The following article is reprinted with permission via Minuteman HQ email.

An Update from the Minuteman Fence Project Manager

First, let me say thanks to the brave ranchers who are stepping up to put their lives on the line to stop the illegal invasion. They live and work within spitting distance of the Mexican border every day. These brave men and women are working side by side with Minutemen in this war zone they call home, allowing us to secure America.

Second, let’s be clear. Not every single mile of the border or every ranch or rancher is the same. The full-on Israeli-style Security Fence is our primary design and first choice for construction. However, when circumstances dictate adjustment to a Border Fence with barbed wire and a vehicle barrier or another design to meet local requirements, we will make the necessary adaptations—and keep building.

Our plan: Do the job until our government does its duty.

* Announce the need for the Minuteman Border Fence.
* Ask again that President Bush do his duty and secure the border.
* Schedule a groundbreaking to get the Border Fence launched.
* Begin raising the $55 million needed for 70 miles of fence in AZ.
* Work with ranchers to design fence to meet specific private landsite requirements.
* Get steel and contractors to manage the sites.
* Register and vet fencing volunteers.
* Build a Minuteman Fence Security Plan to patrol fencing.
* Set up Volunteer Crews administration and crew management
* Continue to build fence as fast as resources allow.
* Start more sites in TX, CA and NM as donations and volunteer capacity permit.
* Continue Border Watch and Fence Operations until the border is secure.

Click to view details of fence diagram.

Numerous fence design variations will be required to effectively deal with border crossings by illegal aliens, drug dealers and livestock. Derivation from the primary design is necessary to accommodate local ranchers’ specific terrain, topography, herds and other factors.

The important point to remember is that MCDC will not let Vincente Fox tell us or the US ranchers we are working with where or what we can build. No matter what the fence design, MCDC will erect a well-built fence—and fences work. We know they are effective, because we see the results; incursions reduced, and all of the opposition groups and open border supporters screaming to stop the fence.

1) Security Fence - Illegal alien crossing design: A physical barrier capable of stopping people and vehicles has been designed to fit the general terrain. It is also a daunting psychological deterrent that cuts illegal crossings by 95% or more. The security fence will not be easy to compromise by climbing over with a ladder, cannot be cut with wire cutters, breached by ramming with a vehicle, or tunneling under undetected. While no fence can be a 100% impenetrable barrier—the Minuteman Border Fence is an excellent design and will prove time-consuming enough that Border Patrol agents can be alerted and respond before the incursion can be completed.

Our fence plan will keep costs near $150 per foot.

2) Border Fence – Halting drug dealers, illegal aliens and livestock: This style of fence is necessary where full Security Fencing cannot be installed. A physical barrier with a 5 wire barbed wire fence 5′ 6″ high, a vehicle barrier with a horizontal steel barrier in 12’ sections welded to steel post 30” high and razor wire on the ground between the wire fence and the vehicle barrier. This barrier will stop vehicles and cattle and slow down illegal aliens.

This design similar to Border Patrol designs is intended to accomplish the following: Mexican drugs are coming across the border in vehicles and on the backs of mules. The steel barrier stops drug vehicles and is high enough to stop mules from walking over and low enough to keep them from going under. The barbed wire fence keeps Mexican livestock in Mexico. Thousands of diseased Mexican cattle are presently allowed to walk freely into the US unchecked, and MCDC is working with our ranchers to stop the spread of disease. This design is cheaper and faster to erect where urgent conditions warrant, especially in cases of diseased cattle incursions.

Schedule Facts:

April 20, 2006 – Chris Simcox announces the Minuteman Border Fence is to be built if President Bush does not send armed troops to secure the US – Mexico border by Memorial Day 2006.

May 27, 2006 - Successful groundbreaking was held in Arizona on Memorial Day weekend. First 2.5 miles of 10 miles of Border Fence erected. Continue fence fundraising through direct mail, email, national radio affiliates and national speaking tours.

May 27 to June 30 – Finished the first 2.5 mile section of fence, applied for permission on next 7.5 miles, repaired vandalized fence, ordered steel, finalized fence design/civil engineering specifications, retained two local Arizona contractors who hire legally, started vetting volunteers for work crews, completed volunteer delivery of donated construction truck, continue next 7.5 miles, acquire vehicle barrier steel, install vehicle barrier, test/install fence camera technology, plan and implement 24×7 fence security.

