Big B Files Changes . . . And YOUR role in the changes!

First off, The servers at the EIU Communications Studies Dept. are back up and running and all the websites  back to normal.  Both Big B Files and Big B Online websites will be undergoing changes in the next few months.  The more extensive changes will be done to the Big B Online Website which has not had anything major done to it since around 2003. . . .and is long overdue.   The changes planned for Big B Files website include new  headers, Graphics (except for Main page and Entry Background images), background images for entry headers, possibly adding a news bar, and a new Logo . . . which is where you come in.  I have designed a few new logos that you will look at and vote on which one you think looks the best to you.  The Poll will Run for the next week and the Logo that gets the most votes will be shown. . . .

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE BIG B FILES

 

Big B Files Online

Dear Big B Files Readers,

               You may have noticed that the Big B Files Website is not look like it normally looks.  The reason is that a large number of the graphics used on the website are housed on the same server that hosts the websites Big B Online and Neogapolepeople.org, the Department of Communication Studies at Eastern Illinois University in Chaarleston, IL. From what The Big B Files can determine, the servers are apparently down as we speak and the Big B Files has no idea as to when the website will be back to normal….thanks for your patience and understanding in the meantime.

Sincerely Yours,

 Bryan V. Hewing
Author and commentator of the Big B Files

bvh

Saying Audios to Microsoft Money . . . for Good!

Saying Audios to Microsoft Money is the subject of this Big B File.

                  When I opened Microsoft money, I got the following notice (which was a complete surprise to the Big B Files). 

Important notice: Microsoft Money Plus will not be available for purchase after June 30, 2009. All purchased Money Plus products must be activated prior to Jan. 31, 2011.

With banks, brokerage firms and Web sites now providing a range of options for managing personal finances, the consumer need for Microsoft Money Plus has changed. After suspending annual updates of Money Plus in 2008, Microsoft is announcing today that we will no longer offer Microsoft Money Plus for purchase after June 30, 2009.

We would like to thank the many dedicated users who have been enthusiastic supporters of Microsoft Money over the years, as well as our partner financial institutions who helped pioneer a digital vision of financial management.

Microsoft remains committed to helping customers chart a course to financial well-being. The MSN Money Web site will continue to provide personal finance information and advice plus comprehensive market news and quotes. We will continue to evolve and enhance the online MSN offering in the coming months.

Current Money Plus customers who have questions or concerns can find additional information here.

-       Courtesy of Microsoft Money Online

I have emailed Commerce Bank, which where I bank at, for their reaction on this and I’ll let you know what their reaction is to this news from Microsoft.   I often preferred it to Quicken and other software because of its ease of use and customer friendliness.  It will be sad to see it go. 

And that is the Big B Files.  Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing.

The St. Louis Tea Party & the National Movement

    The St. Louis Tea Party and the Tea Party Movement across the Nation is the subject of this Big B File.

    Wednesday evening, I attended the Tea Party at Keiner Plaza in St. Louis, MO . . . which according to US. Park Rangers estimates, attracted around 10,000 people including myself. When you look at the pictures to the right and below, you will see that people kept coming after the event got started. It was a grassroots movement . . .it was not just a group of people of one race, creed, ethnicity, or political party, but instead it was a grassroots movement of people of many races, creeds, ethnicities, and political parties…all there at this rally to say that they have had enough and are not going to take it anymore.

Contrary to what the Ancient Media says, the movement was started and all the Tea Parties to date have been organized not by organized groups, but by individuals. In the case of the St. Louis Tea Party, the movement and the rally were organized by two individuals, Mr. Bill Hennessy and Ms. Dana Loesch. Bill manages software applications for several Fortune 500 clients, primarily in the financial fields. He has more than 15 years experience as a technologist and manager (courtesy of Bill Hennesy’s website). Dana Loesch blogs at Mamalogues.com and hosts her own radio show, The Dana Show, on KFTK 97.1 FM Talk. She has written for corporate parenting communities and major-market publications such as St. Louis Magazine, The Riverfront Times, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She has won numerous awards and honors and is a guest columnist for a number of publications (courtesy of Dana’s website, Mamalogues.com). The whole movement can trace its roots . .or inspiration, if you will . . .to this on air rant by CNBC Chicago Mercantile reporter Rick Santelli on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” back on February 19^th.

