Are to become naturalized Americans. The Examiner so reported today.
There are at least 10 million illegals remaining in the United States, and perhaps twice that number. The plan Janet Napolitano laid out would essentially give citizenship to each of these. Even though the overwhelming majority have no desire to become US Citizens, and an even higher percentage would hold their primary loyalty to the country of their origin.
As I read this, I think of my many foreign born friends who toiled so long and hard to become American citizens. Leo, the Belorussian, who was taken to the front and told to kill a German for weapons, food, and winter clothing. Leo managed to get through the German lines and travel to Sweden as the Third Reich collapsed.
Meze, the young Romany girl, who hid from the Germans in the Czech woods, from 1939 to 1944.
The Li's, distant relatives of Mr. Lee and his son Jimmy, who managed to jam themselves on the last ship to leave China ahead of the Maoists.
And a dozen more who come to mind without any effort. Like the Sacklers. She used to say "The Krauts were going to make soap out of me, but I'm still here."
Those people earned their citizenship. Many of the current crop of illegals have earned nothing. This is another cockeyed law to oppose.
Stranger
Friday, November 13, 2009
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OCTOBER ECONOMIC
Report is fine as far as it goes. But it does not go far enough.
Yes, we can expect trillion dollar deficits for the next several years. Since the Chinese are very nervous about American deficits, their money machine is down for the duration. Forcing the Treasury to print money to pay the bills.
So Brazil, Japan, and other exporting countries have far more dollars on hand than their economies can digest. They are desperately trying to hold the exchange rate between their currencies and the buck up as much as possible.
The alternative is to let the buck float. Meaning that the days of the 135 yen to the buck and $400.00 Nikon cameras will soon be 50 yen to the buck and $1200.00 Nikon cameras. And 40 buck a barrel oil will be 400 buck a barrel oil.
Another thing the AP missed is the stunning drop in Federal tax collections. Ordinarily businesses pump tens of billions into the Treasury every month. Businesses did not do that this October. In fact, the Treasury REFUNDED $4.5 billion more than it collected.
Compared to last year, individual income tax collections are down, a staggering 29%.
As I recall, that is the steepest year on year drop since the Depression. Or perhaps I should say the last Depression.
One of the most telling "health of the economy" numbers is the amount collected for unemployment insurance. That is a percentage of gross payroll, and the percentage changes slowly if at all. For October, 2008, the Treasury received $2,007,000. For this October, the Treasury received just $1,346,000.
Total Treasury collections for October 2008 were $164,847,000.00. For October 2009, that was $135,328,000.00.
Listening to the rhetoric from Yaptown on the Potomac, it seems clear the Administration is determined to keep expenditures above $300 billion a month or $3.6 trillion a year. As collections inevitably plunge toward $1.5 trillion a year.
There seems no reasonable doubt that this trend will continue for some time. The slope of the decline may lessen in time but a very high percentage of American workers are unemployed, and a larger number are underemployed. That can only increase.
From the Administration's track record, I expect Obama to start calling for "fiscal restraint," "deficit reduction" and the like. While at the same time sharply increasing the actual tax rate on Americans. I seriously doubt that many Americans will take kindly for a sharp drop in their purchasing power, combined with a sharp increase in the percentage of their paycheck taxes take.
Stranger
Yes, we can expect trillion dollar deficits for the next several years. Since the Chinese are very nervous about American deficits, their money machine is down for the duration. Forcing the Treasury to print money to pay the bills.
So Brazil, Japan, and other exporting countries have far more dollars on hand than their economies can digest. They are desperately trying to hold the exchange rate between their currencies and the buck up as much as possible.
The alternative is to let the buck float. Meaning that the days of the 135 yen to the buck and $400.00 Nikon cameras will soon be 50 yen to the buck and $1200.00 Nikon cameras. And 40 buck a barrel oil will be 400 buck a barrel oil.
Another thing the AP missed is the stunning drop in Federal tax collections. Ordinarily businesses pump tens of billions into the Treasury every month. Businesses did not do that this October. In fact, the Treasury REFUNDED $4.5 billion more than it collected.
