Some pictures from last weekend. We got a chance to get pictures of this vehicle before the race last Saturday.
Some great views of this custom mud racer.
Defending The Republic, Not some Democracy, and enjoying some of life's rewards along the way.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Gary's Transmissions Mud Racer Monster Vehicle
Some pictures from last weekend. We got a chance to get pictures of this vehicle before the race last Saturday.
Some great views of this custom mud racer.
Top 10 Bitcoin Facts
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| The bitcoin logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
It's time to put your money where your monitor is! And, while it doesn't grow on trees, it does in your hard drive! Bitcoin news.
Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments
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| IADC Seal (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will build a new Virginia economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.
Secretariat of Veterans and Defense Affairs
Jaime Areizaga-Soto, Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs
Jaime Areizaga-Soto serves as a military attorney (JAG) in the Army National Guard, holds the rank of Colonel, and commands a Judge Advocate Detachment. In 2013 he was activated to attend the war college (Inter-American Defense College) in Fort McNair from which he recently graduated and where he served as class president. He is a former White House Fellow at the U.S. Treasury Department and served as the Senior Attorney Advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mr. Areizaga-Soto graduated from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and upon graduation was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He holds a Masters of Science in Security and Defense from the Inter-American Defense College, a Mágisterfrom the Academia Nacional de Estudios Políticos y Estratégicos (ANEPE) of Chile, and ajuris doctor and Masters of Arts in Latin American Studies from Stanford University. He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Political Leaders Program. He serves as Vice President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), is a lifetime member of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), and is fluent in French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments
Board of Visitors for Gunston Hall
· David S. Mercer, Esquire of Alexandria, Founding Partner, MercerTrigiani LLP
· Nell Payne, Esquire* of Washington, DC, Director, Office of Government Relations, Smithsonian Institution
· Tim J. Sargeant* of Fairfax Station, Manager, state and local affairs, Dominion Virginia Power
Family and Children’s Trust Fund Board of Trustees
· Candace Bryan Abbey of Arlington, President, Abbey Road Advisors; Washington Director, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice
· Yasmine P. Taeb, Esquire of Arlington, Program Director, Center for American Progress; Commissioner, Arlington County Human Rights Commission
Secure Commonwealth Panel
· Mike Mohler of Springfield, President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, and the Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics union.
State Health Department Sewage Handling and Disposal Appeal Review Board
· Dean Stone, PE of Rocky Mount, President, Stone Engineering Inc.
State Rehabilitation Council
· Lauren Snyder-Roche of Poquoson, Disability Rights Advocate
Virginia Board for Asbestos, Lead and Home Inspectors
· Jim Haltigan of Staunton, President, SEMCO Services, Inc.
*Denotes reappointment
Commonwealth Taking Additional Steps to Safeguard Against Ebola - SPREAD THE FEAR!
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| Ebola virions. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
(In An Effort To Spread The Fear:)
Governor McAuliffe pledges to provide interagency approach to manage the threat
Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the Commonwealth is taking additional steps to strengthen the level of preparedness for the Ebola virus by mobilizing a statewide unified command group. This group is responsible for coordinating resources and personnel.
“The Virginia Department of Health works every day to prevent the spread of infectious diseases of all kinds,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The department’s focus will be to keep the community informed, and ensure that, if there is any risk, the appropriate public health actions will be taken.”
The statewide unified command group will be composed of officials from the Governor’s Office, Department of Health, Department of Emergency Management, State Police, Department of Social Services, Department of Transportation, Virginia National Guard, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and others.
“Ebola prevention is based on principles and approaches that we use every day,” said State Health Commissioner Marissa J. Levine, MD, MPH, FAAFP. “However, there are unique aspects of Ebola that require us to make sure our plans and processes are up to date for this new concern.”
Dr. Levine has activated the regional hospital coordinating system, which was developed after 9-11 and the anthrax attack of 2001, to assess our capability in each region of the state and ensure appropriate coordination. The Virginia Department of Health will lead the state’s ongoing health preparedness efforts supported by these other agencies.
VDH, including its 35 health districts and local health departments, is working closely with the state laboratory (Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services), individual hospitals and first responders/EMS to make sure they have adequate training and protocols, established with the best guidance available, to care for Ebola patients safely. Following these guidelines thoroughly will help health care workers who are caring directly for patients with Ebola stay safe from infection.
