Signs of the Times

Sign #1

Teenager kicked out of Catholic school for swearing at a nun.
Teenager goes to live with grandmother.
Grandmother asks granddaughter to do homework.
Granddaughter goes off on grandmother with a torrent of f-bombs.
Grandmother slaps granddaughter.
Granddaughter calls cops.
Cops arrest grandmother for assault.
Grandmother spends the night in jail.

WTF??? If I ever did something like that my grandmother would slap me, my grandfather would whack me upside the head, my mother would wash my mouth out with soap, and my father would be standing in line waiting his turn. And the local cops would probably have piled on as well. But today - well, I guess a 73 year old lady is a threat. I'm surprised the cops didn't taser her.


Sign #2

Students wear t-shirts with American flags on them to school on Cinco de Mayo.
School officials tell students to remove t-shirts because they are "incendiary."
Students refuse.
Students kicked off campus.

Mexican-American students say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday. "I think they should apologize cause it's a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. "

DISRESPECTED!?!?! Because some students have pride in THIS country!?!?! GMAFB. How about YOU show some respect for the flag of the country that provides you with more opportunity and more freedom than anywhere else in the world. Show some respect for the flag that men and women have fought for and died to protect. Bah! I'm so outraged by the ignorance and insolence of that stupid bitch that my hands are literally shaking as I type this. I can't conjure up the words to express my disgust, not only at that ignorant fool, but at the school system that shaped her, and at the public who aids and abets such nonsense. Of course, it did happen in California. That explains a lot. The sad thing is that at some point in the future that loser, and others just like her, will be allowed to vote and reproduce. Where's an earthquake when we really need one?


Sign #3

Black students go on field trip.
White students not allowed to go.
School officials defend this.

The stated intent was to help close an achievement gap between white and black students. As an educator, I'm well aware that there are 'achievement gaps' between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. I deal with it every day. But closing the gap by giving one group opportunities that are denied to the other is NOT the way to solve the problem. All that accomplishes is holding back the second group. In mathematical terms:

wrong + wrong ≠ right.


I weep for the future...

Immigration Debate III

Let me begin by providing a little personal background. I grew up in south and central Texas. I live in central Texas now, and work 3 days a week in a Texas-Mexico border town. My wife is from Phoenix, and still has family there. We visit AZ once or twice a year.

I've lived with, worked with, and am friends with Mexicans and Americans of Mexican descent (yeah, yeah, 'some of my best friends are Mexican' - just because it's trite doesn't mean it isn't true).

I've employed illegal aliens as day laborers more than once. I've also seen firsthand the consequences, both good and bad, of a lax border and immigration policy. So I think I have a reasonable perspective on the situation down here on the border, one that is a damn sight more reasonable than a lot of the commentators braying about it whose idea of Mexican food is Taco Bell.

There has been much sturm und drang over Arizona's recent passage of SB 1070, a law intended to enforce federal immigration laws. The noise of the debate has overridden the signal - that is, there are so many people speaking out who have no idea what the bill does and doesn't do that the message of the bill has been drowned out. Below is an excerpt from the actual bill.

"The legislature finds that there is a compelling interest in the cooperative enforcement of federal immigration laws throughout all of Arizona. ... The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States."

Primoris, let's clarify a few points. First, "illegal" isn't a race. Thus a law targeting illegal activity or behavior isn't racist. In fact, the bill expressly prohibits racial profiling.

Second, the bill doesn't send people off to concentration camps or ovens. Thus the bill isn't going to turn Arizona into Nazi Germany.

Third, and perhaps most important, all the bill does is require that state and local LEOs enforce existing repeat existing federal law. It is a federal crime for aliens to not carry specified registration or immigration documents with them: "...every non-citizen in the United States has been required to carry such documents since Congress passed the Alien Registration Act in 1940."

(Note 1: in most cases this requirement can be met by something like a green card, which is about the size and shape of a drivers license - not an onerous burden to carry in one's wallet or purse.)

(Note 2: as others have pointed out, this bill is much less draconian than Mexico's laws regarding illegal immigration.)

So all the drama and furor directed towards the bill is from people who (a) haven't read it, (b) don't understand it, (c) don't care what it says, or (d) all of the above. There's a reason they're called knee-jerk liberals.

(Update: more evidence that liberals react first, think later. MSNBC, the network liberals love to love, outdid itself with a headline reading "Law makes it a crime to be illegal immigrant." The New York Times continues to prove its irrelevancy with an editorial that falsely stated "The statute requires police officers to stop and question anyone who looks like an illegal immigrant." Is it any wonder that viewers/readers of these two liberal fountains of misinformation are turning to other more reliable and accurate sources of news.)

Secundus, let's look at the principal reason for the bill. First and foremost, it's to protect the citizens of Arizona. As state senator Sylvia Brown, the bill's sponsor, explains, Arizona citizens are being threatened, terrorized, beaten, and murdered by a literal invasion of illegal aliens flooding across the border. To cite just one statistic: in recent years 80% of law enforcement officials wounded or killed in Arizona are attributable to illegal aliens. Another indicator: Phoenix has become the kidnapping capital of America, in large part due to the drug and immigrant smugglers.

These things are happening because the federal government is failing in what is arguably its most important duty - safeguarding its citizens - by not securing the U.S.-Mexico border. That leaves no alternative but for the border states to take matters into their own hands.

Tertius, there is a tendency for people on both sides of this issue to consider illegal aliens as a homogeneous group, either all virtuous, hard-working individuals seeking only a better life for themselves and their families, or all criminals and freeloading parasites. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in-between.

A large number of illegal aliens are here because America offers, at least for the time being, social mobility that is only dreamed of in Mexico. There are basically two socioeconomic classes in Mexico; very rich, and very poor. The only way to move up is by becoming a criminal. That's why narcocorridos are so popular.

America is still a nation where in one generation an immigrant's children can advance to middle class or beyond. Case in point: my father is the only one in his family born here. His parents and siblings were born in Poland. He worked hard his whole life so that my sister and I could go to college and have a better life (at least in terms of material things - I don't think we could improve much on his values and character).

So I have absolutely no problem with people coming here in search of a better life. I only wish there was a way for them to be admitted through the front door, instead of having to sneak around back and break in through a window.

And that's where the feds should come in. Protect the borders, implement (and enforce!) a reasonable* immigration policy, and a lot of problems would be solved. Unfortunately, several administrations, both dems and repubs, have failed to do so, leaving us with the current mess.