June 27 - Second site layout to be finished.

July 6-15 – Security Fence at second location starts.

Peter Kunz
Project Manager
MinutemanHQ.com
Minuteman Border Fence

A Successful Start on a Security Fence

The successful groundbreaking was held in Arizona on Memorial Day weekend, as President Bush refused to immediately deploy National Guard and reserve troops to secure America’s out-of-control southern border with Mexico.

Hundreds of volunteers—along with Minuteman Founder Chris Simcox, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Congressman Steve King, AZ gubernatorial candidate Don Goldwater, WeNeedAFence.com founder Colin Hanna and AZ Congressional candidate Randy Graf—dug holes, mixed concrete, put up fencing while opposition groups jeered and skeptics said it could not be done. Now MCDC continues with dedicated volunteers, engineers and contractors using LEGAL crews to work with local Arizona land owners in building mile after mile of border security fencing on private land along the border with Mexico. The first site is 10 miles long and the first 2.5 miles of Minuteman Border Fence already has been completed.
How can You Help?

Build the Minuteman Border Fence by sending donations and volunteering to participate in making the US border secure.

Donate to Build the Minuteman Border Fence

VOLUNTEER to Build the Minuteman Border Fence

Sign up as a volunteer and get access to the “Minutemen Border Cams” an active web based surveillance link on the fencing project. The Minuteman Border Fence is placing cameras which will be monitored via computer over the Internet by registered Minutemen across the country, so that Minuteman volunteers can observe and report illegal crossings from the computer in their living rooms 24/7.

The Border Fence is already making a difference.

Local reports indicate that drug and human trafficking has already been reduced. There are fewer vehicles in the area where the fence is under construction—proving again that having a presence and taking positive steps to do SOMETHING to secure the border reduces the flow of illegal aliens, potential terrorists, drug and human traffickers, murderers, rapists and thieves in these areas.

More than 1,500 have volunteered to build the fence.

Planning and organization continues as volunteers, materials and contractors are being coordinated in an unprecedented alliance with over 1,500 Minuteman Border Fence volunteers. In the true spirit of the Minutemen of the American Revolution these patriots have joined together to form an army of volunteers to secure our borders and protect America’s sovereignty, security and prosperity.

“The undertaking is monumental and historic” says Chris Simcox.

MCDC is beginning construction of the Israeli-style border security fence at a second ranch location in early July and later throughout the year in TX, CA and NM as more resources are marshaled. Two fencing companies that hire legally have been retained to run the jobs sites and coordinate volunteer construction crews as Minutemen volunteers are scheduled to provide labor and security. Crews of four to ten volunteers under the guidance of professional fence installers can install as much as 3 miles of fence in a week.

The nay-sayers are wrong. The reality is the Minutemen are here to stay, and this mission will be completed. In April of 2005, over 800 volunteer men and women took action to secure the border. This year there are more than 200,000 Minuteman Civil Defense Corps activists not only guarding the border but building fence, faxing our elected representatives, making phone calls, voting open border politicians out of office, starting local chapters and contributing their time, money and expertise. MCDC is an explosive grassroots effort enjoying the energetic support of political Democrats, Republicans and Independents—all American patriots who have earned the trust of the public by keeping our word to remain vigilant until our borders are secure.

The fencing will be built on private land with privately donated funds, engineering and labor. Its construction at every step will serve as an example to educate the public about the feasibility and efficacy of fencing to secure America’s borders from illegal invasion by aliens and international criminal cartels. An IRS-authorized charitable non-profit organization is facilitating, administering and reporting tax-deductible donations specifically and solely for construction of this Minuteman Border Fence project. Monetary and in-kind contributions for this effort will go directly into meeting hard costs such as building materials for this private fencing operation.

We have a monumental challenge ahead to raise $55 million. We urgently need your help for this effort to succeed. With your help MCDC can make America more secure by continuing to urge citizen volunteers to support the Minuteman Border Fence.

Be sure to send this to EVERYONE you know who wants to help STOP illegal aliens at the border! Thank you!

Donate to Build the Minuteman Border Fence

VOLUNTEER to Build the Minuteman Border Fence

Go www.minutemanborderfence.com and join with us TODAY .

