Its really cold in Cleveland

Here’s a clip from the news last week during the really cold snap we had. Its made its rounds, so some of you have likely seen it.

Free pancakes!

The worst thing about being sick is that you don’t get to enjoy free stuff like this. If you read this before 10:00 pm and can get to Niles, enjoy yourself some free pancakes at IHOP.

National Pancake Day

Down With the Sickness

Ugh, what kid went to school and gave my kids this horrible sickness? Why did my kids decide to give their sickness to myself and their mother? Is this what a migraine feels like? Ugh.

A Song for A Day Like Today

I heard this song on a snowy day way back in 1993, it's my own official winter song.

Its Great to be a Gun-Toting Republican

Because we get to have touching moments like the one found at Six Meat Buffet.

I’m So Proud

Obligatory

Hey there citizens, just checking out a new software program. Please disregard this non-important message. Its pathetically boring. Because its not about anything. Except boring software. I have to actually post something to see if it works well, so here I am with this post. Sorry to waste these precious moments of your day. You could have been surfing the net for the OK Go video or something, but I’ve detained you for too long. Go and be free. Free your mind, and the rest will follow. Blame it on the rain.

Bad news for you alcoholics

Your favorite excuse doesn't work anymore. I read this in a newspaper twelve years ago, but here it is again. Now with shiny internets!

Grape Juice Good for the Heart

LONDON (Reuters) - Grape juice seems to have the same protective effect against heart disease as red wine, French scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers at the Universite Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg were examining the effect on the heart of Concord grape juice.

"Grape juice can have a similar effect (against heart disease) as red wine but without the alcohol. That is a very important message," said Dr Valerie Schini-Kerth, lead author of the study published in the journal Cardiovascular Research.

Red wine and certain types of grape juice have high levels of polyphenols, which block the production of a protein linked to cardiovascular disease -- the number one killer in many Western countries.

10000

Wow, the push from 9000 to 10000 visitors was pretty quick, and then to top it off, the 10000th came on while I was sleeping yesterday. Normally there would be a big celebration or something, but when I went back and saw that the 10000th visitor was from Connecticut, well, I decided to put it off.

Why?

Because I don't like Connecticut. I find it to be pretentious. They go around saying, "Hi, we're Connecticut, we're better than you. We have a silent 't' in our name, how many other states have a silent 't' in their name? Huh? Do you know? None! So put that in your pipe."

See? I just don't trust folks like that.

Slap Bet

Slap Bet Montage



Add to My Profile | More Videos

I got to see some anti-war hipsters!  Whoohoo!  They had their nifty Peace Surge buttons on and everything!  Plus, one lovely young couple came in dressed to the hilt in wonderfully warm wear, but the young man had wore a beard, which I’m sure he was proud of, but even John Lennon would give him a strange look, it was quite out of place.

Anyway, the hipster moonbats came in, then the oldster moonbats came in later.  I know there was some cane waving down in DC the other day!

Oh, and for better coverage, check out this linkage

Kitten Cannon

Yeah, this is awesome

Kitten Cannon - Presented by AddictingGames.

And your new Council member is...

From the Record Courier

Council names new member
January 18, 2007
By Tom Prusha

WINDHAM -- Village Council this week named Philip C. Snyder to replace Councilman Jason DeBolt, who resigned in December.

Snyder has lived in Windham for more than 50 years and served on the village's board of public affairs and on council. He also was a member of the Windham Board of Education.

He is a baseball coach with the Windham Hot Stove League, softball coach and softball manager, a Cub Scout den leader, Boy Scout Merit Badge Advisor, and Boy Scout executive board member. He belongs to the Friends of the Windham Library.

He is a Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1040, a charter member of the Kent State University Vietnam Veterans Association. The Second Vice Commander and the Child Welfare Officer of the American Legion Post 674.

Mayor C. James Moore presented his annual report in which he said more income taxes were paid in 2006 than what was expected with the total amounting to $520,747.54.

The East Center and North Main sewer line construction was completed in November 2006 but there are some remaining street and landscaping repairs to be finished this spring.

Community Road construction is expected to be started this year.

You can send roses to the Administrative Office.  No real reason why, just because.

HR 78

Perhaps you’ve missed it in the fray.  HR 78 is a resolution that allows the representatives from the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to vote on the floor of the House, rather than only in the committees to which they’ve been assigned.  There’s a big problem with this.

It violates the United States Constitution.

And its not some obscure line hidden way down in the many lines of the Constitution, Article 1, Section 1 points out that “The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen…by the people of the several states.”  Nice and clear, right?

If HR 78 passes, not anymore.  Thanks Democrat House Leader Steny Hoyer!  We really appreciate your efforts to streamline government!  This will make so much more sense!

Meltdown

From Opinion Journal's "Best of the Web"

"At a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, Sen. Barbara Boxer quizzed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Iraq strategy. The New York Post is rightly appalled at what Boxer had to say:

"Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price," Boxer said. "My kids are too old, and my grandchild is too young."

Then, to Rice: "You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family." . . .

The junior senator from California apparently believes that an accomplished, seasoned diplomat, a renowned scholar and an adviser to two presidents like Condoleezza Rice is not fully qualified to make policy at the highest levels of the American government because she is a single, childless woman.

It's hard to imagine the firestorm that similar comments would have ignited, coming from a Republican to a Democrat, or from a man to a woman, in the United States Senate.

Part of the reason this is shocking, of course, is because it breaches feminist etiquette. If Boxer had said this to a male official who had no children, it wouldn't have carried quite the same sting--though it would still be creepy.

We've remarked frequently upon the tendency of war opponents to infantilize American servicemen--by demanding, for example, to know why President Bush hasn't "sent" his daughters to fight in Iraq, as if he had the power as their father to order them to enlist.

In truth, members of the military are adults who have made an adult commitment. They deserve to be respected for their maturity, not patronized as victims. It dishonors them to use their sacrifice as a political cudgel."

Thinking Outside the Box

So I’m perusing the hometown papers and came across something I’d forgotten. At my alma mater, Hiland High School, basketball is king, or in this case, queen. The Classic in the Country is going on this weekend back home. Its a showcase of the best girls basketball teams in Ohio (and other parts). College head coaches fly in to see this thing and its become quite the boom weekend for the area.

They schedule it every year over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend because of his work and the progress made in the area by Perry Reese Jr., legendary boy’s basketball coach of the 80’s and 90’s. Its really quite amazing and is a great weekend of basketball.

Classic in the Country a 'can't miss event'

By ZACH BOLINGER
Daily Record Sports Writer

The Classic in the Country is set for its third go-round, and the girls basketball showcase to be held Saturday through Monday continues to draw rave reviews.

It's ranked as one of the top three high school events in America by the USA Today and it's also drawing a few important new faces this season.

"With a lot of college head coaches having tight schedules, most have sent their assistants to scout the first two years," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "This year we actually have a decent amount of head coaches who have made arrangements to fly into (the Holmes County Airport). They want to come in, see a game of a kid they're recruiting, talk to the family and then be on a private plane out of here."

There are plenty of quality players and games to be seen, as 30 teams will play 20 marquee games over the three-day event hosted by Hiland High School in conjunction with Tom Jenkins and the Ohio Girls Basketball Report. More than 75 Div. I college prospects will take to the Perry Reese Jr. Community Center court between Saturday morning and Monday night.

"I wonder if we can keep saying it year after year, but it should be bigger and better than last year," Schlabach said. "If you look at the player rankings, the state rankings that come out later this week, and the national rankings, it's just unbelievable."

