Courtesy of Cathy Craddock
When it comes to plastic shopping bags, the Europeans do have a better sense of humor.
Olympic Tidbit Of The Day
Ancient Olympic pankration star Polydamas of Skotussa strangled a lion with his bare hands, held a bull by its hooves and stopped a speeding chariot by seizing its wheels. He also took on three Persian “Immortal” warriors singlehandedly killing them all.
Hat tip VFW magazine.
The Anti-Education Prevailing Wage
The Delaware County Daily Times (Pa.) published this letter by Lisa Esler in response to an article regarding the rejection of a resolution by the Penn Delco School Board to ask the state legislature to end the mandate requiring school districts to pay a “prevailing wage” for public works of greater than $25,000. This means that to bid on these jobs contractors must pay a wage that “prevails” in each reason. This “prevailing wage” is determined by the state’s Department of Labor and Industry.
One should also note that contractors are also required by federal law to pay “prevailing wage” on all projects which receive in excess of $2,000 of federal funding.
It is well understood that this significantly inflates the cost of public works and the burden on the taxpayer.
And we wonder why our lives are getting harder while the lives of the politically connected are getting easier.
Lisa is a member of the Penn Delco School Board and the Delaware County Patriots.
Here is her letter:
This is in response to the article concerning the prevailing wage resolution which was voted down 6-2 by the Penn Delco School Board.
Prevailing wage inflates the cost of school construction projects costing the taxpayers from 10 to 30 percent for these projects. This money would be better used to help in the education of our children. The school board’s responsibility is to represent the children and the taxpayer, not to pay inflated prices for construction or represent any group of constituents directly.
Many of these same construction companies would do the work for less but are bound by this law (unfunded mandate) which was created by bureaucrats in Harrisburg who continue to feed off of union contributions for their elections. Other school boards in the state have passed the same or similar resolutions, including two in Chester County with a 9-0 vote.
The Pennsylvania School Board Association, which most school boards are members of, including Penn Delco, has said that prevailing wage is the number one unfunded mandate from Harrisburg and provided a similar resolution encouraging school districts to pass.
Legislation from Harrisburg ties the hands of school boards from making financial decisions that would benefit those they represent and legislators continue to put their own personal gain above their constituents. This is seen not only with the prevailing wage law but their unwillingness to end teacher strikes in Pennsylvania as well as deal with the pension crisis which they were well aware of years ago and were not willing to deal with until it hit “crisis status.”
The question remains, who does Harrisburg really represent if common-sense legislation is ignored? And what responsibly does the school board have in shedding light on important legislation that benefits both children and taxpayers?
Lisa Esler
Aston
Anti-Education Prevailing Wage
Off The Internet: Understanding Engineers
Courtesy of Cathy Martin
Understanding Engineers #1
Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, “Where did you get such a great bike?”
The second engineer replied, “Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, “Take what you want.”
The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, “Good choice: The clothes probably wouldn’t have fit you anyway.”
Understanding Engineers #2
To the optimist, the glass is half-full. To the pessimist, the glass is half-empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
Understanding Engineers #3
A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers. The engineer fumed, “What’s with those guys? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!”
The doctor chimed in, “I don’t know, but I’ve never seen such inept golf!”
The priest said, “Here comes the green-keeper. Let’s have a word with him.” He said, “Hello, George. What’s wrong with that group ahead of us? They’re rather slow, aren’t they?”
The green-keeper replied, “Oh, yes. That’s a group of blind firemen. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime.” The group fell silent for a moment.
The priest said, “That’s so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight.”
The doctor said, “Good idea. I’m going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if there’s anything she can do for them.”
The engineer said, “Why can’t they play at night?”
Understanding Engineers #4
What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers? Mechanical engineers build weapons. Civil engineers build targets.
Understanding Engineers #5
The graduate with a science degree asks, “Why does it work?” The graduate with an engineering degree asks, How does it work?” The graduate with an accounting degree asks, “How much will it cost?” The graduate with an arts degree asks, “Do you want fries with that?”
Understanding Engineers #6
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
Understanding Engineers #7
An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.” He bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn back into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week.”
The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket. The frog then cried out, “If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I’ll stay with you for one week and do anything you want.” Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.
Finally, the frog asked, “What is the matter? I’ve told you I’m a beautiful princess and that I’ll stay with you for one week and do anything you want. Why won’t you kiss me?” The engineer said, “Look, I’m an engineer. I don’t have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog – now that’s cool.”
Mitt And Obama Campaign News
“Women’s Coalition for Mitt”will hold a grassroots training session and rally, 12:30 p.m., tomorrow, Aug. 9 at the Grand Ballroom Renaissance, Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, 4200 City Ave., Philadelphia Pa. 19131.
Special guests will be Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy and National Coalitions Director Courtney Johnson.
Lunch will be Provided.
Please R.S.V.P. with Valerie Dowling at vdowling@mittromney.com
Hat tip Independence Hall Tea Party Association.
And for equal time Marlon Marshall of BarckObama.Com has sent me a missive saying “I’m so jealous of you that I can barely write the rest of this email” which went on to say that for just a $3 donation I could be “shooting hoops with Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Sheryl Swoopes, Kyrie Irving, and Alonzo Mourning, Oh and President Obama and Michael will be there too.”
Isn’t that so cool? I bet you’re jealous too.
Olympic Tidbit Of The Day
Ancient Olympian pankration competitor Sostratos of Sicyon was nicknamed “Mr. Digits”. He would snap his opponents fingers to force them to surrender. He won three Olympic victories.
Hat tip VFW magazine.
Route 320 Exit On Route 1 Closed Aug. 8
The Route 1 North off-ramp to Route 320 in Springfield, Pa. will be closed from 10 p.m., tonight, Aug. 8 until 5 a.m. tomorrow to repair a drainage inlet, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Mor information can be found at 511PA website or by callingl 511.
Pa. Energy Conservation Grants To Small Business
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is again accepting applications for its Small Business Advantage Grant Program to aid small businesses looking to conserve energy and prevent pollution, according to State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
Under the program, businesses can apply for a 50 percent matching grant of up to $9,500 for taking actions to promote implementation of pollution prevention and energy-efficiency practices. Applicants must be a for-profit corporation, limited liability corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or other legal entity with 100 or fewer full-time employees. The grant-supported project must be in a Pennsylvania facility owned by the applicant and must save the business at least 25 percent, plus $750 annually as a direct result of implementing the grant supported project. All grant projects must be completed by June 30, 2013.
The application deadline is Sept. 26. Eligible applications will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. For more information about the grants or to apply, visit Cox’s website, hover over the “State Programs and Services” link on the left-hand side and click on the “Small Business Advantage Program” link.
So Who’s Abusing Children Now?
Here’s the latest from Jim Vanore of Good Writers Block.
NCAA President Mark Emmert recently placed punitive sanctions on Penn State University for allowing a known pedophile to victimize boys on their campus from 1998 to 2011. That felon has been dealt with by the legal system and is now facing a lifetime behind bars.
The “big four” administrative department heads responsible for allowing this abuse of children, are University President Graham Spanier, Vice President Gary Schultz, Athletic Director Timothy Curley, and head football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno died earlier this year, and the other three face their own day in court.
Emmert said, “…the cultural, systemic, and leadership failures at Penn State had to be addressed, and that the NCAA’s approach demands that Penn State become an exemplary NCAA member by eradicating the mindset that led to this tragedy.”
His words. You see, he just wants to eliminate the “mindset” that placed football above the welfare of innocent children.
So who is he punishing? Obviously, Emmert thinks that the football team (all of whom were in grammar school when this crime began) must answer for those who were complicit in these crimes. That’s sort of like the IRS telling your children that they must take a year off from their 7th grade studies and do time in prison, because you cheated on your tax return.
Church Attacks And Temple Attacks And The Tea Party
The Aug. 5 shootings at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis. is being used by Democrat politicians and their old media supporters to attack the Tea Party, Second Amendment supporters, and Christian conservatives.
You never want a serious crisis to go to waste, right?
The murder of six and wounding of three was done by Wade Michael Page who was an overweight, over-tattooed, U.S. Army reject that most recently played bass in a neo-Nazi, white supremacist band.
If one is a neo-Nazi, white supremacist then one is an anti-Christian by definition, and an anti-American to boot as the Nazis were the enemy.
Which gets us to the next point: where is the outrage at the attacks on churches in the country?
Carl Chinn has compiled this list of incidents of violence at American churches (and mosques and synagogues) with the ones happening this year highlighted in yellow. Granted many of the acts — such as bodies found in parking lots and shootouts between drug gangs — involved the churches simply because they served bad neighborhoods, and granted that many of the acts involved deranged people who had come into contact with the churches through their ministry, but note the number that involved bombs and molotov cocktails. You can fairly call them acts of “domestic terrorism” and hate crimes.
Also, note how the death toll was kept to one in an April 22 incident in, ironically, Aurora, Col., because one of the congregants had a gun, much as the deaths were stopped in 2007 because a church member was armed when a gunman entered New Life Ministry in Colorado Springs and began shooting.
Evil doesn’t go away when people are disarmed. It does, however, increase when lies are told and division created solely for political gain.
By the way, the Tea Party is not “anti-government” but anti-corruption.
The Tea Party is inspired by the recognition that people have entered government and acquired influence and power for their own benefit all the while laughing at those they claim to be wanting to serve whether it be by giving “free” health care or increasing “social justice”.