Sincerely for America,

Chris Simcox, President
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

This has been a production of the Guard the Borders Blogburst. It was started by Euphoric Reality, and serves to keep immigration issues in the forefront of our minds as we’re going about our daily lives and continuing to fight the war on terror. If you are concerned with the trend of illegal immigration facing our country, join our Blogburst! Just send an email with your blog name and url to euphoricrealitynet at gmail dot com.

The press is all a buzz over the NAS (National Academy of Sciences) report on “global warming” that was released today. The problem is, they are overstating and over blowing the information that the report provides.

You will more than likely run across at least one headline today that will read something like this, “Earth at a 2,000 year high, Humans to blame”. The problem with the headline is that it is designed to deliberately alarm its reader and in doing so, causes undo panic.

400 Years ago, our planet fell under a little ice age that lasted for hundreds of years. The Earth has only been ‘recovering’ from this ice age for a little over 150 years. So of course there will be significant data to show that our planet is on a steep climb in the “hot” direction… we’re on the flipside of an ice age that devastated civilizations.

There are very few media outlets that are addressing the REAL issue with the report. The author of the study refuses to share his data, or his collection methods. Not to mention the fact that one of the more prominent ways he came about this conclusion was by using bristlecone pine trees as a source of obtaining temperature data. A method that is KNOWN to be highly inaccurate.

The reports are riddled with words like “plausible” and “possibly”, and yet our media is reporting this as if it were cold hard fact. I’ll buy the 400 year timeline but I’m calling BS on 2000+ years until someone can find a way to provide credible findings and are willing to open up their methods to the public so that they can be verified.

• Oil consumption in the US in increasing steadily.

• Since 1970 Domestic oil production has dropped 50% from 10 million barrels a day to less than 5 million today.

• In 1980, former President Carter imposed a “windfall profits” tax on big oil. Expected revenue from the tax; $227 Billion. Actual revenue collected; $40 Billion. Because of the tax, domestic production fell 6% and foreign imports increased by as much as 10%.

• In 1990 Bush Sr. issued a presidential directive forbidding access to 85% of our outer continental shelf for oil production. In ‘98 Clinton expanded the directive to 2012.

• After Hurricane Katrina a bill was pushed through Congress to streamline the process of building refineries. The bill was shot down by a vote of “no” from EVERY Democrat in the Senate, one Independent and one Republican.

• Hillary Clinton (’08 Pres. Hopeful) supports a “windfall profit” tax on big oil, which like in 1980 would do nothing but INCREASE our dependency on foreign oil.

Next time you hear a politician blowing hot air on the pulpit about how we need to increase our domestic production of oil, find an alternative fuel source or “tax the rich”… know that their only goal is for your head to bob in agreement, and for you to check that little black outlined box next to their name.

Finding a cheaper, renewable energy source is the last thing on their list…

The mother of a 14 year old girl in Austin, Texas is suing Social Internet giant Myspace.com for $30 Million because her 14 year old daughter was molested by a pervert she met on the website.

According to the lawyers representing the family, myspace doesn’t do enough to verify the age of its users nor does it take adequate measures to thwart sexual predators online.

The CSO for Myspace.com had this to say in response to the allegations. “We take aggressive measures to protect our members. We encourage everyone on the Internet to engage in smart web practices and have open family dialogue about how to apply offline lessons in the online world.”

Attention parents… you wouldn’t let your child wander around the world all alone talking to anyone who happens to wander their way, why do you think it’s safe for them to surf unrestricted and unmonitored online? I’m getting sick and tired of parents who use the TV and the home PC as a babysitter so they don’t have to take personal responsibility for their kids. Then once the TV or the PC fails them, they go after the services for exorbitant amounts of cash as a “solution” to the problem.

Here’s an easy and FAR less expensive solution… WATCH your kids and know what they’re doing, where they’re going and who they’re talking to. Talk to them every day, find out what they did and who they hang out with. I know it’s tempting, but putting a computer/TV/XBox in their room DOES get them out of your hair… but you’re just asking for problems.

There will always be a computer with internet access in my house, but it will reside in a public common area of the house and usage of said computer will not be without strict rules until I know that my kids understand that Online, is just as dangerous if not more so than Offline and can show me that they understand and respect that fact.

I wonder if the mother of this child had established a code of conduct online for the house, if she would have become a victim. The predator was 19 years old, allowed to exchange phone calls with the 14 year old. The mother even allowed the 19 year old predator to pick the girl up from school, take her to dinner, and a movie and even his apartment where the sexual assault took place.