Over the next several weeks, this group will be developing additional statewide protocols for first responders to enhance their safety and readiness.
Governor Terry McAuliffe, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe And Fitness Icon Jake Steinfeld Team Up To Celebrate A Future of Fitness For Three Virginia Schools
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Families, dignitaries and Virginia students cut ribbon on new Live Positively™ Fitness Center, provided in part by The Coca-Cola Company
Newport News, VA – Fitness took center stage today as Governor Terry McAuliffe, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, and students from Hungtington Middle School cut the ribbon on their brand new state-of-the-art Live Positively Fitness Center. Huntington Middle, Chesterfield Academy, and Fairfield Middle School were three schools awarded new fitness centers for demonstrating innovative ways in promoting physical activity and wellness to their students.
"Building a new Virginia economy where all children have the opportunity to succeed starts with healthy and productive livelihoods, both at home and at school," said Governor McAuliffe. "I was proud that Virginia partnered with Jake Steinfeld to bring the National Champion Schools campaign to the Commonwealth and provide three schools with brand new fitness centers. I look forward to working with these schools and with schools across the state to promote health and wellness for all Virginia children."
“I’m fired up to be in Virginia today to cut the ribbon on their brand new Live Positively Fitness Center. Governor McAuliffe and the First Lady immediately jumped on board and embraced our vision of building a nation with the fittest kids in the world - one school at a time. They recognize how important healthy kids are to the future of this great state!” said Steinfeld. “Today’s leaders – whether in schools like Huntington Middle, Chesterfield Academy or Fairfield Middle or companies like Coca-Cola and AOL – understand the value of bringing innovative fitness ideas to students. This new fitness center will provide generations of students with the necessary tools to make physical fitness activities part their daily routine.”
The National Foundation’s goal is to build a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world. Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life and reduce health care costs. In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism and fosters better interpersonal relationships.
“I am so happy that Virginia was able to partner with The National Foundation for Governors' Fitness Councils to provide these schools with tools and resources to enable Virginia children to lead healthy, productive lives,” said First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe."A thriving economy starts with thriving students, and physical fitness and access to nutrition play a major role in that success. Through this partnership, Virginia is building a foundation for students to excel, both at school and in their future careers."
The National Foundation for Governors' Fitness Councils program plans to bring its challenge to all 50 states in the coming years. An attractive and unique feature of this campaign is that the Live Positively Fitness Centers are fully funded through public/private partnerships with companies like Coca-Cola and AOL and does not rely on taxpayer dollars or state funding. Live Positively is part of Coca-Cola's commitment to bring people together to make a positive difference, which includes supporting physical activity programs.
For more information about the National Foundation, visit www.natgovfit.org.
About the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils
The National Foundation seeks to encourage and reward innovation in the field of youth fitness by awarding fitness centers to schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness. The National Foundation envisions a fitness center in every school in the U.S., helping to build a nation that—through innovation and a “Don’t Quit” attitude—boasts the fittest kids in the world. Since 2012, we’ve delivered fitness centers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia. In 2014, NFGFC will deliver new fitness centers to California, New Mexico, Connecticut and Virginia.
The National Foundation seeks to encourage and reward innovation in the field of youth fitness by awarding fitness centers to schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness. The National Foundation envisions a fitness center in every school in the U.S., helping to build a nation that—through innovation and a “Don’t Quit” attitude—boasts the fittest kids in the world. Since 2012, we’ve delivered fitness centers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia. In 2014, NFGFC will deliver new fitness centers to California, New Mexico, Connecticut and Virginia.
Drink Coke, Be Healthy? Any other bright ideas? Run and Smoke? Brought To You By Phillip Morris?
FEDERALIST PAPERS No. 49. Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Convention.
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For the Independent Journal. Saturday, February 2, 1788.
To the People of the State of New York:
THE author of the "Notes on the State of Virginia," quoted in the last paper, has subjoined to that valuable work the draught of a constitution, which had been prepared in order to be laid before a convention, expected to be called in 1783, by the legislature, for the establishment of a constitution for that commonwealth. The plan, like every thing from the same pen, marks a turn of thinking, original, comprehensive, and accurate; and is the more worthy of attention as it equally displays a fervent attachment to republican government and an enlightened view of the dangerous propensities against which it ought to be guarded. One of the precautions which he proposes, and on which he appears ultimately to rely as a palladium to the weaker departments of power against the invasions of the stronger, is perhaps altogether his own, and as it immediately relates to the subject of our present inquiry, ought not to be overlooked.
