Blind & a Video Game Expert

Seventeen year-old Brice Mellen “…is a whiz at modern video games such as Mortal Kombat and Soul Caliber. In that regard, Mellen isn't all the much different from any other kid his age. Except for one thing: He's blind.”

There is no doubt that human sensory capabilities can be enhanced. And, they often are when there is a loss of a sensory system. Still the story about Brice Mellen is almost unfathomable.

This Face is All I Have, Born and Lived In

This face is all I have, born and lived in

And the lines below my eyes are like old friends

This heart’s been beat-up

My rugged sole has things that are rough, and this face is all I have, born & lived in

The fairest they can fall for believin’

Something to achieve is peaceful feelin’

After all these tears are only truths

Your silver spoons can dig up my roots, and this face is all that I have, born & lived in

Born & lived in, through the tides of time

Born & lived in

This face of mine I can believe in, the reflection on the wall

Who needs to be the fairest of them all?

I never looked like you, cool and streamline

I have this honesty that grows with time

When cracks appear they suit me fine

Like a good ol’ dog you won’t hear me whine, and this face all I have, born & lived in

Born & lived In, through the tides of time

Born & lived In, this face of mine

I can believe in the reflection on the wall

Who needs to be the fairest of them all?

Sins and lies, they take the place of truth and answers

You can trade a glance and call it a second side

You can’t buy a sympathetic mirror

Honesties and answers you can’t buy

I can believe in the reflection on the wall

Who needs to be the fairest of them all?

Well you know, this face is all I have, born & lived in

And the lines below my eyes are like old friends

This ol’ heart’s been beat-up

My Rugged ol’ sole has things that are rough, and this face is all I have, born & lived in

This face is all I have, born & lived in

Born & lived in

SVS Comment: Ain’t that the truth!

Lyrics of “This Face” by Rod Marshall on his album “Nearly Willie.”

We were Complicit in Fonda’s Treason: Let’s Not Do It Again

Read what Snopes.com has to say about what Jane Fonda did and did not do in support of the North Vietnamese. Here is information on Fonda’s radio broadcasts for the North Vietnamese.
Jane Fonda can not claim that her Vietnam War activism was the result of youthful exuberance. She was a 34 year old woman when she went to Vietnam. Fonda admits to being a socialist, but it is not a socialist that commits such treasonous acts. Jane Fonda grew up in the lap of luxury, betrayed her country, and continued enjoying the freedoms and benefits of this capitalist based society. And, she is still hated.

Al Martinez wrote on the vitriol that still exists for Fonda from the Vietnam era:

“To remind and inform us of her "treachery," Internet websites offer dissertations of her trip to Hanoi during the Vietnam War and photographs of her seated on a North Vietnam antiaircraft gun.”

‘Many regarded her as a traitor for giving aid and comfort to the enemy, but she has always maintained that she was just trying to bring the war to an end. A lot of people were doing the same thing, but (1) they weren't movie stars and (2) they didn't go to Hanoi and sit on communism's lap, so to speak.”

Al Martinez thinks that the anger over Jane Fonda is waning and, “…maybe we can get over the old war and get on to stopping the war we're in and preventing the wars to come.”

Yes, maybe we should get over the anger and hate, but we can not forgive Jane Fonda. Why? Because, we are not in a position to forgive her. Only God and those who were wronged by her actions can forgive her. And, that takes each and everyone of them. Too bad so many died and can not be polled on the matter.

If you don’t think that the anti-war movement in the 60’s and 70’s was important to the enemy, just read this:

“The Wall Street Journal (August 3, 1995) published an interview with Bui Tin who served on the General Staff of the North Vietnam Army and received the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. During the interview Mr. Tin was asked if the American antiwar movement was important to Hanoi's victory. Mr. Tin responded "It was essential to our strategy" referring to the war being fought on two fronts, the Vietnam battlefield and back home in America through the antiwar movement on college campuses and in the city streets. He further stated the North Vietnamese leadership listened to the American evening news broadcasts "to follow the growth of the American antiwar movement."”

Let us all heed the words of Bui Tin and understand that the American anti-war movement during the Vietnam War was not a patriotic expression of the First Amendment. It was a traitorous movement specifically intending to sap the will from the public and directly cause the loss of American life. But, let us also be clear and understand that the American public did not have to heed the words of the rabble railing against the government and military. We, who either supported the war or were neutral on the war, should have been in the streets counter-demonstrating. Sustaining a counter balancing force against the anti-war crowds would have been admittedly difficult simply because most Americans needed to be at work and not in the streets. The freedom accorded to students was ideal for demonstrations, and the left took advantage of the opportunity.

Today, we must finish what was started in Iraq and Afghanistan. And, we must address seriously the challenge manifested in the bombings of: the Marine Barracks in Lebanon; the embassies in Africa; the USS Cole; the Pentagon and the World Trade Center twice; and all the countless other violence. Why must we finish it? Because there is an Islamo-fascist desire to kill all of us and subjugate the remainder of the world.

Today, Jane Fonda is again on the anti-war bandwagon, may she burn in the hell that allegedly she now believes in as a born-again Christian. More importantly, may we burn in hell as well if we again abandon the sacrifices of our troops.

On the Trials and Tribulations of Language

In high school forty some years ago, I elected to take French for my foreign language requirement. What a waste that was. Why did I need to learn French when I was living in northern California. I had no plans to live in either eastern Canada or France. What ever got into me, I don’t know. I shouldn’t be too hard on myself since there were plenty of adults who should have steered me clear of a language which has virtually no practicality in the world. Only a Frenchman would think otherwise. And to tell the truth, I don’t give two hoots about what the French think. To compound the problem, I immediately took a couple of French classes upon entering the university. That’s where I got my first experience with the arrogance of the French elite.

To be totally honest, there was a short period of time where I put my French skills to work reading some French scientific articles in support of some research I was conducting. That was it. Never again have I had a need for the language.

Today I find myself living in Southern California and struggling to communicate with the myriad of Hispanic speakers who have rudimentary knowledge of English at best. I could have taken Spanish, why didn’t I? Well, probably because nobody in northern California at that time thought that the U.S. would be flooded with Spanish speakers. Think how much better things could be for me now.

Yes, I know that the language of this country is English. And, I know that every immigrant group that has historically landed on our shores has mastered English in time and prospered accordingly. But, we are in the throes of such a massive influx of non-English speakers that the mainstream citizens are becoming increasingly irritated that they cannot communicate with so many people in the service industries. I suspect that much of the current resistance to immigration is as a result of language frustration more than it is of a dislike for foreigners.

