Little Thoughts...

The Downfall of Democracy

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:05:00 +0000

“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;

From spiritual faith to great courage;

From courage to liberty;

From liberty to abundance;

From abundance to complacency;

From complacency to apathy;

From apathy to dependence;

From dependency back into bondage.”

Rarely have democracies survived beyond 200 years. Why do democracies fail? Two of the major reasons are: 1) democracies generally progress through an initial period from bondage to spiritual faith escalating to the point where the citizens become totally dependent on the government to where they eventually revert back to bondage, and 2) once the democracy shows signs of prosperity, citizens vote themselves generous bounties from the public treasury. Does this not sound familiar? Is democracy only a temporary and marred refuge until social engineers miraculously discover the ultimate solution?

Democracy, or the form used in the United States and most advanced countries, representative democracy or a republic, seems to be the best method social engineers have concocted to date to afford people an opportunity to have a voice in their government. The world continues to be overrun with dictatorships, socialist governments, a few communist governments, and Islamic theocracies. We can argue the merits of democracy versus the alternatives, but at this point in history, most authorities on the subject recognize that democracy has proven to be the best solution ever tried on the planet. The United States is not the first successful democracy in the world. Over 2,500 years ago, the people of Athens, Greece created a true democratic form of government that lasted for nearly 200 years but was eventually destroyed not by the people but by a military overthrow by a powerful neighbor. On the negative side, they kept slaves in much the same manner as in the days of our fledgling democracy. The most intriguing aspect of the Athenian democracy was that the people voted directly on every issue that affected their lives. Politicians, or so-called representatives of the people, did not exist.

Although the origin of the “Downfall of Democracies” is often attributed to Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor who lived in the 1700s, the origin of the material below may be attributed to Alexander Tytler, or even Arnold Toynbee, or Lord Thomas Macaulay. Whoever can lay claim to the study of democracies that had existed until that time had remarkable conclusions. He had this to say about democracy in general, “A democracy is always temporary in nature: it simple cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship.”

Does this sound familiar? With almost one-third of all Americans feeding at the public trough, its only a matter of time before everyone receives some form of benefit and henceforth, the entire country will crash and burn with most likely a military dictatorship filling the void.

Does this not sound familiar! We’ve gone from being overtaxed slaves of King George of England, to a new republic that accepted any religious faith, to a wonderful new country with a brilliant constitution, to being the richest country in the world, to today over 50% of the voters are apathetic to politics, to where a major portion of Americans are literally demanding government benefits, to eventually losing all of our freedoms (just read some sections of the Patriot Act). Many people now believe that we are now at the “apathy to dependence” phase of the professor’s theory with over 30% of the nation’s population already having reached the “governmental dependency” phase.

Let us not forget that during the 2004 presidential election, the candidates collectively amassed a war chest of over $2 billion. We know that the individuals, carpetbaggers, organizations and corporations don’t make these donations out of the goodness in their hearts. That’s when we, the citizens, get to take it on the chin in the form of government contracts and special legislation/bills that are decreed to reward these people for their excessive contributions.

To ensure our survival, that’s the future for America – eliminate the politicians. Of course I’m advocating a radical concept but it’s time to think outside the box to save the country. With emerging technologies there is realistically no reason why within 10 to 20 years we cannot eliminate the obnoxious power of Congress and place the onus of responsibility back on the people where it belongs, by voting directly on every statewide or nationwide issue. Just watch what happens to taxes and the budget if the people are directly responsible for expenditures. Of course, the professional politicians will fight that prospect with lies and every dirty trick in the book but the American people can prevail.

The Shack

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:35:00 +0000

I just finished this book within 24 hours. I could NOT put it down! The story grabs at your heartstrings and takes you on a life-changing ride. I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered during their lifetime....which is all of us at some point!

The whole story revolves around the kidnapping of the main character's daughter, and how it impacts the people involved. We follow Mack, the main character, through every emotion imaginable and find ourselves standing tall along side him when he dares ask God why do we suffer.....

What I love about the story the most is how personable God is....

Please pick it up, you won't regret it!!

24 THINGS ABOUT TO BECOME EXTINCT IN AMERICA

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Yellow Pages

This year will be pivotal for the global Yellow Pages
industry. Much like newspapers, print Yellow Pages will continue to bleed dollars to their various digital counterparts, from Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs), to local search engines and combination search/listing services like Reach Local and Yodle Factors like an acceleration of the print 'fade rate' and the looming recession will contribute to the onslaught. One research firm predicts the falloff in usage of newspapers and print Yellow Pages could even reach 10% this year -- much higher than the 2%-3% fade rate seen in past years.