Three of the four reigning Ohio state champions will compete in this year's Classic in the Country. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (Div. II) is the lone title-holder who will not be on display, but Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (Div. I), South Euclid Regina (Div. III) and Berlin Hiland (Div. IV) will all play in Berlin.

Also joining the host Hawks from the area will be Waynedale and West Holmes.

Waynedale and Lexington tip off the event Saturday at 10 a.m., while West Holmes battles Hoban Monday at 5 p.m. Hiland is the nightcap on two occasions - Saturday at 8:30 versus Fort Recovery and Monday at 8:30 against Garfield Heights Trinity.

"Hoban is an established program with a very solid backcourt," West Holmes coach Matt Voll said. "I feel like our team has gotten out of the chute very well and solidified ourselves as being a good team, but this will be a good test.

"I'm intrigued about how we come out and play in this environment. I am going to learn a lot about my team and I really do think this could act as a springboard for the rest of the season."

Waynedale coach Don McConnell knows his team has a stiff challenge awaiting them.

"We tried to beef up the schedule a little bit to get prepared for tournament time, and to be honest with you, this will be our biggest test of the year," Waynedale coach Don McConnell said. "Lexington has athletes across the board and provide some matchup problems ... but it will be a good opportunity for some of our kids to get some exposure, and for us to play in a tournament-like atmosphere."

The event is not only about good basketball, though.

Intentionally scheduled over the holiday weekend honoring Martin Luther King Jr., the CITC is intended to remember the sacrifices Dr. King made in order to bring about racial harmony in America. It's also meant to remind people of the racial barriers the late, great Hiland boys coach Perry Reese Jr. faced by being the first black coach in Amish Country.

"It's a special event, honoring two special men and held in a special corner of the universe," said Jenkins, the director of OGBR which was voted the No. 1 single-state scouting service in America by NCAA coaches. "The Columbus public schools are not allowed to play on Sunday or Monday in order to honor Dr. King. But to be honest with you, 85 percent of the kids would learn more coming to Berlin and being part of the Classic than they would staying home."

The credit for quality matchups must also go to Jenkins, who projects strength of teams and schedules the CITC games 14 months prior to the event.

Trinity head coach Chrissy Falcone, whose team beat West Holmes in the CITC last season, was sure impressed with the matchups her club received this winter. The Trojans will play the defending Div. I state runner-up (Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame) Sunday and the reigning Div. IV state champions (Berlin Hiland) Monday. After playing Bedford Chanel in a conference game Saturday.

"Do you like that? I did at first, but now I'm not so sure that I do," Falcone joked. "Seriously, though, I didn't request it - but I'm very, very, very excited about it.

"We went 20-3 and 20-2 the last two years, but we had two, three or maybe four decent teams on our schedule. Our schedule has not helped us get ready for the tournament, but I made sure that was going to change this year."

Aside from removing the softball field at the front-entrance area of the Reese Community Center and replacing it with handicapped and regular parking spots, this version of the CITC will not change much.

The sponsorship of 89 area business, and the efforts of close to 250 Holmes County volunteers, will again help the event run smoothly.

Hopefully the college coaches flying in will have as smooth a landing.

And perhaps for our community’s part, this is pertinent…

Dreaming big has paid off for CITC

By AARON DORKSEN
Daily reocrd Sports Editor

A few thoughts from the week in sports ...

If you dream big, there's no telling what the result might be.

Just look at what the folks in Holmes County have done with the Classic in the Country Challenge.

Mmm, cookies

And in another food themed post, let’s talk Girl Scout Cookies.

If you frequent The Forum, you know that Sonya’s Troop 555 is now observing that long standing tradition of teaching young girls the secrets of Big Business. The unmitigated evil of Girl Scout Cookies is making another appearance in the earth, bringing us one step closer to Global Annihilation.

And they’ve coerced my two daughters into their subversive web.

So if you want some “stuff”, you know where to get it. If you live within 1000 feet of a school or any building that children frequent, we’ll have to set up a meeting.

I'll never (part seventeen)

Of course, the number of the parts to this particular category number more than seventeen easily, but as the Farmer said, “that’ll do”.

17. I’ll never sit down in Cal’s again.

Oh I know, this is gonna be one of the harder nevers to keep, because we are, after all, dealing with food, and personally, I kind of like food. Rumor has it that you need it to survive or something, I really wasn’t paying that close attention in biology class. There was this really cute little red-headed girl that sat in the row next to me who was far more interesting than hearing discussions of mitochondrial RNA or the such like. But I digress.

My parents owned a restaurant during my formative years. We did ok, nothing spectacular, but there was always food around, good customers, close friends, and a girl (now woman) who I may be working for when we move back to the area, which honestly is not exactly irony, but something closely resembling it. I took her to my Junior Prom. The guys at school were jealous. Something that wasn’t directed toward me very often in High School, so I drank it in. There’s nothing like a little envy directed your way to really bolster that self-esteem. So anyway, I think I know a few things about being a restauranteur.

There are two keys to running a successful restaurant. Without these two things, a restaurant will have a great deal of trouble and never really get much more than breaking even. First, you have to give the customer just a little more than they expect. There’s no need to go overboard with anything. You don’t give a customer a filet mignon for $3.98 a plate. That’s just insane. You do give him just a slightly larger steak than expected. You give them a few more fries than a normal serving. Make the glasses just a little larger than what someone has at home. It doesn’t have to be grossly larger to the point of being noticeable; just a bit. The second key is quick service. No one likes to wait, but we all have different ideas of what waiting too long is. This is where the owner or manager needs to step in with the waiting staff to show them what a customer who is ready looks like. This is a developed skill, there are very few people who are born with the ability to look at someone and know what they are thinking. Generally it is a general disinterest in the menu, noticing that the eyes aren’t focused at the table anymore, things along those lines.

Put simply, I waited too long this evening. You may say that never going back is being a bit trifling about the whole situation, but this isn’t the first time its been this way. I’ve always been pleased with the serving sizes there, but there is a continual lack of attentiveness on the part of the wait staff which grates at my nerves. We’re still polite and offer a nice tip at the end of the night, but it isn’t nearly what it could be with excellent service.

Luckily we have a restaurant here in town that for a while now has been offering excellent service and ideal portion size (I’ve noticed!) that draws people back. Even those of us who kind of forget those points sometimes.

Thank the Democrats!

Finally, some good news!

For all of 2006, the nation's unemployment rate dropped to a six-year low of 4.6 percent as the economy added 1.8 million jobs. In 2005, the unemployment rate averaged 5.1 percent.

Oh wait, that was 2006, who was in power then?  I think I’ve suddenly caught the amnesia that the AP has had for the last four years.

167,000 Jobs Added to Payrolls in Dec

Why I Love Google Ads

Right now, they’re showing ads for the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Maybe I’ll finally get a visit from them again now! 

Some Randomness

The Discovery Channel totally rocks!  Dirty Jobs, MythBusters, It Takes A Thief…and the list goes on and on.  If you (or your kids) aren’t taking in some of this stuff, you’re really missing out.

My obscene passion of the moment is anything Doctor Who.  Yeah, I’m geeking out with British television, even watching the Torchwood series playing in Britain right now, but really, its good stuff.

MySpace is both the coolest thing in the world, and the scariest.

How can any adult forget the old adage, fifteen will get you twenty?

Is it just me or is the Villager much smaller lately, old media it is, but it is definitely worthwhile.  Make sure to pick it up and patronize its advertisers.

For that matter, patronize Windham’s businesses.  The return on investment will be worthwhile.

Oh I'm getting around to it

Seriously, one of these days, I’ll be inspired.  Maybe its the tree coming down today, or the putting away of the Christmas decorations.  Perhaps its the furniture rearrangement.  Things are sliding back to normal.