His proposition is, "that whenever any two of the three branches of government shall concur in opinion, each by the voices of two thirds of their whole number, that a convention is necessary for altering the constitution, or CORRECTING BREACHES OF IT, a convention shall be called for the purpose."
As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived, it seems strictly consonant to the republican theory, to recur to the same original authority, not only whenever it may be necessary to enlarge, diminish, or new-model the powers of the government, but also whenever any one of the departments may commit encroachments on the chartered authorities of the others. The several departments being perfectly co-ordinate by the terms of their common commission, none of them, it is evident, can pretend to an exclusive or superior right of settling the boundaries between their respective powers; and how are the encroachments of the stronger to be prevented, or the wrongs of the weaker to be redressed, without an appeal to the people themselves, who, as the grantors of the commissions, can alone declare its true meaning, and enforce its observance?
There is certainly great force in this reasoning, and it must be allowed to prove that a constitutional road to the decision of the people ought to be marked out and kept open, for certain great and extraordinary occasions. But there appear to be insuperable objections against the proposed recurrence to the people, as a provision in all cases for keeping the several departments of power within their constitutional limits.
In the first place, the provision does not reach the case of a combination of two of the departments against the third. If the legislative authority, which possesses so many means of operating on the motives of the other departments, should be able to gain to its interest either of the others, or even one third of its members, the remaining department could derive no advantage from its remedial provision. I do not dwell, however, on this objection, because it may be thought to be rather against the modification of the principle, than against the principle itself.
In the next place, it may be considered as an objection inherent in the principle, that as every appeal to the people would carry an implication of some defect in the government, frequent appeals would, in a great measure, deprive the government of that veneration which time bestows on every thing, and without which perhaps the wisest and freest governments would not possess the requisite stability. If it be true that all governments rest on opinion, it is no less true that the strength of opinion in each individual, and its practical influence on his conduct, depend much on the number which he supposes to have entertained the same opinion. The reason of man, like man himself, is timid and cautious when left alone, and acquires firmness and confidence in proportion to the number with which it is associated. When the examples which fortify opinion are ANCIENT as well as NUMEROUS, they are known to have a double effect. In a nation of philosophers, this consideration ought to be disregarded. A reverence for the laws would be sufficiently inculcated by the voice of an enlightened reason. But a nation of philosophers is as little to be expected as the philosophical race of kings wished for by Plato. And in every other nation, the most rational government will not find it a superfluous advantage to have the prejudices of the community on its side.
The danger of disturbing the public tranquillity by interesting too strongly the public passions, is a still more serious objection against a frequent reference of constitutional questions to the decision of the whole society. Notwithstanding the success which has attended the revisions of our established forms of government, and which does so much honor to the virtue and intelligence of the people of America, it must be confessed that the experiments are of too ticklish a nature to be unnecessarily multiplied. We are to recollect that all the existing constitutions were formed in the midst of a danger which repressed the passions most unfriendly to order and concord; of an enthusiastic confidence of the people in their patriotic leaders, which stifled the ordinary diversity of opinions on great national questions; of a universal ardor for new and opposite forms, produced by a universal resentment and indignation against the ancient government; and whilst no spirit of party connected with the changes to be made, or the abuses to be reformed, could mingle its leaven in the operation. The future situations in which we must expect to be usually placed, do not present any equivalent security against the danger which is apprehended.
But the greatest objection of all is, that the decisions which would probably result from such appeals would not answer the purpose of maintaining the constitutional equilibrium of the government. We have seen that the tendency of republican governments is to an aggrandizement of the legislative at the expense of the other departments. The appeals to the people, therefore, would usually be made by the executive and judiciary departments. But whether made by one side or the other, would each side enjoy equal advantages on the trial? Let us view their different situations. The members of the executive and judiciary departments are few in number, and can be personally known to a small part only of the people. The latter, by the mode of their appointment, as well as by the nature and permanency of it, are too far removed from the people to share much in their prepossessions. The former are generally the objects of jealousy, and their administration is always liable to be discolored and rendered unpopular. The members of the legislative department, on the other hand, are numerous. They are distributed and dwell among the people at large. Their connections of blood, of friendship, and of acquaintance embrace a great proportion of the most influential part of the society. The nature of their public trust implies a personal influence among the people, and that they are more immediately the confidential guardians of the rights and liberties of the people. With these advantages, it can hardly be supposed that the adverse party would have an equal chance for a favorable issue.