I watched the Ancient Media to how see how they covered the St. Louis Tea Party. Among the national media outlets, Fox News Channel was the most fair. The Others . . . .on the other hand . . . were not even trying anything close at being objective when it came to being objective and fair in their reporting. Just look at how they attacked the tea parties and Fox News Channel, who is beating them in the ratings according the Neilson Media Research.

As Far as St. Louis TV Stations, KMOV was mostly fair in their news story . . . the video portion (click here to see it), even though the lone protestor they was referring to was actually Jamie Allman who is the morning talk show host at 97.1 FM Talk in St. Louis in disguise as a far-left protester (commonly referred to by some people as a “moonbat”). If you go to KMOV’s Website, they are portraying it as a conservative organized event, which as the Big B Files said before it was not. Allman also pulled a good one on KSDK, which after watching the story they did, they even more biased in against the tea party attendees than KMOV was and were following the same line as their national network counterparts.

The coverage was pretty fair overall for KTVI and KPLR…which are basically one news operation…even though they drew the ire of the speakers and the crowd for a story Charles Jaco did for Fox 2 that contained numerous factual errors and the Big B Files is very disappointed in Mr. Jaco for this story. After the protest, the Fox 2 News Director apologized over the episode (courtesy of the St. Louis Tea Party website)[aa and ( ) are for grammatical corrections].

* KTVI Fox 2 News Director (Audrey Prywitch): “You deserve major kudos!  That’s the most people I’ve ever seen in Kiener Plaza, except, maybe, before a Cardinal’s World Series game.” 

Congratulations to each of you.  Those who want to substitute their judgment for yours and your money for their IOUs noticed; they’re breaking their necks trying so hard to look the other way!

More on KTVI

That news director explained that the Jaco piece contained factual errors.   They apologized on the 10:00 news last night. His tone was sincere.  He(She) also apologized to all of you for bumping the Tea Party story at 9:00.  He(She) explained that the director was faced with a terrible fire story that included a fatality.  He(She) said that bumping our story was a mistake, and apologized.

When challenged that his(her) station committed two major errors that hurt our Tea Party in 3 days, He(She) acknowledged that the appearance was bad.  ”I have told my people that.  We made a series of bad decisions, and the people responsible are paying consequences.  Mr. Jaco is aware of the seriousness of his mistake.” 

KTVI has aired (or will have after tonight) 22 stories on this tea party.  While one of those stories was terribly inaccurate and defamatory, the manager’s apology seems sincere.  Let’s thank him(her) for his her honesty and move on.  

• Courtesy of stlouisteaparty.com
  

There were a number of people with signs there at the St. Louis Tea Party, with one equating President Barak Obama as a Communist and others were referring to him as a socialist as a result of his policies. The Big B Files says that Communist is going over the line while Socialist is not too far of a stretch, while it would be more appropriate for the Socialist term to be applied to President Barak Obama’s policies instead of Obama himself.

There was one person in particular who was wearing a couple of signs who got my attention. Nellya Ivanchuk, who lives in downtown St. Louis, MO. She immigrated from Russia 17 years ago in 1992 . . . what was then the former Soviet Union and she left there when it was under communism and came to this country because of all the freedoms that we in this country enjoy. It was all those freedoms that attracted her to come here for a better life and she is now afraid of what might happen here in the next few years. She is more of an American than those of us who were born here are.

This tea party movement has shocked people in government, the Ancient media, and even talk show hosts like Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham and others. The tea parties were started by average citizens…not Special interests, political parties, liberal or conservative groups…nor anyone connected to those groups as the Ancient Media likes to proclaim constantly a month later.