Now, on to those pesky resolutions that are destined to be broken by Friday.

The Day After

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house,
Every creature was hurting - even the mouse.

The toys were all broken, their batteries dead;
Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.

Wrapping and ribbons just covered the floor, while
Upstairs the family continued to snore.

And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,
Went into the kitchen and started to clean.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.

The driver was smiling, so lively and grand;
The patch on his jacket said "U.S. POSTMAN."

With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox
Then quickly he stuffed them into our mailbox.

Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.
Whistling and shouting he called them by name:

"Now Dillard's, now Broadway's, now Penny's and Sears
Here's Levitz's and Target's and Mervyn's--all here!!

To the tip or your limit, every store, every mall,
Now chargeaway-chargeaway-chargeaway all!"

He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work.
He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.

He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road,
Driving much faster with just half a load.

Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,
"ENJOY WHAT YOU GOT ... YOU'LL BE PAYING ALL YEAR!"

Source

So ya want some free stuff?

Specifically free software that is actually useful rather than that three year old stuff that software companies like to give away?  Try this site!

Giveaway of the Day

The catch is that you have to download the software that day, and install it the same day to get it activated.  It is truly free, no 60 day trials or anything.

Got a problem with JW's or Mormons?

Here’s a possible solution:

The Jehovah's Witnesses Have Finally Returned

 

Ladies and Gentlemen today is an exciting day! I am no longer banned by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is a major milestone in my life.

Today, I came home and found on my doorstep the first Watchtower to be rolled up and placed there in six years!

You see, it was about that long ago that Mrs. Erickson and I decided we would need separate bathrooms and a king size bed to make our marriage work. We were still just engaged at the time. So, we found a house with separate bathrooms and ordered a king size bed. On the day it was to be delivered, Mrs. Erickson went to work and I stayed home to study for the bar exam.

I had my coffee then took my shower. While in the shower, the front doorbell rang. Now, nobody ever used that door in the house. It was inconveniently located unless you were delivering large furniture — then it was the door you had to use. So, fearing I’d miss my new bed, I raced from the shower dripping wet, ran to the front door wrapping an oversized towel around my overly white, naked body (this is the point where I should point out that I am so white that my white socks look tan compared to me).

I hurled open the door, which caught on to my towel, which dropped my towel, which causes the very nice ladies from the local Jehovah’s Witnesses organization to flee. I’ve never seen them since.

But today, today they started leaving me Watchtowers again. Today is an exciting day.

They pretty much stay away from my house anymore, but for an entirely different reason.  Seems like they’re pretty convinced that they can’t convert the person that lives in this house.  Its a shame really, I love the looks on their faces when I ask them a few questions.

Tis the season

For the end of the year blogging slowdown.  I think this year I’m going to try to not make it last until about mid-February. 

So your kids like to have their apples peeled before they eat them?  You like to have an orange or two during the day?  Take those peelings and put them in a saucepan on your stove, put some water in it and let it simmer for a while.  It makes the kitchen smell really nice, like you actually did some cooking that day!  No, its no ancient Chinese secret, but hey, as we’ve said before, perception is reality.

I need more tips that that one.  Thanks Mom!

Getting in the spirit

Yes, Christmas is just around the corner, and what’s that you say?  You’ve still not decorated the house?  Well here’s a few ideas.

10 Ways to Silly Up Your Christmas

I'm tired of it

Honestly, I’m tired of the wondering who’s running the Discussion Forum.  Waiting for days to get a response to a thread question.  No stinking private messages.  I went and did it.  I created a forum for me to just blithely talk to myself as much as I want.  Beyond this blog that is.  Its an ezboard, so its laced with popups until I decide to pony up some money for preferred status.  You all are more than welcome to join up.

The Windham Soapbox

Cookies

I need some cookie ideas, does anyone have any favorites that are not chocolate-chip blah blah blah cliche kitty cookies?

The Forum

Looks like the Forum has been hit again with some…

Bidding adieu to war

From Jules Crittenden via Gay Patriot

The loud chorus of Kumbaya that precedes any American military unit will alert anti-American terrorists that here are people who want to understand why they hate us. Surely this will cause these heartless killers to pause, and reconsider their ways.

Indeed.

Chickenus Dovus Asniniensis

Storytime, part Deux

Someone asked the question about how did the Mrs. reply to the forlorn substitute from a few posts below.  She let her go on for a while, then told her that she was from Windham.  The woman asked her, “Don’t you fear for your life?”

She said no, not at all, she even ventures out at night without fearing for her safety too, which drew a shocked look.  To leave her car somewhere unattended, she could understand, no one really wants to do that anywhere, but its not a dangerous place to live.

I wonder if it did any good though.  It goes to prove one of my theories of life, “People are stupid.”  That woman proved it.

2006 Politics, Funny? Definitely.

Of course, politics really are funny most of the time, here’s Extreme Mortman’s list of the top 10 funny moments in 2006 politics.

Could we put together a list of the top funny moments in local politics?  Hmmm.

So I have these kids...

What is up with so many kids being sick this year?  Mine have had laryngitis, some random cold, this new head/cough thing, and its only December.  We haven’t even had our annual Flu Turnstile start yet.  Everyone knows what that is, one kid brings it home, passes it to a brother, who gives it to Dad, then to Mom, then to the other kid, then, if you’re REALLY lucky, it goes back to the first kid and you get to have another round of it or something very similar!  Whee!

Its especially awesome when the sick kid starts on Friday and you have all kinds of things planned for the weekend.  You know, its time to set up the Christmas tree, but watch out for Wheezes over there, dont’ pick up what she’s handing out, you won’t like it, believe me. 

Then there’s the Phantom Puker who shows up in the middle of the night to do his business on your kids bed, but they don’t wake up in the process.  There’s nothing like walking into a closed room with the humidifier running and getting hit with the rosy aroma of old vomit.  I love being a parent! 

For you folks who are reading this just after supper, I apologize for that last comment.  I’m sure that just mentioning that caused you to vomit in your mouth a bit.  Again, I apologize.

As much as we joke around about having a test before allowing someone to be a parent, its things like this that need to be taught to our youth in middle and high school.  Don’t go handing out condoms to guys or anything, just have them take care of a sick kid for one night and remind them that kids are what happen if you have sex.  Its what the whole “process” was designed for.  Yeah, kids all cute and cuddly sometimes, but the other things that are hidden in the whole package are not nearly as pleasant.

You know, there are quite a few folks who come to this little blog that’s been kind of running on and off for about a year and a half now.  I get all kinds, and even allow some people from Garrettsville to come over and read.  There are times when I am totally amused by some of the comments on here. 

A few posts below this one, the one where I relate the Mrs.’ story that was told to her, someone asks the question why I would post something like that, asks when I’m leaving, and then comes up with a “minister, huh?” comment that really doesn’t make much sense in context. 

First of all, to whomever wrote that, hi!  Thanks for stopping by.  You’ve driven up my page views and doubled my Adspace revenue ($0.00 and counting!) for this month. 

So I’m sitting back here and wondering why someone would be so offended by posting something like that and realize, its because they don’t want to face reality.  That is a genuine account from someone who actually said those things.  Should we bury our collective heads in the sand and run away from it?  We can’t, if we ever expect to change the view of Windham as a whole.  That is one of the perspectives that exist out there right now, whether we like it or not. 

And yes, I’m still here.  I do still plan on moving, but obviously not quickly enough for this person.  According to them, when I leave, their worldview will become much better, Windham will magically become a nicer place to live, the lion will lay down with the lamb, drugs and alcoholism in town will evaporate, a thousand police officers will be able to be employed by the Village and Jesus himself will return.  Unfortunately you’ll have to wait until next summer sometime.  And even then, I still might just keep posting stuff about Windham.