OK, so I need to learn some Spanish. That’s not such a big deal, and it would be nice to be able to communicate better with so many nice people. Now that I’m resolved to do that, I find out that in Ventura County, CA, that there are tremendous language problems with Hispanic migrants who do not speak and can not converse in either Spanish or English. Turns out that there is a large population of Mexicans from the southern most “…Mexican states such as Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla and Guerrero who speak Mixteco and other languages indigenous to their homes...” That’s just great. Now what am I to learn? OK, maybe it’s better if they learn English, every other immigrant group did so.

There is no doubt that the U. S. is going to continue to need the services of migrant workers. Mexico is the greatest and easiest source of needed manpower. Unlike Europe, we are blessed with a migrant worker force with the same Judeo-Christian values as ours. Europe was not so fortunate. They imported Muslims and look what is visited upon the Europeans now.

Let’s hope that Pres. Bush’s forthcoming immigrant legislation will not only secure the borders, but will provide for an orderly movement of peoples between the U. S. and Mexico. Let’s make it a requirement that to live in this country for any extended period of time that you must pass an English test. Unfortunately, every solution comes with a problem. If we require migrants to speak English, shouldn’t we make a similar requirement for our citizens who only speak ebonics? (Read the article on ebonics here.) We could do that. But if they failed to learn English, where would we send them since no potential receptor country speaks ebonics?

Patriot Act Further Defined

A U.S. District Judge ruled on the Patriot Act and supported the government on four issues and the plaintiff one time. Read about the case here.

Despite all the hand wringing and dire predictions about the Patriot Act ending freedom in the U. S., it has not come to pass. Far from it. Justice Department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said. ''There has not been one verified civil liberties complaint against the act since its inception and it has successfully broken down walls between the intelligence and the law enforcement community.''

Condoleezza Rice is Number One

Forbes.com reports on the second ranking of the 100 most powerful women in the world. Condoleezza Rice is Number 1. Hillary Clinton ranked 26.

Aztecs Sacrificed Children

There has long been a controversy over Aztec human sacrifice allegations. Many blame Christians for fabricating the stories to somehow justify their own murderous ways. It is said that the Aztecs conducted human sacrifices with hapless victims captured in war. It seems that they would cut out a beating heart from the chest of the victim. Now, a recent archeological discovery indicates that the Aztecs practiced child sacrifice.

The new find must be quite vexing to the neo-Aztec venerators intent on buttressing their claim for taking much of California back from the U. S. I guess the Aztecs were not so morally superior after all. It must have been that one barbarous people, the Spaniards, simply conquered another barbarous people, the Aztecs.

"A Child Does Not Fail, but Defers Success"

The above headline is an actual headline from a The Guardian article run in the UK recently. I kid you not. It seems that educators have determined that a child does not actually fail in school, but rather is deferring success to a later time. It is not clear whether or not the “deferring” is a conscious act or not.

“If your children come home with reports suggesting they have been asleep for most of the last school year, do not label them as failures. They have been merely "deferring success".”

“The Professional Association of Teachers will introduce a motion at an upcoming conference, “…it is time to delete the word 'fail' from the educational vocabulary, to be replaced with the concept of 'deferred success'."

It seems that the UK educators have failed in a very important human trait, common sense. But, perhaps they are simply deferring to a later time after they have destroyed another generation of students. What a convenient rationale for teachers to avoid personal responsibility for the lack of student progress. Ahhh, the sweet smell of liberalism.

Guns, Guns, Those Horrible Guns

The LA Times, champion of the anti-gun mob, is again beating the same old tired drum that Republicans, Sen. Frist in particular, are advancing NRA provisions contrary to the wishes of the public. Well, at least the liberal public. The thinking majority in this country do not agree.

The only liability that gun manufacturers and dealers should suffer is if they make and/or sell a mechanically defective product. If a gun is lawfully sold and that person, or some other person, commits a crime with the gun, the liability rests with that person.

Whether or not a gun costs $50 or $500 is not the business of legislators.

The liberals will not rest until they have confiscated and made it unlawful for any citizen to own a gun. That’s just great, because the crooks will then truly have all the guns.

There is an old saying that a liberal will remain a liberal until he is mugged. He will then become a conservative. Isn’t it ironic that a criminal could do a liberal a favor by shooting him? Well, it would only be a favor if the liberal lived long enough to convert to conservative values.

Only a Liberal would Support Ebonics

A July 17, 2005 article in the San Bernardino County Sun reported that a sociologist revealed that the San Bernardino City Unified School District (California) was embarking on a plan to teach “ebonics” to their students. The sociologist stated that, “The goal of the district's policy is to improve black students' academic performance by keeping them interested in school.”

“A pilot of the policy, known as the Students Accumulating New Knowledge Optimizing Future Accomplishment Initiative, has been implemented at two city schools.”

“Students Accumulating New Knowledge Optimizing Future Accomplishment Initiative,” now that’s a mouthful. The ebonics translations could well be, “Say whaaatt honkey?”

“Board member Danny Tillman, who pushed for the policy, said that full implementation of the program at all schools may take years, but the pilot program is a beginning.”

On July 19, 2005, the school district issued a press statement that ebonics is not a part of the curriculum. That’s strange. The newspaper quoted a school board member and named two schools in which the program had already been initiated. Something is rotten here. I suspect it is the brains of the school board.

Is Allah God?

Daniel Pipes wrote an interesting piece contrasting the Islamic Allah and the Judeo-Christian God:

“Asked if Muslims worship the same Almighty as Jews and Christians, President George W. Bush replied some months ago, “I believe we worship the same God.” The Islamic deity, known as Allah, in other words, is the same Supreme Being to whom Jews and Christians pray.”

“the entire world is being convulsed by a religious struggle. … whether Hubal, the Moon God of Mecca, known as Allah, is supreme, or whether the Judeo-Christian Jehovah God of the Bible is Supreme.”

“…Muslims must first recognize the validity of alternate approaches to the one God. That means leaving behind the supremacism, extremism, and violence of the current Islamist phase.”

CAIR Finally Issues Fatwa

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is one of the most influential Muslim organizations in the U. S. It may seem strange that until recently, CAIR has been virtually silent on the issue of denouncing Islamo-Fascist terror acts. You would think that U. S. Muslims, living in the land of plenty, would be shouting the house down in opposition to their fellow Islamist terrorists. But, that has not been the case. The people who run the Anti-CAIR web site don’t think it is strange. They maintain that CAIR is intimately involved in terrorism:

“Since its founding in 1994, CAIR and its employees have combined, conspired, and agreed with third parties, including, but not limited to, the Islamic Association for Palestine (“IAP”), the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (“HLF”), the Global Relief Foundation (“GRF”), and foreign nationals hostile to the interests of the United States, to provide material support to known terrorist organizations, to advance the Hamas agenda, and to propagate radical Islam. CAIR, and certain of its officers, directors, and employees, have acted in support of, and in furtherance of, this conspiracy.”

