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just realized i haven't posted anything new in forever... well.. maybe not that long.  but close.  i don't have my forever-th birthday for a few months still.
 
anywho, not sure if you guys noticed, but have you heard?... times are tough.  people can't afford their houses, cars are being repossesed, people are being laid off and banks... yes, banks, needed to borrow money from the government.  i thought they were the ones who lent money to people?  crazy times i tell you.
 
i thought i'd share some money saving tips to help you all out in case you are finding times tough. 
 
1. don't buy toilet paper... use yesterdays newspaper.  not only will it work at removing the feces, but you can get some gratification wiping shi*t all over that jon arbuckle in the garfield comic.... you aren't funny!
 
2. unplug your clocks during the night... i mean come on.. who needs to know what time it is while they are sleeping right?
 
3. encourage not cleaning up spilled food.  if you have cats, the mice the food brings in will provide free pet food.
 
4.  bring your rolled canadian pennies to the states to cash in.  that way, you'll get an extra 10 cents per roll with the exchange!
 
5. for christmas, buy people $50 gift cards for places that they rarely go to... that way, when they never get around to using it,  no one will even notice that you already spent the 50 bucks and just gave an empty card.
 
6. save on water by not showering.  not only will it save on the water bill, but you'll save even more when people refuse to accept your dinner offers.
 
7. learn to love e-bay, craigslist and kijiji... not just buying things cheaper, but you can sell not only old clutter at your house, but your re-found 'virginity'.
 
8. get all your drinking done in one night.  though it may not sound like a money saver, the next morning, when you wake up and say, 'never again', you have just given yourself at least a week before your next bender without having to hop on the wagon.  and on that bender, drink fast and on an empty stomach.
 
9. cancel that gym membership... come on now... its obvious you aren't using it fatty.  you aren't fooling anyone.
 
10. stop purchasing any type of prophylactic be it the pill or condoms, might as well be money in your wallet instead.  because after all... if you follow the other tips on here, no way does anyone want to sleep with you.
 
 
hope these tips help and if you are able to save a couple bucks, feel free to buy me a beer next time you see me.


Published On: 11/28/2008
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THE MESSAGE  - OCTOBER 2008

Welcome back to another exciting edition of THE MESSAGE.. da da da DUNNNNN.
Good new snow fiends, We got are first dusting on the Sierra's last week, so lets hope that this will be an early season for all us!  THE BLOCK, THE BLOCK is gearing up for Snowboard Season by sponsoring a bunch of snowboard premieres and parties. I just saw the new First Tracks Video,  Knock on Wood at Mont Bleu, and what a great turnout we had, THE BLOCK was soldout and Flick was dope as all hell! 

Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails

If you missed Hot Dawgs and Handrails last month, you done F@cked-up. ! Hot Dawgz & Hand Rails 5th annual snowboarding specatcular tested the skills of some of the best jumpers and jibbers in the world and paid out $15,000 in prize money!  Rio and the entire Bear Mountain Park Staff pulled off the 1st contest of the year with Grand Style!  The Dropin, The Gap, and the rails were epic and riders were stoked to be throwing down for the first time of the Season! Big props to reelcomp.com for broadcasting a live feed of the event besure to check it out on their website.

The winners in the Men's Finals were...
1st Place- Jed Anderson
2nd Place- Chas Guldemond
3rd Place- Scott Vine

and the winners in the Women's Finals are...
1st Place- Desiree Melancon
2nd Place- Marie Hucal
3rd Place- Raewyn Reid

Scott Vine brought home Best Trick. Congratulations riders! Additional Heavy Hitters were Ben Bogart, Scott Stevens, Louif Paradis, Bode Merill, Keegan Valaika, Leanne Pelosi, Elise Borelli, Nick Dirks, Zak Hale and Tim Eddy. J.P Walker, Seth Huot and Hana Beaman were chillin' at Bear and Josh Sherman and Dave Duncan were announcing! If you missed Hot Dawgz this year, we'll see you next September! Big ups to Nam for organizing the afterparty, DJ Slip Matt and Matty Mo held it done hard. If you aint heard Matty Mo got a new mixtape out so be sure to Grab Government Cheese Vol 1. 

THE BLOCK BOOTCAMP 2008

Has been rescheduled to December 1st -13th in South Lake Tahoe. We are selecting 50 lucky recruits from an applicant pool of over 500+ that I received. It has been no easy task going through the applications, so if you were selected congratulations you will be receiving your deployment orders at the end of the week!  Remember that during bootcamp you will be tested to your physical and mental limits. So do yourself a favor and start working out and jogging now. This is not going to be a walk in the park. 

Knock on Wood

Who wants to see some sick snowboarding action for cheap?! Well, South Lake Tahoe based First Tracks Productions is offering a special deal to friends of The Block. If you click on the following link, you'll get to a hidden page on First Tracks' site where you can purchase their new movie, "Knock on Wood" for $10 off retail! http://firsttracksproductions.com/knockonwood091317257375.html If you haven't seen the trailer for Knock on Wood, check it out for free here:

Upcoming Events

Big Bear

October 18th is the last Bear Mountain Job Fair at Snow Summit from 8am-2pm. If you got to ride Bear and cant pass the bootcamp, this is a good option for any shredder.

October 18th and 19th is the 38th Annual Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest! So if you missed the job fair you can atleast Drink it off.

October 19th @ Active Ride Shop in Le Brea - F.O.D.T. Presents "Familia"  and TWS These Days from 7-9pm with DJ Episode! Be there!

Lake Tahoe


Wednesday Oct 15th  Technine's own Eric "MessyHair" Messier aka The Snow Man, will be playing with his group "The Fiz" at Whiskey Dicks with The Mathematicians in South Lake Tahoe.
THE FIZ KILL IT!!! DO NOT MISS!

This Thursday and Every Thursday BAR24 is holding Battle of The Bands until a winner is announced on November 6th, so get down their and show your support!
Every Tues and THURS - Bar 24 is the place to be!

Saturday, Oct 18th – Late Nite productions brings the Original Wailers back to Tahoe at Moe's Place.
The Wailers!

Wednesday Oct 22nd – Collie Buddz  is playing at Whiskey Dicks with Rise of the Revolution and DJ Pee Wee.  Rise kills it so sure to get there early and check em out!
im blind to you HATERZ

Wednesday Nov 12th – Pato Banton with the Mystic Roots Band and Planting Seeds! Mystic Roots is dope and Pato got love for THE BLOCK so don't miss this show!
Pato w/ Mystic Roots

Friday November 14th – Finger on Da Trigger presents "Familia" Premiere at Bar24, signing with the Technine Team, Snowbunny Contest, Live Performances by the worlds top VJ; DJ Crime,  Hip Hop by Concise Kilgore from the Cali Agents and more TBA Lots of other bar24 contests for lots of SWAG and giveaways! Be sure you are there!
Fri. Nov 14th Bar24

Saturday November 15th – The Premiere and the team travel to the Sandbar in Sacramento. We got a Snowbunny contest with the Déjà vu Girls and Zsu Swimwear, a Rail Jam in the back, T9 Team Signing and so much more so be there!!!
NOV 15th - Sacramento - Sandbar

Tuesday Nov 18th – One Block Radius come to town, Marty James, MDA and Z-Man throw a tough show, pickup there new hit "you got me" and come to the show.
One Block Radius

Friday November 28th – Del The Funky Homosapien has been add to host the "Blizzard" Pray for Snow Party with A-Plus and Bukue-one! So mark this one down cuz its going to GO OFF in Tahoe that weekend!
BLIZZARD PARTY @ VEX

Saturday December 28th– "How The Grouch Stole Christmas" with Grouch and Eli from the Living Legends! I am looking forward to this show the most! So get up on game and go buy his new album that came this past spring and be sure to celebrate X-mas with the GROUCH!!!
Snowboarding in Tahoe and THE Grouch! X-Mas is going to off the
HOOK!!