Why?  Because I can.

To the last “minister” comment, I’ve always been amused by the thought that most people seem to have that ministers/preachers are perfect in every point.  Every church is plagued with people who are more than happy to put the person that fills the pulpit on a very tall pedestal, disregarding the fact that the person is just that.  A person.  Read your New Testament and see that Jesus wasn’t always peaches and cream in his preaching.  He called people hypocrites and vipers.  He got angry.  He used sarcasm.  He wasn’t always what most people today want in a preacher.  We have the itching ears of 2 Timothy 4.  If someone doesn’t fit into our mold, he’s obviously wrong and should be made fun of until he falls into line.  We want to be catered to and have everything given to us on a silver platter.  It doesn’t work that way, by design. 

And to top it off, the author was so proud of their comment that they signed it “anonymous”.  Nice lack of testicular fortitude there.

Yeah, I suppose that kind of set me off.  Sorry.

Power

So at around 12:30 or so this afternoon, the electric flickered off here at the house just after the biggest gust of wind of the day blew through.  I think I saw a few children fly by my back window, but I couldn’t open it fast enough to catch them.  I know I saw a teacher with a black dress riding a bicycle too, she was saying something about a dog I think. 

Anyway, later I took a drive to survey some of the damage around town since the fire siren went off at least five times, and I was flat out astonished at what I found.  Befuddled.  Perplexed. 

There were many residents of Windham that were without power for hours this afternoon.  The number of the unfortunate is simply unknown.  But you know who had electricity at his house?  That’s right.  C. James Moore.  I don’t know if this guy has a deal with the First Energy or has a pact with the great Electric Gods in the sky, but there’s something very wrong going on here.  How is it fair for someone who holds a position of power to hoard electricity like that and not share it with his fellow residents?  Where does he get off thinking that his power needs are greater than my own?  I think that the Village Council should take a serious look at the power lines around his home and check for blatant tampering or some device that sucks electricity covertly from the surrounding homes.

Because, c’mon, everyone thinks that the guy is the source for every bad thing in town, why not blame him for the power outage? 

Sarcasm anyone?

Hello Visitor 9000!

Sorry to have missed you a couple of days ago!

Domain Name verizon.net ^? (Network)

IP Address 70.106.131.# (Verizon Internet Services)

ISP Verizon Internet ServicesLocation 

Continent	:	North America
Country	:	United States  (Facts)
Lat/Long	:	38, -97 (Map)
Distance	:	876 miles

Time of Visit Nov 27 2006 10:56:37 am

Last Page View Nov 27 2006 10:57:59 am

Visit Length 1 minute 22 seconds

Page Views 1

Visit Number 9,000

Storytime, as related by the Mrs.

Lady Windhamite had an interesting encounter at her work yesterday.  It seems that there was a substitute teacher at one of the schools in town yesterday that had her van break down on Maple Grove near Katherine Thomas Elementary.  She related to the Doctor that Lady works for that she feared for her life, because she just knew that if she stayed there she would be raped or murdered or mugged because the Projects were such a horrible area.  She refused to leave the van there because she was afraid it might have been broken into (which I can fully understand).  She also said that one of her unruly students threatened to track down where she lived and kill her.

You can’t beat press like that.  I think the last statement is a fabrication, because if someone told a teacher that, they are required to report it to the administration. 

I'm glad someone checked...

Suddenly, that economy isn’t so bad.  But wait, it has more to do with media coverage than anything.

Black Friday - Same Effect, Different Media Coverage

Doing my part...

Well, for the first time, I ventured out in the early morning to hit the doorbuster Christmas sales on Black Friday yesterday.  There was a deep-seated need within my evil Conservative heart to go out and do the right thing for our evil Capitalist pig-dog economy. 

Many other people joined me in this celebration too. 

The plan was to go to Best Buy and get a camcorder and laptop computer.  The plan was not exactly realized, but I knew it ahead of time when I drove by the back entrance of the new Circuit City and the line to get in there wrapped around the front of the building, along the side of it, clear out to the road that I was on.  The line at Best Buy was even longer.  There were at least 750 people in it, probably more.  And why didn’t anyone warn me that actually getting into the building was only half the battle?  Getting out was even worse.  I did get a camcorder, but waited in line an hour and a half just to checkout.  Luckily there were some nice people there that had fought valiantly in previous similar battles before to talk me through it.  It was a test of patience, and we won the day.

Unless I'm mistaken

And let's be honest, I'm very rarely mistaken, it is the third Monday of the month, which means its time, once again, for no one to show up for a Village Council meeting! There have been some seriously non-record setting numbers showing up for these things. You'd think for a bunch of folks that like to complain as much as we do, we'd like to have more cannon fodder straight from the horses' mouths. But alas, it is likely not to be.

O H...

I O

And as always, Michigan sucks.

Dead Schembechlers? Call me a fan!

So its part of the lunatic fringe?  Who cares!?!  I love it!

Check it out here.

Favorite quote:

Do you have any favorite memories from the rivalry?

"I believe we're 102-0 against the Wolverines," Biafra insisted. "If you go back and check the lying, liberal Wolverine media, they'll make you believe they won many of the games."

Biafra explained that game footage was doctored, and crop dusters were flown over the stadium to drug fans and make them believe they were seeing Michigan victories. He pointed out the vast reach of the international Wolverines conspiracy by mentioning that the founder of Walgreen's, Charles Walgreen, is a Michigan alum -- and where do you think the maize and blue got the pharmaceuticals to drug Buckeye Nation?

Go Buckeyes!

What's That?

You say you really wish you could by that special someone (read: special blogger) something for Christmas and can’t think what it would be, because he has everything?

You might want to try ThoseShirts.com.  Highly recommended. 

You can get shirts like these:

…and my personal favorite:

Don't Tell

Why do secret societies even exist anymore?

If you really sit down and think about it, there’s really no need.  Back in the day, there was a desire to keep artisan tradesecrets, well, secret.  There was also the old political secretkeeping that kind of still goes on today, but really, is there a need for a bunch of men to gather in the basement and lock the doors to pat themselves on the back for a job that at best is only kind of done, but not very well?

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll defend the right of folks to be as secretive as needed or possible.  I don’t think that anyone needs to step in and squash these meetings.  I think even the Boy Scounts have some secret traditions and rituals, one being Pipestone.  My best friend when I was younger was a Scout and wouldn’t even tell me about it.  I told him that it was ok to come out and tell me that it was just a bunch of teenage boys running around naked humping trees, but he would never fess up.  It was a “bonding” thing for the boys.  Nonsense.  It was the same as that joke that two people have between each other that no one else gets, because they “weren’t there”. 

Maybe someone’s trying to manipulate Windham’s massive political power behind closed doors?  Oooh, there’s a huge prize to be had.  Everyone knows that if you’re after power to that degree, you start a blog.  Then automatically you have perceived credibility, even when you’re talking about things you haven’t the faintest idea concerning.  Plus, folks automatically start crediting you with awesome political powwer to shift elections and turn out mind-numbed voters that can’t think for themselves.  Then of course, the power begins to go to your head and you step away for a while to get your bearings, creating various and sundry conspiracy theories as to why you’re gone, when in actuality, you were in the Betty Ford clinic because of your addiction to the Internets.  Upon your return, the drug reasserts itself and you’re thrown into another downward spiral.

But at least this time, you can enjoy it.

