Are there any adults left in this country? Cities boycotting AZ because of an immigration policy that has zero effect on them, except the illegals may move to their city and they don't want that to happen. Los Angeles boycotting AZ - are you kidding? Apparently the LA Lakers' fans didn't' get the memo as they were out in force for game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night in downtown Phoenix. (Suns whooped em')
Then we had an AZ guy who apparently works on "the grid" and said we could shut off a quarter of the power to So. CA that we provide. Yikes - talk about an escalation of idiocy.
President Obama is sending 1,200 troops to the border to assist with security because of the drug and human smugglers. McCain, who was once a Maverick and is no longer a Maverick (or so he says), who also didn't like the fence and troops, etc. a couple of years ago, now says we need 3,000. Not sure how he arrived at that number. The Maverick used to be smart, but now he just is trying to get elected.
In the mean time, people across the country say they like the new AZ law, yet conventions aren't being booked and some have been cancelled. I hope all of the supportive individuals spend their summer vacation here. (who wouldn't love to come to 115 degrees of dry heat?)
A young police officer was gunned down in west Phoenix two nights ago. The 4 year officer has two kids, including one only 2 weeks old. The guy the arrested has a Hispanic name, but alas he was born and raised in Tucson - in other words a regular old American citizen.
This place would have gone off like a powder-keg had the dumb ass shooter been an illegal. No matter what, the young father and husband remains dead.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Familiar Immigration Story
This appeared in a column in the AZ REpublic - EJ Montini (sort of a communist writer). I have not edited the story:
Tyson Nash, a former pro hockey player and current radio analyst for the Phoenix Coyotes, believes in doing things the right way. He moved from Canada to the United States 15 years ago, when he was 20, in order to fulfill his dream of a sports career. He was not the biggest or the most talented hockey player, but he managed through grit and determination to play professionally into his 30s, including a stint with the Coyotes.
'This country has given me what I have," he told me. "I am very grateful to be here." In 2001, Nash began the process to become a permanent resident of the U.S., to get what is commonly called a "green card."
During his time in this country, he has paid over a million and a half dollars in taxes. He has worked steadily and never been in trouble. He received the Coyotes' Man of the Year Award in 2004 for his involvement in the community. He has paid lawyers over $16,000 to help him go through the immigration process the "right way."
"I've tried to be a model citizen," he said. "Both me and my wife (who is also Canadian). I've tried always to do what is right and to follow the rules. And for all that what have I gotten? Nothing. Frustration. Disappointment. It's sad, really. You hear people talk about immigrants doing things the 'right way' all the time. I suspect that they have no idea what that entails."
The road to permanent residency involves a lot of paperwork, a lot of waiting, a lot of wondering, and an interview. Nash didn't get notice of his green card interview until 2008.
"It was a really long time to wait," he said. "You know how it goes in hockey? A career doesn't last forever. It's usually pretty short."
By the time Nash got an interview for his green card, his professional playing days were coming to an end. In fact, the interview was scheduled for the very day that he was to have a last-ditch tryout with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"I called my lawyer and tried to get it changed," he said. "We wrote letters. We didn't hear back. In the meantime, the Coyotes called and said we have this opportunity here for you with an analyst's job. I was still interested in playing, but I canceled my tryout. The green card is the most important thing in my life. I told Phoenix if I can't get my tryout back, then I'll take the job."
The story gets more complicated after that, at least in the way that dealing with a bureaucracy and its red tape can make anything and everything more complicated.
What it boils down to is that in his original application, back in 2001, Nash listed his occupation as a hockey player. By the time he got to his green card interview all these years later, his occupation was TV analyst.
As a result, his conversation with the immigration official who was considering his application became, in Nash's word, surreal.
"Essentially, he told me that I filed my application as a hockey player and not a broadcaster so I had to get back in line and refile," Nash said. "I can't explain the frustration."
It gets even more bizarre. As Nash waits to find out if he'll be deported (along with his wife and three American children), he ran into a man from South Africa at a kids' baseball game.
"He told me, 'You wouldn't believe it, I won a green card in a lottery,'" Nash said.
It's true. Each year the U.S. government issues 50,000 green cards through a lottery, with applicants selected randomly by a computer. People from all over the world can apply.
But not Canadians.
Which left Nash, a good taxpayer, a good father and a good (if not quite legal) citizen, wondering what is right about the "right way."
My Note: Sasa - sound familiar?
Tyson Nash, a former pro hockey player and current radio analyst for the Phoenix Coyotes, believes in doing things the right way. He moved from Canada to the United States 15 years ago, when he was 20, in order to fulfill his dream of a sports career. He was not the biggest or the most talented hockey player, but he managed through grit and determination to play professionally into his 30s, including a stint with the Coyotes.
