Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Bloggers sued over comments posted on his site by readers

The Wall Street Journal
Traffic-Powers.com sued Aaron Wall, who maintains a blog on a search engine optimization- tactics companies use to get themselves to appear higher in searches, alleging defamation and publication of trade secrets. The suit, filed in a Nevada state court earlier this month, also listed as defendants several unnamed users of the blog.

The suit contends that trade secrets on intranet placement optimization which is information limited to a certain number of people and only on a need to know basis and are subject to strict confidentiality agreements was violated.

This is something that as bloggers we have to be sure to watch out for. In addition, we ALL need to be aware of copyright.

As in the suit, publicly publicizing any trade secrets is against the law.

Bloggers, please be sure to read the comments that are posted on your web sites because you personally are liable for its content.

September 1 -- International Blog for Relief Day


As of this posting, over 566 blogs from seven countries have joined in their support for bloggers for relief day to try to raise awareness of and funds for relief efforts to aid those affected by hurricane Katrina.

Thanks go out to The Truth Laid Bear (blog) who has developed and made available a list of bloggers and a list of charities (view) who are participating.

also a program note courtesy of sailor for Lars Larson, on Friday, he will be broadcasting live from an 11 to 3 from the Salvation Army's Sandy Blvd. warehouse.

If you have supplies that could be used by citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that you won't use, please deliver them to the Sandy Boulevard location of the Salvation Army.


Wal-Mart donates $1 million to the Salvation Army

Wal-Mart As Hurricane Katrina bears down on the Gulf Coast states, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has announced a donation of $1 million to The Salvation Army to provide early support for upcoming disaster relief assistance.
Currently, The Salvation Army is preparing to serve 400,000 meals per day to victims and first responders. Meals are being loaded onto 72 mobile canteens and two 54-foot mobile kitchens. The mobile feeding units will be dispatched into the most affected areas by FEMA, and will be followed, based on response needs, by other units The Salvation Army has at its disposal - trucks called comfort stations where residents can attend to personal hygiene; portable shower units; emergency response command stations for officers to direct the response efforts; and other equipment as needed.
Wal-Mart is also encouraging the general public to donate to merge its relief efforts through its 3800 stores and clubs and through its web site.

The general public will find information and access linked to make credit card donations to help victims of Katrina.

You may also donate directly at a Wal-Mart store or the following links.

the Salvation Army

American Red Cross


Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Martial Law Declared

The Mercury News
Most of New Orleans flooded; Gulf Coast devastated


NEW ORLEANS - The second day somehow seemed worse than the first: Governors warned of mass casualties. Rescue crews acrobatically plucked thousands from the crests of roofs and the brink of death. Levees failed, and panic flared and spread and took hold.
New, terrifying floods swept through the heart of New Orleans. Water swamped 80 percent of the city. And yet fires raged, fed by leaking gas.
Medics transformed part of the Superdome into a triage center, but water lapped at the edges of the arena. Looters roamed. Martial law was declared and the governor worked on plans to shut New Orleans -- a place very close to ruin -- and remove everyone still there.
''We've lost our city,'' said Mark Morial, a former mayor of New Orleans, now serving as president of the National Urban League. ``I fear it's potentially like Pompeii.''




Governor moves ahead on auto emission restrictions

OregonLive

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Gov. Ted Kulongoski moved ahead Monday with his plan to have Oregon adopt tougher state auto emission standards, a step that would give the three West Coast states the strongest restrictions in the nation.
Kulongoski, in a downtown Portland announcement, directed the state Department of Environmental Quality to being work on regulations and also appointed a panel to advise on issues involving the new restrictions.
"Recognizing that the science around global warming is now clear, I am committed to combating this problem to save our quality of life for our children and grandchildren," Kulongoski said. Watch Out! When anybody in the government starts mentioning our children, you know that something is wrong
"Adopting new vehicle emissions standards will not only deliver cleaner air, but it will also deliver real savings to Oregonians, particularly as the cost of gasoline continues to rise," he said. and your figures to back this up how?
"When Oregon moves forward, the entire West Coast will have the same heightened standards, and the pressure for the automobile industry to transition to cleaner cars nationally will be inevitable," said Kulongoski said.

The rules first would apply to new autos in 2009 model year.

Also mentioned in the same article, the auto industry estimates that this would eventually at $3000 to the cost of a new car. Using California as an example, it did not really save any money to consumer in fact, it a lot of times when you change the emissions control in a car, you actually reduce efficiency.

Let's also not forget about the resale value of the car. How many people have bought a used car with California emissions controls on it?

In addition, ODOT is already complaining about the lack of income that it receives because of higher efficiency cars at its reasoning for adding a GPS system to every vehicle for the per mile tax. Higher efficiency vehicles would just give them another reason to push forward with that plan.

President Bush Vows to Help With Border Problems

Newxmax


EL MIRAGE, Ariz. -- President Bush said Monday he will work with Gov. Janet Napolitano and other border governors to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, where political leaders have been calling for help to deal with waves of illegal immigrants.

Bush told a crowd in this retirement community that he understands the federal government's obligation to enforce the border.

"It's important for the people of this state to understand, your voices are being heard in Washington, D.C.," he said.
Making reference to Sen. Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican who introduced Bush here, the president said, "This senator and this Congress are going to work closely with the administration to make sure we have the resources necessary to do our responsibility, which is to enforce this border. And we'll do so."




Report shows that the attack of 9/11 was not an isolated instance.

Registerguard
Study: Terrorists exploit immigration laws

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some used false documents to enter the United States; others let their legal visas expire once in the country. And at least 21 foreign nationals became naturalized U.S. citizens before being charged or convicted as terrorists.
In all, at least 94 foreign-born visitors accused of terror activity between 1993 and 2004 exploited federal immigration laws to enter or remain in the United States, according to a study being released Tuesday.
Distributed by the Center for Immigration Studies, an advocate for stricter immigration policies, the report provides newly compiled data on U.S. terror arrests to illustrate gaps in the nation's border security, visa approval and immigration systems. It was written by Janice Kephart, who served as counsel to the 9/11 Commission that investigated missteps leading to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
"The attack of 9/11 was not an isolated instance of al-Qaida infiltration into the United States," the 46-page report found. "
In fact, dozens of operatives both before and after 9/11 - other than the 9/11 hijackers - have managed to enter and embed themselves in the United States, actively carrying out plans to commit terrorist acts against U.S. interests or support designated foreign terrorist organizations," the report concluded. "For each to do so, they needed the guise of legal immigration status to support them."
Tightening U.S. borders has become a top priority for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who last week called immigration enforcement an issue of utmost importance….Since June 2003, the department has investigated 7,100 cases out of millions of immigrants suspected of violating temporary visas, resulting in 1,339 arrests, Knocke said.

The article also comments that in recent studies indicate immigration related cases made up for nearly 33% of all federal prosecutions last year, more than any other crime.

$23 Million High-Speed Bus Line- Will Only Save Five Minutes

Registerguard

Lane Transit District's new-age bus system - Bus Rapid Transit - is still largely on the drawing board, with inaugural service between the Eugene and Springfield downtowns not expected until the end of next year.

By the end of 2006, five state-of-the-art buses are expected to replace the No. 11 bus five buses replaced one bus? along the four-mile portion of the route between the Eugene LTD station at Willamette Street and 11th Avenue, and the Springfield Station at Pioneer Parkway and South A Street.

Though the new vehicles won't be particularly rapid - they'll stick to posted speed limits - LTD says the service will be: The buses will use designated lanes and have fewer stops, special loading platforms and control of traffic signals to shave five minutes - and often more - off the 21-minute ride.

The buses will run either in a designated lane next to vehicle lanes, or in a lane that also accommodates other vehicles or - during a stretch along Franklin Boulevard between East 11th Avenue and Walnut Street - in a lane separated from traffic by a curb.

The district originally wanted twin dedicated lanes running the length of the stretch between the Eugene and Springfield stations, but has settled for exclusive lanes along 60 percent of the route to maintain access to businesses.

The district is also putting up "block signals" that will tell EmX drivers when they can enter single-lane stretches that serve buses in both directions.

For those who are not familiar with the Eugene/Springfield area, you can drive from one end of Springfield to the other end of Eugene in less than 30 minutes.

To my knowledge, I don't think the public was even asked if we even wanted this system.

With the recent failures of the 6 LTD's hybrid buses estimated $1.02 million and now they want to spend another $23 million for a new system.

Take note that in order to put in a system like this especially a long Franklin Boulevard, something is going to have to go, and I'm assuming that they're going to take down all the trees in the center median.