Phantom Images

Yeah, nothing serious going on yet.  In the meantime, here’s a neat little optical illusion.  Load the page below, stare at the black dot in the weird looking picture, then put your mouse over the picture about fifteen seconds later.  I’ve seen a couple of these pictures lately, it must be the newest fad or something.

Hi, I'm a link. Click me.

So....did you?

You paid attention during 86% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

In consideration of Veterans Day.

One of the greatest sculptures in Washington D.C. is the Iwo Jima Memorial. Most pictures that are taken are from the side standing a good bit away. This one is taken from a different angle and I think brings out a different feel for the memorial. Take some time today to thank a veteran today for their service to our country. May we never lose sight of the sacrifices of this special group of citizens. They have been willing to offer their lives in service to this country and its freedoms.

Thank you all.

Why didn't anyone tell me?

I suppose that its partially my fault really, I have never really made it a habit to read the front page of the Villager.  As of the November 17th issue, the paper will be going on hiatus.  Jody Schroath has accepted a position in Maryland with the Chesapeake Bay Magazine.  As of this time, there’s no one to replace her.

Hmmm, I wonder….

Financial Figures

In 2007, the Village will pay $42024.00 to the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation, fulfilling (hopefully) a bill that has been outstanding for three years.

The Village’s responsiblity to the BWC in January of 2006 was $77,274.18.  The Village’s responsibility to the BWC in July of 2006 was $77041.64.

In October, the Village reported that it had paid down the loan from Cortland bank that was taken out a few years ago to keep the Village afloat, but has been a burden ever since.

In March of 2007, the Dangling Debt of $36345.33 will be paid off.  There will be $24000.00 going to this debt in 2007. 

For you immigrants from Garrettsville, that’s $66024 in past due payments to be made in 2007 that could be going toward a Police Officer or two.  If you want to know why the Village is in such bad shape right now, this is a big part of it.  The Village had horrible management of its finances in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. 

If you’ve given a thousand dollars to a buddy of yours and you watched him gamble it all away, will you be likely to give him more when he comes back to ask for it?

Think for a moment if all of those old bills could have been paid off on time.  We wouldn’t have been burdened with a huge loan from Corland Bank.  We could have gone without this Dangling Debt that hangs over our heads.  Perhaps we could have even caught the Worker’s Compensation problem before it became so huge.  Any cutbacks during the weak economy would have been nearly insignificant in comparison to what we’ve had to deal with for the last few years.  Business would have a better opportunity to come here because of the stability in government and protection.  With a regular police force, some of the problems in the Projects would not have been as pronounced as they have become.

Many of our problems today could have been prevented with a good accounting process.

Boy, it would be really nice to get my hands on a relatively detailed budget for the last three years.  I wonder how much it will cost me to get it? 

QuickClix

I’m kinda sorta trying to look into starting a business of my own by selling on eBay for other folks.  Basically, you give me that lime green candy dish that you keep hidden in the back of the cupboard and I research and try to sell is on eBay.  Of course, being an evil Republican, I take a cut from the winning bid, but you don’t even have to think about that.  See it as doing your part in getting a thorn in your side out of town.  Unless you like me of course, then you would be doing your part to increase tax revenue for the Village. 

All jokes aside, if any of you would like to get rid of something that you don’t need on eBay, I’d be more than happy to help.

The next two years...

I’m really looking forward to the next couple of years now that the Democrat party has won control of the House of Representatives and likely will take control of the Senate in a few days. 

“Huh?” you say.  “Why would he look forward to that?”  Well let me respond.

Well, for the next two years Conservatives don’t feel the need to defend the decisions of a huge group of morons who couldn’t legislate their way out of a wet paper bag.  Many of us have been quite disappointed in the recent Congress and their decisions and the attitude that they’d taken on.  Now granted, I certainly believe that the current set-up in Washington will not be any better, but really I don’t think it will be much worse either.  Hopefully we will be able to find more people like Michael Steele, I’ve stated my support of him before.  I don’t agree with him on every point, but his attitude and charisma took him a long way in a race in which he should have gotten pounded.

Here in Ohio, DeWine loses, no surprise, he lost the support of Conservatives a long time ago, plus boneheaded moves by Taft and Bob Ney drove any chance he had into the ground.  Blackwell, who is a very nice guy in person, suffered Taft backlash and also ran a horrible campaign. 

The Village won’t be getting any tax increase anytime soon.  It didn’t even garner the numbers that is had back in February. 

One thing to notice for everyone.  When Democrats lose, there are charges of voter fraud, Americans being stupid, and threats to flee to Canada.  When Republicans lose…well, I haven’t heard anything shrill like that yet.  I don’t anticipate it either.

Your Taxes...

…will not be going up because of the Village.

For the Levy – 173 – 31.00%

Against the Levy – 385 – 69.00%

What now?  How about a detailed prospectus of the Village’s finances?

Rumored

Has anyone heard that something very serious happened in town this evening?  I’m hearing word of a murder, but have no confirmation yet on that.  I’ll try to track down some more information.  I’ll update this post as more information comes in.

Update:  There was a seventeen year old man shot in the face sometime around 5:30 this evening.  There is the possibility of drugs being involved somehow.  The victim was being transported for LifeFlight, but may have been pronounced DOA.

Update 2:  It seems that it was an eighteen year old.  The bullet entered under the right eye and exited behind the left ear.  There is an ongoing question about whether the young man was murdered or accidentally shot.  There are two Windham cruisers, two Garrettsville cruisers, two unmarked cars (likely detectives), and one county and one K-9 unit at the scene.  One young man has been taken for questioning.

Update 3:  Latest word is that there were a few kids drinking in one of the apartments in 9145 Maple Grove.  One of the boys was screwing around with a gun, wasn’t paying attention, and it went off.  They had planned on blaming it on suicide, but one of the people there broke down and told the truth.

Update 4 (per comment by G.R.I.T.S.):   Fisher was charged with reckless homicide for the death of Frazier.

Final Update:  From The Record Courier

Ravennan shot in Windham Allegedly shot in head with rifle

Marci Piltz

15 hours ago

Record-Courier staff writer

A Ravenna man was shot and killed Monday at an apartment in Windham, and another Ravenna man is in custody, charged with the shooting.

Jesse Frazier, 18, of 470 S. Prospect St., was pronounced dead Monday night at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna following the shooting.

Brandon Fisher, 20, of 531 Coolman Ave., was arrested and charged with reckless homicide, a third-degree felony, in connection with the shooting.

Fisher was arraigned Tuesday in Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna, where Judge Barbara Oswick set bond at $500,000 cash. A preliminary hearing has been set for Friday in the same courtroom.

According to Portage County Sheriff Duane Kaley, a 911 call was received around 5:30 p.m. regarding a shooting at 9145 Maple Grove Road, Apt. C. The call was transferred to Windham police, who requested assistance from the Portage County Sheriff's Office, Kaley said.

Kaley said officers found Frazier had been shot in the head, and he was transported by the Windham Fire Department to Robinson Memorial. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, Kaley said.

In addition to the charge of reckless homicide, Kaley said Fisher also could be facing additional charges of tampering with evidence for allegedly attempting to hide the gun, a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle, used in the shooting.

Both Kaley and Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci declined to elaborate on the circumstances of the shooting.

"All I can say right now is that this individual apparently pointed the firearm at two other individuals, then pointed it at the victim, at which time the weapon discharged," Kaley said.

Kaley would not comment on whether the shooting was accidental.

The rifle was taken from the scene, along with other items Kaley said were being considered as evidence.

Kaley said the sheriff's office is working with the Windham Police Department and its acting chief, Dale Korman, during the investigation.

