Artegal

The U.S. has an incessant need/desire for cheap labor - we can argue all day as to how much of that is shouldered by business/agriculture and how much of it each one of us contributes to that. At least here, we do have a lot of consumer choices - you can go to the store and choose a lot of Fair Trade products now. Free market capitalists tout that it is consumer choice/buying trends that dictate the market. I don't believe that entirely falls on the consumer, but our buying choices do make a difference.

Just like our drug policy, we'd be better off to make it easier for companies to sponsor low skilled workers with temporary visas then we bring it out in the open to stop the potential exploitation as well as giving these workers rights. The current restrictions and enforcement on hiring was like putting a bandaid on a severed artery.

Like our drug policy? What are you trying to say, that we'd be better off to make it easier for drug dealers to sell crank, crack and meth? Bring it out in the open and quit exploitation of junkies, mules, and the coca farmer?

Or are you saying that the free market capitalists [didn't know a capitalists existed out of a free market] tout that it is consumer choice/buying trends that dictate the market--so therefore the war on drugs is just a problem of ill informed consumers?

What are you refering to when you say "Just like our drug policy"

PS: and you still haven't made your case for NAFTA causing a influx in migrant low-skilled labor.

Same old argument recycled over and over.

Gee I wasn't aware that NAFTA was signed in to Law in the 1800's

The Georgia Department of Human Resources recently informed me that my family's data confidentiality was compromised.

Some of the personal information of birth parents whose children were born in Georgia between April 1, 2006 and March 16, 2007 was discarded but not shredded, warns the Georgia Department of Public Health. Those parents will receive a letter from the Public Health director explaining the security lapse and recommending they contact the three credit bureaus - Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union.

The breech occurred when a portion of the birth records documented between the dates mentioned above were not shredded, but discarded in a manner that exposed social security numbers, race and education of the parents. That portion of the document also included information about the pregnancy care, risks and history of the mother, as well as information about the delivery. It does not include the parent’s name, the child’s name, or the date of birth.

Several corrective actions have taken place. New Confidentiality Policy and Procedures went into effect on May 15, 2007 to ensure that confidentiality is adhered to at all times. All Vital Records staff has been retrained on how to properly dispose of confidential information. Updated shredding equipment is now in place.

While we have no evidence this information is being used fraudulently, we do recommend following-up with the credit bureaus and reviewing all credit and other financial account information. By law, all adults are eligible to receive two free credit reports each year. You may also contact each credit bureau to request a fraud alert be placed on your records: Experian, P. O. Box 9595, Allen, TX 75013-9595 Tel: 888-397-3742; Equifax, P. O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 Tel: 800-685-1111; and Trans Union, P. O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022 Tel: 800-888-4213.

I am still puzzled why someone that hates this country so much, wants to come here. If immigration was to read these forums I'm sure they would have a few questions for him

Maybe he/she is the USC and his/her visa petition was denied in the foreign country--therefore they are stuck with petitioning his/her spouse to come here instead.

I have used Netflix in the past. Blockbuster kept trying to get me to use their service--never have. But now I use the stand-alone Kiosk, which there are two services in my area both rent movies vending machine style for $1 a day. Latest releases every Tuesday. Redbox and The New Release are the two kiosk providers in my area.

We were both tested in Peru as that is the procedure for civil weddings in that country. She was also tested again as part of the medical for the CR-1 visa.

§ 4-12-2. Definitions

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1 ) "Engages in a llama activity" means riding, training, assisting in providing medical treatment of, driving, or being a passenger upon a llama, whether mounted or unmounted, or any person assisting a participant or show management. The term "engages in a llama activity" does not include being a spectator at a llama activity, except in cases where the spectator places himself or herself in an unauthorized area and in immediate proximity to the llama activity.

. . .

(8 ) "Llama" means a South American camelid which is an animal of the genus lama, commonly referred to as a "one llama," including llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicunas.

(9 ) "Llama activity" means:

(A ) Llama shows, fairs, competitions, performances, packing events, or parades that involve any or all breeds of llamas;

(B ) Using llamas to pull carts or to carry packs or other items;

(C ) Using llamas to pull travois-type carriers during rescue or emergency situations;

(D ) Llama training or teaching activities or both;

(E ) Taking llamas on public relations trips or visits to schools or nursing homes;

(F ) Participating in commercial packing trips in which participants pay a llama professional to be a guide on a hike leading llamas;

(G ) Boarding llamas;

(H ) Riding, inspecting, or evaluating a llama belonging to another, whether or not the owner has received some monetary consideration or other thing of value for the use of the llama or is permitting a prospective purchaser of the llama to ride, inspect, or evaluate the llama;

(I ) Using llamas in wool production;

(J ) Rides, trips, or other llama activities of any type however informal or impromptu that are sponsored by a llama activity sponsor; and

(K ) Trimming the nails of a llama.