Ok that's all I got for ya for now, I am working a bringing a "Familia" premiere to Vegas as well as planning THE BLOCK PARTY 2009 at the SIA Tradeshow. More info when I got it all confirmed but until then, Pray for Snow and see you on THE BLOCK!


-Dirty D from THE BLOCK


PS Check out these Videos:
Live From the PALMS Pools and Bungalows - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru3vhbtu7tI
Live From Hot Dawgs and Handrails - http://reelcomp.com/videos/view/6990

Published On: 10/13/2008
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There was an earthquake that happened here during my stay here in China. I didn't feel it, but in Sichuan province where the epicenter was located, it measured 7.9 on the Richter scale. It was a huge tragic disaster for the Chinese. Some estimates were as high as 50,000 people dead or missing. The news footage showed entire towns leveled. To make matters worse, the roads were blocked by landslides. Huge boulders came down and crushed tractor trailers like tin cans. It was inspiring to see the people and the government spring into action. Prime Minsister Wen Jia Bao was at the scene, in the rain, within 4 hours. He went from village to village for a week straight trying to reassure survivors, injured, and rescuers alike.  Time after time, he would personally comfort victims.  This is an amazingly stressful situation for the 56 year old leader.  You could feel the compassion in his voice.  President Hu Jin Tao also is doing the same. Literally, he is sitting in the dirt on a  piece of cardboard, holding victims hands and comforting them. The rest of China cued up in lines around the block to donate money for those in need. The whole country rallied to do anything they could to abate the disaster.  One particularly tragic site was a large school that collapsed with all the students inside.  Hundreds of children died and there were sad reminders in the shoes and book bags mixed in with the debris.  Just to put the immense nature of this earthquake would be like relocating the entire state of Wisconsin; providing food shelter and sanitation; and returning them to productive lives.

Published On: 5/23/2008
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I haven't gone a halfway decent rant in a long time, and in the face of AP Exams, Finals, and PMS, I figured now was just as good a time as any to bitch.

While driving home the other day we were listening to the local conservative talk radio station, and it came to my attention just how pathetic this place really is.  Mike Buck, the host, was discussing the ethnic backgrounds in the state of Hawaii.  Now, it's a given fact that most people here aren't white.  We're a minority, enough said.  He was getting to the point about how only 20-30% of Hawaii residents identify themselves as 'all white', and that the state with the highest percentage of self-identified 'all white' residents was Vermont.

That's all fine and dandy until he made the comment of "And really, what kind of stupid person lives in Vermont?"

Oh yes, he did.  In case the hypocrisy of this situation isn't clear enough, let me highlight some facts you may not recognize.  First off, Mike Buck is half white, half Japanese.  Local term is happa.  Second, this is a conservative radio station and pretty much all of the conservatives in Hawaii are 'all white'.  They're pretty much also all in the US Military, which doesn't make them conservatives, but it's  a fairly conservative institution.  The US Military also makes up for about 30% of Hawaii's economy, and when the tourist industry (which he saw fit to bitch about the day before this segment when AAA published that the average cost per day of vacation per adult in the state is over 700 dollars, he called it a 'gross over estimation that discouraged travel' and then continued to rant about how tourism was already a sick industry and how the price gouging wouldn't help anything at all...nevermind that it pretty much does cost that much when you factor in food, transportation, lodging, and shopping...) isn't doing as well as it used too, do you really want to go and piss off your one stable economic endeavor?

So kudos, Buck, in successfully insulting your audience.  Perhaps you should retire from the right wing and join the left.  It's not as if your red vote counts here anyways.

Party politics aside, this state is a disgrace.  The state government is a mess, restraining the power of the governor left and right and then complaining when she is unable to institute any legislations because they took away her ability to do so (Gov. Lingle is a Republican too, ironically...).  The homeless problem is pitiful.  The large majority of them are either into drugs are just refuse to work, and state efforts to aid them have failed wonderfully, providing problems for those who are actually trying to get back on their feet.

77% of local high school students actually graduate in Honolulu, and when the state offers to put forward advanced diploma projects that allow honors students and academic achievers to be rewarded for their efforts with recognitions, a huge up-roar occurred from many parents, legislators, and school board committee members alike.  God forbid we should attempt to help those who help themselves.  Most kids in this state can't locate Texas on a map, and that's including the 4.0 private school ingrates I go to school with.

So there you have it.  Just a few things that piss me off, outside from the rainbows, traffic, and 'aloha spirit'.



Published On: 5/8/2008
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The other day as I was minding my own business I got a curious invitation. A colleague asked me if I'd be interested in joining his group for dinner at the Rideau Club that night. So I brushed the hair away from my eyes and gave my beard a scratch (I haven't had a haircut in 2008 or shaved since I was in Whistler) before I said "will they even let me in the door?" It took a while to be convinced, but in the end I decided to accept the invitation. After all it seemed like a reasonable reason to skip yoga class.

It's a good thing I have a tie and jacketThe Rideau Club pre-dates canadian confederation and was established twenty-two months before Ottawa was chosen as the seat of government. The clubs first president was Sir John A. Macdonald who, two years later, became Canada's first prime minister. Those are some pretty lofty credentials for a club so when I was asked, first of all, if I owned a jacket and tie (apparently they won't let you in the door without them) and if I'd be interested in going, I was naturally a bit skeptical that I would even gain entry. Besides, the last time I went to one of these formal parties, I wound up across the desk of the Director of CSIS in Windsor two days later (being interviewed for a job oddly). "This could be interesting" I thought and accepted. It seemed like an opportunity that doesn't present itself too often, and besides I like to slum it every once in a while.

The Rideau Club is obviously quite old. The building where it's located, however, is not. The original building burned down in 1979 so they made a replica of its interior on the top floor of the Sun Life building in downtown Ottawa. In order to get to the club, there's an elevator which services it exclusively (how very elitist). As I got in the elevator, I found it odd that there were only two buttons: one for the lobby and one for the fifteenth floor. Secretly I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a retinal scan machine or some such thing. Nontheless, it was a neat feeling to be in a private elevator to an exclusive club which boasts heads of state as members. I felt like I was going to a Stone Cutters meeting. Maybe I'd get to participate in decisions on world policy, affect the course of human history, and witness historical keggers, beer blasts, beer bashes and steinhoists, followed by the regimented AA meetings. This evening was certainly looking up.

Can you direct me to the coat room?Once I arrived I was disappointed to discover that no one referred to themselves as numbers that were sequentially assigned in the order in which they joined. Once again the Simpsons had let me down. The coat room, however, did not. That thing was the size of my living room and dining room combined plus within it was the men's room which was equipped with shoe polishers and other gizmos that were cool and useless.

