Caution-slow blogging ahead

it is the first day of winter term as I get ready to return to one of the WORST investments I've ever made in my life -- taking a computer degree at Lane Community College.

but what can you do, I spent a lot of money and I'm almost done with the program, so might as well finish it.

United States faces severe worker shortage in the future

USA Today

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States faces a severe worker shortage in the near future, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday in advocating better education for Americans and changes in immigration law to allow in more foreign workers.
Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue, at a news conference outlining business prospects in 2006, said the country is ill-prepared to deal with the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers.
"We have yet to secure an adequate supply of working taxpayers to run a growing economy and support an explosion of retirees," he said in his organization's report on the state of U.S. business

I think that is BUNK!
I'm going to be 50 years old soon and so far I have already spent $20,000 my own money in loans to further my education in hopes of getting in "entry-level" job. And as far as retirement... as expensive as things are today, I do not ever see that as an option.
Donahue wanting to pass immigration laws to include guest worker program simply dilutes the workforce by "securing access to cheap labor".
Part of the reason why labor is so expensive is the additional fees, taxes, employer matching fees, Social Security and Worker's Comp.
A rough estimate an employee whose wage is $7.50 an hour, would NET approximately five dollars an hour [depending on deductions] and costs the employer over $10 an hour.
So, if you want cheaper labor... reduce the overhead to employers and allow them to hire more people, which would put more money into the economy and the tax base.

Finally -- in my opinion this type of thinking that the US cannot do anything without "cheap labor" makes us look like a bunch of helpless wimps unable to take care of ourselves. Actually if you stop and think about it, it was the same mentality that we had about slavery.

The other argument regarding immigration is "the lack of qualified educated workers in the United States." Based on my experience in my training for my associates degree, I'll have to agree that the educational system sucks.

50% of my classes have nothing to do with the major itself. They are required classes such as PE, human relations at work, etc., that are supposed to make me a "more rounded individual".

Therefore, I can see why students are graduating with very poor or little knowledge in their major but they are at least better rounded individuals.

Stamp Price Rises to 39c Sunday

It'll cost more to send mail starting Sunday. The first rate increase since 2002 will boost the cost of sending a first-class letter by 2 cents, to 39 cents.

Springfield High School “Islamic Project".

KMTR

Students at Springfield High School are now learning about Islamic culture in nearly every class.
Students in this drama class are painting a stage backdrop of the Iranian mosque of Isfahan for their upcoming performance of Shakespeare’s “Othello.” It is part of the Springfield High School “Islamic Project".
Motivated by the Iraq war, the lessons on Islam began this quarter. Drama director Jonathan Siegle came up with the idea. Now, he says Islam is being taught in a variety of classes: "For example a math teacher might include elements about the fact that Arab mathematicians invented Algebra, they invented the zero. Islamic art, culture, music, history—these are elements that are very important and can be included into the normal curriculum."

HR 4038 -- penalizes employers for hiring illegal immigrants

HR 4038 -- penalizes employers for hiring illegal immigrants
GovTrack.us
... violations shall not be less than $50,000 for each occurrence...


HR 4038 Introduced on October 7, 2005 (By Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D-TX] to amend the immigration and nationality act to improve enforcement of restrictions on employment in the United States of unauthorized aliens.

The act which may be cited as the "unlawful employers accountability act of 2005" shows that Congress finds the following:

1. Current efforts to stem the tide of illegal immigrants crossing into United States have fallen short of need.
2. The number of illegal immigrants currently in the United States is approximating 11 million.
3. Cities, counties, and states are forced to absorb the cost of illegal immigration without compensation from the federal government or employers.
4. United States companies continue to recruit and hire illegal immigrants and thereby aid in the erosion of the border security of the United States.
5. The hiring of illegal immigrants has had a negative impact on the employment opportunities of legal immigrants and United States citizens.
6. Federal law expressly prohibits the hiring of illegal immigrants.
7. in 2004, only three United States companies were cited for hiring illegal immigrants.

straight from the horses mouth so to speak, Congress has found and apparently finally heard what the citizens have been complaining about for a long time but was disguised under the "political correctness" of the liberals.

So, now that they recognize the problem, what are they going to do to give it some teeth?

