Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Undocumented in Utah

The state of Utah is abuzz this morning with a report that a list is being circulated with the names, addresses, social security numbers (?), and other vital information on undocumented aliens. The conversation is about the security breech which allowed the disclosure and not the presence of the law-breakers. It would appear that this tragic violation of the privacy of the unlawful has created more outrage than the dossier itself. It would also appear that if such a list were available to law enforcement, complete with easily available information for apprehension, the state would have been better served if the miscreants had been rounded up and deported.

The article by Brock Vegakis commenced with the following:

“SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Investigators examined records at several state agencies Wednesday to find the origins of a list being circulated around Utah that contains the names and personal information of 1,300 purported illegal immigrants and demands that they be deported immediately.

Utah is looking into whether a state worker may have illegally accessed a database containing the sensitive information to help compile a list that has sent chills through the Hispanic community.

The dossier - sent from an anonymous group to reporters, state officials and politicians - marks the latest example of hysteria that has spread since Arizona passed its harsh immigration crackdown this year. Immigrants liken the list to a modern-day witch hunt.

A 36-year-old Salt Lake City woman whose name was on the list along with those of her husband and three children, told The Associated Press through a translator that she's consumed by fear. She said her family is considering returning to their home outside of Mexico City where they all have citizenship.”

For the balance of the piece go to "myway" click here if you have the stomach for it.

Note the difference in accuracy in reporting. In the last cited paragraph, that she is identified as “a 36-year old Salt Lake City woman” and not as “a Mexican woman, illegally in Salt Lake City.” The tale goes on to be described with the metaphor, “witch hunt.” Witches are a figment of our imagination—undocumented illegals preying on our society are not.

The real prize is in the last paragraph as she contemplates a return to Mexico City. Oh well, “buh-bye.”

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) – Today’s Hero

Glenn Fine, the inspector general for the U.S. Dept. of Justice by now, has received the following letter from Congressman Wolf. Accompanying the letter is a complete file of largely ignored correspondence regarding the infamous “Black Panther” case and its subsequent dismissal by the Justice Department.

As ranking member of the committee which controls the appropriations for the Justice Department, Wolf has a voice which the department should heed. In consideration of response to prior communications that does seem unlikely. It’s hard to answer mail while your busy sweeping issues under the rug.

Our thanks go to Roger L. Simon at Pajama's Media  for the original posting.


"July 14, 2010

Mr. Glenn Fine
Inspector General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20530

Dear Mr. Fine:

In light of the recent testimony of Mr. J. Christian Adams before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR), we urge you again to investigate the dismissal of U.S. v. New Black Panther Party. Over the last year, we have asked you on multiple occasions to investigate this matter to no avail. In light of the mounting evidence of improper activities in the department’s Civil Rights Division (CRD), we urge you again to immediately initiate an investigation into this matter.

There is something rotten happening at the department under your watch. Your continued refusal to investigate has been — and remains — inexcusable. One can only surmise that your failure to investigate stems from a fear of upsetting the department’s senior political leadership, some of whom could be directly tied to the dismissal of this case. However, as inspector general, you have a legal and moral obligation to go wherever truth takes you."

(For the balance of the letter, Mr. Simon’s blog and the pithy comments simply click here.)

There is little likelihood that Mr. Fine will react to this letter with any ethical position. The current corruption in the Justice Department is so ingrained that it reaches into each and every nook and cranny including the Inspector General charged with maintaining those ethics. God help us all!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

NASCAR vs. Jousting

Unlike almost all of my neighbors, I have little interest in NASCAR and fail to understand their fascination with constant left turns. I’ll admit that after watching an accomplished pit crew in action I am impressed with their speed, skill, and discipline. But since that is not a major part of the time invested in a race, those golden moments are rare. After a life time accumulating 3,000,000 miles in personal and commercial vehicles, maybe the thought of being in all that traffic has a conditioned negative aspect.

It may also be that I’m just a snob. Then again, I enjoy mayhem as much as the next guy and any event which draws a bit of blood can’t be all bad—as long as it’s not mine.

In a recent piece in the New York Times magazine, Dashka Slater gives us an inside look at a possible replacement sport. For violent, rough and tumble action with a lot of shiny equipment, Jousting would be hard to beat. Saddle up a massive Clydesdale with the strength and durability to carry the rider fully clad in heavy armor, tack, horse armor, lance and race full speed down the 60 yard track. The object then is to strike the opposing rider by placing the point of the 11 foot lance at a critical point on his chest. Bonus points are awarded if he is successfully unhorsed.