The view from the various windows in the club was quite spectacular. It was a great vantage point to see Parliament Hill, the Ottawa River, random high-rise living rooms (it gave me a bit of a voyeuristic feeling) and off in the distance, the Gatineau hills where my home resort, Mont Cascades, can be found (oh I miss the winter already). In spite of the majestic view, however, there seemed to be something missing. I realised what it was when reached into my breast pocket to adjust my hanky which I made out of a Spanky's Whistler trail map. It was the mountains that were missing. Having just been in British Columbia not two weeks before, I had grown accustomed to seeing large mountainous objects in the horizon; clearly these are missing in Ontario. In the time I spent in B.C. and Alberta, I had stopped noticing the giant masses of rock, earth and snow all around me. I was de-sensitized to their majesty and this thought disappointed me. It made me realise two things:

  1. Never take what you have for granted. You'll miss it when its gone. This seems to be something that I have to be reminded of every once in a while and I'm now reminding all of you.
  2. You can take the snowboarder off the mountain, but you can't take the mountain out of the snowboarder. I thought using a trail map as a hanky was a nice touch. None of my companions seemed at all surprised when they realised what I had done. A dirtbag in fancy clothes is still a dirtbag.

So if you ever get a chance to go to the Rideau Club, I highly recommend it. It's steeped in history and is a good place to take stock of who you are and what you have. Speaking of what you have, all you dwellers of the mountains out there, raise your glasses to them, they are precious indeed.

Keep Shreddin' the GNAR!



Published On: 5/5/2008
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Breaking News: Rep. Barney Frank and NORML Team Up on Federal Decriminalization Legislation
Posted by Ron Fisher to Legalize It - The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws March 24 10:39pm

US Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) has announced that he will shortly introduce legislation in Congress to strip the federal government of its authority to arrest responsible cannabis consumers. Representative Frank made the announcement Friday on the nationally syndicated television show, "Real Time With Bill Maher."

heres a link:
http://blog.norml.org/2008/03/24/norml-partners-with-rep-barney-frank-d-ma-to-introduce-federal-decriminalization-legislation/

“It's time for the politicians to catch up with the public on this [issue],” Frank said. "The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly."

Frank's pending bill seeks to eliminate all federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) of marijuana. Under this measure, adults who consume cannabis would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine. The bill also eliminates all penalties prohibiting the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot.

NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup, who worked closely with Frank's staff to draft this legislation, said, "If passed by Congress, this legislation would legalize the possession, use, and non-profit transfer of marijuana by adults for the first time since 1937." The bill incorporates the basic recommendation of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (also known as the Shafer Commission).

Currently, 12 states have enacted various versions of marijuana decriminalization, eliminating criminal penalties for minor pot violations. Passage of these laws has not led to increased marijuana use.

In fact, the only U.S. government study ever commissioned to assess whether the enforcement of strict legal penalties positively impacts marijuana use found, "Overall, the preponderance of the evidence which we have gathered and examined points to the conclusion that decriminalization has had virtually no effect either on the marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs about marijuana use among American young people."

Similar statewide legislation is pending in New Hampshire and Vermont. Additionally, Massachusetts voters will decide on a statewide decriminalization measure this November.

According to a nationwide CNN/Time Magazine poll, more than three-quarters of American adults favor decriminalizing marijuana.

Alerts will be posted to this page and www.norml.org once this bill is assigned a bill # and committee so that folks can contact their representative urging support of this bill.

For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500.

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7561

Published On: 3/25/2008
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Team IS eyewear is all over the TWS site these days. Below are couple shots I jacked from their site.




Kale enjoying some of the good stuff during a recent trip to Baldface.



Louif Paradis has been on tear this year. I can't wait to see his video part in Transworlds "These days". The TWS crew made tracks up to Oregon's famed Government Camp and let 'er rip in the heart of the town. Featuring Jonas Michilot, Nick Dirks, Louif Paradis, and friends. Click the link below to check it out.

www.transworldsnowboarding.com/video.jsp?ID=1000005291

Published On: 3/4/2008
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....FOR FREEDOM!!!

 

 “In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act. –George Orwell

 

The year is 1913, Woodrow Wilson is president, and powerful banking interests, who have been trying for year, finally achieved their long term goal, of silently taking control of the American government.

     The first thing the did to accomplish their take over was convince secretary of state, Flan Denox, to lie to the American people, and tell them that the 16th amendment [Income Tax Amendment] had been legally ratified by the states when it was not. The bankers knew that this tax would ultimately end up in their pockets.

     Because of this fraud the American people were led to believe there was a tax on their labor. Congress and the President ARE completely aware of this fraud and it was cited in a recent court case:

 

“If you… examined [the 16th amendment] carefully, you would find that a sufficient number of states ratified that amendment.” -U.S. District Court Judge, James C. Fox, 2003

 

That very same year [1913] the bankers committed their second, and by far most diabolical fraud ever perpetrated on the American people, by bribing senators to pass the Federal Reserve Act, without the required Constitutional amendment. They did this during Christmas vacation, when many senators where home celebrating Christmas with their families.

     And that is how the unconstitutional Federal Reserve Act came into being. They were very clever, and understood that who ever issued the money for America controlled the government.

 

“Give me control of a nations money supply, and I care not who makes its laws.” -Mayer Rothschild, Private Banker

 

President Wilson, who signed the Federal Reserve Act later said in regret:

“I’m a most unhappy man; I have unwittingly ruined my country a great industrial nation is now controlled by a system of credit. We are no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinions and duress of a small group of dominant men.” -Woodrow Wilson, 1919

 

How did America transform from being a truly free country with a servant government where our individual rights are protected by our Constitution, to being a country that talked about being free but really wasn’t?

     The change started when the Federal Reserve came into existence, and America adopted one of the major planks of the Communist Manifesto by creating for America this central bank.

     The very same people that back the Federal Reserve System also back the graduated income tax, a second plank from the Communist Manifesto.

     And now our Congress so dominated by the banks, is helping them entrap people even further by passing new Bankruptcy Laws making it more difficult for the people to declare bankruptcy and get a fresh start.

 

“Who controls money controls the world.” -Henry Kissinger, Council of Foreign Relations

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*President Bush has signed executive orders give him sole authority to impose martial law and suspending Habeas Corpus. This gives him dictatorial power over the people without any checks or balances.

 

*The government can jail you for life without charges, without trial, and without a lawyer.

 

*Because of globalization the U.S. must accept other nations’ laws. Under the CAFTA treaty the sale of vitamins and supplements will be illegal.

 

*Executive Order# 10999: Allows the government to take over all modes of transportation.

 

*Executive Order# 11000: Allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

 

* Executive Order# 11921: Provides that the president can declare a state of emergency that is not defined and Congress cannot review the action for six months.

 

*Senate Bill# 1873: Allows the government to vaccinate you with untested vaccines against your will.

 

*The FDA says: Americans do not have a right to know which foods are genetically modified.

 

*Congressman Sensenbrenner’s Bill (HR1528): Requires you to spy on you neighbors including wearing a wire. Refusal would be punishable by a mandatory prison sentence of at least two years.

 

*The government claims the power to seize all financial interments: gold, silver, and everything else if they deem an emergence exists. –treasury department letter, Aug. 12, 2005

 

*There are 190 countries in the world; American has bases in 130 them.