(10 ) "Llama activity sponsor" means an individual, group, club, partnership, or corporation, whether or not the sponsor is operating for profit or nonprofit, which sponsors, organizes, or provides the facilities for a llama activity, including, but not limited to, llama clubs, 4-H clubs, hunt clubs, riding clubs, school and college-sponsored classes, programs, and activities, therapeutic riding programs, and operators, instructors, and promoters of llama facilities, including but not limited to stables, clubhouses, fairs, and arenas at which the activity is held.

(11 ) "Llama professional" means a person engaged for compensation:

(A ) In instructing a participant or renting to a participant a llama for the purpose of riding, driving, or being a passenger upon the llama; or

(B ) In renting equipment or tack to a participant.

(12 ) "Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity or who engages in a llama activity, whether or not a fee is paid to participate in such activity.

I rather like this law! I will get a sign posted soon--my wife, she likes to ride me often!

GEORGIA CODE

Copyright 2006 by The State of Georgia

All rights reserved.

*** Current through the 2006 Regular Session ***

TITLE 4. ANIMALS

CHAPTER 12. INJURIES FROM EQUINE OR LLAMA ACTIVITIES

O.C.G.A. § 4-12-5 (2006)

§ 4-12-5. Warning signs or notices posted by llama activity sponsors or llama professionals

(a) Every llama professional and every llama activity sponsor shall post and maintain signs which contain the warning notice specified in subsection (b ) of this Code section. Such signs shall be placed in a clearly visible location on or near stables, corrals, pens, or arenas where the llama professional or the llama activity sponsor conducts llama activities. The warning notice specified in subsection (b ) of this Code section shall appear on the sign in black letters, with each letter to be a minimum of one inch in height. Every written contract entered into by a llama professional or by a llama activity sponsor for the providing of professional services, instruction, or the rental of equipment or tack or a llama to a participant, whether or not the contract involves llama activities on or off the location or site of the llama professional's or the llama activity sponsor's business, shall contain in clearly readable print the warning notice specified in subsection (b ) of this Code section.

(b ) The signs and contracts described in subsection (a) of this Code section shall contain the following warning notice:

WARNING

Under Georgia law, a llama activity sponsor or llama professional is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in llama activities resulting from the inherent risks of llama activities, pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

© Failure to comply with the requirements concerning warning signs and notices provided in this Code section shall prevent a llama activity sponsor or llama professional from invoking the privileges of immunity provided by this chapter.

See reference: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...st&p=941320

Opening trade to a global economy meant that we'd be faced with such dilemna's. The ideal was that eventually, the quality of life would improve in the developing nations. I agree with Gupt - we need to do away with subsidies and other forms of protectionism but demand fair competition all around.

You can't compete fairly with labor in a developing nation unless you want to give up everything that makes the US a developed nation.

Are you a college student or something? I haven't seen naivete like this since I lived in a dorm.

Its not that--its just that according Steven-Jinky the whole reason that illegal aliens exist is because of Global Trade--as if. Eliminate trade then you eliminate immigration. That might have been a valid argument in the trade triangle--but today is not a one-to-one relationship as Steven-Jinky would have everyone believe.

But why would you care? Your country attacks defenceless countries everywhere - just ask anyone in Latin America.

That is the paradox of the World--here you see Latinos, Africans, Arabs, Asians etc. burning flags of the USA, Bush in Effigy, and defacing McDonalds or other simbols of the USA--yet take any poll anywhere in the world and you see the same anti-american eager to gain a visa to come to the USA. How much of this is envy--or what have you with the love-hate relationship. I guess the USA is like a gorgeous woman that won't let you have your way with her--so you bash her out of disappointment and disbain--yet at the same time still yearn to be in her arms if she will ever truly have you.

I had one professor that stated on the first day of class that over half of us would fail--that she only gives out an A or an F. About half of us stood up and left, including me--We went and dropped the class and I enrolled in a different class same subject but different professor. I guess anyone who is inflexible and thinks in absolutes really shouldn't teach--but then she was a tenured professor so no hope in getting rid of her--there was actually a website at one point that listed which professors to avoid. Word-of-mouth was another way information to skip problem professors for whatever reason.