Classified Ads

The Internet has made so many things obsolete that
newspaper classified ads might sound like just another trivial item on a
long list. But this is one of those harbingers of the future that could
signal the end of civilization as we know it. The argument is that if
newspaper classifieds are replaced by free online listings at sites like
Craigslist.org and Google Base, then newspapers are not far behind them.

Movie Rental Stores

While Netflix is looking up at the moment, Blockbuster
keeps closing store locations by the hundreds. It still has about 6,000
left across the world, but those keep dwindling and the stock is down
considerably in 2008, especially since the company gave up a quest of
Circuit City . Movie Gallery, which owned the Hollywood Video brand, closed up shop earlier this year. Countless small video chains and mom-and-pop stores have given up the ghost already.

Dial-up Internet Access

Dial-up connections have fallen from 40% in 2001 to 10% in
2008. The combination of an infrastructure to accommodate affordable high speed Internet connections and the disappearing home phone have all but pounded the final nail in the coffin of dial-up Internet access.

Phone Landlines

According to a survey from the National Center for Health
Statistics, at the end of 2007, nearly one in six homes was cell-only and,
of those homes that had landlines, one in eight only received calls on
their cells.

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs

Maryland 's icon, the blue crab, has been fading away in
Chesapeake Bay . Last year Maryland saw the lowest harvest (22 million pounds) since 1945. Just four decades ago the bay produced 96 million pounds. The population is down 70% since 1990, when they first did a formal count. There are only about 120 million crabs in the bay and they think they need 200 million for a sustainable population. Overfishing, pollution, invasive species and so-called "climate change" get the blame.

VCRs

For the better part of three decades, the VCR was a
best-seller and staple in every American household until being completely decimated by the DVD, and now the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). In fact, the only remnants of the VHS age at your local Wal-Mart or Radio Shack are blank VHS tapes these days. Pre-recorded VHS tapes are largely gone and VHS decks are practically nowhere to be found. They served us so well.

Ash Trees

In the late 1990s, a pretty, irridescent green species of
beetle, now known as the emerald ash borer, hitched a ride to North
America with ash wood products imported from eastern Asia. In less than a decade, its larvae have killed millions of trees in the midwest, and continue to spread. They've killed more than 30 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Ohio and Indiana . More than 7.5 billion ash trees are currently at risk.

Ham Radio

Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide)
wireless communications with each other and are able to support their
communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. However, proliferation of the Internet and its popularity among youth has caused the decline of amateur radio. In the past five years alone, the number of people holding active ham radio licenses in the USA has dropped by 50,000, even though Morse Code is no longer a requirement.

The Swimming Hole

Thanks to our litigious society, swimming holes are becoming
a thing of the past. '20/20' reports that swimming hole owners, like
Robert Every in High Falls, N.Y., are shutting them down out of worry that if someone gets hurt they'll sue. And that's exactly what happened in Seattle . The city of Bellingham was sued by Katie Hofstetter who was paralyzed in a fall at a popular swimming hole Whatcom Falls Park. As injuries occur and lawsuits follow, expect more swimming holes to post 'Keep out!' signs.

Answering Machines

The increasing disappearance of answering machines is
directly tied to No 20 our list -- the decline of landlines. According to
USA Today, the number of homes that only use cell phones jumped 159% between 2004 and 2007. It has been particularly bad in New York; since 2000, landline usage has dropped 55%. It's logical that as cell phones rise, many of them replacing traditional landlines, that there will be fewer answering machines.

Cameras That Use Film

It doesn't require a statistician to prove the rapid
disappearance of the film camera in America. Just look to companies like Nikon, the professional's choice for quality camera equipment. In 2006, it announced that it would stop making film cameras, pointing to the shrinking market -- only 3% of its sales in 2005, compared to 75% of sales from digital cameras and equipment.

Incandescent Bulbs

Before a few years ago, the standard 60-watt (or, yikes,
100-watt) bulb was the mainstay of every U.S. home. With the green
movement and all-things-sustainable-energy crowd, the Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb (CFL) is largely replacing the older, Edison-era incandescent bulb. The EPA reports that 2007 sales for Energy Star CFLs nearly doubled from 2006, and these sales accounted for approximately 20 percent of the U.S.light bulb market. And according to USA Today, a new energy bill plans to phase out incandescent bulbs in the next four to 12 years.

Stand-Alone Bowling Alleys

BowlingBalls.US claims there are still 60 million Americans
who bowl at least once a year, but many are not bowling in stand-alone
bowling alleys. Today most new bowling alleys are part of facilities for
all types or recreation including laser tag, go-karts, bumper cars, video game arcades, climbing walls and glow miniature golf. Bowling lanes also have been added to many non-traditional venues such as adult communities, hotels and resorts, and gambling casinos.

