4-30 to 5-4-2018: Bill Meyer’s Blog

Bill’s Guests for: Thursday, May 3, 2018:

6:35: Kevin Stine, Medford City Councilor for Ward 3, and Democratic candidate for Oregon State Senate, District 3 joins Bill in studio. Check out more about Kevin at: KevinStine.com.

7:10: William Froehlich, candidate for Jackson County Sheriff comes into the studio. Learn more about Mr. Froehlich at: ElectBillSheriff.com.

8:10: Hilarie Gamm, tech expert, and author of: “Billions Lost: The American Tech Crisis and The Road Map to Change,” talks with Bill.

Is Technology Helping or Hurting This Generation?

With an eye-opening and entertaining look at how children, teens and young adults born in 1995 and later – are vastly different than their Millenial predecessors. From Billions Lost:

“Technology has impacted almost every aspect of life today, and education is no exception. Will American students ever open an encyclopedia and learn how to conduct book-based research? Probably not. The biggest benefit of the internet and its search engines is the ability to research anything in seconds. Do American children really need to know how to add, subtract and divide? Calculate a mortgage? Balance a checkbook? Not likely. There are applications on any hand held device which enable mathematical calculations to be completed in seconds.”

“The advancements of high tech equate to the decline of the human mind, the ability to think, and the destruction of an entire generation’s ability to focus. The mere presence of a smartphone, whether on or off, impairs a human being’s ability to think, act and communicate. The results of numerous studies can be summarized to show that even when not using our phones, our thoughts are affected. The more dependent we are on the technology, the more our intellect weakens. Evidence shows that even hearing the ringtone or vibration noise from a smartphone makes it harder to concentrate, impedes reasoning and performance, and results in sloppier work. Furthermore, the smartphone has also been shown to affect people’s health. People who heard their phone ring, but were unable to answer it presented with blood pressure spikes and faster pulse rates. Smartphone usage can diminish our abilities for learning, logical reasoning, abstract thought, problem solving and creativity. This applies even when we’re not using the phone, because the temptation to check it is so strong. There have been numerous studies of this sort. Students, whose phones were not brought into the classroom, scored a full-letter grade higher than peers that kept their phones within sight, or reach.”

If technology is allowed to master the human race, rather than the decision to educate the human race so it can master technology, our future, not only as Americans, but as high-functioning beings, will be at risk.

Check out more at BillionsLostBook.com.

8:35: Nikki Johnson, Veteran’s Coordinator with Veteran’s Services at Rogue Community College comes into the studio. Today, we’ll be talking about:

1. Services for Vets and the RCC Team.
2. The new Veterans Services Center at the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass.
3. How RCC is a “Military Friendly” school.
4. A recent $100,000 grant to Veteran’s Services to be a “Green Zone.”
5. Who are Vets? What do they bring to the school? What are their needs a college students?
6. How can people in the community help Veterans at RCC?

RCC has over 850 Veteran students and over 400 are currently attending RCC on the G.I. Bill. The G.I. Bill provides over $5 million dollars for Veterans every year.

 

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Bill’s Guests for: Wednesday, May 2, 2018:

7:10: Curt Ankerburg, local CPA and candidate for Oregon State Senate District 3 comes into the studio to talk with Bill. We’ll be talking about an unsigned hit-piece against Curt, that arrived in the mail.

7:35: Sgt. Julie Denney of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office comes into the studio for today’s Crime Stoppers Case of The Week.

8:10: Kevin Husted, former Medford 549C Budget Committee Chairman talks with Bill this morning on his criticism of the upcoming CTE bond measure.

Any questions you may have for Kevin can be posted at his Facebook page: Kevin Husted, Medford Schools.

8:35: Congressman Greg Walden, (R-Hood River), drops by the studio to chat with Bill.

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 Bill’s Guests for: Tuesday, May 1, 2018:

6:35: Peter J. Ferrara, Senior Fellow at the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research talks with Bill. Today, we’re talking about a study he conducted at the Goodman Institute, which indicates that most families, working full time, at minimum wage, can’t be poor, and why work eliminates poverty.