The only controversy I saw at my public university was some sexism--Men Haters, and Republican bashers--too bad I didn't have the dirty old men professor that invited the strippers.

As a side note you need to find out the political-social personality of any university you want to attend--that is all of my A papers that I wrote I gave a bias toward hating men and anti-republican. I never took the opposite view as this was sure to get me something less than an A.

This stupid war in Iraq meaningless, useless, and destined to be the most costly war ever.

Congress sent a $120 billion war spending bill to the White House tonight [May 24th], abandoning a call for most U.S. troops to leave Iraq . . . on the positive side . . . The bill also includes the first increase in the federal minimum wage since 1997, bringing it up $2.10 an hour to $7.25. Funding Provided to Date [as of February 2005] The Congress has appropriated $231 billion for costs associated with military and reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and enhanced security at military facilities since 2001. The House approved another $67.5 billion on March 16, 2006. Since 9/11, Congress has passed at least one emergency bill to cover war costs, making supplemental spending the method of choice for the majority of funding for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terror. Of the $510 billion spent thus far, $331.8 billion (about 65 percent) has come from supplemental spending legislation. If the so-called "bridge fund" included in the fiscal year 2007 appropriations bill is included, the total rises to $401.8 billion.

Compare now to a Cornell University study that placed the over-all total U.S. cost of the Vietnam war at $200 Billion. In year 2007 dollars the cost of the Vietnam war only amounts to only 869.5 Billion for a war which lasted just over 11 years. In just 4 years the Iraq war is already on a pace to double the cost of the Vietnam war. Some estimates put the Iraq war at eventually costing over 2 Trillion dollars.

Truly a great legacy that President Bush as left for himself in our nations' history.

Jordin and Melinda are great singers--but they should not do videos or concerts much--be pretty boring. They would be great for radio play or a CD/IPod download. Blake and Sanjaya now they are showmen. But I could see Blake being a producer or engineer perhaps--he has a good ear for remixing etc.

Making English the official language would never fly--1st Amendment Freedom of Speech would guarantee that anyone US citizen or not could and can speak or use whatever language they want to without any law prohibiting the use thereof etc.

Here it is a full 4 years after President Bush declared the War in Iraq done--Mission Accomplished! aboard an American Aircraft Carrier in a flight suit--he declared that all major combat had finished in Iraq.

However here we are in April 2007 which is the deadliest month ever in Iraq for American Casualties in a this fiasco under the design of Cheney-Bush. April is the 5th straight month of more than 80 Americans killed, all this during the so-called surge offensive. The surge has just allowed a surge of more targets to exist in a meaningless war with meaningless goals orchastrated by meaningless leaders upon those whom they deem meaningless---Obama and Mccain are right it is a waste of American's and Iraqi lives.

Meanwhile--the Taliban and Al Qaida continue to conduct business as usual in Afghanistan--while Darfur, Ethiopia, and Somalia smolder in the embers of genocidial and religious hatred.

Leadership--bravery--Presidental, maybe an oxymoron, better that than just a Moron. Tennent, Bush, Powell, Rice, Cheney--they should be made to serve as paw bearers at every single dead American's funeral who died as a result of their judgements made based on "inaccurate intelligence data."

Pathetic--I am so tired of this Administration--its time for Bush to go.

2008, I can't wait!

I suggest you ask the Admissions Office in the college that he wishes to attend. If its any college of any size then they are pretty used to evaluating foreign (overseas) college and high school transcripts. They will probably even have a procedure and their own translators.

Please read my post last year in response to this very question:

Getting Married in Peru, Why?

By the way we stated that I the USC lived in Surco, so we didn't have to do extra paperwork with the court house and police here in the USA, which the state of Georgia does not keep records nor concerns itself with foreign (overseas) weddings. And getting a dental exam for my civil wedding was a hoot!

Sadly Dallas County maybe leading in stats of DNA exonerations because they are actually allowing further testing to proceed, and not because they are framing people in the first place--but because many states, counties, etc. refuse to run DNA test--even in cases where clearly there is enough doubt to warrant the further testing. If there is physical evidence it should be test immediately and once and for all no matter the cost, time, or embarrassment to law enforcement or prosecutors office. DNA test done in the Duke Lacrosse Fiasco upfront exonerated all of the so-called perpetrators in that case--the results were delayed until after the DA in that case was reelected to office--another travesty.

And in other news:

DNA clears man in 1985 rape

DNA evidence has cleared an Atlanta man who has served 21 years in prison after being convicted of raping and kidnapping a woman at a Sandy Springs apartment complex in 1985, the man's lawyers said Friday.

Willie O. "Pete" Williams, who is now 44, was convicted largely on the eyewitness testimony of the rape victim and of another woman who was assaulted — though not raped — a few days later in the parking lot of another Roswell Road complex.

prison, Williams has maintained his innocence. He was first notified of the new DNA test results on Friday in the southeast Georgia prison where he is incarcerated.

No hearing date has been set to decide if or when he will be released, said Lisa George, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Innocence Project. Right now, Williams is not eligible for parole until 2021.

Um Martha Mata Vasquez--um her last name Mata means to Kill, I think she certainly lived up to that family name. Also in Peru they had people injecting industrial silicone and aviation hydraulic fluid in to peoples lips, butts and where ever else they wanted inexpensive cosmetic surgery. I have heard of this problem in the USA in Miami and LA before also.

Published on: 01/10/07

The Atlanta police officer being investigated for his treatment of a prominent British historian said Tuesday that Felipe Fernandez-Armesto is not the innocent abroad he claims to be.

The Tufts University professor, who was arrested last Thursday and charged with disorderly conduct, contends he was assaulted without provocation for merely jaywalking across Courtland Street. But Officer Kevin Leonpacher insists he is no rogue cop and suggests perhaps the professor is a bit of a scofflaw.

Joey Ivansco/Staff

(ENLARGE)

Officer Kevin Leonpacher says the British historian was warned before he began to cross and had several chances to obey. JOEY IVANSCO / Staff

Leonpacher said the professor repeatedly refused to cooperate when asked why he did not heed the officer's instructions.

"I told him, it's gonna be awful silly if I have to take you to jail for jaywalking," said Leonpacher, a native of Niceville, Fla. "I used an excessive amount of discretion."

Or, to hear Fernandez-Armesto's account, an excessive amount of force. They agree on one thing: the author of 19 books, including the (now) ironically titled "Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration," did cross in the middle of the street.

"It did not occur to me that there was anything wrong with what I was doing," said the former Oxford professor.

The five-year Atlanta Police Department veteran said he initiated verbal contact with Fernandez-Armesto before he stepped into the street, directing him to the nearby crosswalk, but said the professor ignored him. Fernandez-Armesto said he didn't know Leonpacher was a police officer.

"When I questioned who he was, he said something to the effect of 'When I give you an order, you obey it,' " Fernandez-Armester said. "I asked him what his authority was because I didn't see a badge. But he was extremely upset I had questioned his bona fides."

Leonpacher — who said he was wearing his Atlanta Police Department uniform — said when he asked Fernandez-Armesto why he didn't follow his instructions, the author shrugged him off and walked away.

"Five times I asked him to stop," the officer said. He then asked him if he was hearing impaired. Once Fernandez-Armesto confirmed he wasn't, Leonpacher said he grabbed the professor's arm. "I let him go when he turned around to face me," he said. Leonpacher then says he repeatedly asked Fernandez-Armesto for his identification, but the professor responded by asking for the officer's I.D.

When the historian allegedly repeatedly refused to produce ID (Fernandez-Armesto said he left his passport in his hotel room and was flummoxed when he realized he did not have it), Leonpacher said he told him he was under arrest. As he put his hands behind his back, "he pulled away and grabbed me. He said 'leave me alone, let me go.' I told him 'you're under arrest, stop resisting.' "

Leonpacher, half Fernandez-Armesto's 56 years, contends he could not handcuff the professor by himself. "He was swinging, kicking wildly," Leonpacher said. Backup was called to assist in his detainment. They arrived almost immediately, Leonpacher said. According to the incident report, the cop quoted the professor as saying, "Well now I believe that you are the police."

Leonpacher insists he was a good representative for the city. He was working a part-time job that day — with police consent, his superiors confirmed— for the Hilton Hotel, trying to direct pedestrians to use crosswalks. Police describe the street as one of downtown's most dangerous for pedestrians.

Fernandez-Armesto, who suffered minor cuts during the scrum, was taken into custody via a prisoner transport van. The historian said he spent the next eight hours alongside "extremely unfortunate members of the underclass."

"It looked rather pathetic," said Lisa Kazmier, a professor of history at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She witnessed the arrest. "I definitely felt sorry for the guy. It was like he was Osama Bin Laden or something. It seemed so bizarre seeing this helpless looking guy on the ground like that."

But Leonpacher said Fernandez-Armesto has no one to blame but himself.

"He made the choice to go to jail that day," he said. "He chose to ignore a uniformed officer. At what point can anyone say that I overreacted to the situation?"