The Milkman

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1950,
over half of the milk delivered was to the home in quart bottles, by 1963, it was about a third and by 2001, it represented only 0.4% percent. Nowadays most milk is sold through supermarkets in gallon jugs. The steady decline in home-delivered milk is blamed, of course, on the rise of the supermarket, better home refrigeration and longer-lasting milk. Although some milkmen still make the rounds in pockets of the U.S., they are certainly a dying breed.

Hand-Written Letters

In 2006, the Radicati Group estimated that, worldwide, 183
billion e-mails were sent each day. Two million each second. By November of 2007, an estimated 3.3 billion Earthlings owned cell phones, and 80% of the world's population had access to cell phone coverage. In 2004, half-a-trillion text messages were sent, and the number has no doubt increased exponentially since then. So where amongst this gorge of gabble is there room for the elegant, polite hand-written letter?

Wild Horses

It is estimated that 100 years ago, as many as two million
horses were roaming free within the United States. In 2001, National
Geographic News estimated that the wild horse population had decreased to about 50,000 head. Currently, the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory board states that there are 32,000 free roaming horses in ten Western states, with half of them residing in Nevada . The Bureau of Land Management is seeking to reduce the total number of free range horses to 27,000, possibly by selective euthanasia.

Personal Checks

According to an American Bankers Assoc. report, a net 23% of
consumers plan to decrease their use of checks over the next two years,
while a net 14% plan to increase their use of PIN debit. Bill payment
remains the last stronghold of paper-based payments -- for the time being. Checks continue to be the most commonly used bill payment method, with 71% of consumers paying at least one recurring bill per month by writing a check. However, on a bill-by-bill basis, checks account for only 49% of consumers' recurring bill payments (down from 72% in 2001 and 60% in 2003).

Drive-in Theaters

During the peak in 1958, there were more than 4,000 drive-in
theaters in this country, but in 2007 only 405 drive-ins were still
operating. Exactly zero new drive-ins have been built since 2005. Only one reopened in 2005 and five reopened in 2006, so there isn't much of a
movement toward reviving the closed ones.

Mumps & Measles

Despite what's been in the news lately, the measles and
mumps actually, truly are disappearing from the United States. In 1964, 212,000 cases of mumps were reported in the U.S. By 1983, this figure had dropped to 3,000, thanks to a vigorous vaccination program. Prior to the introduction of the measles vaccine, approximately half a million cases of measles were reported in the U.S. annually, resulting in 450 deaths. In 2005, only 66 cases were recorded.

Honey Bees

Perhaps nothing on our list of disappearing America is so
dire; plummeting so enormously; and so necessary to the survival of our food supply as the honey bee. Very scary. 'Colony Collapse Disorder,' or CCD, has spread throughout the U.S. and Europe over the past few years, wiping out 50% to 90% of the colonies of many beekeepers -- and along with it, their livelihood.

News Magazines and TV News

While the TV evening newscasts haven't gone anywhere over
the last several decades, their audiences have. In 1984, in a story about thediminishing returns of the evening news, the New York Times reported that all three network evening-news programs combined had only 40.9 millionviewers. Fast forward to 2008, and what they have today is half that.

Analog TV

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, 85% of
homes in the U.S. get their television programming through cable or
satellite providers. For the remaining 15% -- or 13 million individuals --
who are using rabbit ears or a large outdoor antenna to get their local
stations, change is in the air. If you are one of these people you'll need
to get a new TV or a converter box in order to get the new stations which will only be broadcast in digital.

The Family Farm

Since the 1930s, the number of family farms has been
declining rapidly. According to the USDA, 5.3 million farms dotted the
nation in 1950, but this number had declined to 2.1 million by the 2003
farm census (data from the 2007 census hasn't yet been published). Ninety-one percent of the U.S.farms are small family farms.

Cave House for sale in Missouri (Photos)

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Live in your own CAVE HOUSE!

Mr. Sleeper has posted his beautiful home on Ebay, and also was interviewed on Fox News Channel concerning the sell of his own. His 'balloon note' for his mortgage is about to expire. Due to the economy, the banks will not extend the credit line, although financially he is able to make the payments.

Take a look at his auction on Ebay or his own personal website filled with photos of this wonderful home in Missouri.

$300,000

Story of Soldier & Iraqi girl (Photo)

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:50:00 +0000

It's a tough, but heart-warming story...

John Gebhardt's wife, Mindy, said that this little girl's entire family was executed. The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head...but they failed to kill her.

She was cared for in John's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan.

The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair.

The girl is coming along with her healing. He is a real Star of the war, and represents what the Western world is trying to do.