“Ghassan Elashi was a high-ranking CAIR official at the time he committed the pro-terrorist crimes for which he was convicted.”

“Randall"Ismail"Royer was an active official in CAIR at the time he committed his pro-terrorist crimes --- Royer plead guilty.”

The Anti-CAIR folks cite a CAIR lawsuit of Andrew Whitehead as evidence supporting the contention that CAIR is associated with terrorism.

The CAIR fatwa includes:

“In the light of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah we clearly and strongly state: 1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians.”

Here is the CAIR press conference.

It may well be that CAIR did spring from terrorism organizations and that founders of CAIR have been convicted of terrorism activities. It does seem suspicious that CAIR has taken much too long to issue a definitive statement as in this fatwa.

The lack of worldwide Islamic protests against Islamo-fascist terrorists acts is obvious. However, at the mere hint of, and without a shred of proof, Muslims will riot in response
to an allegation that the Quran was “defiled” or other alleged insults to Islam. Ahmed H. al-Rahim’s article in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) asks, “Why Not a 'Million Muslim March'?” Rahim states, “Where is the Muslim outrage, the mass protests to defend Islam, in whose sacred name murder is committed nearly every day…”

I, for one, am not convinced about the sincerity of CAIR

Pakistan Supporting Islamo-Fascism

Events since 9-11-01 have demonstrated that both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are deeply involved in the support of Islamo-Fascism and attendant terrorist plots. Is it not interesting that both countries are allegedly allies of the U.S.? It can be convincingly argued that entities within the governments of each country are directly involved in the support of the world-wide spread of Islamo-Fascism. A report in today’s LA Times cites evidence of the support of the Pakistani intelligence service and military in current protection of and support of Taliban attacks against the regime of Afghanistan and the U. S. military in Afghanistan.

Be aware that there is a very large contingent from Pakistan living in the U. S., and they are players in Islamo-Fascism.

“Telephone and power lines haven't reached the villages clinging to the craggy mountainsides of Kunar province. Digital phones and computer chips are even further beyond the shepherds' imaginations.”

“So when sophisticated bombs detonated by long-range cordless phones began blowing up under U.S. and Afghan military vehicles on mountain tracks, investigators knew they had to search elsewhere for the masterminds.”

“Afghan officials immediately focused on nearby Pakistan and its military…”

“…intelligence agents across the border and 50 captured prisoners describe an extensive network of militant training camps in areas of Pakistan's federally administered North Waziristan tribal area where government forces are firmly in control.”

“Tauda China, a village in the area, which is home to Pushtun tribes, is the site of one camp where Inter-Services Intelligence agents trained militants, Anwar said. He alleged that there were as many as six other camps in the surrounding valley, which is closed to outsiders and guarded by Pakistani troops and armed Afghans.”

The Enemy are Not Winning-Mosul

This from Michael Yon:

“The enemy in Iraq does not appear to be weakening; if anything, they are becoming smarter, more complicated and deadlier. But this does not mean they are winning; to imply that getting smarter and deadlier equates to winning, is fallacious. Most accounts of the situation in Iraq focus on enemy "successes" (if success is re-defined as annihiliation of civility), while redacting the increasing viability and strength of the Iraqi government, which clearly is outpacing the insurgency.”

"The Mosul police are now strong enough to launch successful undercover operations, and have been fanning out across Mosul and surrounding villages, snooping and listening for snippets. On July 15th, police working undercover in a village Northwest of Mosul heard a group of villagers talking about a weapons cache, but the location was not mentioned. Iraqi forces locked down the village, searched and found a weapons depot from Syria into Mosul. Iraqi police also found and rescued the 28 year-old woman I mentioned briefly in the last dispatch. She was the wife of a Mosul journalist, and had been kidnapped and held for ransom by members of a beheading cell. After the village search, police hauled four men to a Mosul station for interrogation, and alerted the Americans.”

Hanoi Jane’s Rerun As “Jihad Jane”

No matter how you slice and dice it, a traitor is still a traitor. Jane Fonda is back in the anti-war game, and this time it is the war in Iraq. Tiger Hawk has re-dubbed the infamous Hanoi Jane as “Jihad Jane.” Read it here and here.

Leftist Chameleon Follows Husband’s Path

In today’s LA Times:

“The Democratic Leadership Council, an organization of influential party moderates, on Monday named Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to direct a new initiative to define a party agenda for the 2006 and 2008 elections.”

“The appointment solidified the identification of Clinton — once considered a champion of the party's left — with the centrist movement that helped propel her husband to the White House in 1992. It also continued her effort, which has accelerated in recent months, to present herself as a moderate on issues such as national security, immigration and abortion.”

Adopted? What’s with That?

Ann McFetters, Washington Bureau chief of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Toledo Blade, wrote an opinion piece published in my local newspaper concerning U. S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. It may well have run in your newspaper, as well. The article is fairly mundane and closes with some bit of sarcasm:

“Good judges evolve and are fair and open-minded. They grow wiser with experience and age. They are not ideological. They weigh the facts of each case. They sometimes disappoint people on the right and the left. They do not throw temper tantrums. If they have children, they set firm boundaries, but do not spank them. Their pets adore them.”

What caught my eye in the piece and fired my ire was,

“When President Bush introduced his Supreme Court nominee, Judge John Roberts, to the American people, the oh-so-shrewd White House also ushered into the East Room Roberts' wife, appropriately named Jane, and their two adopted, adorable blond children, John, 4, and Josephine, 5.” (The bolding is mine.)

Why was it necessary to say that the children are adopted instead of just children? Are adopted children somehow different? Are they better or worse than their biological counter-parts? Or, perhaps does it have something to say about the parents? Are they somehow more compassionate than biological parents? Or, could it be that for some reason that the parents are “defective” and were not able to conceive children on their own?

The fact that the children are “blond” must be of some significance, as well. Why would that be? Is it that the parents were not sensitive enough to have picked a minority child from the adoption list?

I‘ve not read McFeatters work previously, and I don’t know her true motivations. But, I suspect that the she is liberal and could not find anything much to say negative about John Roberts. Perhaps it would have been better to have said nothing at all instead of revealing possible deep seated prejudices through cheap shots at the children.

