Watch out for Trojan viruses - my computer caught one. I could have "pinged" it to find out where it came from - next time I will. Hope I'm not being paranoid, but I suspect someone who didn't like my views may have tried to send me this virus. If there is a next time, I will report it.

Did you see the editorial by Gene Weingarten,
Syndicated Columnist, in the Sun, Aug 10, Chronicle?
It's hilarious. The sad thing is
some of it might actually work out
if one were desperate enough.
I wonder if he made the list up or
heard these ideas from real people.
And another thing, I'm continually astounded
at the slang words we now see in print, even as headlines, that used to be considered trash English,
not polite enough for print or everyday use.
This is degrading...
It doesn't teach our children anything useful.
Hmmm...I wonder if teachers even have Jr High kids
read the local papers anymore?

The Children’s Museum of Bozeman is having a rough time. Despite record attendance (over 27,000 visitors in 2007), grant funds have not kept pace with expenses and they are looking for the community to match the $35,000 that the dedicated board and staff has already raised this year. Your memberships and donations are crucial to keeping the Museum open for families.

Look inside the Children's Museum of Bozeman, here’s what you’ll see. You'll see babies and toddlers experimenting with stacking and pouring, building and tearing down. You’ll see boys and girls building a log cabin, rowing off in a wooden boat, or examining the mysterious world that is their fingernails with a high-powered microscope. Another look will reveal moms, dads, and caregivers sharing ideas, making connections, and even having a laugh about the challenges of raising kids.

The After-School Program and Summer Camps give young schoolchildren a place to go after school and in the summer while their parents are working. This is not only...

Boo-hoo! Some fast food businesses have had to close their lobbies because they don't have enough employees, and other service businesses have had problems hiring and retaining "entry-level" (that is, young) people as well. I for one am glad that these businesses are finding it hard to take advantage of a certain segment of society and pay them pitiful wages. Also, how many jobs get labeled "entry-level" when they really involve more responsibilities? If it's true, as Mr. Brandt says, that ". . . entry level employees are running most businesses!" shouldn't they be paid accordingly? I'm tired of these employers saying "it's not about wages" as Mr. Brandt tries to do in his article. It IS about wages! Mr. Brandt's offensive answer to not being able to hire "cheap" labor is to bring it from outside the U.S.. Yes, let's now take advantage of the immigrants from Chile and other places, since we can no longer take advantage of people here. Let's create a NEW wage slave market!

Some of you out there are a little angry about my articles depicting the police of our fair little town as some what over paid and under used....now I would like to clear up my actual belief of them....

The concept of officer of the peace is in fact a great idea, because in a modern society you need a uniformed set of laws that govern everybody and everybody knows so that everyone is on a level playing field. However, over the years that perception, and it is part to do with busy bodies allowing them to, has warped into police being a governing body backed by a powerful militia that instead of simply keeping the peace they enforce rules and regulations that they should have no control over. Like a officer of the peace should not arrest you for not wearing a seat belt...Where does that warrant being pulled over? They have warped from officers of the peace to Police Officers. A combat ready units that enforce, control, and regulate the citizens of the nation.

Furthermore, another bone I have with them is the...

Over the past couple of years there has been a disturbing trend of young kids that decide that bringing a gun and spraying down their classmates and anyone else that happens to get in the way. Now remember I am talking strictly for college not high school Why because most of the time HS kids can't legally own a gun.
I think that you should, be able to bring a fire arm onto a college campus, if you do certain things first.
1. Have a concealed weapons permit
2. Inform the college that you will be carrying a weapon on campus. And get a permit which to get you must take another stricter course in firearm safety.
3. Only be able to use it under very strict guidelines. Only when you face imminent death.

Your question is why should these irresponsible kids be allowed to bring guns onto a college campus? Because the colleges of America have shown us over and over again that a individual with a variety of legal firearms can illegally and very easily bring them onto a college campus and kill, mane, and wound...

I have noticed, over a period of years, that many people who write letters to the editor like to quote the biblical "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1), when disagreeing with someone and trying to win an argument. Christians and non-Christians alike continue to use this much over-used and misunderstood quote. What they have done is try to make any, and all, judgment wrong by singling out this verse. In fact, there are instances in which the bible says we need to judge, to wit: "James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." "John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." "Jesus and the Apostles were very bold and rebuked and condemned evil. They even openly rebuked people in the church for doing evl, in order to strengthen the church." (From www.truechristianity.com). I have paraphrased or directly quoted some of the above from the article "The Confusion...