“The main reason people are poor is because they aren’t working,” Ferrara said. “The welfare state deserves a lot of blame for that.”

In 1960, two-thirds of poor families were headed by someone in the labor force. Three decades later that figure was down to one-third, with only 11% working full time, according to the study.

Ironically, the reason why work eliminates poverty is because of two tax measures, championed by Republicans. The Earned income tax credit was signed into law by Gerald Ford and enthusiastically expanded under Ronald Reagan. The child tax credit (increased from $1,000 to $2,000 by recent tax reform legislation) originally appeared in the 1994 House Republican “Contract with America.”

Without these tax measures, a mother with two children earning the minimum wage could not escape poverty unless she worked 55 hours a week. With the two tax measures, she can escape poverty by working only 30 hours a week.

Read Peter’s study for yourself: Click here.

7:35: Kevin Starrett from the Oregon Firearms Federation chats with Bill today. Today, we’ll talk about the gubernatorial candidates and how they’re rated by the OFF. We’ll also touch on how to fight IP-43.

Get more information at: OregonFirearms.org.

8:35: Bill Hunker a resident of Josephine County chats with Bill. We’ll be talking about the latest in the “controversial” Merlin Sidewalks Saga. Bill will also tell you what happened in a meeting he had with Josephine County Commissioner Simon Hare on the issue.

8:45: Brent Homan & Randal Lee, the men from Advanced Air join Bill in studio for today’s edition of “Whose Business Is It Anyway?” See more great deals at: AdvancedAir.com.

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 Bill’s Guests for: Monday, April 30, 2018:

6:35: Richard Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government talks with Bill this morning. It’s time for your Monday Swamp Update, compliments of Americans For Limited Government!!!

You can see more at: GetLiberty.org, and DailyTorch.com.

7:10: Greg Roberts, Mr. Outdoors from RogueWeather.com, calls in to bring to you the Monday, Water World Boat & Powersport Outdoor Report.

7:35: Capt. Greg Wooldridge, GOP Oregon Gubernatorial Canididate joins the show today to tell you why you should vote for him in the May Primary.

See more at: WooldridgeforOregon.com. For questions and other information: Phone: 503-956-0357 Email: info@wooldridgefororegon.com

8:10: Dr. Dennis Powers drops by the studio for this week’s edition of “Visiting Past & Present.”

Chris Briscoe: Notable Photographer and More

Chris Briscoe was a Santa Barbara, California native who came to Ashland in 1971 after graduating from Santa Barbara High School. He headed into then Southern Oregon State College (“SOSC”) for his education and graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree. On a bike trip through the United States that next year, he decided that he wanted to teach–and went back to earn a teaching certificate from SOSC.

He next taught third-grade at Walker Elementary School in Ashland while pursing photography as a hobby. With his obvious talent, his works were noticed and Chris began freelancing for the Ashland Daily Tidings in 1980. He left teaching after four years and began working full-time as a photographer, establishing his photo studio in 1985 at 4^th and “A” Street in Ashland.

Since establishing his studio, Chris’s work has been featured from Los Angeles to New York, from London to Tokyo. His photographs are featured in major publications across America, including USA Today, Travel & Leisure, Money Magazine, Woman’s Day, Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, and more.

Chris is an adventurer, a believer in living life. He once sailed a boat to Tahiti, where he lived for one year. He has cycled across the United States four times, the last time being last year for three months with his son. In 2008, he simply boarded a jet to Bangkok, Thailand, not having any idea where this journey would take him. Briscoe traveled by moped and bus around Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to take photographic portraits of the common—even very poor—people. Printed immediately on his battery-powered Hewlett-Packard photo printer, he gave them their first portraits of themselves.

Just as the photos were a high point in their lives, the people of Southeast Asia were a peak in Briscoe’s life — even though some of his most poignant pictures were taken in a garbage dump, where refugees from the violence in Myanmar eked out a living. This journey led to a touching, privately printed book called “Common Ground,” which has found its way into the U.S. State Department.