But the legislative party would not only be able to plead their cause most successfully with the people. They would probably be constituted themselves the judges. The same influence which had gained them an election into the legislature, would gain them a seat in the convention. If this should not be the case with all, it would probably be the case with many, and pretty certainly with those leading characters, on whom every thing depends in such bodies. The convention, in short, would be composed chiefly of men who had been, who actually were, or who expected to be, members of the department whose conduct was arraigned. They would consequently be parties to the very question to be decided by them.
It might, however, sometimes happen, that appeals would be made under circumstances less adverse to the executive and judiciary departments. The usurpations of the legislature might be so flagrant and so sudden, as to admit of no specious coloring. A strong party among themselves might take side with the other branches. The executive power might be in the hands of a peculiar favorite of the people. In such a posture of things, the public decision might be less swayed by prepossessions in favor of the legislative party. But still it could never be expected to turn on the true merits of the question. It would inevitably be connected with the spirit of pre-existing parties, or of parties springing out of the question itself. It would be connected with persons of distinguished character and extensive influence in the community. It would be pronounced by the very men who had been agents in, or opponents of, the measures to which the decision would relate. The PASSIONS, therefore, not the REASON, of the public would sit in judgment. But it is the reason, alone, of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government. The passions ought to be controlled and regulated by the government.
We found in the last paper, that mere declarations in the written constitution are not sufficient to restrain the several departments within their legal rights. It appears in this, that occasional appeals to the people would be neither a proper nor an effectual provision for that purpose. How far the provisions of a different nature contained in the plan above quoted might be adequate, I do not examine. Some of them are unquestionably founded on sound political principles, and all of them are framed with singular ingenuity and precision.
Learn More About American History: Visit Jamestown, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg Living History Museums In Virginia: History Is Fun!
Is Our Constitution Outdated ? By; Sue Long
It has been said that our Constitution is no longer appropriate for today’s modern times. Indeed, Obama stated in his address to the United Nations, “We can no longer rely on a rulebook made a few centuries ago.” The reasoning is that new times call for new rules.
But what does “new” refer to here? Yes, obviously these are new times. But what are the proposed “new” rules? They are socialism and communism and the same old collectivist rationale that is as old as civilization itself. Considering the length of time that people have been on this earth, our Constitution is a newly developed concept.
Collectivism is the concept that individuals are subservient to the group; a group having no rights are thus subject to the dictates of the ruler(s). Individualism is just the opposite, where rights of the individual are recognized as being inherent, God-given, and not subject to being subverted: thus, Individual rights are not subject to destruction by ruler(s) edicts.
It was the principle of individualism, and the belief that the purpose of government is to protect our inherent rights, that gave birth to our Constitution. Other ruling documents spell out what government can do. Our Constitution spells out what government cannot do, thereby protecting people’s inherent rights from govern-mental rulings.
There have been attempts of such in the past, but they have been short-lived and/or limited. It wasn't until the birth of America that the principle was given full rein. The Founding Fathers studied history learning from past successes and downfalls, thus seeing the principles that work best for the good of mankind. The result is that we have become the envy of the world, exceeding any conditions elsewhere. Things that we consider to be necessities were unheard of in the past and are scarce commodities elsewhere today.
Consider: For thousands of centuries there have been people on this earth that are just as capable as the people living today. Yet, they lived in poverty. The life style of the royalty of the past doesn’t begin to compare with that of the poorest in America today. People throughout the world have just as much desire and ability to succeed and improve their lot as have the Americans, yet they are unable to do so. Thus, the masses have immigrated to America – or strive to.
America has been great not because of what government has done but because of what it has not done.
In America in recent times, momentum from the past has allowed a degree of prosperity to survive. But for how long? The assault by collectivists that has attacked America since its inception is taking its toll.
We have gone so far afield from the principles our Constitution was founded upon that many people have absolutely no conception of them or what our Constitution even says.
We have been the recipients of the most privileged life, one beyond the imagination of past times and the envy of the world today. Yet, we are throwing it away. Unless or until we once again embrace the principles embodied in individualism, and adhere to our Constitution, we will leave a very sad heritage to future generations.
IF we are not the home of the brave – we will no longer remain the land of the free.
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