'This country has given me what I have," he told me. "I am very grateful to be here." In 2001, Nash began the process to become a permanent resident of the U.S., to get what is commonly called a "green card."
During his time in this country, he has paid over a million and a half dollars in taxes. He has worked steadily and never been in trouble. He received the Coyotes' Man of the Year Award in 2004 for his involvement in the community. He has paid lawyers over $16,000 to help him go through the immigration process the "right way."
"I've tried to be a model citizen," he said. "Both me and my wife (who is also Canadian). I've tried always to do what is right and to follow the rules. And for all that what have I gotten? Nothing. Frustration. Disappointment. It's sad, really. You hear people talk about immigrants doing things the 'right way' all the time. I suspect that they have no idea what that entails."
The road to permanent residency involves a lot of paperwork, a lot of waiting, a lot of wondering, and an interview. Nash didn't get notice of his green card interview until 2008.
"It was a really long time to wait," he said. "You know how it goes in hockey? A career doesn't last forever. It's usually pretty short."
By the time Nash got an interview for his green card, his professional playing days were coming to an end. In fact, the interview was scheduled for the very day that he was to have a last-ditch tryout with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"I called my lawyer and tried to get it changed," he said. "We wrote letters. We didn't hear back. In the meantime, the Coyotes called and said we have this opportunity here for you with an analyst's job. I was still interested in playing, but I canceled my tryout. The green card is the most important thing in my life. I told Phoenix if I can't get my tryout back, then I'll take the job."
The story gets more complicated after that, at least in the way that dealing with a bureaucracy and its red tape can make anything and everything more complicated.
What it boils down to is that in his original application, back in 2001, Nash listed his occupation as a hockey player. By the time he got to his green card interview all these years later, his occupation was TV analyst.
As a result, his conversation with the immigration official who was considering his application became, in Nash's word, surreal.
"Essentially, he told me that I filed my application as a hockey player and not a broadcaster so I had to get back in line and refile," Nash said. "I can't explain the frustration."
It gets even more bizarre. As Nash waits to find out if he'll be deported (along with his wife and three American children), he ran into a man from South Africa at a kids' baseball game.
"He told me, 'You wouldn't believe it, I won a green card in a lottery,'" Nash said.
It's true. Each year the U.S. government issues 50,000 green cards through a lottery, with applicants selected randomly by a computer. People from all over the world can apply.
But not Canadians.
Which left Nash, a good taxpayer, a good father and a good (if not quite legal) citizen, wondering what is right about the "right way."
My Note: Sasa - sound familiar?
Rand Paul
Rand Paul, son of presidential hopeful Ron Paul and newly nominated Kentucky Republican, has informed us all that private business should be allowed to discriminate against Blacks. When criticized, he tried to clarify and then blamed the liberal press and Democrats for the controversy. (Think of Sarah Palin and Katie Couric badgering her by asking what newspapers she read - nasty liberal press.)
Do you believe it or not Mr. Paul? Have a backbone. If you think the feds shouldn't be involved and just leave it to private business, then say so. That we tried that in this country and it resulted in "No N_____'s Allowed" signs has apparently been lost on this fine gentleman.
Ugh.
Ron Paul thinks his son was mis-characterized. Ugh again.
Please tell me the Republican party isn't going to be run over by these racist nitwits. And, if he mis-spoke and is not a racist, then please tell me the Republican party isn't going to be run over by these stupid nitwits.
P.S. - this just in - Rand now thinks Obama is being too tough on BP. Are you kidding? Thousands of people's livelihoods are about to be wiped out, the beautiful Gulf will be polluted for many years to come, and it might just put oil on the beaches along Florida and the Carolinas. And Obama is too tough? 11 people died. Too tough?
Idiot.
Do you believe it or not Mr. Paul? Have a backbone. If you think the feds shouldn't be involved and just leave it to private business, then say so. That we tried that in this country and it resulted in "No N_____'s Allowed" signs has apparently been lost on this fine gentleman.
Ugh.
Ron Paul thinks his son was mis-characterized. Ugh again.
Please tell me the Republican party isn't going to be run over by these racist nitwits. And, if he mis-spoke and is not a racist, then please tell me the Republican party isn't going to be run over by these stupid nitwits.
P.S. - this just in - Rand now thinks Obama is being too tough on BP. Are you kidding? Thousands of people's livelihoods are about to be wiped out, the beautiful Gulf will be polluted for many years to come, and it might just put oil on the beaches along Florida and the Carolinas. And Obama is too tough? 11 people died. Too tough?
Idiot.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The "Didn't Read the Bill" Defense/Offense
From time to time a bill is floated and fought over in the congress or in the state legislatures. Then it is learned that elected officials didn't read the bill. They vote, pontificate, criticize, etc. without reading the document.
So what! If members of congress read the documents start to finish, they wouldn't understand all of the legal jargon that bloats these things to thousands of pages. The shear number of bills, all the size of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, would make it literally impossible to read them all. They have staffers who give the lawmaker a synopsis of the respective laws and proposals. Yes, that makes the staffers powerful people.
Griping about who read and didn't read them in whole is just a way to deflect criticism at the law or the lawmaker themselves. Nothing more than political noise. The latest example is the AZ immigration law. What has been reported is pretty accurate when you read the bill. It is the interpretation and implementation that will make this Nazi-like or much-ado-about-nothing. Personally, I think the latter will be the case.
So what! If members of congress read the documents start to finish, they wouldn't understand all of the legal jargon that bloats these things to thousands of pages. The shear number of bills, all the size of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, would make it literally impossible to read them all. They have staffers who give the lawmaker a synopsis of the respective laws and proposals. Yes, that makes the staffers powerful people.
Griping about who read and didn't read them in whole is just a way to deflect criticism at the law or the lawmaker themselves. Nothing more than political noise. The latest example is the AZ immigration law. What has been reported is pretty accurate when you read the bill. It is the interpretation and implementation that will make this Nazi-like or much-ado-about-nothing. Personally, I think the latter will be the case.
Counter Terrorism
After 9-11 we were told that the government would revamp how information is accumulated and shared among the appropriate agencies. We even created some sort of clearinghouse, called the National Counter Terrorism Center. They were to analyze data.
The Obama administration made statements after the Christmas Day bomber failed that implied the parts of system worked. However, the congressional review is harsher, especially on the NCTC. They wrote:
"NCTC personnel had the responsibility and the capability to connect the key reporting with the other relevant reporting," the congressional summary said. "The NCTC was not adequately organized and did not have resources appropriately allocated to fulfill its missions."
It seems to me that bureaucrats need to be held accountable. They haven't been. Look at this example plus the SEC workers watching porn for the last 5 years, add in the banking regulators who were paid bonuses for doing such a fine job of protecting us from the banking whores. All should have been fired.
If you want to have bigger government due to a belief that government can do it better or won't steal like the private businesses (banks, insurance companies, etc.) then you have to hold them accountable to a high standard. Obama should step up pressure on agency leaders to dump the deadwood because there are talented people out of work who might give it a more honest effort.
The Obama administration made statements after the Christmas Day bomber failed that implied the parts of system worked. However, the congressional review is harsher, especially on the NCTC. They wrote:
"NCTC personnel had the responsibility and the capability to connect the key reporting with the other relevant reporting," the congressional summary said. "The NCTC was not adequately organized and did not have resources appropriately allocated to fulfill its missions."
It seems to me that bureaucrats need to be held accountable. They haven't been. Look at this example plus the SEC workers watching porn for the last 5 years, add in the banking regulators who were paid bonuses for doing such a fine job of protecting us from the banking whores. All should have been fired.
If you want to have bigger government due to a belief that government can do it better or won't steal like the private businesses (banks, insurance companies, etc.) then you have to hold them accountable to a high standard. Obama should step up pressure on agency leaders to dump the deadwood because there are talented people out of work who might give it a more honest effort.
Oh My - What a Surprise
Mark Souder is yet another conservative, Christian member of congress that has had to admit to an affair. Family values, a champion of Abstinence only training in school (think Palin, her daughter and the ex-boyfriend), etc. are a staple of his reign. Again a hypocrite.
He sounded like he was taking his lumps and fessing up to his weakness. Of course he couldn't help finishing with this beauty, "He said he chose to resign rather than subject his family to a "painful, drawn-out process" in what he called "the poisonous environment of Washington, D.C."
So it is Washington D.C.'s fault that he had an affair after selling himself to his constituents as the family value man?
He sounded like he was taking his lumps and fessing up to his weakness. Of course he couldn't help finishing with this beauty, "He said he chose to resign rather than subject his family to a "painful, drawn-out process" in what he called "the poisonous environment of Washington, D.C."
So it is Washington D.C.'s fault that he had an affair after selling himself to his constituents as the family value man?
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Say it Ain't So!
Finally Sarah Palin has weighed in on the AZ immigration law. She blasted a north Chicago suburb for cancelling a trip for a girl's basketball team to come to AZ for a tournament this winter.
I hate when this happens, but I agree with Sarah Palin on this one. Jeez, shouldn't kids be allowed to be kids and to use their God given talents without politics getting in the way?
