“…ability of millions of unidentified persons to illegally enter and remain in the United States presents a grave risk to the sovereignty"

Washington Times--

State Republican officials from across the country on Thursday will formally break with the desire of President Bush and other top Republican leaders to include amnesty and other benefits for illegal aliens in immigration-reform legislation.

So far, 47 members of the 168-member Republican National Committee have signed a resolution that unequivocally opposes the Bush-backed policy that would grant legal residency to millions of illegal aliens.

The resolution, fashioned by Arizona Republican Chairman Randy Pullen, asserts that the "ability of millions of unidentified persons to illegally enter and remain in the United States presents a grave risk to the sovereignty" of the nation and the American people.

"Congress has already authorized the construction of 854 miles of border fencing and appropriated $1 billion to construct it, and it is reliably reported that less than 20 miles of such fencing have been completed," the resolution says.

Do you think that electronic message boards on Eugene's highways are necessary?

RegisterGuard--

By next fall, ODOT will soon be installing three new traffic cameras, one on eastbound Beltline Road near River Road, I-5 southbound near 30th Ave., and another on I-5 North bound just before Highway 58 near Goshen with electric message boards which is intended to provide drivers with adequate warnings of any incidents on the roads ahead.

in many respects, I like the idea of the highway camera's , and sometimes use them myself when the weather gets bad. However, what comes to mind is the expense and usefulness of the electronic message boards. Although it would be nice to know that there is an instant up ahead, I could only see an advantage to it if there is an alternative route available.

Back on Monday...

after being really busy helping my friend move and with limited time in the day, The blog will resume as normal starting Monday

Lawsuit filed on recently enacted $.03 a gallon gas tax

KEZI--

Opponents of the recently enacted gas tax filed a lawsuit Tuesday morning at the Lane County Courthouse disputing how many valid signatures are needed to get the increase on the ballot.

In the petition, the number of signatures required for a referendum petition is 10% of the number of the votes cast for all candidates for mayor in the last election, emphasizing the word "candidates".

" There were no contribution and expenditure reports from anybody besides Kitty Piercy and that is required of all candidates so there were only 53,000 plus votes for candidates," said Lobbyist Paul Romain. "

Petitioners claim that if the write-ins are taken out of the equation that they would have enough valid signatures to give voters a chance to vote on the increase.
A hearing will be held this Friday at the Lane County Courthouse.

"... act of the youth being contrary to the statues in such cases made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State of Oregon

the Oregonian --

The charges, "sexual abuse in the first degree" a class B felony.
The alleged crime, "unlawfully and knowingly, by means of forcible compulsion, subject [name withheld] to sexual conduct by touching a sexual or intimate part of [name withheld].
The accused, two 13-year-old boys who are being charged a felony sex abuse and harassment which is later changed to 10 misdemeanor charges, five sex abuse counts, five harassment counts {felony complaint}--for swatting female classmates on the buttocks while running back to class after lunch earlier this year.

According to The News Register{link}--, the bottom slapping was based on "party boy dancing" popularized by the movie, "jackass."

One girl, who was identified as a victim within the police report{link}-- told investigators that it was "no big deal... is like a handshake we do."

The boys face the prospect of 10 years in juvenile detention and a lifetime of sex offender registry.

Representative Tom Tancredo introduces (OVERDUE) immigration reform bill

Tancredo--

Washington, DC -- Congressman Tom Tancredo unveiled his "Optimizing Visa Entry Rules and Demanding Uniform Enforcement" (OVERDUE) immigration bill which will undoubtedly be unpopular among political elites, big business and big labor.

" “Congress must take on the tough issues and follow through on what we’ve been sent out here to do and serve in the best interest of the people we represent,” said Tancredo. “For too long the special interests and political heavy weights have tried to sell us on the need for an Amnesty and justify their refusal to enforce the law, but the American people fought back and said no thanks.” "

A few of the bill's provisions includes...

#Restoring America's immigration system to more traditional numbers.

#Eliminates "chain migration" the accordance with recommendations of the Jordan commission.

#Ensures the automatic birthright citizenship to children born in the US only if at least one parent is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident.

#Prohibits states from granting in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens on a basis of graduation from US high schools unless they offer the same rates to all US citizens.

#Affirms the inherent authority of state and local law enforcement officers to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.

What do you think of the Harlow Road roundabout?

KMTR--

Roundabouts are commonplace overseas, however, they are new to the people of Eugene/Springfield area and they are starting to show up at more and more intersections.