 

The Patriot Act permits:

*Secret FBI and police searches of your home and office.

*Secret government wiretaps on you phone, computer and/or internet activity.

*Secret investigations of your bank record, credit cards and other financial records.

*Secret investigations of your library and book activities.

*Secret examinations of your metical, travel and business records.

*The freezing of funds and assets without prior notice or appeal.

*The creation of secret watch lists that ban those named from air and other travel.

 

“The Constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper.” -George W. Bush, Nov. 2005, Capitol Hill Blue

 

During the 1990’s President Clinton monitored millions of private phone calls placed by U.S. citizens. He did this under a secret program code named: Echelon. The wide spread use of wire tapping Americans during the Clinton administration proves that this practice was not started because of 9/11 but is standard procedure.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new legislation for the national ID card is in and takes three to for pages to describe. It will be connected to our driver’s licenses and Social security numbers. A physical ID such as finger prints or retinal print will be on it.

This law known as the Real ID Act takes effect in May 2008. Anyone with out a card will not be permitted to board an air plain, Amtrak train, open a bank account, or enter a federal building.

The bill mandates that all drivers’ licenses contain “common readable technology. A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip will be used.

 

 

“It is time to wake up America. Those ID cards are NOT about defeating terrorism, they are all about controlling the American people.” -Aaron Russo

 

The latest technology for identifying people when they make purchases is the implantable chip that can be directly imbedded into human flesh. Its tiny glass capsule is about the size if a grain if rice. It contains an RFID computer chip with a coiled antenna.

Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and others have expressed great interest in being able to more closely monitor the American people. And one way to do that would be to determine who buys what and where they take these things.

     Radio frequency can travel through walls, wood, the things we normally rely on to protect our privacy. For example your backpack, your pocket, anything you’re wearing or carrying.

     They were talking about having reader devices in every airport, on every bus, every train, on every port and every dock.

     One of the most worrisome applications of RFID is proposals to put in cash. Meaning that you’d be able to track every bank note, where it has been, who it has been issued to, and create an essence an audit trail that would essentially take away the anonymity of cash, that we enjoy today.

     The ATM machine itself, as the money came through the roller device, would be reading each number. And it would know who you are; of course you identify yourself at banks or ATMs. And the ATM would tag the number, and transfer the possession name from, say Bank of America to Joe Jones.

     Once every thing you do is tied down to a single number, and there is no longer the option to pay with cash, then all it takes to render you a non citizen is to simply turn you chip off. Then you won’t be able to participate in ant function in society, including buy food.  

     Through the implementation of the Federal Reserve System, the American citizen has gone from being a private individual who had real money, and gold in possession that was private, to a citizen who has no privacy because all money is now being digitized. They can deduct however amount of money they want out of your digits when ever they want, and they can trace you when ever they want. You’ll be at there mercy. God forbid we allow this to happen in America

    

“This is outrageous! I mean your talking about the government looking over your shoulder at absolutely everything you do, every purchase you make, every place you go, every company you interact with, would be recorded back to potentially the government.” -Katherine Albrecht, author of “Spy Chips”

 

Have we become so controlled and ignorant about our rights, that big institution and big governments can do whatever they want with us even with out our approval?

I know for certain that our founding fathers would resist to the death what is happening in America today. And I for one will not accept a national ID card. And if nobody accepts a national ID card, and nobody can board a plain without one, then let the airlines go bankrupt. And if you can’t open an account in a big national bank, then open one in a small local bank. And if we can’t walk into a federal building, I’d personally consider that a blessing.

Don’t allow these institutions to dictate to us how we conduct our lives. This is America, and we have free choice! We the people have the power not the government. The government gets its power from us, not the other way around.

Think of all the men and women that died in all our wars fighting for freedom, not Federal Reserve bankers. Do you think they sacrificed their lives so America could get chipped like a dog, so we can all have homing devices inside us? NO! This ID card is the last step before they implant us, and that is precisely the reason no one should accept one.

And you know what they’re going to do? They’re going to call in the propaganda machine, the media, and try to sell this RFID chip as if it was in everybody’s best interest.

 

“We shall have a world government whether or not we like it. The only question is whether the world government will be achieved by conquest or consent.” -Paul Warburg, architect of the Federal Reserve System, 1950

 

The central bankers of the world are working together to create a one world government. A global police sinister was the only thing George Orwell ever wrote about. Where every person on the planet Earth will have an RFID chip implant, where the bankers and the governments have access to every transaction you make.

A chip in every in everybody would be the universal monitory system, because there would be no escape from it.

Most people don’t have a clue that these unelected private bankers, actually control the governments of the world. They have actually financed and profited from ever war since World War I, without concern for humanity. The war in Iraq is an attempt by the Federal Reserve and their partner the Bank of England to control the middle east, and make it part of the new world order.

 

“Military men are just dumb stupid animals, to be used as pawn in foreign policies.” -Henry Kissinger

 

     The war on terrorism is the war on your freedom.

 

“The bankers own take it away from them but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough money to buy it back again. However, take away the power to create money, and all great fortunes like mine will disappear and ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in.

But if you wish to remain slaves of the bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money.” - Sir Josiah Stamp, former director of the Bank of England

 

“We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine, and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost 40 years.

     It would have been impossible for us to develop our plans for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But now the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march toward a world government. The supra national sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto determination, practiced in past centuries.” 

-David Rockefeller, private banker, council on foreign relations, June 1991

 

“The real rulers in Washington are invisible and exercise power from behind the scenes.” -Felix Frankfuter, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

 

“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” -Henry Ford

 

     Now that you do understand what happened in 1913, and how it is leading to world government, the future depends on you. Will you choose freedom or slavery? Stop living in fear of your government. Government is the servant. We are the masters.

So what are you going to do about it? Join together in civil disobedience. Be willing to take part in nationwide strikes, boycotts, and marches on Washington. Force Congress to use their power to shut down the Federal Reserve. Government has authority to issue money, without paying interest to the bankers. This will take away the power to control our government from the bankers. Only vote for candidates who have signed an affidavit to shut down the Federal Reserve System and stop world government.

If you are in the military or law enforcement, remember you swore an oath to defend the American Constitution. You didn’t swear an oath to promote world government. Honor your Oath.

DONOT accept the national ID card, even if it’s your drivers’ license. We must demand that the American peoples gold be audited, and make certain that it has not been stolen. This asset must be returned to the American people.

Abolish computer voting in the state where you live. Stop being a good Democrat, stop being a good Republican, start being good Americans.

And when the media starts telling you that the country will fall apart if this is done, don’t be fooled. This is just the Federal Reserve trying to save itself. Squash it!

 

“I like the old idea, where you could do what you thought you could do and what you wanted to do as long as you didn’t hurt anyone.”

 -Ron Paul

 

If you believe in civil disobedience and wish to organize with millions of Americans in this battle for liberty, please sign up at freedomtofascism.com, and if you choose not to help, report to Central Services immediately and we will have you fitted for an RFID chip… for you own safety, of course.