This, my friends, is worth sharing with the WORLD! Go for it!!

You'll never see things like this in the news. The public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that we're making a difference. Even if it is just one little girl at a time.

We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust our sails...

We are ALL Socialists Now.....

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:01:00 +0000

...Bye, Bye, Ms. American Pie. Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry & good ol' boys drinking wiskey and wine, singing, 'this will be the day that I die...this will be the day that I die' COME ON & SING ALONG EVERYBODY!

FIREPROOF the Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:56:00 +0000

My husband and I watched FireProof tonight, and we enjoyed it greatly. This movie showcases a typical married couple, long after the honeymoon stage is over. Fireproof gives insight on how each party is feeling about themselves, each other, and the destruction that only silence can bring. I recommend this movie to any couple going through rough times, as well as newlyweds in hopes to gain the knowledge of what this movie will bring.

LOVE DARE is an excellent tool for any marriage.
Check out the first few days of Love Dare:
http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/lovedare/book.html#moreinfo

33 MINUTES

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Missile Defense
33 Minutes

WATCH THE MOVIE TRAILER HERE:
http://www.heritage.org/33-minutes/index.htm

PAY BY FINGERPRINT

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:28:00 +0000

A supermarket has given its customers the choice of paying by fingerprint at a store in the state of Washington--and has found them surprisingly willing to use the biometric system.
U.S. chain Thriftway introduced the system, which uses technology from Pay By Touch, in its store in the Seattle area in 2002. It said it now sees thousands of transactions a month using the payment method.

Once people have enrolled in the Pay By Touch system, they have their fingerprint scanned as verification of identity at the checkout. They then choose which credit card they want to pay the bill with, having already registered the credit cards with the store.

Thriftway President Paul Kapioski said rather than shying away from the technology because of concerns about protecting their privacy, customer demand ensured that the biometric payment system made it past the pilot stage.

The fingerprint payment system was initially scheduled for a 60-day trial, but "people were quick to warm up to it...after 60 days, we made it part of our payment package," he said at the Retail Fraud Conference in London on Tuesday.

"We found people came to the store because of this--lots of senior citizens felt more secure not carrying money to the store," Kapioski said. "The major concern is 'biometric, fingerprint, what's it going to be used for?'...Once (customers) understood what it was used for, it became a nonissue," he added.

Kapioski added that one man even drove 400 miles to use the technology.

The main business driver for biometrics, he said, was cost; it enables the retailer to shave cents off the average cost of an electronic payment transaction. With the biometric system, customers are encouraged to use their debit card, which cost the company almost half as much as the same payment by credit card, for example.

Fraudulent transactions have dropped dramatically due to the system, which now makes up 30 percent of Thriftway's electronic payments, Kapioski said.

"During the last two, two-and-a-half years...there's not been a single fraudulent transaction on this system," he said.

Biometrics is not the only new retail technology to have raised concerns over protection of customers' privacy. Radio frequency identification systems, which place tracking microchips on merchandise, have been criticized for potentially creating an electronic trail of customers' whereabouts and shopping habits that police forces and marketers, for example, could follow.

John Davison, a research director at analyst firm Gartner, said customers were generally willing to accept technologies such as RFID if the benefits of such technology could be "sold" to them.

"Will customers object to RFID? Yes, if you don't sell it to them," he said. "Over two-thirds of customers will accept RFID, if you sell them the basic utilities."

However, he added that certain areas of retail were still technology-wary. "The nearer you get RFID to the payment process, consumers get less keen. When you start linking...to their personal information, they're even less keen."

Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.

Obama's GLOBAL POVERTY ACT (NEW TAX ON USA)