Among his clients have been Kirk Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Dennis Miller, Rob Lowe, Olivia Newton-John, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Regan, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, B.B. King, Dennis Miller, Bo Derek, and Ray Charles. Equally important are the exquisite faces of people from all walks of life that are included in his truly inspiring portfolio—and see his website for this sampling.

He is driven by “vision, passion, and courage.” On courage, he said, “We all struggle with courage… The trick is to constantly challenge yourself, let yourself take a risk, and live your life.” And this he is still doing.

Sources: John Darling, “A life-changing trip,” Mail Tribune, March 24, 2009, at Chris Briscoe Background; “In Constant Motion,” The Raider: News from Southern Oregon University, Fall 2017, Pg. 14 – 15; see Briscoe Website.

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Bill’s Guests for: Friday, April 27, 2018:

6:35: Raheel Raza, Clarion Project Advisory Board member, Founding member of the Muslim Reformer Movement and international human rights activist talks with Bill.

The Clarion Project is launching a new campaign to prevent the spread of radical Islamic ideology and violence in American children and youth.

Raheel Raza: “The radicalization of youth is at a crisis level and in speaking with parents, youth, activists and legislators, there is a general agreement that there need to be programs put into place to help the youth. Essentially there is not safe space “between the Mosque and the Mall” for Muslim youth to express their concerns. The ones who are recruited are troubled youth with nowhere to turn, hence the mercenaries pounce on them—both Muslim and non-Muslim.”

The FBI is investigating radical Islamic terror plots in all 50 states, but many Americans are ignorant to this fact and wrongly believe “it won’t happen to me.” The U.S. has no national program to prevent and counter violent extremism—and most local programs intervene too late.

Raheel Raza contends that America’s youth are being radicalized, and that this crisis requires immediate action to prevent violent attacks in the United States and Western world.

“According to CIA estimates about 2000 Westerners have travelled to Iraq and Syria (many via Turkey) to join ISIS. It’s estimated that from these more than 100 came from the USA.”

Raheel Raza: “Clarion Project’s plan to educate youth before they are radicalized is a way of resolving the issue. Their films and educational material addresses the issues that many people do not want to address given the politically correct climate we live in. However hate taught at a young age is something we must address. As a mother and grandmother I am concerned about the next generation of Muslim youth and want to provide support before it’s too late.”

You can find out more, and read more at: ClarionProject.org.

7:10: Greg Roberts from RogueWeather.com calls in to bring to you the Friday, Water World Boat & Powersport, Outdoor Report.

7:45: Stephen Mayer of the Better Business Bureau joins the show once again. Today we’re talking about a new scam that the BBB has been tracking. This time the victims are job seekers. The BBB Northwest and Pacific are warning of the company called: Cube Survey. Four reports since April 3^rd have come across the BBB’s radar about this company that claims to be hiring “Mystery Shoppers.” At least one person is said to have been bilked for nearly $7,800.

Here’s how the scam works according to the BBB:

Victims receive a message through LinkedIn, which appears to be from an acquaintance, suggesting they sign up for the mystery shopper job at Cube Survey which claims to be based in Hawaii. Once “hired,” they are sent a check to deposit in their personal bank account, and told to deduct their commission. They are then instructed to purchase Walmart gift cards, of varying amounts, so they may “evaluate” the store’s customer service. To prove they performed the task, they must send a picture of the code on the back of the gift cards to Cube Survey. This allows the scammers to drain the accounts on the gift cards. Soon, the victim discovers the check deposited in their account for payment has bounced, and they are left to cover the amount of the gift cards. The BBB has received reports from victims in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin.

8:05: Royal Standley, President and CEO of Oregon Pacific Financial Advisors calls in for your daily check of the Stock Market. He’ll also give you a report on stocks of local interest. For an appointment, you can get ahold of Royal at: OPFA.com, or give him a call at: 541-772-1116.

8:10: Kirk Kolb, Superintendent of Grants Pass School District 7 talks with Bill. We’ll be discussing the $135 million dollar bond measure the district hopes to pass, to fund 2 new middle schools.

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