 

”We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
-Benjamin Franklin, at the signing of the Declaration of
Independence, July 4, 1776

 Uninted we stand, Divided we fall.

www.ronpaul2008.com

 

www.wethepeoplefoundation.org

 Source:

America: from freedom to fascism (DVD)
 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

 



Published On: 11/10/2007
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My Blog: Crazy
By: wildcatAl


the last blog post I made was written overnight in what I thought was a race to save myself from the government.  It seems now that I am less like Adam Sandler's Billy Madison and more like Mike Judge's Dale Gribble from King Of the Hill.  But I will never really know if I was being followed or not.  Psychotic or not I am now being treated for ealy psychosis so I hope I was wrong all along. 



Published On: 10/30/2007
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My Blog: ZEITGEIST
By: yo_redneck89


What does Christianity, 9/11, & the Federal Reserve have in common? 
 
 
 

-------------------------------------------

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix

 "The Christian religion is a parody on the warship of the sun, in which they put a man called Christ in the place of the sun, and pay him the adoration originally payed to the sun."
 - Thomas Paine

 

"They must find it difficult....those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than the truth as authority."
-G. Massey, Egyptologist

 

"Religion can never reform mankind, because religion is slavery."
-Robert G. Ingersoll, 1833-1899

 

"There is something behind the throne greater than the king himself."
-Sir William Pit, House of Lords, 1770

 

"The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes."
-Benjaman Dislaeli, English Statesman, 1844

 

"The real truth of the matter is that a finacial element in the large centers has owned the government since the days of Andrew Jackson."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S President, 1933

 

"If you want to remain slaves of the bankers and pay for the costs of your own slavery, let them continue to create and control the nation's credit." -Josiah Stamp, 1880-1941  

 

"Power Corrupts; Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely." -Lord Acton, English Historian, 1834-1902

 

I belive that the banking institutions are more dangerous than standing armies.... If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency.... The banks and corporations that will grow up arownd them will dprive the people of their property until their children wakeup homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
-Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826
 

 

-------------------------------------------

 

ZEITGEIST, The Movie - Official Release - Full Film

1 hr 56 min 23 sec - Jun 26, 2007
Average rating:   (14201 ratings)
Description: ZEITGEIST, The Movie - Official Release - Full Production (including the 'Overture') What does Christianity, 911 and The Federal Reserve have in common? Overture: 0:00-9:34 Part 1: 9:35-35:53 Part 2: 35:54-1:09:16 Part 3: 1:09:17-1:56:23 Please visit www.zeitgeistmovie.com for information and the full source list for this work.

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Add it at video.google.com/videouploadform

If you're having trouble watching the video, try copying the following URL into your browser:
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Published On: 10/23/2007
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Wave power tipped as 'holy grail' for Australia

AFP, 17 May 2007 - New technology harnessing wave energy could be the "holy grail" for providing electricity and drinking water to Australia's major cities, Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane said Thursday.

The technology, developed with the help of more than 770 million dollars (636 million US) in seed funding from the government, works through fields of submerged buoys tethered to seabed pumps.

The buoys move in harmony with the motion of the passing waves, pumping pressurised seawater to shore to run turbines and pass through a desalination plant.

"The constancy of the waves even when the surface is dead calm means .... READ MORE ABOUT WHEN THE "WAVE FARMS" ARE TO BE CONSTRUCTED... Click HERE: http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?type=DocDet&ObjectId=MjQ2NTg
 
See a SCHEMATIC of the system, VISIT the Carnegie Corporation at: http://www.carnegiecorp.com.au/tech/wave-energy/what-is-ceto.php
 


Published On: 5/22/2007
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Nearly 1,000 diplomats from around the world are meeting in Bonn Germany this week to draft a new global treaty to control greenhouse gases to replace the Kyoto Protocal which expires in 2012. The conference began on Monday, just days after the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its third major report on global warming. Earlier this year the panel declared that the warming of the earth's climate system in unequivocal and attributable to human activities. On Friday the group of 2,000 scientists said the means and technology to prevent global warming exist but that citizens of the world and governments must quickly take action.

LISTEN TO or READ more from Democracy Now's radio show broadcast:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/09/1513200

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 450 stations in North America. Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public access, PBS, satellite television (DISH network: Free Speech TV ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); as a "podcast," and on the internet.


Published On: 5/9/2007
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What is Green Power?
The term "green power" generally refers to electricity supplied in whole or in part from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, geothermal, hydropower, and various forms of biomass. Increasingly, electricity customers are being given electricity supply options, either as retail power markets open to competition or when their regulated utilities develop green pricing programs. More than 50% of retail customers in the United States now have an option of purchasing a green power product directly from their electricity supplier. In addition, consumers can support renewable energy development through the purchase of green energy certificates.

Why Buy Green Power?
By choosing to purchase a green power product, you can support increased development of renewable energy sources, which can reduce the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Greater reliance on renewable sources also provides economic benefits and can improve our national energy security.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's web site provides an additional discussion of the benefits of renewable energy.

How Do I Buy Green Power?
If retail electricity competition is allowed in your state, you may be able to purchase a green power product from an alternative electricity supplier. Some states have already implemented electricity competition. Check the Status of State Electric Industry Restructuring Activity (PDF 2.1 MB) map, prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, to see if your state has passed an electricity competition law.

Even if your state is not implementing electricity market competition, you may still be able to purchase green power through your regulated utility. More than 600 regulated utilities spanning more than 30 states offer "green pricing" programs (see our map of green pricing programs). The term green pricing refers to an optional utility service that allows customers to support a greater level of utility investment in renewable energy by paying a premium on their electric bill to cover any above-market costs of acquiring renewable energy resources.

Finally, whether or not you have access to green power through your utility or a competitive electricity marketer, you can purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs). RECs (also known as green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates) represent the environmental attributes of power generated from renewable electric plants. A variety of organizations offer RECs separate from electricity service, that is, you need not switch from your current electricity supplier in order to purchase these certificates.

To find out what green power options are available in your state, please visit our Can I Buy Green Power in My State? page, where you can click on your state to view available green power products.

For more information on buying green power, see: Guide to Purchasing Green Power (PDF 1 MB). Download Adobe Reader

Green Power Evaluation and Certification
How can you be sure that your green power purchase will benefit the environment? For more information, see our Consumer Protection page.

Green-e is a voluntary certification and verification program for wholesale, retail, and commercial electricity products, tradable renewable certificates (TRCs) and utility green pricing programs in the U.S. Green-e certifies about 100 retail and wholesale green power marketers across the country.

The Environmental Resources Trust certifies renewable energy certificates (RECs) through its EcoPower certification program. Under EcoPower certification, RECs convey only the renewable energy attributes of renewable electricity and do not convey environmental benefits.

The Power Scorecard is a web-based information tool created by a coalition of environmental groups that lets consumers compare the environmental impacts of green power and conventional power products.

Selected Green Power Customers
Businesses and other non-residential customers such as municipalities and government agencies are increasingly recognizing that green power purchasing can help meet corporate or institutional goals related to environmental improvement and sustainability. Follow the link for a list of selected non-residential green power purchasers. The U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership has additional information on organizations purchasing green power.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO GET STARTED BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL..


Published On: 5/3/2007
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There has never been a greater need for inquisitive and determined young minds to develop the solutions needed for the 21st Century
 
 
"My message to any young person today mulling over their future career path is this: there has never been a better time to consider a future in scientific discovery; or in engineering to bring innovative technologies to real world application."

The environmental problems facing the world in the 21st Century are the legacy of human activities, argues Sir David King. But he says, in this week's Green Room, we also hold the key to solving these problems by attracting the brightest young minds into the world of science.