Compared to last year, individual income tax collections are down, a staggering 29%.
As I recall, that is the steepest year on year drop since the Depression. Or perhaps I should say the last Depression.
One of the most telling "health of the economy" numbers is the amount collected for unemployment insurance. That is a percentage of gross payroll, and the percentage changes slowly if at all. For October, 2008, the Treasury received $2,007,000. For this October, the Treasury received just $1,346,000.
Total Treasury collections for October 2008 were $164,847,000.00. For October 2009, that was $135,328,000.00.
Listening to the rhetoric from Yaptown on the Potomac, it seems clear the Administration is determined to keep expenditures above $300 billion a month or $3.6 trillion a year. As collections inevitably plunge toward $1.5 trillion a year.
There seems no reasonable doubt that this trend will continue for some time. The slope of the decline may lessen in time but a very high percentage of American workers are unemployed, and a larger number are underemployed. That can only increase.
From the Administration's track record, I expect Obama to start calling for "fiscal restraint," "deficit reduction" and the like. While at the same time sharply increasing the actual tax rate on Americans. I seriously doubt that many Americans will take kindly for a sharp drop in their purchasing power, combined with a sharp increase in the percentage of their paycheck taxes take.
Stranger
Thursday, November 12, 2009
VAMANOS, LEFTY
Flipping channels, I came across Hendrick Hertzberg, the proud author of "Obamanos."
Hertzberg said it was derived from "vamanos," the Spanish for "energy." "Energy" esta es energia. Obviously, Hertzberg does not speak Spanish.
Vamanos is the last thing the Chicano farmer yelled before he sent two loads of bird shot after a trio of sub-teen watermelon poachers. Damn, that stung!
Whether you say it vamanos or the anglicized "vamoose," it still means to make all possible haste in your departure. In Obama's case, something to be heartily wished for.
And for Hertzberg - I 'spect all he knows about brains is you buy 'em at the market.
Stranger
Hertzberg said it was derived from "vamanos," the Spanish for "energy." "Energy" esta es energia. Obviously, Hertzberg does not speak Spanish.
Vamanos is the last thing the Chicano farmer yelled before he sent two loads of bird shot after a trio of sub-teen watermelon poachers. Damn, that stung!
Whether you say it vamanos or the anglicized "vamoose," it still means to make all possible haste in your departure. In Obama's case, something to be heartily wished for.
And for Hertzberg - I 'spect all he knows about brains is you buy 'em at the market.
Stranger
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
ARMISTICE DAY
Ninety One years ago, now, the Allies and Germany signed an Armistice agreement in France. Many in the West saw the German surrender as an end to the "war to end all wars."
Many Germans were stunned. They thought the war was going well for them, and that at worst each side would retreat to their old borders and call it a draw. But the Germans realized their position was untenable. It could have ended there, but the Allies insisted on ruinous terms for Germany, leading to the economic disaster that occurred in the early 1920's. And the resurrection of German National Socialism.
Step by step, Der Kaiser's aggression has led to war after war. To WWI, to WWI, to to the Russian takeovers in eastern Europe, to Korea, and to Viet Nam. Hitler's National Socialism found fertile soil in the Middle East, leading to the United Arabic Republic and Ba'athist regimes in Syria and Iraq, with strong support across the Arab world.
The Armistice, signed so long ago, was not the end of the "War to end all Wars." It was only the first skirmish.
Here's to the veterans of the wars. The wars past. The wars present. And the wars future.
And here's to the millions who never came home. And to those who will not come home from the wars present. And to those who will not return from the wars of the future.
For I fear that only 100 years will not be nearly long enough to bring peace again.
Stranger
Many Germans were stunned. They thought the war was going well for them, and that at worst each side would retreat to their old borders and call it a draw. But the Germans realized their position was untenable. It could have ended there, but the Allies insisted on ruinous terms for Germany, leading to the economic disaster that occurred in the early 1920's. And the resurrection of German National Socialism.