For the record

Since I’ve made it plain that I’m going to be moving in the middle of next year, I don’t feel that it is right for me to cast a vote on a tax in which I don’t have a part. 

But if I was, I’d keep in mind…

• The property tax issue is designed to do directly to the Village Police Department to the tune of $100,000.
• It costs a lot more than that to run the Department.
• Will the allocation from the General Fund stay the same, decrease, or increase?
• The Village has paid their responsibility to the State Worker’s Compensation system.
• The Village is in the process of paying off their “Dangling Debt”.
• Those payoffs net approximately $100,000 per year.
• Regardless of this issue’s passage or rejection, the majority of that revenue should flow back toward the Police Department.
• What will be the state of the Village’s finances upon repayment of all debt?

But, you know, that’s just me.

Remember Mark Foley?

Watch him get punched.  Repeatedly.

And hopefully helping Negron in the process.

The Coolest Clock You Will Ever See

Online at least. Seriously.

Update:Doesn't it just figure, the website went down right after posting.

Bias? nooooo....

To Every Season There's A Bias

Posted 10/23/2006

Public Opinion: You are v-e-r-y tired. . . . You will believe everything I say. . . . Just keep your eye on President Bush's sinking polls. . . . Pay no attention to that low jobless rate . . . or the shrinking budget deficit . . . or the record Dow.

That, it seems, is the spell that's again been cast over a strangely receptive public as the Nov. 7 election nears. Despite an economic boom that's nothing short of amazing, especially given the obstacles it's had to overcome, many Americans still think we're on the verge of recession. Or at least that's what some polls say.

Why the disconnect? We keep scratching our heads. Beyond the grumbling over gas prices and some concern about what lies ahead in the war on terror, the only thing we can come up with is the unremittingly negative coverage the economy gets in the mainstream media.

You'd think that after a while people would put two and two together — that if things are pretty good for them and most people they know, the economy itself must be pretty good, despite what they read in the papers or hear on TV.

How do we know there's a disconnect? Because we see it in our own polling. When we ask Americans about their own financial situations, they're upbeat. When we ask what they think of the economy in general, the response is much less bullish.

In our October survey, the personal finance index stood at 60.6 — well above the 50 level that separates optimism from pessimism. Our overall economic optimism index registered only 52.4.

Some might say: How about the lower-income people who supposedly are falling further and further behind, or the middle class that's forever being "squeezed"? Well, as the accompanying charts show, they too are positive about their own situations but have their doubts about the rest of us.

This "cognitive dissonance" tends to be more pronounced at election time, perhaps because that's when coverage tends to get more biased. Examples from past election cycles abound.

In 2004, when the Bush-Kerry race was heating up, we couldn't help notice all the stories about trouble in the Midwest, and especially in key manufacturing states like Ohio, where the recovery that began two years earlier was said to be a no-show.

That's funny, we thought at the time. Data showed the factory sector expanding for the 12th month in a row and employment at a 31-year high. But with Bush in office and John Kerry polling well, the media weren't about to let facts get in the way of a good woe-is-us tale.

It was just the opposite in 2000, when Bush and Dick Cheney were campaigning to replace Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and had the nerve to point out the economy seemed to be slowing. Never mind the data indicated as much, or that stocks had been signaling a downturn since they topped that spring.

Eight years earlier, when George Bush Sr. was in the White House, and Clinton, Gore and 90% of the national media wanted him out, it was all about "the economy, stupid." Though we were in the 18th month of expansion, and activity in the latest quarter was the strongest in three years, 92% of stories written about the economy in that stretch were negative.

The negative coverage dried up as soon as Clinton and Gore were elected. Only 14% of stories in November 1992 were negative vs. 90% the month before.

In 2006? Once again, there's no shortage of anecdotal evidence. Typical was the one we cited last week, when both CBS and CNN took the best piece of economic news in a long time — the plunge in gas prices — and turned it into an election-year conspiracy of George Bush and Big Oil.

For fresh empirical evidence, the Business & Media Institute, admittedly a right-leaning group that audits coverage of the free enterprise system, just released a study of how the TV networks covered what was a strong economy in the 12 months ended in July. Among its findings:

• More than twice as many stories and briefs focused on negative aspects of the economy (62%) vs. positive (31%). "News broadcasts dwelled on one prospective cataclysm after another, yet each time the economy continued unfazed," BMI said.

• Bad news was stressed on all three networks (CBS, NBC and ABC) and appeared in full-length stories twice as often as in shorter items.

• Ordinary people and businessmen whom reporters used to underscore negative stories outnumbered those telling positive stories by a 3-to-1 ratio.

• CBS' coverage was easily the most slanted. More than 80% of its full-length stories on its "Evening News" delivered a negative view of the economy.

• Generally speaking, "the U.S. economy has been depicted as one major event away from collapse on all three evening news shows."

Its been a long time coming...

Well, I made the announcement this morning during worship services, so I think its only right to make it here also.  Come next July or August, I will be a Windhamite no longer.  Its time to move back home and take care of things around the farm.  This is a move that I’ve been considering since my Dad passed away in late 2004. 

I’ve never really explained the feelings that I have attached to the farm down in Holmes County.  Most folks know I grew up in Walnut Creek surrounded by the largest settlement of Amish in the world.  It has been an endless conversation starter time and time again.  You’ll remember how torn I was when it came to the Bombers game against my alma mater Hiland Hawks in basketball last year.  The farm that my family owns is on the other side of the county.  My grandparents lived there for years, Dad and Mom moved in a few years before discovering Dad’s cancer, and I hope to live there for a good long while.  It was a place that I spent weeks of each summer as a kid playing, scouting in the woods, swimming in the pond, building dams in the creek, and so many other things that could possibly get me in trouble if Grandpa was still around.  He never did find half of his tools thanks to my cousin and I. 

There’s so much more involved in the move that I’m at a loss to really explain it.  I’ve come back into contact with two people that I really care about, but haven’t talked to in years.  That was just very weird and unexpected, but I’m really happy that it did.  They remind me of home.  Mom has been talking about us moving down for over a year.  My sister has been pestering me off and on.  Its something that I’ve always wanted.

So I think now is the time.

There’s a lot to button up before I leave.  The kids need to finish the school year, I don’t like the thought of pulling them out in the middle of their studies.  Plus, I’m going to have to get used to sending them to a school in the West Holmes School District.  Sorry Brandy and April, that’s just never going to be quite right.  Ugh…Knights.  There are a few things at church that I’d like to finish, but I have little control over a lot of things.  I’d love to stick around here until the next election cycle in 2008, I think its going to be very interesting.  Don’t worry though, if anything strikes my fancy in the next few months, I’ll say something.  We do have a tax issue to be voting upon. 

Overall, I just want to say that I’ve enjoyed living here.  Windham is in no way an idyllic town or anything, but the people here are real, and many truly care for the overall well-being of people, even though we don’t always agree what that well-being specifically is.  I’ll…kinda…sorta…miss it ‘round here. 

But its still at least 8–9 months away.

If anyone ever wants to contact me directly, my email address is windhamite@gmail.com or call at 330–984–3053. Whoohoo!  Spam!  Whee!