Currently, this is sport is reserved for small crowds at Renaissance Fairs where historical significance rules the day. There are also familiar “dinner theater” layouts where it’s not so much sport as theater arts. As you read Slater’s piece, see if you agree that it could be competitive for the NASCAR audience. At the least it is no sport for the faint of heart.

Every financial aspect of the horse maintenance is a plus. Fuel is far cheaper for a steed—a few bags of oats and a little hay instead of “high test” and nitro. Replace a pit crew with a self-healing vehicle and a vet bill here and there. The reduction in CO² alone by shutting down the engines spewing noxious gasses should bring attention to the sport for the upper west side enviro-nuts. Just the thought of watching your favorite villain knocked on his butt and saving the planet at the same time would be a delicious combo for potential new fans. Compare the cost of racks of racing slicks for each car as opposed to a handful of horseshoes and a few nails. The pre-run burnouts would be replaced by natural emissions from the horse which would sustain a level of crowd olfactory participation.

On the down-side, finding experienced participants could pose a problem at the offset. As the sport gained acceptance I’m sure every little kid in America would hone his skills by riding the family pooch in imagined combat. As he grew, he would then graduate to the goat, the pony, and then the big time—the old gray mare.

The staple beverage of NASCAR would probably change to flagons of ale which might possibly present a change in alcoholic consumption in America. I’m certain that the brewers could easily handle the alteration in the drinking habits of the country.

Trash talking would continue to be a part of the activity with oblique reference to any participant jouster who indulged in too many flourishes etched into his armor. Nearly every sport has its “protective” armor to appease the safety Nazis so little would change there. The prime retention would be the venue. Both sports are best appreciated out of doors where the elements can be a contributing factor. With ambient temperature a vital feature, the primary emphasis would remain in the southern states.

Just imagine for a moment the excitement at Daytona as 168,000 fans rise to franticly cheer the jouster of their choice as he takes the pitch for his first joust of the day. As the signal is given for the start, the crowd muffles their enthusiasm to better hear the resounding crash as the two warriors collide with lances seeking the vital targets with splinters flying and the clank of the bulky armor as one of them falls from his steed. At that moment a roar goes up from the contestant backers either of disappointment or pride. Ah, that will be a golden day for the sport.

Will that be the change we have all been waiting for? The change described here is about as likely as the change we were promised back in November 2008. If you take either one seriously; we can easily find the boob in that scenario.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Monday, July 12, 2010

Monday Morning Rant 155

Get ready to eat your heart out with jealousy. My Doctor actually called me (!!!) at 8 pm on a Saturday night to give me the results of some recent testing. I had to ask him to repeat his name twice before my mind could absorb just what was happening. He did not call to prepare me for the start of endless treatment procedures. He called to assure me that I was not going to die---at least not now.

Why is this important? Obviously, it’s important to me because it’s reassuring to have a physician who gives a hoot. It’s not really that they don’t care but they are often stressed over too many patients, too many difficult decisions, not enough time, too many mysteries, and in some cases—a God who heals for no easily explained reason and for no easily understood cause, calls the patient home. He does it because he can. Who needs that kind of competition?

Given the symptoms leading up to the testing, I am more than grateful to get a clean bill of health. The very thought of fighting a possibly fatal disease in multiple body locations is not a great prospect. The real reason is probably that I want to join many of my antecedents and become an octogenarian in twenty more months. I see it as a birth-right and can hardly wait. I climb ladders, chase a lawnmower 21 miles every ten days, and get a great laugh out of forty year olds who can’t bend over and tie their tennies. My only real concession to age is my refusal to carry my golf bag 18 holes. That motorized golf cart is also about all I have in common with the president.

So, rejoice with me that as we near our third anniversary at Zion Beckons I can continue to irritate the left, cast derision on the RINO’s and continue my right as a free citizen to express my opinion—for now at least.

Russian Spies – Ivy League Credentials

According to Jules Crittenden, the booted Russian spy, Andrey Bezrukov, stole the credentials of a dead Canadian, then enrolled in Harvard and successfully gained a master’s degree from the Kennedy School of Government. Apparently, even though the school is infested with high government types in sensitive positions, nobody bothered to do a thorough vetting of his credentials. Further, Bush was not elected until after he graduated so it is certain that he will be blamed anyway.

