Wanderings – Page 29 – The Life and Times of Joe Suttle

E-Verify Clarified

joe February 18, 2009 Political

Almost like I put my foot in my mouth. There were several inaccuracies in my post called "Hard For Business", about how Congress is dragging it's feet on E-Verify.

I had said that there were no businesses opposing this, but that was an incorrect statement. Seems that leading the charge (after the doltish Congress) against E-Verify is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They will get my wrath in a separate email. Suffice it to say that their opposition is over "what it will cost businesses to implement e-verify."

Well, I tracked down what E-Verify is all about and based on what ALL businesses are required to do, the burden for E-Verify is a drop in the bucket. There is no charge to get on E-Verify, and there are no equipment requirements other than "internet acceess via a web browser." E-Verify is in addition to the "I-9" form that IS required of ALL employers. You hire somebody, they have to fill out an I-9, and you have to make an effort (of some kind) to verify that the person you have hired is "eligible to work." [more]

Actually has nothing to do with immigration, but whether the new employee has all the papers that make them eligible to work – Social Security, Green Card, H1-B, etc. As an employer, you have to get them to sign the I-9 then do some kind of check to make sure they can work for you. E-Verify can only be done after you have hired the person and set a date when they will start work for you. Per the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), "The employer must initiate the query no later than the end of 3 business days after the new hire

Bellson Drumming in Heaven

joe February 18, 2009 News

One of the world’s greatest drummers has found a new resting place. Louie Bellson died at 84 in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Valentine’s day.

Louie had played with such greats as Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Oscar Peterson, Woody Herman, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.

He had fallen in November, broken his hip, and was in rehab. Complications from Parkinson’s disease are given as the cause of his death.

Bellson, leaves a legacy of rich music, both secular and sacred. At some point in his life, he became a Christian and played rather regularly in his church [more](Emmanuel Baptist in San Jose I do believe). He played with Duke Ellington for his Sacred Concerts, and Duke encouraged him to compose and conduct his own sacred concert, which he did and recorded it with members of the USC studio band.

Louie is recognized as the inventor of the double bass drum at age 15, which earned him an “A” in Art class. At 17 he won a major drumming contest against 40,000 competitors. He was the drummer or conductor on over 200 albums, and his last CD was released in 2008.

It was my pleasure to be introduced to him when he played with the Cal State Hayward Jazz Ensemble, on at least two occasions. It is my pleasure to have in my posession autographed CDs from this giant of music. It was surprising the first time I saw him play, that at the end of the concert, he said “every now and then I get away from church with my wife and play outside like this. Church isn’t a bad place – it’s where I found peace and a reason to live.”

Thank you Louie. Thank you God that I got to see and hear this giant.

[center]Thanks to louiebellson.com for the photograph[/center]

C’mon Peter!

joe February 18, 2009 Faith

Be different? Stop doing what I used to do?

I wonder how many people in the first century got more than a little upset with Peter. They were probably mad at Paul and John as well, but here'they are thing "my 'bud' telling me to stop hanging out with my old crowd." Actually telling me "Enough already!"

What we have to remember is that he was talking to people that were living outside their original world. They were probably just like us – high school and college friends to party with. Frequent trips to the clubs or resorts. Maybe even some "Spring Break" antics.

But there it is, "they should be surprised that you are not running with them." He even makes it clear, that by being different, they (your old friends) are going to make fun of you. They will hurl names and insults at you for not being like you used to be.

His encouragement is that we "have had enought time of all that stuff," and we need to move on and be different.

How different? Different enough so that it is impossible for everyone not to see it.