! It has been reported in Europe that many of the cars are being resold in Africa. But even if they are crushed and recycled, it isn't happening in the United States. We are shipping them to a country with the worst environmental controls, to melt them down and resell them to us in other forms.<br /><br />Why aren't the vehicles being stripped of usable parts and separated out into differing recyclable parts? Why are we allowing a country with horrible environmental controls do anything? It has been proven the air pollution from china flows over the ocean and into the central United states and contributes to the air quality damage. America can and will recycle safely and be less environmental damaging. It would also create jobs in America. This could be a win for American, but instead it is a loss in every aspect.<br /><br />Americans will see a huge amount of these new cars purchased under this program be repossessed. More Americans will have damaged credit an increased feeling of failure. That will lead to a bigger dependency on government and that's what it is all about.<br />If you are forced out of your cars and on to public transportation, the government will control when and where you go. Think about it. They are already pushing for tracking devices in our cars for tax reasons. The Gov now owns OnStar. You think they wanted GM? They wanted OnStar and its access. Now they have it.The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-28524554433263868482009-08-05T20:49:00.000-07:002009-08-05T21:21:37.251-07:00Mexican oilI finally understand why the state and fed are so opposed to blocking illegal Mexicans and why they are blocking making English the official language. <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html">Mexico and Venezuela supply the most oil</a> to the United States and our elected officials don't want to risk slowing it down.<br /><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="650"><tbody><tr><th colspan="6" class="links_normal" align="center"><br /></th></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="650"><tbody><tr><th colspan="6" class="links_normal" align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Total Imports of Petroleum (Top 15 Countries)<br />(Thousand Barrels per Day)</span></th></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Country</span></th> <th class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">May-09</span></th> <th class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">Apr-09</span></th> <th class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">YTD 2009</span></th> <th class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">May-08</span></th> <th class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">YTD 2008</span></th> </tr> <tr valign="bottom"><td colspan="6"><hr style="height: 2px;"></td></tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">CANADA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">2,206</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">2,281</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">2,395</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">2,367</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">2,539</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">VENEZUELA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,341</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">891</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,168</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,171</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,160</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">MEXICO</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,186</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,289</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,292</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,220</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,319</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">SAUDI ARABIA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,079</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,021</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,109</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,604</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,543</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">RUSSIA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">813</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">779</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">649</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">460</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">421</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">NIGERIA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">600</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">733</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">649</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">918</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">1,106</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">ANGOLA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">505</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">462</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">566</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">476</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">478</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">BRAZIL</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">386</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">278</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">367</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">338</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">233</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">VIRGIN ISLANDS</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">313</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">290</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">313</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">340</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">341</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">ALGERIA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">272</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">612</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">489</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">620</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">546</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">IRAQ</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">263</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">484</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">490</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">583</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">670</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">UNITED KINGDOM</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">250</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">424</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">261</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">237</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">211</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">COLOMBIA</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">243</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">347</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">277</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">278</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">210</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">ECUADOR</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">193</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">237</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">233</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">162</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">203</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th class="links_normal" align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">NORWAY</span></th> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">171</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">112</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">129</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">183</span></td> <td class="links_normal" align="right"><span style="font-size:85%;">117</span></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="links_normal" align="left"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Note:</b><span style="font-style: italic;"> The data in the tables above exclude oil imports into the U.S. territories. </span></span></p></blockquote><p class="links_normal" align="left">So tell me, is it really a humanitarian effort like the left has so aggressively pushed? Or is it really using the citizens of Mexico as currency?<br /></p><p class="links_normal" align="left">If you are convinced and offended that the war against terror is really about oil, then you should be appalled at the trade of human life for oil. This goes much deeper. Our government is trading the American sovereignty for petroleum. They are giving our tax paid education, welfare system, jobs, language, homes and everything else that belongs to the American people to citizens of another country in trade for oil. Where is the American pride? Where is the American "We The People"? Why are we allowing our elected government trade our America for oil and their own wealth? Be angry that human life is being traded for oil.<br /></p><p class="links_normal" align="left">What can you do about it? Demand drilling in America for American oil. Demand secure borders and demand the deportation of all illegals from everywhere in the world. Demand that Americans come first for education, welfare, jobs, homes and everything! It is OUR country and we pay the taxes to support it.</p><p class="links_normal" align="left"> Why isn't the left up in arms about this oil deal? What the hell? hypocrites!<br /></p>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-50753989214681029922009-07-31T20:08:00.000-07:002009-07-31T20:13:03.865-07:00Please watch this. If you value you're freedom, you will NOT visit this government site.<br />Love or hate Glenn Beck, you need to watch this.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pM30nqfasyU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pM30nqfasyU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-27756773244815117222009-07-25T14:22:00.000-07:002009-07-25T14:28:59.044-07:00Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending a mailing<a href="http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_12/news/37125-1.html?type=printer_friendly">Democrats Block GOP Health Care Mailing</a><br /><blockquote></blockquote><span style=";font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,geneva;font-size:85%;" ></span><blockquote><span style=";font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,geneva;font-size:85%;" >Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority’s health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate. </span><p><span style=";font-family:verdana,arial,helvetica,geneva;font-size:85%;" >House Republicans are crying foul and claiming that the Democrats are using their majority to prevent GOP Members from communicating with their constituents. </span></p></blockquote><br /><br /><a href="http://www.rollcall.com/pdfs/healthchart072309.pdf">The Chart</a>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-79487899166269286432009-07-23T07:51:00.001-07:002009-07-23T07:51:37.959-07:00NRA-ILA ::<a href="http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=227">NRA-ILA :: "Encoded Ammunition"/Bullet Serialization</a><br /><br />Shared via <a href="http://addthis.com">AddThis</a><br />The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9914948.post-83384985594531616072009-07-23T07:30:00.000-07:002009-07-23T07:34:19.242-07:00Gun Controllers Target Ammunition<a href="http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/crime/713" class="contentpagetitle">Gun Controllers Target Ammunition</a><br />Below is an exert from the above link. If they fail to steal your gun, they will try to steal your ammunition.<br /><br /><blockquote>"People would be required to forfeit all personally-owned non-encoded ammunition. After a certain date, it would be illegal to possess non-encoded ammunition. Gun owners possess hundreds of millions of rounds of ammunition for target shooting, hunting and personal protection. Consider that American manufacturers produce 8 billion rounds each year.<br /><br />Reloading (re-using cartridge cases multiple times) would be abolished. There would be no way to correspond serial numbers on cartridge cases, and different sets and quantities of bullets.<br /><br />People would be required to separately register every box of "encoded ammunition." This information would be supplied to the police. Most states do not even require registration of guns. Each box of ammunition would have a unique serial number, thus a separate registration.<br /><br />Private citizens would have to maintain records, if they sold ammunition to anyone, including family members or friends.<br /><br />The cost of ammunition would soar, for police and private citizens alike. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing Institute estimates it would take three weeks to produce ammunition currently produced in a single day. For reason of cost, manufacturers would produce only ultra-expensive encoded ammunition, which police would have to buy, just like everyone else."</blockquote>The Cheezerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15127053345950370869noreply@blogger.com0