* What's reasonable, you ask? Well, how about starting with a guest worker program? Many illegal aliens don't want to move here or become citizens. They just want better-paying jobs. So let 'em come here and work, and take the usual cut for income taxes, social security, and medicare. Win-win.

(Note 3: Mexicans in the U.S. sent over $25 billion back home in 2008. That's over 2% of Mexico's GDP, and is one reason why the Mexican government is so upset about the AZ bill. As usual, follow the money.)

Another plank in our immigration policy should be to imprison illegal immigrants. Deporting them, as we do now, is like catching that mouse in your kitchen and then taking him outside and releasing him. How long do you think it will take him to find his way back inside? But if you throw his little mouse ass in mouse jail, and make him work on a mouse chain gang, cleaning up litter, painting over graffiti, etc., then next time he might take his chances in the woods instead.

And while we're at it, let's seriously punish firms that hire illegals. Remove the cheese, and the mice won't be attracted.

Another morsel of cheese that needs to be removed is the concept of anchor babies. Citizenship should only be granted to the children of parents who are here legally.

Of course, all this starts with securing the borders. While there is some merit to the argument that static defenses are easily breached, the Berlin Wall was pretty effective. That might be a little extreme, but I do think that more physical barriers, at least along heavily traveled routes, would be helpful.

Beefing up the law enforcement presence would likewise be a good move. In fact, a military presence wouldn't be a bad idea. The narco smugglers are using military weapons and tactics. LEOs are neither equipped nor trained to deal with this type of foe.

"Another rancher testified that daily drugs are brought across his ranch in a military operation. A point man with a machine gun goes in front, 1/2 mile behind are the guards fully armed, 1/2 mile behind them are the drugs, behind the drugs 1/2 mile are more guards."

Even more chilling, some border ranchers have reported finding Korans on their property, evidently left there by illegal border crossers.

Bottom line - this country has greatly benefited from the contributions of immigrants. No one wants to stop legal immigration. All we want to do is implement a system that allows honest, hard-working people in, while keeping parasites, criminals, and terrorists out. Is that too much to ask from the feds? Evidently it is...

Good News?

Floods in Tennessee ... oil well blowouts in the Gulf ... earthquakes around the world ... volcano eruptions in Europe ... Greece, Spain, and Portugal on the brink of economic collapse ... skyrocketing U.S. debt and deficit ... obama is still president ... is there any good news out there?

Bad Day At Work

Bad day at work today. Meetings from 9:30 - 10:30, 11:00 - 12:30, and 2:00 - 3:00. Oh yeah, had to teach a class 4:30 - 6:00 (remind me again what my primary responsibility is - teaching, or going to meetings?).

What made it worse was the repetitive nature of the meetings - going over the same old stuff without ever making a decision, or even making progress. There's an old saying in academia: those who can, do; those who can't, teach; and those who can do neither go into administration. Like most old sayings, there's more than a grain of truth in it.

Anyway, rather than post some weak BS, I thought I'd provide an example of what a REALLY bad day at work is. Next time you think you've got it rough, recall this.

Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana. He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs.

Below is an e-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, which was sponsoring a "worst job experience" contest. Needless to say, she won.

* * * * * * *

Hi Sue,

Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job.

As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a wet suit to the office. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wet suit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi.

Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my ass started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it. However, the crack of my ass was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my ass.

I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression.

When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet. As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't shit for two days because my ass was swollen shut.

So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your ass.

Top that...

Immigration Debate II

I'm not a birther. I think that most reasonable people, once they examine the issue, would agree that the bozo-in-chief was, unfortunately for us, born in Hawaii. (See here, here, and here.)

However, given all the furor over Arizona's new law requiring state LEOs to enforce existing illegal immigration laws, I just couldn't resist posting this picture.

Perspectives

It's been an interesting few days. My father, who is 92, has been in and out of the hospital with blood pressure issues and an upper respiratory infection. We have just arranged hospice care for my mother, who is 84, had a stroke, is recovering from cancer, and suffers from Alzheimers. She is clearly declining, and it's probably a matter of weeks, or at best (?) a few months.

At the same time, this is a 25 year reunion weekend for a bunch of people with whom I used to work. It was an exceptional group: tight-knit, talented, hard working, and enjoyable to be with. We've stayed in touch over the years, and I still feel very close to many of them. It was so good to see them again.

Finally, it's nearing the end of another school year. This is always a time of mixed emotions. So many of my students are the first ones in their family to graduate from college. It's heart-warming to see the extended families come for graduation, many of them still in their work clothes, taking a quick break from working on Saturdays to see sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc. walk across the stage.

On the other hand, this is also the time when lots of kids who didn't make the effort, didn't exert themselves, and didn't keep up, realize what deep doo-doo they're in. They are now paying the price for decisions made and actions taken (or not taken). In the long run, this may be the best lesson they learn in college.

Bottom line - many swirling emotions, much reflection ... as Socrates said, the unexamined life is not worth living. So I guess for a small sliver of time introspective me has raised his game to classical philosophical levels (at least until I can get another Shiner).

New Perspective on Immigration Debate

There's been a lot written and said about Arizona's new statute requiring law enforcement officials to actually enforce the laws related to illegal aliens. However, here's a story that gives a new perspective on the debate.

Six months ago I met the surviving members of the Lopez family. Once I heard the tragic story of how they were orphaned by a mudslide in Mexico that left them with little more than the sombreros on their heads, my heart melted and I could not help but reach out to embrace them.

Accordingly, in defiance of United States immigration policies, I have taken them into my home and given them a semblance of the family they tragically lost.

While that action has been tremendously gratifying, it has not come without significant personal hardship and sacrifice. The cost of providing for the needs of seven new family members has been substantial.

But we need to remember that we are a nation of immigrants. It may not be wise to close the door just because we are fortunate enough to already be inside. Consider the emotional rewards that would be yours just by opening your heart and your home to likes of the Lopez orphans, all seven of which are pictured below.

Tolerance is a One-Way Street

The latest controversy over the depiction of the Muslim prophet Mohamed is distressingly familiar. I'm not a big fan of South Park, but I do support their right to offend everyone, regardless of race, color, or creed. Apparently, however, not all Muslims are as tolerant. Neither are the grand pooh-bahs who rule the Comedy Central television network, which is South Park's home.

