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Thursday, 19 June 2008

I'm bringing Xanga back - drop a comment if you're with me!

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

"I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business. We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document and open to their interpretations. I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor. I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better and put your name on the building. I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, taxes, and God, not some governmental stooge with a bad comb-over who wants to give it away to crack addicts. I believe that if you are selling me a milk shake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a six pack of beer, you must do it in
English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen you should have to speak English! Our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and sons should not have died in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours." - Unknown Author

Tuesday, 02 May 2006

Maybe true, maybe not... but very interesting

From the other side of the fence.....
> Received the following from (Tom O'Malley) who was a Director with
> SW BELL
> in Mexico City.
>
> You remember I spent five years working in Mexico.
> I worked under a tourist Visa for three months and could legally
> renew it
> for three more months. After that you were working Illegally. I
> was
> technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval
> During that six months our Mexican and US Attorneys were working
> to secure
> a permanent work visa called a FM3. It was in addition to my US
> passport
> that I had to show each time I entered and left the country.
> Barbara's was
> the same except hers did not permit her to work.
> To apply for the FM3 I needed to submit the following notarized
> originals
> (not copies) of my:
> 1. Birth certificate for Barbara and I.
> 2. Marriage certificate.
> 3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation.
> 4. College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of
> graduation.
> 5. Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked
> for at
> least one year.
> 6. A letter from The ST. Louis Chief of Police indication I had no
> arrest
> record in the US and no outstanding warrants and was "a citizen in
> good
> standing."
> 7. Finally; I had to write a letter about myself that clearly
> stated why
> there was no Mexican Citizen with my skills and why my skills were
>
> important to Mexico. We called it our "I am the greatest person on
> Earth"
> letter. It was fun to write.
> All of the above were in English that had to be translated into
> Spanish and
> be certified as legal translations and our signatures notarized.
> It
> produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left
> side and
> Spanish on the right.
> Once they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours
> accompanied
> by a Mexican Attorney touring Mexican Government office locations
> and being
> photographed and fingerprinted at least three times. At each
> location and
> we remember at least four locations we instructed on Mexican tax,
> labor,
> housing, and criminal law and that we were required to obey their
> laws or
> face the consequences. We could not protest any of the Governments
> actions
> or we would be committing a felony. We paid out four thousand
> dollars in
> fees and bribes to complete the process. When this was done we
> could
> legally bring in our household goods that were held by US customs
> in Loredo
> Texas. This meant we has rented furniture in Mexico while awaiting
> our
> goods. There were extensive fees involved here that the company
> paid.
> We could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high
> rates and
> under contract and compliance with Mexican law.
> We were required to get a Mexican drivers license. This was an
> amazing
> process. The company arranged for the Licensing agency to come to
> our
> Headquarters location with their photography and finger print
> equipment and
> the laminating machine. We showed our US license, were
> photographed and
> fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying
> out a six
> dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never
> received
> instructions on the rules of the road. Our only instruction was
> never give
> a policeman your license if stopped and asked. We were instructed
> to hold
> it against the inside window away from his grasp. If he got his
> hands on it
> you would have to pay ransom to get it back.
> We then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the
> number of
> our FM3 as our ID number. The companies Mexican accountants did
> this for us
> and we just signed what they prepared. I was about twenty legal
> size pages
> annually.
> The FM 3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after
> paying
> more fees.
> Leaving the country meant turning in the FM3 and certifying we
> were leaving
> no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants,
> tickets or
> liens) before our household goods were released to customs.
> It was a real adventure and If any of our Senators or Congressman
> went
> through it once they would have a different attitude toward
> Mexico.
> The Mexican Government uses its vast military and police forces to
> keep its
> citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their
> White house
> or government offices but do protest daily in front of the United
> States
> Embassy. The US embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress
> and
> during most protests the Mexican Military surround the block with
> their men
> standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the
> Embassy.
> These protests are never shown on US or Mexican TV. There is a
> large public
> park across the street where they do their protesting. Anything
> can cause a
> protest such as proposed law changes in California or Texas.
> Please feel free to share this with everyone who thinks we are
> being hard
> on illegal immigrants.

Thursday, 27 April 2006

Currently Listening
Double Live
By Garth Brooks
see related
Happy Anniversary

so greg got off surgery early. called... happy anniversary (which i am not really comfortable saying- i prefer "one year since our first date.")... i'm so excited to go home to shower, study and go to bed. okay. so 1. he was actually awake.. very rare. 2. acknowledged that today was a special day for us. 3. chose to shower and study without asking for company. i've spent the evening in my garden tub with bubbles and garth. garth has been with me through it all. so i've shaved my legs and have curlers in my hair for him, not greg. i am feeling about a 7 on the 0-10 desperate loser scale. okay... to give greg some credit.. or maybe not... he did text and ask if i'd like to go to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate. tomorrow is not a special day, nor will he got off early or have time for dinner. and in any time he has he should be studying. i would rather just have my feelings hurt and he make a good grade on this test, not both. not feel sad tonight and then he try to make things better tomorrow, but it would be a horrible date- he's quite miserable while stressed. gggrrr.... anyhow- i am to the point of just complaining. should i talk to him about it? i'm thinking no. ok. done. time for disc 2.
Currently Reading
A Stone For Every Journey: Traveling The Life Of Elinor Gregg, R.N.
By Edwina A. McConnell, Teddy Jones
see related

     so greg (the boyfriend) found out today that i am taller than him. he had me stand up very tall and straight and he did the same. i am taller. i think he knew it was coming and only wanted to confirm the facts. tomorrow is our 1 year anniversary. i was very pleasant and did not say much about things and we just moved along with the day. anyhow, looking back on things- this was about the 5th time we'd stood up straight together to compare. why did he just now accept the facts? is he okay with that? i wore flip flops every day of high school in order to not add any height. i have accepted my body and now wear heels... but has he? i find this to be very odd. although minor, i am interested to see how things play out.

     i've got a card for tomorrow. should i mail it? or keep it on hand in case we see each other? hhhmmm... i think i will wait until the end of the day and if he has a card for me i will give him his, otherwise i will mail it. okay... at what point should i be dissapointed? no phone call? no visit? no card? no gift? i don't even know what the norm is in these situations. we had a very nice afternoon visit today. i made dinner to be followed by him studying as i napped. should i make reservations at out first date restaurant just in case? but i have no clue as to what time he'll get off. i'm an awful girlfriend. i don't know the rules of the game.

     my roomate is a single white female in need of meeting strangers. (my opinion- she is content with her life- i am advocating for change.) i need male opinions on where/how/what are good opportunities for meeting great guys- such as yourselves?