Oh and by the way, then there is the cheap shot at the nominee’s wife, Jane Roberts, “…appropriately named Jane…”

Taking cheap shots is a poor substitute for rational discourse. Perhaps Ann McFeatters should use a byline of “Cheap Shot McFeatters.” It’s kind of catchy, don’t you think?

4 Bombing Suspects in London

4 Bombing Suspects in London
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

These are the suspects in the London bombings on 7/21/05.

Profiling-We Need More

NYPD began randomly searching bags of people wanting to use the transit system, and predictably the objections have begun based upon the Fourth Amendment and profiling.

We do have a Constitutional right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure. We do not have a Constitutional right to use the public transit system. So, if you don’t want to comply with the security searches at the transit system, don’t use the transit system. That’s pretty straight forward, don’t you think? Not for the ACLU or the NY Civil Liberties Union:

“The New York Civil Liberties Union opposed the searches, saying they violated the Fourth Amendment. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he hoped the NYCLU would recognize that the city had struck the right balance between security and protecting constitutional rights. He said the bag-checking program is part of a policy to "constantly change tactics" and "may, or may not, be there tomorrow."”

Racial profiling in the past was an odious component of law enforcement. And, it is now against the law. So, we get politically correct and make procedures like the following:

“Police had promised there would be no racial profiling, and when a woman in what looked like Muslim dress was selected by Officer Richard Dixon, he said he was simply picking "every fifth person with a bag."”

Was the woman really picked because she was the fifth person with a bag? What if the fifth person had been an eighty year old Japanese woman? Would she have been singled out for an inspection? Let’s hope not, but the reality today in the U. S. is that she probably would have been selected. That is not just an inefficient use of manpower chasing the image of politically correctness; it is a dangerous misappropriation of a finite resource.

Let’s be honest people, everyone profiles every day of their life. It’s how our brain works. All of our experiences are sorted and catalogued and then brought forth to create judgments which guide action or reaction. Here’s an example: You are walking down a street when suddenly you are confronted with two snarling dogs. One is a Pomeranian and the other is a Pitt Bull. Your brain quickly gathers the various sensory data being fed to it, checks the memory banks for additional data stored from a lifetime of experiences, assesses the threat level and prioritizes the threats. Which dog did you choose as the greatest threat? Profiling wise, it does not matter which dog you choose, as long as you correctly choose the greater threat. If your analysis is wrong and you address the lesser threat, you will be attacked by the greater threat. Now, if anyone chose the Pomeranian as the greater threat, you are clueless and have probably just dropped in from another planet. Profiling is natural, and that is as it should be.

So the problem is how do we sort out the real Islamo-fascist threat potentials from the general population? First we assess the data banks and decide who is historically making the greatest number of attacks against us. Is it Hindus, Christians, Buddhists or Muslims? Is it males or females? Is it the elderly, the very young, or some other age group? What countries are the attackers from: Sweden, Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, or some other place? Put all this in the mix, stir it up and what pops out in our analysis? Well, it surely is not an eighty year old Caucasian woman from the U. S. or Sweden. Does that mean she can not be a suspect? No, but I’m sure you will agree that the probability is quite low.

What then is the profile of the greatest threat? It is a late teens to late 20’s Muslim male, often educated and financially stable from the countries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Northern Africa or Pakistan. In addition, the U. S. is beginning to see signs that home grown Islamics, most often blacks, are becoming a threat. Read my blog on that here. But, what about Taliban Johnny and Jose Padilla? They don’t fit the mould. Yes they do, partially. They are males of the right age who have converted to Islamo-fascism. I never claimed that profiling is 100% correct. But, it is better than any other alternative.

If you don’t think I am right about the general target profile, take a look at the FBI’s Terrorism Wanted Page here & here. See the pictures of the current 4 terrorists from the London 7/21/05 incidents & here. See any similarities in the people pictured at these two sites?

Hells’ Angels Trial Delayed

“In Laughlin, Nevada, at the Laughlin River Run in April 2002, about 85 Hells’ Angels attacked approximately 40 Mongols in the Harrah’s Casino. After the shooting and stabbing ended, two Hells’ Angels and one Mongols were dead and many wounded on both sides. Later that night a third Hells’ Angel was shot off his motorcycle in the desert not far from Laughlin. You will notice that the Mongols were attacked and outnumbered 2 to 1 and yet 3 Hells’ Angels died and only 1 Mongols died. That might well be an indication about the ferocity of the Mongols, who are thought to be the most dangerous of outlaw motorcycle gangs.” That’s what I wrote in my blog Under and Alone. Now the trials are finally beginning. Go here and here for articles about the delay in the start of the trial.

Are you, or is someone you know, one of those persons who likes to rub elbows with outlaw motorcycle gang members? You know who I am talking about: Those fun loving guys who like to ride motorcycles. Do you wear their support merchandise or do you attend their public events? You do? So much for your common sense!

Auxiliary Citizen Border Patrol is Kaput

I blogged here previously that Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner is floating the concept of a Border Patrol Auxilary. It seems that the idea has been shot down by Department of Homeland Security before it could get off the ground: “…it has NO plans to use citizen volunteers to help patrol the border.” Read it here. Political heads must be spinning in D.C. Meanwhile people are still walking across the border.

SmelLA Times

Laura Ingraham coined the term “SmelLa Times” during her radio talk show discussion of Richard Serrano’s LA Times article on Jane Roberts, wife of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts.

Serrano writes, “A spouse's views normally are not considered relevant in weighing someone's job suitability. But abortion is likely to figure prominently in the Senate debate over John Roberts' nomination. And with his position on the issue unclear, abortion rights supporters expressed concern Wednesday that his wife's views might suggest he also embraced efforts to overturn Roe vs. Wade.”

So, I gather a Supreme Court Justice is subject to influence from a spouse on the issue of abortion but apparently not on the death penalty, state’s rights, etc. Sure glad there is only one issue to be concerned about when it comes to a spouse of a Justice. Otherwise we might never settle on a candidate. Come to think of it, there is a couple which is politically polar opposites. And, they are the only couple that would be perfect in this Supreme Court Issue no matter who is President, Democrat or Republican: James Carville and Mary Matalan.

Update 7/22 : See Hugh Hewitt's excellent blog on the issue.

Anarchist Direct Actions-A Challenge for Law Enforcement

I previously blogged here about the San Francisco Police Officer that was attacked and seriously injured by anarchists at a G8 protest.

Randy Borum, University of South Florida, and Chuck Tilby, Eugene, Ore., Police Department have published an exceptional paper on the background and motivations of anarchists.

