Thursday, August 30, 2007

Immigration

A Mexican teenager who is in the US illegally and is refusing treatment for tuberculosis has been put in jail. He was threatening to go back to Mexico. Health officials had been worried that he could expose more people to the disease. Instead, he faces deportation a process which could take several months and since he is a minor the process is further complicated. Four people who live with him (immigration status not mentioned) also tested positive for tuberculosis. How many more people will test positive because of this individual? All of the people who work and reside in the jail are now potentially exposed to this individual. This is a case where he should be forced to avail himself of the free health care that so many of his ilk enjoy.

Since he has such a great respect for our laws I am sure that he would willingly comply with any request to limit his travel and movement to protect others. Just as Andrew Speaker, the infected lawyer did earlier this year.

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug30/0,4670,TuberculosisYouth,00.html

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

.7 is the new 10

Maybe I am showing my age. But, I remember when 10 was the perfect number. Who can forget Bo Derek, cornrows and a macrame bikini? I digress. It seems that researchers in Britain have quantified the perfect body and they say that the magic number is .7. This number describes the hip to waist ratio. It seems that Jessica Alba possesses the magic number. Who am I to argue with PhD mathematicians?

This is also why it pays to read the British press.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/25/nwiggle125.xml

Justice

Every once in a while there is a glimmer of hope in the world. This one occurred in Texas not surprisingly. It seems that a man took a mother and child hostage, handcuffed the mother and then decided it would be a good thing to slit the 3 year-old child's throat. Police officers arrived and found the mother handcuffed and covered in blood. The guy decided that it would be a good idea to charge the police with his knife, (Did he ever see Indiana Jones?) before being shot and killed by his next intended victims. The child is in critical condition and the nut job is still dead. Case closed.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4188274&version=12&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Shocked Muslim World

The last of the animals from Abu Ghraib was convicted today. By reading the news accounts one would think that the most heinous crimes against humanity were being punished. In the lead in to the article, the AP writer refers to the incident that "shocked the Muslim world." Did anyone refer to the televised beheadings of innocent people by Muslim extremists as "shocking the civilized world?" Did they refer to the suicide bombers as "shocking the Jewish world", or "shocking the Christian world?"

Just a thought, Michael Vick will more than likely do less time than any of the military personnel from Abu Grahib. Justice ...

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug28/0,4670,AbuGhraibJordan,00.html

Our Justice System is a Joke,- Part III

Only in America can a self-proclaimed pedophile get off on a technicality.
Only in America can an illegal alien be released on parole for the crime of child rape only to rape and murder again.
Only in America can you spend eighteen months in prison for illegal dog-fighting.
Only in America can a picture of a gun be considered threatening.
Only in America can you spend six months in jail for fixing up your property.

Where is the sense of proportion?


http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/9406861.html

A Viagra a Day

You have heard the story about an apple a day. Now there is research that shows that taking a Viagra each day can cure ED and more importantly, improve overall cardiovascular health. It is a good thing that this can be tied to overall cardiovascular health since it is unlikely that many prescription plans would be willing to pony up to the cost of one pill a day. However, maybe one day this stuff will be right along side the aspirin so that you can take one of each to prevent heart attacks and have a healthy circulatory system.

Also, it seems that riding a bike is bad for yor health. But, the wonder drug helps with that as well. Saddle up!

http://www.empowereddoctor.com/story_533.html

Monday, August 27, 2007

Journalistic Integrity - an Oxymoron

We can see political cartoons poking fun at everything and everyone. Jesus and Christians are especially favorite targets . Perhaps it is because they don't fight back. But, if anyone dares to poke fun at Islamic fundamentalists, Bad dog! One has to love the liberal media. So much for free speech, freedom of expression, journalistic integrity, etc.


I guess terrorism works.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294779,00.html

The offending strip

Questions

I had an experience the other day that made me ask myself a few simple questions. I went to renew my automobile license tags. When my number was called, I realized the I did not have my current insurance cards with me. Having recently moved near the time the updated cards were sent, I had not yet received them. The clerk informed me that without the card I could not renew the license tag for my automobile.

I am a average, law-abiding citizen aside from the occasional speed deviations. However, I am now driving illegally until I get my new cards in the mail, and then renew my tags and get a new sticker. Because I am a law-abiding citizen, this actually matters to me and I will now need to take time out of my schedule to expedite the new cards and new tags. But, in the mean time, I still need to drive to work every day. By doing so, I am taking a risk of being caught and cited for driving without current tags and for not having an updated insurance card. Keep in mind that my insurance is paid in full and everything is up to date. I just don't have a current card that attests to this fact. If I do get pulled over, the price will be high I am certain. If I do get stopped for not having the right color tag on my vehicle, the police will then have the opportunity to run my plates, my driver's license and find out everything about me as it pertains to my legal status and record. If I had an outstanding warrant, they could legally take me into custody and I would be required to pay whatever penalty was due.

However, if I were an illegal alien pulled over for not having a tag, I would be issued a ticket and sent on my way. Even though, I am guilty of violating the borders of the United States and I do not belong here. By virtue of the fact that I am here illegally, I am showing my contempt for the law. Yet, in this case the law turns a blind eye. This made me think of another question, do illegals have insurance and registration tags for their cars? If so, how did they get them? If not, how are they driving? The logical conclusion is that the law only applies if you respect the law. If you don't then it must not apply. Adding insult to injury is the realization that the same law that they blatantly disregard then enables them to continue breaking the law and actually be rewarded for their crimes i.e. free health care, free education, free citizenship for their illegal offspring and then ultimately a free ticket to stay in the US. All of this is the reward for choosing to break the law.

With all of this incentive to violate the law, what is the incentive to keep it? I can save a lot of money if I just don't pay for the new tags. If I choose to disobey the law about paying taxes, I could save even more. If I show my contempt for that law will they give me a pass? So much for the impartiality and blindness of the law.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Perspective

I have been posting pictures recently with the title of Perspective. I think that perspective is something that is sadly missing in America today. Many of the posts on this blog highlight the distorted perspective that we in the United States have.

I wrote less than two days ago that Michael Vick would be hailed as a hero for conquering his demons when he was released from prison. I was wrong. He is a hero today. Yesterday R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP said, "As a society, we should aid in his rehabilitation and welcome a new Michael Vick back into the community without a permanent loss of his career in football." He went on to say, "We further ask the NFL, Falcons, and the sponsors not to permanently ban Mr. Vick from his ability to bring hours of enjoyment to fans all over this country." Mr. White went on to make excuses for Michael Vick and even alluded to the idea that Vick took the plea bargain to cut his losses, and that Vick's true innocence or guilt may never be known. I guess Mr. White believed the Michael Vick of a few weeks ago who procalimed that he looked forward to proving his innocence. If that is the case, Mr. White must also believe that Vick's buddies forced him to front the money, buy the house, abuse the dogs, and watch the matches. Poor Michael, evil buddies.

Contrast Michael Vick's treatment with that of the 13 year old who drew a picture of what school officials called a gun and was suspended for 5 days because the drawing was perceived as a threat. The suspension was later reduced to three days. Who is more of a threat to society, A man who enjoys torturing animals or a really bad artist?

Perspective indeed!


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294145,00.html 13 year old

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294149,00.html Michael Vick

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Dead Man Walking

It is good to see the EU so concerned about life and death in the US. It is even better to see the governor of Texas telling the Europeans what he thinks about their concern. However, I would offer an alternative the Europeans. If they do not want us to execute criminals they can take them off of our hands and provide for their well being as citizens of whatever EU nation decides to keep them. Of course, they would not be allowed back and would have their US citizenship revoked. If this is not acceptable, the Texan response is fine.


http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070822154244.pr7nrj8e&show_article=1&catnum=3

Immigration

Immigration is a hot topic these days. Ours is a nation of immigrants. It is one of the factors that makes our country great. That being said, it is sad that on one hand we have the government doing everything it can to keep illegal aliens here who for the most part are a net drain on our society in terms of the social programs and services that they absorb versus the contribution that they make. Yet, this same government does everything it can to prevent highly skilled aliens from entering and remaining in the United States.

It seems ludicrous that we should send highly skilled professionals back to their home countries after they have taken advantage of our educational system at their own expense. Yet, we do everything short of amnesty to keep unskilled aliens who drain the system. This certainly speaks volumes about the powers that be and about us as a nation that elected them.


http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070822165309.j2pyixvd&show_article=1&catnum=3

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Outrage

Finally! Michael Vick cops a plea. It was inevitable that as soon as his buddies started singing he would go for the plea bargain. Way to go Michael! The rate of his U-turn was exceeded only by his hubris before his buddies rolled. I don't know the specifics of the arrangement. However, I can speculate that jail time is not the big surprise nor was it the point of focus during negotiations. If I were to hazard a guess, the big news about the plea deal will be that there will be no gambling related charges. That at least leaves the door open for him to make a triumpant return to football when he is "changed" by his time in prison. I expect much fanfare about giving him another chance because he has paid his debt. If there are no gambling charges involved, that is a real possibility. In fact, I think that it is inevitable. I know Paris Hilton was certainly changed by her penance. Michael Vick will be even more of a "hero" for enduring the ignominy of "losing it all", doing "hard time" then making a comeback. In the end, I would be willing to bet (pardon the poor taste) that he will be back playing in the NFL. Remember Mike Tyson?

This whole situation has really made me think about the American public. One might imagine that this is a story about a poor role model. Maybe it is. For me there is a much more glaring light that has been shed on us as we react to this "event."

The level of outrage toward Mr. Vick has not been seen since the "torture" of peace loving suspects at Abu Ghraib Prison where some poor defenseless men were forced to play cheerleader and form a human pyramid in their skivvies. In front of a woman no less! Once again the American Public was outraged and the press unrelenting in their condemnation. Just like their condemnation of Mr. Vick. Was anyone outraged by the beheading of innocent journalists and aid workers by the Islamic terrorists for more than five minutes?

I just can not come to grips with the lack of perspective and the lack of long-term memory of the American people and the so-called journalists who "seek the truth". What Michael Vick did was reprehensible, disgusting, uncivilized, and many other things including illegal. But, in the grand scheme of things how do his actions affect our society as a whole? Is he trying to send us back to a 12th century theocracy? Is he trying to kill as many Americans as he can so that he can get his 70 virgins? Is he teaching children that it is an honorable thing to become a suicide bomber and kill as many infidels as possible when you blow yourself into thousands of bloody pieces?

Michael Vick deserves everything that he gets and I for one hope he never plays professional footbal again. But, there are so many more important that truly deserve outrage. Michael Vick is not worth the time or effort. The infiltration of and capitulation to radical Islam is more pressing as it pertains to the future of this Republic and the world.

Monday, August 20, 2007

G*d By Any Other Name

I was reflecting on a recent news story about a Catholic priest who suggested using a more multi-cultural name for G*d. Theological debates aside, I began to ponder the true motivation behind this type of thinking and I kept coming to the same conclusion. Well intentioned yet ignorant people who are blinded by their idealism. People like this and others really do not understand the evil that faces Western Civilization. Sun Tzu said "So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will win a hundred times in a hundred battles. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you win one and lose the next. If you do not know yourself or your enemy, you will always lose. " I am afraid that many people really do not understand the enemy and that ignorance will continue to prove more costly as time progresses and we continue to give up ground in this battle.

If the televised pictures of gleeful multitudes rejoicing at the falling of the twin towers, the gruesome beheadings of innocent people circulating the Internet, nor the cuddly Farfur instructing children to become suicide bombers are not enough to get people to realize the danger, I doubt that this article will either. However, it does provide one more piece of corroborative evidence for those of us who understand the threat.

If our media and leaders exhibited only a fraction of the courage of this woman, we would be much safer.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22278311-2,00.html

Don't It make my Brown Eyes Blue

What if the results in this article are true? Will people rush out to genetically alter their offspring? I certainly hope not. But, it is an interesting article nonetheless.

I did an informal non-scientific study once when I was sitting in an airport waiting for a flight. I noticed that the majority of the pilots has blue eyes. Of course, I did not conduct a scientific study or use accepted sampling methods. But, as I sat and observed the pilots coming and going around me, I noticed that the majority had blue eyes. But, that is anecdotal at best. It would be interesting to see how this study was conducted and what population was sampled etc.

I wonder what color Einstein's eyes were. What about DaVinci's, Newton's, Pascal's. Incidentally, Stephen Hawking has blue eyes.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22274609-2,00.html

Taking the Easy Road

Politicians and public officials are constantly trying to justify their existence and importance. One need only to read the headlines to see how this quest can often lead people astray. Recently, Mike Nifong created quite a train wreck when he attempted to pander to voters in the case of the Duke lacrosse players. He only wrecked the lives of a few "privileged" individuals so perhaps no real harm was done. Right?

This type of abuse is occurring every day and is causing pain and suffering in the lives of thousands of people. DEA witchhunts and the demonization of physicians who prescribe pain medication is harming people every day who suffer from chronic pain. I have experience with close relatives who suffer and have suffered from chronic pain. They are not criminals or "addicts". Their need is real. I suppose one could call them "addicted" to pain medication. If by addiction you mean that they need it to get relief from the constant pain that their physical condition causes. Alcoholics are afflicted with a "sickness" but people who suffer from chronic pain are not. The real crime being committed is by a government that pretends to fight illegal drugs by punishing physicians who prescribe pain medication. It is too difficult to fight the drug cartels and illegal importation of drugs. The government and these so called public servants are actually inflicting suffering on the very people they are supposed to serve. They are forcing people to endure pain needlessly. In effect, it could be argued that they are accessories to torture. The government takes cold medicine off the shelves to give the appearance of "doing something" rather than stopping the supply of illegal Chinese pseudoephedrine. The government goes after physicians who are living up to their oath to help people who are suffering.

When will the government decide that people are addicted to blood pressure medicine, cholesterol medication, or perhaps anti-depressants. Maybe they will decide that too many people are taking Viagra that really don't need it. In essence, we have legislators (mostly lawyers) practicing medicine by default. Big Brother is a reality. Big Brother tells people what medicines they need and which ones they don't need. I really do not want my doctor to be Big Brother.

The easiest road is seldom the correct one. It is easier to go on a witch hunt than to do the real work in stemming the tide of illegal drugs and their support of terrorists etc. After all, the real evil is the big pharmaceutical companies who make the drugs right?

My only wish is that these politicians and public officials would experience the pain that they are so intent on causing. I am sure that they won't because they are above the law.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293772,00.html

Friday, August 17, 2007

Drugs, Gangs and Terrorists

If anyone doubts the relationship between drugs, gangs and terrorists; they have their head in the sand. I have wondered why I can't buy cold medicine that actually works. Now it seems that it is actually tied to terrorism. Chinese pseudoephedrine, (in bulk vs. the few pills I used to be able to buy at the local pharmacy), gangs, and Terrorists. Instead of stopping the flow of the illegal mass quantities of pseudoephedrine, we take a few legitimate pills off the shelf so that when we have a cold, we can't get relief. This is a typical reaction, make a good show but do little to really fix a problem. I have feeling that this is only scratching the surface. I am sure that there is a much bigger relationship between terrorists and illegal drugs than is currently known or even imagined.


We buy oil from people who hate us who in turn use the money to kill us. We buy drugs from people who hate us and use the money to kill us. Talk about buying the rope that is used to hang yourself.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/NATION/108140073/1001

Government Bureaucracy at it's Finest

In the perpetual game of rock, paper, scissors that is the US Government there is another story that deserves mention. We are always reading about so called "turf wars" between various government agencies. But, this one gets the award for the week as being the most outrageous.

It seems that the Census Bureau is more concerned about counting illegals than allowing ICE to do it's job. With all of the statistical magic that the Census Bureau has at it's disposal, why can they just impute the numbers of illegals in this country based upon the numbers that ICE rounds up? Imputation worked when they wanted to count "under counted" populations in the past.

Who runs the Census Bureau? I bet that they are predominately Democrats.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293517,00.html

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Strange Bedfellows

I saw a picture of Moqtada al Sadr’s radical Shia Mahdi Army militia on the web today. These are the guys who are killing American soldiers and here is a photo of a unit the size of a platoon or perhaps a company marching in broad daylight. The photo was not all-encompassing but it was a showed enough to see that there was a substantial force gathered in one place. I wondered to myself, how is it that we can get these great news pictures of these guys and yet they are still breathing? I read a little more and followed another link in a story and I found this article.

After I read it, I definitely have an answer to my question. However, I have many more questions from that one answer.

http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001504.html

Our Justice System is a Joke, Part II

One has to wonder about the possibility that the recent schoolyard murders in Newark, NJ are related to MS-13. If so, to what extent are they related? If they are and it is found that the suspect is connected, then the next logical question would be is there a relationship between the gang connection and the low bail of the suspect that allowed him to be free to commit the crime in the first place.

We are now debating labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. What if we looked within our own borders and saw gangs for what they really are, terrorist organizations? What characteristics define a terrorist organization?

The United States has defined terrorism under the Federal Criminal Code. Chapter 113B of Part I of Title 18 of the United States Code defines terrorism and lists the crimes associated with terrorism. In Section 2331 of Chapter 113b, terrorism is defined as:

(5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United State
The U.S. National Counter Terrorism Center describes a terrorist act as one which was: "premeditated; perpetrated by a sub national or clandestine agent; politically motivated, potentially including religious, philosophical, or culturally symbolic motivations; violent; and perpetrated against a noncombatant target."

There is no single definition for terrorism and much of what is called terrorism is defined by those writing the definition. Certainly, no one calls himself a terrorist. They are liberators, freedom fighters, etc. Perhaps they are called "gang members". I must admit to not being an expert on gangs in general or MS-13 in particular. But, from the limited amount of reading that I have done, their methods do not seem much different than those of the more well known terrorist groups that dominate our headlines on a daily basis.

I believe that gangs and the climate of violence and fear that they create are examples of domestic terrorism. They scoff at our laws and exploit our system of law to their advantage while gaining strength and increasing their numbers. Perhaps they should be treated as terrorists and not criminals.

Another random thought: What better place for an organization whose membership includes "undocumented" members than a "Sanctuary City", where immigration status is ignored?

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/08/gang_rumors_swirl_around_newar.html

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Stupid is as Stupid Does

There is stupid and then there is STOOPID! OK, I know that is not a real word. However, there is not a word that can really truly describe the level of stupidity of this "alleged" criminal. I say "alleged" since in this country, we operate under the presumption of innocence.

This guy like so many criminals proclaims his innocence. But, this is even better than video and 100 eyewitnesses.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293208,00.html

Aid and Comfort

I don't think this mayor will win reelection. But, I would love to see him move to Venezuela, Iran, or Senegal.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293197,00.html

Monday, August 13, 2007

The Fall of Rome and Perhaps the United States

Leave it to the Brits to report a US GAO study. I am sure that no one on this side of the pond cares to report such things.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/80fa0a2c-49ef-11dc-9ffe-0000779fd2ac.html

Blame it on the Christians

Here is another example of liberals blaming everything they are against on the influence of the evil Evangelical Christians. It is never the fault of the perpetrators. The blame is always passed on to someone else. More often than not, it is the "Religious Right" or "Evangelical Christians." I am sure that you could probably find someone who would tell you that Jack the Ripper was an Evangelical Christian. We already know the the Hitler of the 21st century, George W. Bush is one. I am certain that the criminals mentioned in my earlier posts were probably card-carrying members of the Moral Majority too.

You can brutally murder someone, kidnap and murder children, or commit just about any unspeakable crime against your fellow humans and you can always find someone to stand up for your rights and be willing to make sure that you have cable television and the religiously appropriate diet while you are incarcerated. But, if you want to actually punish one of these criminals who are now just victims of the evil and unjust legal system. You are Satan himself. Please note that I said legal system and not justice system. There is no justice.


It seems that the anti-death penalty folks don't mind keeping this vicious criminals alive at taxpayer expense indefinitely. Maybe if we put it into terms they can understand. How many children could be educated for the cost of keeping one inmate for a year? For example, California spends $35,587 per year per inmate as noted on their website.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0730247320070813

CA Dept of Corrections :http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/DivisionsBoards/AOAP/FactsFigures.html

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Hitting the McLottery

It seems that another person may have drawn the lucky number in the McLottery. I think that I should order a mushroom burger without mushrooms and then take a big bite. I know that I always check my food and ask if I have any questions.

How much money will this guy win? Only the jury from West Virginia knows. Of course those same juries are the reason you can't find obstetricians and other specialized medical professionals in West Virginia.

My heart is warmed by the spirit of charity that this guy demonstrates toward those who made it possible.

However, this charity is based on a lawsuit that seeks damages on two counts of negligence, one count of intentional infliction of emotional distress and one count of punitive damages. Negligence perhaps. But, I doubt that the pimply-faced kid bagging the order intended to inflict emotional distress on the "victim". If that were the case, I could be a millionaire myself since I have had my orders improperly filled on numerous occasions. Now I know that I am a victim of the intentional infliction of emotional distress. I wonder if I could charge a certain ex-wife with "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Hmmmmmmm.


http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/2007081043/Man-says-hold-the-cheese-claims-McDonalds-didnt-sues-for-10-million/

Friday, August 10, 2007

Our Justice System is a Joke

I really wanted to use the lyrics from an old Genesis song as the title for this post. But, it is too serious for anything but the harsh, ugly, and horribly sad truth. In earlier posts I noted the shortcomings of our legal system and how it is often manipulated in favor of those who don't value the rule of law. I think that I was wrong. The truth is that they value our lack of the rule of law and how easy it is to manipulate our legal system.

This is another one of those cases that is really beyond the pale. An illegal alien (not undocumented immigrant), is out on bail awaiting trial for the rape of a five year old. Now, he allegedly is involved in the execution style murder of three college students with whom it seems, he may have repeated his previously alleged offense. I suppose I can understand on some level the granting of bail to a person if they do not pose a danger to the community and they are not a flight risk. I find it hard to imagine that being charged with the rape of a five year old does not constitute some risk to the community. I guess the fact that he was here illegally made him less of a risk for flight. At the very least he should have been held in some form of detention for being "undocumented."

I really do wonder how so many of these judges and lawyers can sleep at night. I guess that they don't mind the trip in the hand basket.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292911,00.html

Oh Canada!

It is about time that someone finally stood up to the Russians!

Seriously, I wonder just how much Vladamir Putin is trembling at the thought of this new militarization of the Arctic. The quiet refuge of peace loving animals is about to be disturbed as two superpowers play plant the flag at the top of the world. I can hardly wait to hear the outcry from the environmentalists around the world as Canada exerts her sovereignty against the Russian Bear.

What is the carbon footprint of the sled dog teams that will be required to deliver supplies to these remote outposts?

I also imagine that the evil US Navy will eventually enter the fray since they spend a fair amount of time under the Arctic icepack. I think that nuclear submarine is one of the few reliable modes of transportation to and from that part of the world. How many of those are in the Canadian Navy?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=apVUjZZtcYro&refer=canada

Utimate Honeymoon Suite

The ultimate romantic getaway could be just around the corner. I imagine there are a few kinks to work out. But, it might be the kinks that attract visitors.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1089156420070810

Thursday, August 9, 2007

"Enemy Combatant" vs."Alien Unlawful Enemy Combatant"

I have always been fairly attentive to the specific words that I use. I believe that it is very important to use the right words and that words are the primary means that we use to communicate ideas. But, there are times when this can be carried to a ridiculous extreme. This is especially true when you are dealing with lawyers and the law. There always seems to be wiggle room when it comes to what are particular expression of the written law means. There are countless anecdotes about criminals being released on a technicality. This becomes more dangerous as the seriousness of the alleged offense increases. What should you do with people who don't like Americans and want to kill as many of us as possible? Well, the first thing you do is make sure that you assign them the proper designation. Whether in civilian court or military court, common sense is often trumped by picayune semantics. Lawyers and the judges that they become...