In the case if St Louis Tea Party, it was started by two individuals, one of whom who just happens to host a radio talk show. Average citizens just wanting to put in their two cents worth in to take full advantage of their right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and that is this movement is . . .people whom are exercising their first amendment rights. This should be looked upon as a resounding, powerful, and positive testament of the constitution in this country at work. As the founding fathers said, “The government of the people, by the people and for the people”. Without this, there is no way our beloved country can stand for long.

The Tea Party movement should be looked at as an example of what is right about the United States of America and why . . as Sean Hannity well put it, “this is the greatest nation on God’s green Earth” . . . and why so many people like Nellya Ivanchuk, want to come here to the good ole USA.

And that is the Big B Files. Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing.

Tax cheaters in positions of power, Americans’ anger, and a taxpayer’s letter to the IRS

Tax cheaters in positions of power, Americans’ anger, and a taxpayer’s letter to the IRS is the subject of this Big B File.

       With all the controversy over a number of controversies involving the Barak Obama Adminstration in relation to the Tax Cheating of a number of nominees and a few cabinet officials in the past two months, and the unprecidented massive spending by Congress…many Americans, including yours truely (and jusifiably so) have been angered over this like never before. Mr. Ed Barnett of Wichita Falls, Texas wrote the following letter to the IRS in Times Record News Newspaper in Wichita Falls, Texas: 

Dear IRS,

        I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15, but all is not lost.

          I have paid these taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, Medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle license registration tax, capital gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico sales tax, and many more that I can’t recall but I have run out of space and money.

        When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated Congressmen Charles Rangel, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and ex-Congressman Tom Daschle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest.

P.S. I will make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.

• Ed Barnett
• Wichita Falls

With people like TreasurySecretary Timothy Geithner (IRS Director answers to the Treasury Secretary) who have cheated for al least three years, this letter very humerously and precisely expresses the view of the Big B Files and millions of Americans who feel that if these people can basically get away with not paying taxes and penalties…not to mention being nominated for and/or being confirmed into high positions of power in the U.S. Government, why should we pay our taxes if they don’t do it themselves.

And that’s the Big B Files. Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing

Illinois’ Version of FOCA

            The Big B Files wrote about the Federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) recently.   Illinois’ Version of the bill is currently going through the Illinois General Assembly.  The Illinois Reproductive Health and Access Act, the Illinois version of the Federal Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) (HB 2354).  Illinois Representatives Barbara Flynn Currie – Rosemary Mulligan – Naomi D. Jakobsson – Elizabeth Coulson – Sara Feigenholtz, Julie Hamos, Elaine Nekritz, Karen May, Lou Lang, Karen A. Yarbrough, Greg Harris, David E. Miller, Annazette Collins, Elizabeth Hernandez, Mike Boland, Cynthia Soto, John A. Fritchey, Harry Osterman, Maria Antonia Berrios, Kathleen A. Ryg, Constance A. Howard, Luis Arroyo, William D. Burns, Susana A Mendoza, Deborah Mell, Arthur L. Turner and Mark H. Beaubien Jr. have sponsored this legislation and have expressed their eagerness to pass it. 

            It is not Currently known whether Governor Pat Quinn will sign or Veto the legislation if it makes it to his desk.  You can click here to view the version of the letter that you can use for Pro-Life Members of the Illinois General Assembly or you can click here to view the version of the letter that you can use for Pro-Choice Members of the Illinois General Assembly.

Freedom Of Choice Act . . . Anything BUT Choice!

The Freedom of Choice Act is the subject of this Big B File.

I am so concerned about the Passage of this Big B File that I sent the following letter to my representatives in Congress, Senator Kit Bond, Congressman Lacy Clay, Senator Claire McCaskill (bold Print included in letters to Congressman Lacy Clay &  Senator Claire McCaskill):

---

 

Sunday, January 25, 2009

 

Dear Senator Kit Bond, Congressman Lacy Clay, Senator Claire McCaskill,

           Recently, President Barak Obama has indicated that he would sign the Freedom of Choice if it gets to his desk. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senators Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Ted Kennedy have expressed their eagerness to pass it.