I hate when this happens, but I agree with Sarah Palin on this one. Jeez, shouldn't kids be allowed to be kids and to use their God given talents without politics getting in the way?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Oil, Oil, Everywhere Oil
Surprise! Haliburton is involved in the oil spill mess in the Gulf. Haliburton - the first love of Dick Cheney, former VP under George W. Bush. Oddly, Haliburton's leader blamed BP who had earlier blamed it on Transocean. Completing the ring-around-the-rosey was Transocean blaming Haliburton. I think that is the way the game was played.
Seeing the three big shots pointing at each other was comical. Of course there is nothing comical about it in any way. It is a full-blown tragedy.
To date, I thought BP was doing pretty good at owning up to the tragedy and saying they will pay. I hope that doesn't change now that Lamar McKay (president of BP U.S.) has the taste for passing the buck.
Bush-Cheney, the gift that just keeps on giving!
Seeing the three big shots pointing at each other was comical. Of course there is nothing comical about it in any way. It is a full-blown tragedy.
To date, I thought BP was doing pretty good at owning up to the tragedy and saying they will pay. I hope that doesn't change now that Lamar McKay (president of BP U.S.) has the taste for passing the buck.
Bush-Cheney, the gift that just keeps on giving!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Speed Cameras - Revisited
Well, the speed cameras are coming down. The agreement expires in July and the governor isn't renewing it. The program only generated $65M and saved an estimated 24 lives (deaths down 19% during the period), thus I guess it is a failure.
What? We have a huge deficit here in the AZ budget and it is going to get bigger as we lose more and more conventions, events, meetings, etc. So if you are making $65M on the program and saving lives, how could you let it go? Smart people would not. AZ legislature and governor are not smart people. They are ideologues with power, but not of the brain variety.
They argue that illegal immigrants (and I agree) are illegal and thus need to be dealt with. People exceeding the speed limit by 11 MPH are illegally driving and being fined because of it. This is a silly thing to do. As a confirmed 7-MPH-over-the-speed-limit driver I found the program to be harmless.
What? We have a huge deficit here in the AZ budget and it is going to get bigger as we lose more and more conventions, events, meetings, etc. So if you are making $65M on the program and saving lives, how could you let it go? Smart people would not. AZ legislature and governor are not smart people. They are ideologues with power, but not of the brain variety.
They argue that illegal immigrants (and I agree) are illegal and thus need to be dealt with. People exceeding the speed limit by 11 MPH are illegally driving and being fined because of it. This is a silly thing to do. As a confirmed 7-MPH-over-the-speed-limit driver I found the program to be harmless.
Immigration Again
Each day we are provided more fodder about immigration problems in the U.S. There is no shortage of partisan B.S. but there is a shortage of action.
Apparently about 1/2 of the illegal immigrants in this country came via legal means - a visa of some sort. What makes them illegal? They are overstaying the visa and the feds are doing very little to fix the problem.
Perhaps we should stop all visas until we can figure out a better system. Or, at least stop visas for people from unfriendly countries. Define "unfriendly" as places that have citizens blowing up U.S. interests, their own people, hosting "build a bomb" training parties, etc.
We have technology, use it. Electronic visas that have tracking devices so that we can "remind" them it is time to go - now.
I always told my friend from Europe that he could stay in the U.S. because the feds wouldn't know or care that he was here. However, part of the appeal for him and his family was the U.S. has and enforces laws. He refused to become an illegal immigrant. Apparently he was in the minority.
Apparently about 1/2 of the illegal immigrants in this country came via legal means - a visa of some sort. What makes them illegal? They are overstaying the visa and the feds are doing very little to fix the problem.
Perhaps we should stop all visas until we can figure out a better system. Or, at least stop visas for people from unfriendly countries. Define "unfriendly" as places that have citizens blowing up U.S. interests, their own people, hosting "build a bomb" training parties, etc.
We have technology, use it. Electronic visas that have tracking devices so that we can "remind" them it is time to go - now.
I always told my friend from Europe that he could stay in the U.S. because the feds wouldn't know or care that he was here. However, part of the appeal for him and his family was the U.S. has and enforces laws. He refused to become an illegal immigrant. Apparently he was in the minority.
Be Afraid, Very Very Afraid
Well, the Tea Party movement stepped up in Utah and beat a sitting Republican Senator. Senator Bennett has been a consistent Conservative for 18 years. What was his crime? He backed the Bush administration on the TARP fund.
Most economists backed the play, saying that the fund will make the then-coming depression/recession less severe. Hard to say if they were right but it seems that some improvement has occurred. Perhaps the recession or depression was less severe or shorter or both because of the TARP program.