Is it just me or does it appear that every time the clock chimes; Harvard produces yet another embarrassment to the United States?

Obama’s “fly me to the crescent”

In a wonderful article on the American Thinker, Ken Blackwell examines our new policy of having NASA act as the facilitators of peace and feel-good with Islam. Apparently Mr. Obama does not fully appreciate the variant responsibilities of the space agency and the State Department.

I plucked a few lines from the comments which are, as usual, not only apt but, if it was not such a serious blunder, funny. Go ahead and read my extracts and then be lured to read Blackwell’s article.

“What interest does a man who lives in a cave or a tent and rides around on a camel all day have in space science and technology?”

“The GOP or a PAC should attack this with all hands, feet and teeth. Run a brief ad showing the Twin towers imploding with a message of "no matter what they did 1,000 years ago it's what they're doing now that concerns Americans.” Call Obama and tell him. Just tell him...Please, before the next one."

“If Muslims contributed so much to math and science, wouldn't (or shouldn't) they know it? Why do we have to tell them? Arabs did develop the concept of "zero," and maybe Obama simply wants the world to realize he could not exist otherwise.”

The strongest point made was that the knowledge acquired was gained largely through the plunder of neighboring nations who had advanced the disciplines before their capture. See: history; Persians, India, etc... We can only assume they lost the book—scroll—etch-a-sketch---sheepskin—whatever.

Gettin’ while the gettin’s good

I have come to the conclusion that Obama has sufficient brain power to recognize that any further move he has to make to destroy the basic structure of the United States must be accomplished prior to the November elections. For him, this is obviously not a time for subtlety. Although I am certain he is goaded on by an outside force (Soros?) he has to realize that this continuous string of outrageous actions through legislation, illicit appointments and despotic use of federal agencies has a serious price.

From the perspective of the complicit legislators it constitutes a suicide pact when the public does finally rid us of their presence. The “under the bus” metaphor is no longer useful from a practical point of view. You can only stack one so high. After the November elections the tipping point will be reached. The positive financial balance the Democrat Party carries into November is extremely unlikely to carry the day and there will be substantive changes in the rosters of both houses. Look for more Chicago style ramming through of the complete agenda (Cap and Tax, Union Card Check, Amnesty for Illegals, etc.) in the interim. If he can get a substantial number passed then even though they lose the house and possibly the senate, they can then paint the opposing party as the “party of no” to his advantage in 2012 as they seek repeal of each issue.

The interim appointment of the head of the Nationalized Health Care (or whatever they call it) is unconscionable but typical for this administration. It should be obvious by now that this guy would rather use a bulldozer than a spade. Coupled with forty plus czars installed without any or at the least infrequent approval of the legislative body, we find him hell-bent to establish as much “leadership” as possible before the inevitable changing of the guard.

Further, the use of the Justice Department to cover for the Black Panthers, agency foot dragging and out right obstruction of the gulf oil spill, and the neutering of NASA to feel good encouragement of our sworn enemies demonstrate the further corruption of his intent. In order they represent lawless racial encouragement, extreme damage to our prime energy source to satisfy the needs of foreign oil interests and a fundamental corruption of duties tasked to various federal agencies and departments. Each of these examples serves to weaken our government through mission misunderstanding. Each has a purpose which has been corrupted to the point of making them inoperable.

We are facing a force which is difficult for the average citizen to think of as even possible. We have had some bad presidents but most them held some measure of respect for the county and at least mouthed some fealty to the constitution. Today we are facing an unreasonable man in a powerful job doing unthinkable things to our way of life. I see no reason to soft-pedal any complaint with his administration or his behavior. It no longer borders on criminal. It crossed that line some time ago.

And finally

More typical July weather has come to the Ozarks. In addition to continued daytime heat (90’s) we are enjoying gully-washer rains, and thunder and lightening. Never a dull moment comes for those of us trying to extract even minor subsistence from our small acreage.

Later in the week I shall venture north to Iowa to join other members of the Class of ’50 for our sixtieth reunion. Come Friday, I would appreciate inclusion in your prayers for a successful drive over the weekend and return. I plan to take the lap-top so if anything earth shattering occurs you won’t have to miss my considered opinion.

Meanwhile, weed your gardens, water if necessary, stay cool and don’t miss church on Sunday. God is good and merciful but He also likes to hear from you now and then.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon