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Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek was always a favorite! Especially Mr. Spock! A potpourri of pet peeves! Global Warming debunked by environmentalists? How can this be? Water Research Group Meeting Monday Uranium testing. Hmmm! The thing the public isn't told! Karen Hadden, please go home! Revised and revisited! The importance of Gore-bal Warming! Solutions to Lower Basin flooding! It doesn't take a PhD! speakupvictoria.com, Hey, I'm still speaking up! October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 
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The Our Lady of Sorrows resale shop was burglarized for the third time this past week! All proceeds from this shop, which is run by volunteers, goes to the church! Some sick thief steals from the church then crosses the street and robs the furniture man of his tools! Rob God and then rob the working man! This town grows sicker every day!
East Brunswick school officials told coach Marcus Borden he can't kneel and bow his head while members of the team have a student-led pre-game prayer! In Wisconsin's Tomah area school district, a teacher refused to give a student, only identified as A.T., a grade on an art project because his work included "John 3:16" as well as "A Sign of Love." However, Buddha, Hindu and sorcerers are considered approved forms of art by the school. In Mt. Vernon, Ohio, school leaders told teacher John Freshwater he must put his bible out of sight when students are in his room. He has refused to do so. He's had a bible on his desk for the past 18 years. Last year he was voted "Teacher of the Year!" It seems that teachers can direct that their students declare a Jihad in solidarity with Muslim students but must keep their Christian beliefs to themselves. It seems that with politically correct, secular progressives today "tolerance is always a one way street!"
Wow, has anyone been watching Oprah? She's quickly becoming a new cult leader with the millions she gives away and all the New Age theology her gurus are selling!
I've been writing now for just over 25 years. A letter to the editor every month, published poetry, many, many political reports and through out all that time I've had one serious and over-riding concern: the fate of the workingman, the working poor and the small businessman! I feel very strongly that the three new industrial projects planned for the Crossroads area are a Godsend! Doubling the Coleto Creek power plant, the ethanol plant(although I'm skeptical about ethanol as a motor fuel) and the Exelon Nuclear Power plant. I also support a four year university for Victoria. We need the work-the jobs-the income to insulate us somewhat from the horrendous jump in fuel and grocery prices.
It seems a terrible thing to me that people with the least to worry when it comes to living from paycheck to paycheck are opposing the nuclear plant simply because they don't want it in their back yard! If there were a real, serious physical danger from the project I could understand but there isn't. Baffles me!
Watching the news about protests at abortion clinics I see that activists from the black community are beginning to realize that Planned Parenthood kills more blacks in three days than the KKK did in it's entire history! In fact, it's documented that Margaret Sanger started the organization for the explicit purpose of killing black babies!
I've been out of work for four years this past April! As a workingman used to sweat and hard work this has been a sad ordeal for me. Having been very sick with thyroid disease and all that goes with it I am very happy that I am now on the road to recovery. Gaining up to 414 pounds was devastating! I've lost 71 pounds now! My blood pressure is normalizing and I feel better. During the times when I was the sickest I never lost track of my calling in life. To speak up for those with no voice. For those who have a voice but don't know what to say or how to say it! I never missed a meeting of Water Research Group or a letter to the editor. A man has to be loyal to his calling. Proverbs 31:8-9 describes me to a T!
Jim Blackburn, a noted environmental attorney is representing O'Connor Ranches opposing the nuclear project for Victoria County. He is also representing King Ranch against it's neighbor, Kenedy Ranch opposing that ranch building a wind farm! I guess the question that comes to mind is how do we produce the power for an ever-growing Texas population? Do we ration power? I thought wind power was as green as it could be! Will the O'Connors decide to start hiring people to replace the jobs they are opposing?
When first being vaulted into the Speaker of the House position, Newt Gingrich cut $500,000 out of the federal budget by not delivering buckets of ice to each congressman's office twice per day. For this he was labeled an extremist! Sadly, most of the young freshmen congressmen who came in to the first republican majority in many years went home disgusted and disillusioned! Nancy Pelosi promised earmarks would be curbed and has presided over a huge increase in earmarks from BOTH parties!
Now let me see if I read this right! Pemex, the national oil company of Mexico, has not invested enough of it's profits in drilling, so much of it's vast oil reserves are, as yet, untapped! That's what happens when the government is in charge of what should be private enterprise! Sounds a lot like Texas spending all of it's lottery revenues that were supposed to fund the school system! We live in a glass house, let's not throw rocks!
What part of insane and selfish does President Bush not understand as he hurries our economic stimulus checks to us? Doesn't he realize we're borrowing from our grandchildren? At least half of mine will go to buying silver coins for my son.
"Hundreds mourn soldier captured in Iraq!" Mr. Bush, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the American public and the readers of this blog, I beg you to understand both the Oriental and Arabic(Middle Eastern) concept of war! There is no fairness! There are no rules. No old world European concept of rules and chivalry! For the most part prisoners are to be used, exploited, abused and done away with in an expeditious manner! Neither the Oriental or Arabic cultures recognize the precepts of the Geneva Convention! To attack and hide amongst the innocent non-combatant population causing collateral damage is no problem. The same things we tried and convicted our soldiers for concerning Abu Ghrab is heralded as a good thing and commonly practiced on the other side. There is no sense of honor! The Soviet Union understood this in Lebanon! Four of their diplomats were kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists so four Palestinian citizens were taken by the Soviets and their testicles and sexual organs were delivered to the terrorists. To this day Muslim terrorists in the Middle East have NEVER kidnapped another Russian!
Jimmy Carter! Another buffoon totally ignorant of Arabic/Muslim religious customs. Carter is an infidel. Covenants/treaties/agreements with infidels do not have to be kept under Muslim Law! If we are to live on this globe with these people we must make and effort, not to appease them, but understand their customs! To the Arab, and the Jew, the Crusades were just last week! Many people in America still believe that the Crusades were a holy mission to free the Holy Land from the Mongol Hoards! Most Americans are still unaware that both Arabs(then called Moors) and Jews(including almost the entire Christian Jewish community) were slaughtered! Men, women and children! Many Crusaders were given "indulgences" by the Roman Church that paid for sins if they killed Jews! And George W. Bush was ignorant enough to use the word "crusade" when talking about the invasion of Iraq! Blows my mind!
According to Fox Business, 15 million acres were diverted to corn production this year in order to make ethanol motor fuel. Now think carefully here: Since the corn mash used to make ethanol is then dried and turned in to animal feed there is NO shortage of animal feed! IN FACT THERE WILL BE AN EXCESS OF ANIMAL FEED WHICH SHOULD LEAD TO LOWER FEED PRICES! So the next time you hear that meat, poultry, eggs and milk are going up because of ethanol production, scream "LIAR!
Some thoughts for today! Heard some good advice on the radio the other day! "Live every day in the light of the eminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!" "Right is right even if everyone's against it! Wrong is wrong even if everyone's for it! William Penn
I'm tired of getting cheated! Worse yet, I'm tired of the people cheating me expecting me to like it!
Went to WalMart the other day to get some anti-freeze/coolant! I saw a label that said, "Don't add water! Pre-diluted!" Ah, excuse me! You water it down and call it pre-diluted as if we're getting something special! Oh, and then there's the store brand muscle rub. Described as a cream. Be careful how you open it! It may run out like a watery lotion! Give me a break!
I went to the local HEB store and bought some 81mg baby aspirin for my Mother and absent mindedly looked at the label. Instead of the usual 50 tablets there were only 36 and the price was actually higher! The bottle? No change in size! It can easily hold 100 tablets! Deceptive? You bet!
I'd like to know if State Representative Geanie Morrison would please do me and the rest of her district a favor? A new law making it illegal for the Appraisal District to up my taxes just because some idiot next door with more money than brains decides to build a mansion! While she's at it I'd appreciate it very much if she could get the State Comptroller's office to stop pressuring Appraisal Districts to up their valuations!
I find it interesting that those most vocal in their opposition to the proposed nuclear power plant have never been to a presentation by the company! Those folks have, however, raised a red flag about the plant's raiding of our "precious groundwater" when, in fact, the plant will only have three wells and use very little groundwater. It also seems odd to me that these same folks supported the creation of a groundwater district and now don't trust that district to protect our groundwater! Very strange, indeed!
Why do I support a nuclear project? Jobs for the average working people of this area! Simple as that! Those who oppose it seem to all be in a position so that they need not worry about employment! I, however, see local working people falling farther behind with all the rising prices. My neighbor and his wife work a total of five jobs! They have a little girl who spends a lot of time away from her parents! The average working people of this area are quickly being turned in to the working poor! We need the jobs!
Those of you who know me personally are aware that no amount of money or position would make me support any project I felt would endanger our water resources. You are also aware that I would happily spend my last dollar, and have many times, to fight such a project!
What no one is aware of until this writing is that it was communicated to me a number of years ago that if I'd just shut up about the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project I needn't worry about money for the rest of my life! After four years of unemployment and being left destitute I didn't even find that a temptation! I would not and will not support any project that will endanger our water! I, therefore, confidently declare that after much independent, thorough research, I support the nuclear power project for Victoria!
I have a small tidbit for those of you driving the big SUVs and seem to feel you're bigger than anything else on the road and you wanna be first so you pull out in front of everyone! Here's the tip: if there's a 26,000 pound diesel bobtail coming down the road at 65 MPH hauling an 8,000 pound payload and you pull out in front of him, YOU'RE TOAST!
It is a known fact that China and India are now the number one countries in the world for producing pollution, yet on the AllAfrica.com website Texas was blamed for such a large carbon footprint! This seems to me typical United Nations propaganda. The UN always seems to blame Americans first!
ABC News reported this week that there is a growing food shortage world wide. FoxNews reported that a consequence of stepped up enforcement of immigration laws is driving truck farmers across the border into Mexico. In 2006, the U.S Department of Agriculture reported that the United States has for the first time become a "net food importer." In some areas of the south people are starting to hoard and store food stuffs. Personally, I don't like the sound of any of this!
Much of the blame for this new food shortage is being pointed at the use of ethanol as fuel! HorseHocky! When an ethanol plant is through with the mash used to make alcohol used in motor fuels that mash is dried and made right back into food for livestock! It doesn't just disappear off the planet! Yet rumors of this is driving up the cost of food and it's just speculation and greed!
Let's talk about speculation for a moment! On speculation that refineries may slow down production for shutdowns, the price of gasoline will rise! On speculation of increased violence in the Middle East the cost of gas goes up! However, this past week FoxNews reported that vast new discoveries of oil have been found in Brazil, North Dakota and Kansas! How is it that on speculation the price of oil hasn't decreased?
Why doesn't our President think before he speaks? He announced last week that a new law would make manufacturers phase out incandescent light bulbs in preference to the new fluorescent bulbs! Completely ignorant of the fact that you can throw an incandescent bulb in the trash but fluorescent bulbs contain hazardous waste! Another goofball idea that will cost the average American millions over the years!
As someone who was in a position to hire employees and see that employees are hired I can tell you that we have raised two generations of children in this country, of all races, who feel that working with their hands and breaking a sweat as a skilled craftsman is a bad thing to be avoided and looked down upon. I've seen Mexican workers work harder, learn faster and take their jobs more seriously than their American counterparts almost 100% of the time! This comes from a misguided theory coming out of the Great Depression. The theory that each successive generation wants to make life easier than they had it!
I believe in the idea of a four year college for Victoria! The prospect of people from other towns and cities sending their children and their money here delights me to no end! The students come here, bring no children to our schools, spend their money here, provide service jobs and then go away! An economic development dream! Call me selfish! I'm just looking after my wallet!
The recent article about rape in Victoria was important! The best thing about putting a rapist in prison is that he soon finds out what being raped is like! Child abusers and rapists don't usually do well in prison! There is some justice in this world! For those who never get caught, the Lord God will judge! I note with sadness that I miss my friend, Linda Hawes, a Victim's Advocate for the Sheriff's Office! Seems like only yesterday!
I have always been a strong advocate for the average working people! I know what it's like to sweat-to build-to work at a craft to make a living! Frankly, I don't see a lot of good times ahead for my class of people on a national basis. Prayer might be a good practice for all of us to take up!
I note with sorrow the passing of Carl A. Johnson, Jr.! A fine man and founding member of Water Research Group! Carl is now drinking the Living Water! He will be missed!
According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, "Nuclear power plants are the most secure industrial facilities in the United States because of a combination of robust physical barriers; sophisticated detection and access authorization systems, well-trained and well-armed paramilitary security forces, and government oversight and regulation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission."
Hmm! Interesting statement from NEI! History, the past 40+ years of nuclear power, would seem to back up that statement! Yet environmentalists and just your ordinary nay sayers talk about radioactive animals near the plants and even "glow-in-the-dark-steaks" in local restaurants!
Environmentalists! These are the folks that told us at the first Earth Summit the world was cooling and from then on have screamed and whined about global warming! And continue to do so in spite of a recent NPR report that there is overwhelming evidence that the world has actually been cooling! I am an environmentalist! I don't know who or what these people are!
I hear a lot about nuclear waste! A Department of Energy program requires a major shift in the U.S. policy on nuclear fuel reprocessing and depends on advanced technologies that have been commercially proven. The U.S. government banned used nuclear fuel reprocessing in 1977 to prevent nuclear arms proliferation. However, no other country has followed this policy! The UK, France, Japan and Russia have proceeded with commercial reprocessing based on U.S. nuclear technology! The ban was lifted by President Reagan.
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodeman, in a Nov. 9, 2007 letter to the National Academy of Sciences President Ralph Ciccerone, said, "...many nations with nuclear technology are committed to moving forward with used fuel processing." At a recent ministerial meeting of 16 nations, "It was evident that a growing international consensus exists that supports urgently moving forward to develop the political and technical framework for closing the nuclear fuel cycle!" To an environmentalist like myself, that tells me that much of the problem of where to store nuclear is now history! The only thing needed now is to expend the resources and research necessary to mine uranium without destroying the fresh water aquifers the ore is so often located in! If we can put a man on the moon I think it could be done if we'll just take the time and spend the money! Put greed aside for a change!
Dramatic gains in safety, reliability and productivity have been realized at U.S. nuclear power plants over the past two decades. All of the safety related metrics tracked by the NRC and the industry demonstrate high levels of excellence! In 2006, record lows were achieved in safety and productivity related incidents. Think a moment! Compare the incidents publicized in the media between nuclear power plants and fossil motor fuel plants! There is no comparison!
Generation III+ nuclear power plants, already in use, have a sterling record and have been safely producing power for several years now. They are safer, more reliable and require less uranium fuel than the 30+ year old plants in the U.S. today!
The plant proposed for Victoria County will be a low profile project that will not blot out the skyline and will be the newest of the new designs! This project will not only not use a lot of "our precious groundwater", it will actually enhance the availability of clean, fresh groundwater in the Lower Basin!
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