Leonpacher said he even contacted the British consulate to notify him of Fernandez-Armesto's arrest.

As the investigation unfolds, Leonpacher's superiors said they stand behind their charge.

"He is an oustanding officer," said Maj. James Sellers. "We've never had a complaint about him before."

Fernandez-Armesto said he doesn't plan to purse any legal action against the city. Charges against the professor weren't officially dropped, and could be brought again, but that would be virtually unprecedented. As for now, his record merely will show an arrest.

Officials with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau declined repeated requests for comment, but Mayor Shirley Franklin said she has asked police chief Richard Pennington to look into the incident.

"We certainly want everyone who visits Atlanta to find Atlanta to be friendly and helpful, and that is from the people at the airport to police officers to the mayor, if they bump into me. That's the standard we set for ourselves. It doesn't always happen that way but that's our expectation."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

British historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, author of the 2006 book "Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration," found the streets of downtown Atlanta much more difficult to navigate during last week's annual convention of the American Historians Association.

Fernandez-Armesto said he was handcuffed and jailed for jaywalking across Peachtree Center Avenue.

Police confirmed the Tufts University professor was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, said Officer Steve Coleman of the Atlanta Police Department.

Coleman said more details of the arrest were not readily available after hours when he was asked about the incident Monday night and police would not be able to comment.

Fernandez-Armesto said he was accosted by a man he did not know was a police officer — "I did not see a badge or any identification" — as he crossed the street.

"Where I come from, jaywalking is not a crime," he said. "It did not occur to me that there was anything wrong with what I was doing."

When the author of 19 books reached the other side of the street, he was met by the officer requesting identification.

"When I questioned who he was he said something to the effect of 'When I give you an order, you obey it,' " Fernandez-Armesto said. "I asked him what his authority was because I didn't see a badge. Where I'm from you don't associate young gentlemen in bomber jackets with the police. But he was extremely upset I had questioned his bona fides."

Fernandez-Armesto, 56, a former professor at Oxford, was unable to produce proper identification. "I had left my green card in my hotel room. I was puzzled. I was baffled, at a loss, really," he said. "While I was hesitating, he lost patience."

At that point, the slightly built historian said the officer kicked his legs under him and pinned him to the ground, causing his glasses to fall off. Two other officers assisted in holding him down, said Fernandez-Armesto, who said he suffered a gash on his forehead and a bruise on his wrist as he attempted to break his fall.

"It was the most violence I've ever experienced in my life," said Fernandez-Armesto. "And I was mugged once while at Oxford."

But his ordeal was not complete.

Fernandez-Armesto was taken into custody, where he spent the next eight hours along with "extremely unfortunate members of the underclass." He was fingerprinted and mug shots were taken. "It was an extremely traumatic experience," he said. "I was in a state of paralytic fear," he said. "My livelihood is dependent on coming over to the U.S., and any record would've ruined my way of life."

Fernandez-Armesto appeared the next morning in traffic court, "throwing myself on the mercy of the judge." After consulting with prosecutors, he was offered a deal — plead "no contest" and he'd be released. "I could not do that and risk my green card," he said.

Soon after, the charges were dropped and he was released.

"I think it was quite clear to everyone that this entire matter had gotten completely out of hand," he said.

The AHA noted on its Web site Monday that its council will send a letter of protest to officials in the city.

Fernandez-Armesto had never been to Atlanta before.

"That was my first morning here," he said. "I must say I didn't get to experience the Southern hospitality I'd heard so much about."

So given that we stick with just 7 websites daily--besides Visajourney what are the other 6 websites you frequent daily.

I also use my 401k and bank website--so with VJ that is 3, then I visit 2 news websites. so that leaves me with 2 more--I would say Google and Internet Movie Data Base are the remaining 2. But actually Google feeds into others--so at least I am not so limited.

What's really ignorant about banking laws/procedures--is that I took a loan against my 401K a paper check was sent to me at my home address after thrice confirming who I was and what I wanted with my 401K Administrator: Web, Phone, and written confirmation of a loan amount--about $18,000. So then I go to Bank of America where my account has been for years with several forms of picture ID and drivers license and bank account that matches my name and address exactly as it appears on the 401k check. Anyway--the bank clerk put my $18,000 check on-hold and would only allow me to have access to $1,800 of the balance--for 30 days. So it seems the system is still geared to the old bonnie and clyde/catch me if you can type robberies--where as a real sophisticated individual can get off scott free with 140K of someone else's money to an account that does not even match. I think JP Morgan and Bank of America should reimburse this guy--and maybe Comcast too.