Asa @ 22 Off

Trap

My dad and I joined the UCOA shooting club last night. It was my first time shooting trap and my accuracy was shamefully harmless. Several of the q-tip sharp shooters gave me advice.

• Acquire and shoot with both eyes open


• Don't try to aim, just look at the target


• Don't stop moving shotgun until after shot


• Think that you are trying to wet moving ball with garden hose, pull trigger to release water


• Keep hand on stock further out and point index finger at target


• Keep left foot pointed forward and legs relaxed


• Use improved modified choke for trap

Trap was more difficult than the hand thrown clay variety since the thrower is 16 yards in front of you (at the easiest level of play). We had a great time and shot three rounds. Next time, I play to give skeet a try. I am hooked!

Lots of Updates

Mandy finally adopted a dog and named him Barkley. His full name is Robert Charles Barkley aka Bob Barkley. Since he loved to chew on Sponge Bob, Mandy felt this was a very appropriate name for him. He is a cute little rascal.

Last night Mandy and I went to my 10 year high school reunion. Since I was a super geek and my high school class was very clicky I wasn't sure how it would be. Interestingly, we had a good time and fortunately, it was very different than high school. The prior night we went to the Homecoming game and enjoyed seeing the Marching Band perform at half-time. The band director is doing a great job and his Marine Drum Corps. background is instilling discipline and solid skills.

The weekend before we visited Marcus in Cleveland and saw him brilliantly perform the lead in "Something to Hide" at the Clague Playhouse. Afterwards, we chilled out at the Rush Inn and caught up. The following day we went to Sidney to celebrate Chrissy's birthday party.

Nerd Level

Government Overstepping and Constitution Week

As was reported last week, in the wake of unspeakable crimes perpetrated by roving, armed gangs and individuals, authorities in New Orleans seized legal firearms from lawful residents, effectively disarming the very citizenry they are sworn to protect.

On Monday, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox slammed New Orleans authorities for this incredible action.

"What we've seen in Louisiana--the breakdown of law and order in the aftermath of disaster--is exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves, " LaPierre said. "For state, local, or federal government to disarm these good people in their own homes using the threat of imminent deadly force, is unthinkable."

"The NRA will not stand by while guns are confiscated from law-abiding people who're trying to defend themselves," Cox said. "We're exploring every legal option available to protect the rights of lawful people in New Orleans."

To that end, NRA has put professional investigators to work on the ground in New Orleans and surrounding areas. News stories and members' detailed accounts have been followed up on, but we need more information. Some of our best leads have come from rank and file law enforcement, but we need to hear from all directly affected citizens.

THE PEOPLE'S SECTION

As we prepare to celebrate "Constitution Week" (Sept. 17-23), it is important that we keep foremost in our minds the document that governs our great land and makes us unique--the Constitution, and specifically, its Bill of Rights.

Everything we at NRA-ILA do is governed by an unwavering commitment to the Constitution and its Second Amendment guarantee to bear arms. Sadly, however, not only is the Second Amendment constantly under attack, but so too are other integral parts of this work of genius. Sometimes attacks are obvious, like licensing, registration, and gun bans. Sometimes they are more subtle, promoted under the guise of innocuous sounding laws like campaign finance "reform." Whatever, their form, however, they are all destructive, and must always be met with active resistance.

In particular, the Bill of Rights, which enshrines, among other freedoms, our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, should be viewed as "The People's Section" of the Constitution. Unlike Articles I-III, which lay out the requirements and powers of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches, the Bill of Rights designates no powers to the government. In fact, it does quite the opposite. The Bill of Rights restricts government encroachment on the rights on those it governs; on "we the people."

Look at some of the verbiage in the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law..." (First Amendment; "...shall not be infringed." (Second Amendment); "...shall not be violated..." (Fourth Amendment); "...shall not be construed to deny..." (Ninth Amendment). These phrases protect the people; they don't empower the government. In a way, the Bill of Rights is where we the people get to say "no" to the government.

Governments have powers. People have rights. Thus, the Second Amendment does not guarantee a privilege granted by the government to keep and bear arms. It explicitly guarantees the right of the people to do so.

Politicians must remember that they can't carve out sections of the Constitution and Bill of Rights they don't like, and profess support for the undivided document. You either support the Constitution and Bill of Rights, or you don't. There are too many Chuck Schumers, Hillary Clintons, and Dianne Feinsteins who constantly work to set aside the Second Amendment (and, in the case of campaign finance "reform," the First), while they profess to be upholding their sworn oaths to protect the entire Constitution.

We are blessed to have been given our freedom by our Creator and our system of government by great, brave men. However, it is up to each of us to ensure we keep it, and that the system works, by actively participating and speaking to others. Still today, the price of freedom truly is eternal vigilance.

IT Dirty Word - User

Ron Frazier offers up "user", a term he describes as "commonly used by drug dealers and IT personnel to describe their customers. Generally said with a sneer, befitting the clueless nature of said customers. Belief is that if the 'users' had any brains, they would be in IT like all of the really intelligent peope."

Shame on InfoWorld for sharing all of IT's secrets!

Ohio's Schools - 65 Cent Solution?

What do you think about the 65 Cent Solution? Perhaps this approach could help improve Ohio's education ranking which is a dismal 47th (nationally) with only 57.4% of education money reaching Ohio's classrooms

"Over $1.2 Billion More for Ohio Classrooms WITHOUT a Tax Increase!"

(COLUMBUS September 8, 2005): In an effort to improve Ohio
schools' classroom performance, Ohio Secretary of State Ken
Blackwell joined First Class Education National Advisory
Chair Patrick Byrne in announcing the start of an Ohio effort
to enact what's been called "The 65 Cent Solution." The
proposal would require every Ohio school district to spend at
least 65 cents of each education dollar on "in the classroom"
instruction, increasing classroom spending by more than $1.2
billion statewide without a tax increase. The proposal aims
to be on the November 2006 ballot via legislative referral or
citizen petition.

"Three times in the past six years the Ohio Supreme Court has
ordered the Legislature to change the education funding
formula," said Blackwell. "Property taxes have skyrocketed.
Yet taxpayers are frustrated and angry with how billions more
have been spent but positive results haven't materialized.
Our solution to the education problem in Ohio has been to
pump billions more into education but much of that money has
not made it to the classroom. Reform is needed.

"Ohio classrooms must be the first priority of education
spending," Blackwell continued. "Research shows classroom
expenditures are a five times better indicator of academic
improvement than overall spending. By requiring school
districts to allocate a minimum of 65% of operational budgets
to the classroom, we can increase classroom instruction by
over $1.2 billion a year without a tax increase. That's
enough to purchase a new computer for every Ohio student or
hire 24,000 additional teachers with a starting salary more
than $40,000."

According to a June 2005 report by the National Center for
Educational Statistics, the Federal cleaning house of
education research, Ohio ranks a dismal 47th nationally, with
only 57.4% of education money reaching Ohio's classrooms.

In 2004, Utah, New York, Tennessee and Maine held statewide
averages of spending over 65% in the classroom. In 2005, only
New York and Maine spending stayed above 65% while the
national classroom instruction percentage dropped to just
61.3%, down from 61.5% in 2004 and 61.7% in 2003. Meanwhile
overall K-12 spending increased at more than four times the
rate of inflation.

Said Dr. Byrne, "I look forward to working with Secretary
Blackwell in bringing First Class Education and the national
movement for 'The 65 Cent Solution' movement to Ohio. We
could have no better advocate for teachers, taxpayers,
parents and students than Ken. He is well known and respected
nationwide as a bold, innovative leader and we are pleased to
have his leadership as the Ohio Chair of First Class
Education."

Dr. Patrick Byrne is the founder and president of
Overstock.com, one of America's most popular internet
retailers. A registered Independent, Byrne is a longstanding
advocate of education reform and serves as the National
Advisory Chairman of First Class Education.

Secretary Blackwell and Dr. Byrne will work together over the
next several months to create a strategy to give Ohio voters
the opportunity to pass The 65 Cent Solution in November
2006, whether by legislative referral or citizen petition.

Support for the First Class Education proposal -- dubbed "The
65 Cent Solution" by syndicated columnist George Will has
grown into a national movement in the six months since its
February 2005 unveiling. Louisiana and Kansas have both
passed "65 cent legislation" and Texas Governor Rick Perry
has signed an Executive Order enacting the 65 Cent Solution.
Citizen ballot initiatives are in the works in Arizona,
Colorado and Washington. Legislative referrals to the ballot
are under consideration in more than an additional half-dozen
states.

According to a study by the Independence Institute of
Colorado comparing education spending in all 50 states with
National Assessment of Education Progress 4th and 8th grade
test scores, the percentage of money reaching the classroom
was a five times greater determinant of increased test scores
than the total amount of money spent.

Blackwell and Byrne will work together over the next several
months to create a strategy to give Ohio voters the
opportunity to pass the 65 Cent Solution in November 2006,
whether by legislative referral or citizen petition.

First Class Education estimates that voters in approximately
a dozen states will have the opportunity to vote for The 65
Cent Solution on November 2006 ballots. Polls conducted in 10
states consistently showed overwhelming voter approval of the
requirement that school districts spend a minimum of 65% of
their education operational budgets on classroom instruction,
with support ranging from 72% to 92%.

"I look forward to working with Ohio teachers and taxpayers,
parents and students, legislators and business leaders to
move Ohio from 47th in the nation to leading the nation in
making classroom instruction the first priority of
education," concluded Blackwell. "Only if our priorities for
education are our classrooms, teachers and students will we
be able to improve Ohio's test scores and produce a workforce
ready for the challenges of the 21st century global economy."

# # #

Specifics of First Class Education's "The 65 Cent Solution"

o Every school district shall achieve a minimum of 65% of
their budget being spent on "classroom instruction" using
the National Center for Educational Statistics
definitions.

o School Districts that currently fall below the 65% goal
shall be required to increase that percentage by a
minimum of 2% a year until the 65% goal is met.

o School Districts would be required to send their annual
proposed budgets to the Governor verifying that the 65%
goal or 2% annual improvement is being made.

o School Districts that believe they can neither meet the
65% goal nor 2% annual improvement may petition the
Governor for a renewable one-year waiver along with their
proposal of what can be achieved toward reaching the 65%
goal.

o The Governor shall have 30 days to either deny or grant
the one-year waiver or grant a partial one-year waiver
short of the 65% goal or 2% annual increase.

o The Legislature will have the opportunity to determine
what action may be taken if School Districts do not
comply with the requirements.

Definition of Classroom Instruction by the National Center
for Educational Statistics

"In the Classroom"
o Classroom Teachers, Personnel
o General Instruction Supplies
o Instructional Aides
o Activities -- Field Trips, Athletics, Music, Arts
o Special Needs Instruction
o Tuition Paid to Out-of State Districts & Private
Institutions for Special Needs Students
"Outside the Classroom"
o Administration
o Plant Operations & Maintenance
o Food Services
o Transportation
o Instructional Staff Support
o Student Support Nurses, Therapists, Counselors
Dr. Patrick Byrne:
"In the Classroom' education instruction includes
most anything that directly impacts the child --
whether teaching a child to read a book, read
English as a second language, read Braille, read
music or read a football defensive pass pattern."

Do you have the Right Stuff?

I just finished reading The Right Stuff which is an amazing account of early fighter jet test pilots, breaking the speed of sound, and the space race. While reading this book you feel like you are inside the fighter jet pilot clique and know all about the right stuff.

Before this I read another book by Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities. It was a fun read, but my favorite Tom Wolfe (fictional) book has got to be A Man in Full. It is definitely a must read.

Gas Prices

Supply and demand rule the gas station marketplace. High gas prices currently reflect the free market's attempt to ration a limited supply. Both raw crude and refined product supply are limited to due to the havoc inflicted by Hurricane Katrina.

Gasoline is the most competitive priced product. Every day you see a particular station's price posted and viewable from the comfort of your car while you drive down the street. If a particular station's price is out of line you can stop at a different station with a more reasonable price. (I know many will argue no posted price is reasonable right now and believe me I feel the pain too being an avid water skier.)

When was the last time you saw the price of your favorite consumer product posted for you to view on the street?

Company Name

The Marathon Ashland Petroleum (MAP) LLC name was officially retired today and we took up the Marathon Petroleum Company (MPC) LLC name showcasing Marathon's full ownership. I joined Marathon slightly after work on the joint venture with Ashland commenced and created MAP. The upstream Marathon piece and the downstream MAP component always had their own unique cultures and policies.

The upstream and downstream corporate entities have distinct bonus programs. Most times only one entity has a nice pay day. It was always difficult being on the side of the fence with no bonus when your neighbor got a hearty bonus and was jubilating over their next acquisition to keep up with the Jones. When working in IT you do a lot work for both corporate entities and it still was an all or nothing payout.

The 2005 year has been an unusual year in the oil industry. Many describe it as the perfect storm, meaning both the upstream (exploration and production) and downstream (refining, transporting, and marketing) are both solid businesses to be involved in. Usually one side of the house does well at the other's expense. Therefore, Marathon's executing on its decision to become an integrated oil company with full ownership and control of its downstream assets was very wise and quite timely.

An integrated oil company performs the following services:
1) produces crude or natural gas or both
2) refines the produced items into gasoline and other products
3) provides mechanisms to bring that refined product to market
4) is a wholesaler and retailer of refined products