Journal & Articles

On any given day, the weather trend is usually the first subject of conversation. During the past month, anywhere you go in the United States, the price of gasoline has become a primary topic to complain about. Most people, and businesses, feel helpless when looking toward winter’s fuel bills.

Will dispensing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve help us? If you think short-term – Yes; it will help temporarily.

In fact, you can expect to see products and services increase in price due to the price of fuel and transportation. This is only the beginning of economic change. Many of the “Mom and Pop” businesses may not be able to adapt fast enough to handle the upcoming heating bills. Many of the local businesses, in my area, are still “smarting” from last winter’s fuel bills.

So what can we do? There has been a flood of Emails that tell us to boycott a particular oil company, but nobody can agree on exactly which company to boycott. Most oil companies are considered “greedy corporate giants,” with questionable political agendas, by the consumers. If we are going to be driven out of business, and into an economic disaster, it is time to declare economic warfare on the largest oil companies.

Sorry to choose such strong words and opinions, but this has gone on long enough. Osama Bin Laden may not feel that you are paying enough at the pump, but you don’t have his millions to pay your fuel bills with.

There is also an effort to stop buying gasoline on a particular day. Every business deals with ups and downs, but you have to come back to the pump; a day of poor sales isn’t going to matter to multi-millionaires. However, a month, or a season, will wake them up.

If we made a serious commitment to walk or bike more, we would all be healthier, and send a message to the oil companies. Granted, many of us commute great distances to get to work, but taking the car around the block to pick up a half-gallon of milk is ridiculous.

A little self-discipline goes a long way. Get rid of all gas guzzlers and don’t even think of buying one. Does anyone really need a 5.7 liter hemi? What are the auto manufacturers thinking? This is total gluttony, and we all know that the world’s oil reserves will run out, so let’s conserve what we have.

In your home, or business, you should insulate everything possible. Many people, and businesses, already have done this, but heat is becoming too precious a commodity to take for granted.

Write your local legislators about alternative fuel sources. Let them know this is an important election issue. They have all sat on their rear ends long enough. Foreign oil dependence has become our foreign policy; it’s time to become self sufficient.

The oil companies are currently engaged in price gouging, but we are not helpless. If we conserve, and get some action from government, it will be for the common good.

Several months have passed since Russia announced that it would be ready to take Iran’s uranium for enriching process. This could have been a feasible solution to long thorny nuclear crisis. Apparently few persons do not know that there are suffice reasons to assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons, yet at the same time Iran continues to claim that it needs nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only. Most of the representatives of Western countries that participate in negotiations with Iran on this issue claimed that it was a reasonable solution to the stalemate in the crisis. Moreover it looked like Iran might be inclined accept this solution as well.

Even if Iran agreed on Russian proposals, there is no guarantee that this would be an effective solution for the long term period. One must remember that Iran had been developing nuclear program secretly before it was revealed several years ago. Even if most of Iranian nuclear program was transferred to Russia, Iran would still have suffice resources, knowledge, professionals and above all-will to produce nuclear weapon. If one takes into account past experience, then it is possible to draw the conclusion that Iran will continue its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons whatever solutions other countries and nations might provide. Iran is determined to become regional superpower. Few persons who are know current social, economic and political situation in this region would doubt that Iran has all reasons to transform itself into the strongest military power in the region. It has comparatively modern and highly-equipped army as well as large resources of oil and other energy sources. As one can judge by current internal situation in Iran some hardliners and conservatives might believe that Iran should acquire nuclear weapons in order to enhance its power in the world.

Neither there are substantial grounds to believe that Iran will inform other nations about its decisions in the future. So what steps must be taken to resolve the issue?! In order to answer this question one should differentiate between long-term and short-range prospects. Apparently none of current proposals is fully acceptable for all nations that participate in negotiations. Productive progress can be possible only if there are some valuable concessions from Western countries. Concessions such as concrete proposals to resolve some economic and social problems in Iran in return for the abandoning of nuclear ambitions of the country might help to resolve this protracted and very dangerous crisis.

On the heels of Super Tuesday Two, it may not be immediately clear whether the democratic presidential nominee will be Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, but talk show host and conservative author Ann Coulter has it right. Ralph Nader notwithstanding and irrespective of how one feels about Coulter, in the collective eyes of remote helpdesk 1, the 44th President of the United States, whether one likes it or not – all things being equal, will will be a democrat.

As networks began to call Super Tuesday II in the wee hour as of Wednesday Morning, Obama lead in the pledged delegate count, but the Clinton’s have made it clear that they will win at any cost to include stealing the nomination with the help of the super delegates.

Good guys, it appears, truly do finish last. Mike Huckabee compared to the two old angry white men might agree.

The sole reason for the lack of a nominee in the democratic primaries to date is republican interference. Hillary did not win on Super Tuesday II. The primary was thrown to her by the republican party. Ann Coulter opposing Senator John Mc Cain, apparently at any cost, as the republican nominee is urging republicans to vote for Hillary as she (Coulter) sees Clinton as preferable to Obama. Right wing radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, on the other hand, in an effort to keep the chaos going urges his followers to vote for Hillary because he believes her easier to defeat in the November general election than Obama. If this were a baseball team involving America’s pass time there would be harsh consequences – ask Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire or anyone mentioned in the
Mitchell Report. Still the Clintons remain Teflon coated.

Right wing conservatives, in the middle of it all, appear willing to cut off their collective nose to spite their face. Ronald Reagan is dead and he cannot be re-elected. So, in the after math of the demise of the father of conservatism, William F. Buckley, many self described conservatives will refuse to vote in the general election. Others will vote for the democratic nominee, and yet others will, as his mother predicted, hold their noses and vote the republican ticket headed by John Mc Cain.

Whatever one’s political persuasion, it is clear that more than democrats have fallen in love during the 2008 election year. The question is, if Hillary keeps applying her feminism witchcraft practices, will the hope of Obama continue to float. Many still have not seen the light. While it is not the only factor by far, having daughters of his own, the Tennessee Mountain Man had rather have Michele Obama and her children roaming around the White House than William Jefferson Clinton with his stogie in hand and his arm around his latest uninitiated intern and a knowing smirk on his lips.

Michele Obama asked, how one who could not run her own house could run the White House. Computer Man agrees. It is a legitimate question. If Hillary could not control Bill when he assaulted Dick Morris and had numerous affairs while Governor of Arkansas as Morris articulates and could not control Bill’s wild ways in the White House while he was president how is she going to keep a reign on him if she is president? As first lady, Hillary surely had more time to devote to soothing Bill’s wandering eyes and various traveling body parts than she would while answering the red phone (which actually no longer exists) at three o’clock in the morning to handle a crises in a far away place in the world.

Like the ever changing internet and web based computer repair, America is in the mood for change. The history of the Bush – Mc Cain wars indicates that no matter who the 44th president of the United States is, there will be change during the next term even should it be that the republican nominee gets elected. Although Mc Cain is trying to pick up the right wing of the political right in the last days he is not and cannot be their cup of tea. We can only hope that change includes hasta la vista to Bush and his Viet Nam Conflict left over cabinet as well as good bye to the Clintons and the nightmare they put the country through inthe 1990s.

The republican party is already looking forward to 2012. The republicans have always expected their hopefuls to fall in line though it has certainly not always worked that way. But, looking forward to 2012 the question today is who will be the presumptive head of that ticket. The current contenders are Former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas of whom Bill Clinton even said publicly “that is a good man” and Former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. Of course, depending on Mc Cain’s choice for vice president all bets could be off. The only thing for sure is that the party will learn from this election and will know it will need to be someone with more conservative credentials than John Mc Cain.

But then again, if the Myan Calendar is correct, the world should come to an end before the general election of 2012 which would render all of these considerations mute, and make what we do in the next four years all the more important.

The fourth estate received a public rebuke concealed in a not so veiled threat issued by Freeman Cooper, the Chief of Police, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

It could have been a bad April Fools joke but for the fact that it was a day late and not at all funny. It all happened at a hastily called news conference late morning, Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008, where Chattanooga Police Chief Freeman Cooper asked the media to stop asking questions about problem officer Chattanooga Police Captain Jeannie Snyder.

Cooper went on to issue a veiled threat to the media for doing its job by saying the investigation into the female police captain was “bordering on harassment”.

He continued, “She is a police officer in good standing and that means that she can be armed at anytime with any weapon, it does not have to be the police department’s gun.” Snyder who had already voluntarily stepped down as an assistant police chief taking a Ten Thousand Dollar pay cut in November, 2007, also voluntarily turned in her city issued weapon last week citing public concern over her being armed. The Chattanoogan reported, however, that she was still carrying her personal firearm. That is just one of the exceptions the city appears to have made for Captain Snyder when their internal rules and regulations says each officer is issued a service weapon and must carry that weapon when on duty.

Chattanooga City Councilman Leamon Pierce is one of the few apparently not afraid to speak up and question Snyder or the Chief. Pierce opined, “You got to deal with what the perception is, she has a problem no doubt it’s a medical problem. I wouldn’t want to be around her, in her presence when she has another reaction.”

He went on to say what some officers have intimated to the Tennessee Mountain Man – that some of her fellow police officers are leary and fearful of her.

There are those current and retired police officers who tell the Tennessee Mountain Man that they have good reason to walk lightly around Captain Snyder. They maintain that Cooper had little choice but to appoint her an assistant police chief and now has no choice but to defend and protect her to the best of his ability.

Names the Tennessee Mountain Man has not heard in legal and law enforcement circles in 20 years are popping up again. Names like Ralph Cothran, Al Coker, Johnny Wright, and others – even a former madam and drug dealer are surfacing and fueling the rumor mill.

Chief Cooper challenged the press at his news conference, “Tell me something she’s done wrong? You can’t because she hasn’t.” He continued, “She hasn’t harmed anyone, threatened to harm anyone, or put anybody in any type of danger.”

According to public records, it all started in January of 2007 when Snyder was found unconscious in her Red Bank (A Chattanooga Bedroom Community) home after she failed to show up for an appointment. She was “sick”, i.e. “passed out” and had to be hospitalized. Drawing on his experience and career as a former intelligence operative, CID Agent, and civilian police officer the Computer Man suspects the roots of Captain Snyder’s problems run much deeper and farther into the past.

In September, 2007, she did not show up for work which sparked a search in Marion County, Tennessee. When finally found after costing the city, the state and two counties untold thousands of dollars, she was “sick” and had to be hospitalized.

A few weeks ago Snyder “appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs” at the Town Center Mall, in Cobb County, Georgia at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008 according to an incident report from the Cobb County Department of Public Safety where she produced a weapon when an officer asked for some identification. A confrontation ensued. Captain Snyder was “sick” again. An ambulance had to be summoned with several Chattanooga Police Staff to escort her back to Chattanooga, and, of course, once again she required hospital care before returning to duty.

A recurring theme from police officers is that “I am a man”. “I can’t sleep my way to the top.” Which prompted City Councilman Manny Rico to issue a counter comment to Councilman Pierce, according to Abena Williams, Reporter, WDEF-TV, Chattanooga, TN, “I’ve talked to others that aren’t (fearful of Snyder), you hear both sides, police people are very funny I’m sure there are a lot of them that didn’t get the promotion they should have got.”

The former madam perused this story over a snifter of brandy, then handing it back with a slight smile, said, “new paint, new lipstick, new gloss. Nothing ever changes, baby. Between her and the sheriff there are a lot of important people shaking in their boots tonight.”

Some believe it is time for a good house cleaning at the Chattanooga Police Department, and that this could be the biggest thing since Bookie Turner. Another story… Another time.

In the mean time, the question remains whether the local press will bow in fear or deference to Chief Cooper?

In this country’s uncertain economy, with sub-prime real estate meltdowns and rising gas prices, it is no wonder that American consumers are looking for some financial refuge when it comes to either short term or long term security. This especially rings true in our nation’s housing arena.

The foreclosure ratio has increased dramatically in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas. This means good people and their real estate values are being negatively affected due to crippling market conditions. This in turn, floods the market with properties that don’t sell. Although, someone could say it is a buyer’s market, and that would be true. But what about the person that is in foreclosure? They can’t mortgage a property. What are their options?

I suppose they could rent an apartment. This could be a very pricey option in the San Francisco Bay (including the east bay) and Sacramento areas. For example, research shows that: as of 12/07 the rental markets in these large areas are down (Excluding San Francisco Proper).

Learning this, I researched further and discovered that a good portion of Americans that are in foreclosure in these areas, are spending their money smart: buying an RV and living in a Luxury RV Resort.

Surprisingly, there are many RV Resorts and Parks that cater to a growing rental market that no one else is utilizing. It is substantially cheaper to rent a site at an RV Park instead of renting a traditional apartment. Typically a one bedroom in Vacaville, CA (between San Francisco and Sacramento) for example, will go anywhere from $850.00 – $1400.00 plus utilities. A monthly site at the Vineyard RV Park in Vacaville, CA will only set you back $500.00 – $750.00 per month plus electric. Keep in mind you are powering a smaller area although, most RV’s on the market today have comparable dimension sizes to your average small apartment which is a huge plus.

“Many people that are or were in foreclosure, that have bad credit can rent in our park for half of what they would spend in the Vacaville/Fairfield area. It is also very convenient for our tenants to commute to work in the San Francisco/Sacramento areas, because of the fantastic freeway access our location offers”, says Carl Bertram, one of the owners of the Vineyard RV Park. He goes on to say “Not only is this option popular for people in foreclosure that have credit issues, but we also cater to a huge traveling nurse and union worker’s community as well (welders, carpenters, and electricians). With all the new construction in the East Bay Area, we figured that we would use this to our advantage”.

Most people would feel a transition like this would be disorientating. Not if you go to the right park. If you do your research, you will find upscale RV Parks and Resorts will offer many guest and tenant services that you would not normally find in the traditional rental situation such as: Round the Clock Security, Guest Concierge Services, and in the case of the Vineyard RV Park – they will even assist you in locating the perfect dealer when you purchase your first RV. It almost makes the transition effortless. I would imagine the smart consumer would take this alternate solution into major consideration when attempting the rental hunting process. If you are moving to the San Francisco or Sacramento Areas or are thinking about visiting and want to learn more about this option, you may contact Carl or Meaghan Bertram toll free at the Vineyard RV Park: 866-447-8797. Or you can view this first class facility at: http://www.VineyardRVPark.com.