I would think that if LTD really want to be more efficient and cost effective, that they would take their smaller 20 passenger buses back and forth between Eugene and Springfield.

It would also be more cost effective for them to take control of the traffic lights since there is already system currently in place for emergency vehicles. The only modification required to the buses to control the lights would be the addition of a strobe light on each bus.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Illegal immigration laws on books but not enforced

Dailybulletion


Nearly four years after Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. government still lacks the commitment and the political will to enforce its immigration laws on a day-to-day basis, immigration specialists and politicians said Friday.
While there are only about 2,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to handle interior immigration law enforcement, there are about 700,000 state and local police officers that can help them do that job, said Kris Kobach, a professor at the University of Missouri -- Kansas City School of Law.
Local police officers should be made aware of their inherent legal authority to make immigration arrests if they have probable cause that an individual standing in front of them is present in the country illegally, he said.
Second, local law enforcement agencies should take advantage of a 1996 provision of the law to negotiate agreements with federal officials to be trained to receive the enforcement powers that federal officials have.
Kobach said he was recently dismayed to learn that ICE was intending to scale back the authority so local governments could only apply these enforcement powers in jails.
Third, it would implement departure controls to track who was overstaying their visas and list violators in a national criminal database that any law enforcement officer could access.
"There are many good policy ideas sitting in in-boxes all over the Department of Homeland Security today, but what is missing in many cases, is political will," he said.
But Keynote Speaker Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who has flirted with the idea of running for president, said he believes that the nation is winning the war on illegal immigration.

"We have to be aware that this war on the border was started inside this country by the same radicals who are sabotaging the war in Iraq," he said. "They are communists. They are Anti-American."

Next, Tom Tancredo will be singing, "Better dead then red?"
Give me a break!

It seems that much of the problem is that our leaders are living in a fantasy world. We're not winning the war on illegal immigration; in fact, we have not even begun to acknowledge the problem.

$1 awarded in damages, $440,000 lawyer's fees

The Oregonian
9th US Circus Court Of Appeals last week, looked positively conservative in overturning an eye-popping decision by US District Judge Michael Hogan in Eugene.
Hogan had ruled in favor of a Southern Oregon teacher who claimed the state discriminated against her. The state's defense? An official had recommended her dismissal from her teaching job at a quality the college because she had listed "illegal" degrees from a conservative Christian school that isn't accredited.

Agreeing that the teacher had a point, but wasn't really harmed much as the official rescinded his call for her firing, Hogan awarded her $1 in damages.

However, Hogan awarded her attorneys $440,000 in fees and expenses.

Where can I get a job that pays 44,000,000% in commissions?

Blogging can be a disadvantage... especially if you have a political opinion.


Support among bloggers for Oregon State Senator Jason Atkinson is increasing and I must say that the more that I research him, the more that I like him.

His record shows where he stands on the issues and the last thing that Oregon needs again is another swinging door politician who promises anything and everything to get elected then once there, only works on their own agenda and are no longer respondent to the people that put them there.

I have been a lifelong Oregonian living in Lane County since 1963 and I have watched my beloved state go into the toilet and I have seriously considered leaving the state after I complete my degree.

We need change, we need somebody that will be a true REPRESENTATIVE to the people and we need to get Oregon back to being Oregon again.

Last week, I was interviewing for a volunteer position at the college and I brought up the fact that I was blogging as a way to practice my writing skills and they went to my blog site. The person that I was speaking with who will remain nameless at this point, said, "you are actively supporting a politician, we have never had to deal with this issue before and I am not sure how to handle this one." Handle this one?

I will admit that I was caught off guard and shocked at the bias of between what I do in my own time should have any to do with a volunteer position. I am smart enough to know when to separate my personal feelings from business.

For example, I know not to mention illegal immigration to anybody at the college; it just does not fly there.

I wasn't going to say anything, however the more I thought about this over the weekend, the more it bothered me.

I am proud to be one of the now seven bloggers that are supporting Atkinson!
Along with, Daniel, Brian B of Memento Moron, NW Republican, Bob at Eugene Rant, Gullyborg, Sailor at Do or Die"

Sunday, August 28, 2005

The latest campus craze? Freshman reading

CNN (AP) -- As the freshman class arrives at Philadelphia's Temple University, they will learn about campus rules, meet with their academic advisers and, hopefully, read a book: "West of Kabul, East of New York," Tamim Ansary's memoir of life in Afghanistan and the United States.
Thousands of first-year students throughout the United States will have similar assignments. At West Texas A&M University, freshmen are encouraged to read "A Hope in the Unseen," Ron Suskind's nonfiction chronicle of a black teenager. At the University of South Carolina, the chosen work is Mark Haddon's comic novel, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."
Three incoming students, backed by a conservative Christian group, sued over the reading program's mandatory nature; while their lawsuit failed, the university changed its policy to make the program optional. Many schools strongly encourage participation, but don't penalize students for not doing so.

Last term at Lane community college, the instructor mentioned that there is going to be a new program called "reading together" in which students would be required to read to each other in class.

I do not have any further details on this or when they plan to implement it, but I got to thinking that we are college students that are being treated like grade school students.

Of course, I'm still trying to figure out how being forced to take three terms of PE will make me a better network administrator.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Illegal Immigration Debate -- why should I care?

Robin's Commentary --
I think it is quite interesting that this blog has become more of an issue of immigration than most other issues that need to be covered. I originally started this blog regarding issues about Oregon placing GPS systems in our cars an opinion that the registered guard felt was not newsworthy to print

Do not get me wrong, illegal immigration is becoming a huge issue and is a problem that needs to be dealt with however, we must also look at the big picture as well.

Somebody asked me why I'm even concerned at all about this issue and what effect it has on me. My response was is that it affects me personally when it increases my taxes, I'm denied work because I do not speak a non-native language in my own country and they are breaking federal laws. I am always quick to make the point however that I do not have anything against immigrants in general as long as they are here "legally".

I do however get tired of people trying to make me feel guilty because I feel this way. I do my best NOT to break the law. I stop at stop signs, I do the speed limit, I pay my taxes even if I have to borrow the money, etc. so why then should I support people that are knowingly breaking federal regulations?

Then we have our wonderful governor of Oregon, sleepy Ted who wants to make it a federal crime if we take over-the-counter cold medications without a prescription but yet when asked if he considers illegal immigration and emergency, he responds no.

In today's Statesman Journal , Kulongoski is being asked to issue a state of emergency in a letter sent August 20, 2005 by Jim Ludwick, president of Oregonians for immigration Reform, to follow the recent examples of Arizona and New Mexico.

Anna Richter Taylor, a spokeswoman for Governor's office, said that the letter had not arrived at the capital as of yet, but she said that she was not aware of plans to declare a state of emergency. "This is something that's it's not something that I am aware of as an issue."

To try to be fair to the governor, it is possible that he may have a plan in mind that Taylor is not aware of.

Then we start hearing from our representatives in the federal government and the guest worker program as a possible "solution" to the illegal immigration problem.

One of the things that I get tired of hearing is that having a "guest worker program" would allow foreign workers to take jobs Americans don't want. It is not necessarily that we do not want to do them, sometimes we are not allowed to do them. For example, as a kid, I worked picking strawberries, beans, and grapes. These are the things that kids are not allowed because of child labor laws to do today.

As an adult, to subsidize my income, I delivered papers for over 20 years and I am not ashamed of it. It kept me from being homeless at times.

In a speech by President Bush on January 2004 regarding illegal immigration Link "their search for a better life is one of the most basic desires of human beings. Many undocumented workers have walked a mile after mile, through the heat of the day in the cold of the night.... workers who seek only to earn a living end up in the shadows of American life -- fearful, often abused and exploited. When they are victimized by crime, they are afraid to call the police, or seek recourse in the legal system. [Because they are felons themselves?] They are cut off from their families far away, fear if they leave our country to visit relatives back home, they might never be able to return to their jobs."

The speech continues... "the situation I described is wrong. It is not the American way. Out of common sense in fairness, our laws should allow willing workers to enter our country and fill jobs that Americans have are not filling."

Out of common sense in fairness? Is it fair that I'm going back to school for a bachelor's degree but it will not be any use to me unless I can speak Spanish? Is it fair that I am being forced to learn a foreign language in my own country? Is it fair to me that I have to do all this because other people wish to skirt around the system and requirements to be a citizen of this country that these requirements are placed on me?

No! It is not fair. If I decided to move to another country, I do not expect them to learn my language for my convenience. I would have to make the effort to learn their language and culture to be able to coexist in their society with the emphasis of coexist.

