Jack Bauer Looms Over New Richmond Superintendent Morrie Veilleux.

New Richmond School District Superintendent Morrie Veilleux is ready to roll up his sleeves and begin work on a building referendum. The New Richmond News reports that under Morrie's leadership three facilities referendums were approved in the Clayton School District. Morrie states that he is up to the job of passing a facilities referendum in New Richmond that's much larger than any he has dealt with in Clayton. “I think I understand the process,” Veilleux said.

Morrie's most constance supporter is 'Jack Bauer' on the OTBL blog. But, dear Jack says: "The only reason to build anything in New Richmond in the near future may be to permanently replace the portable wing at East Elementary."

I see a conflict brewing. If Morrie rolls up his sleeves and tackles the big referendum, will Jack still be his big supporter or, instead, drop him like a hot potato and undermine his efforts??

I'm looking forward to finding out.

Borderwhiners Moving to Dallas! Hudson Rejoices!

N. Onimous on the OTBL blog: "Let's see, it's May 12th with a temperature of 40 degrees with a driving rain storm and some of the highest income and property taxes in the country. While in Dallas, it's 85 degrees and sunny with NO INCOME TAXES! You tell me who has the quality of life!"

Bye guys! We'll miss you (not)!

What You Need To Know To Be A Member Of The John Birch Society Or A Blogger At www.ontheborderline.net -- (now there's an oxymoron!)

1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals, Arabs, and Hillary Clinton.

2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney and Rumsfeld did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush couldn't find Bin Laden.

3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

4. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

5. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.

6. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle and antagonize our long-time allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

7. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

8. HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

9. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

10. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

11. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

12. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's and Dick Cheney's driving records are none of our business.

13. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
14. Supporting "Executive Privilege" is imperative for every Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be born in perpetuity.

15. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.

Tax Boy Presented With Bumper Sticker!

Tax Boy wins a "Support Hudson Schools" bumper sticker for making the following statement on the OTBL blog:

"And we're out of space for the children."

On behalf of the children, "Thanks" Tax Boy for stressing that point.









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Verizon Gives Phone Records To Big Brother

Here is the standard e-mail response sent out by Verizon today to customers upset that their phone records were turned over to the National Security Agency (NSA):

"Dear Sir,

Verizon appreciates that the media reports about the possibility that the NSA is able to analyze local call data records is causing concern. Please be assured that Verizon places the highest value on protecting the privacy of our customers.

Anything to do with the NSA is highly classified, so I can't comment on whether or not the news article causing concern is even accurate. But I can say that, to the extent that we cooperate with government authorities, we are confident that we are complying with all applicable statutes.

Bob Varettoni
Verizon Media Relations"

(Sigh) Someone get the defibrillator paddles for Dick again.

Reuters: President Bush speaks during a meeting about the situation in Iraq at the White House today. From left are Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney (deceased), Bush and Condoleezza Rice.

Brass Balls Baby. Big Ones.

Stephen Colbert - New American Hero.

See and hear Colbert roast President Bush: CSPAN.

Senator Harsdorf Responds

In January, 2005, I wrote to Senator Sheila Harsdorf urging her to vote against TABOR, as an inflexible way to control taxes that actually undermines the state economy, transportation and education systems. She wrote back that she was studying the issue.

Today I received another letter from Sen. Harsdorf that said:

"I am writing to update you on action related to TABOR or TPA, given your past stated opposition. TABOR/TPA was a proposal to add revenue and spending limits into our state's constitution. On May 4, the full State Senate rejected two versions of TABOR/TPA. I voted against both versions of TABOR/TPA, because I do not believe fiscal policy details should be put in our state's constitution."

Knotty Times At The OTBL Animal Farm

How to Improve the Public Schools

Lessons from the Golf Course

If there’s a single mystery whose solution could dramatically improve the fortunes of most cities, it’s the mystery of public school improvement. What boosts student performance, particularly at inner-city schools with high percentages of poor and minority students? Is it more money, better management, some form of privatization? Would family counseling help? How about better housing and more after-school programs? The answer, one close observer says, is all of these things.

The observer is Charles Knapp, former president of the University of Georgia and the Aspen Institute who chairs a neighborhood improvement effort in Atlanta called the East Lake Foundation. The foundation itself is a fascinating story. It’s the brainchild of local developer Thomas Cousins, who wanted to rescue a historic golf course in a dreadful and dangerous inner-city neighborhood. Walling off East Lake Golf Club (home course of golf legend Bobby Jones) from the mean streets around it wouldn’t work, so Cousins set about doing the opposite, using money generated by the course to revive the surrounding area.

Read more: Governing.

Vern And The Rat Pack Look To A Brighter Future For America

Vernon and the rest of the Rat Pack played a friendly game of pool while discussing real solutions to life's problems.

They understand that, with little effort, the health crisis in America could be solved by providing universal affordable health care for all Americans.

They believe in adequately funding an excellent public education system for all children - to give them a head start and the skills they need to prosper.

They see the need for government to invest in emerging industries to create high paying jobs.

They want to keep social security, medicare and other retirement vehicles strong so that Americans can retire with dignity.

They want to provide decent funding to public natural resources employees, and untie their hands, to allow them to protect our environment they way they know how and desperately want to.

They want to keep labor unions strong in America so that the middle class is not wiped out by a royalty class of 1% of citizens.

They want to invest in alternate energy sources so that we can break away from oil and begin to have a peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world.

Oh, and Dino won the game.

Wingnut Faux-Scientist John Stossel Laughs At Boiling Planet

Here's a report from "News Hounds." They watch Fox News so you don't have to:

John Stossel with his polished "I'm so cool" attitude plugged his new book Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity on The O'Reilly Factor tonight. Global warming was the first "myth" he discussed with O'Reilly and both smirked and ridiculed the foolish liberals who might take issue with Stossel's ideas on climate change.

Stossel quipped that he was going to include global warming in the chapter with astrologers and psychics because global warming "has become a religion." Mr. Cool admitted "the globe is warming up - but only 1 degree," adding that "man may have an impact - we don't know."

Then in a nasty falsetto voice he mocked, "We're all gonna drown! Alaska's gonna melt!" He claimed hysteria is being created by "alarmist scientists" who are the only ones that get any media coverage.

O'Reilly looked entertained - warning Stossel, "you're engendering hate from the left. This is one of their pet causes." Stossel admitted that the left already hates him.

(And with good reason.)

Go Ahead. Take Your $20 And Celebrate!

Yesterday the GOP pushed through Bush's tax cut for investors.

A median income household will get a tax cut of $20 from this bill, while those earning $1 million or more will get $42,000.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) said: "This is a day of celebration for the American People."

So go ahead and celebrate. Take the family down to DQ and buy a bag of dilly bars with your $20!

Dr. Bill Misquoted...

The following misquote was distorted from the writings of Dr. Bill "Lil Bill" Danielson from one of the chapters in progress of his litter-airy boat anchor tentatively titled "War and Peas." You can try and follow his path of confusion at the www.ontheborderline.net blog site.

Concerning the topic of Group think, On 8/30/2005, Lil Bill wrote:

"So, can a group think? Of course not that is why we start the www.ontheborderline.net blog site. Only really wordy guys like me can think and seriously use the cut-n-paste function on a PC, and only redneck individuals with IQs borderlining on room temperature and acting in their own selfish interest can anonymously slander everybody who disagrees with them and significantly make confusing and irrational acts - and the government school's adherence to the antithesis through "Heterogeneous grouping" and "cooperative learning" is evil. I say this because I belong to a small, misguided cult of guys who don't work for a living and therefore have lots of time to type nonsense on the OTBL blog site why the the wife is out earning the family's only visible means of support. This lack of spousal oversight gives us the chance to weave of John birch Society paranoia into conspiracy theories that tag the Marxist/Statist boogie man on everybody who doesn't agree with us. It should be painfully obvious to all, this is precisely what is going on...

One can scratch their ass in the voting booth until the cows come home with complete and total righteousness - until the above aforementioned prerequisites are met. Remember.....Socialism Is Evil and don't tell my kids what I'm up to on this computer."

Hudson Booster Days to Host OTBL Group Think 5K

GOP = Green Oggles Pesos

Wondering who Mark Green is?
You know...the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor.
He has friends with money.
He has friends awaiting trial...

Read more: Dirty Green

...and he says he don't know Jack?

GOP Says Polls Are Meaningless. Riiiiiggghhhhtttt.

Bush's 'Political Capital' Drained To Zero!!

Bankruptcy Imminent!

New York Times: "Americans have a bleaker view of the country's direction than at any time in more than two decades, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. Sharp disapproval of President Bush's handling of gasoline prices has combined with intensified unhappiness about Iraq to create a grim political environment for the White House and Congressional Republicans.

Mr. Bush's approval ratings for his management of foreign policy, Iraq and the economy have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency.

Just 13 percent approved of Mr. Bush's handling of rising gasoline prices. About a quarter said they approved of his handling of immigration.

The poll showed a further decline in support for the Iraq war. The percentage of respondents who said going to war in Iraq was the correct decision slipped to a new low of 39 percent, down from 47 percent in January. Two-thirds said they had little or no confidence that Mr. Bush could successfully end the war.

About two-thirds said the country was in worse shape than it was when he became president six years ago.

Mr. Bush's overall job approval rating hit another new low, 31 percent, tying the low point of his father in July 1992.

Mr. Bush is even losing support from what has been his base: 51 percent of conservatives and 69 percent of Republicans approve of the way Mr. Bush is handling his job. In both cases, those figures are a substantial drop in support from four months ago."











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OTBL Brings 'New Dawn' to New Richmond Schools!

King Borderwhiner Bill Danielson of OTBL says: "Vote NO on any and all referendums until the cows come home with complete and total righteousness! I really don't give a rip if the damn buildings literally fall down or if classrooms and hallways are crowded. Vote NO on any referendums now or in the future."














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Borderwhiner Bob Ziller Feels The Pain Of The Rich.

Beverly Hillbilly Ziller on OTBL joins the Wall Street Journal editors who are feeling sorry for rich people today.

WSJ Editorial: "House and Senate GOP conferees finally agreed yesterday on extending the 15% tax rate on dividends and capital gains for two more years through 2010. This means you can expect lots of media and liberal rhetoric about 'the deficit' and 'the rich,' but the real news is how well these lower rates have been soaking the rich to fill government coffers. Federal tax receipts were up for the first seven months of Fiscal 2006 through April."

Egads, the Republicans are soaking the rich (right under our noses) by cutting their taxes! Thanks for the warning WSJ and Ziller! This atrocity must be stopped!

Ziller, you and Mr. Drysdale better lobby Congress for even MORE tax breaks!

Summer Has Been Spotted

As a dedicated bird watcher, I know the the robin's arrival means that spring is just around the bend. But there's an old saying that spring won't come until it snows three times on the robins. Then I see blue birds, meadowlarks, killdeers, herons, red wing black birds. Then you know the spring and winter are definately at the tipping point.

But I'm not convinced till I actually see a Baltimore oriole. On my walk the past few days I knew I hear an oriole. However, catbirds can fool you -- especially if the singing is coming from the mid-section of the trees. I look for the orioles on the top of the trees. Yesterday, I looked out my window at work and there was my first official oriole sighting of the season. When you get a chance, take a walk an listen -- really listen -- to the bird song symphony. It's amazing!

Then I remembered that I had to stop at Fleet Farm and pick up a part to fix my lawnmower deck...