A 250 year old tortoise! FUCK!
It's older than the United States....that's awesome!
Friday, March 24, 2006
Immigration
The question of immigration is a hot topic at the moment. And of course, I have a few ideas about it.
Without going into the concept of out-sourcing, let's talk about in-sourcing. In-sourcing is a new term for our lexicon. We look at large companies, mom-and-pop businesses, and then the average American looking to save a few bucks. By bringing in cheap labor from south of the border, we cheat ourselves. Every time a company hires an illegal immigrant they save a lot of money. They pay these people under the table for their services and half the wages they'd have to pay an honest American. What will an undocumented immigrant do? Call the IRS?
Duh! At half the legal wage, they are still making a handsome wage from the one they earned in Mexico or Central America. It's truly win-win for companies. In the end they can maintain their output at a reduced rate. But doesn't that sound good for our economy? NO!
We are moving jobs out of the United States to avoid taxation and wage restrictions. At the same time, we are moving immigrants into our country who work at companies which still fly the American flag out front. They take the place of the American man or woman who worked for $15/hour. Now, the illegal immigrant is making $3/hour. I believe it is wrong to punish the poor souls who have risked all to make it to our country. They honestly don't understand the politics and legalities of their actions (more or less, at least).
Instead we must severely punish companies which choose to in-source their labor (or at least fluff a portion thereof). Criminal/civil litigation (class action) should be brought against the company hiring illegal immigrants. In addition, the IRS must demand penalties, etc., be paid to their coffers for the loss in revenue as a result of using illegal, cheap labor to conduct business.
And of course, we must blame a Republican, who supports BIG business!
Without going into the concept of out-sourcing, let's talk about in-sourcing. In-sourcing is a new term for our lexicon. We look at large companies, mom-and-pop businesses, and then the average American looking to save a few bucks. By bringing in cheap labor from south of the border, we cheat ourselves. Every time a company hires an illegal immigrant they save a lot of money. They pay these people under the table for their services and half the wages they'd have to pay an honest American. What will an undocumented immigrant do? Call the IRS?
Duh! At half the legal wage, they are still making a handsome wage from the one they earned in Mexico or Central America. It's truly win-win for companies. In the end they can maintain their output at a reduced rate. But doesn't that sound good for our economy? NO!
We are moving jobs out of the United States to avoid taxation and wage restrictions. At the same time, we are moving immigrants into our country who work at companies which still fly the American flag out front. They take the place of the American man or woman who worked for $15/hour. Now, the illegal immigrant is making $3/hour. I believe it is wrong to punish the poor souls who have risked all to make it to our country. They honestly don't understand the politics and legalities of their actions (more or less, at least).
Instead we must severely punish companies which choose to in-source their labor (or at least fluff a portion thereof). Criminal/civil litigation (class action) should be brought against the company hiring illegal immigrants. In addition, the IRS must demand penalties, etc., be paid to their coffers for the loss in revenue as a result of using illegal, cheap labor to conduct business.
And of course, we must blame a Republican, who supports BIG business!
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Oil & America
Oil is the quintessential staple of the American diet. It fuels our cars and it heats our homes. So what if it all suddenly went away...or most of it at least?
We have our refineries along the Gulf of Mexico. They are certainly vulnerable, Hurricane Katrina taught us that last year. We primarily rely on oil from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the largest oil exporter in the world, and the United States largest partner in oil, is vulnerable to terrorism. If it weren't for the crude that sits beneath their deserts, they would be nothing but a Bedouin nation of poor, deprived people. We need their supply of oil to keep our country operating smoothly.
Although, I am not keen on the idea of destroying pristine national refuges for our own greed, we must come to terms, however, with our own vulnerability when it comes to this issue. We must be realistic.
We have been talking about alternative fuel cars for decades, but it is true we are probably no closer to making this a reality now than we were 15 years ago. There are certainly steps being taken by car manufacturers to address this growing dread among our country, but it is one that we will not easily embrace. The United States must face facts: either we switch our petroleum-based cars for those that run on renewable resources immediately, which can be grown in our own backyards, or we must prepare ourselves for extracting our own resources of crude in Alaska.
It seems easy to say we will depart from our petroleum-based transportation, but as long as automobile manufacturers are allowed to continue to roll out vehicles with combustible engines driven by gasoline and diesel, then we will never make it over this looming disaster when it occurs. The government must place a moratorium on the production of gasoline engines and require that all new vehicles be fitted with engines which run on renewable fuels, such as ethanol. As logic dictates, as older cars are scrapped then our dependence on foreign oil is diminished, until we can arrive at a place in the future where our dependence on oil is diminished completely or less than 10% of where we are today.