But alas, making people follow our laws is not good enough for the federal government. Senator John McCain has introduced a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States if they pay a fine and participate in a guest worker program. source

I am totally baffled why after the attacks of 9/11, with the threat of terrorism that our federal and state governments "allow" such large holes in our borders.

In closing, I want to state that we must also look at ourselves as a cause of this problem. For generations, we have turned our backs to illegal immigration because we "allowed" them to come over here, work here in our fields, do the dirty work, and then go home because it was convenient to us and cheaper.

Now, they are wanting more and are becoming more in the mainstream and are starting to affect this outside of the farms and fields. We are just as much to blame for this problem as they are for being here illegally.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Local Governments Watch For Overgrown Lawns

WBAL TV11


TOWSON, Md. -- Sophia Jennings keeps her eyes open for overgrown weeds - and the owners of the yards that have them.
Jennings is a Baltimore County code enforcement officer. She's armed with a tape measure she uses to check on residents who are not in compliance with rules about overgrown lawns.
In most area jurisdictions, letting grass grow more than a foot high, or 8 inches in Baltimore city, is against the law.
In some jurisdictions, the grass "cops" come in the form of code enforcement officers. In others, public works officials or environmental health workers are assigned to the task.

That is not a problem here in Lane County... more and more homes are letting their lawns die (including mine) because of all the taxes that are attached to our water bill, we can no longer afford to water own lawns.



Survey says no to safety taxes

The Registerguard
A majority of voters favor a proposed public safety plan to target drug dealers, reopen jail beds, reduce child abuse and domestic violence, and increase drug and alcohol treatment.

But they don't want to pay the $39 million it would cost, according to a survey done for Lane County's Public Safety Task Force. No, I am not going to give you more money to throw away

The survey, conducted last week, shows that 60 percent of probable voters want the county to somehow implement the $39 million plan.

However, no form of taxation - property, personal or corporate income tax, restaurant, amusement, business license or sales tax - came close to getting enough support to raise that amount of money annually if it were on the ballot today.
The survey results do not spell doom for any public safety proposal, said Jim Johnson, a former chief administrator for both Eugene and Lane County who is facilitating the task force.
"They understand the need that exists. They just don't like the price tag," Johnson said. "I do believe the survey should be used to guide the decisions being made by the task force."

explain to me why I would want to give you more funds.
Lane County sheriff, Eugene police both have stated that they will not respond to a home burglar alarm unless it is witnessed in person and verified that it is an actual alarm.
People in these areas who are paying for alarm monitoring services must also endure the extra cost by having a "security guard" travel to their home, verify that there's actually a person in the house committing a crime at the time before law enforcement will respond.

What we the people in Lane County see from our law enforcement people, is officers sitting on the side of the freeway with their lights off and running radar (that's not protecting my home) multiple stings to reduce prostitution (that's not protecting my home) the DA's office openly advertising that it will not PROSECUTE a list of crimes (that's not protecting my home), etc.

Moreover, let us not forget about how Eugene took money away from the sheriff's levy years ago for the Hult Center, twice.
Now you're asking the voters to trust you and gave you give you $39 million? NO WAY!


Surgeon says deport illegal immigrants after treatment

The Times News
BURLEY - A Burley surgeon wants Mini-Cassia to put some teeth in indigent medical programs in both counties - teeth that would bite illegal aliens who seek medical help but never return for follow-up care or pay for the service.

Dr. Joseph Petersen told Minidoka County commissioners Monday that both hospitals, Cassia Regional Medical Center and Minidoka Memorial Hospital, should require illegal aliens to be deported once they are either healed or released from hospital care. He said this would mean a reduction of serious injuries left without follow-up in both counties.
Petersen suggested that any emergency case resulting from drunkenness or fights require the victim to provide proof of legal status and a name of an employer.

"I know we have HIPPA (HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT), but the fact of the matter is that when someone comes in with a knife wound, that is a felony and there is no such thing as rights to privacy in such situations," Petersen said.

"We need to have those who are in the country illegally know that if they aren't willing to have their cases followed up, then the option will be to be deported back to Mexico once they've been treated and are ready to leave the hospital."

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), was the result of efforts by the Clinton Administration and congressional healthcare reform proponents to reform healthcare. The goals and objectives of this legislation are to streamline industry inefficiencies, reduce paperwork, make it easier to detect and prosecute fraud and abuse and enable workers of all professions to change jobs, even if they (or family members) had pre-existing medical conditions. source

Title II: preventing health-care fraud and abuse

I think the doctor makes a good point. However the downside is, for fear of deportation people might hesitate to go to the doctor if they have a serious injury or illness.

Another Catch-22?

Governator -- Illegal Immigration No State Emergency

Pasadenastarenews.com
GIVE Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger credit for not rushing to follow his counterparts in Arizona and New Mexico by declaring a state of emergency over illegal immigration.

Schwarzenegger surely knows, as all Californians do, that illegal immigration has an enormous impact on the state. There are an estimated 2.4 million undocumented workers on the state's many farms, in restaurants, on street corners and in homes. This shadowy and unknown subculture - the largest of any state in the union - causes uncountable impacts on the state in terms of education and health care.
In a very real sense, it is an emergency, and one that has been going on for years.
But that doesn't mean Schwarzenegger should bend to pressure and join in a mostly meaningless public-relations move. meaningless public relations move???
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson arguably do have an urgent situation, with their states ground zero for the flow of U.S.-bound immigrants as well as for the border vigilantes' movement. Making a state-of-emergency declaration frees up $1.5 million for each state to use to patrol the hot zones.
Schwarzenegger said he will keep an eye on the situation and follow if "there's a need." I feel better now
But he should only move if there's a clearly effective solution. The last thing California needs is another empty gesture when it comes to illegal immigration. Without real support of Congress and the president, not even crying "emergency" is bound to have meaningful results.

if I was a leader of another country that wishes to invade the United States, here is the message that I am seeing.

Instead of doing a direct attack, I would you start sending my troops in by small groups, have them get low wage jobs and spread themselves throughout the country. We can take over the country from the inside without firing a shot and the federal government will sit on their hands and not do anything because they're too afraid to offend somebody or admit that there's actually a problem.

The invasion from within is already here.

Feds to Finally Help Arizona with Border Troubles

NewsMax
PHOENIX -- Federal authorities have outlined a plan to help Arizona


crack down on human smuggling, ease overcrowding in state prisons and increase immigration training for police.

The announcement Monday by the Department of Homeland Security came a week after Gov. Janet Napolitano declared an emergency in four border counties because of problems related to illegal immigration and pledged $1.5 million in state funding to local authorities.

Napolitano's order said the federal government's failure to secure the border allowed a flood of illegal immigration that threatened public health and safety.
Napolitano has accused federal authorities of not reimbursing state and local governments for apprehending, prosecuting and imprisoning illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Arizona.


The horse has left the barn... it is now time to lock the door to keep the horse in.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Feds plan to act on border problems

USA Today


Homeland security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Tuesday that his department is drafting a plan to determine how "once and for all" to deal with illegal immigration, migrant smuggling and gang violence in states along the US-Mexican border.

He said the Department of Homeland Security will be examining patterns of illegal immigration, the availability of jail space, procedures for deporting illegal immigrants, and the use of border agents and equipment. shouldn't they have already been doing this?

Chertoff's plan comes after weeks of criticism from the governors of Arizona and New Mexico, who said the Bush administration hasn't done enough to stem the flow of illegal immigrants across the border.

Chertoff said he wanted to take time to analyze the immigration problem before sending more agents to the border or buying "a lot of newfangled gadgets" without taking a broader look at the problem.

of the 1.1 million border arrests nationwide so far this year, 516109 have been in Arizona.
The Homeland Security Department says that since Sept. 11, 2001, Arizona has seen a 25% increase in the number of federal agents policing its border. Arrests have increased dramatically, the department said.
In his letter, Chertoff said border security is of "utmost importance" at his department and throughout the Bush administration.
In contrast, Napolitano said there's been "no sense of urgency" from federal officials.
"They're in Washington, they're not on the border," she said. "They don't understand how serious the situation is."
This just makes me sick. It has taken individual states to declare a state of emergency to force the federal government to "analyze" the patterns of illegal immigration?