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish...

Someone named Cory Granot wrote a letter to the editor
that appears in the Sat. Chronicle, June 28 edition.
Comment:
Anyone who can't see that there is a creator behind
this beautiful, complex, orderly world we live in
is the ignorant one. Man did not make it or himself.
We have the privilege of using it, exploring it, discorering it, naming it, being thankful for it.
What a gift! Think it over...

It always baffles me the way people show their ignorance. The fact is that everything is dangerous. Yes, weed is bad for you, but the question was is it really the "silent killer" like they told us when I was growing up? Guess what folks alcohol, cigarettes, and a variety of things are bad for you. That is why everything today has warning, directions, or caution labels on them. Hot coffee can hurt you, so should we out law that too...come on people think before you sit down and blindly put on the armor of ignorance.
I presented you a paper of arguments and facts. I never said that it was good to drive high, but rather there are alot of worse things you can drive under.

Disclaimer: Johnbrownraider does not support or encourage the use of marijuana with out a prescription to do so from a doctor. The use of marijuana is against the law and should not be used or recreational purposes.
Now most of you probably clicked on this discussion because, the topic caught your eye, and you are offended and now you are ready to do battle with johnbrownraider. You have donned the full armor of ignorance, your head is covered in helmet of propaganda, in your hand you hold the sword of worthless social labels, that allows you to strike with out with social stigma, and you are protect from the fiery dart of reason with the shield bigotry, that is big and strong enough to protect you against the wiles of reason and sensibility. Also you have the breast plate of foolishness that allows you plunge head long into battle with no thought of yourself. The belt of judgmental behavior helps you to never feel beaten, while the saddles of your own haughty-look-down-your-nose-at-anyone-not-like-you...

About the baby boomer generation, those born between 1946-1964. This includes George & Laura Bush, Bill & Hillary
Clinton, plus a huge cohort of other greys. They have been tagged the most self-absorbed generation yet by many. At the same time, they are the most educated and affluent. So, again, what's best and worst about them as a crowd?

I was looking at my Bozeman Mill Levy ballot an had a few questions that maybe some of you would know the answer to. On the High School Building Reserve Levy, it mentions it is in part to be used to maintain 3 houses along Durston Ave. What is that for? Also, are all 4 of the levies PERMANENT levies, or just the 2 general fund levies? And, does the general fund levy pay for teachers salaries? It said it pays for maintaining and operating programs. Is that equipment for students, salary, all of the above? Just looking to be an informed voter!

What do the MSU Bobcats want to be known for? Top in Academics or Athletics? Is it possible for us to be both? What needs to be done?

Gas prices raise 5 or 6 cents a gallon all in one day when price of oil goes up but drops only a cent at a time when the oil price drops. And what about that diesel fuel! It is completely out of range. One hundred and twenty five miles from refinery and our prices are much higher than neighboring states . Do we need some regulations here?

Great food, friendly service and atmosphere.

So, what's the latest you've found that last hidden Easter egg?

I remember one year when I was still a pre-teen that weeks later we found one. My father and mother were both pretty surprised. They offered each other some good-natured ribbing about who miscounted during the harried retrieval process Easter morning. They also couldn't figure out why they hadn't picked up on its location by odor alone. Only, the curious thing was it didn't really rot; it just turned into a hard, rubbery ball. Seemed strange, but I guess under the right conditions, it happens. Anyone out there know the science behind that?

The School Board's plan to move to neighborhood schools is a good one. So why wait? A March 4 Chronicle story said the board wanted to "give parents a year to adjust to the change" and won't fully implement the plan 'til 2009. Interesting they're concerned more about parents than kids. What about the kids who can't get into their nearest school now - where their neighborhood playmates attend? Or the ones who are split up from their siblings now?

The same story quoted a mother saying "give us a year to decide what's best for our family." What will that do? Should we all wait while you move? One father said their family may indeed move so their kids can go to the same school (because younger siblings won't be grandfathered in). Well, in reality you can have your kids go to the same (neighborhood) school, just not the one you think is better.

The board should not have compromised by waiting another year. For the 2008 "transitional year" children living within a half-mile of the school have a higher priority than younger...