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/09/ap4004539.html

"There's another: why may not that be the skull of a lawyer? Where be his quiddits now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, and will not tell him of his action of battery? Hum! This fellow might be in's time a great buyer of land, with his statutes, his recognizances, his fines, his double vouchers, his recoveries: is this the fine of his fines, and the recovery of his recoveries, to have his fine pate full of fine dirt? will his vouchers vouch him no more of his purchases, and double ones too, than the length and breadth of a pair of indentures? The very conveyances of his lands will hardly lie in this box; and must the inheritor himself have no more, ha?" - Hamlet

What were they thinking?

The Boy Scout motto is " Be Prepared". I don't think this guy was prepared enough when he got his Atomic Energy merit badge. He should have read about Marie Curie and the dangers of handling radioactive material.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292111,00.html

Monday, August 6, 2007

The Founding Father's Biggest Mistake.

The Constitution of the United States is an amazing creation that has withstood the test of time. James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine and unnamed others demonstrated tremendous insight and wisdom when they crafted it. They did make one major blunder that is now becoming apparent. Perhaps, one could excuse the Anglo-centric nature of the document if independence had been gained with the aid of the English. But, it was independence from the English that had been won. A proper and more fitting document would have been written in Spanish. What better way to say farewell to King George, than to craft this magnificent document in Spanish and then to make Spanish the official language of the former English colonies? Fortunately, we are well on our way to correcting this centuries old mistake.

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/archives/2007/08/presidential_de.html

Priorities

Just to prove that all is not lost in the world, I wanted to share this story I found. If only airlines were so considerate:

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug06/0,4670,ODDGermanyFansaposBeer,00.html

Speeding stop is racial profiling

I have an idea why the media inundates us with stories about Paris, Lindsay, and the never-ending cadre of pop culture sideshow freaks. It distracts people from noticing the changes in the world around them. One day, you wake up and realize that you aren't in Kansas anymore.

The Constitution provides for protection against unlawful search and seizure. But, the last time I checked when you are stopped for speeding the officer is allowed to look in your car. I know that the few times that I have been stopped by an officer of the law, he checked inside the car. he even made sure that I was wearing a seat belt. If I had not been, I would have been charged with violating the law against putting myself at risk. In some places, I believe you can be pulled over if they think you aren't wearing one. So, if one were speeding or violating some other traffic ordinance he/she would expect that being stopped by an officer might might be a possibility. After all, speeding ordinances are among the few that are still actively enforced. I imagine that is due to being a source of revenue. The following story paints a slightly different picture.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292278,00.html

Here is another example that highlights the injustice of profiling. It seems that some are using the fact that a person does not have a valid Social Security Card as a means of singling people out to be fired and potentially put on the streets. This is unfairly targeting people who spent their hard earned money on false documents or who did not have enough to buy the very best forgeries. It also unfairly punishes those companies who are trying to be socially responsible and provide jobs for those who truly need them, even if they do not have the proper documents. Look at Bank of America. They were pioneers who led the way by being willing to issue credit cards to undocumented Americans. Why should other companies not follow suit and help out the less fortunate? The silver lining for those who are fired is that they can move to one of many "safe havens" like San Francisco where they can live at the expense of taxpayers without fear of being turned over to the INS. Plus, they probably won't have to pay for their children's education.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0833213620070808?feedType=RSS

Republicans

I recently received a call from the National Republical Senatorial Campaign Committee. I used to be a contributor and they were calling to solicit donations. I told the guy calling that I would not be contributing at this time. The reason that I gave for my change in attitude was that the Republicans had squandered an historic opportunity to alter the course of this great nation. Instead of demonstrating leadership and making the difficult choices, they sat back and allowed the Democrats to set the agenda. Now the Repulicans are once again a minority party. Subsequently, I found this over the weekend from one of the greatest conservative minds of today. I think that he is dead on with this one:

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/news/stories/2007/08/03/newt0803.html
It is funny how peole who are right are often villified.

Enjoy!

Education

I read an article in the NYT that warms my heart.

By the way, have you read that test scores and graduation rates are improving?

Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/education/01education.html?ei=5087%0A&em=&en=acf692212ec5bd17&ex=1186286400&pagewanted=print