Woman covering her mouth in polluted street (Image: AFP)
It is easy in our day-to-day lives to believe we are detached from the wider environment, but that is an illusion

Mankind has never had a greater need for science, and for the spark of human ingenuity to apply this to tackling today's great global challenges.

Built on centuries of tradition and endeavour, the UK is second to none in the diversity and excellence of its scientific heritage.

Our nation punches well above its weight in the quality and number of academic papers and citations, above Germany, France and Japan, and trailing only the far bigger economy of the US.

It is vital therefore that we pay equal regard to ensuring that the UK's outstanding scientific outputs flow through to enhance the quality of life and prosperity for people in the UK, and beyond.

The challenges facing science, and humanity, as we move through the 21st Century are manifold. I would place none higher than the test we face in our stewardship of planet Earth.

Even with our best efforts, we must be prepared for further global temperature rise as a result of past emissions

It is a stern test, as demonstrated by a few stark facts. From around three billion people on the planet in 1950, global population has risen to over six billion today. By the middle of this century, it will exceed nine billion.

Most future population growth will be in the developing world, where people quite reasonably aspire to the living standards enjoyed today by "western societies", such as our own.

Yet it is estimated that, even with today's population, we would need the resources of three planets for people across the world to imitate western lifestyles.

Climate signals

I do not advocate a hairshirt future, but clearly we need to find new ways to develop both our lifestyles and the planet we share.

A flooded road (Image: AFP)
Negative impacts will dominate in all regions, says Sir David

It is easy in our day-to-day lives to believe we are detached from the wider environment, but that is an illusion.

Climate change presents us with a particular stringent test, which unmitigated will magnify many of the existing scourges of mankind: famine, drought, flood, disease and conflict.

The scientific evidence is compelling beyond any reasonable doubt that unless we very radically transform our economies to reduce greenhouse emissions to a fraction of current levels then future generations will reap a heavy price.

Indeed, the signals are already with us of the sort of changes that we can expect to continue and accelerate, as land ice melts, sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more severe.

Even with our best efforts, we must be prepared for further global temperature rise as a result of past emissions, and the climate impacts associated with this. The outcome will initially be mixed, with positive and negative effects depending where in the world you live and on other factors.

But in time the negative impacts will dominate in all regions, and will fall earliest and heaviest on the poorest countries, which are least able to adapt and which have contributed least to the problem.

Car exhaust pipe (Image: PA)
Carbon levels in the atmosphere continue to rise

It will take an unprecedented international effort if we are to avoid the most dangerous climate changes that are predicted, and for individual countries to adapt to those impacts it is already too late for us to avoid.

From climate change I move to another linked challenge - energy. Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuels have powered our economies and brought new levels of prosperity.

But by releasing into the atmosphere carbon, as carbon dioxide, that has been naturally sequestered underground over tens to hundreds of millions of years, we have raised concentration levels in the atmosphere in just 150 years beyond anything seen for at least one million years, and probably far longer.

At the same time, world energy demand is expected to rise by half as much again by 2030.

Even with a major push on energy efficiency, there is a critical need for step changes in the pace at which we deploy current low-carbon technologies in developed and developing countries alike; and we must quickly advance the more innovative technologies such as carbon capture and storage, wave and tidal power, and solar photovoltaics.

No quick fix

There are no simple solutions and there is certainly no single "silver bullet" technological fix. The pathway for advancing new energy technologies to technical and economic viability at scale is complex, difficult and inevitably takes time, even with major efforts to accelerate progress.

The £1bn public/private Energy Technology Institute, launched by the UK Government, is an important new initiative in this area, providing good starting levels of investment, focus and ambition, and I hope in time will develop as part of a global network of similar centres of excellence.

Students in a laboratory (Image: Science Photo Library)
There has never been a greater need for inquisitive and determined young minds to develop the solutions needed for the 21st Century

Nor can we tackle the problem by focusing on one sector alone. It is not a question of whether we should reduce emissions from our vehicles, or our houses, or industry, or in aviation or shipping, or through curbing deforestation.

The scale of the challenge is such that we must do all of these things, whilst using our actions as a stimulus to galvanise the wider international response.

And we must continue to prosper, not just for our own sakes but because those we seek to influence will not follow our lead if they perceive that environmental sustainability means economic decline.

It is a powerful demonstration that in the UK we have been able to grow our economy in real terms by around half since 1990, whilst greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 15%. Action is affordable and is the pro-growth strategy. It is inaction that we cannot afford.

Returning to where I began, science and technological innovation must be at the heart of the UK's approach as we tackle these and other of the great national and global challenges we face in the century ahead. But science does need to be redirected to meet these challenges.

Sir David King is the UK Government's chief scientific adviser and author of this opinion piece running in THE GREEN ROOM, a BBC News website.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6596427.stm


Published On: 5/3/2007
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This month has kicked off with some fantastic spring conditions. We started the first week of the month with some light powder followed by bright blue sunny days. Everyone is smiling as it is nice to see the sun back and some warmer days. The next few days will be nice and then 30 - 40 cms are forecasted for Friday and Saturday to build up our 3 meter base.

Local Camp News
At camp things are starting to slow down a little with only two more weeks of programs for the winter calendar. That doesn't mean that we are slowing down as we are busy preparing for summer with our new Argentina Trip (Which is happening in August) as well as summer camp training in June and July. If you are keen to come out to Whistler over the next couple of weeks we have 3 places left for freestyle training. This is a great time to come out and get your jumps dialed and ride a few rails as the sun is out and the snow is soft. You can register on-line at http://www.pro-ride.com/register.cfm

Huck Magazine
Keep an eye out for Huck Magazine on the shelves at your local news agent. Andy from http://www.huckmagazine.com was just out at camp last week to check us out and write a story about our programs. They are a new lifestyle magazine out of London with a passion for life, beauty and the art of riding.

What's on in Whistler
Starting on Saturday is the World Ski and Snowboard Festival here in Whistler. Definitely a great week to come out to ride and party.. There are some huge events to watch like the two snowboard big air competitions, the half pipe competition and there will be more than 30 live concerts this week all for free! Check it out at http://www.whistler2007.com

Argentina Trip
The Argentina Trip to Las Lena is on! We are in the final stages of arranging the trip so if you have emailed us about coming we will be following up with you in the next couple of days. The price will be $3495 CAD and will include

- Round trip airfare from Buenos Aires

- Transfer to and from the mountain from the domestic flight

- 4 Star Hotel Accommodations (double occupancy)

- All breakfasts and dinners (no drinks)

- 7 day lift pass

- Basic Medical Insurance when riding in Las Lenas in bounds

- Cat Boarding day with the Pro Ride guides

- Pro Ride guiding and coaching for 6 days

- Dates: Arrive in Buenos Aires Friday August 17 - depart 26th

This is going to be our first Pro Ride Adventure abroad and it is sure to be an awesome trip. You will be riding the most lift serviced terrain of any other ski area in the Western Hemisphere along with unsurpassed views of the magnificent Andes. If you would like more information contact me direct at snowboard@pro-ride.com and put Las Lenas in the subject line. Space is limited.

Camper News
Congratulations go out to Gavin Carstairs who was out on camp a few years ago as the word down the wire is that he just got married. Lou who some of you know as our cleaning lady just got engaged to Simon a week ago. Dave Marino who came out on camp in our second year recently had a baby and is living happily here in Whistler.

Next Winters Information
The dates and pricing for next winters programs are up on the web site so you can register for the long term programs now - bookings are already coming in so if you have any questions about the programs or would like some more information you can check out http://www.pro-ride.com/courses.cfm or email us at snowboard@pro-ride.com. If you want to see what your in for you can check out http://www.pro-ride.com/diary.cfm

Summer Camp
All of the summer camp information can be found at http://www.pro-ride.com/summercamp/index.cfm - camps start June 22 and run until July 22.

What's New
Finally, it looks like we will have a new peak to peak gondola from the top of Whistler to the top of Blackcomb. The plans have been submitted to the official government bodies and there is a rumor that they will break ground this summer to start preparations for the new gondola system.

Check out the Pictures
We are constantly updating the diary pages on the web site so if you would like to see what we are getting up to you can check out http://www.pro-ride.com/diary.cfm

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to ride this winter - it has been awesome!

If you have any questions for us or feedback please drop us an email at

Have a great month

See you soon!

From Anthony and the Team at Pro Ride
 

Fresh Pow Turns April 2


The Freeride Camp Crew April 2
 

Coach Dylan deep in the pow on Blackcomb April 2


Published On: 4/13/2007
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My Blog: My politics
By: Nobax


Brief history of the SP

Having started as a leftist fledgling in 1972, the SP has, at the beginning of the 21st century, become a factor in Dutch politics and society that is impossible to ignore. We will briefly sketch this eventful history.

Workers march for better wages, 1973How it started

The foundation of the SP on Sunday 22 October 1972 wasn’t really that special. After all, these were the times when many political parties were formed, transformed and deformed. Especially on the left wing of the political spectrum it was a busy time. Inspired by the Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan and flower power mainly young people in Western Europe and North America had attacked the sacred cows of the post war era. “Social change” was high on the agenda of everyone on the left. Those were the days of big ideals. The Netherlands must be turned upside down, capitalism must disappear, and socialism would soon reign on earth, starting in the Netherlands. In 1972 that didn’t sound exaggerated. Society seemed adrift.

From socialism to a 'social ism'

In its first years, the SP was called a “Maoist” party. That is to say that beside the traditional Marxist criticism of capitalism it was the political views of the Chinese rebel leader and statesman that served as a guideline. Wasn't it the great Mao Tsetung who had made sure that one-fourth of the world population was no longer hungry and suppressed by bosses – while elsewhere suppression and exploitation were of the order of the day? Fine lines about nice ideals, but for the SP members it was only hearsay. The more they learned about China, the more reality appeared to differ from illusion. The “Chinese love affair” came to an end. The young SP distanced itself from teachers from faraway lands and became a party that was focused on the Netherlands. A very practical SOCIAL ism took the place of theoretical socialism. Everywhere in the country the SP lent a helping hand to residents, tenants, consumers, employees. They even ran their own medical centres, employing their own doctors, and demonstrating in a very practical way how they wanted to shape the public health sector. Thus the SP became a special party: strong and successful at the base, but without a national presence or views on national issues. The need for that was lacking. Everything took place locally. The SP may have been registered as a national political party, but in practice it operated as a “federation of local branches”.

Fifteen years later

Fifteen years after the foundation of the SP the political landscape looked completely different.
In 1977 the experimental government of left PvdA (Labour Party) leader Joop den Uyl which had come to power in 1973 had to go. The popularity of radical left wing parties was waning. Most had gone or lingered on in a weakened condition. The Communist CPN disappeared from Parliament, and the Pacifist PSP was no longer attractive. A few years later they, together with the PPR, merged into GroenLinks (Green Left). But the SP is quite a different story. Its goal was to “go to the people”. The members, initially many of them from universities and polytechnics, worked in the neighbourhoods and factories, increasing the number of members. In municipal elections those who had got to know them showed their appreciation. In 1986 the SP had some 40 council members. But in national elections other things count for voters, and the party's attempts to get into Parliament repeatedly failed.

Windows open

In 1987 the national party congress concluded that it was high time to modernize its “socialist” message: people should feel that SP was an attractive organisation in which they could recognize themselves. After some difficulties the “federation of branches” was transformed into a national party which began to develop its own views on important issues, and which was doing its best to achieve a national image. The 1991 Congress opened up the party to everyone who could subscribe to its basic principles. The old deadwood, impeding the party's development, was cast off. “Marxism-Leninism” was officially abandoned. From now on, the predicate “socialist” would suffice as the party's political compass.

A “minimum programme for a socialist Netherlands” was drafted. It was called Manifesto 2000, with “a society for people” as the subtitle. In the short term, the party congress made a breakthrough to Parliament its strategic priority.

Tomatoes and Oppositional Voices

In 1993, in order to achieve the parliamentary breakthrough, the party leadership made its most daring decision ever. Instead of telling the electorate to vote SP for a better society – worthy ideals for a distant future – the party chose a more rational and better thought out position: that of radical and effective opposition. “Vote against, vote SP” became the provocative slogan. The message being: if you don't agree with current politics, vote for us. Then we can voice your dissent in Parliament. You don't need a majority for that, even one person would do. The new strategy is symbolized by a tomato. Full of healthy vitamins, but also a feared weapon against bad political theatre.

The new approach finally caught on. Twenty years after its foundation the SP was seen by others as something new. After the municipal elections of March 1994 the party grew from 70 to 126 councillors. And on 3 May 1994 the SP won its first two seats in the Lower House, Parliament's main legislative chamber. This parliamentary breakthrough was the start of a period of spectacular growth for the party as a whole. In the first place the number of members, which for some time had been around 15,000, expanded tumultuously. Within four years it had increased to over 25,000, making the party the fourth biggest in members. This growth came from various sides. The SP “new style” became attractive for former voters and members of PvdA and GroenLinks, who found their parties surrendering to the advance of neo-liberal politics and who would rather hear the “red answer to (the) Purple (Government)” – as the coalition of right-wing liberal VVD, centrist D66 and Labour was known. 1995 brought the first seat in the Senate, after successful provincial elections, members of the Upper House or Senate being elected by provincial councillors. Outside parliament people made headway as well. Key issues, like the fight against the growing social divide, were tackled in original ways. The 1998 elections yielded five parliamentary seats and thanks to successful provincial elections (19 seats) the party won two seats in the Senate. The party appointed 'wethouders' – local councillors occupying positions analogous to ministers in a national government – in a number of towns in the southern province of Brabant. In June 1999 came the first seat in the European Parliament. The SP was now represented on all parliamentary levels.

The fees that SP representatives receive are handed over to the party (under the agreement that noone should profit from such a position), so the increase in MPs and other elected representatives also led to a substantial expansion of the party's financial resources. This money was partly used to develop a professional organisation that supported the work of the party and its MPs, as well as numerous campaigns and activities.

There was also an increase in quality, especially in the way the MPs operated. In a short time the previously unknown party leader Jan Marijnissen became one of the country's most renowned politicians. At the end of 1996 he gave a “Red answer to Purple” in "Tegenstemmen" (Oppositional Voices, available in English under the title Enough!), articulating the SP's modern vision of politics and society. "Tegenstemmen" was a clear criticism of the advance of neoliberalism, the erosion of the social democratic PvdA (since 1994 governing the country together with liberal VVD and D66 in the ‘purple’ coalition) and the implications for society of “every man for himself”. But it was also a book without dogmas, another development in the SP philosophy.

SP 2000 and after

Sometimes new ideas are spread faster horizontally than vertically. This shows when the spectacular increase is accompanied by growing pains. More than once, new SP-councillors didn’t appear to fit in with the traditional frameworks, or hadn’t settled in yet; some resigned after a short career. Clashes occurred between old staff and new members and the media didn’t fail to notice this. Quantitative growth threatened to result in loss of quality. With two congresses in the final year of the 20th century the party put its ideological and organizational affairs in order. Now that the national breakthrough had taken place the party congress of 1999 decided to prioritize what the SP had always done best: working at a local level. At the congress of 18 December the party laid down a new manifesto, The Whole of Humanity, in which the basic idea of society was formulated and the party's alternatives were outlined.

The general elections of 2002 turned out into a real voters rebellion against the governing ‘purple’ coalition of social democrats and liberals. The coalition parties were halved, to the benefit of the spectacular new populist party of Pim Fortuyn (murdered ten days before the elections), the oppositional Christian democrats – and the Socialist Party. The results proved that the SP had become a factor in Dutch politics and society. Nearly 600,000 voted for the SP (whose slogan had now changed to “Vote for, vote SP”), thus giving it an additional four seats. And at the same time the party passed the mark of 30,000 members. Just a few months later the new right wing coalition of CDA, VVD and Fortuynists had already collapsed, and new elections took place. The SP succeeded in increasing once more its number of votes but this did not result in more seats, despite the party having received a more sympathetic response than ever during the election campaign. Unfortunately, many citizens were influenced by the neck-and-neck race between social democrats and Christian democrats and in spite of their sympathy for the SP gave their vote to the PvdA. The SP did nevertheless become the fourth party in Parliament and one of the major opponents of the right wing government of CDA, VVD and D66. The provincial elections of 2003 resulted in seats in eleven out of twelve provinces, doubling the two seats in the Upper House.

The 12th party congress laid down new tasks for the future, with enhanced activities at all levels as a recurring theme.

In 2004 two seats were won in the European Parliament, and the SP also won its first representative in the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe. Together with the trade unions and other left parties the SP organised the biggest demonstration ever in the Netherlands, against the government’s social policy. In 2005 the party played a very important role in the campaign against the neoliberal European Constitution. Nearly two thirds of the Dutch voters reacted positively and said ‘NO’ – despite the fact that all major parties were in favour of the proposed constitution. Thanks to successful local elections, the SP doubled its seats in local councils in 2006. National elections in November 2006 resulted in massive gains for the SP. The party almost tripled its number of seats in the Lower House, Parliament’s main legislative chamber, to twenty-five and is now the third party of the Netherlands, both in seats and membership. Total membership rose to over 50,000 just as elections were taking place.



Published On: 4/7/2007
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Camp of Champions, home to the largest private snowboard park in the world, is pleased to announce the creation of “PRO CAMP”. Finally, a camp for budding pro riders! A camp for riders who don’t need coaching but who still need access to the sickest terrain available in summer.

Designing and creating Pro Camp, we wanted to make a camp as bare bones as possible so that “budgetarily constrained” campers can come to Whistler and ride the only winter quality park available in the summer. The COC Park is at least twice the size of any summer park in Mt. Hood or Whistler and the town of Whistler is a snowboarder’s paradise with lakes, a skate park, restaurants and a movie theater.

The only way to make Pro Camp possible was to strip out almost everything except access to the epic park. At Pro Camp, campers have to be responsible for themselves. We supply the bare bones: lift tickets, a tasty lunch, and our world-famous park. The camper is responsible for arranging everything else. If you are 18 or over and want to go pro, start by hitting campofchampions.com and see how you can go to camp for $700 Cdn (approx $575.00 US) for an eight day session - 1/3 of the price of a regular snowboard camp. Log on now, go pro sooner!

 

       Pro Camp is eligible for the $500 Child Fitness Tax Credit. Come to camp, submit your camp receipt with your taxes and get a $500 tax credit from the Canadian Government for getting off the couch. You must be Canadian to qualify for the tax credit.

 

For the best discount accommodation we recommend Whistler Blackcomb Staff Housing. Live in Whistler this summer for less than $10 a night.

Published On: 3/20/2007
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Universal Life Church Houston

 

www.universal_life_church_houston@yahoo.com.  Is seeking assistance in the form of donations to help the homeless. Many of these people receive Social Security and other Federal and State assistance. However; due to rising costs, and the lack of mental capacity, these people are victimized and left homeless, often with drug and alcohol dependencies... These people squander their Federal and State assistance in days. This money is meant to last the month, these are your tax dollars being wasted … we are helping them but in the wrong way…so a proposal to establish a care treatment center to teach and assist these publicly dependent people is being established by this church.

Adult care for those that need it... they will no longer wander the streets day and night and be prone to crimes or victims of crime. Their direct supervision will stop crime and reduce reciditivness of those on public support by our church’s watchful eye.

The church seeks to direct these people to areas away from the mainstream population so you will not need to be bothered with them any further... them and yourselves will be reasonably safe. Your tax dollars will no longer be wasted for each person we assist in this program.

This is a self supporting program. Once established with your donations the program will take in enough funds to offset its operating costs... so no additional cost will be incurred for this program...

We do not wish to seek government grants or funds since the government would then dictate to the program how it is operated...the governments’ structure has failed to date; to do anything but waste your tax money and promote crime in these areas. They fail to regulate existing programs in a manner necessary to ensure compliance for those receiving your tax based financial support.

What is this program??? Simply put…

It is the purchase of a building for habitation by those in need of affordable housing that are currently receiving government funding (social security –disability payments, welfare  etc..) for alcohol and drug dependencies or physical and mental disabilities. Or for those who are being released from prisons, hospitals, mental institutions, or found on the street; homeless. These people are incapable of sustaining a living without direct or indirect form of direction and supervision...

Please send donations to:

Rev. Christopher Deiotte

Universal Life Church Houston

2505 Fannin Street

Houston, TX 77002

www.universal_life_church_houston@yahoo.com

 

Thank You and Have a Blessed Day!



Published On: 3/1/2007
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   well today the 9th of feburary 2007 i Ben White am off to take my Government Equivelence exam i fell good about the whole situation but yet very anctious its been 6 years since i was in an exam situation and the last time i was in class i failed missarably got like 3 percent in the whole class stupid English! i need to get my diploma so that i can continue on with my assperations in life like any job i look into these days requires a high school education so i decided to take the test and do my best no time left its today hip hip hoo ray !


Published On: 2/9/2007
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 so like, right now for example. the haitians need to come to america. but some people are all, "what about the strain on our resources?" and well it's like when i had this garden party for my father's birthday, right? i put R.S.V.P. 'cause it was a sit-down dinner. but some people came that like did not R.S.V.P. and so i was like totally buggin'. i had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food, and squish in extra place settings. but by the end of the day it was, like, the more the merrier. and so if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the haitians. and in conclusion may i please remind you it does not say R.S.V.P. on the statue of liberty. thank you very much. 




Published On: 2/6/2007
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