A SECOND CHANCE

Calling all parents: The city school system wants to know how it can improve.
The division is offering a Web-based survey that asks parents to rate things such as classroom instruction, discipline, facilities, food services, homework, teacher quality, technology and transportation. The division offered a similar questionnaire in 2007 and is looking to compare the results. Pass codes for the survey were mailed home, but participation has been low, spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw said.
Good idea but perhaps insufficient coverage; you must have a child in school for your comments to be read. So here we offer another chance for parents to speak up. If your child passed through the system you may be in a better position to evaluate.

THIS WILL WAKE YOU UP

American optimism will be tested next year as Government workers increase but national unemployment remains double digit. Our living standards are dipping, like the dollar, but oil price will rise. Obama has taken control of profit making businesses…mortgage, energy, automotive, health care, banking, and insurance. There is nothing that is untaxed.

Federal, State and Local Governments employ twenty five million Americans. Nine million are collecting weekly unemployment (99 weeks). Every month two million more file for it leaving only 108 million working, down 7.5 million.

When Bush exited, the national debt was 5.8 trillion but is already 7 trillion, projected to be 21 trillion in ten years. But neither total includes the government’s promises for Social Security and Medicare (we have already borrowed 100 trillion from those two funds. And that, dear readers, is the good news.

SUFFOLK CAPITAL SPENDING IN MILLIONS

You can READ ALL ABOUT IT in the Suffolk News Herald this morning. Don’t be frightened, it covers 10 years, about eighty million. Right now we’d just like to see the details on this one. “During the next five years, about 12 percent of the five-year spending plan is dedicated to transportation. About $23 million is earmarked in the plan for roadway and intersection construction.”

If this is for the Highway 58 road widening to help out CenterPoint we’d like to be able to read the details, soon.

OH MY GOODNESS

The Suffolk Sun recently published salaries of various high-ranking Public School administrators. No comment here about the size of the compensation because the benefit package is not included. Those can easily run to an additional twenty five percent and cause you to suck in your breath. We are a bit curious why the figures were published; was it to tease those out of work and struggling to come up with tax dollars? Or did the Sun writer just figure we should know, journalism at it’s best. One might, considering the graduation rate and test score reports, think the comp on the high side. Or might the Sun writer thinks they are low and is about to build a case for comp improvement? Our reaction is, what do all these people do and would a computer program replace about half of these “bureaucrats,” a name given to all employees with titles that mean nothing to the lay reader? Attaching names may or may not help the cause…and note that a purchasing agent makes as much a high school principal. We will leave it up to our readers to comment. Maybe next will be city staff, police, and fire department wages. We have heard much about the combo city/police spokesperson.

FACTS FROM LIMBAUGH

I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11
casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound.No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it say something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million. If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get
$833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each
child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.

THE KING IS DEAD BY HIS OWN HAND

How did he look heavenward to his dad, a man that had devoted his life to his son, and say how sorry he was for being unable to deal with fame and glory his father provided? How could he hug his mother and explain that there was just too much money in his life. No words have been created to lessen the pain and embarrassment suffered by the mother of his children. How does he face Arnold Palmer and say "I can no longer compete with you, sir, you are too far above me." Try to imagine the first time he returns to a PGA tour and stands on the first tee as they announce who he is. When the starter raises the "Quiet" sign, will the fans show respect? Although he has been a generous young man giving to various charities, a madame suggests a weekend with one of her girls could cost as much as $60,000...therefore money meant nothing. Add up what was spent on pleasure during the years of his debility, and what good it may have provided. The emotional damage to his family may come close to the amount of damage he caused the game of golf.

HEALTH BILL EVILS YOU HAVEN'T READ

Dr. Stephen Fraser practicing in Indiana has read the proposed Health Bill and I will provide his notations a little at a time. Worth your read.


Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self-insure!!

Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!

Page 42 of HC Bill: The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. You have no choice.

Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: Health Care will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals' finances and a 'National ID Health card' will be issued!

Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for elective funds transfer.

Page 65 Sec 164: Is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions & community organizations: (ACORN).

More Secret Meetings

I keep hoping to see examples of an open and transparent council in Suffolk. Would anyone help explain why two of the agenda items for the December 16th work session will be held behind closed doors? Why is it important that the update on the Fairgrounds Redevelopment and Revitalization Project be held in secret? Why is it important that discussion related to the Obici House be held in secret? I just want to better understand the rationale here.

AN UPDATE FROM OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma law passed, 37 to 9, had a few liberals in the mix, an amendment to place the Ten Commandments on the front entrance to the state capitol. The feds in D.C., along with the ACLU, said it would be a mistake. Guess what.......... Oklahoma did it anyway. Oklahoma recently passed a law in the state to incarcerate all illegal immigrants, and ship them back to where they came from unless they want to get a green card and become an American citizen. They all scattered. HB 1804. Hope we didn't send any of them to your state. This was against the advice of the Federal Government, and the ACLU, they said it would be a mistake. Guess what........... Oklahoma did it anyway.
Recently they passed a law to include DNA samples from any and all illegals to the Oklahoma database, for criminal investigative purposes. Pelosi said it was unconstitutional. SB 1102 guess what........ Oklahoma did it anyway.

When will Virginia have the courage?

What will they do when the time comes?

Detroit Area Municipal Officials Take Pay Cuts.
The Detroit Free Press (12/7, Hall) reports, "Some municipal officials in metro Detroit are taking voluntary pay cuts to help their communities weather the economic storm, and more could follow suit. Livonia's mayor and council members were among 31 city employees who agreed to take a 5% pay cut Tuesday," and "combined with voluntary furloughs by 69 other employees, the city hopes to save a little more than $67,000 last fiscal year and about $213,000 this fiscal year." Meanwhile, "Grosse Pointe City Manager Peter Dame is taking a $5,381 pay cut plus trims in perks with the fiscal year starting July 1. In Milford, planning commission and zoning board authority members halted $25-per-meeting stipends this year, saving about $4,000, village officials said." These "municipal officials making voluntary cuts are joining Oakland, Macomb and Wayne county officials."


Will our locals take such a cut when or if our budget tightens, to relieve some of the pain the tax-payers are feeling? While no one likes to get less, there is a good case that just having a job is a big deal these days... What have you to say?

Roger A. Leonard, MPA
Suffolk...

SORRY CHARLEY NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME

MR. PRESIDENT WILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GIVE UP YOUR CURRENT HEALTH CARE PROGRAM AND JOIN THE NEW 'UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM' THAT THE REST OF US WILL BE ON ?" THERE WAS A STONEY SILENCE AS OBAMA IGNORED THE QUESTION AND CHOSE NOT TO ANSWER IT! IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF SENATORS WERE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS."WE WILL THINK ABOUT IT." AND THEY DID. IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY ON THE NEWS THAT THE "KENNEDY HEALTH CARE BILL" WAS WRITTEN INTO THE NEW HEALTH CARE REFORM INITIATIVE ENSURING THAT CONGRESS WILL BE 100% EXEMPT !
SO, THIS GREAT NEW HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND I... IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR OBAMA, HIS FAMILY OR CONGRESS. WE (THE AMERICAN PUBLIC) NEED TO STOP THIS PROPOSED DEBACLE ASAP !!!! THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG !

Snopes states this is mostly false. Not all false, mostly. Go to Snopes and see for yourself

WHO CAN BE TRUSTED

If scientists in this world cannot be trusted then who can? Those brainy ones who have been fudging facts about global warming are still insisting they are right. A believer is Obama who will spend more millions of our money to get to Copenhagen. At least our simpleton, Al Gore, except for making millions, has cancelled his ticket to avoid having the liar label pinned on him. Too late, Al, you have lied to the degree that Bill Clinton is embarrassed to know you. I’d guess you had a money motive for all that malarkey you’ve been spreading for two years…blaming pitiful mankind for the evils of Mother Nature. Perhaps she will find a way to get more than even with you, at least an exploding gall bladder. That would keep you busy for a little while.

CITY ASSUMES NEW STATUS

The citizens group for saving Obici House has been nose-thumbed by the oversalaried city spokesperson, and assistant city manager. Firstly came a bid from the serious group, followed by a flat unexplained rejection, followed by a serious attempt to again pick up the thread and meet with said city officials, somewhat agreed to, followed by, this time, with a punch in the nose "NO." This indicates the Market Sreet lords have have put on bigger britches and feel our city is now above the level where city officials really have to listen or engage in conversation with taxpayers. You know, we used to call it "work something out.

ASK THOSE WHO LIVE THERE

“For residents of Suffolk, the only consensus to be had on hunting regulations was that they should be consistent across the city,” said Deputy City Manager Patrick Roberts in Wednesday’s City Council meeting. He, and it matters not his personal experience with hunting and guns, chaired the public input meeting to get opinions on Suffolk proposed rifle regulations. The magic word is “consistency” as applied across the city and differences between local and state laws. Councilman Barlow summed it nicely, “It’s nice to have it all the same, but the city’s not the same all over,” Of course the chief concern is the use of rifles that can kill at much longer distances than the shotgun. So why not ask just those folks who live near or in hunting areas what they prefer from the standpoint of safety? And ask rifle enthusiasts why they can’t get by with the blunderbuss shotgun. How much more advantage do they want?

BILL COSBY, WILL BE A WRITE –IN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

HERE IS MY PLATFORM:
Any use of the phrase: 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait outside of our borders until you can. We will immediately go into a two-year isolationist attitude in order to straighten out the greedy big business posture in this country. America will allow NO imports, and we'll do no exports. We will use the 'Wal-Mart's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.' We'll make it here and sell it here! When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it coming in here. All retired military personnel will be required to man one of the many observation towers located on the southern border of the United States (six month tour). They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens. Social Security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't gettin nuttin out. Neither the President nor any other politician will be able to touch it. Welfare...Checks will be handed out on Fridays, at the end of the 40-hour school week, the successful completion of a urinalysis test for drugs, and passing grades. Professional Athletes…Steroids? The FIRST time you check positive you're banned from sports...for life. Crime...We will adopt the Turkish method, i.e., the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There are no more 'life sentences'. If convicted of murder, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for the victim you killed: gun, knife, strangulation, etc. One export of ours will be allowed: wheat, because the world needs to eat. However, a bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil. All foreign aid, using American taxpayer money, will immediately cease and the saved money will help to pay off the national debt and, ultimately, lower our taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask The American People if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision as to whether, or not, it's a worthy cause. The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress. The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc. My apology is offered if I've stepped on anyone's toes...nevertheless GOD BLESS AMERICA!