Wednesday, May 3. 2006
Able Danger and the Clintons: They want to get rid of Curt Weldon, real bad. Gateway. Kill the messenger. Blankley blows off a load of steam on illegal immigration, here. Echoes of Shelby Steele's piece. More good news from Canada: Captain Ed aka "Special Ed." What a pleasure it is to see Canada begin to return to sanity. And more on Transgender bathrooms. WTH? What is wrong with these people, Dr. Bliss? And why should anyone care? Clayton Oh, I forgot to mention - That day without illegals was great! Can we have more of those? Please?
Good morning, students! I can see by the expressions on your faces that you are surprised to see me empty-handed this morning. After all, you took a test last class meeting and probably expected your results back today. But, don’t worry one little bit. I have a good reason for not grading your exams. I simply didn’t feel like doing it.
That's a quote from Mike Adams' piece titled I Feel, therefore I am at Town Hall, and in his satire it is clear that he really does "let his feelings out." Complaining about "the kids these days" has been going on at least since Socrates and, no matter what you say, it tends to sound like a fuddy-duddy talking. Furthermore, how many of us were paragons of character in our youths? Still, as a psychiatrist, I have to agree with Adams that the extent to which people feel entitled to elevate their feelings above the time-honored virtues like duty, discipline, consideration of others, and loyalty is a sign of the times. Most of us are lazy, at least some of the time; self-indulgent, some of the time; chose instant gratification over long-term goals, some of the time; and avoid challenges and hard things, at least some of the time. However, with good moral and character guardrails, we don't let ourselves get away with those kinds of infantilism for too long, partly because it doesn't work, and partly because it makes it impossible to respect oneself. Blame it all on misunderstandings of Rousseau and Freud. If we are guided by emotion, rather than informed by emotion, we aren't much more than monkeys. Read Adams' piece, and I will try to dig up an essay I wrote a few years ago on the subject, and I'll post it when I find it, buried somewhere on some hard drive.
A guy was sitting quietly reading his paper when his wife walked up behind him and whacked him on the head with a magazine. "What was that for?" he asked. "That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Laura Lou written on it," she replied.
"Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Laura Lou was the name of
one of the horses I bet on," he explained.
"Oh honey, I'm sorry," she said. "I should have known there was a good explanation."
Three days later he was watching a ball game on TV when she walked up and hit him in the head again, this time with the iron skillet, which knocked him out cold. When he came to, he asked, "What the hell was that for?"
She replied, "Your horse called."
If anyone has not read Steele's piece yet, now is the time to do it. It's an important and clear analysis of why the West seems to lack moral authority and plain old red-blooded American backbone. One quote: Because dissociation from the racist and imperialist stigma is so tied to legitimacy in this age of white guilt, America's act of going to war can have legitimacy only if it seems to be an act of social work--something that uplifts and transforms the poor brown nation (thus dissociating us from the white exploitations of old). So our war effort in Iraq is shrouded in a new language of social work in which democracy is cast as an instrument of social transformation bringing new institutions, new relations between men and women, new ideas of individual autonomy, new and more open forms of education, new ways of overcoming poverty--war as the Great Society. This does not mean that President Bush is insincere in his desire to bring democracy to Iraq, nor is it to say that democracy won't ultimately be socially transformative in Iraq. It's just that today the United States cannot go to war in the Third World simply to defeat a dangerous enemy.
It's a must-read, here at Opinion Journal.
This post below stolen from Willisms - his entire piece is here: Voting With Their Feet- When it comes to domestic migration (Americans moving from one part of America to another), not all states are created equal. On April 20, the United States Census Bureau released its latest current population report (which has lots of neat maps, if you are interested), detailing which states gained population at the expense of others, and vice-versa (.pdf):  Generally, people are leaving states that John Kerry won in 2004 in favor of states that George W. Bush won in 2004. Again, this isn't immigration from other countries, or even birthrate-based population changes. This is strictly a measure of Americans moving from blue states to red states, from blue counties to red counties, from blue cities to red cities. Policies matter. Pro-growth policies, not surprisingly, produce growth. Indeed, the counties with the most outmigration from 2000-2004 tended to be left-leaning counties (.pdf):  It's clear that people are leaving Democrat-dominated areas to escape tyranny (of taxes, of weird rules and regulations, of higher crime rates, of the higher cost of living, of failing schools, etc.), to find opportunity elsewhere.