If I were the judge in this case… it wouldn’t be an issue reaching a conclusion. I would dismiss the case, and declare that due to gross negligence on the part of the parents their daughter was sexually assaulted. Not only that but I would require the parents to pay the court costs for myspace.com for wasting their time.

You want some rules… well I’m fairly partial to Kim Komando’s 10 Commandments for Kids Online.

1. My parents and I will decide when I am allowed to use the computer and the Internet. I promise not to ask or fight for more computer time. I will only do things and visit places that they say I can.

2. I will never tell anyone online or post online that I am home alone. I won’t give out my last name, my home address or telephone number, the name of my school or teachers, where my parents work or their telephone numbers without getting my parents’ permission. I will never give out my friends’ screen names, e-mail addresses, names, addresses and telephone numbers, and I will remind them to keep mine a secret.

3. If anyone online does anything that bothers me, I will tell my parents. I will never use bad language, say bad things about other people, or send mean messages in an e-mail, text or instant message, chat room, blog, or on a Web site. I will tell my parents if someone does that to me. If I use “secret” or “code” words online, I will tell my parents what they mean.

4. When I use instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms, or Web sites where people put information about themselves, I will never send or post a picture of my family or me. If I set up a blog or an online profile, I will tell my parents where it is and how they can read it.

5. I WILL NEVER, EVER MEET WITH ANYONE I’VE TALKED TO ONLINE WITHOUT FIRST TALKING WITH MY PARENTS.

6. If my parents ask me for my password, I will give it to them. I will NEVER give out my passwords or any of our family’s passwords to anyone, not even my friends or other family members.

7. If I want to download any games, movies, music, or programs, I will ask for permission. I know I must pay for most of these things. If I take them, that is stealing.

8. I will not try to win free things or buy things on the Internet without my parents’ permission. If I get a message that I won something, I will show it to my parents. If I get an e-mail asking for passwords or other secret stuff, I will ask my parents.

9. I will not open any of my parents’ files. I will not change any settings or install any new software without my parents’ permission.

10. I give my parents permission to look on the computer to see where I have gone on the Internet, the e-mail and text messages I have sent and received, or what I do in a chat room. If my parents installed programs that track what I do on the computer or limit where I go online, I promise not to turn those programs off.

You know, for years I’ve been hearing the same words from the left… over and over and over.

I HAVE A PLAN!

Well that’s nice, but up until the other day no one would tell anyone else what that plan was. That was, until the DNC published their New Direction for America. You see, the DNC has control of Congress… at least that’s what they’re saying prior to the November elections.

A portion of this plan has to do with the great “equalizer” known as minimum wage. According to them, the measly $5.15 National Minimum is just too paltry to be acceptable, they think a more welcome number like $7.25 an hour is needed.

I have a serious issue with giving our unskilled workforce an overnight $2.10 raise for nothing.

The first rule of Economics 101 is that if your costs increase, to maintain your profit level your price must increase also. Increase your prices and demand will usually go down. If my business relies on unskilled labor at the current rate I will be forced to reduce my costs to stay competitive. I will probably not hire or layoff unnecessary labor. For our champions of the little man and job creation in D.C. known as the DNC, this is totally contrary to what they are saying.

Many people will try tell you that the largest employer of low wage workers are large corporations and big business making the proposed increase in the minimum wage seem insignificant because to most, eating into the profits of big business seems acceptable. After all, they’re not doing anything with that money except paying it to their CEO’s.

On the other hand the Small Business Administration, who state that 54% of min-wage earners work for employers with fewer than 100 employees, and 2/3 work for employers with fewer than 500, has made a different conclusion. Not to mention that small businesses account for approximately 2/3 of all new jobs created annually… these businesses are also THE most susceptible to job losses.

Age, education and skills are, and should be the motivating factors behind wages, not “just because it’s a nice thing to do”. 50% of minimum wage earners in the US are younger than 25, one-third of which have less than a high school diploma, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Minimum wage is not intended as a dead end position. It’s a starting point. Around 90% of all minimum wage earners in the US earn a raise within one year. Do a good job and get rewarded.

With that in mind, can someone please explain to me how a $2.10 raise for our minimum wage workforce is GOOD for our economy and workforce?