This reminds one of the furor over Mohamed cartoons in a Danish newspaper (cartoon link here), death threats to Salmon Rushdie for his portrayal of Mohamed in a novel, and the gruesome murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh as a result of a short film he made about Muslim forced marriages.

Evidently it's okay for the lame stream media to make bogus claims about abusive language used at Tea Party rallies, and for former democrap presidents to liken Tea Party members to domestic terrorists who bombed the federal office building in Oklahoma City. But they're strangely silent when it comes to Muslim intolerance. Why might that be?

Well, perhaps because osama-oops-I-mean-obama is quietly courting Muslims. Not sure why - they don't have much political clout. But the loser-in-chief has directed his lackeys to use "violent extremism" in place of "jihad" or "Islamic terrorism," and has directed DHS head Janet Napolitano to end a policy of extra screening for passengers from mostly Muslim countries flying to the U.S.

Makes sense. After all, those Norwegians are just as big a threat as the Muslims who crashed planes all over the east coast on 9/11. And God knows the Japanese have a bad habit of trying to blow up planes with their shoes. And let's not forget the English, who stuff their underwear with explosives.

Home Stretch

In a mere three weeks this agonizingly long semester will be over. For some reason this one seems to have stretched out much more than past ones. But I have given my last lecture. All that's left is sitting through 3 classes worth of case study presentations, then one pre-final review, and then the final. And that'll be all she wrote for the academic side of things.

Unfortunately, on the administrative sides the bozos who run this place (clowns in charge of the circus...) are panicking now because they failed to exercise any foresight, leadership, and/or control during the school year. Now they're up against some hard deadlines and consequently cramming a mess of meetings into the little time left. I have little choice but to attend most of them. I'll sit in the back like a good little boy and not say a word, because every word leads to a torrent of more words, even if it's just to say they agree. God, what a monumental waste of time.

It reminds me of congress...

P.S. - When I got into this line of work, one of my early mentors told me three best things about being a college professor were June, July, and August. He was truly a wise man.

I Don't Get Paid Enough II

Following up yesterday's post, here's a few more excerpts from student projects.

"Using the GPS shows you the road on how to get to your destiny."

Isn't technology wonderful? Not only does it get you to your destination, it tells your future."

"iPad will combat the problem with a 10 hour battery life which will get through most cramp legging plane rides."

Right idea. Just needs a little work on the adjectives.

Unfortunately, it's not just the students. I'm wrapping up my second year here at Deep-in-the-Heart-of-South-Texas University. I recently had to complete a self-evaluation form for my first year (nothing like timely feedback). Since this was my first time filling out the form I wanted to make sure I did everything right. Hence the following email exchange between me and my department chair.

Q (Me): On p. 1 of the evaluation form there are three column headings: Class; Enrollment; and Grades. The first two are self-explanatory, but I'm not sure what the third signifies. Is it grade distribution (number of A's, B's, etc.), is it some score from the student evaluations, or is it something else?

A (Dept. Chair): The third column is usually left blank. I have never filled it in the many years that I have submitted the form. Of the forms I have received so far, they are all blank. I am not sure what the precise purpose is but I would leave it untouched if I were you.

Sigh...

I Don't Get Paid Enough

Grading 70+ student projects over the next few days, so don't expect much. After seeing what some of them wrote, I certainly don't....

"The recent success of the Iceland volcano…"

I gave 'em partial credit for being up on current events.

"Back when I was younger we would have to submit a research paper by actually working hands on and digging into books. In today’s world there is no digging for research everything is in our fingertips."

A little trouble with prepositions, or a smart-phone addict?

"Our research is just a click away we no longer have to read a story to see what it is about. We just google the story and we get many websites with synopsis and even reviews."

Ah yes, why bother reading anything or thinking for yourself? Just depend on the wisdom of the masses to tell you what to think. Must be a democrat...

"The article helped me realize how you can never fully understand our computer programs."

Kind of sad, considering that this is an Information Systems course.

Actually, that last one explains a lot of things...

A Failed State?

Perhaps the primary responsibility a government has is to protect its citizens. If a government is incapable of performing this most basic function, then arguably it is a failed state. Which brings us to Mexico.

The drug cartels are now burning out Mexican citizens - torching entire towns - to strengthen their grasp on lucrative drug smuggling corridors leading to the U.S. Not only is the Mexican government incapable of protecting its citizens from the cartel scum, it doesn't even try to stem the flood of illegal immigrants from Mexico to the U.S. In fact, the Mexican side of the border economy depends on the flow of drugs and people heading across the border.

"Before arriving at La Sierrita, a migrant looking to cross this section of the border must pass through Altar, also in Sonora state. Once a sleepy agricultural outpost, Altar has reorganized its economy around human smuggling. Rows of stores sell backpacks, canned goods and electrolyte-infused soft drinks, while headhunters slip up behind the shoppers, whispering that they can arrange for a competent guide and a safe journey into the U.S."[link here]

So what can be done to help protect the border. Well, basic economics is a good place to start. Increase the risks, or decrease the rewards, and illegal activities will decline. In Mexico's case, however, this is being done by the cartels, not the government.

"Arrests in the Tucson border area were down by nearly a third between October and April, according to U.S. border officials. The Mexican government reports a 25% dip in its emigration rate. The recession is largely to blame, but analysts in the U.S. say the lack of jobs offers an incomplete explanation for why immigration in the region is apparently dropping. Mexico's drug cartels have become a more formidable presence here, taxing the coyotes and threatening their human cargo as they make their way to the border." [same link]

In fact, the cartels are now muscling in on the coyotes, expanding their smuggling operations to include humans as well as drugs.

"As drug smuggling groups find their profits pinched by tighter border enforcement, they have moved into human smuggling, according to U.S. law enforcement officials. And with good reason: The average migrant pays about $1,300 to $1,800 to be smuggled past the bolstered Border Patrol as well as fences, surveillance towers and other new security measures. What once was a wildcat operation with marginal profits has become big business." [one more time]

Indeed, the smuggling business has evolved into kidnapping. Phoenix, AZ, my wife's home town, has become the kidnapping capital of the country. I'm not sure how much attention our federales pay to this, since it's mainly illegal immigrants who are affected.