“Anarchism is a philosophy that advocates for complete liberty, freedom, and equality.”

“Although modern terrorism has its roots in the tactics of early Russian anarchists,
anarchism itself is not a terrorist philosophy. Terrorism is tactic, or another way of
fighting. It is distinguished from other forms of violence not only by its motive, but by
how it defines a legitimate target (i.e., civilian non-combatants). Anarchists—like any
extremist or activist group—may use terrorist tactics, but most would agree that anarchism as a social philosophy certainly does not require it.”

Go here to read Borum and Tilby’s paper.

SEAL Memorial

“It's no secret the Navy's most elite covert warriors, the SEALs, are a tough breed of sailor whose exploits are the stuff of legend. But when they gathered yesterday at Punchbowl to honor five Pearl Harbor teammates killed in battle in Afghanistan, their gruff exterior gave way to tears.” Read it here and here (Hat Tip to Froggy Ruminations.)

U. S. Marine Cpt. Brian Chontosh Gets Navy Cross

Cpt Brian Chontosh US Marine Corps
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

Heroes are ordinary people who make unusual efforts during extraordinary circumstances. But, a U. S. Marine is not just some ordinary person. Nevertheless, then U. S. Marine Lt. Brian Chontosh is a hero for his actions in Iraq. Read here and here how in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 25, 2003, he attacked a trench of Iraqi soldiers, ran out of ammunition for his weapons, took up the enemy’s weapons and continued the fight.

Hugh Hewitt Misses the “Crazy” Boat

On his radio show today, Hewitt was in a discussion about the ill-advised comments of Rep. Tom Tancredo on the merit, or lack thereof, of a nuclear deterrent policy as it pertains to Islamo-Fascists. Hugh argued that there was no deterrent potential because these people are “crazy.”

Merriam-Webster Online:
Main Entry: 1cra·zy Pronunciation: 'krA-zEFunction: adjectiveInflected Form(s): cra·zi·er; -est

1 a : full of cracks or flaws : UNSOUND b : CROOKED, ASKEW

2 a : MAD, INSANE b (1) : IMPRACTICAL (2) : ERRATIC c : being out of the ordinary : UNUSUAL

3 a : distracted with desire or excitement b : absurdly fond : INFATUATED c : passionately preoccupied : OBSESSED

Say what you may about Islamo-Fascists, but as a group they can not be fairly characterized as crazy. They are rational, practical people with an agenda built on a philosophical platform totally alien to ours.

I suspect that the threat of, or the actual act of, wiping out Mecca would play into the Islamo-Fascist’s hands. As a practical matter it’s nutty idea since most Islamists are not fascist. That’s like saying you would nuke the Vatican because of some splinter group of Catholics was causing havoc.

So I agree with Hewitt on the nuclear deterrent issue, but disagree on the crazy statement.

Michael Yon Plans to Lie to Iraqi Insurgents

Michael Yon writes from Iraq, “For the record: If I am ever captured and seen on television telling the world that America is evil, I am lying.” Check out Michael’s blog Michael Yon : Online Magazine frequently.

Citizen Border Patrol

In the run-up to the citizen Mexican border patrol projects designed to watch for illegal immigrants crossing the border, the Border Patrol, immigrant rights groups and even Pres. Bush jumped to conclusions and generally considered the volunteers to be “vigilantes.” The immigrant rights groups still do, but then what can you expect from groups which openly advocate flouting the immigration laws of the country? Of course, these Hispanic oriented groups are referring to illegal Hispanic immigrants. I have not heard of these groups advocating turning a blind eye to the illegal immigration of other ethnic groups, or say would-be terrorists.

Probably the initial bad-mouthing of the volunteers had some grain of truth when you realize that undoubtedly there were a few racists among the volunteers. However, the results of the border efforts do not bear out a conclusion that the majority of border volunteers fit the racist mould. None of the dire predictions of the killing and/or harassing of illegal immigrants were ever fulfilled. And, there sure were plenty of people on the border watching for such actions.

Now, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner is floating the concept of a “Border Patrol Auxiliary.” It seems that the Border Patrol headquarters is now validating what individual Border Patrol Agents have been saying, often anonymously for fear of losing their jobs, that the citizens on the border were effective and did not commit crimes against the illegal immigrants.

Europe’s Islamo-Fascist Dilemma is Our Own

“It was a perfidious plan, filled with dark, hateful tirades. And, it was also planned down to the last detail. Part of it involved blowing up trains. The goal was simple: an enormous massacre of infidels.” So begins an excellent article in the German publication Der Spiegel entitled, “Radical Islam's rising war on Europe.”

The article continues:

“…al-Qaida in Europe is not an organization that readily lends itself to infiltration or wire-tapping. That's because al-Qaida is not a fixed structure, but rather an ideology that has managed to fascinate young Islamists from Gibraltar to Scandinavia. These young terrorists may know each other and even cooperate when it comes to logistics, but they operate in small, flexible independent groups, making them almost impossible to catch.”
“The Old Continent, once a place for Muslim extremists to withdraw and recuperate, has turned into a battlefield.”

“All over Europe mosques are being built, grandiose structures incorporating glass, marble and tall minarets, even in the most remote villages. Young Muslims learn the values of extremist Wahhabism in brand-new training centers.”

“Europe's open borders and tangled bureaucracy help terrorists”

The havoc of the recent attacks in Madrid and London will spread in Europe. In the near future, Europeans will experience a greater number of Islamo-Fascist attacks than Americans simply because the insular European Islamic community is more deeply entrenched than its U.S. cousin. But make no mistake, it will again manifest on U.S. soil.

Gen MacArthur’s Statue Generates Veneration & Protest in Korea

The anniversary of the 52nd armistice for the Korean War is close at hand. There is a battle over the statue of General MacArthur at Freedom Park in Inchon.

These quotes are from an article entitled, “Gen. MacArthur Statue Spawns Korea Protest:”

“…a small group of anti-MacArthur demonstrators marched at a MacArthur war memorial in the western city of Incheon, site of the late general's 1950s landing. Thousands of MacArthur supporters confronted the protesters in Freedom Park,”

“Most people involved in the debate are elderly with personal memories of the Korean War and the bitter ideological struggles that South Korea endured in its early years.”

“Not even dogs forget their benefactors," said former South Korean U.N. Ambassador Park Keun,…”

Gateway Pundit has photos here.

See my previous blog on the Korean War Armistice Day.