HR 4038 IH
(4) Cease-and-desist order with civil money penalties for hiring, recruiting, and referral violations --
in respect to a violation by any person or other entity of subsection (a) (1) (A) or (a) (2), the Secretary of Homeland security shall require the person or entity to cease and desist from such violations and to pay a civil penalty in the amount specified in subparagraph (B).

(B) AMOUNT OF CIVIL PENALTY -- a penalty under this paragraph shall not be less than $50,000 for each occurrence of a violation described in subsection (a) (1) (A) or (a) (2) with respect to the alien referred to in such subsection, plus, in the event of the removal of such alien from the United States based on findings developed in connection with the assessment or collection of such penalty, the cost incurred by the federal government, cooperating State and local governments, and state and local law enforcement agencies, in connection with such removal.

One of the major arguments for illegal immigration is that the immigrants come here for better opportunities. Large corporations see illegal immigrants as a profit making opportunity, and politicians as a means of getting more votes. They are just as much to blame for the problem as the immigrants themselves for violating the law.

It doesn't stop there...

(b) DENIAL OF AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE FOR VIOLATORS -- in the case of a violation of subsection (a) (1) (A) or (a) (2) by and agricultural Association, agricultural employer, or farm labor contractor (as defined in section 3 of the immigrant and seasonal agricultural worker protection act (29 USC 1802), such association, employer, or contractor shall be ineligible for agricultural assistance described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 1211(a) of the food security act of 1985 (16 USC 3811(a)) for a period not to exceed five years.

I think that HR 4038 is definitely worth keeping on the radar

Schedule Senator Atkinson's campaign

Here are some places the remainder of this week where
you can see and/or hear Senator Atkinson on the issues
that are important to Oregonians:


Thursday, January 5, 2006
Noon - 1:00 pm
Radio Interview
Lars Larson Show
750 am in Portland and Statewide

Thursday, January 5, 2006
4:30 - 6:30 pm
Atkinson Campaign Reception
Multnomah Athletic Club
1849 SW Salmon
Portland
Free Parking
RSVP: 503-968-1878

Thursday, January 5, 2006
7:00 - 8:00 pm
Republican Informal Meetup
Mazatlan Restaurant
2050 SW Morrison St
Portland

Friday, January 6, 2006
6:30 - 7:30 pm
"Meet the Candidate" Coffee
Coos Bay Red Lion Inn
Restaurant
1313 N. Bayshore
Coos Bay
RSVP: 541-269-3900

Saturday, January 7, 2006
8:00 - 9:00 am
Radio Interview
Jeff Kropf Show
KXL 750 am in Portland

Eugene/Springfield no longer a quiet little community

It is very interesting when you live in a town most of your life to watch it grow from a small sleepy little town where neighbors helping neighbors to a "mind your own business" community normally shared by larger towns.

I was very disturbed as I read headlines like these in 2005...

Springfield Police Make Arrests In Last Week's Shooting

Junction City Man Arraigned On Murder Charges

Murder suspect claimed spirits hurt baby

Springfield Police Continue Shooting Investigation

Man killed in drive-by shooting

District attorney plans to ignore small crimes

public safety [sales]tax could raise $60 million in tax revenue

and the list goes on...

Happy new year

Going to work today... Do I take the RED Road or the BLUE one?

Robin's Commentary

Government mandated...
GPS systems in your car...
Increased Interest Rates...
Mandatory Increased Minimum Credit Card Payments...
Changes in Bankruptcy Laws

For the people, by the people, out of touch with people!
It seems like every time that you turn on the news; our government is trying to find new ways to get more money out of us.

I have reported several times on this blog about GPS per mile tax systems being installed in vehicles which will charge you PER MILE and vary the amount per mile depending on where and what time that you travel with the fees to be collected at the gas pump.

Well knowing that Oregon [which used to be a leader] cannot come up with an original idea [Kulongoski's methamphetamine plan as an example] probably got the idea of GPS tracking from the governments VEHICLE POSITIONING SYSTEMS (VPS)/pricing technology or otherwise known as "value pricing". Federal Highway administration

Project number VPPP-2002(029)
The project will utilize a statistically significant sample of motorists who will be levied charges for access to selected roadway facilities at particular time periods in the day. The demonstration will involve “before pricing” and “after pricing” data collection and will hold participants financially harmless by providing them with individualized travel budgets. This project will test the application of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to locate participating vehicles within time and space in order to develop the facility use data required to administer a system-wide variable facility pricing program.