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Senate Bill 2433....It's Already Started
>
> IT'S ALREADY STARTED FOLKS...BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON!
>
> http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s2433/text
>
> SENATE BILL S. 2433
>
> According to David Bossie, President of the group 'Citizens United for American Sovereignty based out of Merrifield , Virginia , web site:http://www.citizensunited.org/
>
> The above mentioned Senate Bill (S. 2433) is a piece of legislation in the works that all Americans need to know about...and know now! This Bill, sponsored by none other than our "President " former Sen. Barrack Obama, with the backing of now V/P Joe Biden on the Foreign Relations Committee, and liberal democrats in Congress, is nothing short of a massive giveaway of American wealth around the world, and a betrayal of the public trust, because, if passed, this bill would give over many aspects of our sovereignty to the United Nations.
>
> The noble sounding name of this bill, "The Global Poverty Act" is actually a Global Tax, payable to the United Nations, that will be required of all American taxpayers. If passed in the Senate, the House has already passed it, this bill would require the U.S. to increase our foreign aid by $65 BILLION per year, or $845 BILLION over the next 13 years! That's on top of the billions of dollars in foreign aid that we already pay out! In addition to the economic burdens this potential law would place on our precarious economy, the bill, if passed in the Senate, would also endanger our constitutionally protected rights and freedoms by obligating us to meet certain United Nations mandates. According to Senator Obama, we should establish these United Nations' goals as benchmarks for U. S. spending. What are they?
>
> The creation of a U.N. International Criminal Court having power to try and convict American citizens and soldiers without any protection from the U.S. Constitution.
>
> A standing United Nations Army forcing U.S. soldiers to serve under U.N. command. A Gun Ban on all small arms and light weapons...which would repeal our Second Amendment right to bear arms.
> The ratification of the " Kyoto " global warming treaty and numerous other anti-American measures.
>
> Recently, the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Relations (where Sen. Joe Biden was) approved this plan by a voice vote without any discussion! Why all the secrecy? If Senators Obama and Biden are so proud of this legislation, then why don't they bring it out into the light of day and let the American people have a look at it instead of hiding it behind closed doors and sneaking it through Congress for late night votes? It may be only a matter of time before this dangerous legislation reaches a floor vote in the full body of the Senate.
>
> Please write or call, email your representatives, the White House, the media, or anyone you think will listen, and express your opinions regarding this Global Tax giveaway and betrayal of the American people at a time when our nation and our people are already heavily burdened with the threats of our freedom and economic prosperity.

BIG BROTHER TECHNOLOGIES

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Tuesday January 27, 2009
Obama's 'Green New Deal' to Include Smart Grid
Categories: At Home, Computing, Future Tech, News and Events, Politics
Tags: data centers, IT, Obama, politics, smart grid
Author: Steven Volynets

We already know that the $825 billion economic stimulus package is sure to pack some serious battery research funding for cleaner, petrol-free transport. But what other clean-tech gems will the so-called "Green New Deal" have in store for us?

Concealed in the $6 billion broadband allocation for digitalizing the healthcare system, the bill is said to include funding for the "smart grid" -- a system for producing, transmitting and delivering electrical power along with relevant metadata such as sourcing, consumption patterns and cost.

"That's great news for companies that provide the software, servers, and data centers that host and store that information," says BusinessWeek; companies like Google and GE, as well manufacturers of smart meters and similar equipment. On track to build the world's most efficient datacenter, IBM is guaranteed a piece of the action as well.

http://www.goodcleantech.com/2009/01/obamas_green_new_deal_to_inclu.php
Want to learn about smart grid? Visit:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2009/tc20090122_745205.htm

*****Not sure about you, but I don't want the government (in the end) to dictate when I should do a load of laundry or if I want my house to grow icicles on the inside,that I'm not allowed. As long as I PAY MY BILLS, there should be no question.

Do I feel that our national/regional power grids should be upgraded? YES, they should be. But that can happen without the watchful eye of our soon to be 'Big Brother' government.*****

Kulongoski to pursue mileage tax
By Hasso Hering
Albany Democrat-Herald
A year ago, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced it had demonstrated that a new way to pay for roads — via a mileage tax and satellite technology — could work.

Now Gov. Ted Kulongoski says he’d like the legislature to take the next step.

As part of a transportation-related bill he has filed for the 2009 legislative session, the governor says he plans to recommend “a path to transition away from the gas tax as the central funding source for transportation.”

What that means is explained on the governor’s website:

“As Oregonians drive less and demand more fuel-efficient vehicles, it is increasingly important that the state find a new way, other than the gas tax, to finance our transportation system.”

According to the policies he has outlined online, Kulongoski proposes to continue the work of the special task force that came up with and tested the idea of a mileage tax to replace the gas tax.

The governor wants the task force “to partner with auto manufacturers to refine technology that would enable Oregonians to pay for the transportation system based on how many miles they drive.”

The online outline adds: “The governor is committed to ensuring that rural Oregon is not adversely affected and that privacy concerns are addressed.”

When the task force’s study and test were in the news in 2006 and 2007, critics worried that the technology could be used to track where vehicles go, not just how far they travel, and that this information would somehow be stored by the government.

In more than one interview with the Democrat-Herald and others, James Whitty, the ODOT official in charge of the project, tried to assure the public that tracking people’s travels was not in the plans.

The task force’s final report came out in November 2007. It was based largely on a field test in which about 300 motorists in the Portland area and two service stations took part over

10 months, ending in March 2007.

A GPS-based system kept track of the in-state mileage driven by the volunteers. When they bought fuel, a device in their vehicles was read, and they paid 1.2 cents a mile and got a refund of the state gas tax of 24 cents a gallon.