The question comes to play is that are they better than stoplights?

The roundabout in Springfield at Harlow Road and Pioneer Parkway has been in service for nine months, and according to the Lane County Sheriff's office, there haven't been any injury accidents yet at this location.

Some drivers (including myself) think that these intersections are dangerous in design, however, the Springfield public works department who have been monitoring traffic with a surveillance camera disagrees.

" we found occasionally errors and mistakes being made," observes traffic engineer Brian Barnett, "and over time, those mistakes have diminished and gone away almost completely. "

that could be as people like me go out of their way to AVOID this intersection as much as possible!
The Oregon Department of Transportation will release in January will release statistics for accidents at this location.
personally, I do not understand the logic of the such as the one at Harlow Road. First of all, the ones that they use overseas are huge. Secondly, cramming four lanes of traffic into one little intersection, especially during rush hour, is supposed to be more EFFICIENT than a well-timed stoplight? I don't think so.

Online radio stations face potential closers due to increased royalty fees

BBC News--

On Wednesday, an appeal court declined to grant a petition by net radio stations to delay the introduction of new royalty fees which could increase payments to smaller stations by 1200% while larger stations go to up to 300% more.

The new fees will a flat fee increasing from .08 to .19 PER-SONG, PER-USERS in addition to a $500 fee for every channel owned by a station.

An Internet radio station with an average of 1000 users, would have to pay royalty fees of
.19 per track
x 10 tracks per hour
x 1000 listeners
= $1900 per hour

Previously, stations paid an annual fee plus 12% of their profits.

Additionally, the fees to be collected will retrospect for 2006.

" Jake Ward, a spokesperson for SAveNetRadio coalition, said: we are disappointed that the court failed to acknowledge the irreparable and quite frankly, devastating effect these new royalties will have on the Internet radio industry. "

The coalition is urging supporters of his campaign to lobby congressmen to back the new bill, the Internet radio equality act, which would bring net fees in line with satellite radio station.

Additional information{Recording industry Association of America [RIAA]}--

They are wanting us to have our cars checked every year by the EPA, however, they won't stop field burning?

KVAL--

Residents of Lane County suffer through it every year -- field burning.

" "This is a threat to public health," State Representative Paul Holvey tells us. "And the legislature should have stepped in and done something about it, based on the science and the information we have about the health impacts." "

House Bill 3000, which would have banned the practice in the Willamette Valley pass through the health committee, only to "go up in smoke" in the agricultural committee.
The first burn this season on Tuesday, sent thick smoke from Harrisburg field down to West Eugene.

" "That's why field burning doesn't work in the Willamette Valley," explains Lane County Commissioner Bill Dwyer, "because nobody can control the elements that are associated. Whether it's a guess, or a gamble at best, we shouldn't gamble with the health of our citizens." "

sure, that makes sense, air quality is so bad in the area that residents in Eugene/Springfield area may soon have their cars inspected every year. We are being forced to change our gasoline by adding ethanol to reduce greenhouse emissions, and yet, especially in the Willamette Valley otherwise known as “hay fever valley” in a state where you cannot even get medications anymore for hay fever, it is okay to gas us out with field burning.

A new law that went into effect would make passing like this illegal

Registerguard--

Oregon Sen. Floyd Prozanski, just six days before the end of the legislative session, pushed for a bill that would create a new "vehicular homicide" law that would make it easier for negligent drivers who cause the death of another person to face criminal charges and jail time.

Senate Bill 1058 was just one of four introduced in the final two weeks of the legislative session intended to protect bicyclists on the roads.

"He was doing everything by law, doing everything he was supposed to do, and she just killed the guy and walked away with a fine," Prozanski said of the Aloha resident who hit O'Donnell who was killed last month riding his bicycle outside of Portland. "

Of the four bills, Senate Bill 108 crates the offense of "unsafe passing of a person operating a bicycle" which requires a motorist on a country road to allow enough space that a cyclist could fall onto the road and still be passed safely.

Senate Bill 789, which has already been signed into law by Governor "Ted tax and gouge me", the creates special license plates that read "share the road."

Senate Bill 3314 would impose harsher penalties for drivers who injure other "vulnerable users" of the roads, which include pedestrians, cyclists and skaters.
(Photo by Brian Davies -- Registerguard)
this is all good and well, however, I would also like to see stiffer penalties for bicyclists who break the law.

