Hey everybody, here we are on day number two of the work week. I hope things are progressing nicely for everyone. I am doing okay on my end. I had to drive today because I am doing some courier work this afternoon and let me tell you I did not enjoy it. I realize that I have outlined on here before my love for the train. Some people probably wish that I would stop talking about it. But, on the days when I have to drive in I realize how much better it is for me to be able to relax a little bit and not be worried about what the obviously insane person in the car next to me is doing. "Hey! Hey! Stay in your lane! Knucklehead!"
I came to the conclusion today that a lot of my frustration in the car comes from the fact that I do not know where the other drivers are going. When I am on the freeway I tend to drive looking ahead to where my exit is going to be and I do what I can to get over into that exit lane with out forcing my way in or making others slam on their brakes. So I am always amazed when someone comes flying up beside and and forces their way in. Did they not realize this was where the exit is? Or, do they just not care? It is at times likes this that I wish for a megaphone so that I can ask them these questions in what I hope is the most polite manner possible.
We are gearing up for the 'Castle Doctrine' referendum at work. The simplest way to explain it is that going back to medieval times and some would argue that back to the Torah that a mans home is his castle and he has the right to defend it from trespassers. Some states have a clause that before a person can defend themselves or others in their home there must be no chance of retreat. Other states, Texas for one, allow you to pretty much shoot someone if they enter your home. You do not even have to be sure that your life is at risk. They broke in and you shot them simple end of story. The Oregon law will not go that far and it also cleans up some ambiguity in the way the present law is written. The one thing it does that I am the most interested in is that it will stop a land owner from being sued if someone gets hurt trespassing on their property.
I feel like I am okay with that. Having been a landowner I was always a little fearful that if someone climbed into our hot tub and drowned I would be negligent even if I hadn't given them permission and they were in effect breaking into the tub. So I will be watching the debate on this one with some interest. I believe that it will get on the ballot without to much trouble.
I also have been watching with some interest the debate on the two tax measures in Oregon. One raises the minimum tax on business and the other raises the income tax on people making over $100,000 and then $250,000 a year. The debate on this issue has been very heated with pro tax people saying that Oregon will be bankrupt if these do not pass and the anti-tax people saying that these taxes will drive business out of Oregon. I think the end result of this either way it shakes out is going to make things interesting.
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