Oregon the only state not to gain weight in health poll

KATU


WASHINGTON - Obesity rates rose last year in every state but Oregon, according to an advocacy group that called on the government and the private sector to get more involved in Americans' battle with expanding waistlines.
The advocacy group, Trust for America's Health, said data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the percentage of obese adults for 2002-04 stood at 22.7 percent nationally. The percentage for the previous cycle, 2001-03, was 22 percent.
The state exhibiting the largest increase in obesity was Alabama. There, the rate increased 1.5 percentage points to 27.7 percent. Oregon's rate held steady at 21 percent. ycle, 2001-03, was 22 percent.
BIGGEST INCREASES
Alabama 1.5
Florida 1.4
North Dakota 1.4
Maine 1.3
Tennessee 1.3
SMALLEST INCREASES
Oregon 0.0
California 0.1
Delaware 0.1
Idaho 0.1
Michigan 0.1

Oregon has one of the smallest increases... surprise!

That wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that we are the third highest unemployment state in the nation and a lot of us are taxed poor

Warner urged to declare emergency in illegals crisis

The Washington Times

State legislators said yesterday that Virginia is facing an immigration crisis on par with Arizona and New Mexico and urged Gov. Mark Warner to declare an emergency like the governors of those two states did last week.
Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick, Prince William County Republican, has asked Mr. Warner, a Democrat, to declare a state of emergency to stop the influx of illegal aliens into the state. Mr. Frederick said that even though Virginia does not share a border with Mexico, the state must take such action to tap federal homeland security dollars to fund police efforts to arrest illegal aliens and hand them over to federal immigration authorities. who will simply turn around and release them

"They might be coming through Arizona, but they are landing here," Mr. Frederick said. [it was OK when it was somebody else's problem] "It's getting out of control. No kidding! and we've been trying to tell you this how long?

Mr. Frederick, the only Hispanic member of the General Assembly, said such a move would help stem the drain on taxpayer resources caused by illegals who use public services, including hospitals. He still has relatives in Colombia.
Mr. Frederick's Friday letter to the governor likely will net wide support in the Republican-controlled legislature, which earlier this year overwhelmingly passed a measure denying public benefits to illegal aliens and in 2003 required motorists to prove legal residency to obtain driver's licenses.

Conservative estimates put the number of illegal aliens in Virginia at 100,000 to 200,000.Hummm, I wonder if Mexico keeps a census?

Jack Martin, special projects director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said the state of emergency is obvious in Arizona and New Mexico. When asked whether the situation in Virginia is at such a level, Mr. Martin said the problem spreads from the border states across the country.
"The conditions exist that the federal government should use its emergency powers. Because at the present time, it openly admits that it is unable to detain all of the illegal immigrants that it apprehends, and it is allowing hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens to enter the country every year," Mr. Martin said.

"If it is not happening in my neighborhood, then it is not my problem!"

That is the attitude that has caused our problem.
US citizens have been trying to tell our (cough)"representatives" about the problem for a long time but they were too worried about "offending" people who are here "illegally" and trying to sugarcoat the issue by trying to convince us to call them "undocumented workers" in addition to being blinded by the cheap labor and money that they bring to their districts in addition to the "promise" of getting their vote.

Vote? Yes, vote...It happens at the DMV.

The problem is only going to get worse before it gets better

Scooting Past The Gas Pump

Registerguard
PIERRE, S.D. - Gasoline pushing $3 a gallon? Why worry? Buy a motor scooter like thousands of other Americans and stretch that single gallon of gas a week or more.

``As people start driving them, they start finding more reasons to use them,'' said Doug Day, owner of Scooter Centrale and Vespa Hartford in Plainville, Conn. ``They're practical, easy to park and get great gas mileage. I put $5 worth of gas into mine when it's totally empty, compared to $50 in my SUV.''

As gasoline prices soar, the popularity of peppy, fuel-sipping motor scooters - most easily get 50 miles per gallon and some of the smaller ones get up to 80 mpg - is soaring. Sales, estimated at 86,000 last year in the United States, have doubled from 2000, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

``I put about 20 miles a day on mine, and I only have to fill it up twice a month,'' said Jessica Meuchel, 23, who uses a scooter to deliver daily newspapers in Pierre, S.D. She bought the two-wheeler this spring because it was costing her $200 a month to fuel her truck.

Small scooters, especially those made in China, Korea and Taiwan, sell for as little as $800 to $900. Larger scooters, capable of legal highway speeds and faster, can cost $4,000 to $6,000.
Scooters, while fun to drive, also can be dangerous. Other motorists often don't notice the small two-wheelers, and that can land scooter drivers in the hospital - or the morgue.
This was on the front page of the RegisterGuard, Eugene's local fish wrapper.
With gas prices approaching three dollars a gallon, are they suggesting that we all start driving scooters?
When I was a teenager, I owned a little Honda 65 motorcycle, top speed 45 miles an hour and it ranged about 100 miles to the gallon. I would NEVER own a motorcycle that small again simply because you do not have enough POWER to get out of the way when cars do not see you.

Also if people start using scooters more, then that means less money that odot will receive in gas taxes unless they put the GPS systems on the scooters for the per mile tax.

One other little detail about alternative transportation such as scooters and bicycles, this is Oregon, it really does rain here more than it doesn't.

My very first vehicle was a motorcycle, and I spent three years riding freezing my tutu off in the rain and snow. I have done my time thank you very much.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Concerts set for illegals' amnesty

WorldNetDaily


In the tradition of aid concerts that have raised money for everything from poverty in Africa to hurting farmers, a pro-immigrant activist in Arizona has planned a series of concerts intended to push federal amnesty for illegal aliens currently in the U.S.
Elias Bermudez says he's raised more than $43,000 to pay for the concerts scheduled for October in Glendale, Ariz., the Arizona Republic reported.
The activist has made appearances on Spanish-language radio asking for donations for the events, which will feature Mexican superstar singers.
Despite Bermudez's goal, some immigrant-rights group are skeptical, questioning his motives and the fund-raising strategy of collecting money from illegal aliens by telling them help is on the way.
"Everyone is making money and benefiting, except the migrants," Salvador Reza, the head of the Macehualli day-labor center in northeast Phoenix, told the paper.
He believes Bermudez may be selling illegals false hopes.
"Migrants are desperate and want to do something, so they will give money if they think it will help legalize their status," Reza said.
except to come here illegally

"I can't stop the critics," Bermudez told the Republic. "But they are not going to stop me from trying to help immigrants."
Bermudez was convicted of money laundering in 1996 and sentenced to 18 months behind bars. He maintains his innocence.

Raising money is fine. Wanting to help "legal" immigrants is fine. Wanting to help illegal immigrants to break federal laws is not!

However, there would be outrage from the PC nuts if there were a group that was holding a concert to raise money to help protect our borders.

Oregon's law stronger federal plans

Statesman Journal


Neither the Bush administration nor congressional proposals go as far as Oregon in fighting the meth epidemic.
Oregon's anti-methamphetamine legislation has drawn national attention for a single provision: It has the first-in-the-nation requirement for people to obtain prescriptions for medications containing pseudoephedrine.
The prescription requirement is not yet in effect. The legislation gives the Board of Pharmacy until July 1 to implement it. Advocates say the requirement will do little to curb drugs supplied by Mexican cartels, but they say it would reduce the social and environmental problems caused by the homegrown labs that account for up to one-third of the supply.
Pending federal legislation proposes to pre-empt states by requiring only that such medications be kept behind the counter, as is the case now in Oregon and about two dozen states.
But the Oregon Senate Judiciary Committee removed that pre-emption, a move that would allow states such as Oregon to pass stricter laws. The Senate has not acted on the bills.

While I agree that there is a problem, I do not agree that the method that Oregon is taking is a solution. As prohibition has proven in the past, just by outlawing it to the general public only creates more organized crime.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Follow the Money...

Statesman Journal
State readies for car-emissions clampdown

"If the federal government doesn't want to move forward on global warming, then the states are going to have to do it," Kulongoski said.

Despite an effort by auto-industry lobbyists to kill the move, Oregon and Washington are getting ready to adopt California's newly implemented vehicle-emission standards to reduce greenhouse gases.
By 2016, all new cars, SUVs and light trucks sold in the West Coast states would have to comply with the tougher standards on emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which are thought to be a leading cause of global warming. The 2016 date was set to give automakers plenty of time to comply with the new standards.
The auto industry has fought to prevent the West Coast from becoming what environmentalists call a "clean-car corridor."
Washington lawmakers voted to bring the strict California car-emissions standards to their state. However, as part of a compromise, lawmakers made their bill contingent on Oregon adopting the same standards.interesting
Seeing an opportunity to kill the regulations in both states,auto industry lobbyists persuaded Oregon legislators to insert language into a state environmental policy budget for bidding the state spending money to adopt or enforce California style admission rules.
But Governor Kulongoski, who has aligned himself with environmentalists in the past, said that he will use his veto authority to delete that provision from the budget.


