Binz.net Weblog

If you have kids, you know from time to time they can come off with comments that just makes you stop, pause and then laugh your @ss off. Well, just one of those moments has happened to us.

A couple of weeks ago, the city of Eugene was very cold and ice was forming everywhere. My kids noted that at their school (Edgewood) the temprature was colder and more ice had accumulated there.

I commented out loud, I wounder why…

Oldest son -
Cause it is always Winter there, Never Christmas!

Oh man, I just about busted a gut laughing on that one. You just have to love kids.

The forgotten methane source from PhysOrg.com
In the last few years, more and more research has focused on the biosphere; particularly, on how gases which influence the climate are exchanged between the biosphere and atmosphere. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics have now carefully analysed which organic gases are emitted from plants. They made the surprising discovery that plants release methane, a greenhouse gas - and this goes against all previous assumptions. […]

And if you would like to get a similar but different angle on the global warming

http://www.friendsofscience.org/index.php?ide=4

… No, this is the SpiralScouts - the pagan version of learning outdoor skills and earning badges.

… Designed as a nature lore and woodcraft program, SpiralScouts is
intended for families of any minority faith, or no faith at all.

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2005/12/28/b1.cr.spiralscouts.1228.p1.php?section=cityregion

Now - all of the people out there who scream they want to be part of a scouting program but find that the Boys Scouts is not right for them you have a place to go now. And for the love of Pete, stop screaming at the BSA. You have a program of your own.

Well, I think I found a positive for the state of OR. They have been kind enough to publish drug labs in the state. Now lets just assume I am not a druggie and I just want to make sure I not moving in next to a crack house.
But hey, if you need to score - the state has been kind enough to help ya. Make sure you smile, it looks good on TV.

http://www.sfm.state.or.us/CR2K_IncDB/Reported_Drug_Labs_1.asp

Holy cow batman! They are not just taking over the jobs in the US. The immigrants are leaving their country by the boat load to make money in a foreign land and then ship that money back to their home country. This is not just a loss of that job for the countryman seeking work, but it is a loss of economic stimulation as the foreign worker ships a bulk of their money out of the country they are working in. I have heard the argument that there is a demand for migrant works, there is a lack of skilled workers forcing their need. I say, if you can not find the skills then your country and company should be looking to facilitate and grow those skill sets.

We all know that major companies today do not look to grow their employees skill sets (for the most part). They hire people that can fill a need they have right then. Once that job is completed if you have not figured out how to extend your skill sets on your own you will find yourself in a "dead wood RIF". If the business sector does not get this, and the local government does not speak up and get involved, that country will have a lot of burger flippers serving migrant IT persons their Boca Burgers with fries and a smile….

Read about Australia’s plight.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/09/1136771500496.html?from=top5

These graphics are property of http://www.ucomics.com/pricklycity/ I do not own them, but enjoyed them enough to share the humor. 

Well it has been days since we have gone more than a few minutes without some rain falling. The family can not take being in the house any longer. So we went out and had some hot chocolate at Starbucks on Colburg. I sure do wish they made that store larger. More often than not there is inadequate space for the number of people who wish to cherish the moment.

As the pictures show, we had a break in the rain (lasted about 30 minutes) so we headed down to Alton-Baker Park. We expected the river to be swollen from the amount of precipitation in the past 3 days, but we were not expecting to see the river cresting it banks. There are no active Weather Warnings from the National Weather Service or from the local TV/Weather stations.

But you can clearly see, there are some low areas where the river water has crested the banks.

Today, Education Week published its 10th annual report card for schools by state. See full details here

One of the things that people here in Oregon, especialy Eugene, will tell you is that the area has some  of the best school in the country. If you speak to the people for more than 3 and 1/2 minutes, you will have to stop and ask, are you sure?  I have looked at the available information on the internet about the schools here in Eugene. I did find 3 schools that got pretty good results, but the majority of the schools have less than acceptable results.

Now, edweek.com has available on its site a state report card for you to review.  Here is a couple of images on the states that interested me. 

Here are some PDF docs that give the full detail on the reports:

Oregon California Texas North C Mass VA Overall 

If you are looking to move to Oregon (Eugene) please look closely at the schools and then go find yourself a private school. 

A couple of times I attempted to assure myself that Oregon really is not hell and the people of this state have some moral foundation.  But I always find myself disappointed.  Today I was at Border’s and picked up the book "Trips & Trails Oregon" by William L Sullivan.  Mr. Sullivan has kindly documented the lack of God in this state with the following statement he wrote in his piece about Portland. 

On Page 21, Sullivan writes "Where else would the locals call themselves "webfeet" and prize independent thinking so highly that the number one religious affiliation is "none of the above".

While he makes this note on the pages referencing the city that is home to 1/3 of the states population, I have found that this is a good representation for the majority of the state.

Living in Eugene OR is very depressing. For all of the preaching of accept diversity, unless you are one of them they have no desire to befriend you or accept your view points.  So much for celebrate diversity!

What is it with the people in Eugene OR. The people of this town walk around with their tie-dye hemp clothes, baggy pants, and every possible anti war, love, peace and celebrate diversity shirt, hat and bumper sticker they can find. Yet in as many months their has been school vandalism in this town.

Dec 21 ‘05 "Police seeking leads in vandalism at Marist High School" - Eugene Police

"Eugene high school cleans up after vandalism" 750AM Portland Talk Radio

Please note that I could not find any report of this vandalism at the Register Guard, the local Eugene rag paper. No need to speak of this school since it is a private school. A school foundation that the City of Eugene wishes to remove. 

 Jan 1st ‘06 "Blazes at high school investigated as arson" - Register Guard

Now I know school vandalism happens everywhere. But for a community of only 130K people and for the fact this city prides itself as being the model way that people should live with nature, humanity and a higher conscious; I find that having this much vandalism against schools a concern.