Ohio 2008 State-wide Issues.

Issue #1 - To provide for earlier filing deadlines for statewide ballot issues To amend Sections 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1g of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. The proposed amendment would: require that a citizen-initiated statewide ballot issue be considered at the next general election if petitions are filed 125 days before the election; establish deadlines for boards of elections to determine the validity of citizen-initiated petitions; standardize the process for legal challenges to citizen-initiated petitions by giving the Ohio Supreme Court jurisdiction to consider these cases and establishing expedited deadlines for the Court to make decisions. Issue #2 - To authorize the State to issue bonds to continue the Clean Ohio program for environmental revitalization and conservation To adopt Section 2q of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. This proposed amendment would authorize the state to issue up to two hundred million dollars (,000,000) of bonds for conservation and preservation of natural areas, open spaces and farmlands and other lands devoted to agriculture; provision of state and local park and recreation facilities; and land, forest, water and other natural resource management projects. It would also authorize the state to issue bonds up to two hundred million dollars (,000,000) for environmental revitalization and re-development of publicly and privately owned lands, including environmental remediation, assessment or clean up of contamination or pollution. Additionally, it would limit the amount that could be borrowed in any one fiscal year for either conservation or revitalization purposes to no more than fifty million dollars (,000,000) plus the principal amount of those obligations that in any prior fiscal year could have been but were not issued. Issue #3 - To amend the constitution to protect private property rights in ground water, lakes and other watercourses To adopt Section 19b of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. This proposed Amendment would: make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make reasonable use of the ground water that lies beneath the owner's land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare; make explicit that a private property owner who owns land on the border of a lake or other watercourse has a right to make reasonable use of the water in such lake or watercourse located on or flowing through the owner?s land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare; not affect the public?s use of Lake Erie and other navigable waters of the state; and prevent the rights confirmed under this proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution from being impaired or limited by the operation of other sections of the Ohio Constitution. Issue #4 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: Initiated legislation requiring paid sick leave for employees in Ohio To require certain employers to provide a minimum amount of paid sick leave to employees in Ohio by enacting Chapter 4114 of the Ohio Revised Code Issue #5 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: Referendum on Legislation Making Changes to Check Cashing Lending, Sometimes Known as "Payday Lending," Fees, Interest Rates and Practices To lower the maximum loan amount to , provide borrowers with a minimum of 30 days to repay the loan, and set a maximum interest rate of 28% annual percentage rate (APR) on loans. Issue #6 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: To Amend the Constitution by Initiative Petition for a Casino Near Wilmington in Southwest Ohio and Distribute to All Ohio Counties a Tax on the Casino To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution

Popularity: 1% [?]

Cannon Balls

Cannon Balls - Bet You Didn't Know This....It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey. But if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass - hence, Brass Monkeys. Few landlubbers realise that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you thought that was just a vulgar expression, didn't you? You might like to send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a few uneducated friends.

Popularity: 1% [?]

HP Insanity

Customer brought in a laptop which needed a hard drive replaced. He had taken it apart while a young child was nearby and it happened to grab the hard drive while he wasn't looking and ran to play with it. It can no longer be found. So we had to order from HP the special adapter needed to connect a regular hard drive to the laptop. HP sent us the wrong one. Ok... it may be the third time in 2 months, but still, it's HP, it happens. No big deal. We'll just RMA it and get the right one from them. Well I call up to get the correct one, and am informed that we have to buy the hard drive with it. My immediate response was "why?", but I politely asked how much a 100GB drive and kit would be. $575. Um.... no. Then the phone dies. I called them back and had the pleasure of another fun time on hold. All together now.... YAY HOLD! .....  So I finally get the information I need and no,  I didn't hear wrong.  $200 for a 40 GB, $400 for an 80 GB, and $600 for a 100 GB.   That's insane.  They could just by a new laptop for that, and that's before we add anything to it to make any money off it!  I feel sorry for anyone that gets ripped off like that.

Popularity: 1% [?]