Can you imagine a country that is no longer dependent on oil? The big oil companies, and countries like Saudi Arabia, will lobby Washington against such a bold step, but it is one that we must wise-up to and understand is coming. Otherwise, we will be left with a nation of cars that no longer can be used, homes that no longer can be heated, because we chose to give into big business and turn a blind eye to the facts which are staring us so boldly in the eye.
Saddam's Fate
I wonder what Saddam's fate will be since his trial will never be over?
I'll give you one guess...just look at Slobodan Milosevic!
I'll give you one guess...just look at Slobodan Milosevic!
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Iran's Nuclear Program
The Russians were our only hope for hammering out an agreement with the Iranians for uranium enrichment. It seems that has failed.
Iranians turned down a compromise to have their uranium processed by Russians at a Russian location and then transferred to Iran for use as nuclear power.
It would seem the intent of Iran is not to have have a peaceful nuclear program. They are looking to become the next nuclear power in the Middle East. The United States has miscalculated the Iran-factor when it went to war in Iraq. Our forces are now engaged in a hopeless battle in Iraq as it fights a civil war. George Bush's "axis of evil" policy has failed. He allowed the two most powerful nations in this axis to slip through. Basically, I believe the US may have chosen the weakest member of the axis to make a point, which has only strengthened the military resolve of Iran and North Korea, while weakening our own!
Certainly, we will have to look to Europe to resolve the Iran issue; considering, the United States does not have the military presence and force to resolve the Iran issue unilaterally. Perhaps, China can keep North Korea in check. We can only hope!
Iranians turned down a compromise to have their uranium processed by Russians at a Russian location and then transferred to Iran for use as nuclear power.
It would seem the intent of Iran is not to have have a peaceful nuclear program. They are looking to become the next nuclear power in the Middle East. The United States has miscalculated the Iran-factor when it went to war in Iraq. Our forces are now engaged in a hopeless battle in Iraq as it fights a civil war. George Bush's "axis of evil" policy has failed. He allowed the two most powerful nations in this axis to slip through. Basically, I believe the US may have chosen the weakest member of the axis to make a point, which has only strengthened the military resolve of Iran and North Korea, while weakening our own!
Certainly, we will have to look to Europe to resolve the Iran issue; considering, the United States does not have the military presence and force to resolve the Iran issue unilaterally. Perhaps, China can keep North Korea in check. We can only hope!
Milosevic Never Gets Justice
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic died yesterday in the custody of the United Nation International Court of Justice in The Hague. His four year stint in The Hague was a miscarriage of justice. The extent of a speedy trial should have been extended to him, and every individual currently on trial in the ICJ. Of course, we knew before the case ever started the ICJ judges were going to find Milosevic guilty and sentence him to life imprisonment. It was a given fact, so why the need for four years?
As for Saddam, his case should be heard before the ICJ also. Of course, he is deserving of a speedy trial that should take weeks, not years! In jurisprudence, I believe every defendant should have the right to face his/her accusers in open court. So there shouldn't be any shields or faces being covered. All elements of the proceedings should be held in open court. If they level the implication, they should stand in open court and state as much! Habeas corpus, for Christ's sake!
Just like Milosevic, Saddam will be denied justice in the interest of American politics. He was sentenced to death before the court in Iraq ever assembled.
As for Saddam, his case should be heard before the ICJ also. Of course, he is deserving of a speedy trial that should take weeks, not years! In jurisprudence, I believe every defendant should have the right to face his/her accusers in open court. So there shouldn't be any shields or faces being covered. All elements of the proceedings should be held in open court. If they level the implication, they should stand in open court and state as much! Habeas corpus, for Christ's sake!
Just like Milosevic, Saddam will be denied justice in the interest of American politics. He was sentenced to death before the court in Iraq ever assembled.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Step One: South Dakota
Isn't it odd how suddenly South Dakota has enacted a law that limits abortion just at the same moment there are now two Bush lackeys on the Supreme Court?
What has happened is these groups have devised a way to reverse Roe v. Wade (1973). They will start with a state, such as South Dakota, which will easily enact such a law. Groups, like the ACLU, will challenge it's legality in the federal courts. Now, once the issue goes from the state level to the Supreme Court they will push to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision, which will limit abortion in all 50 states!
The best thing to do is simply ignore the law enacted in South Dakota and understand that 49 other states are protected from such limitations of civil rights. Basically, they want this issue before the US Supreme Court.
Let's not allow that to happen!
What has happened is these groups have devised a way to reverse Roe v. Wade (1973). They will start with a state, such as South Dakota, which will easily enact such a law. Groups, like the ACLU, will challenge it's legality in the federal courts. Now, once the issue goes from the state level to the Supreme Court they will push to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision, which will limit abortion in all 50 states!
The best thing to do is simply ignore the law enacted in South Dakota and understand that 49 other states are protected from such limitations of civil rights. Basically, they want this issue before the US Supreme Court.
Let's not allow that to happen!
Saturday, March 04, 2006
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