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. Mark Twain
Tuesday, May 2. 2006
Quotes from Quadaffi's recent speech, (via Bird of Paradise - can read the whole thing there): We have fifty million Muslims in Europe. There are signs that Allah will grant Islam victory in Europe - without swords, without guns, without conquests. The fifty million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades.
Allah mobilizes the Muslim nation of Turkey, and adds it to the European Union. That's another 50 million Muslims. There will be 100 million Muslims in Europe. Albania, which is a Muslim country, has already entered the EU. Bosnia, which is a Muslim country, has already entered the EU. 50 percent of its citizens are Muslims.
Europe is in a predicament, and so is America. They should agree to become Islamic in the course of time, or else declare war on the Muslims.
April 3, 2005. Back in the USA to say good-bye to my house, etc. The Berkeley experience was very Berkeley. Will tell you more, but after sitting thru various talks on Lacan (an elusive French psychoanalyst who uses elusive, ambiguous language as a form of sport), I was matched with a British professor from Leeds; He spoke about Oedipus and Hamlet; I about Jacob and Joseph; He spoke about the Greek words and I about the Hebrew. We were a fine match and the audience enjoyed as we compared words and concepts. Then, we marched past Sproul Hall at noon, where the UC band was performing and the cheerleaders were high-stepping, and pom-poming before them. I thanked one of the UC faculty for arranging for this fine half-time performance for us. He seemed a bit apologetic; that he had not arranged for this, in fact. Never mind to me, as I enjoyed it thoroughly. Where once Mario Savio stood with throngs in '68, shutting down the University in the name of Free Speech at the patina'ed Sather Gates, now prance cheer leaders. For Savio, there is a photo of him at the Free Speech cafe, where cappucinos, machiattos, frappucinos, pinochiochinos can be ordered and sipped outdoors in the sun. We found lunch at a pub with an o utdoor garden about three blocks down Telegraph (I think past Moe's). I left a bundle of dough at Cody's and a bit more at Moe's. The end of the day, I treated myself to a cigar across the street from the campus, in a tobacco shop where bongs are sold, and cigarette papers. My dallying almost cost me a bundle. I approached my car parked in the underground garage to ssee a berkeley rent-a-cop in uniformed shorts next to his armed bicycle writing me a ticket. Or so I thought. I asked, "Am I getting a ticket." He, having blocked my car with his bike to prevent a fast get away by me, perhaps, answers, "No, you're getting towed." He pointed outthat my vehicle tag expired on March 12 and it was now the 22nd. He tells me that I can pick up my car at the pound after paying all fees and the ticket. I implore: I am to be in SF in one hour to sign papers for sale of my house; I now live in Israel; I am visiting only to give a free lecture (at the Free Speech center of the Universe). He is fiddling with his computerized ticket do-dad. Then says, he will only give me a $50 ticket for illegal parking. (although I was legally parked and would also have to pay for parking.) I nod gratefully. He fiddles wtih the machine further. Goes into his back pack for another machine. Gets angry. Says I'm lucky: his do-dad computerized ticketer isn't
working. I' m getting off scot free. I thank him, ask if he can give me a written ticket, so I can pay. He gets more irritated: they won't let him do that anymore. He packs his machines, hops on his bike and I watch him pedal furiously up the steep winding exit ramp into the Berkeley night. Last time I was in Berekely, also to give an unpaid lecture, in January, I got a ticket for parking my motorcycle (which had a special visitor pass posted on it) in a car spot in the garage. Where the motorcycle parking was, I never found out. Just before getting to my bike, my dear friend PE and I had been walking for some two hours on Oxford and various streets. Engaged in discussion, we found the light turn red as we are mid-crossing. A burly car-driving Berekely cop stops us. Tells us he can give us each a ticket - 130$ -- for crosing on red. Paul, in his professioral baritone apologizes, grovels a bit, says the cop is absolutely right and we are absent-minded. We get off with a warning.