The final report detailed the technical aspects of the program. It also stressed the issue of privacy.

“The concept requires no transmission of vehicle travel locations, either in real time or of travel history,” the report said. “Accordingly, no travel location points are stored within the vehicle or transmitted elsewhere. Thus there can be no ‘tracking’ of vehicle movements.”

Also, the report said, under the Oregon concept of the program, “ODOT would have no involvement in developing the on-vehicle devices, installing them in vehicles, maintaining them or having any other access to them except, perhaps, in situations involving tampering or similar fee evasion activities.”

Equipment for the Oregon test was developed at Oregon State University.

Whitty said last year it might take about $20 million to establish that the mileage tax is commercially viable. Eventually, GPS devices would have to start being built into cars, and fueling stations would have to be similarly equipped.

The gas tax would stay in force — Kulongoski has proposed that it be raised 2 cents — for vehicles not equipped to pay the mileage tax.

http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2008/12/28/news/local/1aaa02_road.txt

*****I LOVE how they throw out there that 'no, this isn't Big Brother!'*****

The final report detailed the technical aspects of the program. It also stressed the issue of privacy.

“The concept requires no transmission of vehicle travel locations, either in real time or of travel history,” the report said. “Accordingly, no travel location points are stored within the vehicle or transmitted elsewhere. Thus there can be no ‘tracking’ of vehicle movements.”

Casey Anthony & the Heart Shaped Sticker

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:25:00 +0000

This broad is truly sick....

The new evidence that has come out concerning the death of adorable Caylee Anthony is horrific.

It appears that Mommy Dearest, Casey, placed a heart shaped sticker on the duct tape that was wrapped around her beautiful daughters mouth. The significance of this sarcastic action is huge. What could posses her to do this? Not sure, but she's definitely not insane.

The child's favorite Winnie the Pooh blanket & toys were found along with her body. How Cindy Anthony can still claim that the Nannie did it, is beyond me. Only a person filled with such rage, hatred, & jealousy would commit such a horrible act.

I hope they go for the Death Penalty with this one. And if so, you can bet I will be up there in Starke, Florida partying when they fire up 'Old Sparky' for another go around.

Immunity better not be offered to anyone dealing with this case. NO ONE!

George Anthony & Suicide

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:09:00 +0000

I feel so sorry for George Anthony, father of Casey Anthony who is charged with the murder of her own daughter, Caylee Anthoy.

I'm shocked at the announcement, but not at the desperation. George is truly the ONLY victim in this story other than poor Caylee.

George Anthony sent text messages to family members & also wrote a 5-6 page suicide note, which was found in his possession. George Anthony was reported missing early Friday (1/23/09) and he was tracked down in Daytona, Florida @ a hotel. George spoke to officers & was placed under the Baker Act & is being observed.

This man needs support & prayers to get through this most horrible time in his life.

I support you George! You are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and by far the ONLY HONEST PERSON CONNECTED TO THE CAYLEE ANTHONY CASE.

The Road to Change...

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:40:00 +0000

While watching T.V. last night, they aired a glimpse of Obama's official Presidential photo. I took a look at it & became puzzled. What is the flag behind the American Flag? I took a closer look:

But still have no clue of what flag it is....It has the appearance of being "Official", which made me think of the numerous changes that have been made down this Road to Change. Here are a few examples:

Removing the American Flag from the chartered plane resulted in this fine work of art:

When clearly, the original plane looked far more Presidential:

The Official Presidential Seal just wasn't good enough for the Presidential Hopeful:

So Obama made his own:

And was the first to tke the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 to new 'visual' heights with this:

Since this couple is into 'Visual' changes, I am left to wonder not only about the added Flag to the Presidential Photograph but also these:

Everyone wondered why on earth did Michelle Obama wear such an odd dress? Some offered her the advice of wardrobe help....What does the choice of dress mean visually?? Here's my theory:

And another view:

Which leads me to my next Obama visual. What in the world is Michelle Obama's problem with her wardrobe? What does this 'string' mean? It could NOT be some malfunction with a necklace....If you have any idea, please tell us!

With all of the 'visual' changes that we have grown accustomed too, I can't wait to see what 'Changes' he makes to America physically....Obamination here we come!!

Photo Series of Travis Clark 12/29/08

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:20:00 +0000

WE THE KINGS @ THE HALL IN PALMETTO FL (PICS)

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:45:00 +0000

WE THE KINGS @ THE HALL IN PALMETTO FL

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Can't wait to get out to the show tonight! Will post photos from the show ASAP!

Doors open @ 6pm Show starts @ 7pm

3 other bands will be there.