I would like to get your responses to the following questions….

• Are you for taking away the rights of states? According to a legal analysis done on FOCA for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which says the following:

               As a general matter, if FOCA were enacted, it would wipe out a very large number of existing state laws on abortion, substantially impede the ability of states to regulate abortion, and override nearly 40 years of jurisprudential experience on the subject of abortion. FOCA does this for several reasons.
              First, FOCA states that the decision whether to have an abortion is a “fundamental” right. Under existing case law, a decision to have an abortion is not a fundamental right as it was under Roe. In 1992, seven justices rejected that view and concluded that the Court’s earlier decisions under Roe had too severely and improperly restricted the states’ power to regulate abortion. Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 873-87 (1992) (O’Connor, Kennedy, Souter, J1.) (concluding that the Court’s earlier decisions had gone “too far” and that “[..not all governmental intrusion [into abortion] is of necessity unwarranted”); id. at 944 (Rehnquist, C.J., joined by White, Scalia, and Thomas, JJ.) (concurring in part, dissenting in part) (agreeing that earlier decisions had gone too far, and urging that Roe be overruled altogether). In judging the constitutionality of abortion laws, the Casey plurality abandoned the use of strict scrutiny, a rigorous test traditionally reserved for the protection of fundamental rights and usually fatal to the challenged law, and substituted for it an undue burden test. The latter test prevents government from imposing a “substantial obstacle” in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before viability. Id. at 878 (emphasis added).

                Here in Missouri, some of the laws that would be wiped off the books if FOCA passes include Parental consent for minors prior to an abortion, Partial-Birth Abortion ban (infanticide law), No taxpayer-funded abortions, 24-hour waiting period and informed consent prior to an abortion, Only physicians can perform or induce abortions, Conscience protections for pro-life doctors and hospitals who don’t want to do abortions; No abortions in order to use fetal organs or tissue for transplantation or experimentation, Licensing of most abortion clinics as ambulatory surgical centers to ensure basic health and safety of the patients, Requiring medical malpractice for doctors who perform or induce abortions, alternatives to abortion programs to encourage and support women who choose not to abort their unborn child.

Are you in favor of taking away parental rights? FOCA would do just that by denying parents the right to raise their kids how they see fit. The kids belong to their parents and NOT the government nor organizations like Planned Parenthood, Now, Pro-Choice America, and others. The parents should have the final decision on whether their daughter has an abortion or not and have the right to be told if their child wants an abortion.

•               Are you in favor of taking away the first amendment right of people of faith? The first amendment says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” FOCA will force Pharmacists, Doctors, and other health professionals to violate their morals and Religious Beliefs and perform Abortion procedures, dispense contraception (a form of abortion and in direct violate of numerous religious teachings, including the Roman Catholic Church). Just ask pharmacists Carol Muzzarelli, of Collinsville, Kelly Hubble, of Belleville, G. Richard Quayle, of Highland and John Menges, formerly of Edwardsville (all Illinois). They were suspended when they refused to violate their religious beliefs and dispense the morning after pill, a form of birth control. The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments in the case in December 2008 and the case is Menges, et al. v. Blagojevich (U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois) and go to http://www.aclj.org/Litigation/?state=IL for other cases in this area. This would also apply to people like myself, who would be forced to pay for someone else’s abortion…via the taxes we pay to our respective states and to the Federal Government…forcing us to do something that runs contrary to my values and religious convictions and those of others like me. These tax dollars are the same tax dollars used to pay your salary!
•                 Are you in favor of denying the first amendment rights of Doctors, Nurses and other medical professionals to exercise their religious? FOCA would do this by forcing them to dispense contraception and/or perform abortions in direct violation of their religious beliefs, morals, and consciences.
•                 Are you in favor of violating the part of the first amendment that says, ”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” especially the part that says “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. FOCA would force catholic hospitals and other Catholic Healthcare facilities to provide abortions and contraceptives, along with forcing Catholic organizations like Catholic Charities, St. Vincent DePaul Society, and others to pay for and/or provide abortion and contraceptive services (through programs such as Catholic Charities’ MedAssist Program)…all in direct violation of Code of Cannon Law and official Roman Catholic Church Teaching AND the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