It's The Economy, Even If The Media Doesn't Report It

Blatantly stolen from Captain’s Quarters

Bill Clinton got elected on the James Carville slogan, "It's the economy, stupid." Fourteen years later, it's the media playing stupid, as a roaring economy has been treated with more secrecy than national-security programs by newspapers and television news channels. Michael Barone points out the hypocrisy:

The Labor Department Friday announced that the number of jobs increased between April 2005 and March 2006 not by 5.8 million but by 6.6 million. As an editorial in the Wall Street Journal notes, "That's a lot more than a rounding error, more than the entire number of workers in the state of New Hampshire. What's going on here?" The most plausible explanation, advanced by the Journal and by the Hudson Institute's Diana Furchgott-Roth in the New York Sun, is that lots more jobs are being created by small businesses and individuals going into business for themselves than government statisticians can keep track of. Newspaper reports on the number of jobs usually focus on the Labor Department's business establishment survey. But over the past few years, the Labor Department's household survey has consistently shown more job growth than the business establishment survey. The likely explanation: The business establishment survey misses jobs created by new businesses. Our government statistical agencies do an excellent job. But statistics designed to measure the economy of yesterday have a hard time reflecting the economy of tomorrow.

The federal budget deficit has been cut in half in three years, three years faster than George W. Bush called for. Why? Tax receipts were up 5.5 percent in FY 2004, 14.5 percent in FY 2005, and 11.7 percent in FY 2006. That's up 34.9 percent in three years. And that's after the 2003 tax cuts. When you cut taxes, you get more economic activity, and when you get more economic activity, the government with a tax system that is still decidedly progressive gets more revenue.

The bottom line: The private-sector economy is much more robust and creative than mainstream media would have you believe.

What? Your newspaper hasn't told you about the massive addition of jobs since the Bush tax cuts? Perhaps they've mentioned the new historical highs for the Dow Jones index. No? How about that falling deficit, driven by a huge boost in tax revenues caused by record employment and increased profits (and therefore taxes) in the private sector? Page C-17, you say?

What a shock in a midterm election season!

When the last labor report came out, many people pointed to the small job growth as a point of criticism for the Bush administration. However, with unemployment at 4.6%, we're approaching the point where there aren't many left to employ. At a certain point, the unemployment figure reflects transitional status and not joblessness of any significant length. As Barone notes, it also might reflect the effect of new investment in small businesses, which do not report employment as rapidly as corporations and which created the 800,000 shortfall in the new-job count the BLS just corrected.

If critics want to see more jobs get created, then they should promote the freeing of capital for investment into the economy. Raising taxes will have the opposite effect, something George H. W. Bush found out the hard way in 1990.

Posted by Captain Ed at October 11, 2006 06:03 AM

Tax Cuts for the Poor

Who reads USA Today anymore?  Well, maybe we should have read this.

Income tax cuts benefit all payers

By Kevin McCoy, USA TODAY

 

Americans of every income have benefited from a drop in federal income tax rates as Bush administration tax cuts enacted since 2000 took effect, an independent analysis of newly released IRS data shows.

But those earning $75,000 to $500,000 are shouldering a larger share of total taxes paid as millions more of them earn higher incomes and get hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax, the analysis also found.

The review by the Tax Foundation, a non-partisan research group that favors low taxes, provides one of the first detailed looks at the impact of federal tax changes phased in between 2000 and 2004.

Alluding to the political debate that often surrounds tax issues, Gerald Prante, a Tax Foundation economist, said, "It is true that in dollar amounts the rich have gained the most. But everybody's tax rates have fallen."

The analysis showed, for example, that a taxpayer who earned $35,000 in 2000 would have paid 8.54% of that income — $2,989 after credits — in federal taxes. In 2004, federal taxes would have accounted for 5.12% of that taxpayer's annual income, or $1,792. That represents a 40% decrease in tax burden.

At the higher end of the income brackets, a $1.75 million earner would have paid $513,625 in 2000 federal taxes, when the rate for that earning bracket was 29.35%. Four years later, when the rate dropped to 25%, that earner would have paid $437,500. That represents a 14.8% cut in tax burden, the analysis shows.

Millions of upper-middle and moderately high-income earners also benefited from tax rate cuts. But the analysis shows their savings was limited by the Alternative Minimum Tax, which eliminates some deductions and credits they could otherwise claim on federal tax returns. The levy particularly hits those whose high state and local taxes become ineligible for federal tax deductions.

For instance, taxpayers who earned between $100,000 and $200,000 in 2004 paid 22.5% of all federal taxes, up from 19.4% four years earlier. Those who earned between $200,000 and $500,000 in 2004 paid 17.9% of all federal taxes, up from 15.4% in 2000, the analysis showed.

Prante said the federal government "cut ordinary income tax rates but left AMT alone. So the middle range (of taxpayers) ended up getting less of a reduction."

The Tax Foundation also found that:

• Millions of lower-income Americans — those earning $25,000 annually or less — have been taken off the federal tax rolls. In 2000, roughly 29 million tax returns had no federal tax owed. Four years later, the number rose to about 43 million returns.

The increase resulted from the doubling of the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000, as well as the Earned Income Tax Credit, a federal benefit program for low-income workers.

• Income for the highest-earning Americans dropped sharply from 2000 to 2002, following the end of the bull stock market of the late 1990s, then grew rapidly from 2002 to 2004 as the economy recovered.

What a beautiful day

…to be 33.

Daniel Chesterfield

Perhaps you’ve seen this on television:

 

If you enjoyed it, you’ll love the original:

 

Humor to deter the wrath from the post below.

Let’s lighten the mood around here before the ladies decide to declare fatwa on me because of the blatantly scientific post below.  Or was that supposed to be sexist?

The Pregnancy Tester

Finally, Proof!

We always knew it, now the science backs it up!  Sorry ladies. 

Men are more intelligent than women, claims new study

C’mon, you know it makes a great Monday morning headline.

Have you ever...

I suppose that we all do it every once in a while.  We all play the “what if?” game.  What if I’d have left the house three minutes earlier, would I have been part of that automobile accident right now?  What if the Indians had not let Bob Howry go during last off-season, would the team be contending for a shot for the playoffs right now?  What if I had not had those hot wings last night, would my tail end not feel unnatural?

Ok, that last one is a bit extreme, but you get the idea I think.

All of these things are decisions.  Some are bigger than others, some are just off the wall, but each one becomes part of the fabric of our lives.  One thing that I’ve come to understand is that each one of these decisions, whether bad ones or brilliant, make us exactly who we are today.  Sometimes we screw up royally and make a horrible decision, many times we make the right ones. 

Luckily every once in a while we get a chance to make one right, or at least as close to right as we can.  I hope we all get the opportunity one of these days.

We Will Never Forget

A nice quote

I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. -Groucho Marx

Labor Day

May you all have a nice weekend.  Labor Day doesn’t make much sense to me though.  Don’t really know why.

Welfare to Work

And old acquaintance of mine (in internet years) has something that I think might be valuable to read when we consider the Projects in town here.

Welfare to work - Ten years later…again

He references two articles, the first his own, and the second, an interview with Georgia’s Commissioner of Labor Michael Thurmond

And here’s a link to the front page of his blog, Drifting Through the Grift. 

 

The New View

Well, if you’ve picked up a Villager, like we all do and rapidly search for anything about Windham, because we’re navel-gazers like that, you’ve seen that after eight tries at passing an income tax increase, the Council has changed gears.

Like some of us *ahem* have been saying for quite a while.

Personally, I believe that if the Council could guarantee that every penny of the Income Tax increase would go directly to the Police Department, it would pass. The problem is that as it is now, the increase would go directly into the General Fund which is used for every other program in the Village save Water/Sewer business (unless there’s a shortfall there, which is another story entirely). Some in the Village have a mistrust in the Council, and consequently refuse to hand over their money to the General Fund without any kind of definite direction as to the use of the increased revenue. Each time that the issue has arisen, the drumbeat from Council’s direction is “It will go to the Police Department, trust us.” – Source

How hard would it be to split off the Police Department from the General Fund? What would be involved in setting it up after the same fashion as the Water/Sewer Department? Would that open up new avenues of increasing the revenue? That’s the type of creative thinking we’re looking for.  Same source as above

So now we have proposed a 4.something mill property tax levy.  This solves a lot of concerns, but raises a couple of others which we will be looking at over the next few months.  Hopefully we can have a clear picture of the tax landscape before the voting takes place in November.