“War is Never Good”

On the occasion of the upcoming 52nd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice (July 27th), Korean War Vet Jim McMurty is quoted, “War is never good.” Jim has good reason to think as he does, he saw his best friend, Keith Seaman, killed by a Communist mortar. Jim said, “Back then we were young, gung-ho.” But, Jim’s wife notes, “When you're young -- and he was very young then -- you can push things back,” and “As you get older, it begins to bother you. It does bother him today.”

Jim, “good” is a relative term and while war was not good for you personally, war is often good for humanity in general. That’s why it was necessary for you and Keith to sacrifice. I suppose for you that is a small consolation for having seen your best friend blown to pieces. But, please be assured that the world is just a little better because of your efforts. Just ask the South Koreans what they think about your sacrifice.

We owe Jim and Keith a large debt of gratitude. Keith paid with his life, and Jim continues to pay with each passing day. Thank you both, and thank you to all of the rest of the Korean War Vets, including my friend Al Martinez.

For the text of the Korean War Armistice, go here.

Update: See my subsequent post.

Australia Alarmed About Hateful Islamic Literature

Australia may not have as strong a position on freedom of speech as does the U.S. There is talk in Australia about charging bookstores with terrorism crimes for stocking hateful Islamic literature. Read it here and here.

Hillary Panders to La Raza

What really is your position on illegal immigration Sen. Clinton? First you lambaste Pres. Bush about not controlling the borders, and now when speaking to a La Raza convention you advocate “…policy changes that would allow undocumented immigrant students to receive college aid.”

LA Times Caught in Racist Smear

In my Simi Valley Soap Box blog on a homegrown terrorism potential, Newspapers Deceiving Us Over Homegrown Terrorism, I applauded the LA Times for at least giving better coverage than two other local newspapers. The LA Times mentioned that one of the possible terrorists is a member of Rollin’ 60’s gang. Of course the LA Times did not say that the gang member is black, they left it up to the reader to be knowledgeable enough to know that Rollin’ 60’s is a black gang. Now Patterico has discovered that the LA Times has no problems publishing a piece on potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees and that Pres. Bush was only considering “white men.” Someone must have caught the LA Times in its attempted racist smear because they removed the word “white” from the article published on the internet without explanation of the editing. Read Patterico’s excellent work, “LA Times Airbrushes Web Version…”

Read my Simi Valley Sophist blog on homegrown terrorism and Islam here.

Hillary 2008

Hillary 2008
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

I saw my first bumber sticker for Hillary in 2008 today. I went here for the web site listed on the sticker. At the bottom of the web page was, “This site is not paid for or authorized by Hillary Rodham Clinton.” Rigggght!!!!

Chinese Unrestricted Warfare

Newsmax.com is promoting a book, Unrestricted Warfare, about the People’s Republic of China and its support for asymmetric warfare against the U.S. The book is said to be a translation of a Chinese military manual. Or you can find it online here & here.

“The doctrine of total war outlined in Unrestricted Warfare clearly demonstrates that the People’s Republic of China is preparing to confront the United States and our allies by conducting “asymmetrical” or multidimensional attacks on almost every aspect of our social, economic and political life.”

Do You Believe in Angels?

"We had angels watching us."

"Well, there is no other way to explain how we survived, except that Plum and Rat were there, and they stopped the blast. I know they were there. Plum and Rat held up their hands to save us. They stopped the blast. They were there."

Michael Yon is with the Deuce-Four (1-24 Infantry) in Mosul. Read why these warriors believe in angels.

Black Islamic Terrorism and Crime Linked in LA

From today’s edition of the Los Angeles Times, “Counterterrorism officials are investigating the possibility that two men recently arrested in a string of South Bay gas station robberies may have been part of a local group of extremists with ties to prison or street gangs…”

It is well known that terrorist groups support themselves and their terror operations by engaging in criminal activity. It is extremely important to understand that Osama bin Ladin and like minded Islamo-fascist leaders are not solely responsible for the funding of terrorism. Rather, they provide the philosophical framework for non-supported groups to pattern their activities, and the groups must provide for themselves financially.

It is also well known that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S., and it has made significant inroads into the black prison population. The LA Times article states that one of the arrested robbers was a member of the Rollin’ 60’s gang, a black street gang.

There is a tremendous potential for American homegrown black Islamo-fascist terror in the U.S. It is time for the American public to be alerted to the fact. At least the LA Times
wrote an article in which the reader might infer as much.

Islamo-Fascist Warriors: World Wide Phenomenon

People attracted to Islamo-fascism come from all walks of life and from all manner of countries. We are accustomed of thinking about Islamo-facsict terrorists as coming from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Jordan. The bombings in Madrid and London illuminate that Islamo-fascist warriors come not just from the Middle East, but northern Africa, Pakistan, Jamaica, Europe as well. Richard Reid, the would-be “Shoe Bomber” was born in London, the son of an English mother and Jamaican father. Zacarias Moussaoui is the “20th. 9-11 Bomber,” a Frenchman of Moroccan descent. Ahmed Ressem, the “Millenium Bomber” is Algerian. And don’t forget the U.S.: Jose Padilla, the “Dirty Bomb” suspect is Brooklyn born of Puerto Rican extraction. Now, ABC News reported that the London bombers have direct links to persons in the U. S.

Americans need to realize that it is only a matter of time before routine traditional style and the suicide-homicide type of bombings begin in our home territory. Europe will experience a greater number of attacks in the near future because the insular Islamic populations are far more entrenched than in the U.S. But, make no mistake of it, the Islamic culture is here and growing. As the number grows, there is a greater potential for a minority of them to be Islamo-fascists.

Islamo-fascists, both U.S. and foreign born, are training and communicating with fellow warriors all over the world. In time, the U.S. will again feel their wrath on home soil.

Republicans Want to Kill Democrats

CNSNews.com reports on the Campus Progress National Student Conference for young liberals. Political strategist Paul Begala was featured and accused “…Republicans of wanting to kill him and his children to preserve tax cuts for the rich.”

Bill Clinton was there. I wonder what he said.

CA Legislators Seek to Undo U.S. Supreme Court Theft

From the Ventura County Star, “A group of California lawmakers is trying to block the effects of last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded the government's power to seize private property, a decision that was swiftly criticized by groups across the political spectrum.”

California politicians have introduced a State constitutional amendment that would prohibit governmental bodies from exercising their newly acquired rights to steal your property for other than public use. Thank goodness someone is trying to rescue us from the case of Kelo v. New London. Now it’s up to the blue hued state to repudiate the word of the mighty 5 and come to their own defense.