                          You have stated in the past that you want to “protect a woman’s right to choose”. Okay fine… a woman’s right to choose what… abortion or want? What is the other option besides abortion?    I strongly urge you to oppose the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) and do everything possible to ensure its defeat once and for all. I would very much appreciate your response, please go to http://big-b.net/feedback.htmlor send them to me at 2192A Keeven Lane in Florissant, MO 63031.

Sincerely Yours,

 

 

Bryan V. Hewing
Author and commentator of the Big B Files
2192A Keeven Lane
Florissant, MO 63031
bvh

 

 

 

Gov. Rod Blagojevich Impeachment Press Conference

you can watch the press conferences live (From WAND-TV NewsCenter 17 in Decatur, IL)

Big B Files Website Maintenance, Modification, & Updating

Dear Visitors to Big B Files online,

     The Big B Files website will be undergoing some design modefications over the next week.  the look may look funny and/or wierd… please be patient as the process to give the Big B Files website gets underway. . .thanks so very much in advance.

Sincerely Yours,

Mr. Bryan V. Hewing

Designer and commentator of the Big B Files Online.

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WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, POPE BENEDICT XVI

Pope Benedict XVI’s papal Visit to the United States of America is the subject of this Big B File.

     POPE BENEDICT XVI arrived in the United States of America Tuesday Afternoon near Washington, D.C.   The pope was greeted at Andrews Air Force Base by President George W. Bush, Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna Bush.  this was the only time the president has met a foreign dignitary at the air force base ever.  as the Catholic news agency put it..

 Pope Benedict touches down in the United States
     Washington DC, Apr 15, 2008 / 03:52 pm (CNA).- Shepherd One landed right on time this afternoon, bringing Pope Benedict XVI to the United States for the first time. President Bush, Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna paid Pope Benedict the honor of meeting him at the airport—the first time Bush has done so for a head of state. 
     The Pontiff was greeted by an honor guard of military servicemen and a crowd of 5,000 military family members. 
     After waving to the crowd, the Pope was transported via motorcade to the house of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi. Normally, President Bush takes Marine One to the Andrews Air Force Base, but due to the scale of the preparations for tomorrow’s record crowd of 12,000 people at the White House using the helicopter became impossible.  Pope Benedict will reside at the Apostolic Nunciature while in Washington and will make his first public remarks on Wednesday morning at the White House at 10:30 EST.

      Pope Benedict XVI did address the Priest Sex Abuse Scandal that the Ancient Media has been bashing the Roman Catholic Church over ther head since the late 1990s (courtesy Catholic News Agency [CNA]).

     “It is a great suffering for the Church in the United States and for the Church in general and for me personally that this could happen,” Benedict said. “It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission … to these children.
     I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future,” the pope said.
     Benedict XVI also said he was determined to prevent pedophiles from becoming priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
     “We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry,” Benedict said in English. “It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound.” Pedophilia is “absolutely incompatible” with the priesthood,” Benedict said.

- Pope promises to “do everything possible” to heal scandal of sex abuse
Aboard the papal plane, Apr 15, 2008 – Catholic News Agency [CNA]

 

  I do not know how much more assertive he could be in his statements to satisfy the far left (if they can ever be satisfied) short of removal from office people like Cardinal Roger Michael Mahony of Los Angeles, CA and other church leaders who either refuse to follow or dragging their feet in implementing the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.  Numerous people had, essence, written Pope Benedict XVI’s obituary before he had served even one day as pope and had written him off as a “transitional pope” . . . including on the Big B Zone radio program I did from 2004-2007 on the Odyssey and judging from how viabrant and physically fit the Pope is, I believe and would not be surprised that he becomes the first Centurian (100 year old+) pope in Church history!

 

And that is the Big B Files. Click on the “Comments” Link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing.