ClearBrainZ

You Can't Do That

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman in New Orleans today overturned the Administration's moratorium on off-shore drilling imposed by the Interior Department. Calling it arbitrarily imposed and rash, the Judge concluded that the government acted wrongly in stopping all drilling just because one rig had an accident.

The Interior Department had halted approval of any new permits for deep-water drilling and suspended drilling of 33 exploratory wells in the Gulf.

Here's what the Judge had to say in rendering his decision:

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an unprecedented, sad, ugly and inhuman disaster," he wrote. "What seems clear is that the federal government has been pressed by what happened on the Deepwater Horizon into an otherwise sweeping confirmation that all Gulf deep-water drilling activities put us all in a universal threat of irreparable harm."

His ruling prohibits federal officials from enforcing the moratorium until a trial is held. He did not set a trial date.--Fox News

This was definitely the right thing to do. The moratorium would have crippled the world's energy supplies, cost thousands of jobs, and further damaged the economies of both the states directly affected by the spill, as well as the nation at large.

We expect the White House will appeal. You didn't expect them to admit they overreacted and made a mistake, did you?

This decision, if upheld, would also place limits on the Executive branch's authority. Many feel the President exceeded his authority in imposing the moratorium, or directing that it be imposed. The President's powers ARE NOT unlimited, and there must be a basis in law for his actions.

And now to ClearOurBrainZ !

We cannot afford to let emotion overcome reality as it relates to our energy policy. We have to have increased domestic production of oil and gas while we transition to cleaner technologies.

The moratorium was a kick in the pants to Louisiana and the other gulf state's economies, already losing money from the lack of tourist business this summer.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Your comments, please.

Pay to Play, Say Bureaucrats

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

It seems our Glorious Leader is not the only one skilled in "The Chicago Deal".

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar's minions are good at it, too.

They are shaking down the Border Patrol for millions of under-the-radar dollars meant to cover environmental damage stemming from their everyday duties along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Shaking down you and me, really. It's our tax dollars they are playing fast and loose with.

"The Department of Homeland Security, which houses the Border Patrol, last year signed a deal with Interior -- the administrator of America's park lands -- to cough up $50 million for environmental "mitigation" needed in the wake of the construction of a border fence. That was after DHS had already spent or committed millions more for expected environmental damage caused by the Border Patrol over the years."--Fox News

Here's some of the rat-holes that Interior is pouring money down:

-- $200,000 to study the extent of unauthorized vehicle routes in the habitat of Sonoran pronghorn, which are endangered.

-- $1.75 million to close and restore those vehicle routes.

-- $20,000 to move pronghorn back to the Valley of the Ajo if they don't migrate by themselves in three years.

-- $14,000 to do weekly aerial surveys of the pronghorn during the 2010 fawning season.

-- $35,000 for monitoring the maternity roosts of lesser long-nosed bats.

-- $140,000 to study "unknown roosts" for lesser long-nosed bats.

Never mind that the drug cartel convoys, the hordes of illegal immigrants with their trail of discarded trash, human wastes, abandoned possessions, and the beaten paths so many have worn through these areas.

Never mind that Americans cannot use their own national parks and wilderness areas.

Never mind that we have lost control of these areas to the drug cartels and human smugglers.

We gotta protect those bats and pronghorns. Kumbaya.

The environuts are feasting on this as well:

In talking about the funds chiseled out of the Border Patrol to pay for "mitigation" of environmental damage resulting from securing the borders as listed above, mentioning the towers which house cameras and other sensors, DOW weighs in.

Matt Clark, southwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife(DOW), described those examples as "well-thought-out mitigation measures." He said the towers might not look harmful to the environment, but that the generators attached to them and the vehicle traffic necessary to maintain them make a dent."--Fox News

"If anything, he said Border Patrol should be putting up more money to pay for damage. He described the harm from the border fence as "insidious," separating species from their own kind as well as food and water supplies. Though not an ideal situation, he said the mitigation money can be used to purchase land elsewhere and preserve habitat for the affected species. "--Fox News

"I think mitigation dollars can be put to good use," he said."--Fox News

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

There is legislation in the works to address this, and allow the Border Patrol to do it's job. But, it doesn't address the "fees" being charged the Border Patrol by Interior. The Border Patrol needs all it's resources just to do its job.They are supposed to be safeguarding our nation, not acting as a piggy bank for Interior and the evirodummies. Let's fix this legislation and face reality.

Don't get me wrong....I'm in favor of preserving these areas. I'm in favor of taking good care of the environment.

But people, and the security of our nation, must come first.

It won't do much good to preserve and protect these "sensitive" areas if they are overrun with drug convoys and hordes of illegals.

It won't do any good to protect these areas if we have ceded control of them to Mexico and the drug cartels.

People first.

Our nation's security first.

We can do both. Protect the environment, within reason, and secure the borders.

Bureaucratic infighting and empire building is unacceptable. All I see in this administration in finger pointing.

Where is the leadership?

Good question.

Your comments, please.

Energy, Industry, and the Enviroment

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:26:00 +0000

Everyone is very upset over the recent oil spill, still ongoing in the Gulf. The demands of many to stop all offshore development of our petroleum resources is understandable.

But it won't solve our problems. We must have energy to grow, nay, just to survive. Where are we supposed to get that energy? That petroleum we MUST HAVE for our industries, our industrial feed stocks, and our future growth? From other countries? Many of which are hostile to us, or so unstable themselves that energy production is difficult, sporadic, or impossible? Are we to stand, hat in hand, politely asking for the resources we need to survive?

We are headed there, it seems. Our elected leaders are taking us there rapidly. All you have to do is watch or read the news, and you will see it happening. The drilling moratorium now in effect is driving oil production out of American waters. Jobs are being lost, never to be recovered, at least not for several years, perhaps decades. You see, oil production is a long-term process. It takes years to get to the point of actual production of petroleum. Years!

If we drive production away from the Gulf, it will take YEARS before it can be re-started. The economic impact will be tremendous. Jobs, high-paying jobs, lost. Soaring energy costs--heating oil, gasoline, diesel, industrial feed stocks--all will increase in cost--a lot.

We are in big trouble.

Short-sighted political types are making idiotic decisions that are impractical and just plain stupid. We are like sheep following the Judas goat to slaughter. Lots of bleating, but not much brains. We must not be stampeded into killing oil production in this nation. We need it too badly. Our economy needs it. We will wither on the vine without it, literally. Even our food production relies on energy. The huge farms and food factories that feed us must have energy. Where is it to come from? Right now, that means oil. We don't have anything else ready to go. We will in the future, but right now we have to have petroleum.

And who is to blame?

We are. We elect the rascals. Shall we blame them when they act like rascals and idiots? We put them there. We wanted change. Or a majority of us did, according to the results of the last election in 2008.

We got it. But is isn't exactly what we had in mind, is it?

Not what those who voted for the current regime had in mind, I feel safe to say. The recent results of mid-term elections, and the election of a conservative Republican to Ted Kennedy's senate seat seem to foretell more change. Does it seem that way to you?

Back to the subject: Energy. Where is it to come from, and how are we to produce it in the quantities our civilization requires now, and in the future? And, how are we going to meet these needs without poisoning our planet and thereby extinguishing ourselves? Or descending into war to ravage each other over the leavings?

I see only one solution.

We cannot, at this stage in our technological development, manage closed fuel cycles in any form of energy production. We just don't know how to do it....yet. Until we learn, we need to take steps to keep from killing ourselves by inches. That's what's happening right now. We are fouling our own nest. Rapidly.

We must have energy, and heavy industry, but we can't live with the by-products, wastes, and the pollution that they will produce. There are just too many people on the planet, folks. Do the math. We are quickly reaching a point where it will be a very nasty place to live. Is that what we want? Of course not!

ClearYourBrainZ !

Reality check: We need energy. Lot's of it. We need industry, resources, and lebensraum. Especially the latter....you can only put so many rats in a box until they turn and consume each other.

How?

Move energy production and heavy industry off the planet. It's our only long-term and feasible option. Granted, we are in the infancy of any space industry. We don't have efficient and affordable lift capacity, though we are making progress with our fledgling commercial space flight operations. It will continue to get cheaper and more developed.

The demand, which is what drives business, is there, and will accelerate. As competition increases, costs will drop.

Dreaming, just dreaming, you say.

Nope.

It's happening. Go find out.

It just looks far away, but it's closer than you think. And, it's the future. We only have so many resources on this planet. We either go to space and expand, or we reach the point where everything falls apart. That simple. We either go find the resources we need, or spiral downward to a subsistence level. Civilization most likely won't survive the plunge, almost certain.

We could accomplish the above in a generation, perhaps two. Perhaps less, properly motivated.

The choice is ours. We are capable of doing what needs to be done.

Will we, that is the question.

Your comments, please.

Invasion USA

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

The Chuck Norris movie, depicting a mass of terrorists attacking the US, was fiction.

The novel by author William W. Johnstone, is fiction.

The closure of 5 federal land areas on our southern border to the public, is FACT. It's happened.

Violent drug traffickers and Mexican drug cartels have taken over these areas, along with the human smugglers bringing illegal immigrants across our borders in a ceaseless flow.

Escorted by squads of automatic weapons-bearing thugs, truckloads of drugs and people are entering our country in droves.

Law enforcement officers are being killed.

Citizens and landowners are being killed.

People who live in these areas are living in fear of their lives.

Our country is being invaded by criminals and thugs, with the apparent complicity of the Mexican government. At the very least, Mexico is doing little to stop the flow.

Here's what's happening RIGHT NOW !

1) About 3,500 acres of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, closed.

2) At Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, which shares a 32-mile stretch of the border with Mexico, visitors are warned on a federally-run website that some areas are not accessible by anyone.

"Due to our proximity to the International Boundary with Mexico, some areas near the border are closed for construction and visitor safety concerns."--Organ Pipe Cactus NPS website

3) Ironwood Forest National Monument, a 129,000-acre federal parkland in the Sonoran Desert, visitors are warned of dangerous illegal activity in the area. The federal NPS website for Ironwood Forest NM says "look for fast-moving vehicles and pedestrians on back roads."

4) Dennis Godfrey, a spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management's Arizona office, said roughly a dozen signs were posted earlier this month along the Sonoran Desert National Monument advising that travel in the area is not recommended due to "active drug and human" smuggling.--Fox News

5) Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the Coronado National Forest, which covers nearly 1.8 million acres in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, too dangerous to use.

The federal government, and the Department of the Interior, say they have no plans to re-take or reopen these areas.

They have effectively ceded these lands, part of the sovereign territory of the United States of America, to Mexican drug lords and bands of illegal immigrant smugglers.

The hands of local and state law enforcement and the Border Patrol are tied. Federal rangers and the Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior are only allowing law enforcement and the Border Patrol to enter these areas on foot or horseback. This is to protect the environment and preserve these fragile areas, they say. Of course, the bad guys, the drug smugglers and the human traffickers, ignore this like they ignore the rest of our laws, roaring north in rugged off-road vehicles, escorted by thugs armed with automatic weapons. Even the illegals entering on foot these days are often escorted by armed "coyotes".

Kind of makes it hard for the "good guys" to do their jobs, don't you think?

No, really? Ya think?

Invasion USA.

More and more areas, further inland, 30, 50, 80, 100 miles north of the border, are being invaded. Lawlessness is becoming pervasive. People are afraid. People are being killed, gunned down by thugs who flee back to Mexico.

They need our help.

However, all is not lost, in spite of how bad it sounds! Help is on the way!

Our government is responding!

They are sending 1500 clerks in National Guard uniforms to do paperwork. Hurrah!

They are filing lawsuits against the state of Arizona to keep them from enforcing the law. Hurrah!

They are announcing their plans against Arizona in foreign countries before informing Arizona, or us....thanks, Madam Secretary.

They are applauding the President of Mexico for telling us how terrible we are. Hurrah!

They are grandstanding on television and across the media spectrum every day, showing us all that they are in charge. Hurrah!

They are thumbing their noses at their oaths of office, and the Constitution.

Their motto seems to be: "No problem is too large to be ignored, and it will go away if we ignore it long enough."

Somehow, I don't think this will work. I can hear the defenders of the Alamo spinning in their graves all the way up here in Tennessee.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

What is the reality here?

Our federal officials have failed to protect and defend the United States of America as required by their oaths of office. And, as required by the people of this nation.

Failed. Not misspoke, misstepped, or erred, but FAILED! We need some new blood in these positions, and as the Duke would have said:"We're burnin' daylight!" Time is running out for us to act.

Soon, we will be left with no choice but to take military action to reclaim our land. We need to move now to stop this invasion, and move forcefully. With overwhelming strength. No one, not one drug lord, gangster, coyote, or illegal immigrant, no terrorist infiltrator, should be left with any doubt as to our resolve and commitment to defend the territory of the United States of America. There should be no doubt that we control our borders.

None.

We need to get tough.

We need to get mean.

We need to face reality.

That our government is tacitly accepting this situation is totally unacceptable.

Call your Congressman.

Call your Senator.

Email them.

Write them.

Write the White House, the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service.

Demand that they do their job. Demand that they reclaim our lands.

Raise hell. That is what it will take. They are afraid of us, afraid we will fire their butts.

They are right.

Perform or perish, ye elected and appointed ones.

Your comments, please.

Have I Got A Deal For You !

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Well, it seems the White House successfully twisted the arm of the BP executives, forcing them to cough up 20 BILLION DOLLARS over the next 4 years to "mediate" the effects of the oil spill on the businesses affected. That's 5 billion $$ a year. Not an insurmountable amount for a large company like BP.

But it's a LOT of money. Money the company loses, money that won't be used for exploration and production. Money that won't be returned on the shareholders' investment.

I also think the media has played a very large role in keeping tourists from visiting their normal haunts at the beach, further adversely impacting the coastal economies. What is their share?

How about the government's responsibility to inspect the drilling rigs offshore, and enforce existing regulations, that they absolutely failed to do? What is their share?

Other companies will be liable as well, since this was a joint project. The legal eagles will fight that battle.

I don't object to BP posting such an "escrow" amount to be distributed to those truly impacted by the spill. There are many families and small business people who are devastated by the effects of this accident. It remains to be seen how these funds will be REALLY distributed, and how much of them will be absorbed by the "overhead" and "expenses" of paying them out.

If our experiences with the Katrina relief funds administration are any example, it will be rife with fraud, waste, and mismanagement. Even the 9/11 funds distributed by Kenneth Feinberg, currently known as Obama's"pay-czar", had these problems. And, that was less than half of the amount he's going to be in charge of this time.

You don't think there are not already schemes afoot to grab some of this "free money", do you?

Of course there are! Loot always draws crooks. This will be no different.

Sure, we caught and prosecuted lot's of people for stealing Katrina money that didn't deserve it, or need it....they were just crooks. But, the money was most always not recovered, or very little was.

What I object to is the President of our country shaking down a private company for money. That's the appearance of this, no matter how the Administration tries to "spin" it. It smacks of "The Chicago Deal", and gangsterism. It looks really bad. I don't believe the Constitution gives the Executive Branch this kind of power.

I realize we don't have a lot of facts. We are not privy to the behind-the-scenes workings of a deal like this....and it was a deal, worked out beforehand, that much is obvious. You don't really think that such a quick sale was made around a table at the WH, do you?

This "conference" with the BP execs at the WH was strictly for show. BP had surely decided, on advice from their legal and financial teams, what needed to be done. After all, the $75 million dollar cap on spills is the law. I think BP is making an aggressive move to show their willingness to cooperate and do the right thing.

The wrong thing, is for an American President and our government to make Hugo Chavez-like moves to force a private company to give the government what amounts to a huge political tool(the money) to solidify it's position and shore up its crashing popularity with the American public. This isn't a banana republic, Mr. President....it's the USA. You aren't doing yourself or your administration any favors by acting like a dictator.

More facts will emerge in the coming days and weeks. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Will this turn into a free-for-all feeding frenzy that will devour BP, and drive oil production completely out of the US? It very easily could. Politicians are not known for being farsighted. They can rarely see beyond the next election, if that far.

As for the argument that this disaster will drive the rapid development and implementation of "green" and "renewable" technologies to replace "evil oil", we all know that it will take decades to do anything even approaching such a level of use and adaptation. It has to be practical, and actually work. We are only in the infancy of developing and utilizing such technology.

We are going to need that "evil oil" for some time to come. Even if we had the "green" technology ready to go right now, cheap, efficient, and practical, we will still need petroleum for many of our industrial feed stocks. Where do you think plastic comes from, huh? And thousands of other products you use every day.

Then there's the latest federal commission created by our Glorious Leader. Filled with eviros and an anti-oil leader, Fran Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council. She isn't just suspicious about drilling, she outright opposes it.--Fox News

Composed of academic and environmental advocates with ZERO experience and knowledge of the oil industry, this body is charged with ensuring that a disaster like the one we have underway in the Gulf never happens again. They all espouse a similar ideology – one that is opposed to drilling and oil.

And these geniuses are going to decide what to recommend our national policy on oil production should be?

I think someone should ClearTheirBrainZ, except they haven't used them in so long they may be hard to spot.

My guess, is that they will spend lots of our money(that we don't have), eat at many fine restaurants(all while discussing the Public's business, of course), and jet around on government aircraft. I say, we give them a budget and a timeline for completion....just like in the real world. It would be interesting to see if they could perform.

I doubt it. How about you?

Your comments, please.

Mr. Fix-It Has The Answer

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Senator Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ, has introduced a bill that would REQUIRE oil companies to drill relief wells at all new drilling sites offshore. Pre-emptive drilling, he calls it.

What a crock! Another know-nothing thinks he has the solution to something that might happen. Where exactly did Sen. L. get his engineering degree in sub-sea geology? Has he years of experience in this highly technical field?

Nope.

But that doesn't stop him, and others of his ilk from taking any opportunity to get their mugs on the news. Just political posturing, expulsion of more hot air from small minds.

Not only would this plan be very costly, not just to the oil producers, but the consumers(us), but it would INCREASE the risks of a blowout, since multiple wells would be drilled into unknown geological formations. That's the reason they call them "discovery wells", Senator.....not just to find out if the deposits are present, but to learn about the geologic structure they are penetrating. What do you think they do with those core samples, huh? Use them for fishing weights? What do you think they use the samples they examine while drilling the wells? Your answer, Senator?

That's what I thought. You know less about this field than the guy who delivers your heating oil.

Passing laws to fix engineering problems is just plain stupid. You can't legislate engineering.

Demanding that companies try your inane ideas without any data to support such a position means you aren't using your head, except to hold your ears apart. Logic, reason, testing, the scientific method....ever hear of it?

I don't pretend to have the solutions to any of this, I'm no engineer. But, many of YOU are. Many of you are working hard to mediate the impact of this event and are working on practical solutions. Keep it up. We are a smart, innovative bunch here in America. Show us your stuff, boys.

The Obama administration's idea to create an "escrow" account administered by a "third party"(government cronies) is a really bad idea. It would just disappear into the bank accounts of lawyers and other slush-fund pigs. I hope BP is smart enough to realize that.

ClearYourBrainZ !

Science and engineering will cap this well, and what is learned from this accident will be applied

across the industry. Rational thought, logic, and hard work cannot be replaced by words on a piece of paper. Yes, we have a big mess in the Gulf. It will be cleaned up.

What about the ships, mostly foreign flagged, who dump their wastes overboard near our coasts?

That needs to be addressed as well. We have laws in place for this. Enforce them. We might look at requiring any vessel who comes here to be equipped with waste recovery/retention systems, and make them keep a log of it. Surprise inspections would be a good way to keep them honest.

Just some thoughts.

Remember.....reality won't be affected by blustering and posturing. Only hard work and logical

thought, calm assessment of the facts, and methodical experimentation will produce results.

We should be about it.

Your comments, please.

He Said, They Said--Say What?

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

White House energy adviser Carol Browner on Friday rejected accusations from a panel of experts who claim the administration misrepresented their views to justify a six-month ban on offshore drilling in response to the BP oil rig disaster.

"A blanket moratorium is not the answer," they wrote in a letter claiming Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar's report "misrepresents" their position. "A blanket moratorium will have the indirect effect of harming thousands of workers and further impact state and local economies suffering from the spill. We do not believe that punishing the innocent is the right thing to do. We encourage the secretary of interior to overcome emotion with logic," the experts, picked by the National Academy of Engineering, wrote. --Fox News

Lawmakers in the Gulf Coast region are saying the same thing, arguing against the moratorium imposed by the Obama administration.

Salazar has acknowledged that the moratorium was his decision, not theirs(the expert panel). Browner argued that the administration did nothing wrong.

Why did they(the administration) bother to consult the experts? Anyone know? To cover their butts?

Back to the show....

So, our illustrious Secretary has decreed that we shall not drill, pump, maintain, or explore. I'm sure that will solve everything, aren't you?

Let's just put tens of thousands more Americans out of work, shall we? That will make everything better, won't it?

What our "officials" are really doing is frantically trying to cover their butts after being caught with their pants down. Nothing makes an august functionary more angry than being tagged out for not doing their job. Look at Salazar now, "rallying the troops" down on the Gulf(at our expense, flown there by private Air Force jet, complete with 5-star service. You didn't think he was staying at the Motel 6, did you?).

Let us ClearOurBrainZ !

What are the facts?

The MMS failed to do their job. Witness the recent abrupt departure of the head of MMS. Who ya gonna call?

BP and the other companies involved dropped the ball big-time. They certainly didn't want this spill to happen, but somewhere, someone cut some corners. Now their chickens have come home to roost. You can bet that heads will roll, those who weren't barbecued in the explosion and fire on the doomed rig. A whole sequence of bad or poorly-considered decisions were made, snowballing into disaster.

The government is more in the way than assisting in the efforts to stop the leak and clean up the mess. Mostly they are just churning the water with rhetoric and demands, while being capable of actually doing little to solve the problem. Not just at the Federal level, but at the state and local level as well. Lot's of hot air, but not much accomplished. Unless, of course, you count the political grandstanding and sound bite opportunities they are indulging in at every opportunity.

Remember, the best people aren't in government, just the politically connected ones. The real talent works in the private sector, where the money is. We don't need over-rated government clerks and bean counters trying to tell engineers how to solve a problem. Oversight? Sure. Keeps them(industry) honest. Control? Nope. We need to make a profit to stay in business. The government is only good at loosing money. And wasting it.

Who ya gonna call? Even the Coast Guard admiral said the same on more than one occasion. He really made the "journalist" who asked that question look like an idiot, didn't he? I'll be he made some enemies in the press that day. They(the media) don't like it, either, when THEY get tagged as idiots, even though many of them obviously are.

BP is not liable, or should not be, for losses incurred because the Obama administration decided to kill all offshore drilling, the exact opposite of what their own experts recommended. The experts DID NOT recommend that. The Secretary of the Interior did, most likely at his boss's direction. It is ludicrous to expect BP to pay for losses they did not cause, but were caused by the stupid actions of our government. This kind of blame game politics is what we have come to expect from this administration. They are incapable of rational thought and actions. THEIR OWN EXPERTS told them NOT to shut down everything, but "Father Knows Best!", so they disregarded the information and advice they themselves asked for. Now we will all pay for their stupidity.

Your comments, please.

Indoctrination Of Our Children:By Our Teachers!

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

So, we have teachers who are telling our children that the US is evil and Mexico is good? That California is occupied Mexico and doesn't belong to the United States?

Using their position as a platform for politics?

Telling students to ignore or refuse to obey the law?

No wonder California is full of crooks and gang-bangers. They learn it in school. And it's all funded by our tax dollars! What a deal!

I guess that kind of work is a good deal, if you can stomach it....and have no scruples.

"A video posted on YouTube shows LA social studies teacher Jose Lara interviewing teachers and students on May 28 at the headquarters of an organization calling for a Mexican revolution on U.S. soil. Soon after he shot the video, many in the group left for an overnight "freedom ride" to Phoenix to protest what Lara tells the camera is a "racist and outrageous" law."

"Four days later, the school board president implored the superintendent of schools to ensure that students in the district be taught that Arizona's law is "un-American" and Jim Crow-like. The law, passed in April, empowers law enforcement officials to question the immigration status of people they think may be in the country illegally."

"Lara, who made the video, teaches at the Unified School District's Santee Education Complex with Ron Gochez, another social studies teacher who came under fire last month after he was identified making incendiary remarks in a widely circulated YouTube video that shows him speaking at a 2007 rally for La Raza, a revolutionary group calling for Mexican revolt inside the United States."

"In that video, Gochez referred to Americans as "frail, racist, white people, and to California as "stolen, occupied Mexico." The video's posting led to a groundswell of anger and a flood of calls for Gochez's firing, but a school district investigation found him fit to continue teaching history to public school students."

"Both Lara and Gochez are active in numerous revolutionary groups, including Union Del Barrio, a La Raza organization that Gochez helped establish across the street from Santee High School."--Fox Nation

For you fact-checkers, I did research this story across many sources, from the mainstream media to the tinfoil hat crowd. The reports on the basic story were all the same, after I subtracted the usual bias and slant inherent in those kinds of sources.

So, this self-professed Marxist, racist, reconquistadore, fifth-columnist, communistic socialist pillar of the community, is just exercising his right to free speech. That's okay. We can exercise our right to ignore him. At least, until he tries to put his words into deeds. THEN, we can judge him....according to the law for which he has such contempt. I don't see anyone holding a gun on him to make him live here. If you, as a US Citizen, cross the line to become a revolutionary, a traitor to your country, the USA, Sir, you will have to be ready to pay the price. If you are lucky, you will just be found guilty of treason and sent away for a long stay in a comfortable prison.

If you're lucky.

Whew! That was quite a rant, you say. Yes, it was written that way on purpose. I wanted to get your attention, to show how easy it is to veer off into emotional rhetoric. Did it work?

This situation in California is but one example of the kind of things happening in our schools today. I'm sure any of you could cite many more. This example above is just one of the most visible and blatant. They can't even discipline or fire the guy! What a system!

For the ClearBrainZ:

To the (hopefully) concerned Parents of children in this school system: You could bulldoze these idiots right out of your schools, and your school boards and administrations, by following some simple rules.

Leave out the emotion.

Get the facts.

Face the reality.

Determine the solution(s).

Try again if you fail, until you get it right.

Be relentless, but patient.

Repeat as necessary.

They wouldn't stand a chance.

Your comments, please.

TH5CS6JS38DZ

They Must Think We Are Stupid.

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

TH5CS6JS38DZ

A small excerpt to illustrate the contempt and disregard some of our officials and politicos have for us.

The Secretary of the Interior "modified" a report by a panel of experts the Administration asked to look into the subject of offshore drilling. They did their job, but the Secretary chose to modify their report, most likely at the direction of his boss, to reflect the results he and the Administration wanted.

"The experts, recommended by the National Academy of Engineering, say Interior Secretary Ken Salazar modified their report last month, after they signed it, to include two paragraphs calling for the moratorium on existing drilling and new permits."

"Salazar's report to Obama said a panel of seven experts "peer reviewed" his recommendations, which included a six-month moratorium on permits for new wells being drilled using floating rigs and an immediate halt to drilling operations."--Fox News

They also said that because the floating rigs are scarce and in high demand worldwide, they will not simply sit in the Gulf idle for six months. The rigs will go to the North Sea and West Africa, possibly preventing the U.S. from being able to resume drilling for years.

They also said the best and most advanced rigs will be the first to go, leaving the U.S. with the older and potentially less safe rigs operating in the nation's coastal waters.

Right on the money. Literally.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

So, what is the problem here?

Well, first, the Secretary added two paragraphs calling for the moratorium on existing drilling and new permits. THE REPORT RECOMMENDED EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE!!! Why did they (the Administration and their minions) even bother to commission the report if they already had decided what they wanted to do? To cover their butts?

Secondly, the Secretary LIED, saying that a panel of seven experts "peer reviewed" his recommendations. A flat-out lie. What is his excuse? He offers none. He doesn't have to. He's the big cheese and we are just the serfs. Back to the fields, serfs, and be quiet about it.

We can't trust you, Mr. Secretary. Resign. You now have zero credibility and cannot be trusted to take care of our business. Even your own subordinates refuse to disclose their plans to our elected Representatives.(see my earlier post on this)

Mr. President, you hired this bozo. It's time to cut your losses, and ours, and correct your mistake. Are you a leader, or not?

Your comments, please.

TH5CS6JS38DZ

Disconnecting the BrainZ

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:28:00 +0000

TH5CS6JS38DZ

BP's oil spill in the Gulf region continues to dominate the news.

Knee-jerk reactions and wild-eyed hyperbole continue on all fronts. From the demand by Sen. Robert Menendez to raise the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990 damage liability cap from $75 million to $10 billion, to the feeding frenzy of the lawyers gorging on the well-chummed waters in the Gulf and surrounding areas, hysteria and strident calls to "do something" abound.

The line of folks standing with their hands out, wanting BP to compensate them(give them money) stretches beyond the event horizon. Everyone wants a piece of the action. Demands by many to "do something" are shouted at every opportunity.

The trouble is, "doing something" without getting the facts, and carefully considering the effects of any actions taken, is a recipe for failure.

The fact is, BP doesn't have a bottomless wallet. They can't pay everyone who makes a demand without performing due diligence to ensure the claims are valid and just. They have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders to insure that the company survives and moves beyond this event.

They also owe the public the task of ensuring that future risks of environmental damage are minimized in the future. I think they have done a good job so far, being responsible and doing their best to mitigate the damage. It's a complex engineering problem, as well as a severe blow to their reputation as a respected company. They have a lot of work to do.

That will take a long time. Exxon is still dealing with their spill in Alaska, and that was 20 years ago.

Of course, that doesn't faze any politician bent on maximizing the exposure he/she can get by spouting off at the mouth. The media gleefully pours gasoline on the fire.

Many in the media, especially in the coverage of the spill in the Gulf, have become actors rather than reporters. The story yesterday of the intrepid, brave journalist swimming in the spill with just the top of his head showing was really funny. What was this supposed to accomplish, besides showing us how stupid he was to be swanning around in a toxic sludge?

That was acting, Sir, not journalism.

I'll bet he sues BP if he gets ill. What do you think?

On our southern border:

The furor continues over the death of the young man on the border in El Paso, TX.

The killing of the Mexican by U.S. authorities — the second in less than two weeks — has exposed the distrust and rage of the Mexicans. They believe this was an act of murder.

Chihuahua state Gov. Jose Reyes Baeza blamed the two killings on racism fueled by Arizona's law.

"We believe that this killing, the second in recent days in the border between the two countries, is due to xenophobia and racism, derived from the approval of Arizona's anti-immigration law," Reyes said.--Fox News

The race card is played again....isn't it getting a bit worn?

We almost had an act of war occur regarding this incident:

Shortly after the boy was shot, Mexican soldiers arrived at the scene and pointed their guns at the Border Patrol agents across the riverbank while bystanders screamed insults and hurled rocks and firecrackers, FBI spokeswoman Andrea Simmons said. She said the agents were forced to withdraw.

"It pretty quickly got very intense over on the Mexican side," she said, adding that FBI agents showed up later and resumed the investigation, even as Mexican authorities pointed guns at them from across the river.--Fox News MSNBC

To the rescue, ride the noble heroes in the White Hats:

Amnesty International has joined the ranks of those criticizing the U.S. Border Patrol, calling for a "full, impartial and transparent investigation" into a shooting this week that left a 14-year-old Mexican boy dead.--CNN

Isn't that special? Of course, AI long ago lost any credibility they might have once had, having degenerated into a self-serving pig trough of big salaries and perks for their "workers". Where does their funding come from? How "transparent" are they?

Too many questions, but few answers.

ClearYourBrainz !

Try to ignore the "noise" coming from the media, and get the facts. It won't be easy. We are mostly spoon-fed what the media wants us to hear, and what will boost their readership/viewership. We should try, however.

Ignore the loudmouths with the small brains. They are too numerous already. Hopefully they won't reproduce too much.

Look at the data, consider the consequences of any actions we might take. Face reality.

No shouting. Calm analysis of the facts. That will produce the optimum results.

Your comments, please.

TH5CS6JS38DZ

The Intifada Comes To America

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

TH5CS6JS38DZ

A Mexican teenager was killed by a US Border Patrol agent Tuesday night after the agents came under assault by a stone-throwing crowd while apprehending persons crossing the border illegally.

Sounds a lot like Palestine, doesn't it?

This is a common occurrence for Border Patrol agents, said T.J.

Bonner, president of the union representing Border Patrol agents. "Rock throwing aimed at BorderPatrol agents is common and capable of causing serious injury."

"It is a deadly force encounter, one that justifies the use of deadly force," Bonner said.-- Fox News

We don't really know what happened there in the riverbed of the Rio Grande river yesterday. All we know is what the media is reporting. NPR News delivered a story on this, describing the US Border Patrol agents as "surrounded" by a group of people throwing stones.

You can read the story on this incident published by the Mexican media here. It's in Spanish, you can translate it with your browser. Notice the slant and bias in stories from all the various media outlets, both here and in Mexico, and abroad. All have a different "take" on the story.

The FBI is investigating. If the agent acted wrongly, he will pay the price. He will pay the price even if he acted correctly; he has to live with the fact that he took a life. Right or wrong, the agent will carry that grief to his grave. No one will "win" in a situation like this.

Our nation bears responsibility here also. We have failed to secure our borders, we have failed to reach an agreement on immigration issues, and we have failed to enforce our own laws regarding the same. There are no easy or simple answers to this situation in which we are currently embroiled.

It's past time we get to work.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said Tuesday that his government "will use all resources available to protect the rights of Mexican migrants."

And what "rights" would those be, sir? Are they US Citizens?

No.

Okay, we will "read them their rights" after they are caught illegally present in OUR country:

"You have the right to be arrested, because you broke the law."

"You have the right to be detained, then deported, because you broke the law."

"You have the right to apply to enter our country legally, and be welcome here."

That is the common-sense, conservative version.

Here's the version I see coming from the left:

"You have the right to enter our country at will."

"You have the right to free medical care, welfare, and education for your children."

"You have the right to thumb your nose at our laws, and demand your "rights". A large number of "advocates" stand ready to assist you. "

To our Mexican neighbors:

Our sincerest sympathies for the family of this young man who died Tuesday. His loss will be forever felt by his family and friends.

President Calderon, please don't throw gasoline on this fire. Come to the table and let us work together to craft a solution to our mutual border and immigration problems. Our peoples are neighbors, we need to work this out without more bloodshed. I would tell you to clean your own house before criticizing how dirty your neighbor's home is, Sir. It is often said that "Good fences make good neighbors." There's a bit of truth in that, but working together makes BETTER neighbors.

Will you take that step?

Time to ClearOurBrainz !

Do we want our border situation to degenerate into what exists in the Middle East?

NO ? YES ?

We'd better get to work, and right now, or that's what will happen.

It's already begun.

Contact your Representative. Contact your Senator. Make your voice heard, loud and often. Demand action. They will listen, or we will replace them with someone who will. It's our choice to make.

What will you do?

Your comments, please.

A Work In Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:34:00 +0000

Sorry to find out that I was having a problem with the comments function on the blog. I've fixed it. I've not posted much this week, being consumed with searching for a job. I'll try to get some new posts up this week. Thanks for your patience!

Re-read some posts and leave some comments !

Steve

Dangers of Gunboat Diplomacy

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

TH5CS6JS38DZ

Israel learned a nasty lesson in the dangers of gunboat diplomacy with its interception of the aid ships bound for Gaza. Public opinion, fanned by the media interviews of the ship's participants, has already convicted Israel of "crimes".

Was this a setup? Of course it was! Turkey, a NATO ally, was heavily involved in the facilitation of this fiasco, at least according to the media reports. It is very obvious to anyone with a brain that this operation was designed to provoke a strong response from the Israelis. The "activists" who were participating were just the pawns, used by those who would incite more violence for their own ends. They(the "activists") were naive to think that Israel would just let them sail into port with impunity.

Israel is not without blame itself. Poorly considered tactics, intelligence failures, lack of preparedness, and other factors made this incident a bonanza for their opponents. I'm sure their enemies are laughing their butts off at their gullibility.

It is obvious that the radical elements among the passengers were ready for the assault by the soldiers who boarded the largest vessel. Look at the video. Does this look like non-violent resistance to you? Not hardly.

The "activists" were prepared to resist with violence. Here's a cache of weapons found on board.

Whoever was in command of this operation played right into the hands of their opponents. Stupid. Really stupid.

What is sad is the fact that the soft-headed and naive "activists", who most likely had good intentions, allowed themselves to be used by unsavory elements to foment violence. It's clear that violent types were secreted among them, ready to ignite the fire.

That fire is now burning Israel in the blaze of public opinion.

The fact that the same public opinion is mostly ill-informed and clueless, lacking in any evidence of what really happened on board that ship, seems to be overlooked by the media. Oh, they put a small line at the end of their articles stating that the facts or statements cannot be independently confirmed....how nice of them! Such journalistic integrity!

Many of the "statements" given by some of the released "activists" are totally crazy. Even a child can tell they are grossly exaggerated. Those with an ax to grind are known to bend the truth "a bit". No, really? These good people? I'm shocked!(laughing)

There should certainly be a thorough investigation. But even if that investigation shows Israel is in the right, it won't matter. People will already have made up their minds what happened, and changing them will be almost impossible. We all know how difficult it is to get someone, especially governments, to admit they were wrong.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Reality check:

What do we know?

Not much. We know the ships were sailing into a security zone in defiance of Israel's warnings.

We know that they were warned repeatedly to stop.

We know that Israel offered to let them dock, and transfer the supplies they carried to Gaza. They refused.

We know that they attacked the Israeli solders who boarded the ship, using pipes, baseball bats, knives, and firearms. We saw it on the video.

We see what appears to be a deliberate attempt to provoke Israel into a violent over-reaction. It worked.

More facts will emerge.

Should we wait to see what the real facts in this matter are, or just go ahead and condemn Israel anyway?

Your comments, please.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

I would like all of us to remember what we owe our Veterans on this day. Many of them gave their lives that we might retain our freedoms, and our liberty. They believed in what our nation stands for, and put themselves in harm's way to preserve and defend it.

You may not agree with actions that our government takes. That is one of the many rights our Veterans fought to preserve. They fought our battles for us, that we might continue to be free.

Join me, as I salute our Veterans on this Memorial Day. I offer this toast in their honor:

"To absent friends......thank you."

We The Sheeple

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

TH5CS6JS38DZ

His Esteemed Excellence El Presidente Oharma has hereby decreed today that he is seizing the reins of the oil spill response in the Gulf of Mexico, saying Thursday that Washington is calling the shots even though it needs to rely on BP's expertise.

"I take responsibility. It is my job to make sure that everything is done to shut this down," said His Excellency. I guess we know where to lay the blame, then?

Okay, I'm making fun of something that's pretty serious. But you have to just bust out laughing at the ridiculous posturing of many of our anointed ones now and then. It's good for you.

We've already seen the expensive junketing and "showing of resolve", whatever, by Napalitano and Salazar, of course accompanied by several Senators. Flying over the spill area and coastlines, copping soundbites, covering their butts. All at our expense. How much did this little excursion cost us, Ms. Napalitano? Did you eat at M'D's or at the gourmet restaurant? How much?

How many other unproductive drones have jumped on this greasy gravy train? Thousands, I'd guess.

I remind you that we, our government, are broke. Deeply in debt. Remember the rule of the successful budget:

1. Determine how much you have.

2. Spend less than that.

Not rocket science, is it?

More chuckles:

There's the recent "outing" of the Department of Interior's move to permanently lock up 13 million acres of land in southwestern US, mostly in Arizona. What a surprise! Not really, it's what we have come to expect from our unresponsive, uncaring government. Asked for information on this plan, the Interior Department refused, REFUSED, I say, to answer questions or release information to our members of Congress. Our own government agencies are refusing to answer for their actions!

Who is in charge? No one seems to know. Here's what the Interior Department spokesperson had to say:

"This is an on-going process," Kendra Barkoff wrote. "We may supplement this response as the process is concluded."--Fox News

We may? WE MAY? What kind of idiots are running that asylum? What arrogance! Where is the oversight? Don't these folks work for us?

Public Servant has effectively and for all practical purposes, come to mean Public Master. I guess you know where that leaves us peons, huh? The only reason we still have any freedom left at all, is because we are armed. And so, those who would subdue us are still afraid we might resist. Forcefully.

That would be correct. Oh, it will most likely never come to battles in the street, armed insurrection, and so on. The fringe "militia" groups are just a sideshow, and no real threat so long as the people still support the government.

But what happens when our own troops and police are ordered to use force against their neighbors? They will surely refuse. We hope. Maybe.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Reality check:

We are in charge, albeit our grasp on power is weakening.

We can still make a difference at the ballot box.

We are still all Americans. Forget the hyphens. American, or not. One people. It's okay to have pride in your ancestral heritage, but it's history. Not the future, and certainly not the present. Look forward, not back.

We are tough. Tough enough to do hard, dirty jobs, and succeed.

We can still vote.

We can still speak freely, without the secret police showing up to "disappear" us. Within reason, of course. You can't shout "FIRE" in a crowded theater. Unless there really IS a fire. Or unless you refuse to buy the government-mandated health insurance. Or arouse the ire of the dictator. Or his minions, of whom there are many.

Logic and reason are our best weapons. The lie will fall before force of the truth. Even children understand this. The day of "The Big Lie" as a political tool is done. Everyone laughs at you when you try to use it now.

So, what's the answer? You decide. I certainly don't have answers to these questions. I can work with you to find out, though. The answers will come, but it will take a lot of work. Hard work. Dirty work we won't like. But necessary.

Your comments, please.

Alakazaaammmm!!! Magic 101

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Misdirection of your attention and distraction are the stock-in-trade of the Magician. But, you allow yourself to be "deceived" by the Magician, for entertainment.

What about the same tactics being used against you by our elected and appointed government officials? How do you feel about that?

Buzzwords. Deception. Misdirection. Arrogance. Distraction. A "Father Knows Best" attitude on the part of our officials.

The furious ongoing debate over immigration continues. The main issue is how to address the problem of illegal immigration. The secondary issue is how to change our policy regarding levels of legal immigration. Next, what do we do about the illegals that are here? Bus them home? Encourage them to leave by drying up the jobs?

Who will cut my grass? Build my houses, work in my factories, wash my dishes? Who will harvest my crops, and do all the hard jobs that need to be done? Maybe some of the millions who are unemployed? Really? But, Americans won't do those kind of jobs, will they?

Have you ever been hungry, I mean, really hungry? If you have kids to feed, a family to support, hell, yourself to support, would you take a "hard" job to put food on the table, a roof over your head? You would, if you have a good "work ethic".

We are sometimes our own worst enemy. Where has the vaunted American Work Ethic gone? When Joe Sixpack gets enough beer and cigarette money for the week, he lays out of work and calls in sick(of working). Why do you think some employers use illegals in their operations? Because, they show up for work like it's a religion, work hard, and take on any task that needs to be done. They have a work ethic. Anyone who spends any time around such operations will see this very easily. Sure, the employers must know that so many of their "migrant" or "ethnic" workers are here in the US illegally. But, the employers have magnificent paperwork with which to cover their butts when the ICEMAN arrives. All of the media attention is focused on the "poor struggling people" who are "only trying to make a better life" and so on. Pick the sound bite or quote that makes you feel the most comfortable.

Why is not more attention focused on the root causes? Why are so few employers prosecuted? Why is there so little media coverage on the employers? Sure, once in a blue moon one is hammered by the press, or the ICEMAN. But not very often. Especially now, since the current administration has issued orders to concentrate on "other pressing concerns". More pressing than national security? Survival of our economy? Oh, I forgot, this is the age of change! Yes, it is, yes we can. Can what? What about some positive change? All we are seeing are the negative ones. Unemployment of American citizens. Record budget deficits. Ridiculous national debt levels. A lower standard of living.

Many contractors and small business owners who refuse to use illegal immigrant labor are forced out of business. Ask them! They can't compete against those who use illegal laborers, are underbid because the unscrupulous competitors using illegal labor have lower labor costs. If these honest contractors stick to their ethical guns, and abide by the law, they will shortly be out of business. Go to any job site, you can see for yourself. Go to the food processing plants. See for yourself. Go to the restaurants. See for yourself. I have. Go find out. Where are the college students working the summer jobs? Where are the unskilled and semi-skilled Americans working the lower-tier jobs? See for yourself--they are out of work. Millions upon millions of them. Go find out.

The current economy is focusing our attention on the effects of mass illegal immigration. When millions of US citizens cannot find work, why are we so concerned about a huge criminal class, a human tidal wave that is engulfing our country? A tidal wave that is straining it's services past the breaking point, breaking hospitals, swamping justice systems, and is demanding rights for "immigrants" and "migrants"? Of course, it is seldom mentioned that we are talking about people who break our laws by entering the country illegally. Illegal immigrants. Criminals.

There is no grey area here. If you enter this country without following the law, you are a criminal. Period. We have a procedure in place for legal immigrants. Yes, it needs work. But we cannot just throw open the door and invite the world. We would be trampled to death.

The last time an "amnesty", "adjustment", whatever you want to call it, was made, was during the Reagan administration. The result? A huge wave of more illegal immigrants that continues to this day and will really increase as talk or movement towards anything that smacks of amnesty gets closer. The "anchor baby" provision is a very foolish, outdated policy/law and should be amended. Just because you give birth to a child after you broke the law, entering the county illegally, is not a reason to reward you, or them, for that. I realize this is a very emotional issue. But the law needs to be amended to regain control of our immigration policy. Right now, it's swinging in the wind. We have to use common sense and face reality.

There is no task too big to address. None. Those who say so are defeatists, ignorant whiners, or have another reason to take such a position. They said we could never reach the moon, too.

There are always naysayers.

Whining is easy. Work is hard. Tough life, huh? Yes. Just reality. Just because you find it distasteful won't change the reality of the situation. Hard work, acceptance of reality, and applied intelligence, will.

We can solve this issue humanely, and we can also regain control of our borders. We will never be able to make everyone happy, that's reality. It's just impossible. But, we can reach a compromise to address this problem. We have to. To do nothing is to invite more of the same disorder and turmoil in which we now find ourselves embroiled.

So, the "advocates" and "officials" and "experts" say we can't close the border, it's too big a job, it would cost too much, it is a waste of time, we need the "migrants", fuel for the "melting pot", and so on.

Bullshit.

Despair and whining will really get the job done, won't it?

Are we a people who believe in the rule of law, or not?

There is no grey area...if you enter this country illegally, you are a criminal. You broke the law. You think you should get special treatment because you are of a certain ethnic group? More smoke and mirrors.

Alakazam! (Poof! )You are legal!

Misdirection. Distraction. Sleight of hand. The Magician's friend.

Let's take a look behind the curtain:

DHS Janet Napolitano — "Everybody recognizes that our current system isn't working and that our immigration laws need to change."

" It is not so much that our immigration laws need to change, as enforcement of our immigration laws needs to change. It doesn't matter what laws are on the books if DHS will not enforce them. Napolitano's statement implies that, because foreigners continue to ignore our immigration laws, they need to be changed. That sidesteps the real issue, of how can foreigners and US employers be made to respect and comply with the law. The Administration's view appears to be that employers who want cheap labor, and foreign workers who want jobs, should be accommodated, rather than defending the best interests of the American people. Illegal immigration will continue, until there is widespread awareness that it will not be tolerated, and neither illegal aliens nor their employers will be able to continue to flout the law. Besides, the change in the law that the Administration advocates is an amnesty for the current millions of illegal aliens, and an increased level of legal immigration — both of which are rejected by the majority of Americans."--Fair.org

Napolitano — "I'm referring to what I call the "three-legged stool" that includes a commitment to serious and effective enforcement, improved legal flows for families and workers, and a firm but fair way to deal with those who are already here."

" All should agree that there should be "serious and effective enforcement." Clearly, if anyone who wanted to work in the United States were allowed to come legally, there would be less illegal immigration, but this would not be in the interests of U.S. workers and the general public. That is an issue that must be faced and cannot be glibly sidestepped. "Improved legal flows" means increased legal immigration. With more than a million immigrants receiving 'green cards' each year since 2000, current immigration is swamping the nation's assimilation capacity, and causing most of the rapid population increase that is jeopardizing the nation's environmental future. "A firm but fair way to deal with those already here" is a code term for amnesty. It means allowing illegal aliens to stay permanently, unless they have a criminal record. Requirements to pay some back taxes and to learn English are meaningless, because past practice demonstrates that these requirements will be forgotten, or waived in the process of granting legal status."--Fair.org

"So, of the three legs of the stool, only one leg — law enforcement — makes sense and has broad public support, and support for even that leg depends on what law is to be enforced and whether the enforcement is effective."--Fair.org

Who will benefit from an amnesty? The employers who will then have legal workers. The illegal immigrants who broke our laws--we will reward them for breaking the laws of our land? The Democratic Party, who will gain a large block of grateful voters?

What is the benefit to the huge numbers of unemployed US Citizens? What do we get out of an amnesty? Moral satisfaction? Can you pay your bills with that? Feed your children? Yourself?

Napolitano — "We have to make sure the immigration system works to support American families, businesses and workers."

By this, Napolitano appears to mean anyone living in the US. irregardless of their legal status. By referring to American families, she also appears to mean families which contain American citizens, the "anchor babies". The statement of support for American businesses appears to support the continuing access by employers to cheap labor, to permanently undermine wages and working conditions, and job opportunities for unemployed American workers. To perpetuate continued illegal immigration. What a deal, huh? She works for us? Really?

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Reality check:

Illegal immigrants take jobs away from US Citizens. Americans.

Illegal immigrants use our hospitals and other public services without paying their way. Go to the emergency room. Go see for yourself.

Illegal immigrants routinely commit identity theft. They have to do so, in order to get most jobs. Have to cover my butt, says the employer.

Ask the IRS. Ask the people whose identities have been used by illegals to get employment, what effects it has had on their lives, and their credit.

Illegal immigrants don't pay taxes, in most cases. Cash under the table is paid by unscrupulous employers. Napolitano — "[Amnesty for illegal aliens] will strengthen our economy as these immigrants become full-paying taxpayers." And be eligible for tax credits refunds, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and others for poor families with children. This is a net loss. Do the math.

Illegal immigrants send huge amounts of money out of the US back to their native countries every month. Over a billion dollars. Every month! No wonder Mexico opposes enforcement of our laws. They need the dough, rather, their economy needs it.

Illegal immigrants lower our quality of life.

Employers, many of them, love illegal workers, because they work for less money than US Citizens find acceptable. Anything for a buck. There is effectively little enforcement here. Less, since the Obama administration took charge. Said our head of DHS: Napolitano — "We have replaced old [interior enforcement] policies that merely looked tough with policies that are designed to actually be effective." Just the opposite has occurred, with the abandonment of enforcement actions in favor of paper audits. In the refusal of ICE to back up local law enforcement.

Labor Unions love the idea of an amnesty, they see their ranks swelling(and their power$$).

Illegal immigrants are seen by the Democratic Party as the voting block to "save their bacon". They must think Americans are idiots if they believe we don't see this.

American appetites for illegal drugs fuel the violence and the flow of contraband across our borders. We are causing a huge problem for ourselves. What will we do about it? We've tried prohibition, it was a total failure. Why are we repeating history?

Napolitano — "The security of the Southwest border has been transformed from where it was in 2007"

So, we made a little progress? We can quit now? More butt covering from the DHS head.

Our borders are NOT SECURE. Not even close. The flow must be stopped. Even if it takes the use of force. Unpleasant, maybe, to consider, but perhaps necessary. Just because we may not like this option doesn't mean we stick our heads in the sand.

Our legal immigration system and policies need work. No doubt about that. We must use rational thought and research to decide upon any changes. Not emotion. Not political rhetoric. Facts. Reality.

You must earn the right to become an American citizen. It is not a candy to be handed out to anyone who demands it. Follow the law. We welcome those who do so. We always have.

So where are we going? We, as a people, must find the answers. Our government is paralyzed by indecision and political partisanship. We have ineffective and weak leadership. It's our job to fix that. It won't be easy. The alternative is to surrender to the demands of the illegals and their proponents, all of whom have a vested interest in an amnesty. We have laws, we need to enforce them. Period. Any official who refuses to do so is breaking the law themselves, violating their oaths of office. Are we a nation who believes in, and applies the rule of law, or not?

Ignore the buzzwords and deceptive rhetoric. Find out the facts.

"Assimilation immigration"? "Comprehensive immigration reform? What do these labels mean? Is it a smokescreen for amnesty? Butt covering? Putting you back to sleep?

Find out. Make a decision. Work to make it happen.

Rein in the emotion, collect the data, examine the facts. Make a plan of action. Action! Not study, not "dialog", not "adjustment". Action! Only acting upon the plan will make a difference. We will make errors. We will adjust. But, we must persevere and stay the course.

Will we accept the challenge? Yes, we must.

The alternative is unacceptable.

Your comments, please.

Quality Entertainment: Watching the Bug Zapper

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Here in the South, it's the rainy season of Spring. The mosquitoes are fierce and plentiful. Watching them swarm to the bug zapper on my patio, it occurred to me that people can be just like mosquitoes. They swarm around an issue and fling themselves into oblivion on the electrified screen of opinion.

I'm no more immune to this human frailty than anyone else. It's easy to let your emotions run away with you when strong feelings propel you into opening your mouth before using your brain. We all do it, some more than others. The trick is to realize what's happening. With that said, keep reading, ha, ha.

News and opinion sources today are full of examples. Many are busy beating themselves on the brick wall of opinion, yet little real thought and reason is readily apparent. There's a lot of shouting going on about various issues and events. All kinds of "advocates", "experts", and government "officials" are stepping into the bullring, but not much work is being accomplished.

For example:

The BP oil spill recovery effort. The following excerpt is a good example of our vaunted leaders "taking the situation in hand". (cough, cough)

"Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano were to lead a Senate delegation to the region on Monday to fly over affected areas and keep an eye on the response."--Fox News

Isn't that an efficient use of our resources! What leadership we are lucky to have!

(This is called "irony" for those of you who are visiting from the tinfoil hat society.)

Spending a small fortune of our tax dollars on a sound bite, they are doing nothing but butt-covering and posturing. These folks have been shown up to be clueless and ineffective leaders of their respective organizations. What is going to be accomplished by such an action? Pressuring BP? Coming up with a brilliant engineering solution to stop the leak? Don't hold your breath over that one, they don't have the know-how. What they do know how to do is waste time and money in futile trips and hot air. Reality and common sense seems to elude them, or is purposely ignored in the pursuit of their own agenda. Pretty stupid, but also very human.

Just as foolish, is the alarmist promotion of the severity of this spill by some of the media, with a lot of wild speculation everywhere about what "will" or "might" happen as a consequence of this action.

The most apparent, real consequence so far is that 11 men lost their lives, and lots of oil will need to be cleaned up. All the rest is "the sky is falling" malarkey. "Trash science" is running rampant. Show us the data! Not your opinion, we've got more of that than we need.

If you think the press is out in force on this spill, you are right. However, they are far outnumbered by the legal profession members swarming in for what they see as an easy kill. Follow the money. Right behind them are the various environmental and other groups swooping in like buzzards to line their pockets, riding the issues to pump up their fundraising. All sorts of human buzzards are circling.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Reality check: We will continue to need that oil for the foreseeable future. Sure, we are moving away from oil as our primary energy engine, but it will take decades to get there. Even then, we will require petroleum for many of our industrial feed stocks. The amount of oil coming out of that well is proof, undeniable proof, that vast reserves are there in the deep water. We have to learn to tap them without making a big mess. We learn how by doing it, applying tested engineering skills to the problems, and trying new techniques. We will do it wrong before we do it right. That's called the learning curve. You have to test your theories and prototypes to see what works and what doesn't.

Whining about your failures accomplishes nothing. You clean up the mess and try again until you

succeed.The relief wells, being drilled as we speak, will tap that huge reservoir of petroleum. The income BP generates from this will more than pay for the cleanup and recovery efforts, even a hefty profit. And, the industry will have learned what not to do, and what is practical within the realm of current engineering technology.

Yes, the spill is bad. Very bad. Moaning about it won't fix anything. Hard work, innovation, and research will. Get out of the way and let those folks do their job. They're very good at it.

Your comments, please.

Our Own Back Yard

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Tax increases. Crime. Violence. Gang Activity. Illegal Immigration. Politics. Terror.

It's easy to get caught up in the turmoil surrounding national and world issues, and to forget that we have some pressing problems to deal with right here in our own city and county.

In today's post, I want to turn our attention to some of the issues and problems we are currently facing in our own backyard, right here in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

I've lived here almost all of my life. I was born here, and have no plans to live elsewhere. I am proud of how far we have come in making this a great place to live. However, I think we have fallen into a bit of complacency. We have revitalized the Downtown and North Shore areas, taking run-down areas in hand and setting an example of revitalization for others to follow. Many fine people and organizations have poured their work, money, willingness, sweat and tears into the many projects and business that now flourish here. We are now working to bring the Southside around.

Now we have more work to do.

Recent events on the North Shore and elsewhere in the city have shown us that we have some serious problems that require our immediate attention. We must step up and take on the tasks that will result in a better life for us all.

All citizens of this city, and county, are responsible. We all live here. We all say who will represent us. We all use the services, and enjoy the benefits those services provide. Yet, few are willing to accept the responsibility of community participation or to commit their resources or time to making improvements, and to help make this a better place to live. "Let someone else do it," seems to be the general attitude. "I'm too busy," another refrain I hear often.

Take a walk south on Market Street or Broad Street, from the "boutique" area around Jack's Alley, and you will soon see part of what I mean. "Tagging" graffiti is everywhere, more if you go a block to the east. The further you go, the worse it gets. At night, it's really dark down that way. Those retro street lights look nice, but don't put out much light. People don't feel safe there...for good reason. The "homeless"(we used to call them bums), as we call them in these days of "politically" correctness, aggressively panhandle everywhere. Who wants to be cursed and spat upon by these folks while strolling after dinner or a show? They've also invaded the North Shore in force. Groups of young men in gang attire are often seen. After dark, the North Shore is a very different place. You most likely don't want to go there. This is disheartening, considering the wonderful renaissance the North Shore has experienced. Are we to let the criminal elements chase us from our parks, our businesses, and our enjoyment of life?

I don't have the answers, I don't pretend to. I do know, that if we do nothing, things will get worse instead of better. Our first step should be to admit we have a real problem, and proceed from there.

We need some effective leadership, not political posturing or blue-ribbon committees pontificating on the problems. It's not rocket science. We have the tools needed to to the job, we just need to pick them up and go to work. So far, lots of hot air is being expended, but no work is being done.

As I said, I don't have the answers. I'm just trying to get us to use our heads and start discussing the issue. That's all. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone. None of the jobs in public service, whether elected or employed, is easy. Many of them are thankless tasks undertaken by people who genuinely care about this town. I know we have some good folks here. Like any town, we've got our share of buffoons and puffed-up idiots as well. Open the newspaper or look at the local news and there they are, looking befuddled, or arrogant, or both, saying really stupid things and exposing their petty shrunken souls for all of us to see. Don't let it bother you too much, it's just a fact of life. They will always be with us. All we can hope for is to remove them when possible, send them back to the work force, and try to make a better choice next time at the ballot box. We need to keep in mind, that WE are really in charge. WE put them there. WE can remove them.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ

Reality check time. Nothing happens, unless we make it happen. If we want to live in a shooting gallery, let our public places be bedecked with graffiti and overrun with bums and gang bangers, we need do nothing. That's what will occur. If we want something different, we must take action, even if it's just to call your councilman, write a letter, or send an email. Some of you will have many better ideas, and that's as it should be. We all have different abilities. Will we use them or not, that's the question.

I challenge you to do one thing a week for the next year to make our community a better place to live. Come out of your house, turn off the TV, shut down your computer, and join your neighbors now and then. We're really just a small town. We have aspirations to be a great place, where folks like to visit, work, play, and invest in. We've done a pretty good job of that, we can't let it slip now.

Most of us, having lived here all our lives, know lots of people. Shoot, we know their dogs! We are all neighbors. I don't know about you, but I want to live in a place where we don't have to wonder if we are going to have to dodge a bullet, or fend off a bum every time we go downtown, or anywhere in the city. I don't have the answers.

But I bet we can find them together.

Your comments, please.

Other points of view

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Today, I want to share with you some correspondence to illustrate some points of view from outside our own little nest.

I recently ran across an article at the China Daily website that was intriguing. I'd like to share some of that with you . The article was written by Chen Weihua. You can read it for yourself here. It's a different view of some of our actions. Compare them to your own worldview as ask yourselves: Can I see myself, or my nation, as others do? Is there value in trying to understand other points of view?