Saber Rattling Chinese-New Cold War

Chinese flag
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

The Financial Times reported that a top Chinese general has publicly stated that the People’s Republic of China will use nuclear weapons against the U.S. if the U.S. targets China in a conflict over Taiwan. At a time wherein the U.S. is taking notice of the Chinese military build-up and that country’s growing need for foreign energy sources, the comments of General Zhu Chenghu should be taken as an official statement by the Chinese government.

While the comments may not be official policy, it is highly likely that they represent, in the very least, a deliberate chess move by the fascist Chinese government. Despite the growing trade exchange between the U.S. and China, we appear to be entering into a new Cold War.

The trade with the U.S. is fueling the economic development of China. It is kind of reminiscent of the scrap metal bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Joseph Stalin’s comments are applicable, “When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.”

Taste of Freedom

Small Town Veteran & Texas Insider both use this un-attributed quote:

"For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know. "

Leftists Support the Troops—Not

I blogged on the Fourth of July about our collective guilt for not supporting the Vietnam troops. And, I declared that I would not standby idly if the babbling left engaged in their destructive speech. The natural extension of my blog is a consideration as to whether or not the Left does support the troops. Dennis Prager says no.

Breast Cancer & Anarchy

109_0976
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

You can find all kinds of people and all kinds of things going on in San Francisco at any particular time. Some people would say that’s the beauty of the place. Some of it is and some of is not.

Last weekend was gorgeous weather in SF. And, it was a magnificent time for those who gathered to participate in the Avon 2-Day Breast Cancer Walk. It was an event of tremendous community spirit as a whole lot of Walkers, supported by a great Crew, traversed 40 miles in two days. It was for the purpose of raising 3.4 million dollars (7/19/05 Correction: $4.3 million) to fund breast cancer screening for under-served women and to fund research on the causes and cures for this dreaded disease. One in eight women in the U.S. can expect to be visited by breast cancer. A good many die an early death.

On Friday night, as the Avon participants were connecting with their fellow walkers and crew, another sort of event was unfolding in the City. I was in Tommy’s Joynt oblivious to the developing conflict. It seems that a gaggle of mental midgets were holding an anarchy protest in opposition to the G8 conference in Scotland. That makes a lot of sense. So in furtherance of their First Amendment Rights, these geniuses decided to trash some businesses and attack a San Francisco P.D. officer. Three anarchists went to jail and one police officer was admitted to the hospital. Michele Malkin “…blogged about the anarchist thugs who assaulted a San Francisco police officer while trying to help control the anti-G8 riots. The officer remains in the hospital in serious condition with brain swelling. He has developed a blood clot as a result of his injuries.” Go to her blog for details and a photo of the injured officer.

Urban Grounds blogs, “San Francisco: Home of Anarchy, Apathy, and Anti-Americanism.”I am tempted to agree with Urban Grounds, “I’d be in favor of putting up a wall around SF (since they’ve already completely separated themselves from anything even remotely resembling American values…” based upon nothing more than the anarchists and the dregs of life that prowl the streets at 4 AM: prostitutes; homeless; and drug users. While there are certainly plenty of good citizens in San Francisco, what is it about this leftist city that attracts such scum. Perhaps I answered my own question: Leftist!

Addendum 7/15/05: Ok, so I have writer’s remorse for calling anarchists, prostitutes, homeless and drug users “scum.” That was just a little too callous. I do not consider prostitutes, homeless, and drug users scum. They are unfortunate people, and there go I but by the grace of God. That’s not true either, because I busted my butt to get an education and to stay employed. Now as for anarchists, that’s something else again. The epitaph stands.

British Backlash

From The Guardian a report about a backlash against Muslims.

“A Muslim man has been beaten to death outside a corner shop by a gang of youths who shouted anti-Islamic abuse at him…”

“…backlash against Muslims following the London bombings, which has seen mosques firebombed and Muslims attacked in the street.”

Photos here and here.

There was nothing so dramatic in the U. S. after 9/11/01.

Update 7/15/05: Read about British far right gangs plotting revenge.

Republicans Still Asleep at the Switch

This time, Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democrats are scooping the Republicans on expansion of the military. Read it here.

It’s Islamo-Fascism Stupid

In the wake of the London bombings, the bleating of the left will now begin. They will pontificate that the U. S. should have concentrated on taking out Osama bin Ladin instead of going to Iraq. Oh and by the way, it's all the fault of the U. S., don't you know? Let’s be clear folks, the enemy is Islamo-fascism. Osama bin Ladin is only one factor in the equation.

Reaction to London Blasts Will Determine Character

Will the British people respond to the London terrorist attacks like Americans or like the Spanish?

Spy Versus Spy

“Negroponte now has the tools to end the FBI-CIA feuding.” Read it here.

Rough Defend the Good

"Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Hat tip to Mudville Gazette. Some reports credit George Orwell for the quote.

Bio-Plastic

“The Energy Department is so enthusiastic that it is aiming to convert 25% of chemical manufacturing to an agricultural base by 2030.” Read about it here.

Hillary Scoops Republicans

Say what you want about Hillary, but you can’t accuse her of being dumb. She’s a leftist without a doubt, but she’s making like a moderate and scooping the Republicans on immigration/border issues. You wonder if the Republicans are asleep, or are they disconnected from the public? On this issue, Hillary is right on. Read it here.

Support for Our Troops on the Fourth of July

Ol' Glory
Originally uploaded by simi valley sophist.

It’s Fourth of July, the 229th Fourth of July. It’s a day to remember the birth of our nation and the sacrifices made then and now for our country. This country did not just happen, nor does it continue to exist, bereft of pain. Someone is sweating, hurting, bleeding, dieing for my family and me. And, for you too. There has always been and always will be someone making our mortgage payment while we dine on the sweet fruits of freedom.

I don’t care if you agree or disagree about whether or not we should be doing what we are doing. Right or wrong we are in a war, a war that far exceeds Iraq. This is not merely a war in some far off Muslim country. It is a deadly culture clash between Islamo-fascism and our way of life, be it here, Europe or elsewhere. And, it started long before 9/11/01.

If you don’t accept the obvious, okay we can debate the issue. But, what is not up for debate is the support for our troops. They must remain overseas to finish the job that they undertook on our behalf. And finishing the job is not a premature withdrawal and slinking home with our tails between our legs. We did that once and dishonored those who believed in and sacrificed for our way of life. The black marble wall in Washington D.C. honoring the fallen in Vietnam is not compensation for the dishonorable behavior of the 1960’s dissidents.