Again, hard to know. Funny how the Tea Party people can be so sure. The fact is, they are not sure but are so ideologically "pure" that they are willing to give up the power that Utah is afforded by having a powerful, Conservative Senator.
In Utah, the state is very conservative so either of the remaining Conservatives will probably be able to beat whatever Dem gets put up in the general election. But what about less Red states? What will happen in November when they successfully put up a far right-wing Conservative that turns off the Independent voter and even the slightly right of center Republicans? It will be interesting.
Most economists backed the play, saying that the fund will make the then-coming depression/recession less severe. Hard to say if they were right but it seems that some improvement has occurred. Perhaps the recession or depression was less severe or shorter or both because of the TARP program.
Again, hard to know. Funny how the Tea Party people can be so sure. The fact is, they are not sure but are so ideologically "pure" that they are willing to give up the power that Utah is afforded by having a powerful, Conservative Senator.
In Utah, the state is very conservative so either of the remaining Conservatives will probably be able to beat whatever Dem gets put up in the general election. But what about less Red states? What will happen in November when they successfully put up a far right-wing Conservative that turns off the Independent voter and even the slightly right of center Republicans? It will be interesting.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
NYC
NYC - just another radical Muslim idiot with a poorly constructed bomb. I read about this contraption that was built and put in a stolen SUV and parked outside the theater district. A Saturday night so the explosion would have been devastating.
Luckily these idiots are just that. Turns out he has been here for quite a few years and "earned" citizenship here a year ago. What kind of background check are we running?
Immigration is totally screwed up.
Luckily these idiots are just that. Turns out he has been here for quite a few years and "earned" citizenship here a year ago. What kind of background check are we running?
Immigration is totally screwed up.
Drill Baby Drill or Spill Baby Spill
Can Louisiana get any more unlucky? Jeez. Our love for oil is now not just about air pollution and global warming. Now it is about destroying entire industries and shorelines that generate millions of dollars. Undeniable. Black goo in the water, headed for shore, covering fish, being consumed by sea turtles, etc. Ugh.
I wonder how the conservatives will spin this? Perhaps they will say, "Who needs those pesky white sand beaches, it just gets in your clothes and shoes anyway!" or "Shrimp are overrated" or "Who cares, old White guys don't live in New Orleans and/or they don't work on shrimping boats."
John McCain and Sarah Palin, where are you now? I assure you they are not down there sitting on the beach trying to scrub the oil off the sea turtles, birds, fish, etc. Obama, like Governor Arnold S. of California should rethink the added drilling sites approved. Clearly we do not have the technology to fix these problems as they arise.
Lastly, shouldn't the "pro-lifers" be concerned about the 11 dead people who died on that oil rig?
I wonder how the conservatives will spin this? Perhaps they will say, "Who needs those pesky white sand beaches, it just gets in your clothes and shoes anyway!" or "Shrimp are overrated" or "Who cares, old White guys don't live in New Orleans and/or they don't work on shrimping boats."
John McCain and Sarah Palin, where are you now? I assure you they are not down there sitting on the beach trying to scrub the oil off the sea turtles, birds, fish, etc. Obama, like Governor Arnold S. of California should rethink the added drilling sites approved. Clearly we do not have the technology to fix these problems as they arise.
Lastly, shouldn't the "pro-lifers" be concerned about the 11 dead people who died on that oil rig?
I Feel Like Brett Favre
Retire, un-retire, retire.........
Oh well - the fodder is just too good.
Immigration is now the hot topic. Arizona is being skewered by the media and prominent people but the average Joe likes the law, even if they feel a bit uncomfortable with the possible racial profiling.
Those of us that live here understand the argument for and against. I wrote earlier that I agreed with the Governor signing the law, hoping that it will spur the feds to act. I stand by it but I do worry about the massive loss of money that is already happening.
There are people who vote with their pocketbooks and where they schedule their meetings. Likely they will not be coming to Arizona. Okay, perhaps the Grand Poo Bah will bring the KKK annual convention.
Oh well - the fodder is just too good.
Immigration is now the hot topic. Arizona is being skewered by the media and prominent people but the average Joe likes the law, even if they feel a bit uncomfortable with the possible racial profiling.
Those of us that live here understand the argument for and against. I wrote earlier that I agreed with the Governor signing the law, hoping that it will spur the feds to act. I stand by it but I do worry about the massive loss of money that is already happening.
There are people who vote with their pocketbooks and where they schedule their meetings. Likely they will not be coming to Arizona. Okay, perhaps the Grand Poo Bah will bring the KKK annual convention.
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