Food for thought.

Here's my response to his article:

To: Chen Weihua, China Daily
May 19, 2010

Ni hao.

I wanted to give you my comments directly on your article today.

You raise many valid issues. It is true that Americans have many doubts about the use of unmanned drones in warfare. It pains everyone, both us and the victims, when the blood of innocents is shed unjustly. However, war is an ugly business. Often, non-combatants are killed or injured. So it has been from the dawn of time. Innocents were killed in the thousands by the attack on New York City twin towers, yet this endless cycle of death hasn't taught the lesson of such futility. Centuries-old grudges are constantly brought to the present by those who would seek to control and dominate others. We see it every day, both in world events, and even in the neighborhoods where we live. You see it, I see it. Yet, we, as a species, persist in this insanity of the sacrifice of our young men and women to the gods of war. When will we grow up and realize that we are beating our own heads against the wall? When will we learn to channel our aggression into the problems we face as a species?

The Pakistanis are angry. The Taliban, Al Qaeda, the Palestinians, and others like them, who chose to kill innocents in the name of their deity, or for perceived past wrongs, are angry. Everyone is angry at everyone else, or so it seems. We, here in America, would be delighted to make peace with them all, if they could be trusted to abide by their agreements. Unfortunately, they have proven, by their actions, to be untrustworthy. We reach out the hand in entreaty, and they bite it off. Where is the future in that? We are then left with no choice but to remain strong and defend ourselves. If a thief breaks into your home, and commits atrocities upon your family, are you not correct to resist?

I realize this is a rather simplistic example, but we must begin somewhere to reach an understanding. There are no simplistic solutions to such complex problems, you and I both know this very well. But, that doesn't mean we should stop trying.

Since, by your words, you visit the US, you see how things work here. I often visit your great country as well. I am sure you have many friends here, just as I have many friends in China and other countries. I assure you, we don't like this war, or any other. Having our young men and women come home in a body bag, lost forever to their family and loved ones, is not something we like, or will ever grow accustomed to. Yes, they are all volunteers, they chose to serve their country. But, their sacrifice should mean something. Nothing would please us more than for this all to end. We are willing to end it, but those who seek our destruction have chosen otherwise. We value our liberty and freedom to chose our own lives too much to submit to the will of primitives. This "War on Terror" is more of a case of culture shock on the part of the fundamentalist Islamics, I fear. They have been thrust straight into the 21st century from the middle ages. They lack the will to learn or adapt to the world as it really is, clinging to the past and forfeiting what could be a bright future for themselves and their children. I believe we will all grow out of this infantile stage, and become adults. But is won't happen quickly, or painlessly.

We can continue to point fingers, blame others for our problems, spout nonsense about each one's higher value or superiority, and fling mud everywhere, or we can face the reality.

The reality is, we are all stuck here, marooned on this planet together. If we burn down the house, poison the well, and destroy everything, we will all face extinction together. Is that what we want? Are we really that stupid? Look at a map of our galaxy, try to find the Earth. You can't even see it. Now, imagine trying to see a single human being standing on that speck of dust. All our struggles and posturing is as nothing before the immensity of the universe. No one will mourn our passing, or even notice. Is that the future we want for our children, and their children's children? I think not.

You say we should build schools, help those in need--we are. We have. We will continue to do so, even though it seems futile at times. Terrorists, or whatever label you care to place upon the barbarians who murder little girls in the name of their cause, attack the schools and murder the teachers and children. For daring to get an education? For wanting a future, and a better life than squatting in a mud hut? It's not about belief, it's about power to these criminals. They are not deserving of our mercy, since they offer none. They have chosen to be merciless. They say we must conform to their beliefs, or die. So be it. We will not surrender to them. We will make peace if they sincerely want it, but will remain firm in our commitment to freedom and choice. We will remain vigilant, yet ready to offer the hand of friendship. It is up to them to chose what path to take. May they chose wisely.

We can have a future together, your land and mine. We are all in this together, each offering strengths to compliment the other. Together, we can become more than the sum of the parts. The human race is weary of war, pointless death and destruction. Will we say, "Enough!!!" One day in the future, all of our tribal idiocy will be nothing more than a footnote in history.

I hope we, the species, survive to write that history.

I look forward to reading your articles, my friend. Thank you for your insights.

ClearBrainZ
USA

What's the point, you ask? How will this help us to ClearOurBrainZ, to determine reality?

By making the effort to reach an understanding of the perceptions of others. Only if we make the effort will we learn to live together on this miserable rock. Ranting and railing, bemoaning the attitudes and ill-advised actions of others will solve nothing. We must accept reality.

We have a lot of hard work to do in order to make this world a place we want to live in, and we aren't doing a very good job of that right now. Only by trying to reach an understanding with our neighbors, and refusing to quit trying, will we succeed.

It will more than be worth the effort.

Your comments, please.

Reality or Rant? That is the question.

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

It's time to get back to basics. Our purpose here today is to face reality, but how do we draw the line between what the facts are, and the emotional bias inherent in today's issues?

Hard data, verifiable facts, repeatable results. Sound familiar? It's the scientific method. A method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses. The difference between saying something is so, and being able to prove it, is required. It's an especially difficult task when dealing with human affairs, but not an insurmountable one.

How do we get the facts? By hard work, perseverance, application of our intelligence, and the willingness to experiment. Objectivity. Logic. Many become wedded to their "pet" theories, and thereby contaminate their results. We've seen such public examples in the recent "Climategate" fiasco. The "Not Invented Here" attitude. "Bending" the data to fit the results you would like to see is a waste of every one's time and resources. Those who do such things forever lose credibility. As they should.

Back to our focus today: Reality is acceptance of facts. If you can't show us the math, verifiable results from experimentation, and useful applications of the same, then it's not reality. Just opinion, of which there are approximately as many as there are mouths. Show me the proof. That's what will bring home the bacon. Where's your data?

All of the shouting, protesting, sit-ins, posturing, finger pointing and other emotional carrying on won't change the facts, or the math. A plus B equals C. It's immutable and logical. I know this is a simplistic example, but it's true just the same. Try it for yourself. It's the best way to describe the real world. If you can't show the mathematical basis for your work, and the corroborating data, it's not science, it's opinion.

So, how are we going to apply this to the problems we face as a society?

There are no simple answers here. It's never easy to look for solutions to complex problems, even though it's attractive to many. The reality is, it will take a lot of work. Collecting the data. Experimentation. Forming hypotheses. Testing them. Trying again. If it were easy, we would have already done it. It's not easy or simple.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

How, you say? By leaving our egos and emotions out of the picture. Sure, empathy and concern will drive our efforts. But we must be willing to face the reality of the facts, and the results of our application of the scientific method. We might not like what we find, but it won't change the reality of it.

I hope we will have the courage to face it.

Your comments, please.

East Meets West: We both get lucky.

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Finding the reality in human relations is extremely difficult, if not impossible. But today we will take a swing at it just the same.

Chinese and American relations have undergone a vast evolution in our lifetimes. The later half of the 20th century in the development of China, and it's relationship to the rest of the world, would be beyond the scope of this discussion, so we will confine ourselves to some of the relationships of China, meaning mainland China, the People's Republic of China, and the USA, as they are today.

Being the spouse of a Chinese national has given me a surprising view of modern China and it's people. You soon find that people everywhere are very like your neighbors in your home country. The value the same things, like family, peace, good food, their health, and the future of their children.

When I married into a Chinese family, I was welcomed into the family formally as their "new son" and gained much more than the love of my wife--I gained a new family, a very close one. Family is EVERYTHING in China....something we seem to have forgotten here in our own country.

Yes, there are differences. There are some things we find it hard to understand about each other's culture and system of beliefs. However, it's been my experience that we "ordinary" people have no trouble whatsoever in becoming friends and living together without conflicts. Everywhere I went in China, I have been welcomed and made to feel at home. You would never know you were in a "communist" country. It's like any nation, there are problems there just as there are here in the USA. No big deal, that's life, always something unexpected to deal with. Just a fact of life. Get over it.

More trouble is made by those "in charge" on both sides than is ever desired by the people of either nation, who just want to be left alone to live their lives without trouble. Unfortunately, many of those who govern us seem to have an overwhelming desire to maintain control and direct our affairs to their own benefit. Human nature, I guess. There will always be those among us who seek to dominate us. The trick is to ensure they do no harm. History is rife with megalomaniacs, petty dictators, and outright crooks. They all meet the same end, sooner or later. Ashes to ashes, etc...

Read the news and opinion columns from China and America. You will soon see that there is lots to keep your intellect engaged. The are some very insightful and thought provoking writers plying their trade in the PRC today. Freedom of the press, you say? The Internet has broken down most of those doors, and even the CCP, the government of China, has realized that the genie will never return to the bottle. All they, and we, can do is to hold on for the ride. It's already beyond our control.

There have been more changes in the past 5 years in China than in the preceding 50 years in this regard. Even concepts that were previously thought impossible are emerging: Private property, free market economics, reforms in education, the list goes on. Communist, you say? More like a union card, these days. Corruption, you say? We have just as much. Crime? They seem to have less. Certainty of punishment is very real there. Here, not so much.

As an outsider, it is not my place to criticize any policy or point fingers in regards to how the Chinese people chose to conduct their internal affairs. As Mark Twain once said, "People get the kind of government they deserve." Well, the kind of life the Chinese people think they deserve is changing relatively quickly. It's their business, and we should butt out.

Most officials and so-called "experts" here in the US don't have a clue as to what is going on in China today, and aren't smart enough, or care enough, to find out. Most of them still think the Cold War is still underway. They just keep plodding away on the same old path. They just can't seem to accept that the world has left them behind and no longer needs nor wants their services, at least not the way they are currently delivering them. Just listen to their statements and view their actions. They are hopelessly obsolete. Adapt, or perish, ye denizens of Foggy Bottom. You counterparts are already ahead of you in this regard.

I would urge you to visit some Chinese opinion blogs, and find out more. Here's some to get you started:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/index.html

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2010-05/19/content_9866042_2.htm

This will get you started, but I warn you; it's like eating potato chips, you won't be able to stop! There are some really talented people writing in China today. Explore other places, this is just the starting point. It will be worth your time. China is our largest trading partner, and largest potential market as well. Plus, we own them a lot of money, ha,ha. Give it some time, when you can.

Oh, by the way, it's in English. You can even post comments.

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

What is the reality in today's post? It's that none of us, no matter how powerful we think we are, can stop the will of the human species to evolve. We can tilt at windmills all we like, but the forces are mostly beyond our control, or even our understanding. Mostly, we should just mind our own business and take care of our own problems. It's more than enough to keep us busy for a long time. The people of China are perfectly capable of dealing with their problems, and we should butt out, unless they ask for our help. We will certainly need their help one day, sure as the sun rises and sets.

Someday our descendants will look back into history, and marvel at our stupidity and pettiness. At least, I hope they will....if we survive as a species. I think we will. I'm sure our distant descendants will be both amused and disbelieving. Lots of us already are, right now! Sometimes I think the mediocre shall inherit the Earth!

Your comments, please.

LADIEEEZZZZ AND GENTLEMENNNNN!!! CHILDREN OF ALL AGES!!!(cue the clowns)

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Yes, children, the circus is alive and well, nay, thriving !

Today's post abounds with flummery, stupidity, elite arrogance, and all the other joyous antics of some of our public officials and personages. It never ceases to amaze me how foolish and outright dumb some of these stalwarts can be. Sure, everyone makes mistakes. None of us are perfect, but surely a higher standard should be demanded of those we choose to manage our public affairs. An underlying theme to most of these seems to be an underestimation by those in authority of the intelligence, and the will to act, resident in the people they are supposed to serve. They seem to have lost touch with reality, living out a fantasy life untouched by any concern that perhaps the "people" might object.

There is so much to choose from, but I didn't want to write a book today. I've just chosen a few examples that tickled me the most.

You know, sticking your nose in other people's business can sometimes turn around and bite you in the butt. Many city councils, school boards, sports teams, and so on, have "butted in" to Arizona's attempt to deal with a difficult problem facing the residents of that state. Let's see what we have:

California: Always good for a wacky good time and a rollicking belly laugh.

LA city councilman Ed Reyes said although he understands the "inconvenience" caused by the boycott battles between Arizona and California, he said that"does not compare to the violation of civil rights"caused by the AZ law. Really? It's a violation of civil rights to show ID? Since when? Because you say so? Who helps you tie your shoes in the mornings? How do you feel about the Easter bunny and the Tooth Fairy? An inconvenience, Mr. Reyes? You call the loss of tens of millions of dollars by YOUR state and Arizona an "inconvenience"? What do you consider a "serious problem", Mr. Reyes? What business is it of the City of Angels how another state tries to deal with a problem? Deal with your own problems--you haven't been doing much of a job with that, a very poor one, in fact. Yet you feel qualified to tell ANOTHER STATE what to do?

Butt out.

Next, we visit the heartland, Illinois. Land of the "Chicago Deal".

A school board in Illinois suddenly changes the meeting agenda late yesterday to address parent's concerns over their decision to cancel a basketball team's trip to AZ. It seems, according to the statement issued, that Arizona's actions "are not in line with our beliefs and values" or some such malarkey. They did make some vague statement about safety, a statement so vague it's almost invisible. So, the people of Highland Park, IL., will put up with the school board using their children as pawns in a political game? I'd love to have observed this meeting last evening! This is idiocy in its perfect form, for such a body as a school board to use its power to make a political statement. It's none of their business how another state chooses to address an issue. You don't have enough to do there in Highland Park?

Butt out.

Some "sports teams", the pros, I mean, have also been just as guilty. They should remember that they are only entertainment, and stick to what they do best. Play ball, hockey, or whatever, and remember who pays the bills.

Butt out.

I was going to put Milwaukee, WI in this slot, but they wisely reconsidered at the last moment. Of course, I fully expect them to take a lick or two at this lollipop. Politicians can't resist candy, or cameras.

Let's journey now to the home of Wally World, the entertaining state of Arkansas.

At a press statement, Arkansas incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-AR, is called on a false statement by a voter---she's totally poleaxed and left speechless that the people dare to speak out and call her on her bald-faced lies. Running scared, dodging for cover, she purported to be a "moderate" on her voting, despite the record indicating the EXACT OPPOSITE. The older gentleman who called her out, viewed by millions on ABC news this evening, was civil, but firm. Bravo, Sir. Senator Lincoln was shocked into speechlessness. VERY funny!!!

You've got a friend in Pennsylvania. It says so right here on the label.

Senator Arlen Specter, R-D-PA(which is he?) is in the race of his life, running against retired Admiral Joe Sestak. After switching sides last year, he's having a spot of trouble shoeing himself in to another term of hosing the voters out of their tax dollars. Caught telling the truth on camera, saying he switched sides so he can keep his job, he's tanking, it appears. President Obama has declined to appear on his behalf, soaring overhead aboard Air Force One today, on the way to Ohio to inspect a factory refurbished and expanded with TARP money. Really just a glorified photo op, you understand. How much does it cost to operate that aircraft, now? Who pays for it? The government? Isn't that us?

"Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed regularly," Marc Coleman 41,of Philadelphia, said.

Anyway, it's pretty clear that the WH has written Specter off, especially since their attempt to buy off his opponent with a position offer in the Administration as Secretary, or perhaps Undersecretary, of the Navy. Something like that--a juicy offer, for sure. Kudos to you, Admiral Sestak(ret.) for dismissing such an dishonorable offer. It's clear Adm. Sestak understood that acceptance of such an offer would reflect extremely poorly on him, and the Navy. You don't have to be an Admiral to understand that! I can hear Admiral Ernie King rolling over in his grave from here!

Historical side note: Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King (November 23, 1878 – June 25, 1956) was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations (COMINCH-CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH, he directed the United States Navy's operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the U.S. Navy's second most senior officer after Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, and the second admiral to be promoted to five star rank. As COMINCH, he served under Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and later under James Forrestal.--Wiki Encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_King

He was a tight-lipped sailor's sailor, a two-fisted, flying, fighting Navy man with salt water in his veins. Although known for many pithy sayings, one of the best attributed to him was:"When the going gets tough, they always send for the sons of bitches". He denies every having said that, but offered once, "I wish I had." Appointed after Pearl Harbor to take things in hand, he was notorious for his dislike of the media. Rumored by sailors to shave with a blowtorch and eat razor blades for breakfast every day, his colleagues often said, that given his way, there would only be one press release during the war. It would be issued at the end after the surrender or destruction of the enemy, and would read:"We won." Such are legends born, especially in wartime.

History aside, the press does play a vital role in our society. And they are not immune to the change in the wind any more than the politicos. Nor are they without their own troupes of clowns and stuffed shirts. I was astounded by the coverage give by the Mainstream Media (MM) of the events playing in the center ring of today's political circus. I almost choked on my cotton candy when Diane Sawyer of ABC wryly commented on some of the political antics in today's broadcast. To see the MM skewer the Left is quite a change from the love-fest they were having with the Dems this time last year. After all, they NEVER miss a chance to skewer the Right, do they? You think they don't smell the coffee? Remember, they have to sell, sell, sell to stay on the air. Give the people what they want or they'll tune you out. It's not like olden times when there were only the Big Three controlling all that you see and hear. Now, anyone can be the media.....even me....and you. When ABC showed the gentleman calling out Sen. Lincoln in AR at her press conference, I could hear the laughter all over the country. Nothing like a little dinner-time buffoonery to make your day. I'm still chuckling.

So, how do we find the reality today?

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

The reality today, is that we can affect these clowns. We can send them packing back to the farm, or off to the Wonderland on the Potomac for another term. WE CHOOSE ! Not the political "machines", not the media, not Evil Big Business. We choose. We choose to hire and fire. Of course, if you don't vote, well....you can't bitch. Well, yes you can, it's certainly your right. Free speech. But, you don't have much credibility if you didn't participate in the process. Just my opinion. I fully support your right to disagree.

The reality: We are really in charge, and therefore responsible. We can blame the rascals all we want, throw them out and put new rascals in, but WE are responsible. It's up to us to choose wisely, or to correct our error if we blow it. Personal Responsibility. A concept that could make a real difference to our future and way of life. We don't seem to embrace it much. We should.

Your comments, please.

"Sez You!" The Great Debate on Immigration

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Those of you who are students of history all know about the Great Debate to which I am referring in the title of today's post.

"The Great Debate, also called the Shapley–Curtis Debate, was an influential debate between the astronomers Harlow Shapley and Heber Curtis which concerned the nature of spiral nebulae and the size of the universe. The basic issue under debate was whether distant nebulae were relatively small and lay within our own galaxy or whether they were large, independent galaxies. The debate took place on 26 April 1920, in the Baird auditorium of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The two scientists first presented independent technical papers about "The Scale of the Universe" during the day and then took part in a joint discussion that evening. Much of the lore of the Great Debate grew out of two papers published by Shapley and Curtis in the May 1921 issue of the Bulletin of the National Research Council. The published papers each included counter arguments to the position advocated by the other scientist at the 1920 meeting.--Wiki Encyclopedia" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Debate

The debate above was a gathering of scientists to discuss concepts of the physics of the universe, and how they might be explained. Data was presented, discussed, and future avenues of research suggested. The most important point here is that it was a discussion of facts and research data. Not hyperbole, innuendo, or emotional ranting.

Today's debate on immigration issues bears little resemblance to any course of rational, reality-based debate. It's rapidly degenerating to the level of mud wrestling, with all sides flinging the muck with both hands. Supporters of the Left or Right, or whatever label you might care to apply to those participating, are spiraling ever deeper into the black hole of demagoguery and character assassination. Witness the latest fistfuls of mud from the Southern Poverty Law Center: Mary Bauer, legal director of the SPLC, said the the enforcement of Federal immigration laws and Arizona's new law doing so is a "civil rights disaster" and "leads to racial profiling, distracts police from looking for real criminals and destroys families."

Wow!!! Really!!! How do you know, Mary? The law doesn't go into effect until July! Can I peek into your crystal ball? I could really use the next lottery winning numbers. Very, very typical of the "Poverty Palace" in Montgomery these days. Seems to me the inmates are now in charge of the asylum. (How's that for a zinger? Excuse me while I go wash up.)

Then, the ACLU weighs in with their rallying cry against the evil forces running rampant in Cobb County, Georgia USA. In their ongoing opposition to the enforcement of existing law by anyone not of THEIR choosing, they flocked to the support of Jessica Colotl, the illegal immigrant college student who is the current focus of media attention after her arrest for lying to the police about her status and residence. The ACLU , joined by the usual flock of "advocacy groups" etc., ad nauseam, has this to say:

"Jessica's case is yet another outrageious example of the unaccountable local enforcementof immigration laws in Cobb County gone awry," said Azadeh Shahshahani, ACLU of Georgia's national security/immigrants' rights project director.

The band of lawyers and advocates who rallied around Colotl say Cobb County is abusing its power. In a "joint statement" this past Thursday night, they vented their "outrage" over Colotl's treatment and suggested that the felony charge is trumped-up.

Let's see: The Feds already said she could stay in school, released her from custody, and could finish her education. Then she would be expected to leave, since she's here illegally. Sure, she was just a kid when she came across the border, illegally. She's getting to finish her education. That's a plus, sure. She's lived here most of her life, and will have a difficult time adjusting to life in the narco country below our southern border. Definitely a minus. I'd say a compromise was offered, and accepted, wouldn't you? And, let me say, this is a rarity in dealing the the US Immigration authorities. I know from personal, up-close experience. My wife is a foreign national, and we've been through the system. It could stand LOADS of improvement. Ms. Colotl got a break.

Then the other flocks of buzzards descended on this hapless young lady: The media, the race hustlers, the opportunists, quick-buck sleazes, and more. They never miss an opportunity to raise money. It's their job. Good work, I guess....if you can stomach it.

The Cobb Immigrant Alliance weighed in and scooped up their handfuls of mud, cocked and let fly: Calling the actions of officials "schoolyard bullying" and other less-printable epithets, they were followed by the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials calling the sheriff "Wild-West Warren" and saying he"has abused his authority in this case. His actions clearly demonstrate the problems that occur when local law officers are granted authority to enforce immigration laws," said Gonzalez.

Sorry, I just got carried away in a fit of mirth. But, there's more: Another of the "advocacy groups" had to get their shot in: "Sheriff Warren has embarked on a witch hunt, wasting money and county resources for political gain," said Adelina Nicholls of the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights. "This is not about public safety," she said.

Isn't it funny how all of these impressively named "advocacy" and "rights" groups conveniently leave out the "illegal" part when talking about "migrants" and "immigrants"? Why do you suppose that is? Are they trying to mislead us? Blow smoke in our face? No, of course not! They just "forgot" that part.

"Velcome to Georgia! Vere are your papers?"

My, my, what evil is afoot in Cobb County! There is no hope! Prepare to meet our doom!

Come on, friends, get a grip. ID's are a fact of life. You have to have a license to drive a car, fly a plane, drive a truck, use a credit card, or buy booze in the restaurant or bar. You have to show ID for most anything. It's reality. My wife MUST carry her Permanent Resident's card everywhere she goes....IT'S THE LAW! Even you and I must have our Driver's License or Pilot's License, or other identification as might apply, ON OUR PERSON, if requested to display them to the appropriate authorities on demand. We all agreed to this when we accepted said license. No one forced us to have one, we wanted it! We already have a national ID...it's called a passport. Don't leave home(the USA) without it(sorry, AMX). Big deal.....not!

I think it's time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Today's reality:

We are a nation of laws. We make them, we enforce them(mostly), and all have agreed to abide by them so that we may live in a place of order and peace. We have, in place, a very good system to change laws as they become outdated or impractical. We can change the rules and laws to fit the evolution of our civilization. The point being, we do have a system. As for Ms. Colotl, she admitted she is in the country illegally, drove a motor vehicle knowingly without a valid license, and lied to the officers about her status and place of residence. That's a violation of the law. If I do it, you do it, anyone....they must pay the price. She gets a pass because she's a victim? I don't think so. She's NOT A VICTIM! SHE BROKE THE LAW! MORE THAN ONCE!

