Category: Illinois

Child Support? If she says so. Abortion? If she says so. My kid? If she says so.

July 18th, 2007 · · Illinois, Legislation 3 comments - Tags: , , ,

How many cases of men getting screwed do there have to be before legislation is changed?

Lately there have been at least two high-profile cases where a man was told he was the father of a child and it was later revealed that he was not. In one case, the child is under 18, and the man still has to pay child support because he didn’t dispute it in time. DNA testing? Doesn’t matter. Courts will not reverse the decision in Florida.

The other case involves a man who paid child support for a boy that was not his until the child turned 18. Recently, it was revealed by the whore of an ex-wife that the boy’s father was actually the godfather to the boy. The courts will not let the man recoup any of the money he was forced to pay to raise another man’s child.

Both of these cases point out flaws in our legal system. In theory, if a woman puts any man’s name down as the father of a child, and he doesn’t dispute it within “X” number of days, he is the father. Child support? Insurance? Bet your ass she can take you for all that you’re worth, and you may not even know her except from chatting at work.

There needs to be some major overhauling done of this legislation.

Oh, and another point that irks me – abortion. The woman can kill a baby (if it’s not a baby, you’re not pregnant) or have it, and the man has no say so. However, the man has to pay for the child to be raised? She chose to have sex just like he did, shouldn’t the father have some say in what happens to the child? Not according to today’s judicial system.

Kids’ Alley at Salute to Freedom

June 27th, 2007 · · Illinois, Jaycees, Mount Vernon No comments - Tags: , ,

In one week the Mount Vernon Jaycees will bring back Kids’ Alley to the Salute to Freedom. For the past several years there has been little other than concessions and fireworks at the Salute. Different people have conflicting stories about why the Jaycees gave control of the Salute back to the city/Tourism Bureau, but we are back with entertainment for kids this year.

We have created skee-ball, tic-tac-toe, a basketball shoot, ducky pond (for small children), face-painting, dart toss/balloon pop, and a frisbee throw. There should be no shortage of activities to keep the kids busy until the fireworks display begins at dusk.

There will be prizes given to every participant, with larger prizes for successful participants. There will also possibly be a trade-up option where 3 small prizes can be traded for a medium, and 3 medium prizes for a large prize. We have yet to firmly decide if we will offer the trade-up option yet.

Thankfully, we did spend more on prizes than most people will expect. There will be no super-cheap “spider-ring” prizes at our booths. Everyone will get a prize, and we believe they are good prizes.

The games will cost $1/each/try. We believe that is a fair cost to have some entertainment and a guarantee you won’t walk away empty handed.

We were just informed this evening that we will have a handmade American flag afghan to be raffled off as well. Tickets for this drawing will be $1/each as well, or 6/$5. It is a little warm for an afghan right now, but it does look nicely done.

That’s my summary of the Jaycees activities at the Mount Vernon Salute to Freedom on July 4th. We will open with the gates at 5PM and stay open as long as we have prizes, or until the fireworks display starts.

Letter to the Editor of the Register-News Regarding Illinois’ Smoking Ban

June 16th, 2007 · · Illinois, Legislation No comments - Tags: ,

I am writing this primarily in response to the recent letter from Jerry Merritt regarding smoking and the upcoming ban by the communist state of Illinois.

To begin, Merritt does an excellent job of using imagery to paint smokers as horrible people akin to “factory boilers, pacifier users, and druggies”. Also, being dressed well and going out after church has nothing to do with the smoking law, but it is more good creative writing. Kudos for creative writing.

Now, to address a few incorrect points made in that letter:

Non-smokers have no “right” to be guaranteed a non-smoking environment. I checked, it was nowhere in the Illinois nor United States constitutions.

Everyone does have the choice not to go into a business that allows smoking. If the business loses enough money by allowing smoking (for example, the non-smokers), they will disallow it. Apparently that is not the case.

Children fall into the same position. They have their decisions made for them (in theory) by their responsible parents or guardians. I agree they shouldn’t be around smoking, but they are their parents responsibility. The parents shouldn’t put them in that situation.

Similarly, smokers have no “right” to smoke at any given location. I like some local restaurants that don’t allow smoking. I don’t whine and cry about it. When we’re done eating and chatting, I just go outside and have a smoke. No big deal.

However, there are some times where I want to munch and have a smoke like at a sports bar. Obviously the business understands that its patrons like to have a smoke (pipe, cigar, etc.) and allows it. Some others don’t allow smoking, and I wouldn’t go there on those occasions.

The bottom line is that there is no right to smoke or not smoke. Everyone has a choice to smoke or not smoke and the right to support any business either way the owner decides to run their business.

This law is simply another way for the government to intrude on our personal lives and business decisions. If the state would just declare communism, they could control things like they want in our private lives and we couldn’t stop them. Oh wait…

“Nope, no smoking in bars! And pretty soon, no drinking and no talking!” – Eddie Izzard

Rend Lake beach is disgusting. I’m not kidding.

June 11th, 2007 · · Illinois 3 comments - Tags: , ,

We took a happy little family trip to South Sandusky beach over the weekend. Apparently, over time, I had forgotten how vile that beach is. The sand was littered with cigarette butts. Not just a few, they were everywhere. All you had to do was kick up a little sand, and POOF there they were.

The kids managed to coax me into the muddy water where we walked on sharp rocks and what felt like chunks of broken concrete. After a large dead bug and a discarded cigarette butt floated past, I decided I was done. Yuck.

We came home and everyone immediately showered. Our brand new suits where stained brown, and we reeked. I won’t be back. I’ll buy a membership to the rec club and take the kids swimming there.

I feel dirty just talking about it.

Rape a child? Time to die.

May 30th, 2007 · · Illinois, Legislation No comments - Tags: ,

Just read an article on Yahoo News about Louisiana’s Supreme Court upholding the death penalty for a man convicted of raping an 8-year-old girl.

At issue, from what I understand, is not whether he did the crime, but whether he can be sentenced to death or not. In my opinion he should be dead. Go ahead and call me a murderer if you want.

These horrible crimes against children have no justification or defense.  “But he didn’t kill anyone…” He didn’t? Did he/she not remove any innocence that child had? Did he/she not destroy that child’s life?

How about the recidivism rate? These evil people do the same or worse crimes once they are released from prison. Rehabilitation has been shown to be a joke in repeated studies.

The only tiny glimmer of hope is for a poor trial where someone is convicted falsely. I know it can happen, and that is horrible. However, when there is concrete evidence and/or witnesses, this animal needs to die.

Just my two cents worth.