An oddity about Berekely : a place allegedly of free speech and great liberties, it feels at times like a fascist state. I recall that the city council debated (and my have passed) a law outlawing perfume-wearers from all public buildings, so as not to harm people "allergic" to perfume. B.O. (body odor), however is not outlawed in Berkeley and can be quite prevalent. Such an oddity: it is both lovely to be there, and irritating.
And last night, a true SF experience. After visiting friends in San Mateo, I was to join a colleague and friend and his family in SF. He asked me to bike from his house (on 30th and Langely) to the Castro to eat at Samovar. He had the bikes, lights, helmets and flourscent vests at the ready adn we descended to the Valley. Met friends along the way, obliging as to stop and banter. As we ate, cheek by jowl at Samovar, he told me that the brother of a mutual friend had died last month, a young professor at MIT. The girl at the next table asked, "Do you mean Dr. Push?" She had been an undergrad at MIT. Afterwards, a bit all the more somber, we hopped on our wheels and threaded our way along the sheers of hillsides, to Michael's house.
My house is sold today. This is a bit miraculous to me. I have had a wonderful ten years in SF. Looking forward to building a life in Aretz, truly a blessing to be able to do so. Now it's time to hop on a plane back to my new home. (Editor's note: And to his excellent new girlfriend) Copyright N. Szajnberg MD, 2006
 I am not surprised that the NYT thinks this, but I am surprised that they would admit it.
After all, everybody would like to be above the law, but nobody wants anyone else to be. Hewitt takes a look at Keller's carefully-worded Manifesto, in which he claims that the NYT can break laws if they see fit to do so. Is this "All the laws we see fit to break?" The arrogance of these scribblers dead-tree bloggers is beyond me. Ignore the "continue reading" below - a glitch.
Continue reading "In Which Bill Keller Admits that the NYT is Above the Law"
 Too much good stuff today.
A fine blog, new to me: Middlebrow. Augustine, plus some very good art criticism. A day without illegals? It was great. Keep it up. No problem. Moonbattery has "Why just one day?" Somebody has Bob Herbert's number. Link at Powerline. This is the best the NYT can do? Does anyone buy this BS anymore? Rich folks, playing the race card in court. Pathetic, and an insult to one's race. RTLC. Also from Lee, why he is totally p-o'ed with the Repubs - for good reason. We have posted on this already, but Captain Ed had more time to convince everyone that McCain is not fit for government. If the First Amendment doesn't matter to you, what does? Dr. Bob is fed up with his paperwork and coding requirements. Who can blame him? That isn't medicine - it's civil service. What's all this about depilation? The new hairlessness craze. Is it a way to be totally naked? Did Cory Maye get screwed? Aren't you allowed to shoot, in the US, when somebody breaks into your house? Yes. Our only hope is for Mexico to have a functioning economy. Their corruption, semi-socialism, and total ineptitude are the reasons their people are fleeing. Calderon has a chance to win, or they will be the next Venezuela.
The US Economy. From Breibart, h/t Pejman: Manufacturing cranked up, builders boosted construction spending to an all-time high and consumers opened their wallets wider fresh signs the economy has snapped out of its end-of-year funk. That was the message coming from the latest batch of economic reports released Monday. A report from the Institute for Supply Management showed that factory activity expanded with gusto in April. The group's manufacturing index rose to 57.3 in April, from 55.2 in March. The showing was much better than the reading of 55 that economists were expecting. In a second report, the Commerce Department said total construction spending in March climbed to $1.199 trillion, on an annualized basis, surpassing the previous record high set in February. That marked a big 0.9 percent jump from February's level a performance that exceeded analysts' projections of a 0.3 percent gain. Private builders ramped up spending on a wide variety of projects in March, including residential construction and factories. The government also spent more on big public works projects, including power plants. In another report from the department, consumer spending rose 0.6 percent in March, an improvement from the 0.2 percent increase registered in February. Consumer spending plays a key role in shaping overall economic activity. Incomes, the fuel for future spending, advanced by 0.8 percent in March. That was up from a 0.3 percent increase in February and marked the largest gain since September.