Nice time with the Family

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:40:00 +0000

Muslims in UK offended by Holocaust~gets it removed from History Books

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:59:00 +0000

(GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW)

The UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offended' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred.

This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving in to it.

This is truely amazing.

Why are they offended? They didn't commit these violent acts, the Nazi's did!!

Here is a little History:

It is a matter of history that when Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, found the victims of the death camps, he ordered all possible photographs to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead.

He did this because he said in words to this effect: 'Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the track of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened'.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.

Don't think it can't happen again. It can.

Our children are not being taught this history in public schools anymore.

In memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated with the German and Russian peoples looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran, among others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth,' it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets.

PLEASE VISIT THIS SITE TO SEE AND LEARN MORE:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/phototoc.html

Long Absense...

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:19:00 +0000

It's been awhile since I've posted on current events. But here are my opinions in summary form, in no particular order:

PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

Knew it was going to turn out the way it did. McCain gave us nothing to vote FOR, except to vote AGAINST Obama, and it didn't work. No point in regurgitation of the negatives of this future Administration. Just buckle up and get ready for the change you THOUGHT you wanted.....

It is exciting, I have to admit, to see some color in the White House. And just as Barack is the luckiest black man today, so will he be the opposite as he will be riddled with angst while flipping through his Rolodex of promises made to far too many 'groups', to further their causes. The world rejoiced when he won the Presidential Race.......this should tell you something.

My prediction? Barack Obama will be the most PROTECTED President we've ever had in office. Obama will end up riding around in the POPE mobile, just to stay alive. And my guess is that it won't be due to racial issues.

KASEY ANTHONY MURDER CASE (FLORIDA):

Awaiting trial for murder of her daughter, whose body is still missing in the Central Florida area. Grandparents, Cindy & George, should really be looked at a little more closely for hindering this investigation and wasting every one's time, energy, sympathy, money etc. What a kooky family this is......

AIG & OTHER BAILOUTS:

Ridiculous, yet not shocking.

The government wants to take over the banking industry, just like they want to take over the health care system, transportation (Amtrak) & won't be long before our Planes, the automobile industry is currently being hammered out. Nothing they have done so far with OUR TAX DOLLARS, has helped the economy. Not the stimulus checks, not the extra tax credits, not the Wall Street bailouts, nor the home loans that were given to people who don't deserve them.

In the promise of helping the U.S. citizens, they are adding flames to the fire. There is no fix-all plan that is going to work. But the business of buying your VOTE, can prove to be fruitful in you work for the government. Just keep believing that the government can take care of you better than you can, as they bend over so you can kiss their asses.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN GIVE YOU, SO CAN IT TAKE AWAY......

MIDDLE-EAST:

Turmoil continues as it always has, as it always will, until somebody does finally "push the red button". Again, break out your Bible and read Ezekiel Chapter 38. Enough said.

PROPOSITION 8 in CALIFORNIA:

Here's the story...

The citizens of California spoke, when they voted against Gay Marriage.

Liberal judges, along with activists, decided that the people voted wrong. So, they went ahead and passed the law anyway, against the voters.

Th citizens of California are again, able to cast their vote on the Gay Marriage issue. They voted against it for the second time.

Now, the legislatives, activists & judges are saying that the people 'HAVE NO RIGHT' to vote on this issue, although it was on the ballot to be voted on. Gay activists are now protesting everywhere because of it.

Moral to the story??

The opinions of the majority of citizens in California don't matter, if it goes against the liberal agenda.

My advice?

MOVE OUT QUICKLY.

Last but not least & to make my husband's prediction come true......I will add this to my blog:

UFC COUTURE VS. LESNER:

To sum it all up?

Pissed.
Annoyed.
Disappointed & on strike.

Not sure how Couture could handle Lesner in the first round of huge punches to his face, & ending up on his back with Lesner on top wrestling, could end up losing in the second round with a skim of a punch by Brock. If you ask me, it was a dive.

Lesner shouldn't have even dreamed of getting a title shot so early in his career. But, just like in every other business venue, the almighty dollar is key. They stated that the ticket sales for this event is at the TOP of all money earners.

So now, after only 4 fights in MMA, we have a new H.W. Champion. Yea, the crowd attending the event shares in my dismay.

Hopefully Frank Mir will get lucky again, and actually snap this Giants foot next time.

After seeing Brock's 4 fights, I need a vacation from him.

Just a little Christmas Laughter

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:15:00 +0000

New video of Islamic Threats against the World...(GRAPHIC)

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Casey Anthonys Myspace poem is the key to Motive.