Step by step, Der Kaiser's aggression has led to war after war. To WWI, to WWI, to to the Russian takeovers in eastern Europe, to Korea, and to Viet Nam. Hitler's National Socialism found fertile soil in the Middle East, leading to the United Arabic Republic and Ba'athist regimes in Syria and Iraq, with strong support across the Arab world.
The Armistice, signed so long ago, was not the end of the "War to end all Wars." It was only the first skirmish.
Here's to the veterans of the wars. The wars past. The wars present. And the wars future.
And here's to the millions who never came home. And to those who will not come home from the wars present. And to those who will not return from the wars of the future.
For I fear that only 100 years will not be nearly long enough to bring peace again.
Stranger
SOMETHING TO WATCH
Here is a temperature map of the North Atlantic Ocean.
See that white thread running up the east coast of the US. That is the "River of Ocean" called the "Gulf Stream." Since the dawn of the satellite age, this view of lifeboat Earth has had the Gulf Stream go further north and then bend toward England.
For a more normal view of the Stream, look at the orange and yellow band on the Wikipedia map.
The scientists do not know what happened to dam that great stream of water. But if it does not resume normal flow, England and Western Europe is going to be several degrees colder than it has been in several centuries. Since the "Little Ice Age," in fact.
Stranger
See that white thread running up the east coast of the US. That is the "River of Ocean" called the "Gulf Stream." Since the dawn of the satellite age, this view of lifeboat Earth has had the Gulf Stream go further north and then bend toward England.
For a more normal view of the Stream, look at the orange and yellow band on the Wikipedia map.
The scientists do not know what happened to dam that great stream of water. But if it does not resume normal flow, England and Western Europe is going to be several degrees colder than it has been in several centuries. Since the "Little Ice Age," in fact.
Stranger
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
HERE IS ANOTHER WARNING
I cannot find much to quibble with the science here.
There is a serious and increasing threat of an EMP "event." Bin Laden's stated desire to put the West back in the Stone Age will be possible in just a few years. Our electric power grid desperately needs hardening. As does the other critical infrastructure. Such as cell phone systems, computers, computerized equipment including vehicles, and anything else conductive that is not protected.
Stranger
There is a serious and increasing threat of an EMP "event." Bin Laden's stated desire to put the West back in the Stone Age will be possible in just a few years. Our electric power grid desperately needs hardening. As does the other critical infrastructure. Such as cell phone systems, computers, computerized equipment including vehicles, and anything else conductive that is not protected.
Stranger
Monday, November 9, 2009
AN END TO PRIVACY?
The headline from England's Telegraph pretty much says it all.
State to 'spy' on every phone call, email and web search
The Administration is looking into a similar scheme for the United States. Of course, we have to be "bigger, higher, faster," so the regime is looking at recording everything for at least three years. From the media, the plan will require at least one "yottabyte" of computer memory, and consume as much electrical power as a small city.
Oh, what's a yottabyte? It is one quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) gigabytes. These days it is not unusual for a computer to have a 500 or even a 1,000 gigabyte hard drive. It would take one trillion 1,000 gigabyte hard drives to contain one yottabyte of data. At the moment, the entire memory capacity of all of the computers on earth is something like 0.005 percent of a yottabyte.
As Shorty Breck said about Pearl Harbor, "Dose bastids is serious!"
Stranger
State to 'spy' on every phone call, email and web search
The Administration is looking into a similar scheme for the United States. Of course, we have to be "bigger, higher, faster," so the regime is looking at recording everything for at least three years. From the media, the plan will require at least one "yottabyte" of computer memory, and consume as much electrical power as a small city.
Oh, what's a yottabyte? It is one quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) gigabytes. These days it is not unusual for a computer to have a 500 or even a 1,000 gigabyte hard drive. It would take one trillion 1,000 gigabyte hard drives to contain one yottabyte of data. At the moment, the entire memory capacity of all of the computers on earth is something like 0.005 percent of a yottabyte.
As Shorty Breck said about Pearl Harbor, "Dose bastids is serious!"
Stranger
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