An old Alden
A fence is going up along the border. Good news for the Canadians: We must envy them - they have a real Republican administration now. Demography in Britain, from Tangled Web: Sorry, I'm just working on my update of the Beach Boys 1960'S classic (Fun, Fun, Fun), given the news that about 20% of British women reaching the end of their fertile life are childless, compared with 10% in the 1940s. In 2004 the UK fertility rate was 1.77 children per woman, considerably lower than the 1960s peak of 2.95 children. Suffice to say, population replacement level is 2 so we're in serious decline folks, and it's official! But hey - it's not bad news, no sirree! An ICM poll shows us that both men and women believe it is more important for women to enjoy themselves than to have children - with 64% of men and 51% of women agreeing. (This assumes having children is not enjoyable, mind you!) A majority also thinks that doing well at work and earning money count for more than bringing up children. Just 36% of women believe that people put children ahead of their career. In a sign of the way male attitudes have changed after feminism, only 32% of men think women should put children before work. Both men and women say it is more important to live comfortably than to have children. Of those surveyed, 61% thought this against just 32% who said bringing up children came ahead of material success.
Turning Point in Iraq? From CNN (H/T, HH): Meanwhile, in an attempt to reach out to insurgents, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said he has been meeting with seven armed groups in hopes of agreeing a deal to include them in Iraq's political process. None of these groups include people loyal to al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, according to a statement issued Sunday from Talabani's office. "These groups who are holding talks with the president are those who believe in a prosperous Iraq. Their will to fight America has waned," said a spokesman in the president's office. A source close to Talabani said the meetings have been under way for some time. The groups are realizing that Americans are not their true enemy, the source said, and that they have been "fighting the wrong enemy."
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man. Mark Twain
Monday, May 1. 2006
 The following from a director with Southwest Bell in Mexico City:
I spent five years working in Mexico. I worked under a tourist visa for three months and could legally renew it for three more months. After that you were working illegally. I was technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval.
During that six months our Mexican and US Attorneys were working to secure a permanent work visa called a FM3. It was in addition to my US passport that I had to show each time I entered and left the country. Barbara's was the same except hers did not permit her to work.
To apply for the FM3 I needed to submit the following notarized originals (not copies) of my:
- Birth certificates for Barbara and me.
- Marriage certificate.
- High school transcripts and proof of graduation.
- College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of graduation.
- Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked for at least one year.
- A letter from The St. Louis Chief of Police indicating I had no arrest record in the US and no outstanding warrants and was "a citizen in good standing."
- Finally; I had to write a letter about myself that clearly stated why there was no Mexican citizen with my skills and why my skills were important to Mexico. We called it our "I am the greatest person on earth" letter. It was fun to write. All of the above were in English that had to be translated into Spanish and be certified as legal translations and our signatures notarized. It produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left side and Spanish on the right.
Once they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours accompanied by a Mexican attorney touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed and fingerprinted at least three times. At each location (and we remember at least four locations) we were instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that we were required to obey their laws or face the consequences. We could not protest any of the government's actions or we would be committing a felony. We paid out four thousand dollars in fees and bribes to complete the process. When this was done we could legally bring in our household goods that were held by US customs in Laredo Texas. This meant we rented furniture in Mexico while awaiting our goods. There were extensive fees involved here that the company paid. We could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high rates and under contract and compliance with Mexican law. We were required to get a Mexican drivers license. This was an amazing process. The company arranged for the licensing agency to come to our headquarters location with their photography and fingerprint equipment and the laminating machine. We showed our US license, were photographed and fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never received instructions on the rules of the road. Our only instruction was never give a policeman your license if stopped and asked. We were instructed to hold it against the inside window away from his grasp. If he got his hands on it you would have to pay ransom to get it back. We then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the number of our FM3 as our ID number. The company’s Mexican accountants did this for us and we just signed what they prepared. It was about twenty legal size pages annually. The FM 3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after paying more fees. Leaving the country meant turning in the FM# and certifying we were leaving no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants, tickets or liens) before our household goods were released to customs. It was a real adventure and If any of our senators or congressmen went through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico. The Mexican Government uses its vast military and police forces to keep its citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their White House or government offices but do protest daily in front of the United States Embassy. The US embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress and during most protests the Mexican Military surround the block with their men standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the Embassy. These protests are never shown on US or Mexican TV. There is a large public park across the street where they do their protesting. Anything can cause a protest, such as proposed law changes in California or Texas.
 Firearm-related crime has plummeted since 1993 in the US. DOJ stats and graphs here.
Precipitants of homicides shows a steady drop in arguments/fights, but an increase in felony crime-related murders. All regions of the country have seen a drop in homicide. For all sorts of related interesting crime info, stroll thru the pages.
"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A
genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.
Protest against gringo products in Mexico. Kelo in Rivera Beach. City wants to take 30 homes for private development. More Darfur. Is there a double standard, where genocide in Darfur must be stopped by the US, but genocide by Saddam was OK? NY Sun Why can't we buy our own caskets on Amazon? TCS If money can't buy happiness, why not let the government take it all? Lee and Miller, with the help of Adam Smith, at TCS take on the notion that we should all be taxed to poverty. A quote: They regard the satisfaction of a broad range of needs as an entitlement or right, to be guaranteed by government. In effect, they would supplant the Jeffersonian formula -- the individual's right to pursue happiness -- by one that demands of the state "a right to happiness." Maybe it is in the nature of things for us to adapt to improvements in our lives, with the happiness they provide being temporary. But we would surely add to our happiness by spending more time appreciating how blessed we are compared to those of a few generations ago. A good way to begin is by considering how much the pursuit of wealth has added to the length, health, comfort, beauty, and meaning of our lives and the lives of those we love. If that doesn't make you happier, then don't expect more government spending on mass transit and recycling newspapers to do so either.
Read it all.
Monday morning runaway cab 
Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Those words were never said by Jefferson, as Driscoll points out. This false quote has been making the rounds, via John Kerry, newspaper editorials, etc. Not that there is anything wrong with dissent, debate, civil disagreement, etc., of all stripes and colors. But "highest form"? I would doubt it.
My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy cannot find it in herself to miss Galbraith. A Noah/government joke. Not bad. GOP bloggers. A litle guy looking for a career? Kentucky now has a jockey university! Impeach Bush? Bring 'em on! The world has gone nuts. Evangelical Outpost. Elaine Pagels writes fiction? How would I know? It could be. Interesting stuff, but probably only of historical interest. "Only of historical interest"? Tom Paine. A complicated life. A summary, here. I never knew that the French almost killed him. Darfur. What do people want? It is a horror. But is it a political football, too? Do I want unilateral US involvement? I don't know. Don Sensing (of One Hand Clapping) says you cannot have a life and be a sole blogger. I think that's right. That's why we have a Farm; a plantation, really, with slave-writers. Free Speech Zones at the University of Nevada. WTH? FIRE Gays do not get married, even when they can. They just want the freedom - I can sort-of understand that. Gay Patriot. Deep thinking in Vermont, on the war in Iraq. Env. Repub. What happened to the Green Mountain Boys? This truly blew my mind. I had to have a beer after I read this one: McCain thinks "clean government" is more important than free speech. Didn't he take a vow to defend the constitution? And who ever heard of clean government anyway? Captain's Quarters. Good reasons for Jews to flee Euristan. But can they enter the US legally? Or is it only Mexicans? Gates of Vienna Reason # 127 why the UN is a joke: The New Human Rights Commission. Gateway Moslems are joining the May Day protest. Why not? It's commies, Moslems, illegals, criminals, etc. Good grief. Bird of Paradise. Hey - it's our country. We get to decide who joins. Is Bush spending more than the "liberals" did? Yes. With eight million people, ya gotta have some moonbats. From LGF: 
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