Okay, first off the Governor Kulongoski, cars are not the only major polluters in Oregon. Don't forget that we have field burning that pollutes our air.

Secondly, there's this interesting thing called "SAFETEA-LU" that President Bush signed on August 10, 2005 (more details in post below) authorizing $286.4 billion for transportation projects over the next six years. $8.6 billion for congestion and air quality.
The fact that Washington is also involved with wanting to bring on strict California car emission controls and the track record that the government has for being self-serving, makes the very suspicious that something else is going on.

Third, to my knowledge, Oregon already has two cities where cars have to pass DEQ emissions inspections to be licensed, this of course would mean that more cities will start testing vehicles and older older vehicles will have to go through inspections before it their registration could get renewed.

Fourth,I think it's very interesting that Kulongoski will say that "if the federal government doesn't want to move forward on global warming, then states are going to have to do it," but we won't take a stand on illegal immigration.

Increasing the environmental emissions standards is just going to increase the cost of living in Oregon, which is already very high as it is. I can see more people leaving the state because it cost too much to live here.

As Lars has pointed out many times before, the newer cars are already emissions efficient, and there is no proof that I'm aware of that legislation like this is really necessary.

Lastly, in my opinion, this is just another example of our government thinking that they are doing "what is best for the people" despite what people think.
want the truth, Follow the money!

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Quick, free service spots job seekers' fake papers

Arizona Daily Star

At the meat-processing plants of Bar-S Foods, rumors of impending raids by immigration agents once sent illegal workers fleeing to avoid deportation.

"It made for a very unstable work force," said Marty Thompson, the company's vice president of human resources.

The sudden loss of workers and random immigration audits prompted the Phoenix-based company to sign up for a federal program that detects fake documents commonly used to get work.

The company, part of an industry that has long attracted its share of workers living in the country illegally, became one of the first to test the Basic Pilot Employment Verification System.

The voluntary program, which debuted eight years ago in five states, allows employers to check the legitimacy of personal data from potential hires through a government Web site.
Chris Bentley, a spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the verification system is a quick way for employers to get a handle on the problem of fake documents. In a matter of seconds, companies can check employee documents against Social Security and Homeland Security databases.

It was 19 years ago that Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which outlawed the employment of illegal immigrants and created fines for employers who knowingly hire them. The law, which mandated that employers check for worker eligibility[I-9 form] but not that they authenticate workers' documents, quickly spawned a cottage industry of inexpensive counterfeit Social Security and permanent-residency cards.

Immigration reform plans put forth recently in Washington attempt to address the problem of fake documents. One bill, introduced by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and another introduced by Republican Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas, both call for a mechanism through which employers can verify the legal status of new employees.

Thompson said his company simply submits a Social Security number on the secure government Web site. If a job applicant is providing false information, it's rejected almost immediately.

this is one of the things that is really frustrating about the illegal immigration system. I was an employer when this rule first came out to verify that you have the "right to work in the United States" with the INS I-9 immigration form. I thought it was very interesting that I did not have to send this form to anybody, but just keep it on file "just in case" I was ever inspected.

I liked the idea of a service that will verify Social Security numbers from employers pointed view and I think that more companies should be encouraged to use a verification system.

Mesa lawmaker calls for border fence

Arizona Daily Star
Cost efficient in the long run, says Representative Pearce

PHOENIX -- a state lawmaker believes a resilience are so frustrated with illegal immigration that they are willing to raise fees-and possibly tax themselves-to build a fence along the state's southern border.
Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, is drafting a measure to ask voters next year to spend the money to erect a climb-proof fence wherever possible from Yuma to east of Douglas.
Pearce said he believes stemming the flow of people crossing the border illegally will end up saving Arizonans far more than what the state spends for health care, education and prison costs on illegal entrants.
Arizona can't legally build a fence right on the border, which is federal land. But Pearce said it could erect it along the southern property lines of individual landowners.
Even assuming some landowners would allow a fence to be erected, Reyes said all that will do is move illegal crossing to another location in the same way it did in response to fences and increased patrols in California and Texas, as well as along a few spots on the Arizona border. it may not completely stop them from coming over, but it would make it more inconvenient
The idea got a chilly reception from Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, whose district includes a large stretch of border land, including Ladd's property. He said it would be a waste of state money, as federal officials have plans to build their own fence.

Anyway, Newman said a fence will "resolve nothing,'' saying the real solution is a good guest-worker program. I disagree on the guest worker program of being a solution.
I'm not opposed to the idea for a guest worker policy, if it will will place limits and controls over the people coming over here. In addition, that would make the immigrants "legal" to be here.

I am not in favor of just handing out a blanket pardon to illegal immigrants who are here. That sends a message that our federal laws do not mean anything and that all you have to do is hide out for a while and get amnesty.

Sounding like a broken record, if you come here legally, welcome.

Another New Law For Meth

New law sets deadline for cleanup of meth labs
The Statesman Journal

There was plenty of hype about the provision of Oregon's new anti-meth law that will require consumers to have a doctor's prescription before they are allowed to purchase a product that contains pseudoephedrine, a key meth ingredient.

Another provision of the bill, although little notice, may also have far-reaching consequences.

The new law gives owners six months to decontaminate homes that have been used as meth labs.

... if the owner does not obey, he or she could be fined, eventually, after the fines pileup, the government could put a lien on the property and add to that debt the costs of the cleanup. Ultimately, the government could foreclose on the property.

Statewide, 269 properties are listed as contaminated meth labs that have not been adequately cleaned up and issued a "certificate of fitness" for use.

DEQ fines UO over toxic waste


Robin's Commentary

Eugene Oregon has a reputation of being just "out there" at times. For example, Eugene is a "nuclear free zone" and has turned away businesses because they make bolts that may be used in nuclear weapons

In today's Eugene daily dead fish wrapperlink there was an article about the state Department of Environmental Quality fining the University of Oregon $3600 from mishandling of hazardous waste.
I have to admit, that this really got my attention.
"A three-day state inspection of the campus in October revealed eight instances where workers had mismanaged potentially hazardous waste, posing a risk that the ways could be released into the environmentally damaging effects, said Susan Shewczyk, a state inspector."
Oh My God! What type of hazardous waste does the University of Oregon have? I heard rumors at one time that they used to have an open pit reactor, could that be it? plutonium?

State inspectors found university employees uncertain of...
Whether rags in a container were hazardous,
How old brake fluid was being disposed,
Open containers of paint waste, apparently abandoned and a potential threat to air quality.

In one instance, an arts instructor attempting to be resourceful disposed of potentially hazardous material in a heated kiln.

The fines are "not horrendous," Shewczyk added, and the U of O remains a leader in pollution prevention and recycling.

"You're at the top of their field," Shewczyk said. However, federal hazardous waste disposal law, which the state and forces, "makes you look at some very minor, detailed things that you still have to comply with," she said.

The University generates more than 2200 pounds of hazardous waste per month.


I can agree that it is newsworthy when a university is fined for violations of air quality and hazardous wastes, but I really have to wonder what the point was for Eugene's daily dead fish wrapper with this article.

On the other hand, maybe I am just having trouble understanding the big picture here.

there's a new governor in town

Senator Jason A. Atkinson

Robin's editorial
a couple days ago I was listening to the Lars Larson show when Senator Atkinson link being interviewed by Lars announced that he was running for governor.

I was very impressed with the interview in the way that Senator Atkinson answered his questions especially on illegal immigration.

here are some issues on record --
abortion issues -- 1999 & 2003, Senator Atkinson did not support the interest of NARAL pro-choice Oregon and Planned Parenthood's Association of Oregon.

Agricultural issues -- 2003, the Oregon Farm Bureau assigned Senator Atkinson a grade of A+.

Budget, spending and taxes -- 2002 & 2003,he supported the interest of Taxpayer Association of Oregon

business and consumers -- 2003-2004, supported the interest of the Oregon National Federation of Independent businesses (89%)

just a few of the examples, you can see more on Senator Jason Atkinson at Project vote Smart

so this might be one person might want to seriously consider

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Lane Transit District received authorization of the Pioneer Parkway EmX line

LTD News
News Details - Federal transportation legislation funding


Replacement Buses - $2,985,714

Lane Transit District must, on an ongoing basis, replace older buses with new buses. Systematic replacement of older vehicles ensures that the fleet is kept up to date and reduces excessive fleet maintenance costs that are required to maintain older vehicles that have exceeded their useful life. In addition, newer buses have reduced emissions and include features that enhance operations and passenger safety and comfort.