... imbedded highway loops collect performance data on limited sections of the state highway system. This data can be used to aid in the price setting process. Calculations may be made on a road-segment basis, and then used in a simplified price structure to facilitate communication of the fee system. For example, different road segments may simply be identified as “red road” or “blue road” type segments, with all “red road” segments being priced at X cents per vehicle mile.

thinking about bypassing the system... they're way ahead of you. Here is one of the bullets

Develop compliance features
It is important to the integrity of the study that the in-vehicle meter be operational at all times, and reasonably tamper proof. This can be achieved by building in connections to the vehicle ignition circuit so that failure to receive a moving GPS signal after some default period of vehicle operation indicates attempts to defeat the GPS antenna. In addition, the software can be programmed to detect impossible “leaps” between distant waypoints. Such features, coupled with embargoing of access to the travel budget for non-compliant participants should encourage compliance. Power management for the in-vehicle-units should also be addressed as a related element.

in addition, just like with red light cameras and photo radar, what is to prevent the systems from automatically mailing you a ticket every time you go over the speed limit?
This is something that we really have to take seriously and tell the government to stick to their old way of collecting highway taxes and that we will not have our vehicles tracked.
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Ready for higher credit card payments?

New minimum requirements are in effect ABC News January 3, 2006

Credit card issuers are starting to implement the January 2003 guidelines issued by the Federal Reserve requiring minimum credit card payments to increase from 2% to at least 4% each month.

the new rules are meant to get people to pay down their debt faster, but in the short-term many who get by paying just the minimum are concerned about how they'll pay more.

it just gives me a really warm and fuzzy feeling inside that the government who cannot manage its own debt is so concerned about mine and wanting to help me pay mine down by forcing me to make higher payments.

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Almost every day the news you hear where a major company has either closed or has or is planning to lay off thousands of people, about new or increases in taxes and fees, and the federal government [Alan Greenspan & President Bush] telling us that the economy is improving and getting stronger.
This reminds me of the children's story about the Emperor that wore no clothes.

Drive-by Shooting in Eugene

KMTR

Man killed in drive-by shooting

EUGENE, Ore. - The Lane County sheriff's office is investigating what they believe is a fatal drive-by shooting in the River Road area in Eugene.

Sheriffs deputies found the body of 32-year-old Paul Michael Schpankyn in the front yard of a home in the 1100 block of Horn Lane.

A witness told deputies shots were fired from the passenger side of a car heading westbound. I guess that our little town is growing up :-(

The CDC May Have To Step In regarding Illegal Immigration

"Certain diseases that we thought we had vanquished years ago are coming back, and other diseases that we've never seen or rarely seen in America, because they've always been the diseases of poverty and the third world, are coming in now," said Madeleine Pelner Cosman, author of a report in the spring issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons [link] from a June 9 article from WorldNetDaily.


(Expanding on a story from Daniel's political musings)
Cosman is particularly concerned with increases in multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis, chagas disease, dengue fever, polio, hepatitis A, B, and C, she told Lou Dobbs on CNN June 9th.

Cosman said 84 hospitals in California have been forced to close because of the high cost of treating illegal aliens with only 50 percent of all treatments reimbursed by government.

"We have a terrible, absolutely vicious, law called EMTALA: the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, which is really the culprit that requires every emergency room, and every physician of an emergency room, to treat illegal aliens for free," she said.

in a related article from WorldNetDaily

Leprosy, [caused by bacteria or germs called Mycobacterium leprae. It is an infection that affects the skin and the nerves of the hands and feet and can also cause problems in the eyes and nose] is a contagious skin disease in is now making its mark in the United States

Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., told the Business Journal of Phoenix. "For example, in 40 years, only 900 persons were afflicted by leprosy in the U.S.; in the past three years, more than 7,000 cases have been presented."
96 cases reported 2002, 763, 917 cases detected worldwide source = CDC
"While legal immigrants must undergo health screening prior to entering the U.S., illegal immigrants far more likely to be carrying contagious diseases are crawling under that safeguard and going undetected until they infect extraordinary numbers of American residents."