Of course, if she had relatives in "high places", she wouldn't be sent back to sunny Mexico after graduation. Witness the latest exercise of discretion by the Federal immigration authorities: Our Glorious Leader, His Eminence El Presidente Obama's (sorry Mr. President, I happen to know you have a sense of humor) auntie was just granted asylum after being ordered deported....and refusing to leave.....SIX YEARS AGO! Of course, you didn't think the folks who work for the government are stupid enough to deport the President's auntie, do you? I mean, really, they may be dumb but they are not stupid. Let's face reality here! Cover your butt is Rule Number One when you work for the government, ANY government, city, state, whatever.

And the mud flies on. Two CNN commentators, columnists, pundits, whatever you wish to call them, David Frum and Rudy Ruiz, hurled their respective balls of verbal bottom-muck in their recent postings. Slings and arrows were flying so thick it looked like a late night western cowboy movie, where the evil Indians attack the wagon train. Fact and figures from Mr. Frum, mixed with a little ire over being invaded by hordes of the unwashed and ignorant(ok, a lot of ire), were met by Mr. Ruis'z righteous indignation and playing of the race card and the academia union card(He went to Harvard). Frum worked for President Bush in 2001-2 as a special advisor and writes a weekly column for CNN.com. They BOTH write for CNN! Ruiz has his own company, not surprisingly an advocacy marketing agency(what a prince!) based in San Antonio, TX. Left and Right, Yin and Yang, Coyote and RoadRunner....really, it is rather cartoonish to read since you can't help laughing. As typical of the more left leaning commentators, Ruiz quickly descends for more ammunition into the depths of muck scooping and name-calling, calling Mr. Frum a xenophobe, racist, cultural protectionist, and other nasty names, bemoaning the lack of "fair and parallel comparative analysis of multigenerational progress". I'm sorry to have to inform you, Mr. Ruiz, that the scientific gathering of data is the collection of facts. Fairness has nothing to do with it. Facts stand alone in the cold light of logical analysis, and all the huffiness in the world won't change that. Multigenerational whatsis? If you use the prefix "multi" more than once in your article, your intellect is showing(off). Zip it up.

Glaring at us online from his profile photo, Mr. Ruiz said: "Frum's line of thinking is a perfect example of people who don't understand Latinos pontificating about our inner workings and role in America. Don't listen to Frum. Listen to me. " What machismo!

Wow, I'm convinced! What about you? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Is he for real?

I find it interesting that Mr. Frum never mentioned Mr. Ruiz in his article, yet Mr. Ruiz feels compelled to attack Mr. Frum's work. I fear Mr. Ruiz cannot face up to the fact that he might possibly be mistaken about something. Or perhaps be lacking the possession of data to support his position? VERY interesting. Don't you just love reading between the lines?

He also says, while waving his diplomas at us, we are all afraid of the growing Latino population in America. I thought we were all Americans? Darn, and me without my pocket of hyphens to label myself as a Scotch-English-French-Cherokee whatever. I am so diminished!!!

Mr. Frum is no innocent, either. Although he writes in a loose, folksy style, he lacks a sharp focus and tends to wander, leading one to the impression that his tinfoil hat has developed a leak, and that the Alien Mind Control Rays from the Mothership in Area 51 are taking control of his thought processes. Be careful, Mr. Frum. They might REALLY be out to get you! Any high school debate team member or first year law student could rip apart either argument, since both are lacking in substantial visible means of support. No evidentiary support, either. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

You see, both the Left and the Right, or whatever label you care to paste on the various points of view, have their mobs of torch-waving zealots clinging to their coattails. Lot's of noise, but but not much real thinking taking place. It's just a fact of life in any human enterprise. There are always extremes to any "view". The trick is to find the middle ground of compromise and agreement. Not always easy, in fact it's very difficult. But, it's worth the trouble. More than worth it, it's essential.

So, oh mighty seers of all, sling all the mud you like. We find it enormously entertaining(sez I, as I daub on my face paint and don my fright wig). But keep it within the bounds of reality, please. Yell and shout all you like, but don't set fire to the house. Baby mustn't play with matches! We might find out we can all do without you, then you might have to actually do something REALLY productive.

Your comments, please.

Code Duello

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

I read conservative blogs. I read liberal blogs. I read international blogs from other countries. I read news from major and minor networks, from Fox to ABC, CBS, NBC, MS NBC, the BBC to Al Jazeera, and more. I've traveled all over the world.

I correspond with people all over the planet in all walks of life. As far as our two major American political "points of view", the Liberal and the Conservative ones(broadly speaking), I've noticed some interesting characteristics.

I am sure there are many differences others can, and will point out. However, it seems to me that there is one major difference between the two that easily emerge when reading or listening to left or right commentators and groups:

The Conservatives tend to be cheerleaders for America, where the Liberals seem to be if not haters, at least broadly disparaging of our country and it's way of life. Not to say that the liberal side are not patriots, or less-than-loyal citizens, not at all. It just seems that the overall impression one gets when reading the works of either side show these characteristics.

For example:

The daily newspaper in my city(there's only one) publishes both the Liberal and the Conservative points of view, on facing pages, everyday. It's funny, but the Liberal side is always on the left side of the paper, and the Conservative side is on the right side. Isn't that interesting? What would happen if they switched the placement of the layout? Put them on the other side? Would people notice? Get incensed, and storm the newspaper offices with torches and pitchforks to protest? Hey, this could be a movie! (Hollywood will do anything for a buck)

Read the left page, the Liberal opinion: Local Editors and "columnists" on the left edge, syndicated ones on the right edge, letters to the editor below the fold on the bottom right. The syndicated columns are usually filled with vitriolic rants and wild-eyed, dire warnings of skulduggery in high places, especially Big Business and others who's success they envy, or who refuse to agree with their worldview. Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, in particular, is one of the worst. Her columns rarely contain much in the way of substance, just the enraged spewing of ink from her pen. It's clear she's reached her dotage, wants what she wants, right now, and hurry it up, serfs. Some of the others who rotate in and out seem to be cut of similar cloth, lots of shouting but little substance. Reality? Forget it, they don't seem to know the concept. Check the facts? No, that would interfere with their snug little world of the weird. Shabby work, in my opinion, but hey, it sells(advertising--remember their true purpose, all ye of the ClearBrainZ).

Now, read the right page: It's the same layout format as the left page. Sure, there's spewing there too, dire warnings of catastrophe, evildoing in high places, etc. But the tone....is much more rational and calm. Sure, there are extremes on both sides of this fence, I am sure the nitnoids lurking nearby can cite any number of examples. I'm just talking about the overall impression and sense of civility(or the lack thereof) each side projects.

Note: I'm sure the nitnoids will notice I had lots more to say in my opinion of the "left" than the right. I just got on a roll....sorry. We must be equal, always(you don't really believe THAT tripe, do you?) I promised to avoid appearing "politically correct" in this endeavour, and so I intend to remain. Who came up with that garbage, anyway?

The protesters and "radicals" of the 1960's and '70's are now the "respected journalists" of today. Of course, the list of true "respected journalists" is extremely short....and not germane to this discussion. It's a fiction, anyway, created by themselves. But it's not just the reporters, it's the producers, writers, directors, newspaper editors, and the owners of the media who drive the news feeds you see. It's why the "mainstream media" is largely left-leaning. It's where the money is, and they always follow the money. Remember, use your ClearBrainZ and keep in mind that the business of news organizations is to sell advertising and make money. They themselves are a "Big Business" just like the others they so often disparage and sometimes viciously attack. After all, who's going attack them? They buy their ink "by the barrel" !

Time to ClearOurBrainZ !

Reality check:

This one is highly subjective and murky to say the least. I would propose that the one you select is a personal choice, and what makes you feel comfortable. I urge you to stretch your perspectives, and examine in detail both sides of the issues.

It will be worth your time. You may not be as comfortable afterwards, but at least you will have a better grasp, I hope, of reality as we can best determine it. It's a complicated world, and although simplistic solutions may be very attractive when approaching the resolution of a difficult problem or issue, it is rarely effective. Almost never, in fact. The REAL REALITY here, is that all of the issues and problems facing our nation, and our planet, will require hard work, applied intelligence, sacrifice, innovation, and many other inputs too numerous to mention here. It certainly won't be simple.

So, where are we? Lost in the ozone? Adrift in indecision? That's the choice we must each make for ourselves.

Left or Right, both are Right and Wrong, but all is not lost. Remember that thing called a "compromise"? It used to be pretty common in Congress, but seems to have fallen out of favor. Perhaps it's time we dust it off and put it back to work. Some of our best accomplishments have come from it.

Your comments, please.

Immigration Reform: For Real or just Politics as usual?

noreply@blogger.com (Steven Lunn) — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

There is so much material to examine concerning this subject that it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Let's open this can of worms and see if we can untangle it to sort out the fact from the fiction.

There is no doubt that immigration reform and enforcement, border control, and "guest worker" policies and laws are politically a "hot potato". Every politician alive wants to avoid being perceived as "wrong" about anything, and no issue is so big that they won't ignore it as long as possible. And God forbid that some "activist" tar them with the "race card". Heavens, they might lose their coveted membership in the World's Most Exclusive Club! I'm speaking of Congress, for those less ClearbrainZ'd who might miss the irony.

A lot of "immigrant's rights", "migrant workers rights", and other similar groups have emerged all over the country. Of course, the part of their name and manifesto they conveniently left out is the "illegal" part. That they represent illegal migrants is somehow "overlooked" by themselves(on purpose) and the media("The producer says you can't say that!"). A recent protest in Illinois by local activists protesting the deportment of 67 Mexican nationals resulted in several arrests, notably that of Joshua Hoyt, director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. He told a reporter for the Chicago Tribune:"There is now a racial reign of terror spreading across the country and it has to be stopped!"

Really? A Reign of Terror? Can we get tickets?

You have to laugh, and wonder how long he's been off his medications. I've been looking for this "Reign of Terror" that is lapping at our chins, but I can't seem to find any evidence of it that isn't manufactured from whole cloth by someone.

Hey, Mr. Tribune Reporter, did you check the background of this Mr. Hoyt before you ran with the story? Where did he come from? What are his "qualifications"(aside from the Big Mouth) to dictate policy to the rest of us? What is his source of funding? Do you even care?

I guess I'll have to save a discussion of Lazy Journalism for another post.

Of course, this next point is fun: Mexico has rather draconian penalties and laws concerning illegal entry to THEIR country, yet Mexican President Felipe Calderon has loudly objected to efforts to control our borders or stem the flow of illegal immigrants from Mexico. He has vociferously objected to Arizona's recent passage of a state law allowing officers to question someones status, incidental to a lawful stop or arrest. Remember though, those remittances all the illegals send back to Mexico are a significant part of their economy....billions of dollars. He doesn't want the flow of Yankee money interrupted. His country is teetering on the brink of collapse and civil war as we speak.

Time to ClearYourBrainZ!

What shall we do? Something....anything....we are doing NOTHING right now. Even the high-tech border "fence" has been stopped. It's time to face reality, get tough, roll up our sleeves and secure the borders, just for the first step. Let's plug the leaks, then we'll worry about how to get the water out. Our Citizens are dying at the hand of illegals and drug cartels. When will it be enough that we will act?

Next, enforce the law! Hammer the crap out of ANY employer caught using illegals as a work force. Dry up the jobs, deny the "welfare" to illegals, be firm but not hateful. Just ensure that they KNOW they are unwelcome here, are breaking the law, and should go home. Remember, THEY ARE NOT U.S. CITIZENS! If they want to follow the law and immigrate, fine. We will welcome them, we are a nation of immigrants. But they must be willing to become Americans, and leave the baggage of their old lands behind in the dustbin of history, where it belongs. Once you take that oath as an American Citizen, your future and your honor lie with the United States of America. Multiculturalism is for Europe...and we all know what's happening there. Our strength as a country comes from the melting pot of peoples who come here to make a new life, and will defend it. We are one tribe here....American.....ornery, stubborn, proud, free. If you don't want to be a part of that, stay home.

Have we managed to ClearOurBrainZ ? Let's see:

Secure the borders.

Enforce the laws we already have. No questions asked.

Dry up the sources of money and benefits for illegals.

Tell Mexico to take a flying leap, and get their OWN house in order. How many times have we kicked their butts?

Take a long, hard look at our immigration policies and laws. It could be more efficient and realistic.

We must act, or become a third-world country ourselves. Common sense, reality, adults in charge, all will contribute to a solution. Are we up to the challenge?

Your comments, please.