The funds received as a result of SAFETEA-LU will help replace 23 buses that were purchased in 1991. The Federal Transit Administration has determined that heavy-duty buses such as these should have a 12-year life. By the time these buses are replaced in 2007, they will have been in service 16 years, four years longer than the FTA standard. The total estimated price to replace the 23 buses is $7,130,000. The remainder of the project will be paid by local funds and federal formula funds.

Pioneer Parkway EmX Corridor - $1,000,000

Lane Transit District received authorization for the design and construction of the Pioneer Parkway EmX line that would connect downtown Springfield and the Gateway area of north Springfield. SAFETEA-LU specifically provided $1 million to complete the alternatives analysis required before construction can begin.

Progressive Corridor Enhancement - $2,477,586

Bus rapid transit (BRT) has been identified in the Regional Transportation Plan as the preferred transit strategy for the Eugene/Springfield area. Lane Transit District has begun implementing EmX (the name selected for the BRT system).
Vehicle Disposal - $1,032,594

SAFETEA-LU includes language that would allow Lane Transit District (LTD) to dispose of six failed hybrid-electric vehicles. In 2001, LTD purchased six hybrid-electric vehicles with 83 percent federal participation. Normally, the federal share is amortized over the presumed life of the vehicle, in this case seven years. If a transit agency disposes of a vehicle before the federal share is completely amortized, the agency would repay the Federal Transit Administration the unamortized portion. The January 2005 estimate on these six vehicles was $1.02 million.



The vehicles suffered catastrophic failures, despite the work of the manufacturer and the Maintenance Department at Lane Transit. The manufacturer, Advanced Vehicle Systems, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, developed the 22-foot vehicles to meet an interest in alternative fuel propulsion systems that could provide clean, quiet, community transit service. This manufacturer has since filed bankruptcy.

SAFETEA-LU

Oregon transportation and growth management

On August 10, 2005, President Bush signed new federal legislation authorizing $286.4 billion for transportation projects over the next six years. The new measure is popularly known as SAFETEA-LU, which stands for the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act-Legacy for Users." Among other things, SAFETEA-LU authorizes:
· $286.4 billion for roads, bridges, and public transit through 2009 (of this, approximately 18.5% will go to transit);
· $612 million for a Safe Routes to School Program over 5 years. This allows state departments of transportation to build sidewalks, eliminate hazards, and slow traffic near schools;
· $8.6 billion for CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality). Some CMAQ projects can incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities to reduce air pollution;
· $3.5 billion for Transportation Enhancements. “Enhancements” may include pedestrian facilities and bicycle trails;
· $370 million for the Recreational Trails Program; and
· $174 million for Scenic Byways.
Listed below are web sites with more details on SAFETEA-LU provisions that relate most directly to the mission of the Oregon Transportation & Growth Management Program:

· Text of the legislation (H.R. 3)
· America Bikes
· National League of Cities
· American Traffic Safety Services Foundation
· American Trails
· National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity


Senator Jason Atkinson announces bid for governor

Senator Jason Atkinson -R announced on the Lars Larson show today that he will be running for governor of Oregon.

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
2005 Regular Session
Business and Economic Development
Environment and Land Use, Vice-Chair
Rules


I do not know anything about him so I can not comment, however he did sound impressive in the hourlong interview Lars.

His answers were clear and concise on the show, in my opinion.

You Can't Buy Citizenship

The Worldlink.com

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. appearing in a town hall meeting at the Coos Bay City Hall council chambers said that he was supportive of getting tougher on illegal immigration into the U.S. and reminded the audience that at one time he voted for the U.S. military to have a significant presence patrolling the nation's borders. However, he also told audience members he also would back illegal immigrants to earn citizenship as long as they had no criminal record, a solid work record and were willing to pay any back taxes.

The strategy would allow the U.S. to solve the double standard it has been supporting for years. Wyden said while few citizens would argue loosening immigration laws would benefit the nation, those same people turn a blind eye to illegal immigrants who populate Oregon's service and agricultural industries.

The message is, come here and pay taxes and welcome to the U.S.

Bloggers Unite -- Make One Term Ted, One Term Ted

I felt a disturbance in the force this morning and then checked the news where I read these disturbing words...

Kulongoski announces he will seek new term.

The Statesman Journal
He likely will face challenges from GOP, within his party.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski is running for re-election.
The Democrat, who is expected to face challengers from both major parties in 2006, made the formal announcement at a gathering of state agency directors late Tuesday. His spokeswoman, Holly Armstrong, confirmed the news Wednesday afternoon.
Kulongoski first said that he would seek re-election during an interview with a Gannett News Service reporter, reporting for the Statesman Journal, in July 2004. In recent weeks, the governor had hinted that he likely would seek another term.
The official word came Tuesday.
When asked about his future while attending the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Kulongoski said he thought he could have the greatest impact on Oregon something that he has done, negatively as governor and wanted to run for a second term
He also said national politics has become more about winning and partisanship than about public service.
"People thought that the purpose of politics was to do public good. I do not get that sense anymore," Kulongoski said. "It is turning the public sour on their government. I neither want to be a part of it, nor do I have any illusion that I can change it.
"I can control things in Oregon to some degree. I would rather do that."
The governor also said that he was prepared to make his case to voters. sure, now that he NEEDS us.

In a statewide survey of 481 voters, 33 percent said they would be likely to vote to re-elect Kulongoski, and 42 percent said they would be likely to support someone else. The rest were neutral in the survey, which had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.

In my opinion, Ted Tax-and-gouge-me has done more harm than good for Oregon.
The numbers (33%) also show this.
Remember these facts people,
Oregon had the highest unemployment in the nation, Salem's answer for that -- RAISE TAXES
Tons of businesses are leaving Oregon because they can no longer afford to operate here.

Kulongoski wants California emission standards for Oregon

Kulongoski will not publicly defending his own bills

and of course let's not forget about the prescription flu medications and the fact that you are a criminal if you share Theraflu with your child without a prescription.

And the list goes on.

What Oregon really needs, is somebody who is in office that is responsive to the people of Oregon, is for Oregon.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Latinos Work To Shore up Border

the Los Angeles Times

Although at times rivaled for their stand, some are working with other groups to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

Lupe Moreno knows the immigrant struggle. She has lived all her life in Santa Ana, a gateway community for Mexican immigrants. Her father helped smuggle them into the country; her former husband sneaked in illegally.
Now Moreno is part of the growing movement to stem the flow of illegal immigration.

"I want people to know that there are Latinos who are law-abiding." She said. "We need to protect our borders."
Although polls suggest that the majority of Latinos are sympathetic to illegal immigrants once they have settled in the United States, opinions vary by generation, home country, economic class and personal values. Some Latinos are strongly opposed to crossing the border illegally.

"It's important that we have these folks here [referring to Moreno and other Latinos who oppose illegal immigration] because I think it shows that we are attracting a wide variety of people." Said Jim Gilchrist, cofounder of the citizen border patrol known as the Minutemen project. "This is not just about white against Mexican. It is not a racist issue. It is about putting it in to illegal immigration."

That is the point that we must not forget. It is not about discrimination, political correctness or the color of one's skin. The issue is solely about "illegal" immigration.


Mexico's Fox protests as second US state closes border

Yahoo! News
Phoenix, Arizona -- Arizona ignored pleas for greater corporation from Mexican President Vicente Fox to be calmed the second US state to declare a state of emergency on its border due to rising illegal immigration, violence and smuggling.

Four days after New Mexico declared a 90 day state of emergency for border areas, Arizona did the same for its four counties on the Mexican frontier, citing uncontrolled illegal immigration.
"the federal government has to secure our border, and the health and safety of all Arizonans is threatened daily by violent gangs, coyotes (human traffickers) and other dangerous criminals," said Arizona Governor Janet Natolitano in a statement.
"I intend to take every action feasible to stem the tide of criminal behavior on the Arizona side of the border," she said.

Mexican President Fox responded Tuesday to the moves by the two US governors with calls for greater cooperation over border problems.
He exhorted the United States to cooperate with Mexico to resolve border problems.

"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together, only like this will we be able to win." Fox said.

I think what Arizona is doing is marvelous . if the federal government will not protect our borders and its citizens, then it is up to the states to do so. I applaud Arizona for taking action and I feel that Oregon should do the same.

As for Mexican President Fox's comments about cooperation, we have been asking him for years to help us in curbing illegal immigrants and they (Mexican government) refused to help.

And it is more than just people coming over here illegally, there was discussion on Lars's show today about a nuclear device being smuggled over the Mexican border into the United States.