The message from today’s naysayers is strikingly similar to that which we heard previously. Yesterday’s youthful idealism and energy was manipulated by elitist educators and provocateurs of and for the Communist Party. Some simply exercised their First Amendment rights; some used the Vietnam War as an excuse to try and destroy the U. S. from within; and still others committed treason. All shamefully defiled the price paid by the best of my generation.

Today, for most of us, there is a sense of pride for our military personnel. Anheuser-Busch captured that pride with its 2005 Super Bowl video Tribute to the Troops. Go here to view the tribute video (be patient while it loads).

This grandfather can not watch the tribute without tears. I saw what was done to the Vietnam troops, but now there are Americans of all types smiling and applauding our military. There is a young girl, about two and a half years old, the age of my granddaughter. The child is the only one not smiling because she does not understand. She does not know that her wonderful life is being paid for with the blood of others. That little girl is my granddaughter, or she could be yours. It is my duty to invest in her future, and I will do so with the ferocity of all my being. I will not stand aside unheard while some seek to tear down the morale and undermine the support for those same troops who guarantee my granddaughter’s freedoms. I will not stand aside unheard should the “bring the troops home” message devolve into the national disgrace of the 1960’s. I am embarrassed by what occurred to the troops of my youth. I will speak out in support of today’s troops in every manner that I can. They must succeed at all costs.

Most Americans are doing the right sort of things to show that we support the efforts of our military troops. An e-mail from Michael Yon, a freelance author on the ground with the troops in Iraq, reports that the morale is high. Read Michael here. We need to keep our support of the troops very visible and vocal. We must not allow our politicians to be swayed by the braying minority who, because of timidity, would bequeath this country to its enemies. While this country is certainly divided on many foundational issues, we must never leave unanswered the skewed facts of the left leaning main stream media and its new internet consorts. We must not allow them to give unchallenged comfort to this country’s elitist detractors.

Prostitution Causes the Massage Industry to be a Victim Twice

Law enforcement authorities arrested a large number of Koreans involved in prostitution. There is nothing particularly new in the world of prostitution except that the Mustang Ranch, a legal brothel outside Reno, just reopened. As far as I can tell, the famed den of inequity has nothing to do with the Korean investigations.

Prostitutes trolling for clients on the streets and in hotels and bars stand out fairly quickly. In contrast, brothel prostitution provides advantages over the street bound prostitutes. Other than a few legal brothels in Nevada, brothels were in short supply. That is until Asian prostitution (both Chinese and Korean) entered the scene. Asian prostitution raised the bar by masquerading as legitimate business establishments: massage; chiropractic; acupuncture; aromatherapy; and spas. Read it here, here and here.

Prostitution investigations are manpower intensive and law enforcement looks for innovative ways to tackle an age old problem. Not too many years ago, Asian prostitution was discovered masquerading as legitimate massage establishments. Cities began revamping municipal codes to highly regulate the legitimate massage industry and stamp out the prostitution. And they can be successful at a price of harassing and/or driving out of business the legitimate massage industry. The conflict between law enforcement and the legitimate massage industry is occurring all over California. The problem is so bad that many in the massage industry are demanding that the State enter the arena by licensing massage therapists and removing jurisdiction from the municipalities.

The massage industry has found itself in an unenviable position of being victimized twice as a result of Asian prostitution. As the public becomes more aware of the large presence of Asian prostitution in their communities, the age old stigma of prostitution and massage are further ingrained in the public psyche. And, this is at a time when massage is beginning to blossom and make a real contribution to the health of the nation. The massage industry is thus victimized for the first time.

The massage industry is victimized a second time by the very people who are charged with protecting the citizens from criminality, the police. Many police administrators, city attorneys and city bureaucrats for some reason abandoned common sense and wrote city ordinances punishing the legitimate massage industry for the crimes of prostitution businesses masquerading as legitimate business. It appears that in their zeal to suppress prostitution, which sometimes resembles a self-righteous zeal, city officials seem to care very little for the welfare of the honest citizen. One may wonder how such a situation comes to pass. One possible explanation is that there is a lack of understanding of the operational parameters of the massage industry. Another potential problem occurs when the formation of public policy in entrusted to city employees who are uneducated about the dynamics of public policy formulation. A third problem arises when a city employee’s personal views on human touch becomes an agenda. If a city will make a good faith effort to reach out to the massage community before formulating public policy and municipal codes, there is a good chance that the objectives of the police department, as it pertains to prostitution, can be obtained without jeopardizing and harassing the legitimate massage industry.

A knowledgeable voice in the world of massage and politics is Keith Eric Grant, who blogs at Ramblemuse. Go here to read his A Review of Issues in Massage Governance.

The Left Wing Does Not Get It

Ten years ago, Zapatista rebels took over the Chiapas area of southern Mexico. The Zapatista is a left wing rebel group that has never fulfilled its promises to the poor and mostly indigenous peoples of the area. The Zapatista rebels instituted collective communes and a redistribution of the wealth, such that it is. The entire economic/political system is a failure and people are emigrating out of the area controlled by the rebels. Read it here.

When will the left ever get the picture that extreme socialism is a failed philosophy? What more proof do you need than Cuba, Russia, China and now the Zapatista controlled part of Mexico? One 52 year old émigré from Zapatista controlled land stated it succinctly, "The ones like us who work hard end up working for those who don't." He “… got tired of waiting for life to get better. So he voted with his feet.” You would think that if an uneducated peasant can get it right, then surely the educated elite could do so as well. Not!!

Here’s a hat tip to the Los Angeles Times for running this article rather than eviscerating it or leaving it on the edit room floor.

Steal Your Property

The U. S. Supreme Court just expanded the ability of local governments to confiscate your property. Thus, the great debate continues over the proper roll of government, to say nothing of the proper function of the highest court in the land. Should government be socialistic, capitalistic, or some combination thereof? Those who argue for socialism believe that society should be primarily responsible for the welfare of each of its members at the cost of all members. The problem with socialism is that it is never administered evenly. Some pay much more, and some pay little to none at all. Those who argue for capitalism believe that the greatest standard of government is to stay out of the way of individuals such that each can reap the just rewards of his individual efforts. The problem with pure capitalism is that it does not provide for the basic life supporting needs of those lacking a support system through no fault of their own. Time has shown that a healthy society needs a little of both.

The U. S. Supreme Court, in the case of Kelo v. New London, just made a big push in the direction of socialism. The case expanded the parameter of eminent domain from public use to public benefit. Government may now take your property and turn it over to another private individual, who will make a profit from its use. Government, of course, expects to benefit from the receipt of tax receipts exceeding that which you were paying.

Thomas Sowell, a preeminent thinker, addresses the eminent domain issue here.