For example, the other night as I was heading over to a friends house... I was at a stop sign, looked both ways of course... and as soon as I started to proceed... suddenly out from the shadows come these two bike riders riding at a pretty good clip with no lights, dark clothing, riding in the middle-of-the-road way, and I came very close to hitting them. I slammed on the brakes to avoid them, and of course they're yelling at me because I did not see them.
Maybe we should pass a law that requires ALL bicycles to come equipped with lights.

speaking of illegal... in the picture above, I don't think you're supposed to be riding two a breast, and riding on the white line of the bike lane.

Question: should Congress and the White House keep secrets from each other?

Examiner.com--

Presidential executive power is an issue that Congress and President Bush will be battling over when Congress returns from vacation.

Monday was the deadline for the White House to explain why President Bush is refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena for e-mails and other documents involving the firing of eight federal prosecutors last winter.

Bush said in a previous interview regarding subpoenas for White House staff to testify, that Karl Rove and former counsel Harriet Myers would be available for interviews, however, will not testimony under oath.

" "We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants," "{MSNBC March 20, 2007}--

Bush declared executive privilege on the documents subpoenaed by congressional committee's arguing that they would damage the confidential nature of advice given the president.

" "There comes a point where the White House has to say, 'Hey, look there are certain confidential things in the White House that we're not going to share with Congress, just like there are certain confidential things in Congress that we're not going to share with the White House,'" Hatch, R-Utah, said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "

Not complying with the subpoenas could result in contempt of Congress.

The Empire Has a Challenger --

KMTR--

For years, Microsoft's Bill Gates has been the richest man in the world, until today when Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim beat him by $8.6 billion.

Carlos Slim's fortune stands at 59.2 billion compared to Bill Gates $57.8 billion.

Slim's wealth increased by 27% due to a surge in price share of his largest company, America Movil that became Latin America's biggest mobile phone network.
Poor Uncle Bill.. He just had to extend the warranty on his Xbox by one year due to numerous mechanical failures... his new operating system Vista is not catching on as fast as he wished that it would... and now for the first time in years, he's no longer the wealthiest man in the world.

Kulongoski signs bill to require gasoline sold in the state to be mixed with 10% ethanol

Statesman Journal--

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed a measure that would require gasoline sold in the state to be mixed with 10% ethanol after in-state production of ethanol reaches 40,000,000 gallons per year.
A similar target for biodiesel crops will trigger mandatory 2% blend in all diesel fuels sold in Oregon.

" "These bills will not only create financial opportunities for Oregon's agricultural sectors, but it will help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while creating thousands of jobs in rural Oregon," said Kulongoski. "It will move Oregon significantly down the road to a renewable energy future, creating hundreds of millions -- if not billions -- of dollars of investment." "

Critics of biofuels are concerned about the amount of energy they take to grow and that they may be driving up the price of food such as corn.

" "Today is about signing legislation that creates a lasting environmental legacy for future generations," said Kulongoski. "

what worries me about this size the higher price per gallon at the pump, is what happened in Medford and Portland when during the summer they switched to a gasoline additive which in turn clogged the fuel pumps of the vehicles.
The reason is that Ethanol bonds to water and the mixture falls to the bottom of the tank as a separate layer of sludge.{link}--

Older carbureted vehicles in particular may have problems with the ethanol blend.

Another concern is the effect on fuel lines and rubber hoses breaking down.

A good idea? We'll see.

Have a Happy Independence Day

celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.

(It's more the just a Holiday!)

are you ready for the 2008 Olympic trials? Is Eugene ready?

KEZI--

Robin's Commentary

In case you have not heard, there is a huge event coming to Eugene next year.

The 2008 Olympic trials for track and field is just 362 days away.

Businesses and hotels are remodeling and gearing up for the big event. Some hotels have already booked full.

There is even a towering countdown clock at 5th street market, which will count down how many days until the trials get on the way.

Although as far as a quick boost the local economy, the question is... is Eugene really ready?

Were constantly hearing that we don't have the funds for "public safety" to protect the public as it is, how are they going to handle an influx of an estimated 18,000 people per day?

Additionally, being the fact that we are constantly ADVERTISING what charges the DA will not prosecute due to budget cuts and jail space... I can see this area ripe for illegal activity.

How about our infrastructure and roads?

I can definitely see this thing bring the city to a halt.

And lastly... with such a profound effect on the lives of the people in Eugene/Springfield, unless I missed it, did we even have any input on the matter?

I for one, have no interest in going to the events... will you?