A Taste of what I think is funny

Admit it, you’re either laughing hysterically or are really scared right now.

Via b3ta stuff

A Week of Good Thoughts

Suppose we start this very day To live our lives in a different way;
Suppose we vowed and constantly tried To help those in trouble on life’s wayside;

If we showed by our deeds a hint of His love

Wouldn’t earth be a bit more like heaven above?

ON MONDAY: Look for a smile today and return it with one of your own.
Give someone faith and hope, it’s such a beautiful loan.
ON TUESDAY: Gather a thought that’s kind, one that’s sincere and deep.
Be sure to pass it along for such are too precious to keep.
ON WEDNESDAY: Forget yesterday’s sorrows, mistakes, sadness, and pain.
Lift your heart with hope as flowers to sun and rain.
ON THURSDAY: Offer a word of comfort and prayer to help someone in need.
A little thoughtful gift, some flowers, or a smile makes us all rich indeed.
ON FRIDAY: You shall not pass this way again, so do any good you can do.
Don’t put it off till tomorrow or the chance may be lost for you.
ON SATURDAY: Today will soon be a memory so don’t let it come to an end,
without a smile, without a song, or just a word from a friend.
ON SUNDAY: Don’t let worry and care depress you, or brush your joy away.
But arise and give thanks to God above, for His love and another “Blest Day.”

“...let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his
own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil 2:3, 4).

Source

Aww crud.

Tonight was the Village Council meeting and I completely forgot about it.  Sure, things have been quite busy around the house and all, but that’s really no excuse.  It just slipped my mind.

Anyway, there are a couple of issues that continue to nag at my mind.

1.  Has anyone heard anything about that whole Fire Department Agreement that was such a vitally important issue last November lately?  Why is it suddenly of little importance?  Was it being overemphasized or is this a resolved issue?

2.  Hey look, the schools around here seem to be improving and no one wants to talk about it.  I think its a great thing that we’ve more than doubled our scoring from last year.  Is it the pinnacle of scholastic achievement?  Not by a long shot yet, but considering the multitude of factors outside the schools that enter into the problem, any turnaround is a good one.

3.  The Police Department in town is doing very well for being vastly underfunded.  In my jaunts around town, a cruiser is regularly seen driving here or there.  Visibility is an important piece of the puzzle, and I’m glad to see that being continued.

4.  The tax issue that continues to be raised and continues to be voted down.  I commented to a member of council prior to the election that if it doesn’t pass at this time, there has to be something going on other than simply not wanting to raise taxes.  I believe that a clear case was made by the Villager in the days prior to the election that would have sufficed to sway enough voters to pass the issue.  The problem is that the issue did not pass.  My conclusion is that there is another reason why the tax isn’t passing rather than the realization of need.  Of course, that’s pretty much the same conclusion that was stated three election cycles ago, but pishposh.

5.  I’m beginning to think that the future of this town does not lie with attracting new business.  In our area, one of the greatest “growth industries” is construction.  Specifically high-end housing construction.  I know its an impossibility but wouldn’t it be great to have the Council claim eminent domain over Maple Grove parkway and transfer ownership to some high falutin’ construction outfit?  Let’s put some $200,000 homes right in the middle of Windham rather than what’s there now.  Sell the lots for $50,000 a piece like they’re doing in Garrettsville right now.  The draw would be a quiet neighborhood on an out-of-the-way road basically in the middle of nowhere.  What a great place to get away from mundane business life?  Come to Windham!

Ahh to dream. 

Before We Judge Others

Heavenly Father,

Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry, and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, showing patience, empathy, and love.

“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them . . . ” —Matthew 7:12

Source

Oops

Isn’t it nice to know that us little folks aren’t the only one’s to make mistakes?  The big guys do it to.  Sadly, this is during a war, when reporters are supposed to be held to a higher degree of trust.

Reuters calls the doctor, take 2

and

Extreme Makeover - Beirut Edition

 

*cough cough*

 

Number one in the preseason poll

Yeah, I know it doesn’t mean much, but hey, its still a number one ranking. 

On the lighter side...

Waitress gets own ID when carding patron

WESTLAKE, Ohio - A bar waitress checking to see if a woman was legally old enough to drink was handed her own stolen driver's license, which was reported missing weeks earlier, police said.

"The odds of this waitress recovering her own license defy calculation," police Capt. Guy Turner said Monday.

Maria Bergan, 23, of Lakewood, was charged Sunday night with identity theft and receiving stolen property. She was arrested at her home in suburban Cleveland and was jailed in Westlake to await a court appearance.

The 22-year-old waitress, whose name was not released, called police last week and said she had been handed her own stolen driver's license by a woman trying to prove she was 21. The woman, who became suspicious of the delay as the waitress went to call police, fled the Moosehead Saloon, but her companion provided her name.

The waitress said she had lost her wallet July 9 at a bar in Lakewood.

The victim also had a credit card stolen. The stolen card has been used to make $1,000 in purchases, Turner said.

Twice in five days

Well, the lovely little vista most of us call home has made the front page of the Courier twice in the last couple of days.  Under other circumstances, we’d be proud.  When does football season start again?  Tell me the volleyball team is expected to be good this year.  I’ll take anything else at this point.

First off, I think its a good thing that The Honorable C. James Moore^TM went to the Commissioners to try and get some help in the Maple Grove/projects/huge problem that we have in town.  We need all the help we can get in this area.  Even with a fully staffed police department like we had a couple of years ago, we would still have to depend upon mutual aid and county assistance.  You don’t disperse a 70 person crowd with four or five officers. 

Of course, the paper was quick to point out our financial difficulties of late and use them as a reason that some of these things are taking place.  The Mayor was even quoted as saying that we only have one full-time officer on patrol at a time. 

“Hi guys, wanna do some badness type things tonight?”

“Yeah man, lets get in a scirmish, yea, even a throwdown.”

“Where should we go?”

“Hey, I hear that Windham place only has one cop around, lets take our bad selves over there.”

Yeah, not necessarily the best quote to have in the headline article of the local paper.  Of course, I doubt all that many folks who do the badness-type things really read the Record-Courier, so no foul is going to be called right now.

Anyway, even with the recent financial problems, this is not some new problem that’s only cropped up since we had to reduce police hours.  I recall reading a Landlord’s Meeting record from 1994 that discussed the issue of having private security to patrol the area and give aid to the local police.  Once again, that’s going to be discussed.  Let’s hand it to a committee, because committees fix things.  Sure they do.  Don’t wait on the Owners to do al that much except for talking about it, because they’d be taking more money out of their pockets. 

One thing that would be valuable for the Owners to do is a *real* background check.  Not the mandated bare minimum “hey, no felonies, right?” check, but a serious looking into.  You can get online and find out just about anything you want to these days.  I’ve seriously thought about doing it, but then realized how much that would cost.  Yeah, it ain’t cheap.  It would be able to weed out more of these morons that keep getting shipped to us. 

*note – saying morons does not necessarily imply that every person living there is a moron – just that the ratio in the Maple Grove/Project/Problem Area is higher than in most places*

Then came today’s (August 1) paper.  Whee.  There’s another tax issue on the ballot.  Yeah.  I do have to admit though, its about time that they address the  issues that we’ve been crying out about since last October.  Replacing officers.  But…

Enh, that’s enough for now.  Catch you later.