"Over the last several years, immigrant and drug smugglers have snatched their rivals, associates or their family members as a way to collect unpaid debt for lost trafficking loads, make quick money from crews flush with cash or as retaliation for earlier abductions.

Ransoms range from $30,000 to $1 million and sometimes include demands for large drug loads.

A few kidnapping victims are killed, and others face a range of abuse, such as having their legs burned with clothing irons, their arms tied to the ceiling or their fingers broken with bricks."

In the absence of any U.S. federal action, Arizona officials have decided enough is enough.

"Arizona lawmakers passed a controversial immigration bill on Monday requiring police in the state that borders Mexico to determine if people are in the United States illegally...

The law requires state and local police to determine the status of people if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they are illegal immigrants and to arrest people who are unable to provide documentation proving they are in the country legally."

Bottom line - economic forces are driving both illegal drugs and illegal immigrants from Mexico to the U.S. Mexico can't do anything to rein in the cartels. The U.S. federal government is unwilling to take the necessary steps to protect the border. It's ironic that the two entities taking steps to discourage illegal immigration are the Mexican drug cartels and the Arizona state government.

Since both countries lack the political will to do anything about this, at least at the national level, we must turn to economic countermeasures - increase the cost, and decrease the rewards. Some modest suggestions:

• more physical barriers, at least along heavily traveled smuggling roues
• greater law enforcement presence
• increased surveillance - aerial drones, ground sensors, etc.
• prison time instead of deportation for illegals
• serious punishment for businesses that hire illegal aliens
• elimination of the "anchor baby" citizenship provision

And what about amnesty, you ask? I'll address that in depth at some point in the future, but for now you'll just have to settle for this:

"According to this new bill that's tied up in the Senate, illegal immigrants who can prove they've been here for two years would be allowed to stay. So follow the logic here. If you can prove you broke the current law for two years, you've protected under the new law." --Jay Leno

Update: Will other states follow Arizona's lead in taking action against illegal immigrants? Stay tuned...

A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words

(as Homer would say, click to embiggen)

What A Maroon!

Noted without comment: a recent poll indicates that 8 out of 10 Americans "don't trust the federal government and have little faith it can solve America's ills."

The survey found that just 22 percent of those questioned say they can trust Washington almost always or most of the time and just 19 percent say they are basically content with it. Nearly half say the government negatively affects their daily lives, a sentiment that's grown over the past dozen years.

"Trust in government rarely gets this low," said Andrew Kohut, director of the nonpartisan center that conducted the survey.

In a democracy built on the notion that citizens have a voice and a right to exercise it, the long-term consequences could prove to be simply unhealthy - or truly debilitating.

Well, maybe just one little comment...

When a former president states that anti-government rhetoric can lead to acts of domestic terrorism ("Clinton alludes to 1995 Oklahoma City bombing"), when the head of the Department of Homeland Security considers military veterans a threat and sics the FBI on us, and when the sitting U.S. president buries his head in the sand and refuses to admit that there is such a thing as "Islamist extremism," well then, Hell yes I don't trust the fools in D.C.

Who does that idiot think is stuffing their underwear full of explosives, sending suicide bombers to murder women and children, and - oh yeah - crashing planes into buildings? Non-Islamic extremists?

Bugs Bunny said it best:

Update: In addition to women and children, now those cowardly murdering Muslim assholes are killing donkeys in the name of Allah. What a perversion of religion, that they can somehow justify in their twisted little minds the slaughter of innocents to advance their befouled Weltanschauung.

Go Figure

Since a large chunk of the country is just beginning to emerge from a post-tax day hangover, it might be instructive to examine a few figures. A recent CNN poll indicates that 74% of Americans believe that "a lot" of their tax dollars are wasted by the government, and another 23% believe that "some" of their tax dollars are misspent. Only 3% believe that "not much" of their tax dollars are wasted. Put another way, 97% think that the government wastes anywhere from "some" to "a lot" of the money it collects in taxes. That figure is a little higher than I would have guessed, but the conclusion that government is not very efficient when it comes to managing money isn't terribly surprising.

The poll goes on to reveal that about half the country thinks the tax system is unfair, while the other half say it's fair. That feeling of unfairness results in 40% of the people being angry about the amount of taxes they pay, 36% are satisfied, and 24% don't feel strongly one way or the other.

Where it gets interesting is when we recall the fact that 47% of Americans don't pay any income tax.

To recap: 53% of Americans pay 100% of the income tax, 50% think the tax system is unfair, and 40% are angry about it. I'm surprised that last number is only (!?!) 40%.

The poll also indicates that 50% of Republicans say they're angry, but that figure drops to 44% among Independents and 29% among Democrats. Gee, I wonder which group pays most of the taxes, and which group gets a free ride with other people's money?

"The poll indicates growing public frustration with taxes over the past couple of decades."

"This is a significantly higher level of anger than existed during the 1980s" ... "In 1985, only 27 percent were angry about the amount of taxes they had to pay, possibly a reflection of the tax cuts that Ronald Reagan instituted in his first year in office."

Repeat after me: "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore."

April Showers

I've lived in Central Texas for most of my life, and this is one of the best years I've ever seen for wildflowers. I had to drive up around Lake Buchanan yesterday, and it was amazing. The flowers along U.S. 281 were varied, plentiful, and colorful. But what really blew me away was the carpet of bluebonnets that flanked FM 2341 between Burnet and the lake.

Lush, dense, vivid - MS Word doesn't have the synonyms to do them justice. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me, and even if I did I doubt if I could have captured the scope and intensity of the blooms. The bluebonnets literally carpeted the shoulders of the road for miles.

For the last two years this part of the country has suffered under a terrible drought. Streams and creeks have dried up, rivers dwindled to a trickle, and area lakes were down 50% or more. But this winter and spring have been wetter than normal, and things are slowly getting back to normal. Botanists say the drought has helped the wildflowers, since competing plants are stunted and sparse. The wildflower seeds are able to lay dormant for several years, sprouting only when conditions are conducive to growth. So this year they sprouted with a vengeance. I don't know if it's due to an intelligent Creator, intelligent design, evolution, or random chance, but it's truly a marvelous sight to behold.

And believe it or not, some of the credit has to go to TxDOT (Texas Dept. of Transportation). They have a program of sowing wildflower seeds and suspending mowing during the spring, which contributes to the emergence and growth of native flowers and grasses. Of course, being a government agency they find other ways to waste our tax dollars. But in this instance, credit where credit is due.

The scenery was so delightful that I turned off talk radio and cranked up the tunes. I came home in such a good mood that my wife thought I'd been up to something...

BAG It

In addition to today being Tax Day, it's also Buy A Gun Day (BAG Day).

BAG Day is much more fun than Tax Day. I must admit, however, that while I wholeheartedly support the concept, I am not participating this year. I am blessed with a reasonable amount of discretionary income and a wonderful, understanding wife. But as I noted earlier, I just came into possession of a new rifle. So instead of spending $$$ on another firearm, I blew invested a hunk of change in a new scope to top off the new rifle.

I had hoped to get it all together for today, but the rifle-scope combination requires non-standard mounting rings, which had to be special ordered. They should be here soon, and once everything is assembled I'll post pics and details.

In the meantime, I strongly urge everyone to amble on down to their favorite firearms store and stimulate the economy in a truly meaningful way. Right after you leave your local Tea Party rally, of course...

Tax Day

What can I say that hasn't been said by others (see excerpts and links below)?

Not much, other than to note that 47% of Americans pay no income tax.

At the same time, obama's approval rating is at 48%.

Coincidence? I think not.

















In many cases, those not paying taxes get money back from the IRS. Not a refund, mind you, but credits that exceed their withholding. In other words, Uncle Sam (read "you and me") are paying those folks for nothing more than basically living in these United States.

More insidiously, the government is taking money from those of us who do pay taxes and redistributing it to others as a form of social re-engineering: that is, people who behave in a certain way, or who purchase certain goods and services, are being rewarded at the expense of people who don't. As Scott Hodge points out:

The consequence of turning the tax code into a tool for social policy is that we now have a record 52 million filers off the income tax rolls...

The real issue is that millions of Americans no longer have any skin in the game and are becoming inoculated from the basic cost of government. To them, government seems free and politicians can easily convince them to support more and more spending because someone else is going to pay the tab. This trend deserves a broader national discussion than either party in Washington seems willing to engage in.

Sigh...

Other links worth checking out:

The Tax Foundation

Tax Analysts (nonprofit source for tax info)

A Brief Guide to the Flat Tax

Information About the Fair Tax

The Cato Institute's Explanation of Hong Kong's Tax System
(Hong Kong tax form is below - wouldn't that be a welcome change from the mess we have now.)















Final note: In recognition of Tax Day, a new book has been released that contains quotes - 'billions and billions' of quotes - about taxes. You can browse it on-line here. Samples below.

"A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can depend on the support of Paul." - George Bernard Shaw

"The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling." -- Paula Poundstone

"No one who has witnessed tax lobbyists' perennial infestation of Capitol Hill can ever again confuse the making of tax laws with the making of sausages: at least when you make sausages, you know the pigs won't be coming back." -- J. Mark Iwry

I feel the need for many, many Shiners...

Another "I want one"

I surely would like one of these Texas Grills to go with my Texas Flashlight...




















For those unfamiliar with BBQ Etiquette, here's a refresher.

When a man volunteers to BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:

(1) The man obtains the meat.
(2) The woman buys the rest of the food.
(3) The man prepares the meat.
(4) The woman makes the salad, side dishes, and dessert.
(5) The woman collects the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes them to the man, who is lounging beside the grill, beer in hand.
(6) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.

Here comes the important part:
(7) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine....
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring him another beer while he flips the meat.

Important part II:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.

(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all:
(11) EVERYONE PRAISES THE MAN AND THANKS HIM FOR HIS COOKING EFFORTS.

(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed 'her night off ' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women!

Texas Flashlight

I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one

Not Again!!!

One year ago obama broke protocol and bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia at the G-20 summit in London (April 2009).
















Then in Nov. 2009 he did it again when visiting Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Well guess what? Evidently the third time's the charm, as obama bows to Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. on Monday April 12, 2010.




















According to international protocol the President of the United States is both Head of State and Head of Government. As such, he is highest ranking dignitary in most settings (other world leaders generally do not hold both positions in their country). So by virtue of protocol and tradition, the U.S. President does not bow.

Unfortunately, the current loser-in-chief shows respect to just about everyone except the U.S. taxpayer...

We Have Seen The Future II

Here's an article published back in Jan. 2010. It looks at what the model for obamacare has done to the state of Massachusetts. Why on earth this wasn't part of the national debate on obamacare before Congress voted disgraces the lame stream media, the democraps, and anyone else involved in the process who was intellectually or politically dishonest enough to look the other way.

Here's an excerpt:

"In 2006, the state of Massachusetts passed a sweeping overhaul of the state’s health-care system. The system, which influenced the Obama administration’s plans for national reform, has since faced unexpected and unchecked growth in costs, both to the government and individuals, forcing the government to cut benefits and raise taxes. Now analysts say that without significant policy changes, the program’s long-term viability is in doubt."

I repeat the lessons learned:

1. The government screws up everything it touches.

2. Don't believe anything obama-reid-pelosi say.

3. If the repubs come anywhere close to nominating Romney they're even bigger idiots than the democraps.

We Have Seen The Future...

... and it ain't pretty.

As Rich Lowry points out, obamacare has already debuted in in Massachusetts, and the reviews are in. To no one's surprise - or at least no one with a basic understanding of economics and human nature - costs have escalated far beyond initial projections, people are gaming the system by not purchasing health insurance until they need an expensive procedure, there aren't enough doctors to go around, and de facto rationing and price controls are in place.

Three lessons learned:

1. The government screws up everything it touches.

2. Don't believe anything obama-reid-pelosi say.

3. If the repubs come anywhere close to nominating Romney they're even bigger idiots than the democraps.

A Short History lesson

Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel "Pick up your shovel, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the promised land."

Nearly 75 years ago, FDR said, "Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses and light up a camel. This is the promised land."

Now obama has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of camels, and mortgaged the promised land.

I was so depressed last night thinking about obamacare, the economy, lost jobs, Social Security, retirement funds, etc. that I called Lifeline, the suicide help line. Got a freakin' call center in Pakistan.

I told them I was suicidal. They all got excited and asked if I could drive a truck...

Who does he think he is...

... George Bush?



















This picture was actually taken at a Feb. 2007 campaign event, but I just now saw it.

Observation 1: It's telling that he's wearing a black hat, which after all is symbolic of bad guys.

Observation 2: That's the closest he'll ever get to being a cowboy.

Observation 3: We would all be better off if he would live by the Code of the West. There are many versions, but my favorite is the Lone Ranger's Creed.

I believe:
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That "this government, of the people, by the people, and for the people," shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change, but the truth, and the truth alone lives on forever.
I believe in my Creator, my country, my fellow man.

Somehow I don't think obama subscribes to the Code of the West...

P.S. - Seeing the bozo-in-chief wearing a cowboy hat reminds me of the story about circle flies.

Senior Wedding

Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding, and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in.

Jacob addresses the man behind the counter:

"Are you the owner?"

The pharmacist answers, "Yes."

Jacob: "We're about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?"

Pharmacist: "Of course, we do."

Jacob: "How about medicine for circulation?"

Pharmacist: "All kinds."

Jacob: "Medicine for rheumatism?"

Pharmacist: "Definitely."

Jacob: "How about suppositories?"

Pharmacist: "You bet!"

Jacob: "Medicine for memory problems, arthritis and Alzheimer's?"

Pharmacist: "Yes, a large variety. The works."

Jacob: "What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinson's disease?"

Pharmacist: "Absolutely."

Jacob: "Everything for heartburn and indigestion?"

Pharmacist: "We sure do."

Jacob: "You sell wheelchairs and walkers and canes?"

Pharmacist: "All speeds and sizes."

Jacob: "Adult diapers?"

Pharmacist: "Sure."

Jacob: "We'd like to use this store as our Bridal Registry."

World Class Rant

This had me spewing Shiner through my nose all over the keyboard the first time I read it.

After repeat readings, however, I began to get fired up.

Bring on November!!!

Warning - very, very adult language...

Time To Do Something

One of the things that disappointed me the most about Bush the Younger was his administration's neglect of this country's cybersecurity. osama-oops-I-mean-obama has failed to impress in this regard as well, dicking around with feel-good legislation at the expense of national security (both physical and cyber). We'll leave the discussion of unilateral disarmament, alienating allies, and porous borders for another time. Today we'll focus on the pathetic state of U.S. cybersecurity.

This is one of the few areas where I'll claim a modest amount of expertise. I've done some research and teaching on the topic. My primary concern is the lack of understanding and focus on the interrelated nature of this country's critical infrastructures, and the subsequent need to protect them.

Recent events have raised the fear of cyberwarfare and it's potential impacts on national security and daily life. This article discusses that possibility in more detail (excerpt below - also note that the links in the article lead to a more in-depth discussion of the relevant topic).

"Few events have crystallized U.S. fears over a cyber catastrophe, or brought on calls for a strategic response, more than the recent attacks against Google and more than 30 other tech firms.

The company's disclosure in January that it was attacked by China-based hackers -- and its subsequent decision to scale back operations there -- have stoked long-standing fears over the ability of cyber adversaries to penetrate commercial and government networks in the U.S.

If a full-fledged cyberwar were to break out, the nation's economy would be hit hard. Banks might not be able function, electricity, water, and other utilities could be shut off, air travel would almost certainly be disrupted, and communications would be spotty at best -- in a word, chaos."

Chaos? Well, think about it. How do you procure the basics of modern life? I'm guessing most of us pay for gas and groceries by using a credit or debit card. We get cash via an ATM card. Most retail establishments use information systems and networks to verify checks. The likelihood of these payment methods functioning during or after a cyber attack are minimal at best.

What about utilities? Delivery of electricity, water, and natural gas is controlled by SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems - industrial control systems that manage functions such as the monitoring and control of electricity generation and current flow, valves and pumps that regulate water, sewage, and natural gas pipelines, and so forth. SCADA systems, like much of the Internet, were initially designed for ease of use. Security was not a consideration. As a result, the system is rife with vulnerabilities.

Communications? What manages and controls TV, radio, telecommunications, cell phone networks, and the Internet? That's right - information systems and networks, all of which are vulnerable to a certain extent to outside threats.

Even the military is exposed. In recent testimony, U.S. Navy Admiral Robert Willard appeared before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee with an even stronger warning about cyber-threats posed by China.

"U.S. military and government networks and computer systems continue to be the target of intrusions that appear to have originated from within the PRC (People's Republic of China)," said Willard.

Willard testified on the military's operations in its Pacific command, which he said "faces increasingly active and sophisticated threats to our information and computer infrastructure."

These threats challenge our ability to operate freely in the cyber commons, which in turn challenges our ability to conduct operations during peacetime and in times of crisis," Willard said..."

No less a personage than Richard Clarke, former anti-terrorism czar under Presidents Bush and Clinton, rates the U.S. cyberwar capabilities below that of even North Korea, for God's sake.














(Higher is better)

So what can be done about this? Well, perhaps the federal government should refocus its attention on its primary duty - to protect this country and its citizens - rather than expanding give-away programs that make more people more dependent on handouts. After all, what good does it do to have a bunch of sheep contentedly grazing on the national commons if they're not protected from the wolves that will inevitably gather?

Academic references available on request...

Outsource This

Grading papers is one of those 'necessary evil' aspects of being a professor. It's somewhat like panning for gold - you process a lot of dross in order to find one or two nuggets. Granted, it could be worse. I can do it sitting down in a climate-controlled environment, often with a cold beverage or two at hand.

Still, it is mind-numbing and spirit-sapping to slog through paper after mediocre paper. I teach upperclassmen: college juniors and seniors whom one would presume have mastered the basics of communicating using the written word. Well, one would presume wrong. Most of them can't write a coherent sentence, much less a paragraph, much much less a string of cohesive paragraphs. What do they teach in high schools these days, anyway?

Now comes the innovative Indians, God bless 'em, with the latest in outsourcing convenience. If I'm so inclined I can now outsource the grading of papers.

"Lori Whisenant knows that one way to improve the writing skills of undergraduates is to make them write more. But as each student in her course in business law and ethics at the University of Houston began to crank out—often awkwardly—nearly 5,000 words a semester, it became clear to her that what would really help them was consistent, detailed feedback.

Her seven teaching assistants, some of whom did not have much experience, couldn't deliver. Their workload was staggering: About 1,000 juniors and seniors enroll in the course each year. "Our graders were great," she says, "but they were not experts in providing feedback."

That shortcoming led Ms. Whisenant, director of business law and ethics studies at Houston, to a novel solution last fall. She outsourced assignment grading..."

It's depressing that foreigners now have greater English composition skills than our own native-born American students. Not surprising, however. Why, you ask? Well, just ask yourself this.

Q: Who runs the schools?

A: The government.

Yes, the same folks who are running social security, medicare, and medicaid into the ground, the same people who operate the post office so well that FedEx and UPS are now corporate giants, the same organizations responsible for the efficiency and compassion of motor vehicle offices and the IRS, are the ones who 'educate' our young people.

I fear for our future...

obamacare: Succinct

Economic Rules from Ambulance Driver - a succinct yet comprehensive summary of obamacare.

Rule #1: If you subsidize a thing, people will use more of it.

Rule #2: When the cost of the subsidy inevitably becomes prohibitive, ration it. So that, you know, the people you initially wanted to use the service, can’t use the service as often as you promised them.

Rule #3: If rationing doesn’t cut costs, then slash payments to the people providing the services.

This is where we’re headed with our health care, folks.

Some Things Never Change

Here's osama-oops-I-mean-obama throwing out the first pitch of the 2010 baseball season. He throws like a sissy. I've got a wife and a 13 year old daughter who throw better than that. Hell, I've got a granddaughter who throws better.

One of the comments on YouTube about the video was priceless: "(He) throws like he governs: way to the left."




To illustrate that today's limp-wristed toss was no fluke, here's a comparison of o-loser and G-Dub throwing ceremonial first pitches. o's was from the 2009 All-Star game. Bush's was from the 2001 World Series.

President Bush - First Pitch

• 2-Seam Fastball. Will cut down-and away. The typical strikeout pitch.
• Power-T position before the throw. Generates hip drive for max. velocity.
• Eyes on the target.
• Pitching hand cocked back so batter can’t see ball during delivery.

ASSESSMENT
Strike three – batter looking. Fastball looked inside coming towards plate then broke away on the inside corner.

Obama – First Pitch

• Palm ball. Comes in slow and doesn’t move.
• No Power-T. Right hand hanging down towards dirt.
• Eyes and mouth show fear that a batter will actually be in there to knock it 603 feet..
• Pitching hand open so batter can see ball during delivery.

ASSESSMENT
This ball will be hit so far it will need a flight attendant.

*** SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON ***

Anything I add would be superfluous...

What's he on?

obama rambles and splutters for 17 minutes - 17 friggin' minutes!?! Are you kidding me? - when trying to answer a simple question. The Washington Post reports:

At a Q&A session at a public appearance to hype obamacare, a woman named Doris asked him if it was a "wise decision to add more taxes to us with the health care" package.

"We are over-taxed as it is," Doris said bluntly.

Obama started out feisty. "Well, let's talk about that, because this is an area where there's been just a whole lot of misinformation, and I'm going to have to work hard over the next several months to clean up a lot of the misapprehensions that people have," the president said.

He then spent the next 17 minutes and 12 seconds lulling the crowd into a daze. His discursive answer - more than 2,500 words long -- wandered from topic to topic, including commentary on the deficit, pay-as-you-go rules passed by Congress, Congressional Budget Office reports on Medicare waste, COBRA coverage, the Recovery Act, and Federal Medical Assistance Percentages... He talked about the notion of eliminating foreign aid (not worth it, he said). He invoked Warren Buffett, earmarks and the payroll tax that funds Medicare...

The full article is here.

I thought my wife was incapable of giving a simple answer to a simple question, but this bozo takes the cake. And he's supposed to be so eloquent, such a great speaker. I guess the teleprompter wasn't working...

Locusts

At some point over the weekend we had four 15-year old boys staying with us. At breakfast my wife was making pancakes as fast as she could and I was frying as much bacon in as short a time as humanly possible (fry, drain, repeat). After the locusts left the kitchen we totaled up the carnage: 2 lbs. bacon, 1 dozen eggs, no idea how many pancakes, 1 gallon milk, and 1 quart OJ - and for the adults, 2 cups of coffee and a couple of slugs of Kahlua. We just sat there and recovered for about 30 minutes.

It was like an invading horde swept through the kitchen, pillaging and plundering, and then rode off, leaving the shell-shocked survivors broken and battered. My wife keeps saying we'll miss them when they go off to college, but I'm not so sure...

Happy Easter

* * * * * * * * * *



Where do Easter eggs come from?

Healthcare - An Analogy and A Parable

The analogy is courtesy of the Grouchy Old Cripple, who resurrected an old Mike Royko column in which Mike suggests that, in addition to universal health care, We the People are also entitled to universal legal services. Said services should be provided and administered in a similar manner as health care services, with one interesting twist. You can read the column here. (I've looked all over the internet and I can't find a better copy of the column. If anyone can provide a link to an improved version I'd be grateful.)

God, I miss Mike Royko. If you're not familiar with him you owe it to yourself to read his work. You can find some of his columns online, and there are a couple of collections of his columns in book form that are still available through Amazon or elsewhere.

The parable comes from Doctor Zero. It draws a parallel between a homeowners association mandating one form of cable TV for all members, regardless of the individual homeowner's desire. Highly recommended reading.

Final comment: in response to the libs' efforts to smear any and all opposition to obamacare as extremist and racist, bigarmwoman points out that

"... it is possible to believe that health care should be reformed, and yet oppose the bill that just passed without being a terrified racist. It is possible to do this because as a person who lives in the real world you may be a bit skeptical over claims that a bill which increases an entitlement by billions will somehow reduce a deficit, and you’re wondering where, exactly, this money is going to come from seeing as how we’re kind of BROKE and things are just a wee bit unsettled right now, economy-wise.

You may also be skeptical over the whole “We’ll pay for it by taxing people who aren’t YOU, no really, we promise,” line of speaking, partly because the promises kept track record from this administration isn’t all that great, and partly because hearing that makes you hearken back to another president saying, “Read my lips – no new taxes,” and you remember just how well THAT went.

You may also oppose the bill because you’re a bit put off by the manner in which it was written and passed..."

So many reasons to oppose it, so little reason on the "It's a good thing" side...


Update (4/5/10): The Lame Stream Media (LSM) likes to portray the tea party and right-wingers as out of control hate-mongers, but people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones bricks.

Bricks thrown through the windows of political offices. An ominous message left for a member of Congress. A party leader threatened with death.

Angry rhetoric is out of control, fueling hatred that will inevitably result in violence. When in the name of all that is good and progressive will liberals condemn the extremists in their midst?

You see, the bricks were thrown through the windows of Republican Party offices in Virginia and Michigan. The profanity-laced message left for Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., was that she would “not live to see her next term.” The death threat was against House Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia.

Didn't read that in the LSM, did you? Check out the entire column here.

Snippets

Catching up on some things that I meant to post earlier, but somehow got sidetracked:

If Fidel Castro and the U.N. are for obamacare, then it must be good for us, regardless of what U.S. businesses and actual medical professionals think.

"Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Thursday declared passage of American health care reform "a miracle and a major victory for Obama's presidency..."

"The head of the U.N. World Health Organization on Wednesday praised U.S. healthcare reforms signed by President Barack Obama this week..."

"In the wake of Washington's health-care overhaul, some companies are taking big one-time charges for anticipated costs, fanning tension with the administration over the legislation's impact on corporate America."

"A doctor who considers the national health-care overhaul to be bad medicine for the country posted a sign on his office door telling patients who voted for Barack Obama to seek care elsewhere."

So who ya gonna believe, those fat-cat corporate execs and lying doctors, or a commie dictator, the head of a U.N. agency, and of course osama-oops-I-mean-obama?

To see more restrained comments from other medical professionals, check out Docs4PatientCare, a grassroots organization with an emphasis on allowing medical professionals to make decisions about their patients' health care, not government bureaucrats.

And if you'd like a T-shirt that encapsulates your/my/our position on obamacare, go here (thanks to The Whited Sepulchre for the link).

























* * * * * * * * *

In other news, it appears that U.S. workers have ratcheted up their productivity over the last 18-24 months. Most people would think this is a good thing, right? Guess again. In typical liberal/government fashion, these more productive workers are being blamed for holding back job growth and delaying the economic recovery that obama and his cronies swore would result from their bloated stimulus bills and other faulty policies and legislation.

"It is an episode that we're going to -- we, economists in general -- are going to want to understand better and look at for a long time," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said..."

Well, let's see. A government worker who can't understand the tax code also can't figure out why private sector employees might work harder to save their jobs when people are getting laid off left and right. Could it be that government workers have no worries about layoffs, and hence no motivation to be productive? Nah, that couldn't be it...

* * * * * * * * *

Finally, on the lighter side (sort of), there are reports that female suicide bombers are getting breast implants filled with explosives. This makes the explosives virtually impossible to detect by current screening procedures. I don't know how the TSA will react, but I predict a dramatic increase in the number of volunteers for manual patdowns...

Okay, it's Friday evening. There's a Shiner out there calling my name...

Happy Easter.

Circle Flies

I meant to post this on Monday in the spirit of FOD. However, better late than never...

A cowboy from Texas attends a social function where Barack Obama is trying to gather support for his Health Plan. As Obama spoke he kept swatting at some flies that were buzzing around his head. The cowboy says, "Y'all havin' some problem with them circle flies?"

Obama stopped talking and said, "Well, yes, if that's what they're called, but I've never heard of circle flies."

"Well, sir," the cowboy replies, "Circle flies hang around ranches. They're called circle flies because they're almost always found circling around the back end of a horse."

"Oh," Obama replies as he goes back to rambling.

But, a moment later he stops and bluntly asks, "Are you calling me a horse's butt?"

"No, sir," the cowboy replies, "I have too much respect for this country to call its president a horse's butt."

"That's a good thing," Obama responds and begins rambling on once more.

After a long pause, the cowboy, in his best Texas drawl, says, "Hard to fool them flies, though."

Stop It

I've written before about the senseless violence in Mexico, but the hits just keep on coming. The cartels are beginning to expand their influence into Texas. Intelligent, talented, and motivated Mexican businessmen - just the type of people that are needed if the nation of Mexico is to have any hope of surviving, much less prospering - are fleeing their homeland and taking up residence in the U.S. Some observers are beginning to question whether or not Mexico can survive the growing influence of the cartels.

And through it all, Americans continue to puff and toot away, oblivious to the ramifications of illegal drug use.

Sigh...

Spring Break Chickens Come Home To Roost

Well, after a nice, lengthy, relaxing Spring Break, all hell broke loose this week. In addition to a couple of papers and reviews due this week, every damn university committee I'm stuck on has decided to meet - with minimal advance notice. There is nothing pressing, no urgent matters that need attention, but I guess the committee chairs feel the need to exercise their power and justify their positions. Meeting times have gone from one to two and a half hours. Accomplishments have varying from nothing to minimal.

Oh well, it still beats working for a living...

None Of Their Business

Just trashed the census form. I'm okay with a headcount - how many people live in your household, what are their ages, etc. - but when they get into personal information that's none of their business (what's your name? Your wife's name? Your kids' names? What's your ethnic background? and BTW, hispanic isn't considered ethnic, but negro is - wtf?) they can kiss my rosy red All-American Ass.

Fuck 'em all...

Excellent Source

One of the all-time best sources I've found for commentary and facts on the health care debacle is The Whited Sepulchre. In particular, his comparison between the efficiency of Wal-Mart and the U.S. government is a classic, and not to be missed.

Check it out...

Not My Fault

My wife and I have an ongoing argument disagreement discussion regarding the culpability of the male of the species concerning the lasting effect on the male psyche of millions of years of evolution that has conditioned us to breed with as many females as possible.

My (eminently logical) position is that we (males) can't help it - we are genetically programmed to share our seed with multiple receptive females. Her (entirely unreasonable) position is that we (males) haven't evolved since prehistoric times.

Now I finally have unassailable science on my side. As this article explains - written by a feminist doctor, no less - men are hardwired to distribute the fruit of our loins as widely as possible. To (selectively) quote from the article:

"I wish I could say that men can stop themselves... But the truth is, they can't."

So there. It's not my fault!

Having said that, I now feel like a liberal. "It's not my fault. I'm a victim of my background, upbringing, situation, context..."

Oh My Aching Butt

Every time I think that idiot in the White House can't do anything else to trash this country, he proves me wrong. His latest insult to America involves ordering military units in Haiti helping that country recover from the earthquake to stop flying the U.S. flag because it might give the impression that we are there as an occupying force, instead of providing humanitarian assistance.














Thanks to Stilton Jarlsberg at Hope n' Change for the cartoon.