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DonnaL's comments:
on Peace Corps Turns Fifty
Please see my comment about assault below. DonnaL
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Peace Corps Turns Fifty
The safety training for women that Peace Corps provided in 1992 in Botswana was horrid. It came down to "avoiding" any situation that might be problematic - which is impossible. It was tantamount to "blaming the victim". Young women, especially those would did not grow up in a city and learn "street smarts" were especially vulnerable. I advise any woman who is interested in becoming a PC volunteer to take self-defense classes in the states before leaving, to make sure your home is secure - which means getting PC to buy you appropriate locks and bars, if necessary - be alert, and to carry a knife and/or pepper spray. [In fact, PC should issue pepper spray to every woman.]
A secure home would have prevented a fellow volunteer from a sexual assault, and my alertness and knife protected me from a daytime mugging. I was walking with a friend - who paid no attention to surroundings. I noticed two men who may have been following us. Sure enough, I suggested we stop - at which point, they stopped near us. I stood up on a large rock, rested the palm of my hand on my knife, which was in its sheath (unsnapped), and just steadily looked at them, while calmly saying "Hello" in a firm voice. Their "surprise" was that they were not able to surprise us, and they turned back from where they had come.
Being alert and looking assertive is half the battle. But, don't expect PC to teach you that.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Live from Salem
Really important information! - you can sign up for email alerts from any legislative committee which holds hearings on issues which interest you. Then you will get hearing agendas ahead of time with the time and room in which the hearing will be held. Here is the great part - you can watch the hearing live online. [They are also archived.]
So, for example, I am interested in healthcare reform and received an alert telling me that development of a health insurance "exchange" was being discussed. I was able to watch the testimony of key players and also the legislators ask their questions/make comments on the testimony! This keeps me much better informed about what is happening and able to take action very effectively.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Local Library
Anyone who has done serious research [including public school students] will have been shown these subscription databases by a reference librarian. Multnomah County spends thousands of dollars each year to provide access [most from home, too!] to these high quality databases of reports and articles WHICH CANNOT BE FOUND ON THE OPEN INTERNET.
posted 2 years, 10 months ago
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on Local Library
Well said!
posted 2 years, 10 months ago
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on Local Library
Recent stats show that there has been an increase in library usage nationwide during the recession. The simple fact is that in times of economic stress, libraries are needed more than ever. To close them during economic downtimes is being "penny-wise and pound-foolish".
posted 2 years, 10 months ago
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on In Public View
Perhaps the worst thing about the effort to hide the Washington petitioners' names is the implication that those who support gay rights are not only capable, but likely, to harrass the petitioners. This is simply another example of discrimination and slander against gay people.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on Downsizing as a Senior
Anyone have any comments on reverse mortgages, so one can stay in one's home?
posted 3 years ago
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on Questioning Police Policy
In my limited experience interacting with police officers - for the most part when they responded to a call from me in regard to some problems on my street - I have found a great difference in "interpersonal" skills. I have found that some officers are inept and/or insensitive in their communication skills. In one instance, although I registered the complaint and was totally rational in my demeanor, I felt that the officer was agressively interogating ME. His senior partner, noticing this, actually sent him to attend to another task.
I agree totally with the woman who pointed out that yearly training in interpersonal communication is as important as yearly training in weapons use. I feel that many of the instances over the past few years where police have responded too agressively to fellow citizens could have been avoided if officers had more communication skills in general, as well as more training in inter-cultural communication, specifically. I love Portland, with the exception of our police department. And, the union leader, Scott Westerman, only adds to the problem by his overly eager defense of fellow officers regardless of circumstances.
posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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on Kicking the Kicker?
The volatility of our economy [two years ago most would never have predicted the nation's current economic difficulties] combined with the requirement that states balance budgets every year make the kicker an outdated strategy. Repeal the kicker and keep the money for difficult times.
I am even more in support of this after Measures 66/67 passed since I think we've now made an adjustment - albeit slight - in that the tax burden is now more balanced in terms of individuals/businesses and lower/higher income individuals.
posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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on 66 and 67 Have Passed. Now What?
For owners of C-corps which claim they have no profit but have to pay business taxes: What was your personal income? Did you pay yourself a good salary and, along with your other business expenses write it all off and end up with no profit / "losing money"? This is a game that some business owners play - declaring no profit while having no problem supporting themselves.
posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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on Measure 66
klb, please indicate which business structure you are referring to. I would like to research this. Thanks.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on Measure 66
The wealthy pay more because they have more; it's called progressive taxation. If we followed your "flat-tax" reasoning, then someone making $50,000/yr would pay the same tax as someone earning $500,000/yr. There are many in the latter category who would be just fine with that system. That's called...being incredibly selfish.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on Measure 66
To the businesswoman who talked about increasing healthcare costs - she well knows that healthcare costs for employess are deductible and would therefore have no effect on her tax liability under the new tax laws.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on Measure 66
Thank you, Robert. So, a household earning $300,000/yr. has to pay about $1,000 more in taxes. If you are in that position...instead of complaining, you should be so very, very grateful about your circumstanstances. How lucky you are...
Reasonable is an understatement when it comes to the tax increase. The word dance that the opposition engages in is simply an attempt to distract us from the basic morality of this issue of fairness.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on Rx: Medicare Reimbursement
60 Minutes had a segment on Medicare fraud last night. It was eye-opening and showed how we could save billions each year if the Medicare system had some extra money to do more oversight. The good news is that this administration is apparently the first to even look at the issue seriously. The Attorney General is giving it attention and, of course, it is something that Obama mentions frequently as a part of the funding source for healthcare reform [including raising rates for physicians].
posted 3 years, 7 months ago
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on Tax Referrals
Lost jobs due to the business tax increases? Scare tactics. We see them alot these days.
posted 3 years, 8 months ago
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on Tax Referrals
Amen.
posted 3 years, 8 months ago
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on Tax Referrals
If someone has a $110 million dollar plant, then with business operations deductions, they won't even be paying the full $100,000. maxgramm has it right.
posted 3 years, 8 months ago
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on Rx: Responding to Obama
Nothing is perfect, and every country is having economic difficulties and struggling in some way with costs. However, on a comparative level, the U.S. still comes out far less capable of providing healthcare to its citizens than other developed countries. [See stats at www.oecd.org click statistics, then by topic, then health].
posted 3 years, 8 months ago
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