Richard Rider's blog
Will Reduce My Carbon Footprint for Cash
Submitted by Richard Rider on 10 May, 2008 - 15:00.Much is being made of "reducing our carbon footprint." I'm in favor of that -– to a point. I look for carbon-reducing steps that also save me money and/or make my life more pleasant! As I see it, if a carbon reducing strategy costs more, then often the wisdom of selecting that option is highly suspect.
For instance, I like using energy-saving florescent bulbs. I've used the big florescent lights in my fully equipped, professional office in the home for about 30 years. I also use the newer compact florescent bulbs whenever they fit with the demand, which fortunately is most of the time.
California Leads by Example -- Highest Gas Taxes in the Nation
Submitted by Richard Rider on 10 May, 2008 - 11:54.Did you see the excellent map of gasoline taxes, state by state, across America, May 6 on the front page of the San Diego Union-Tribune? If you didn't look too closely, or read the entire story you might have missed a salient fact -– we're number one!
Yup, California has the highest total taxes on gas of any of the 50 states (not just "among the highest" as the newspaper writes). As of January, we wealthy West Coast folks paid 63.9 cents of federal and state taxes a gallon, vs. the national average of about 47.0 cents.
False Illegal Alien Stats, and Why You Should Be Suspicious of Internet Chain Letters
Submitted by Richard Rider on 8 May, 2008 - 08:20.For two years or more, an inflammatory anti-Mexican immigrant (legal and illegal) chain letter email has circulated the Internet. It lists a series of truly disturbing statistics demonstrating that these illegal immigrants (ALL people of Mexican descent are assumed to be illegal immigrants) are the number one problem in America -– raping, pillaging and welfaring their way across the land.
Thinking of leaving California? You're not alone.
Submitted by Richard Rider on 17 April, 2008 - 15:00.The recession is upon us.
While still not official, most agree that we are in an economic downturn. Unemployment is rising, housing prices are plummeting and energy costs are soaring. As a result, in this election year, the federal government is offering tax rebates (admittedly ill-advised) to lessen the pain.
But in California, politicians think there are only two times to raise taxes -- good times and bad times. Oddly enough, this is one of those times.
Richard Rider Rant
Submitted by Richard Rider on 22 December, 2007 - 00:00.1. Local College Econ Prof Parrots "Wisdom" from Internet Spammers
2. Duncan Hunter's HUGE Fund Raising a Farce
3. All of Rider's Major Lawsuits Have Been about Properly Voting for Tax Increases and Issuing Bonds
4. In This Game, God Abandoned the Methodists
5. The Insanity That Is Oakland: Illegal Affirmative Action in Firefighter Selection
6. Here's My $10 Cash Christmas Present -– from Me to YOU!
7. CraigsList Bans Our Gonzo San Diego Firefighter Ad
8. The New (Well, Recent) Multi-TRILLION Dollar GOP Spending Plan
9. End the War on LEGAL Drugs
Richard Rider Rant: Government Craziness
Submitted by Richard Rider on 8 December, 2007 - 00:00.Public vs. private salaries, California business climate, Republican Party straw poll, make a will, fire fighter jobs, beach booze ban, Second Amendment, Omaha Mall shooting
Richard Rider Rant: Inaccurate rebuttal by a firefighter
Submitted by Richard Rider on 8 November, 2007 - 00:00.Here's an inaccurate printed rebuttal column, written by a firefighter, responding to my North County Times op-ed on "Expanding our Firefighting Options."
Richard Rider Rant: Fires, Home Prices
Submitted by Richard Rider on 5 November, 2007 - 00:00.Six Items – Five on San Diego fires, last one on home prices.
Richard Rider Rant: Tales from San Diego Firestorm 2007
Submitted by Richard Rider on 29 October, 2007 - 23:00.Eight items, all related to the San Diego area fires. Interesting tales from folks affected by the blazes.
Richard Rider Rant: San Diego Firestorm 2007
Submitted by Richard Rider on 26 October, 2007 - 13:39.This is devoted entirely to fire fighting in general, and the San Diego County fire disaster in particular. The good news is that -- at TREMENDOUS expense and tragic loss of life -- we had an opportunity to learn from the 2003 massive Cedar fire, with four years to implement needed improvements and reforms. The bad news is that, in some critical matters, our politicians and bureaucrats didn't seem to learn a damn thing.
Richard Rider Rant
News and views from Richard Rider.
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I don't want a lawyer to tell me what I cannot do; I hire them to tell me how to do what I want to do.