When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish [[sic]] brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

I will be writing more about our great country and it’s history over the next couple of days, but wanted to start off with a little trivia for you on the home to our President and first family. 

The White House is refurbished every 4-8 years.  There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms and 6 levels inside.  It’s about 55,000 square feet total.  Also, there are 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases and 3 elevators.  With 5 full time chefs, the kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests, and hors d’ oeuvres to more than 1,000.  The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover it’s exterior surface.  The White House has a variety of recreational facilities for it’s guests and residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theatre and bowling lane.  The White House fence encloses 18 acres of land and employs a full time staff of 91 people.

Have a great day!

Ty Rhudy from North Carolina wins the free T-shirt for July!  Congratulations Ty.  For the rest of you, be sure to check out our store and get a great Dadsworld.com t-shirt for yourself.  We also have stickers that look great on car windows and bumpers.  My truck and van both have Dadsworld.com stickers on the rear window.  :)  Proclaim your support for involved Dads everywhere!

I was interested to hear that 2 NBA basketball players opted out of the final year in their contracts.  One was opting out of (walking away from) $17 million and the other was walking away from $16 million.  For one year’s pay.  I guess that’s just not enough money for these two.  Of course they are betting on the fact that they will get more from another team.  It must be nice to have options like that.

“No player is worth a million dollars.  I couldn’t keep from laughing if I went in and demanded a million from an owner.”  Chicago Bears Legend, Red Grange.

“Players are different today.  They don’t understand that it’s a privilage to play this game.  It’s an honor.  You have an opportunity to make a lot of money.  But when you’re complaining about only making $7 million to feed your family, nobody has sympathy for that.  You’re going to turn people off.”  Former Dallas Cowboys running back, Tony Dorsett.

Have you seen the ratings lately for the NBA?  Tony Dorsett was right.  People are turned off.

Have a great July 2008!

Be sure you are registered as a Dadsworld.com member to be eligible for our monthly drawings.  The shirts are available in our store, and they are fantastic.

 My wife and I were watching the Olympic Trials last night and it brought back a lot of good memories.  I grew up in Eugene through the 6th grade, and later I attended the University of Oregon.  I have spent a lot of time at Hayward Field, the site of the Olympic Track and Field Trials.  Growing up we had season tickets to the track meets, and we also went to every day of the trials in 1980.  I was 10 years old, really into running and very knowledgeable about track and field.  In fact, I collectd two small books full of autographs.  Athletes like: Carl Lewis, Alberto Salazar, Rudy Chapa, Henry Rono, Mac Wilkins, Brian Oldfield (invented the spin technique in the shot put), Wilma Rudolf, Renanldo Nehemiah, Greg Foster, Stanly Floyd, Willie Banks, Leanne Warren, Edwin Moses, etc.  The world’s greatest track stars at the time.  It was an incredible week for me, and this years trials in Eugene brings back the old feelings of excitement.

Watching Tyson Gay run 9.68 in the 100 meter final was incredible.  Even if it was wind aided.  It’s still the fastest time ever for 100 meters.  It amazes me that track and field hasn’t become more popular… it’s a great sport to watch and compete in.  I guess the big stick and ball sports will always dominate American Sports, but these track and field stars are amazing athletes.  I grew up going to the Prefontaine Classic, the Twilight Meets, the Pepsi Invitational and the regular Pac-10 conference meets. 

I remember watching Gus Envela, from McKay High School in Salem, Oregon get into the 100 meter race at a Prefontaine meet in the late 1980’s.  Carl Lewis was in the race, along with several other high level international sprinters.  Gus dominated his high school years, never losing a race.  He still holds the Oregon high school 100 meter record of 10.4 seconds.   He also holds the 200m and 400m records.  It was fun to see him line up against the “big boys.”  He was outclassed (of course) in the race, but I am sure it was a thrill for him as it was the fans.  I remember he got out of the blocks well, and even was ahead of Lewis at 10 meters, but the field quickly came up to speed and overwhelmed the high schooler. 

I hope you are enjoying the last day of June, and are gearing up for a fun 4th of July.

Celebrate and be safe!  Have a great day.