What being an American means to me.

This is a speech I wrote for a Boy Scout Speech competition in 7th grade.

What does it mean to be an American?  That is a great question of our day.  Let us examine things that we hold sacred to help us define ourselves.  Let me start with our beginning and our most cherished statement.

It typifies that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth.
It is as old as my nation.
It is our heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid.
It is our heritage to think and act for ourselves; to enjoy the benefits of our creations, and face the world boldly and say, "this is what we have done, we have built a nation from scrap and protected it from all threats."
In this declaration we established that America will not cower before any threat, We made our Declaration of Independence!  We fought England for our freedom.  We have been an example to other countries - for France and its "equality, liberty, fraternity", and for Latin America's revolutions that freed them from Spanish rule.

Next, let me speak about the soul of our nation.  The thing that binds us all together in this great nation.
It represents these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.
It embodies American Freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.
It is our birthright, our heritage of liberty, purchased with blood and sorrow.
It's voice---Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people, for the people."
It is your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If we fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if it is nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
It is our nation's law: The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

Now we look to our first and foremost symbol.
It stands guard over our nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and pure patriotism.
It is displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation and thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to it and their country every day.
It has its own law- Public Law 829, "the Flag Code"-Which definitely states its correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
It has its special day, Flag Day; June 14 is set to honor its birth.
It is not always respected, it is burned and walked upon by both our citizens and our enemies abroad.
It shelters those who fought for our country in countless grave yards both here and on foreign lands.
It is the sacred emblem of our country.  The American Flag is the symbol of our nation.  It is adorned with thirteen stripes and fifty stars.  The stripes symbolize the thirteen original colonies, the stars, the fifty states.  The red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.  The white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.   The  blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.  Americans, as you see it silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that it is the flag of your country. That it stands for what you are- no more, no less.

Eternal vigilance of our ancestors was the price of our freedom.

Today, Americans do not shrink in times of trouble.  They face problems and thresats head on.  We help poorer countries, and defend smaller ones.  we fight for what is right.  We are still fighting for freedom by combating world terrorism with help from our first enemy and now most trusted friend, Great Britain.

Today Americans will now trade freedom for benefits, but work to be free.  We do not trade our dignity for a handout.  we prefer the challenges of life to guarenteed life.  Americans seek opportunity not security. We build and take risks,.  We work for what we have, and we are free to help each other. We vote for what, who, or anything we want.  I believe that America is the land of opportunity, but I believe that we have to use the opportunities our country provides so so that e benefit not only ourelves, but our fellow citizens.  That is what being American is all about.

Recent events have demonstrated that eternal vigilance is our price of freedom.  Fellow Americans now risk their lives as I speak to defend not only our freedom, but the freedom of all like-minded countries and their citizens.

Guard it well, lest your freedoms perish from the Earth.

Not bad for a 12 year old.

Byron Siwelnor

Big News, Jim Tressel, embattled coach of that school down south, has resigned. It seems that he resigned after a meeting with the Athletic Director upon returning home from vacation.  Sports Illustrated gave OSU a preview of an expose that they are printing in the next issue.  This begs the question, what else did that team do?  I for one can't wait to find out.

Byron Siwelnor

Forever Go Blue!


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American Troops

God Bless our troops out there and everything you do for our nation.  Freedom isn't free and many men and women fought and paid the ultimate price for our freedom, so God Bless you all, God bless America, and take some time this memorial day to remember the sacrifice made for our freedom.  

Latin Bureaucracy in Puerto Rico

Some say that a big reason that the Spanish colonies didn't do as well as the English colonies is the bureaucracy inherent in Latin culture.  Here's a great example.  In Puerto Rico, the children have rights in their parents property after the age of majority.  So after the age of 18, you have rights to your parents property.  If a parent wants to sell their home or car, they have to get permission from all their children.  That is the most backwards thing I've ever heard.

Right now, mi Abuela (grandmother) is trying to close a deal on her house.  She has all my aunts and uncles in Puerto Rico right now to sign over their rights in the property.  My mother, who lives in Michigan, is not there.  She filled out a pastille document to sign over her rights and power of attorney in Puerto Rico three years ago, in front of an officer of the court, for the express purpose of not having to go back to Puerto Rico over any property.

Well guess what.  Apparently she has to be there in person to close the deal.  Except nowhere in the law does it say she has to be there.  The law only requires that the attorney knows that she signed the document.  He has a copy of the document, with her signature and the signature of the attorney who witnessed it, but its not good enough for him?  They want mom to fork over $2000 to fly to Puerto Rico to sign some papers.  The law requires that the parents have power of attorney to sell their property, and mom signed it a long time ago.  This guy is a joke.

Here's the best part.  He didn't know who mom was.  She has the paper signed under her legal name, and she is on birth certificates under her maiden name.  (Duh)  He didn't figure that the two people with the same first name, from the same family, couldnt' be the same person.

These people are idiots, and it's amazing any homes are sold in Puerto Rico.  There are a whole lot of Puertoriquenos  who live off the island, how do they deal with this garbage if they can't afford to come back?  They sign over the power of attorney just like mom did.  Stupid as hell.   This guy just wants to be un gran puta.

The law is stupid for requiring kids to allow their parents to sell their homes, so that they can preserve their inheritance.  The lawyer is stupid for requiring people to jump through hoops.  One more reason why my mom left,  and why I could never live in a Latin country.

Now mom has to either go or hire a lawyer to represent her because the family didn't take care of the original document that they don't even need legally.  I feel bad for mom.  Ignorant morons.

Now the lawyer says mom needs a photo id with her maiden name!   She's been married for 24 years.  She doesn't have one.  WHAT THE HELL!!!

Oh and she can use the power of attorney form to verify that she is who she is for the signing, but not for the closing of the house sale.   AGAIN, WHAT THE HELL!!!!!

10 cents a minute

10 cents a minute

I wish this was me. A toast to this awesome Byron who holds up the name's awesomeness.

Ladies

Obvious Winner - So Easy To See The Awesomeness - ow - Nerf Gun Battle Proposal is the Most Romantic Start of the Year

If you love your guy, do this for them and they will be forever at your beck and call.

Going a bit crazy here.

OpenCola (drink) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm a Linux fan boy. I love my Arch Linux laptop, and I love playing with my OS and breaking and fixing it. I enjoy finding new FOSS software, and I live by the KISS principle. That being said, Open Cola is pretty crazy. I admire what they are trying to do, but what is the point of starting a company to sell it. People will just make it themselves or buy Coke or Pepsi. Same with the Free Beer. Anyone who can make it will, or they won't care enough to bother. Were talking about consumables here, not computer programs. The open source movement is about sharing ideas to make a better product. Open Cola should just make their own company or make a website for people to share recipes. To build a factory to make this stuff is just crazy. I don't know. I guess the idea has merit, but the economist in me doesn't see it. Open Source to me is the freedom to customize for yourself. Customization is important in technology for productivity. I don't know....

Byron Siwelnor