Great Programming Link

If you're into .NET programming and have trouble remembering all those database connection strings then this is the website for you.

http://www.connectionstrings.com/

Enjoy!

Zel

Texas Education and the Children of Illegals

With all the recent talk about Arizona passing sweeping legislation to curb illegal immigrants into their state what of it's neighbors? New Mexico, Calif, etc. When asked those immigrants stated they'd mostly be going to neighboring states. I asked myself why wouldn't they just leave. Most will tell you why.. Free education for their children and free community services.

My question is.. why doesn't our public education that is paid for by State and local tax revenue require US birth certificates or green cards? They require many vaccinations and other information before a child can be registered. Do you have to be a citizen? No..

Being that I live in Texas and my daughter attends a crowded fairly new HS where the Hispanic makeup of that HS is 60+ % I'd really like to see my local tax revenue going to more legal residents than illegal. I would make a fair bet that those who speak out against illegal legislation have never been directly affected by their presence. In my life this is what I've seen, people who like to make broad comments about how this is an immigrant nation but fail to see the downside to illegal immigration.

Yes, our country was founded on LEGAL immigrants. Those are people who went through the legal process to Found, come and live here! They didn't just sneak in, squat somewhere and pick up roots. Worse yet the illegal immigrants today I've often seen people here 20 years no plans to leave an not speak 1 bit of English!! The constitution was written in English.. not French, not Dutch, not Spanish.. English. Most of them have no interest in integrating with our society, the American way of life. No they transform entire areas into their "old world" usually to the detriment of the area

I've personally been affected negatively by illegal immigrants both through the inability to get community services and by my children's education being affected. I feel strongly that all immigrants who want to be here should do so through LEGAL means! There's a reason that they don't just have open borders and let everyone in, we'd have even bigger problems on our hands. With our country facing such a HUGE economic challenge we cannot afford to have our local services overrun by those who don't pay into the system. Sorry, I don't consider the lawn guys, pool buys, house maids and nannies who get paid CASH each week paying into the system.

Do they buy and purchase things sometimes.. at yard sales (our 200$ garage sale in a Hispanic community proved that). Do they pay for a lot of things that require sales tax, sure but undoubtedly less than they take from the system those revenues supply.

Our Country's census is a joke... without properly documenting those who are here illegal we'll never get the proper numbers on who's using the community services and who's paying in etc. I still think most people need to take a few steps back, breathe and look at this from all sides instead of just looking through their rose colored glasses.

Things aren't getting better here, they're getting worse.. When we have effective unemployment of 20+% .. that's people who aren't pulling unemployment and have just given up I say SEND the illegals back! Give those without hope of a job a chance to even make a crap wage. At least it'll feed them and MAYBE they can get some community resources to help them out!

.. ok I'm off my soapbox..

Zel

Bye bye Happy Meal Toys.. I say Bye bye California

Well well I knew that at some point and time California (or a county therein) would do something so stupid and affronting to truly be the last straw for me well.. here it is:

Santa Clara County, CA Bans Happy Meal Toys

A. California has a bankrupt state
B. California has more to worry about than what parents are feeding their children
C. California needs to keep their hands out of parent's choices
D. How DARE They interfere with the Happy Meal.. Who the FK do they think they are.

I could go on but you see where this rant is going.

Since when is it gov't or state's job to TELL PARENTS WHAT TO DO? I don't want a lecture about if I should or shouldn't spank my kid. I don't want to hear about how standardized testing will make my kids "better". I don't want to hear X Y or Z with my kids. It's none of your FKn Business how I raise my child (as long as it's not abusive of course). Ohh .. but what's the definition of abuse.. well different people define that different ways. Of course Californians are trying to say that feeding your child the occasional Happy Meal is apparently abusive.

California lawmakers GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR Asses..please! Worry about your failing state government. Worry about your BANKRUPT Gov't. But seriously GTFO of my home, life etc. Worry about your crime rate, natural disasters and 10 other issues.

What I feed my children is MY BUSINESS! Now I may not agree with my friend buying happy meals for his son and taking them to school for his lunch (I have friends that do this) BUT I WILL FIGHT FOR HIS RIGHT TO DO SO!!!

What is this.. Europe during WWII? WTF is happening here.. seriously..

I will NEVER visit the GOD forsaken LAND that is California as long as I can help it. I didn't want to go there before.. now I REALLY don't want to go there.. we OBVIOUSLY do not have ANYTHING in common. Just drop off into the ocean.. please.. rid us of your rotten stank.. that depletes our nation of it's freedom, cash and overall well being..

That is all..

Z

The Census SOME people are getting Completely Unacceptable!

What time did this person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK? (Does this sound like a Census question? .. Well it is on some of the forms) WTF business is it of theirs.

How many minutes did it usually take this person to get from home to work LAST WEEK? - Can we say.. Please come and search my house while I'm at work...

IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what was the cost of water and sewer for this house, apartment, or mobile home? - Are you fkn kidding me? You can KISS MY WHITE ASS Seriously..

This is just a couple of MANY unacceptable, unlawful, disgusting (yes DISGUSTING) questions they have NO business asking!

They're lucky I got the short form my ass would have written on the second part - NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Please see the Bill of Rights 5th Amendment for more INFORMATION.!!! Hello the Census is to determine congressional seats!!!!!! People should be SCREAMING about this. Do not bend over and take it people this is ridiculous. They go on to ask about disabilities that person may have like.. are they hard of hearing.. really? Or are they disabled cognitively and have a hard time understanding concepts etc.. I'm not making this up.

So yeah.. the "Long Form" Census 38 questions sent to some households and group quarters (such as college residence halls, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, barracks, and correctional facilities) will receive both the American Community Survey and the 2010 Census this year.

Have you SEEN these questions???? Do you think this is lawful? WTF .. You can see this from the Census OWN website.. I'm not making this up.

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/acs_2010.htm

I must say I'm angry, hurt ... yes HURT that my gov't would even THINK These questions are acceptable.

THEY can get my home information from the County Tax Asessors website. Are they trying to set people up for lying?? Do you really think that people are going to say they are mentally impared on these forms? Pleaes come and take over my estate.. give me a state appointed guardian because I'm incompenent.. Are we really to think these questions AREN'T going to be used against us.

Hello WAKE UP people!! Do not lay down and take it. There's a reason we have a Bill of Rights!

/rant off..

Z

Swine Flu Quarantine Areas?

Iowa CDC Blank Letter to Swine Flu victims

Believe it. This has been found to be a legitimate document.
Beware what your state governments are preparing to do.
Prepare yourselves.

Good luck may God save us all.

Zel

Soo... If you have driving teenagers out there.. I feel for you!

So here's a little story about what happened at 1:21am this fine morning.

I as many of you know game a lot and I was in a group with friends and on ventrilo chatting with some when I hear "CRASH" .. then screaming outside. So I pull up my office window blinds to see a vehicle flying through the air and dropping in my front lawn. I didn't have much time to react I told my friends on ventrilo something happened and I had to go make sure people were ok (something to that effect). I ran to get the phone then thought I better get the camera in case they hit the house etc. I made sure my daughter was ok since it was right below her window in the front of the house. She was woken by the noise but ok, so I quickly went downstairs. Didn't even have time to put on shoes.

I get outside and the teenagers are just crying and yelling to each other and kinda freaking out. Meanwhile their shiny silver Jeep is laying upside down and one of their friends was pinned in her seatbelt in the back. She's freaking out screaming to them to get her out. Now mind you I have taken first aid , cpr etc training and the first thing they tell you is when you come up on something like that is DO NOT MOVE anyone unelss there is imminent danger to their well-being. Well the car although badly damaged wasn't on fire and there did not seem to be any immediate danger to her.

So I'm on the phone with the VERY rude 911 lady while trying to calm the teenagers and keep talking to her and keep her awake. Meanwhile the girl that's still in car is freaking out and screaming at them to get her out. I of course told them they needed to leave her until the paramedics came because she could have a neck injury that we don't know about which could paralyze her.. (there was no reasoning with her). The boys in the car (about 3 of them) were very good they were calming down and only the 1 girl was flipping out. So I guess her friend got her out (the other girl who was complaining about her arm). So I told them find but don't move her keep her laying down. Of course the belligerent girl screaming that she's fine and trying to get up she's visibly in shock but not listening.

Meanwhile the 911 lady is asking me of course what's going on, questions about the car, the kids, etc. There was no blood or anything visibly wrong with them. So I tell the 911 lady the condition of the car and you have to love this next question from the 911 operator:

"Ok Mam can you turn the hazzard lights on the vehicle"... my reply was "Excuse me? Uhm... did you hear me the car is upside down and the driver and passenger side are all smashed to the ground. Then she says.. "ohh uhm.. ok" like what she asked wasn't a completely silly question. So soon the EMS workers and cops showed up and I hung up with the 911 lady.

So meanwhile I make sure that the area is clear for the EMS workers another 911 lady had asked me to do that. By this time every neighbor on our street was out looking at what was happening. So I go across to see my neighbors and fill them in since they only heard it and I saw well the car landing in my yard. They then say to me man it's a shame they hit your truck .. I was like "what?!!!"

After a bit the police woman came and asked me what I saw/heard. I explained I heard an engine rev (like it was being gunned) then I heard a crash and looked outside to see the car drop in my front lawn upside down. I then went outside to assist the teenagers and make sure they were ok or if they needed help.

So Pat drives my old Explorer and parks it out front of our house.. From our house the Vehicle looked fine.. Go across the street to talk to the neighbors they walk over with me and wow...talk about .. wooo. So those of you who know Pat .. he taught the Explorer how to tank.. in this case I think the explorer won.. Explorer 1 Jeep 0 LOL. So although the Explorer is probably totalled she (yes my old car was named Betsy and a she) I believe if that wasn't parked where it was the kids would have hit my husbands truck and the house or just the house outright. So by the grace of God the house was saved.

So by this time making sure the kids/our house/our property was fairly secure I go wake up Andy and Pat and get them to come downstairs. I wanted to make sure they didn't tow off my explorer so we can get the kid's insurance company to come assess the damages. I'll link my flickr acct shortly so you guys can see how crazy this is.
So... well it was a long morning and I think after this I'm going to petition for some speed bumps. Ours is the only street that opens up to a new subdivision that was built on a few years back.

The kids did come and apologize for tearing up the car/lawn what have you and were thankful I was trying to calm them and make sure they were ok. My main concern was their safety, things can be replaced, people cannot. They were going way too fast around the corner onto our street you could hear them gunning the engine down our street when they lost control. All the neighbors heard them gunning it. So although I HATE speed bumps it could have prevented this accident. They lost control going way too fast down the street (one of the kids in the vehicle was telling us about it). Also, that the kid in the accident had been in 3 accidents in the past 2 weeks. The last car he wrapped around a tree. These teenagers clearly thought they were invincible. At least most of them were wearing seat belts (some in the back of the jeep didn't have seat belts to wear).

I was surprised that most didn't get taken off in Ambulances and I doubt they were looked over all that carefully as one was clearly limping with what looked like a possible fractured leg. One of the girls complained about her arm etc. In the end they all just walked off down the street to the other subdivision where most live. One was getting yelled at by her parents on the phone (They should have done more than that) these kids clearly 16-17 yrs old had no business being out at 1:21am IMO.. Before they all left they all stood in front of the wrecked Jeep taking "fun" photos as if this was funny and an exciting time for them. Never mind the property damage they just caused, or upsetting an entire street of people who have to work the next morning. Nope, they could care less they were laughing and joking around like it was no big deal. Hope they have good insurance or a good lawyer or both. Honestly, kids like that should lose their license immediately and their insurance. Parents should have to shuttle teens like these around because it's apparent they lack good judgement even after the bad accident.

Soo... That's the story .. enjoy the photos (no blood or anything) just a crashed up Jeep and a honorable Explorer! Betsy went out with a bang and saved her owners :)
And for a side funny or 2. Pat spent about 500$ a few months back after a minor fender bender to fix up the complete front end of the Explorer ... that was smashed to bits this morning LOL. Also, a few nights back I'd prayed for someway for Pat to get the funds to get a new vehicle that was cheaper on gas etc better fit for him. So be careful what you pray for ... you never know how God will deliver LOL.

Flickr Slideshow of the flipped jeep and our explorer

:)

Sarah

Distrubing new bill passed by House

So you just gave birth, and now you're being asked some questions on a questionaire. You fail, you're not allowed to take your baby home and you're forced on medication.

I don't know about you all but after I've had both of my children I was exhausted, not completely with it and the last thing I can imagine is someone making me answer some questions to determine my mental capability to take care of my children.

What about the fathers? What about the other people in the household? If they're going to test the mother they should test every other person that's going to have access to the child.

Most hospitals already do post-partum depression screening, do we really need a law for this? The federal government has NO business prying into my mental state after my baby is born. Go focus on the child/wife beaters and leave new mothers alone, they have enough things to deal with!

HR 20 - Fit Mother Bill

This is going to cause more people to not want to go to hospitals for births which can increase the death rate amongst mothers and babies. Is that really what we want?

Zel

The Gig's up for the Cops in Odessa, TX

KopBusters Article and Video

It's about time someone catches the dirty cops doing what many have suspected them doing for the longest time. Finally, someone is doing something to try and rein in our local governments and their often underhanded ways of finding suposed "illegal activity".

Now I know that not all local governments do these sorts of things but I'm sure it goes on more frequently than most are aware. After a friend and his family had their house raided by Homeland Security for suposedly having illegals living in his basement (if you knew these people you'd know how insane that'd be). I really have little to no faith in not only our local gov't but our overall gov't to look out for our best interests.

I'm tired of our rights being taken away and the police /Homeland security searching our houses, records, lives without anyone taking them to task. All under the guise of terrorist and protecting our country. 99% of what they spew is fear mongering and bullcrap! Too bad Americans haven't wisened up to these facts yet. I hope KopBusters keeps it up and awakens the public to the abuses of our governement. Small steps help, never think that anything you do to expose corruption is too small. Grass roots efforts do make a big different but apathy helps no one.

Z

Zelli update

Well I haven't written much here in a bit as the past few months have been pretty crazy. For those of you who read my blog once in a while check out the new one I started for our miracle baby who's still in the NICU.

Zach's Baby Blog, tales from the NICU

The pregnancy, NICU visits and pumping milk for him keep me pretty busy.
Hopefully I'll feel better soon and be able to be online more and maybe blog a bit more until then enjoy Zach's baby blog.

Zel

What to do with voters for Clinton...

I'll be the first to admit I voted for Hilary in the primary and was sad to see she got the popular vote but didn't get enough delegates. Will I be voting for Obama no.. Not no but Hell no. It has nothing to do with race/religion etc. It has to do with the principals the running mates stand for. She has history, prominence, has been through the whitehouse once and knows the drill. What does Obama offer? Biden! Please....

Spare me.

So I guess I'll be "throwing my vote away" and voting for the 3rd party candidate assuming he's even on the ticket "Ron Paul". I've heard so many things that say he's not or is on the ticket I'll just wait on election day.

In the end due to our flawed election system our votes don't count anyway. The Electoral college ultimately decides. A throwback to the early days when states couldn't communicate quickly. Well heads up America it's all pretty much instant communication these days. So why exactly do we still use the Electoral College? Becuase those in power want it that way, that means they get to stay in power and they get to decide "Not you" who gets elected.

Until Americans stop being complacent and actually caring about causes BIGGER than themselves this will not change. We're "fat and happy" in America and who cares if everyone's getting screwed, neighbors are losing their homes and CEO's are getting record paychecks. As long as we're not being directly affected who cares. Sad thing is we ARE being directly affected people just don't realize it yet. Little by little we're losing our rights and don't laugh but the US Gov't is just itching to put microchips in you and your children. It's only a matter of time.

I'm sure they'll come up with some security reason on why to chip everyone. Instead of saying well we can give you a card with a chip in it (btw all new passports, US Id cards etc have microchips in them already) they'll use some excuse that they need to be able to verify a person's identity w/out having their documents on them. There will be some huge security breech, something will blow etc and they'll use it as one more nail in the coffin of why chips are needed. Maybe they'll start having illegal immigrants start looking incideous and evil and make them out to be some sort of non-human species. Ohh we must verify that you're in fact a true US citizen so we must chip you from birth lol. It's coming just wait.

Central America is looking better and better every day even with all their problems ROFL.

Viva America .. erm I mean China. Don't think that Goggle only filters stuff for China the US/British etc govt's ask them to use that technology for the US citizens too. Censorship is everywhere most people just don't realize it.

Just like prohibition didn't work many years ago, censoring and neutering the Internet won't work either! People wake up, fight for your rights or you'll lose them slowly 1 by 1. Unless you like the idea of living in a world like Gattica or Aldus Huxley's "A Brave New World". I don't doubt the rich would like it ... but us regular schmoes wouldn't be very happy.

Great Programming Link

If you're into .NET programming and have trouble remembering all those database connection strings then this is the website for you.

connectionstrings.com

Enjoy!

Zel

Messages from a dead man...

Going through my email and what do I see?
Messages from a man who had died,
Old mail, a remnant of the man,
A simple letter, an update of his Holiday,
Slightly rambling, a hint of his mind,
This is what remains,
Of man from the grave.

To miss someone so deeply...

This is a blog post of a more personal note. One of great loss. This time of year is always one of great sadness. I lost my father a few years ago around this time and as much as I try to stay positive as I'm sure he'd want me to be it's so hard. I spent years trying to get to him for him to die only a few years after I moved to be closer to him.

So some thoughts on great loss and this does not necessarily refer to those in the afterlife this can be people still living.

Have you ever missed someone so deeply you re-live every moment with them almost to the point of wondering are you obsessed?

The feeling of loss that comes with the remembrance of once was is nearly as painful as if you lost a limb. Often thoughts of wishing for amnesia would happen as to not have to remember what one had and lost. The saying so true rings forever in your head "You don't know what you have until you lose it". There is no solace for the loss. There are some losses that even time does not weaken. You would think after a few years it would get easier. Sadly, no this at least in my case has not been true. The feeling of a lost soul mate is so deep that it's terribly painful. To see the photos of the person to feel their soul touching yours but not being able to communicate is a most horrifying experience.

I try to not think of these things for one cannot change how others feel or those who've died to bring them back. We must accept what life has delt us, although this does not make it any easier to cope. There aren't enough support groups in the world to help one thorugh this.

It's a personal battle...

I find no matter how distracted I try to make myself still my mind doesn't let go as if the other soul is trying to reach out to me over the vastness of space. That's what makes this difficult, being one that is empathetic in nature that of the 6th sense type. To FEEL another soul.. not just know of its existence to have felt, mingled, been drawn into another soul so deeply. That's the loss that shakes you to your very core. To not have that soul so near anymore, no contact etc. I truly hope these feelings don't last forever because eternity longing for another soul is truly painful and worse than Hell I'd imagine. So for any of you out there who may have lost someone dear to you, so dear that it's hard to imagine no contact with them I feel your pain.

My best advice is to send positive thoughts their way. Take each day a bit at a time, try to keep positive thoughts and remember everything happens for a reason. If it were meant to be that you'd be with the other person or them still living then they would be or there would find a way. This is hard to accept as we humans being quite rebellious in nature. Perhaps that's the lesson here... how much not in control of our fate we are.. there's a path for us to take depending on what we choose there are still paths. Not saying everything is set in stone there is still free will however, we as humans seem to end up in some state that was meant to bed either way. We can take the direct course or the long one how we get there is our business.

Don't let loss rule your life, don't let it overpower who you are. Remember who you are and don't let loss define you. Loss does change a person but how it changes us is up to us!

"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger"

No Christianity but Islam is ok ...

Requiring the teaching of Islam in California school

I'm not against Islam let me just make that clear up front. The radicals sure I'm very against them and everything they believe in and or do.

My issue with what this California school is doing is that they are trying to squelch Christianity and promote Islam. Where is the separation of school and religion. They want to poo poo teaching anything about Jesus and the Christian faith but say ok to a 3 week intensive course on Islam?

I dunno when I was in 7th grade during World History we learned about all the world's main religions. It was a very generic overview and quite interesting. By no means were we required to take "Islamnic names", wear robes and a few other crazy things this school requires for this intensive 3 week course.

Honestly I'm appalled that this school board even thinks this is "Acceptable" if my child went to that school I'd be suing them. For all the frivolous law suits this one would be worthy. People fought in courts to get Christianity removed from the classroom. That should include all relgions! Keep religion out if you want it out that means ALL religions not the ones that aren't politically correct or popular at that time.

I'm ashamed to share a country with a school board and educators think this is acceptable. There are islamic schools in our country that's where that kind of stuff should be done. The kids can choose to go to those schools or parents to send their kids there if they want that for them. That should not be FORCED on anyone in public schools. You don't see bible study of the Christian bible required in public schools. There are various religious schools where that would be acceptable.

So fine you want a 3 week Islamic course where bizzarre things are required I want a 3 week bible study on the Christian bible and they are forced to take biblican names. You're no longer Rhadika you're now Sarah! You're no longer Zach you're going to be Jacob! Make em wear sandals and a crown of thorns! Now if this was happening you'd have every person out there yelling and screaming. Why is it ok if this is Islamic teaching but not ok for Christian?

When you're done doing 3 weeks on Chrisianity lets do 3 weeks on Hinduism!

And then 3 weeks on Satanism as much as we don't want to admit there's a large religioius following here to. Lets not forget Scientology!

Soo my point is you cannot force a 1 sided religious view like that w/out doing the same for every other major religion out there.

This is rediculous .. all of it plain and simple. Pull your heads out of your asses and be the educators without bias you trained to be.