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Since the beginning, I knew in my heart that Casey Anthony had something to do with her daughter Caylee's disappearance & possibly murder. As the weeks went by, I'm sure of it. Nothing else explains why she is acting like this. She is a nutcase, but, there is no way people are going to conclude that she is legally insane, and rightfully so.

Last night while trolling through the online documents concerning the case, I came across myspace postings; one from Cindy & a response posted from Casey. In these two exchanges, you can see what kind of relationship they had with each other....

Here is Cindy's post:

Thursday, July 03, 2008 Current mood: distraught

She came into my life unexspectedly, just as she has left me. This precious little angel from above gave me strength and unconditional love. Now she is gone and I don’t know why. All I am guilty of is loving her and providing her a safe home. Jealousy has taken her away. Jealousy from the one person that should be thankfull for all of the love and support given to her. A mother’s love is deep, however there are limits when one is betrayed by the one she loved and trusted the most. A daughter comes to her mother for support when she is pregnant, the mother says without hesitation it will be ok. And it was. But then the lies and betrayal began. First it seemed harmless, ah, love is blind. A mother will look for the good in her child and give them a chance to change. This mother gave chance after chance for her daughter to change, but instead more lies more betrayal. What does the mother get for giving her daughter all of these chances? A broken heart. The daughter who stole money, lots of money, leaves without warning and does not let her mother now speak to the baby that her mother raised, fed, clothed, sheltered, paid her medical bills, etc. Instead tells her friends that her mother is controlling her life and she needs her space. No money, no future. Where did she go? Who is now watching out for the little angel?

Now here is Casey's response in poem form:

"Diary of Days" Currently watching: American Psycho

“On the worst of worst days,
remember the words spoken.
Trust no one,
only yourself.
With great power,
comes great consequence.
What is given
can be taken away.
Everyone Lies.
Everyone Dies.

On the worst of worst days,
remember the words spoken.
Hold your head high,
Smile,
Laugh,
Love unconditionally.
Tomorrow is a brand new day."

*******************
She has kept tight to this way of thinking.... I'll share my thoughts line by line on what is meant by them in my opinion:

She admits this is the worst of worst days, which as a parent, of course we couldn't imagine anything worse than the premature death of a child.

She keeps telling everyone that no one is listening to her regarding the investigation & her information. If you look back at clips & her complaints, it's all about people not listening.

She only trusts herself with the truth of what has happened.

Cindy being Caseys mother....had a lot of control & power over Caseys life. And, Casey knew she could get transfer the power to her if she took Caylee from their lives.

I feel she explains it all with the this line, and this is completely aimed at her parents whom she felt loved Caylee more than her, which she stated in a taped conversation.

She defends her actions of lying, & than justifys her actions with the fact that everyone dies.

She has held her head up high in public appearances very well.

She has smiled quite a lot for a mother who's child is missing and in danger.

She has Laughed in the court-room before proceedings.

She them reminds her mother of the unconditional love that Cindy is bound to, as HER mother.

Tomorrow is a brand new day....I feel this is the motto of her life. Due to her constant lying, she does view each day to become whatever she wants. To get whatever she wants & to 'puff' herself up in order to make her feel/look/seem imporant to others.

Comedy of Family: through narration of pics....

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:17:00 +0000

I found myself wondering through my sister's online photo album
& almost died from laughter. I thought I would share these
comical gems & personal comments with you....
I hope you enjoy them!

Meet my Son & my Father:

...clearly, we can see the victor.....(sorry Dad)
My sister had this photo dubbed "Elder Abuse".
Plainly, I agree.

Meet Cousin Billy:

".....now you see, the proper driving techniques have to be in place, Katie, to insure the population's safety. There are too many idiots on the road today that are negligent in the driving process. Take note, Katie,....take note."

Meet my Daughter....

"....I'll take one of each."

Meet Dad & cousin Billy (again):

Dad + Billy spells T.R.O.U.B.L.E.
...& the fun hasn't even started.

And as always.....save the best for last!
The comment stated here is from my sister, Katie.
You will see that we share the same humor.
I need not change or add to her statement.
The photo clearly speaks for itself:

Meet Mom....

"My mom decided, after 30-odd years,
to finally go on a roller coaster again.

My dad is sitting next to her.

They're both sitting in the row behind me.

I think they really enjoyed it."

In conclusion, I think I might search through my own albums in hopes of finding even more moments of comedy.... *Would LOVE to hear any thoughts on these*

We the Kings @ Tropicana Field

noreply@blogger.com (Sara P) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:09:00 +0000

We had a blast hanging with the family this weekend. We the Kings had an awesome performance. This was the first time we were able to see Travis and the band Live.

My little ones were so excited to hang with cousin Travis.....Looking forward to the Holidays!

We the Kings are headed back to the UK....

LOVE YOU!