So a message to all those people that are worried about being "politically correct" -- you just can't not leave the front door unlocked and expect to be safe anymore --

University of Oregon embarks on construction boom

KATU
EUGENE, Ore. - The University of Oregon is embarking on the biggest growth spurt in its history, with construction projects totaling $100 million planned over the next few years.
More than half of the funding for the new buildings will come from the $410 million in construction money that legislators approved for the Oregon University system for the 2005-07 biennium. The rest comes from earlier appropriations and donations.

Projects in the works includes a new, $48 million College of education complex, $7.9 million for the Miller theater complex and two new halls at the Lillis business complex, a $6.6 million.

One of the more unusual projects will be the new center for the Oregon nanoscience and micro technologies Institute: plans call for the new building to be completely underground.

This is all great and everything except they're overlooking one little minor thing... PARKING

Kulongoski : increased penalty for drug crimes involving children

Prescription law will be implemented by July, likely sooner
The Statesman Journal


PORTLAND -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski on Tuesday signed legislation that will make Oregon the first state to require prescriptions for cold and allergy medications that can be converted into methamphetamine.
The requirement applies to any medication containing pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient in the highly addictive street drug.
"This is a tremendous start, but we must recognize that it is just that, a start," the governor said. "We have a long way to go." I am starting to get very worried!
Kulongoski said that he was aware of inconveniences that might arise from having to get prescriptions for commonly purchased remedies but said pharmaceutical companies already are producing replacement remedies that don't contain pseudoephedrine. he was aware of INCONVENIENCES that MIGHT arise from having to get prescriptions for a commonly purchased remedy?

The governor also signed a bill increasing the penalty for drug crimes involving children and bills for funding drug courts, related corrections expenses and other costs.

Isn’t this a coincidence!
Remember, if you go by Theraflu or some other PRESCRIPTION medication and SHARE it with anybody else, then you are in violation of federal laws.

To spell it out: your child is sick, there is Theraflu in the medicine cabinet. You would normally give your child Theraflu to bring the fever down. You're now breaking the law unless that Theraflu has been prescribed to your child.

Of course, federal laws do not mean anything anymore if you compare them to illegal immigration.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Judge Rules: If Feds Won't Enforce Immigration Laws, Locals Must Not

The National Conservative Weekly
Department of Homeland security refusing to enforce immigration laws?

In a case well publicized by the national media, Chief Garrett Chamberlain, a police officer in the town of New Ipswich, N.H., encountered Mexican citizen Jorge Mora Ramirez broken down on the side of the road. Ramirez, though unable to speak much English, admitted that he was in the country illegally, was in possession of forged Massachusetts identification bearing a fictitious Social Security number, and was illegally employed in a construction project in a nearby town.

In a move that the media is still grasping to understand, Chamberlain then call the immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland security (formerly known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service for INS) with the idea that they might want to, say, APPREHEND AND DEPORT the unknown foreign nationals in possession of FORGED GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS and investigate the matter as a violation of so-called "law"

Immigration and Customs Enforcement quickly inform Chamberlain, however, that they were NOT much interested in enforcing immigration and customs laws. and we wonder why they are scared to cross the border, oh wait... they are not!
They inform Chamberlain that he should release Ramirez before TRAGEDY occurred. TRAGEDY??? For what?
Investigating the admitted client of an international human smuggling and documented forgery, that work is not really the sort of thing that the Department of Homeland security can afford to waste resources on, it seems.

So Chamberlain gave up on the corrupt federal immigration system and charged Ramirez for being in New Ipswich illegally--under New Hampshire’s trespass law, which states, ''A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place."

Chamberlain explained, "my position was: if Mr. Ramirez is in the country illegally, he was obviously in New Ipswich illegally.”

Immigrations and customs enforcement was outraged. Paula Grenier, an ICE spokeswoman, commented, “For a police chief to [enforce the law] grandstand about illegal immigration, and [give] the perception that the federal government is doing nothing, is wrong.” Of course it is. ICE told the chief to let the illegal aliens go, and that is doing something, isn’t it?

So kiddies, remember this the next time you go to the Oregon DMV, spend two dollars extra for your drivers license, have your picture scanned for facial recognition and DNA testing (bio-metrics)
Have to take your shoes off while you are in line to get on an airplane
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WONDERING, WHY THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!

Kulongoski's office says that new laws will be the toughest in the nation

Tough anti-meth law ready for governor
KATU
Salem,Ore. - On Tuesday, Governor Kulongoski plans to sign a new law to regulate the sale of pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in the production of methamphetamine.

The new law will require Oregonians to have a prescription from a doctor in order to purchase medicines that contain pseudoephedrine, like Claritin-D.

Ceremonial bill signings will be held Tuesday morning in Portland, and in the afternoon in Eugene.
although the article does not say that the public is invited, I think it would be a good idea if the public showed up and told the governor what we "really" think about this new bill.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Reelect Ted Kulongoski?

the Oregonian (editorial)
This time, with passion
If Kulongoski seeks reelection -- and he should -- it must not be a rerun of his uninspired 2002 campaign

You mean the one where he promised everything to get elected? Ted Kulongoski was reminded the other day that he has a history of brief stays in elected offices -- legislator, attorney general, Supreme Court justice -- before moving on.
Will he be a one-term governor, too?
Kulongoski noted he has always gone on to seek higher offices. "There is no better job than this one," he said about the governorship. who would not want a job where you did not have to answer to anybody?
He has consistently maintained that he has not made up his mind about seeking a second term. He says he will announce his decision after he and his wife take a vacation in September.
But in a conversation with The Oregonian's editorial board the morning after the Legislature closed its session, Kulongoski spoke like a governor with unfinished business and a strong desire for a second term.
"You need to have a passion," he said, "and I do. It's education."
Kulongoski's main problem is that three years into his governorship he still finds it necessary to reveal his political passions. Kulongoski's first term has been an extension of his desultory campaign three years ago, when he played political rope-a-dope with Republican Kevin Mannix, letting Mannix punch away until he'd nearly wiped out Kulongoski's double-digit lead.
The governor has had his moments:
He's worked hard to rebuild the Oregon economy, one business and one shovel-ready industrial site at a time. ... to boot them right out of the state
He's won significant investments in higher education, including a major expansion in opportunity grants. forcing Oregonians to continually shell out money they do not have, for a return that they do not get
The Oregon economy was flat on its back when Kulongoski took office, and the public pension system was out of control. and now it is not breathing
Polls show that Oregonians are generally unenthused about his re-election. A June survey by Riley Research Associates found that 33 percent of respondents said they would be likely to vote for Kulongoski's re-election. Forty-two percent said they would be likely to support someone else.

42% said they would likely support someone else, no kidding.
Let us not forget what one term Ted has really done for Oregon, and that was really messed it up.

He has not been responded to Oregonians, in fact, he is that more to harm Oregon that he has helped.

Lars has repeatedly asked him to come on the show and said that he would be fair. If Ted tax-and-gouge-me really cared and wanted to defend his policies and position, he would take advantage of the opportunity.
Oregon needs a governor who is really a "true" Oregonian and is for Oregonians. Oregon used to lead the way in good things, like the bottle bill poor example. In addition, Oregon needs somebody who is responsive to Oregonian.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

For Mexico, the shoe is now the other foot

Tucson Citizen
Mexico struggling to stop wave of immigrants

after decades as the main source of illegal immigrants in the United States, Mexico is struggling to stop a rising tide of illegal migration on its own soil, adding immigration agents and expelling record numbers of foreigners. welcome to the club
the wave of migrants from Central America, Ecuador, Brazil and other countries threatened to drive of Mexico's border patrol costs by 30% this year as authorities repatriate an unprecedented 215,000 people ahead of the country's national migration Institute has warned Mexico's Congress. I don't know what they're complaining about, with everybody from Mexico coming over here there is deftly room over there
some of that wave is beginning to reach the US border. In the border patrols Tucson sector, the number of Central Americans crossing the border is up 86% a year ago, with 7958 people detained since October 1, the start of the federal fiscal year.
The numbers show Mexican authorities are bearing the blunt of migrants who otherwise would be trying to cross into Arizona and other states, experts say.
The phenomenon has put Mexico in a particular position. On one hand, it is the United States biggest single source of illegal immigrants. On the other hand, it has the strongest economy in Latin America and increasingly becoming a destination for its poorer neighbors. Hummm, the same reason why Hispanics are coming to the United States
meanwhile, the Bush administration is pressuring Mexico to beef up its border security to help keep terrorists out of North America. do as I say, not as I do and Mexicans themselves are becoming increasingly concerned about their porous of the border because of the rise of the Nara Salvatrucha, Central American gangs that control migrant smuggling routes. The grass is always greener on the other side


Forget about GPS, how about RF ID in your car?

Newsmax
Chips could track car plates

a controversial plan to embed radiofrequency identification chips in license plates in the United Kingdom also may be coming to the United States, experts told UPI's wireless world.
The so-called E- plate, developed by the British firm Hill's Numberplates, is a license plate that also transmit a vehicle's unique identification whose output can be used locally are communicated with the distant host.
The reason for concern in the legal and privacy rights communities is that e- plates may expand the ability of police to track individuals by the movement of their vehicles.
RF ID reader can identify dozens of vehicles fitted with the plates moving at any speed at a distance of about 100 yards.

The cost of roadside readers is significant although the price per chip is estimated to be about $.20.
Some experts said governments already are using the chips embedded in tollway access cards without heed to privacy rights in Texas, for example, tollway authorities have been "making printouts of the records of every time you pass through a toll booth, what time you pass through,"


For those that do not know, RF ID is commonly used in grocery stores and is one of the many products that will send an alert if they are not deactivated when you try to leave the store. Other RF ID products admit a small frequency with a unique identifier number.

Friday, August 12, 2005

more on the protest about illegal aliens last Saturday

KVAL
Springfield -

Saturday the Catholic Church of Saint Alice was the sight of a mobile consulate, where the Mexican Consulate offices based out of Portland hold a distribution of identifications to Mexican Citizens living here locally.

Mexican Consul, Fernando Sanchez and eight staff members from his Portland offices had more than 250 appointments for Matricula Consular identifications.

Sulem Miralrao has been living in Lane County 10 of her 16 years, she says her parents brought her here because they wanted a better life for her.

Even though she didn't make the choice to come here, like many of the immigrants we talked to, she primarily wants the identification so she can get a job.

But to get inside the church, she and the other immigrants had to pass about 50 protestors.

Roseburg Resident Ruby Finney says, "Our country is being taken away from us we have been invaded."

Rick Hickey with Oregonians for Immigration Reform says, "four years after 911 people can still come here with any documentation forged or other wise and get a drivers license."

Michael Sorondo with Centro Latino Americano says, "They're out there and they are implying that we're terrorists and that just because we have brown skin we're terrorists." no! it is because you are breaking the law and are here illegally!
But Hickey with Oregonians for Immigration Reform says illegal immigrants are cutting in line ahead of those who want to be here legally.

Meanwhile, the Consular said he had no idea what the immigration status of the attendees were.DUH! if they were here legally, than they do not need identification, they would not be at this event

The Mexican Consular offices out of Portland hold about 16 mobile events across the state each year.


I wanted to address Michael Sorondo's comment "they're out here in they are implying that were terrorists and just because we have brown skin were terrorist."

I really do feel for her and understand how she could feel that way.
What I would hope that she would understand is the effect that illegals are starting to have on this country.
We are watching services being offered to illegals that citizens are not being offered.
We are being denied jobs because we do not speak Spanish in our own country.
It is costing resources for health care and emergency services.
And most importantly, illegal immigrants are breaking federal law and cheapening the efforts of immigrants who have come here "legally".
I would think that Michael Sorondo would understand this point and encourage people to do the right thing.
But it does bring up a good question, what do we do with children whose parents brought them over here illegally. The children did not have a say in this and therefore become the victims. The parents actually did their children a disservice that the children must pay for. So do we send them back to their country or do we find a way to welcome them?

A good start would be, learn our language, not us learn yours

Potter, police serve notice to thugs

Portland officers will try to "restore" since of safety
the Oregonian


A shot rang out in downtown Portland late Thursday night, just hours after Portland Mayor Tom Potter and police Chief Derrick Foxworth on Thursday pledged to blanket the city's entertainment core with police officers for the next two weekends to ease fear after five downtown shootings.
Police said no one was injured in Thursday's shooting near Southwest Third Avenue and Alder Street. Police set up a perimeter around the area and were searching for a suspect.
The incident was the latest in a string of shootings in recent months that has raised concerns about safety in the downtown area.
Under a plan dubbed Operation Safe Streets, at least two dozen Portland officers will patrol the entertainment district on foot, bike and horseback Friday and Saturday nights, through the early morning.
Traffic safety officers will crack down on drunken drivers. Gang enforcement, TriMet and parole officers, as well as liquor control investigators, will be out to spot any trouble.
All will work to ensure clubgoers and other visitors to the city's downtown can enjoy themselves, the chief and mayor said.
"Acts of violence that have marred our city these past few months will stop," Potter declared, standing outside the Justice Center in front of one of two Portland Police Bureau mobile precincts that will be placed downtown on weekends.
One precinct will be parked along Waterfront Park, where The Bite of Oregon is being held this weekend. A second will be at Southwest Washington Street and Third Avenue, not far from the parking lot where a 29-year-old Seattle man died from a single gunshot wound about 1:15 a.m. Monday.

A couple months ago, I went to Portland for a weekend visit and accidentally wound up on Hawthorne Street.

Living in Eugene/Springfield area, I am not used to seeing streets lined with hundreds of people lying on the streets.
Moreover, this was during the daytime, there is no way that I would want to be there after dark.

And now because crime is starting to move out of the Hawthorne District into the entertainment district (and effecting incoming money) now, Potter and the police now want to do something about it.

It is just like years ago in the Eugene/Springfield area when gang activity here was just beginning, local police were not really concerned about it.

Electronic Parking Meters

Willamette week online online


When solar-powered parking pay stations popped up on Portland sidewalks three summers ago, residents examined them with a wary curiosity befitting alien artifacts.
A handful of Portlanders wrote annoyed letters to The Oregonian, but most seemed to accept the machines' benevolence. Now, jump forward to 2005 and New Orleans, where similar circumstances have generated a scene worthy of War of the Worlds.
The lawsuit goes beyond an ugliness argument to contend the new, electronic meters are illegal because city code requires parking meters to be "mechanical" (Portland code has no such stipulation).
Smith and company want refunds on all parking tickets from the new setup. And one plaintiff is demanding that the city pay him $250,000 because a meter blocks his driveway.
Neighborhood groups are crusading against the meters and the lawsuit has created a quagmire. "It's a big 'ol mess," drawls Kenneth Waguespack, an a
It was a different story in Portland, where there were no quarter-million-dollar lawsuits, no concerted opposition and no incensed citizens' groups (other than one creative vandal commenting on the stations' phallic character by altering a handful of them to look like giant, erect penises). Attorney for the plaintiff.


Here the Eugene Springfield area it is a little different. These electronic "nuisances" first showed up at the University of Oregon and has already caused some controversy.

One major comparison is that they rip people off. For example,
With the old meter, you could add more time to your parking by simply adding some more money to the meter. E.g. if you have 30 minutes left in the meter, and you buy another hour, you have 1 hour 30 minutes left

With the new system, when you buy more time, you lose time. E.g. if you have 30 minutes left on the meter and you buy another hour, you only have a total of one hour left.

In addition, these meters have been known to fail. The city's response to that, "just go down the street to another meter" that would be fine, but this is Oregon, it rains a lot here and unless you know the area to know where "exactly" another meter is...

Personally, I still like the old meters.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

There saying that "S" word again!

The Registerguard

...revenue sources include a sales tax,...


Proposals on table for public safety

A four-point plan to put Lane County's public safety programs back on their feet will cost about $34 million annually, according to a preliminary budget estimate that will be discussed tonight by the county's Public Safety Task Force.

Public safety agency heads and elected city and county officials also will begin tonight to devise a way to finance their plan, with the goal of putting a proposal on the November 2006 ballot. Possible revenue sources include a sales tax, personal or corporate income taxes, a restaurant tax, amusement and entertainment taxes or the property tax.

The task force plan aims to attack methamphetamine use and property crimes; I thought the governor was doing that by making cold and flu medications a prescription only item to expand drug, alcohol and mental health treatment; to reduce family violence; and to prevent future crime.

Other major features of the plan include hiring 23 sheriff's deputies for rural patrols and resident-deputy programs in rural areas; adding four sheriff's detectives to investigate property crimes; adding 13 employees to the district attorney's office for increased drug and identity theft prosecution; covering the $2 million cost for operating a 100-bed jail in Springfield; and adding two dozen parole and probation officers to focus on drug crimes, domestic violence and sex offender supervision.

methamphetamine has become the popular issue right now, and of course they are drooling because it is an excuse to ask for more money.

and how many times have we told them that we do not want a sales tax? I have lost count. I think anybody that even "thinks" the word sales-tax should be fired.